12. Of course, the conditions of work are very different: The Polytechnic is offering two-year contract which could be renewed, but the language school is only offering a year's contract, and that's a different minus.

点睛　

该句较长，出现在长对话之中。of course放在句首或句末时起强调作用。offer意为“提供”，通常指主动提供。which引导的是two-year contract的定语从句，其中renew意为“使继续有效；延长期限”。minus此处意为“缺点”，是该句的听音难点所在。

考点归纳　

minus作名词时，有以下含义：
“负号，减号”。如：
Don't forget the minus when you add them up. 求和时别忘了负号。
“不利条件，不足，缺点”。如：
We should consider the pluses and minuses of the system. 我们应该考虑一下该系统的优点和缺点。

听音解惑　

conditions⌒of［kənˈdiʃənz⌒ɔv］里的［z］与［ɔ］相邻，读作［kənˈdiʃən zɔv］；Polytechnic⌒is［ˌpɔliˈteknik⌒iz］里的［k］与［i］相邻，读作［ˌpɔliˈtekni kiz］；that's⌒a［ðæts⌒ə］里的［ts］与［ə］相邻，读作［ðæ tsə］。