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1. In his book The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell argues that“social epidemics” are driven in large part by the actions of a tiny minority of special individuals, often called influentials, who are unusually informed, persuasive, or well-connected.
词汇
tip [tɪp] n. 尖端；实用的提示；小费 v. 倾倒；轻触
The Tipping Point 引爆点
epidemic [ˌepɪˑdemɪk] n. （迅速的）盛行；流行病 a. 盛行的
in large part 在很大程度上
drive [draɪv] v. 驱动；迫使；驱赶 n. 驾车路程；欲望
action [ˑækʃ(ə)n] n. 行动；行为 v. 务必做
tiny [ˑtaɪni] a. 极小的，微小的
minority [maɪˑnɒrəti] n. 少数，少数派
individual [ˌɪndɪˑvɪdʒʊəl] n. 个人，个体 a. 单独的；独特的
influential [ˌɪnflʊˑenʃ(ə)l] a. 有很大影响的；有支配力的 n. 有影响力的人
unusually [ʌnˑjuːʒʊəli] ad. 极，非常；不寻常地
informed [ɪnˑfɔːmd] a. 有见识的；消息灵通的
persuasive [pəˑsweɪsɪv] a. 有说服力的，能使人信服的
well-connected [ˌwel kəˑnektɪd] a. 人脉广的
2. The idea is intuitively compelling, but it doesn’t explain how ideas actually spread.
词汇
intuitively [ɪnˑtjuːɪtɪvli] ad. 凭直觉地
compelling [kəmˑpelɪŋ] a. 令人信服的；不可抗拒的
explain [ɪkˑspleɪn] v. 解释；说明
spread [spred] v. 传播；展开；扩散
3. The supposed importance of influentials derives from a plausible-sounding but largely untested theory called the“two step flow of communication”: Information flows from the media to the influentials and from them to everyone else.
词汇
supposed [səˑpəʊzd] a. 所谓的；误以为的
derive from 源自
plausible [ˑplɔːzəb(ə)l] a. 有道理的；可信的
largely [ˑlɑːdʒli] ad. 在很大程度上；多半
untested [ˌʌnˑtestɪd] a. 未经检验的
step [step] n. 梯级；阶段；迈步
flow [fləʊ] n. 传播；流动 v. 传播；流
communication [kəˌmjuːnɪˑkeɪʃ(ə)n] n. 传 递； 交 流；通信
media [ˑmiːdɪə] n. 大众传播媒介
influential [ˌɪnflʊˑenʃl] n. 有影响力的人（ influentials ） a. 有很大影响的；有支配力的
4. Marketers have embraced the two-step flow because it suggests that if they can just find and influence the influentials, those selected people will do most of the work for them.
词汇
marketer [ˑmɑːkɪtə(r)] n. 市场营销人员；商人
embrace [ɪmˑbreɪs] v. 欣然接受，乐意采纳；拥抱
suggest [səˑdʒest] v. 表明；提议；暗示
select [sɪˑlekt] v. 挑选；选拔
5. The theory also seems to explain the sudden and unexpected popularity of certain looks, brands, or neighborhoods.
词汇
sudden [ˑsʌd(ə)n] a. 突然的；忽然的
unexpected [ˌʌnɪkˑspektɪd] a. 出乎意料的
popularity [ˌpɒpjʊˑlærəti] n. 受欢迎；流行；普及
look [lʊk] n. 风格；式样；表情
brand [brænd] n. 品牌；类型
neighborhood [ˑneɪbəhʊd] n. 街区；城区；所在地
6. In many such cases, a cursory search for causes finds that some small group of people was wearing, promoting, or developing whatever it is before anyone else paid attention.
词汇
case [keɪs] n. 具体情况，事例；事实
cursory [ˑkɜːsəri] a. 粗略的；仓促的
cause [kɔːz] n. 原因，起因；动机
promote [prəˑməʊt] v. 推销；促进；晋升
develop [dɪˑveləp] v. 开发；成长
pay attention 注意
7. Anecdotal evidence of this kind fits nicely with the idea that only certain special people can drive trends.
词汇
anecdotal [ˌænɪkˑdəʊt(ə)l] a. 轶事的；传闻的
evidence [ˑevɪdəns] n. 证据；证明
fit with 适应；与……相配
special [ˑspeʃl] a. 特殊的；重要的
drive [draɪv] v. 驱动；迫使；驱赶 n. 驾车路程；欲望
trend [trend] n. 趋势；倾向；动态
8. In their recent work, however, some researchers have come up with the finding that influentials have far less impact on social epidemics than is generally supposed.
词汇
researcher [rɪˑsɜːtʃə(r)] n. 研究人员
come up with 提出；想出；赶上
finding [ˑfaɪndɪŋ] n. 调研结果；判决
have impact on 对……有影响
epidemic [ˌepɪˑdemɪk] n. （迅速的）盛行；流行病 a. 盛行的
generally [ˑdʒenrəli] ad. 普遍地；通常
suppose [səˑpəʊz] v. 认为；推断；设想
9. In fact, they don’t seem to be required at all.
词汇
require [rɪˑkwaɪə(r)] v. 需要；依靠
not...at all 一点也不
10. The researchers’ argument stems from a simple observation about social influence: With the exception of a few celebrities like Oprah Winfirey—whose outsize presence is primarily a function of media, not interpersonal, influence—even the most influential members of a population simply don’t interact with that many others.
词汇
argument [ˑɑːɡjumənt] n. 理由，论点；争论
stem n. （植物的）茎 v. 阻止；封堵
stem from 源于，来自；由……引起
observation [ˌɒbzəˑveɪʃ(ə)n] n. 观察；监视； 评论
with the exception of 除了……以外
celebrity [səˑlebrəti] n. 名人；名望
outsize [ˑaʊtsaɪz] a. 特大的
presence [ˑprezns] n. 存在，出席；仪态
primarily [praɪˑmerəli] ad. 主要地，首要地，根本地
function [ˑfʌŋkʃ(ə)n] n. 功能；函数；作用 v. 起作用；运转
interpersonal [ˌɪntəˑpɜːsənl] a. 人际关系的，人际的
influential [ˌɪnflʊˑenʃ(ə)l] n. 有影响力的人（ influentials ） a. 有很大影响的；有支配力的
simply [ˑsɪmpli] ad. 根本，简直；仅仅
interact [ˌɪntərˑækt] v. 相互交流；相互作用
interact with 与……交流
11. Yet it is precisely these non-celebrity influentials who, according to the two-step-flow theory, are supposed to drive social epidemics, by influencing their friends and colleagues directly.
词汇
precisely [prɪˑsaɪsli] ad. 正是；确实；恰好地
non-celebrity [nɒn səˑlebrəti] n. 非名人
colleague [ˑkɒliːɡ] n. 同事；同僚
directly [dəˑrektli] ad. 直接地；恰好地
12. For a social epidemic to occur, however, each person so affected must then influence his or her own acquaintances, who must in turn influence theirs, and so on; and just how many others pay attention to each of these people has little to do with the initial influential.
词汇
occur [əˑkɜː(r)] v. 发生；出现
affect [əˑfekt] v. 影响；侵袭
influence [ˑɪnfluəns] v. 影响；对……起作用 n. 影响
acquaintance [əˑkweɪntəns] n. 熟人；泛泛之交；了解
in turn 相应地；依次
and so on 等等；诸如此类
have little to do with 与……关系不大
initial [ɪˑnɪʃl] a. 最初的；开始的
13. If people in the network just two degrees removed from the initial influential prove resistant, for example, the cascade of change won’ t propagate very far or affect many people.
词汇
network [ˑnetwɜːk] n. 人际网；网络
degree [dɪˑɡriː] n. 程度；学位
remove [rɪˑmuːv] v. 移开；去掉；免除
prove [pruːv] v. 证明是；显示
resistant [rɪˑzɪstənt] a. 抵制的；抵抗的
cascade [kæˑskeɪd] n. （信息或知识的）连续传递过程
propagate ['prɒpəgeɪt] v. 传播；宣传；繁殖
14. Building on the basic truth about interpersonal influence, the researchers studied the dynamics of social influence by conducting thousands of computer simulation of populations, manipulating a number of variables relating to people’s ability to influence others and their tendency to be influenced.
词汇
build on 以……为基础；建立于
truth [truːθ] n. 事实；真相；真理
dynamic [daɪˑnæmɪk] n. 动态；动力
conduct [kənˑdʌkt] v. 实施，执行；带领
simulation [ˌsɪmjʊˑleɪʃ(ə)n] n. 模拟；假装
population [ˌpɒpjʊˑleɪʃn] n. 人群；人口
manipulate [məˑnɪpjʊleɪt] v. 控制；操纵；操作
a number of 若干； 几个
variable [ˑveərɪəbl] n. 变量；可变因素
relate to 与……有关
tendency [ˑtendənsi] n. 倾向；趋势；偏好
15. They found that the principal requirement for what is called“global cascades” —the widespread propagation of influence through networks—is the presence not of a few influentials but, rather, of a critical mass of easily influenced people.
词汇
principal [ˑprɪnsəpl] a. 首要的，最重要的
requirement [rɪˑkwaɪəmənt] n. 要求，必要条件
global [ˑɡləʊb(ə)l] a. 全球的；全面的
cascade [kæˑskeɪd] n. （信息或知识的）连续传递过程
widespread [ˑwaɪdspred] a. 普遍的，广泛的
propagation [ˌprɒpəˑɡeɪʃn] n. 传播；传送；繁殖
presence [ˑprezns] n. 存在；在场
critical [ˑkrɪtɪkl] a. 关键的；严重的；批评的
a mass of 大量的
easily [ˑiːzəli] ad. 容易地；很可能；无疑