全新版大学英语视听说教程4听力原文

Unit One

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A. Jay and Elise are talking about an accident. Listen and check the correct picture.

Jay: Come in here, Elise. You should see this show!

Elise: What is it?

Jay: It's called "The Titanic of the Sky." It's about the Hindenburg, a great engineering feat. Elise: The Hindenburg ...

Jay: You know, that giant zeppelin that crashed in 1934. Thirty-five people died.

Elise: Oh yeah, I remember now. It was flying from Germany to the United States. It crashed as it was landing. Jay: Right. It's so funny looking, don't you think? It doesn't look anything like the airplanes as have today.

Elise: That's true. Why would people ride in a zeppelin anyway? It seems so dangerous.

Jay: Well, some people called the Hindenburg "man's greatest achievement in flight." They thought it was safe, I guess.

Elise: Who rode in it anyway?

Jay: Mostly wealthy people. It accommodated between 30 and 40 passengers and crew. One person said it was like a "flying hotel."

Eise: It sounds pretty great. Jay: Yeah, and it was fast. That's why people rode it. They wanted to get to their destination faster.

Elise: Why didn't they just take a jet plane?

Jay: Elise! You know they didn't have jets back then. Look, in 1934 it took five days to travel from Germany to the U.S. by ship. The zeppelin could do it in half that time. It was speedy.

Elise: Well, maybe ril sit down and watch a little bit. Maybe r II learn something ...

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B. Listen again. How was the zeppelin described? Check your answers.

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A. Listen to the conversation and check the correct picture. Jack: I think we should buy a bigger car. Big cars are safer.

Kayla: Yes, but on the other hand, they consume more oil.

Jack: They also look really cool.

Kayla: That's true, but there are some SUVs which are not big but also very beautiful.

Jack: And 1 think big cars are more fun to drive.

Kayla: But then again, it's very expensive.

Jack: Well, let's get more information about several kinds of cars, okay?

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Listen to another person talking about famous buildings in his country and fill in the blanks with information you hear.

My country has two very famous buildings called the Petronas Towers. The buildings are made of glass, steel,

and concrete. They were designed by an American architect, but he used a Malaysian style. They were finished in

1998, and they were the tallest buildings in the world at that time. Each tower has 88 floors, and is 452 meters high. I

really like the Petronas Towers. They show both the modern and the traditional side of my country.

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A. Listen to a talk on controversies about modern buildings. Then fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Modern buildings: We love them, We hate them

The world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris is almost 500 years old, and it faced a very modern problem: There

simply wasn't enough space for six million visitors each year. In 1989, American architect I.M. Pei designed a striking

glass pyramid in the building's center to be a visitor entrance and shopping arcade. But he also started an angry

debate. Some people felt his glass building was a piece of art, like the ones inside the museum. Others said it was

just an ugly, modern mistake.

Kyoto, Japan, is the country's ancient capital, and the heart of its culture. Its railroad station was too small for

the millions of visitors. In 1997, the city completed a new station in a huge shopping center, right in the oldest part of

the city. Designed by Hiroshi Hara, the building also contains a hotel and department store. Before it was built, critics

said that the high, wide, modern building would destroy the city's traditional look. On the other hand, supporters said

it would bring new life into the city center.

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B. Now listen again and complete the chart with the information you hear.

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B. Listen to the interview with Erika Van Beek, an engineer. According to Erika, what should be done about overcrowding in cities?

The future building boom? Interviewer: What do you think is the biggest problem facing our cities? Erika: I think it's overcrowding. Talk to anyone living in a major metropolitan area and they will say the

same thing: There's no space. Even the suburbs are getting crowded.

Interviewer: Well, in some places there simply isn't any land left for building, right? Erika: Yes, that's true, but you have to think creatively. You can't give up so easily.

Interviewer: Think creatively? What do you suggest?

Eiika What rm saying is that we can build more structures underground. We can add parking lots, malls,

hotels, and even apartment buildings. There's plenty of space.

Interviewer: Isn't it expensive?

Eiika Yes, it can be. In the past building underground has been very expensive. However, we have new

technology that will bring the cost down. It involves using robots. You don't have to pay robots a salary!

Interviewer: Isn't "building down" more dangerous than other kind of construction?

Erie Actually, I think it's safer than building skyscrapersfor example. Remember,we already do it. We have

subways and underground shopping malls. I'm just suggesting we invest in a variety of bigger projects and that we dig deeper. Interviewer: What would you say to people who doubt your idea?