VOA慢速英语:Too Few Women in Science

make a difference有影响，起（重要）作用

例句：There's no need to color it up like that, it won't make a difference.
      没有必要那样夸大它，那不会有什么作用。

2.This is something that we point out in our report just says further evidence that cultural factors and societal factors can make a difference in who achieves at the very high levels and if girls are achieving or not."

point out指出; 把注意力引向…

例句：This guide book points out the main facts of early American history.
      这本导游手册讲述了美洲早期的重要史实。

      If I make any mistakes, please point them out.
      如果我出了错, 请指出来。

if girls are achieving or not

在我们的不少语法学著作中和英语学家的论述中，尤其是在中学英语教学中，仍然存在这样的观点：在表示“是否”这个意义时，if与or not不可并用。例如：“I asked him if he knew or not.”这个句子，许多人就认为if用错了，应改用whether,或删去or not。
    然而，事实上，上述观点是不符合现今英语的实际使用情况的，也是与英美语言学家的论述 相违背的。
    美国语言学家J．H．Eugene明确指出：“Or not is sometimes used at the end of clauses introduced by whether and if.”
    下面是从美国的语法著作中摘引的两个例句：
    I don't care if you come or not.
    She asked me if I was going to the store (or not).
    英国语言学家们也认为，在动词的宾语从句中if…or not是规范的用法。英国著名语言学家 R．Quirk等人就曾举过这样的例子：
    I don't care if your car breaks down or not.
    He didn't say if he'll be staying here or not.

有些语言学家明确指出，在许多宾语从句中，if…or not和whether…or not是可以互换的 。例如：
    I wonder if (whether) you've met him (or not).
    I don't know if (whether) I'm going to answer it or not.
    I can't tell you if (whether) he's coming or not.

所以，实际上我们在语法中讲的很多教条，规定，在英语语言使用者中是不存在的。但是同学们还是根据自己的需要来取舍，尤其是考试的时候。

3.I think that what our recent survey showed is there's still a lot of work to be done.

to be done不定式做后置定语

不定式常可用来修饰物，表示要做某事。

如：The next train to arrive was from NewYork.下一列到站的火车是从纽约开来的。

I have nothing to say on this question.在这个问题上，我没有什么话要说。

We are looking for somewhere to live.我们正在找一个地方住。

4. It's really important no matter what career you go into if it's accounting or human resources or science career that you can think critically and creatively, you can work in teams, you can adapt to change and that's important for everybody.

no matter what无论做什么。

no matter what 只能引导状语从句，而不引导名词性从句。而 whatever 既可引导名词性从句(＝anything that)，也可引导状语从句(＝no matter what)：

1)引导名词性从句(只用whatever)：

无论他做什么都是对的。

正：Whatever he did was right.

误：No matter what he did was right.

无论他说什么似乎都有道理。

正：Whatever he says sounds reasonable.

误：No matter what he says sounds reasonable.

山羊找到什么就吃什么。

正：Goats eat whatever they find.

误：Goats eat no matter what they find.

2)引导状语从句(两者可换用)：

无论你说什么，我都不会相信你。

正：Whatever you say，I won’t believe you.

正：No matter what you say，I won’t believe you.

无论发生什么，都要保持镇定。

正：Keep calm，whatever happens.

正：Keep calm，no matter what happens.