专四听力50篇答案

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新标准英语四听力答案

新标准英语四听力答案

新标准英语四听力答案Part I Listening Comprehension (20 minutes)。

Section A。

1. A2. B3. A4. C5. B。

Section B。

6. C7. A8. B9. A 10. C。

Part II Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)。

Section A。

11. D 12. C 13. B 14. A 15. D。

Section B。

16. A 17. C 18. B 19. D 20. C。

Section C。

21. A 22. D 23. B 24. C 25. A。

Part III Vocabulary and Structure (10 minutes)。

26. B 27. D 28. A 29. C 30. D。

31. A 32. B 33. C 34. D 35. B。

Part IV Translation (15 minutes)。

36. 更多的学生应该参加这个项目,以便他们能够更好地了解中国文化。

37. 虽然他工作很忙,但他仍然每天花时间练习英语。

38. 这个新发现对科学界来说具有重要意义,因为它可能会改变我们对宇宙的理解。

Part V Writing (20 minutes)。

Dear Mr. Smith,。

I am writing to express my interest in the position of marketing assistant at your company. I have recently completed my degree in marketing and have gained valuable experience through internships and part-time jobs in the field. I am confident that my skills and knowledge make me a strong candidate for this role.During my studies, I developed a solid understanding of marketing strategies and consumer behavior. I also honed my communication and analytical skills, which I believe are essential for success in this role. In my previous internships, I had the opportunity to work on various marketing campaigns and projects, which allowed me to apply my knowledge in a practical setting.I am particularly drawn to your company's innovative approach to marketing and its commitment to delivering high-quality products to consumers. I am eager to contribute to your team and help drive the company's growth and success.Thank you for considering my application. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasm can contribute to the success of your company.Sincerely,。

专四听力50篇答案

专四听力50篇答案

Popular Pastime of the English PeopleOne of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what the do with their non-working time.Most English men, women and children love growing things, especially flowers. Visitors to England in spring, summer or autumn are likely to see gardens all they way along the railway lines. There are flowers at the airports and flowers in factory grounds, as well as in gardens along the roads. Each English town has at least one park with beautifully kept flower beds. Public buildings of every kind have brilliant window boxes and sometimes baskets of flowers are hanging on them.But what the English enjoy most is growing things themselves. If it is impossible to have a garden, then a window box or something growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English.4. British and American Police OfficersReal policemen, both in Britain and the ., hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they se on TV—if they ever get home in time.Some things are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them much of them.The first difference is that a policeman’s real life deals with the law. Most of what he learns is the law. He has to know actually what actions are against the law and what facts can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a lawyer, and what’s more, he has to put it into practice on his feet, in the dark and, running down a narrow street after someone he wants to talk to. Little of his time is spent in talking with beautiful girls or in bravely facing cruel criminals. He will spend most of his working life arranging millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, ordinary people who are guilty--- or not of stupid, unimportant crimes.Useful Words and Expressions:1. think much of 重视,尊重2. in court 在法庭上3. criminal 罪犯,犯罪者4. guilty 犯罪的,有罪的5. Living SpaceHow much living space does a person need What happens when his space needs are not met Scientists are doing experiments on rats to try to determine the effects of overcrowded conditions on man. Recent studies have shown that the behavior of rats is greatly affected by space. If rats have enough living space, they eat well, sleep well and produce their young well. But if their living conditions become too crowded, their behavior and even their health change obviously. They can not sleep and eat well, and signs of fear and worry become clear. The more crowded they are, and more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, populations and violence are directly related. Is this a natural law for human society as well Is enough space not only satisfactory, but necessary for human survival These are interesting questions.6. The United NationsIn 1945, representatives of 50 nations met to plan this organization. It was called the United Nations. After the war, many more nations joined.There are two major parts of the United Nations. One is called the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, every member nation is represented and has an equal vote. The second part is called the Security Council. It has representatives of just 15 nations. Five nations are permanent members: the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China. The 10 other members are elected every two years by the General Assembly.The major job of the Security Council is to keep peace in the world. If necessary, it can send troops from member nations to try to stop little wars before they turn into big ones.It is hard to get the nations of the Security Council to agree on when this is necessary. But they did vote to try to stop wars.Useful Words and Expressions:1. representative 代表2. General Assembly 联合国大会3. permanent 永久的,持久的4. Security Council 联合国安全理事会7. PlasticWe use plastic wrap to protect our foods. We put our garbage in plastic bags or plastic cans. We sit on plastic chairs, play with plastic toys, drink from plastic cups, and wash our hair with shampoo from plastic bottles!Plastic does not grow in nature. It is made by mixing certain things together. We call it a produced or manufactured material. Plastic was first made in the 1860s from plants, such as wood and cotton. That plastic was soft and burned easily. The first modern plastics were made in the 1930s. Most clear plastic starts out as thick, black oil. That plastic coating inside a pan begins as natural gas.Over the years, hundreds of different plastics have been developed. Some are hard and strong. Some are soft and bendable. Some are clear. Some are many-colored. There is a plastic for almost every need. Scientists continue to experiment with plastics. They hope to find even ways to use them!10. Private CarsWith the increase in the general standard of living, some ordinary Chinese families begin to afford a car. Yet opinions of the development of a private car vary from person to person.It gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility. The owner of a car is no longer forced to reply on public transport, and hence no irritation caused by waiting for buses or taxis. However, others strongly object to developing private cars. They maintain that as more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volumeof poisonous gas will be given off, polluting the atmosphere and causing actual harm to the health of people.Whether private cars should be developed in Chicago is a difficult question to answer, yet the desire for the comfort and independence a private car can bring will not be eliminated.12. A You ng Man’s PromiseOne day, a young man was writing a letter to his girlfriend who lived just a few miles away in a nearby town. He was telling her how much he loved her and how wonderful he thought she was. The more he wrote the more poetic he became. Finally he said that in order to be with her, he would suffer the greatest difficulties, he would face the greatest dangers that anyone couldn’t imagine. In fact, to spend only one minute with her, he would swim across the widest river, he would enter the deepest forest, and he would fight against the fiercest animals with his bare hands.He finished the letter, signed his name and then suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to mention something quite important. So, in a postscript below his name, he added:“By the wThat Isn’t Our Fault. and Mrs. Williams got married when he was twenty-three, and she was twenty. Twenty-five years later, they had a big party, and a photographer came and took some photographs of them.Then the photographer gave Mrs. Williams a card and said, “They’ll be ready next Wednesday. You can get them from studio.”“No,” Mrs. Williams said, “please send them to us.”The photographs arrived a week later, but Mrs. Williams was not happy when she saw them. She got into her car and drove to the photographer’s studio. She went inside and said angrily, “You took some photographs of me and my husband last week, but I’m not going to pay for them.”“Oh, why not” the photographer asked.“Because my husband looks like a monkey,” Mrs. Williams said.“Well,” the photographer answered, “that isn’t our fault. Why didn’t you think of that before you married him”ay, I’ll be over to see you on Wednesday night, if it doesn’t rain.”17. Living Things ReactYou and all organisms live an environment. An environment is made up of everything that surrounds an organism. It can include the air, the water, the soil, and even other organisms.An organism responds to changes in its environment. When an organism responds to a change, it reacts in certain ways. All living things respond in some way.Have you ever noticed how plants and insects respond to light Plants bend toward light. Insects fly toward light.Living things also respond in other ways. The leaves on some trees respond to a changein season. In autumn, they change colors and then fall off the branches Animals also respond to a change in season. Squirrels save nuts for the winter. Bears sleep through the winter in a cave.You respond to your environment in many ways, too. You may shiver if you are cold. What other ways do you respond to changes in your environment18. Flowering PlantsWhat are the parts of a flowerFlowers can have male parts and female parts. The female parts make eggs that become seeds. The male parts make pollen. Pollen is a powdery material that is needed by the eggs to make seeds. To make seeds, pollen and eggs must come together. The wind, insects, and birds bring pollen to eggs. Many animals love flowers’ bright colors. They also like a sugary liquid in flowers. This is called nectar. While they drink nectar, pollen rubs off on their bodies. As they move, some of this pollen gets delivered to the female flower parts.Over time, the female parts turn into fruits that contain seeds. Animals often eat the fruits and the seeds pass through their bodies as waste. The animals do no know they are working for the plants by planting seeds as they travel to different places! Useful words and Expressions:1. flowering 开花的2. pollen 花粉3. powdery 粉状的4. sugar 含糖的,甜的5. nectar花蜜,甘露19. Finding the Direction and LocationHow can you tell which direction By day, look for the Sun. It is in the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. At night, use the Big Dipper to help you find the North Star. It would be better to bring a compass because its needle always points north.How do you know how far you have gone You could count every step. Each step is about two feet. You’d better wear a pedometer which is a tool that counts steps. If you know where you started, which direction you are heading, and how far you have gone, you can use a good map to figure out exactly where you are.Today there is a new way for travelers to figure out where they are. It is the GPS. It has 24 satellites that orbit the earth and constantly broadcast their positions. Someday you may carry a small receiver as you hike and use GPS to find out if you are there yet!Useful Words and Expressions:1. dipper北斗七星2. compass 罗盘3. pedometer 步数计4. GPS= Global Position System全球定位系统5. orbit 轨道,绕……轨道而行6. receiver 接收器20. America’s Worst SurpriseDecember 7, 1941 was one of the worst days in American history. Nearly all Americans who are old enough to remember that day can still remember what they were doing at the moment they heard “the news”. The news was that America had been att acked! Shortly before 2:00 ., a radio dispatch came into Washington from Honolulu, Hawaii. “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor—This is no drill.” Japanese planes had begun an attack on the largest American military base in the Pacific. They first destroyed planes on the ground. Then they bombed the ships in the harbor.No one had expected the attack. So no one was prepared for it. And it did not take long for Japanese to do their damage. When the smoke cleared, the Navy counted its losses. Eighteen ships had been sunk or badly damaged. Nearly 150 planes had been destroyed. More than 2,400 Americans had been killed and more than 1,200 wounded. Useful Words and Expressions:1. dispatch 派遣,急件2. air raid 空袭3. drill 军事训练,操练4. Pearl Harbor 珍珠港Place of Our OwnWe are all usually very careful when we buy something for the house. Why Because we have to live with it for a long time. We paint a room to make it brighter, so we choose the colors carefully.We buy new curtains in order to match the newly decorated room, so they must be the right color. We move the furniture round so as to make more space—or we buy new furniture—and so on. It is an endless business.Rich or poor, we take time to furnish a room. Perhaps some people buy furniture in order to impress their friends. But most of us just want to enjoy our surroundings. We want to live as comfortably as we can afford to. We spend a large part of our lives at home. We want to make a small corner in the world which we can recognize as our own.for WorkYou can see them in every airport in the world. They are businessmen and women who have to travel for their work.When they first applied for the job, they may have thought of good food and hotels, huge expense accounts and fashionable cities. Now they have to sit in airport lounges, tired and uncomfortable in their smart clothes, listening to the loudspeaker announce “The fight of Tokyo, or Berlin, or New York is delayed for another two hours.” Some people say to me, “How lucky you are to be able to travel abroad in your wor k! You can go sightseeing without paying any money by yourself!” They think that my job is like a continual holiday. It is not.There are advantages, of course, and I do thin I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist.27. IntelligenceAre some people born clever, and others born stupid Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experienceStrangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the lim its of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence.29. TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or even kill time. Common questions in American English reveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Do you have any time”, “Can you get some time for this”, “How much free time do you have” The treatment of time as a possession influences the way that time is carefully divided.Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. In businesses, the careful scheduling of time and the separation of activities are common practices. Appointment calendars are printed with 15-,30-, and 60-minute time slots. The idea that “there is a time and place for everything” extends to American social life. Visitors who drop by without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before v isiting them is generally preferred to visitors’ dropping by. Useful words and expressions:1. tangible 切实的2. kill time 消磨时间3. reveal 显示,揭示4. scheduling 行程安排5. slot 缝隙6. drop by 随便访问7. preferred 首选的31. Water PollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time.Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrial wasters into rivers every day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water isbecoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has also happened to our seas and oceans. So, the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide. Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps one day the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean water. That day, we believe, is not very far off.32. Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have brought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right.Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt you may have. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner so you can complain direct. In a chain store, ask the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the complaint later. If you do not want to do it in person, write a letter. Stick to the facts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article33. Where Do the British Liveeveryone in Britain would like to own their own home and, whether they do or not, they are prepared to put time and money into decorating and furnishing it or even making structural alterations to it. Because of the climate and because of the expense involved in going out for the evening, the British spend a lot of time at home and a large part of their social life takes place there.Young people tend to stay with their families longer these days as accommodation is expensive but, when they move away to a job or college, there are various options open to them. They can get lodgings with a landlady. This means that they rent a room in someone’s house and have breakfast with the family. They can also get a bed-sitting room, that is to say one self-contained room in which they can cook, live and sleep. Alternatively, they can share a rented flat or house with a group of young people, perhaps the most popular option of all.Useful Words and Expressions:1. lodging 寄宿处2. bedsit 卧室兼起居室3. bed-sitting 卧室兼起居室的4. self-contained 设备齐全的34. Will Computers Replace Human BeingsWe are in the computer age today. The computers are working all kinds of wonders now. They are very useful in automatic control and data processing. At the same time, computers are finding their way into the home. They seem to be so clever and can solve such complicated problems that some people think sooner or later they willreplace us.But I do not think that there is such a possibility. My reason is very simple: computers are machines, not humans. And our tasks are far too various and complicated for any one single kind of machine to perform.Probably the greatest difference between man and computer is that the former can do things of his own while the latter can do nothing without being programmed. In my opinion, computers will remain nothing but an extension of our human brains, no matter how clever and complicated they may become.38.“How to” BooksBooks which give instructions on how to do things are popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “how to” books are available. In fact, there are about for thousand books with titles that begin with the words “how to’.Many “how to” books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. Many of these books help people to use their free time better. Some people want book which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travel. Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like plumbing and electrical wiring or on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.Why have “how to” books become so popular Probably because life has become more complex. Today people have far more free to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve, “how to” books help people to deal with modern life.Useful words and Expressions:1. step-by-step 按部就班的2. redecorate 重新装饰,再装饰3. complex 复杂的,综合的39. Don’t give upIf we would ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must persevere. If we would learn our lessons in school, we must be diligent and not give up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do to us if we will preserve and learn them thoroughly.But there are some among us who are ready to give up when they come to a hard example in mathematics, and say, “I can’t do this.” They never will if they feel so. “I can’t” never does anything worthwhile, but “I’ll try” accomplishes wonders. Let us remember that we shall meet with difficulties all through life. They are in the pathway of everyone. If we will only try and keep trying, we shall be sure to conquer and overcome very difficulty we meet.41Apology HelpsIt is never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you have judgedroughly, you said unkind things, and pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the occasions when you indicated clearly and truly that you were so sorry.A bit frightening, isn’t it It is frightening, isn’t it It is frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is disturbed; and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and regret expressed.A heartfelt apology can not only heal a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or judged too roughly, or just neglected, do something about it right now.Useful Words and Expressions:1. push ahead 捉紧进行2. at the expense of 在损害……的情况下3. mysterious神秘的4. moral 道德的5. disturbed 扰乱的6. stay out of 不参与……,置身于……之外7. heartfelt 衷心的,真心真意的8. roughly粗糙地,概略地42. SleepWhy is it so difficult to fall asleep when you are overtired There is no one answer that applies to every individual. It is possible to feel “tired” physically and still be unable to fall asleep, because while your body may be exhausted, you do not feel sleepy. It is not so easy to simply “turn off”.Lack of sleep complicates matters even more. Experts say adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. When you get less sleep than that on consecutive three nights, you begin to accrue four “sleep debt”. As sleep debt increases your body experiences a stress response. Now a vicious cycle has been created: You experience the feeling of being more and more tired, but your body is increasingly stimulated. “Power sleeping” for more hours on weekends is only a temporary solution. There is no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.Useful Words and Expressions:1. overtire 使过度疲劳2. apply to 将……应用于3. consecutive 连续的,连贯的4. accrue 自然增加,产生5. vicious恶的vicious cycle 恶性循环6. stimulate 刺激,激励7. substitute for 代替……,替换……Influence of LifeIn the early times when human beings hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as the other lower animals did.When they learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel, they cut down trees. They also burned clearings in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that human beings fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as setting up families, forming societies and founding cities.Useful words and Expressions:1. interact with 与……组合2. clearing 空旷地3. grazing 放牧,牧草4. domestication 驯养,驯服5. previously 先前,以前6. inedible 不能吃的,不适于食用的7. pursuit 追击8. set up 设立and Home“House” and “home” are two words that have similar meanings.“House” and “home” both refer to places where people live. However, there is a difference between them. “Home” is often referred to as the place that we live in with our families. Sadly, in our society, people can hardly distinguish a home from a house because they often see no difference between them. This confusion can be traced back to the indifference between family members. Therefore, we can say that love is an important factor in a home. A home is a shelter, not only for our bodies but also for our minds. Whenever we are depressed, we can go home for comfort. Everyone in the family will do his best to take care of each other and share their happiness as well as sorrow. Without love, a home is merely a house where loneliness is all that can be found. And a house can never be a home unless there is love. Useful words and expressions:1. refer to 提到2. distinguish区别,辨别3. confusion 混乱,混淆4. trace back 追溯到5. indifference 不关心6. depressed 沮丧的48. Population GrowthIt is well-known that there has been a drastic increase in world population. But it is probably les well-known that the extinction rate of wildlife species isexperiencing a parallel trend.Take the United States for instance. In 1990, . population reached an unprecedented level of 250 million, which is approximately 250 times of that of 1800. On the other hand, wildlife species are disappearing from the country at an alarming rate. By 1990, about 70 wildlife species would never be seen in . We are fully justified in declaring that the explosive population growth has had an adverse effect on the survival of wildlife species and will be a constant threat to the wildlife resources if no immediate actions are taken.Nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world. It has been demolishing the environment we are living in.Useful words and expressions:1. drastic 激烈的2. parallel 平行的3. trend 倾向4. unprecedented 空前的5. magnitude 大小,数量6. alter 改变7. demolish 毁坏50. ReadingNowadays few of us read books after we leave school.This is rather disturbing, for one should know that books are no less necessary to one’s mental life than fresh air is to one’s physical life. From good reading we can derive companionship, experience and instruction. A good book is our faithful friend. It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy, and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely. Books can also offer us a wide range of experience. Few of us can travel far from home or live long over 100, but all of us can live many lives through the pages of books. What’s more, reading books can increase our intellectual ability, broaden our minds and make us wise.With the coming of TV, books are no longer read as widely as they once were. However, nothing can replace the role that books play in our lives.Useful words and expressions:1. leave school 离校,中学毕业2. disturbing 烦扰的3. mental 精神的4. derive 得到5. companionship 伴侣6. intellectual 智力的。

历年专四听力真题及答案(含听写)

历年专四听力真题及答案(含听写)

2000Section A STATEMENTIn this section you will hear nine statements. At the end of the statement you w ill be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following nine questions.1. What is said about Harry¡¯s brother?A. He is happy with his job.B. He is a very ambitious man.C. He is too ambitious to be an engine driver.D. He doesn¡¯t like to be an engine driver.2. What do you learn about Ms. Ellis?A. She has been waiting.B. She is examining her patient.C. She is seeing her doctor.D. She wouldn¡¯t mind waiting.3. Joan is probably a___.A. nurseB. doctorC. lawyerD. saleswoman4. The speaker sees Mary wear ___ different silk scarves in a week.A. 2B.5C.7D. 65. Where will the passengers change trains to go to Gilford?A. East Croydon.B. Victoria.C. Southeast.D. Red Hill.6. What is the speaker probably doing?A. Interviewing a clerk.B. Writing a job ad.C. Dismissing a clerk.D. Making inquires7. What does the speaker mean?A. Emily is neither honest nor trustworthy.B. Emily used to be honest only.C. Emily used to be trustworthy only.D. Emily is more than honest and trustworthy.8. When does the next train leave?A. 6:56.B. 7:00.C.7:28.D.8:38.9. What was wrong with Malcolm?A. He had trouble working hard.B. He didn¡¯t know where to go.C. He never went anywhere.D. He worked hard but never succeeded.SECTION B CONVERSATIONIn this section, you will hear eight short conversations between two speakers. A t the end of each conversation you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following eight questions.10. What¡¯s the probable relationship between the two speakers?A. Teacher and student.B. Doctor and patient.C. Lawyer and client.D. Boss and secretary.11. What is the weather usually like in November?A. Hotter than the present weather.B. More humid than the present weather.C. Drier than the present weather.D. Cooler than the present weather.12. What conclusion can we draw from this conversation?A. Public buses are fast and cheap.B. Parking is becoming a big problem.C. Subway trains are even safer than taxis.D. Taxis are more convenient than buses.13. What are the two speakers talking about?A. Fixing the woman¡¯s computer.B. Ordering some new parts by Friday.C. Getting the new parts ready by Friday.D. Sending the woman¡¯s computer for repair.14. What can we learn from the conversation?A. Neither of them has a favourable opinion of the service.B. The woman is having a terrible time serving in the restaurant.C. Both agree it¡¯s time for the restaurant to fire some staff.D. The man thinks the restaurant is all right, but the woman doesn¡¯t.15. Who will pay for the call?A. The man.B. The operator.C. The man¡¯s sister.D. The man and his sister.16. What does the man think of the woman¡¯s choice of clothing?A. He thinks her choice is good.B. He thinks her choice is terrible.C. He doesn¡¯t like the colour.D. He doesn¡¯t like the style.17. What happened to Mr. Runt¡¯s project?A. It was fairly successful.B. It was hard and futile.C. It failed for lack of fund.D. It stopped for lack of land.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTQuestion 18 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 1O seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.18. According to the news, NATO and Russia___.A. have finalized a charter on their new relationshipB. still have differences in military and political issuesC. will hold a fifth round of talks in LuxembourgD. made no progress in this round of talksQuestions 19 and 20 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the two questions.Now listen to the news.19. ___ people were killed during the air crash.A. 61B. 51C. 41D. 1020. According to the news, the plane crashed___.A. shortly before it landedB. minutes after it took offC. after it cleared the mountainsD. at the foot of the mountainsQuestions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the two questions.Now listen to the news.21. Which of the following is NOT listed as a terrorist group by the US?A. The pro-Iranian Hezbollah.B. The Palestinian group Hamas.C. The Irish Republican Army.D. The Basque separatist group ETA.22. The affected groups will be prevented from___.A. entering the United States legallyB. freezing US financial assets abroadC. receiving support from other countriesD. giving weapons to other terrorist groupsQuestion 23 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 1O seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.23. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu___.A. has been prosecuted by the Justice MinistryB. may be prosecuted by the Justice MinistryC. has been prosecuted by the policeD. will be prosecuted on MondayQuestions 24 and 25 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the two questions.Now listen to the news.24. The winners of the reported elections are___.A. the left-wing ConservativesB. the left-wing SocialistsC. the centre-right ConservativesD. the centre-right Socialists25. If the left secures the parliamentary majority,___.A. Chirac will share his presidential power with JospinB. Jospin will share his prime ministerial power with ChiracC. Jospin will become prime minister, and Chirac will remainD. Jospin will become prime minister, and Chirac will resign2000ÄêרҵËļ¶ÌýÁ¦ÊÔÌâÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄ£ºPART ¢ò DICTATIONWhat We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery and will remain so. However, we now do know something about it. First, we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. No human race anywhere on earth is so backward that it has no language of its own at all. Second, there is no such thing as a primitive language. There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped but the languages they speak are by no means primitive. In all the languages existing in the world today, there are complexities that must have been developed for years. Third, we knowthat all languages are perfectly adequate. Each is a perfect means of expressing its culture. And finally, we know that language changes over time, which is natural and normal if a language is to survive. The language which remains unchanged is nothing but dead.PART ¢ó LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A STATEMENT1. Harry¡¯s brother would not remain an engine driver if he were ambitious.2. Would you mind waiting a few minutes? Ms Ellis is being examined by her physician at this moment.3. Joan is in hospital. I¡¯d like to send her a handbag she can use later in the law office, where she is employed.4. Mary and I work in the same office. We are on five days and off two days in a week. Every time I see her, she is wearing a different silk scarf.5. We¡¯ll come aboard Southeast Service to Red Hill, East Corydon and Victoria, with changes in Red Hill for Gilford.6. What we need here is a clerk who is careful and CONSIDERATE. Let¡¯s write that in the ad: carefulness and consideration are a must.7. I used to think Emily was honest and trust-worthy, but now I know better.8. The first train to Green Hill leaves at 6:28. There is a train every hour on the hour and every 28 minutes PAST the hour.9. The trouble is no matter how hard he tried, Malcolm didn¡¯t seem to get anywhere.SECTION B CONVERSATION10. M£ºWhat do you think? Am I OK?W: Well, there is some information that seems to me ... I want to have a thorough checkup and do some tests.11. M: It¡¯s hot! I wish it would rain and cool off!W: This isn¡¯t usual for November. I don¡¯t remember it ever being so hot and dry in November before.12. M: Many people prefer taking public buses or the subway or even taxis because parking is getting to be a real headache in some parts of the city.W: That doesn¡¯t surprise me.13. M: Hello, Good morning, I¡¯m calling to check on the status of mycomputer.W: Well, the new parts have just been coming in, so it should be ready by Friday.14. M£º My goodness, the service in this restaurant is really terrible,a lot worse than before.W: Right. It¡¯s high time they got rid of half the staff here if you ask me.15. M: Operator, I booked a long-distance collect call for my sister in Switzerland 25 minutes ago, but I haven¡¯t got a reply yet.W: Sorry£¬ I ring it for you right now.16. W: I¡¯ll wear this blue jacket. I like the color on me, don¡¯t you think?M: I think it looks terrific on you, really.17. M: How did Mr. Hunt¡¯s project turn out? I heard he had trouble with the financing, but then he could get the loan he wanted.W: It¡¯s true. He did have difficulties at first. But all in all, the project couldn¡¯t have turned out better.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTNews Item One (18)NATO and Russia are reporting some progress in efforts to finalize a charter governing their post-cold-war relationship. But they stressed more work must be done to settle their differences in military and political issues. A fifth round of talks between the Russian foreign minister and NATO Secretary General ended Tuesday in Luxembourg.News Item Two (19-20)A Boeing 727 aircraft with 51 passengers and 10 crew on board has crashed into a mountain side just outside the Columbia capital, Bogota. Police and rescue workers said everyone was killed when the plane exploded scattering wreckage over a wide area. The crash happened shortly after take-off when the plane was unable to gain enough height to clear the mountains. The aircraft belonged to Ecuadorian Airline, but it had been chartered by Air-France for the route from Bogota to Ecuadorian Capital, Quito.News Item Three (21-22)The US has designated thirty international groups as terrorist organizations, barring them from receiving money, weapons or other support from US citizens. The new terrorist list includes a Palestinian group Hamas, the Pro-Iranian Hezbollah, Cambodian¡¯s Khmer Rouge, the Basque separatist group ETA, Sri Lanka¡¯s Tamitigers, and Peru-based Shining Path and Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. The list does not include the Irish Republican Army or the Palestinian Liberation Organization. US Secretary of State Maddine Albright says the affected groups will have their US visas revoked and US financial assets frozen.News Item Four (23)Israeli prosecutors are reviewing charges against Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, after Israeli police called off his indictment. Justice Ministry officials say they hope a decision on whether to bring charges against the Israeli leader will be announced Sunday. The case stems from the appointment of Runny Barong as Israeli attorney general. Critics charged the appointment was part of a conspiracy to end the trial of Netanyahu¡¯s political ally.News Item Five (24-25)The combined left-wing opposition in France has defeated President Jaque Chirac¡¯s ruling conservative coalition in the first round of the country¡¯s parliamentary elections. Projections by French TV give the Socialist-led opposition 40% of the vote and Mr. Chirac¡¯s center-right coalition 37%. If the left secures the majority of seats in parliament, Socialist leader Leono Jospin would likely became prime minister in the power-sharing arrangement with President Chirac.2000ÄêרҵËļ¶ÌýÁ¦ÊÔÌâ²Î¿¼´ð°¸£º1-5 ACCBD6-10 BABDB11-15 DBAAC16-20 AABAB21-25 CABBC2001SECTION A STATEMENTIn this section you will hear nine statements. At the end of each statement you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.1. The speaker likes teaching because of ___.A. its interesting natureB. the good salariesC. contact with the youngD. more summer holidays2. What does the speaker mean?A. Bad living conditions are due to the poor city.B. Bad planning is responsible for poor living conditions.C. Living conditions are bad because the city is too big.D. Small cities have better living conditions than large ones.3. What does the statement mean?A. Many people are concerned about their security.B. Social security bears no relation to population.C. Most social security problems are caused by a few people.D. Too many people may result in social security problems.4. Passengers must check in to board Flight 998 by ___.A. 10:30 a.mB. 10:00 a.mC. 11:30 a.mD. 11:00 a.m5. The speaker is probably a(n) ___.A. insurance agentB. firemanC. salesmanD. policeman6. The speaker thinks that___.A. Ian achieved a lot as an athleteB. Ian¡¯s blind eye prevented him from athleticC. Ian¡¯s success depended on his childhood experienceD. Ian trained so hard in athletics as to lose one eye7. Mrs. Clark is worried about her___.A. husband¡¯s healthB. husband¡¯s workC. husband¡¯s illnessD. own health8. The relationship between Susan and Jenny is ___.A. neutralB. friendlyC. unclear D strained9. What do we learn about Jack?A. He is well-known for hard work.B. He is pretty busy working.C. He has overworked and hurt his sight.D. He doesn¡¯t like to have dinner with us.SECTION B CONVERSATIONIn this section, you will hear nine short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.10. What are they mainly talking about?A. Graduation date.B. Vacation plans.C. School courses.D. Job hunting.11. The conversation probably takes place in___.A. a libraryB. a bookstoreC. the classroomD. a department store12. The relationship between the two speakers is probably___.A. man and wifeB. lawyer and clientC. customer and waitressD. colleagues13. We can infer from the conversation that the man is a(n) ___.A. plumberB. construction workerC. office boyD. porter14. What will the man probably do next?A. Turn off the tape recorder.B. Turn up the tape recorder.C. Call the doctor.D. Continue to play.15. How does Lisa feel about her work?A. Satisfied.B. Frustrated.C. Annoyed.D. Confident.16. The woman is going to the___.A. libraryB. theatreC. research instituteD. laboratory17. Jackson changed his job because he ___.A. hurt himself during his workB. was not satisfied with his planC .wanted to work harderD. found the job too hard18. What does the woman say about the film?A. It is hard to pronounce the name.B. It is not going to be well received.C. She has temporarily forgotten its name.D. She has never heard of the name.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTQuestions 19 and 20 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.19. Nigeria returned to the Commonwealth after ___.A. she had sentenced minority rights activists to deathB. the military had resumed control of the countryC. power had been handed over to an elected presidentD. she had negotiated with Commonwealth leaders20. The Commonwealth consists of ___countries which were former British colonies.A. 54B. 29C. 9D. 95Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.21. The space shuttle Discovery completed a ___mission upon to the Kennedy Space Centre.A. 11-dayB. 94-dayC. 10-dayD. 49-day22. When the spacecraft was going to land, ___.A. it produced a lot of noiseB. there were scattered showerC. people could see it high in the skyD. people could neither see nor hear itQuestions 23 and 24 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 second to answer the question.Now listen to the news.23. How many people died during the collision?A Two.B Eighteen. C. Three. D. Five.24. Three Albanians were arrested for___.A. attacking the patrol boaB. smuggling in refugeesC. causing the accidentD. injuring refugeesQuestion 25 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.25. The news item is mainly about___.A. efforts to salvage Sun VistaB. negotiation with the ship¡¯s ownerC. threats Sun Vista poses to passing shipD. a newspaper¡¯s comment on Sun Vista2001ÄêÓ¢ÓïרҵËļ¶ÌýÁ¦Ô-ÎÄÎı¾£ºSECTION A STATEMENT1. I have to teach the same course books several times in the summer holiday camp, which is sometimes boring and not well-paid, but by and large I¡¯m quite delighted at being with young people.2. The poor living conditions in such a large city have resulted from the unplanned real estate development, which is rarely seen in small cities.3. At a recent seminar, many participants were worried about the fact that overpopulation may give rise to many social security problems.4. May I have your attention, please? Flight 998 is leaving at 11:30a.m. Please check in half an hour prior to the departure.5. Having gone through your claims for fire damage, I don¡¯t think the policy you have provided protection against loss by fire.6. Ian lost one eye in a childhood accident, but he nonetheless hada very successful athletic career.7. Mr. and Mrs. Clark used to smoke. But now Mrs. Clark has stopped and she is afraid her husband will fall ill if he doesn¡¯t get rid of his bad habit of smoking both at home and at work.8. I heard from Mary that last semester, Susan found it difficult to stay on good terms with her roommate Jenny.9. Jack says that he is up to his eyes at work at present and really cannot afford the time to have dinner with us.SECTION B CONVERSATION10. W: I want to find a part-time job during the summer vacation and earn some money. How about youM: I¡¯m going to take a few summer courses so that I can graduate early next year.11. W: Excuse me, I want some dictionaries. Where can I find themM: The regular-priced ones are here and on that table in the corner of the room we have some on discount.W: Thank you.12. W: I wonder where I can take my girlfriend for dinner after work tonight.M: Have you been to the Chinese Restaurant near the school13. M: Hello, the pipe in my bedroom is leaking. Can you come and get it repaired right awayW: Well, it depends on how soon I can finish the drains at the office building.14. W: Do you think you can play the music tape another time, dear? I¡¯ve got a slight headache.M: Of course. Sorry. I didn¡¯t realize you could hear it. You want me to call the doctorW: No, thanks. I¡¯ll be OK in a minute.15. M: Lisa, how are you getting along with our term paperW: I¡¯ve been writing and rewriting it. I simply don¡¯t know if I will ever get it finished.16. W: I must go to the library, the one near the laboratory, becauseI have to finish my research project by tomorrow. But if I could, I prefer to go with you to the theatre.M: I wish you could come along.17. M: Why did Jack suddenly decide to quit his jobW: He said he wouldn¡¯t break his back working for such low pay.M: I see.18. M: Are you sure you can remember the name of the film you saw last weekW: It¡¯s just on the tip of my tongue.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTNews Item One (19-20)Commonwealth leaders agreed to lift Nigeria¡¯s 3-5 years¡¯ suspension on May 29, the day the military government hands over power to the elected president, the organization secretary general announced yesterday.Nigeria was suspended from the 54 nation group of mainly former British colonies in 1995 after it executed 9 minority rights activists including writer Ken Thawrawiwa. But now that the country has embarked on the return to democracy, Commonwealth heads of government have agreed to end this estrangement. Secretary general chief Ormiga Anyaco said in a statement: ¡°I¡¯m delighted an unfortunate episode in Nigeria Commonwealth relations will now come to an end and Nigeria is resuming its rightful place in the Commonwealth.News Item Two (21-22)The Space Shuttle Discovery made a real night landing at the Kennedy Space Center early on Thursday. The night landing, the 11th in the centre¡¯s 94 shuttle missions, ended a 10-day mission to outfit the orbiting international space station. Although the space craft created a solid boom that can be heard along much of Florida¡¯s eastern seaboard, witnesses on the ground could not see the orbiter until it was directly over the one-way lights. Scattered showers off the Florida coast had threatened to postpone the shuttle¡¯s return. But broadcasters gave a green light when they decided no rain will fall within 48 kilometres of the space centre.News Item Three (23-24)Five people died, two were missing and at least 18 were injured on Wednesday when an Italian petrol vessel collided with a dinghy filled with refugees crossing the Adriatic sea from Albania, authorities said. The victims were believed to be Albanians from either Albania or Kosovo, said authorities from Italy¡¯s Tax Police Division, which, along with the coast guard, patrols the nation¡¯s coast. The cause of the collision was not immediately known. Three Albanians, believed be smuggling the refugees were arrested a few hours after the accident.News Item Four (25)Malaysian authorities are discussing possible salvage efforts with Sun Cruisers, the Singapore owner of a large liner, that sunk off Malaysialast week, a news report said yesterday. Sun cruisers had received some advice from Malaysia on the matter. The Business Times newspaper quoted the company¡¯s spokeswoman Judy Shoo Asian. Judy and other Sun Cruiser¡¯s officials could not immediately be reached for further comment as they were away in Indonesia. The Sun Vista went down in international waters. The nearby Malaysia may have the right to order the wreck¡¯s removal, the newspaper said. Salvage experts said the wreck of the Sun Vista, which sank in 65 metres of water, poses no threat to ships passing over it. But Malaysia may still want it removed.2001ÄêÓ¢ÓïרҵËļ¶ÌýÁ¦ÊÔÌâ²Î¿¼´ð°¸£ºPART ¢ò DICTATIONCharacteristics of a Good ReaderTo improve your reading habits, you must understand the characteristics of a good reader. First, the good reader usually reads rapidly. Of course, he does not read every piece of material at the same rate. But whether he is reading a newspaper or a chapter in a physics text, his reading rate is relatively fast. He has learned to read for ideas rather than words one at a time. Next, the good reader can recognize and understand general ideas and specific details. Thus he is able to comprehend the material with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest. Finally, the good reader has in his command several special skills, which he can apply to reading problems as they occur. For the college student, the most helpful of these skills include making use of the various aids to understanding that most text books provide and skim-reading for a general survey.1-5 CBDDA6-10 AADBB11-15 BDAAB16-20 ABCCA21-25 CADBB2002SECTION A STATEMENTIn this section you will hear eight statements .At the end of each statement you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.1. The speaker is most probably a(n) ___.A. architectB. construction workerC. tourist guideD. housing agent2. What does the statement mean?A. Travel is much faster and convenient now than before.B. People are now travelling much more than in old days.C. Traveling to far-away places has become very common.D. It used to take two more weeks to travel by coach than now3. The speaker feels sorry because___.A. he can¡¯t attend tomorrow¡¯s dinner.B. his wife can¡¯t attend tomorrow¡¯s dinner.C. the couple can¡¯t attend tomorrow¡¯s dinner.D. the couple would be unable to cook the dinner.4. Where is the speaker?A. In the zoo.B. In the classroom.C. In the library.D. At a meeting.5. What does the statement mean?A. One¡¯s success is largely dependent on intelligence.B. Low motivation may lead to poor performance.C. Motivated people are more likely to succeed.D. Both motivation and intelligence are important.6. What does the speaker suggest?A. We should read word by word to get his meaning.B. We should read line by line to get his meaning.C. We should try to find the hidden meaning.D. We should try to find the lines and read them aloud.7. How much does the overcoat cost at the regular price?A. 120.B.15.C.60.D.45.8. What does the speaker mean?A. The sports meet has been cancelled.B. The sports meet has been held despite the rain.C. The time has been set for the sports meet.D. When the sports meet will be held is yet to be known.SECTION B CONVERSATIONIn this section, you will hear nine short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.9£® What are the speakers probably going to do?A. To persuade Mary to spend more time on her lessonsB. To help Mary to prepare for the upcoming concert.C. To talk with Mary about going to the concert.D. To ask Mary to stop worrying about the exam10. What can we learn about the man?A. He firmly believes in UFOs.B. He is doubtful about UFOs.C. He is sure many people have seen UFOs.D. He thinks many people have lied about UFOs.11. Which of the following has the man never been interested in?A. Electronic music.B. Civil engineering.C. Electronics.D. Electronic engineering.12. What does the man mean?A. The milk is safe to drink.。

大学英语四级听力材料及参考答案

大学英语四级听力材料及参考答案

大学英语四级听力材料及参考答案听力真题:Test 7Section A11.A. Go over the list.B. Go shopping for his mum.C. List everything his mum needs.D. Go for an outing.12.A. The man did most of the talking.B. The woman was wearing a black sweater.C. The man and the woman robbed the bank.D. The man and the woman had dark hair.答案解析:Test 7Section A11.M: Mum, before I go out, could you go over the shopping list and see if there's anything else you need?W: Yes. That's about everything. Now you're sure you don't mind going, darling?Q: What is the man probably going to do?正确答案:B解析:男士说:“妈,在我出门前,请你再看一遍购物单,看有没有什么别的东西要买?”可见男士是要为母亲购物,故B正确。

12.M: Could you describe the two people who robbed the bank?W: Well, the man was tall with dark hair and he was wearing a black sweater. The main thing that I remembered about the woman was that she did most of the talking.Q: What do we learn about the two people described in the conversation?正确答案:C解析:男士问:“你能说说抢银行的那两个人长什么样吗?”可见C正确。

专四听力50篇

专四听力50篇

11.A Henpecked Husband and His WifeThere was once a large, fat woman who had a small, thin husband. He had a job in a big company and was given his weekly wages every Friday evening. As soon as he got home on Fridays, his wife used to make him give her all his money, and then she used to give him back only enough to buy his lunch in his company every day. One day, the small man came home very excited. He hurried into the living-room. His wife was listening to the radio and eating chocolates there.“You will never guess what happened to me to day, dear.” he said.He waited for a few seconds and then added, “I won ten thousand dollars on the lottery!”“That is wonderful! ” said his wife delightedly. But then she pulled a long face and added angrily, “But how could you afford to buy the ticket?Useful Words and Expressions:1. henpecked 怕老婆的,妻管严的2. lottery 彩票a great lottery 虚无缥缈的事3. pull a long face 拉下脸来have a face to say that脸皮厚得竟能讲出这种话12.A Young Man’s PromiseOne day, a young man was writing a letter to his girlfriend who lived just a few miles away in a nearby town. He was telling her how much he loved her and how wonderful he thought she was. The more he wrote the more poetic he became. Finally he said that in order to be with her, he would suffer the greatest difficulties, he would face the greatest dangers that anyone couldn’t imagine. In fact, to spend only one minute with her, he would swim across the widest river, he would enter the deepest forest, and he would fight against the fiercest animals with his bare hands.He finished the letter, signed his name and then suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to mention something quite important. So, in a postscript below his name, he added:“By the way, I’ll be over to see you on Wednesday night, if it doesn’t rain.”13.A Kind NeighborMr. and Mrs. Jones’ apartment was full of luggage, packages, furniture and boxes. Both of them were very busy when they heard the doorbell ring. Mrs. Jones went to open it and she saw a middle-aged lady outside. The lady said she lived next door. Mrs. Jones invited her to come in and apologized because there was no place for her to sit. “Oh, that’s OK.” said the lady. “I just come to welcome to your new home. As you know, in some parts of this city, neighbors are not friendly at all. They are some apartment houses where people don’t know any of their neighbors, not even the ones next door. But in this building, everyone is very friendly with everyone else. We are a big happy family. I am sure you will be very happy here.” Mr. andMrs. Jones said, “But madam, we are not new dwellers in this apartment. We’ve lived here for two years. We are moving out tomorrow.”14.That Isn’t Our FaultMr. and Mrs. Williams got married when he was twenty-three, and she was twenty. Twenty-five years later, they had a big party, and a photographer came and took some photographs of them.Then the photographer gave Mrs. Williams a card and said, “They’ll be ready next Wednesday. You can get them from studio.”“No,” Mrs. Williams said, “please send them to us.”The photographs arrived a week later, but Mrs. Williams was not happy when she saw them. She got into her car and drove to the photographer’s studio. She went inside and said angrily, “You took some photographs of me and my husband last week, but I’m not going to pay for them.”“Oh, why not?” the photographer asked.“Because my husband looks like a monkey,” Mrs. Williams said.“Well,” the photographer answered, “that isn’t our fault. Why didn’t you think of that before you married him?”15.A Guide’s AnswerIn 1861, the Civil War started in the United States between the Northern and the Southern states. The war continued with great bitterness until 1865, when the Northerners were victorious. However, even today, many Southerners have not forgotten their defeat, or forgiven the Northerners.A few years ago, a party of American tourists were going round one of the battlefields of the Civil War with a guide who came from one of the Southern states. At each place, the guide told the tourists stirring stories about how a few Southern soldiers had conquered powerful forces of Northerners there.At last, one of the tourists, a lady who came from the North, stopped the guide and said to him, “ But surely that the Northern army must have won at least one victory in the Civil War?”“Not as long as I’m the guide here, madam,” answered the Southern guide.16.A Qualified PilotThe captain of a small ship had to go along a rocky coast, but he was unfamiliar with it, so he tried to find a qualified pilot to guide him. He went ashore in one of the small ports, and a local fisherman pretended that he was a pilot because he needed some money. The captain took him on board and asked him where to steer the ship.After half an hour, the captain began to suspect that the fisherman did not really know what he was doing and where he was going.“Are you sure you are a qualified pilot?” he asked.“Oh, yes,” answered the fisherman. “I know every rock on this part of the coast.”Suddenly there was a terrible crash from under the ship. At once the fisherman added, “And that’s one of them.”17.Living Things ReactYou and all organisms live an environment. An environment is made up of everything that surrounds an organism. It can include the air, the water, the soil, and even other organisms.An organism responds to changes in its environment. When an organism responds to a change, it reacts in certain ways. All living things respond in some way. Have you ever noticed how plants and insects respond to light? Plants bend toward light. Insects fly toward light.Living things also respond in other ways. The leaves on some trees respond to a change in season. In autumn, they change colors and then fall off the branches Animals also respond to a change in season. Squirrels save nuts for the winter. Bears sleep through the winter in a cave.You respond to your environment in many ways, too. You may shiver if you are cold. What other ways do you respond to changes in your environment?18.Flowering PlantsWhat are the parts of a flower?Flowers can have male parts and female parts. The female parts make eggs that become seeds. The male parts make pollen. Pollen is a powdery material that is needed by the eggs to make seeds. To make seeds, pollen and eggs must come together. The wind, insec ts, and birds bring pollen to eggs. Many animals love flowers’ bright colors. They also like a sugary liquid in flowers. This is called nectar. While they drink nectar, pollen rubs off on their bodies. As they move, some of this pollen gets delivered to the female flower parts.Over time, the female parts turn into fruits that contain seeds. Animals often eat the fruits and the seeds pass through their bodies as waste. The animals do no know they are working for the plants by planting seeds as they travel to different places!Useful words and Expressions:1. flowering 开花的2. pollen 花粉3. powdery 粉状的4. sugar 含糖的,甜的5. nectar花蜜,甘露6. rub 磨擦19.Finding the Direction and LocationHow can you tell which direction? By day, look for the Sun. It is in the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. At night, use the Big Dipper to help you find the North Star. It would be better to bring a compass because its needle always points north.How do you know how far you have gone? You could count every step. Each step is about two feet. You’d better wear a pedometer which is a tool that counts steps. If you know where you started, which direction you are heading, and how far you have gone, you can use a good map to figure out exactly where you are.Today there is a new way for travelers to figure out where they are. It is the GPS. It has 24 satellites that orbit the earth and constantly broadcast their positions. Someday you may carry a small receiver as you hike and use GPS to find out if you are there yet!Useful Words and Expressions:1. dipper北斗七星2. compass 罗盘3. pedometer 步数计4. GPS= Global Position System全球定位系统5. orbit 轨道,绕……轨道而行6. receiver 接收器20.WavesHow does light get from the sun to the earth? How does music get from the stage to the audience? They move the same way-----in waves!Light and sound are forms of energy. All waves carry energy, but they may carry it differently. Light and sound travel through different kinds of matter. For example, light waves cannot move through walls, but sound waves can. That is why you can hear people talking in another room even though you cannot see them. The energy of some waves is destructive. An earthquake produces seismic waves.Catch a wave. Ask a friend to stand a few feet away from you. Stretch a spring between you. Shake the spring to transfer energy to it. What happens? The spring bounces up and down in waves. When the waves reach your friend, they bounce back to you! Light waves travel 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) per second! They can also travel through a vacuum. That is why light from the sun and distant stars can travel through space to the earth!Useful Words and Expressions;1. destructive 破坏的2. seismic地震的3. vacuum真空21.SoilsThere are many different kinds of soils. Different soils have different types of rock and minerals in them. Some soils have more water in them than others. Some soils might have more plant and animal material in them, too.Different kinds of soils are found in different parts of the world. There are several kinds of soils found in the United States. In some areas, the soil has a lot of clay. Other soils are very sandy. Loam is a kind of soil that has a good mixture of clay and sand.In some places, soil layers are very thick. Lots of plants grow in places with a thick soil layer. In dry and windy places soil layers are much thinner. Layers of soil on mountains are thin because gravity pulls the soil downhill.The type of soil in a particular place affects what kinds of plants can grow there.Useful Words:1. clay 黏土,泥土2. loam 肥土3. layer 层4. gravity 地心引力,重力5. downhill 往下.。

历年专四听力答案

历年专四听力答案

Choosing a Career When students graduate from college, / many of them do not know how they want to spend their working lives, / and they sometimes move from job to job / until they find something that suits them / and of equal importance to which they are suited. Others never find a job in which they are really happy. / They remain all their lives square pegs in round holes. /When we choose our careers, we need to ask ourselves two questions. / First, what do we think we would like to be?/ Second, what kind of people are we? / The idea, for example, of being a painter or a musician may seem very attractive, / but unless we have great talent and are willing to work very hard, / we are certain to fail in these occupations, / and failure will lead to unhappiness in life. /So it is important to assess our suitability for a certain career in job search.New Year's Eve For many people in the west, New Year's Eve is the biggest party of the year. /lt's the time to get together with friends or family/and welcome in the coming year. / New Year's parties can take place in different places. /Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties;/ while some just go for a few drinks with their friends. /Big cities have large and spectacular fireworks displays. / There is one thing that all New Year's Eve parties have in common,/ the countdown to midnight./ When the clock strikes 12, people give a loud cheer and sing songs./ It's also popular to make a promise in the New Year. /This is called a New Year's resolution. / Typical resolutions include giving up smoking and keeping fit. /However, the promise is often broken quite quickly /and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.Britain has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to this system, it can sometimes be confusing. October is usually the busiest month in the academic calendar. Universities have something called Freshmen's Week for their newcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life. However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting strangers in classrooms and dormitories can be worrying.Where do you start? And who should you make friends with? Which clubs and society should you join? Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you. They worry about starting their university social life on the right foot. Sojust take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years.2011 British holidaying habits In the late 1970s, air travel became affordable for the average family in the UK, and more people started travelling abroad for their summer holidays. After all, the British weather wasn’t very good, even in summer, so a lot of people left the country for a vacation. In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in the UK became wealthier on average. As a result, they started to go abroad in groups, to places such as Spain and Greece. Once they arrived at their destination, they met with other groups of young people and had one long party. British holidaying habits have begun to change, however. Climate change means that the UK now has a hotter climate, so people do not need to go overseas to find good weather. Also, going abroad is more expensive. As a result, more British people are choosing to spend their summer holidays in the UK.Nowadays, many of us try to live in a way that will damage the environment as little as possible. We recycle our newspapers and bottles, we take public transport to get to work, we try vegetables,to buy locally produced fruitand vegetables,and we want to take these attitudes on holiday with us. This is why alternative forms of tourism are becoming popular in the world. There are a lot of names for these new forms of tourism: responsible tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and educational tourism and more. Although everyone may have a different definition, most people agree that these new forms of tourism should do the following: first, they should conserve the wildlife and culture of the area; second, they should benefit the local people; third, they should make a profit without destroying natural resources; and finally they should provide an experience that tourists want to pay for.。

专四听写50篇

专四听写50篇

专四听写50 篇Dictation 1 Superstition 迷信(144 words)One person in four in Britain is, apparently, superstitious, / and they?ll do everything fromhanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers, / touching wood and absolutely never walking under a ladder. / And they?re careful about cats. / Black cats are supposed to be the familiars of witches, / so if one is following you it?s definitely bad luck —a witch is after you! / On the other hand, if one crosses your path and continues / then it?s good luck because it hasn?t noticed you. / However, in some places the beliefs are different / — so it pays to know where your black cat comes from! / Old superstitions linger even in today?s modern world. / The author Philip Pullman drew on them / in his award winningnovel “His Dark Materials”. / The novel, which appeals to both children and adults, / hasbeen adapted for radio and also the theatre. /Dictation 2 Graduate Student 研究生(157 words)Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study. / They study to become experts inthis field / and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A. or Ph.D. / Sometimeswhen they get an M. A. in one field they begin studying another field. / They hope that when theyearn their graduate degrees / they will succeed in finding important jobs. / They hope to get jobsthat are interesting and high paying. / The life of a graduate student is often difficult. / They areusually too busy studying to make a good living. / Often they haveto pay high tuition fees fortheir education. / Some give up studying before they get their degrees. / But most keep on workingat their studies until they graduate. / In today?s world, most graduate students don?t regretspending time with their studies. / They are finding that new developments are occurring in allfields. / For many graduate study has become a necessity. /Dictation 3 April Fool’s Day 愚人节(157 words)1st April is a day to be careful, or you could easily get tricked by someone. / It?s April Fool?s Day, a day when people traditionally like to try / to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them. / There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day, / but one explanation is connected with the change in the calendar in the 16th century, / which meant that 1st April was no longer the beginning of the year. / Those who still celebrated the New Year on 1st April were called fools. /So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool?s Day? / Well, there are lots of simpletricks / that you can play on your friends. / For example, you could wear a black sweater / and pulla piece of white thread through it, / so that people try to pull it off. / You could change thetime onsomeone?s alarm clock / so that they?re late for work. /Dictation 4 Living Online 网上生活(159 words)How do you meet new people, make new friends, or find out about the latest bands? / Here inthe UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars, pubs and clubs. /However, there is a new generation growing up / that finds it easier to manage their sociallives on the net, / using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces. / Welcome to the social networking website / — a place where you can present yourself tothedigital community and meet other like-minded people. /The most successful social networking website in the UK is . / As of July 2006,MySpace is the world?s fourth most popular English-language website, / attracting almost 3 million visitors per month. / MySpace claims tohave 95 million members / with 500,000 new members joining the community each week. /So how has it become so successful? / Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. / Each new member can build their own page simply —uploading photos, videos and MP3 files. /Dictation 5 Mother’s Day 母亲节(160 words)Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? / Well, Mother?s Day is the time toshow her. / It?s a chance to say …thank you?, or to tell your mum how much you love her. /In Britain, Mother?s Day, or Mothering Sunday, / falls on adifferent day each year, / becauseit takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. / But itis always in the early springtime,which seems appropriate, / as the season when new plants emerge, / and baby birds and animalsare born. / In the USA, Mother?s Day takes place a little later, in May, / and many other countriesalso celebrate their mothers on different days of the year. /It began many years ago, when children, / especially girls, as young as 10 would live andwork away from home / as housemaids and other types of servant. / Mothering Sunday was a daywhen everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers. /Dictation 6 Online Shopping 网上购物(159 words)With only two weeks to go before Christmas, / buying presents is a high priority for a lot ofpeople. / However, this year not so many people are leaving their homes to browse around theshops. / These days lots of people can do their shopping / in the comfort of their own home withthe help of the internet. /Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons; / prices areoften lower online, / you don?t have to queue up in busy shops / and you can buy almost anyproduct imaginable / with just a few clicks of your mouse. /Computer trends are often male-dominated / but this year women are expected to do more shopping on the internet than men. / It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience ofonline shopping than they used to be. /Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to ,240 / compared to theslightly lower average of ,233 for men. /Dictation 7 Reality TV 真实电视(155 words)The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV. / Reality TV means that shows follow and film ordinary people in an artificial situation. / This could be at work, or in some kind of competition. /One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother. / In this show, 15 complete strangers have to live together in a house for 11 weeks. / They are filmed 24 hours a day,/ and shown on television. / Each week, the viewers vote to evictone of the housemates. / Finally,only one is left, / and they win the prize money! /The show was an instant hit, and runs in several countries. / The housemates often becomestars as a result of the show, / and appear in national newspapers and on other shows. / Another very popular show is I?m a Celebrity —Get Me Out Of Here! / In this show, 10celebrities have to complete tasks each week, such as eating insects. /Dictation 8 School 学校(160 words)September is traditionally the end of summer / and the beginning of autumn in the UK. / It isalso the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays. / There are two types of school in England. / State-run schools are paid for by the government,so are free to attend. / Independent Schools are private, whichmeans you have to pay to attend. /The school day usually starts at 9 in the morning and finishes around 4, / with breaks for lunch of course! / In many schools, you have to wear a uniform too. /Children start school when they are 5 years old. / This is called primary school, / and lasts until the child is 11 when he or she will go on to senior school. /Secondary school is compulsory from 11 until 16 years of age. / At 16, students take nationalexaminations called GCSE?s. / After this, students can stay atschool for another 2 years and takeA Level examinations. /Dictation 9 The Modern Family 现代家庭(154 words)Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. / The two children take the bus to school, / and mother stays home cooking and cleaning / until father and the kids return home inthe evening. / This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. / The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain./The biggest change has been caused by divorce. / As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now endin divorce, / leading to a situation where many children live with one parent / and only see theother at weekends or holidays. /There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work. / The largerise in divorces has meant / many women need to work to support themselves and their children. /Even when there is no divorce, / many families need both parents to work in order to survive. /Dictation 10 Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节(146 words)On 25th September this year, people all over China / will be getting together to eat with theirfamilies, / look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar./However, the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China. / Here in the UK eventsare taking place for Chinese people living here, / and to teach the people of Britain more about thispopular festival. /The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study / which showed that Chinese Londonersdon?t engage much with the arts world. / As a result, …Moon walking In China? has beencreated tocelebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. /This is no normal theatre production though, / as it doesn?t take place in the theatre. / Theatreprofessionals and volunteers from the local community / will take audiences around the streets ofSoho / on a magical lantern-lit walk / through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown. /Dictation 11 The Dragon 龙(160 words)When many people in the west think of China, / the animal that they think of is the dragon. /For them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. / Many popular legendstell ofhow dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens. /For Chinese people however, the dragon is not an evil monster. / It?s a cultural and spiritualsymbol for prosperity and good luck. / The dragon?s main task is to create harmony and bring rain./ Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, / and of course the dragon dance is a very popularritual. / Millions of Chinese have the word …long?, meaning dragon, as part of their name. /China isn?t the only country to have the dragon as its symbol. / Wales, one of the fourcountries in the UK, / has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. / The only other country inthe world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, / the tiny country between China and India. /Dictation 12 Rainy Britain 阴雨的英国(153 words)Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, / but many parts of the country thisJune / are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before. / Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks, / roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated / from their homes because of the floods. / The worst hit area seems to be the north of England. / There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain / or were washed away by the floodwaters. / Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK / and it is said that over a month?sworth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days. /The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain?s famous June events. / The Glastonburyfestival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival / and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there, / this year was particularly bad. /Dictation 13 Christmas traditions 圣诞节传统(145 words)There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, / and some British people like to go on holiday,/ go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. / But most people?s idea of atraditional Christmas / involves spending a few days with their family / — sometimes theirextended family. /The day is the most exciting for the children. / They may have spent weeks or even monthsdreaming of the presents they want most. / Since the beginning of December, they may haveopened their advent calendars, / finding a new festive picture, chocolate, or small gift, / to countdown each day until 25th December. /On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings, / ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus. /Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, / as well as a carrot forthose hungry reindeer. /Dictation 14 Olympic Slogan 奥运口号(140 words)Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. / “One World, OneDream” was finally selected / from more tha n 210,000 entries from around the world. /Beijing?s original bid to host the 2008 games / had a different slogan “New Beijing, GreatOlympics”. / The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely / from the city of Beijingitself to the spirit of the Olympics /— unity, friendship amongst nations and progress. /It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan / captured the traditional Chinesevalues of peace and harmony. /The Olympics hasn?t always had a slogan attached to each host country. / In fact itwasn?tuntil 1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea / that the first slogan appeared. / “Harmony andProgress” was chosen / and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years. /Dictation 15 Sunbed 太阳床(159 words)In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, / there appears to be anever increasing number of very tanned young people. /So just how are they achieving their golden tans? / Some are opting for the sun-free option / and are getting their tan from a bottle. / However, it appears that others are turning to tanningsalons, / of which there are thousands in the UK. /While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, / in the UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin. / So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? / Often, they aretrying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers? wives. / Research from theBritish Sunbed Association suggests that / many people believe a tan makes them feel and lookhealthier. /This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. / They firmly statethat being tanned is not a sign of health. /Dictation 16 Speechwriting 写演讲稿(143 words)The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, / with merit being givento speakers who are confident, articulate, / knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech withconviction. /But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, / it is a speechwriter. / Andone industry in which this practice is common is that of politics. / So what does it take to be apolitical speechwriter? /Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain, / a politicalspeechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills, / be detail oriented and able to demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject. / They must also work closely with speakers / and be able to relate to their style. /Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent, / a natural creative instinct, /and that speechwriting is an art form. /Dictation 17 AWalk in the Park 在公园散步(141 words)Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health / —it can improveyourmood / and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes. / So says research in the journal Environmental Health and Technology. / Exercise alone is known to make you happier. / So is being in a natural setting. / So scientistswanted to see the effect of combining the two. / They evaluated 10 different UK studies involvingmore than 1,200 people. /Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening, / sailing and country walks, andrated their mood and self-esteem. /The research showed that both areas get a significant boost / with as little as five minutes of outdoor exercise. / And people with mental disorders benefited the most. / The study authors saythis is the first study / to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect. /Dictation 18 Fast food Makes Us Less Patient 快餐使我们失去耐性(146 words)Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry, / and for some of us, drive-through dinner has become a way of life. / Granted, sometimes we grab something quick because we really don?thave time. / But psychologists got to wondering / whether all this speed eating might actuallymake us less patient. /In a series of experiments, the scientists showed volunteers logos / from several fast-foodchains or asked them to recall the last time they?d visited. / And they found that folks who hadthought about fast food would then read faster, / even though no one told them to hurry. / And theyalso expressed a preference for time-saving products, / like shampoo plus conditioner. / And theytended to opt for immediate rewards, / like getting a small cash payment right away / rather thanwaiting a week for a larger sum. / So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation. Try a slowcooker. /Dictation 19 Light All Night Not Alright 整夜开灯并非好事(159 words)A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed. / But it may also open the door to theblues. /If you have access to electricity, you no doubt switch on a lamp, / maybe even watch a little TV, after the sun goes down. / But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate ourhormones / and of course our sleep cycles. / So what might these extra photons be doing to ourhealth? /To find out, scientists housed mice in a room / where the lights were always on. / After threeweeks, they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression, / more sothan mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night. / Interestingly, mice who could escape thelight by ducking into a dark tube / also escaped the worst of the depression. / So flip that light switch at your own risk. / Because the artificial brightness that helps keep usup could also bring us down. /Dictation 20 London 2012 Olympic Games 伦敦2012 奥运会(154 words) After a hard-fought campaign, / London has been awarded the right to host the 2012 OlympicGames. / The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities: / Paris, Madrid, Moscow andNew York. /Londoners can now look forward to the transformation of their city / in the same way as theircounterparts in Beijing. / Indeed, there are many similarities in the two cities? approach to hostingthe games. / Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure / in order to cope with thedemands of the event. /However, this kind of investment is far from cheap / — it is estimated that it will costaround $40 billion to prepare for the 2008 games, / much of which will be spent on transport links./ Nevertheless, the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous / — Barcelona,whichhosted the 1992 games, / was completely regenerated and has since become one of themostpopular tourist destinations in the world. /Dictation 21 Picnic 野餐(155 words)As summertime begins in Britain, people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat. / Peoplelove to have a picnic whenever the weather is good enough, / especially people with children. / It?sa great way to spend a sunny afternoon. /Even in the centre of London, on a sunny day, / the parks are fullof office workers eatinga shop-bought their lunch outside on the grass. / That might be a pretty basic picnic / —sandwich and a bottle of water. /But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park, / they would probably pack acool bag / with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches, snacks, cake, fruit and soft drinks. /They might have a picnic rug to sit on, and paper plates and cups. / University students enjoy having picnics, / and usually take along some kind of sports equipment, / such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch. /Dictation 22 Changing Name after Marriage 婚后改名(155 words)Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one?s life./ Thisis because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one?s life altogether. / Right from thewedding dress to the house / that the couple will live after their wedding, / is decided with utmostcare. / An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for thewedding / is to choose between one?s maiden name and spouse?s name. / Though traditionally,women are expected to change their name / from their maiden name to their husband?sname, /many women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, / mostly for professionalreasons. / Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband?s last name / and keep theirmaiden name as their second name. / Also, there are couples who make a new name with boththeir names, / by separating the names with a hyphen. /Dictation 23 The Compass 指南针(153 words)A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now, / and its utility in helping people find their way is undoubted. / Before technology gave us the privilege of GPSnavigation systems, / the act of finding out where you are and which side is north / wascarried outsimply with the help of a compass. / We?ve all seen a compass at some point or the other, / and thishas almost always led us to the question “How does a compass work?” / The answer to thisquestion can be explained / through the concept of the earth?s electromagnetism. /Simply speaking, a compass is basically a small magnet / that has a needle attached on oneend. / The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin. / When the compass is heldout steadily, / the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth, / and this causes itto point north. /Dictation 24 Ball Games 球类运动(157 words)Ball games have become an integral part of modern society. / They give us entertainmentproviding us a means to safely free ourselves from stress. / There are many different ball gamesthat can do this for us. / Some people enjoy football, while others like basketball. / These two ballgames are the most popular in China. / Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal, yethave not become popular. / The development of these games is interesting. / Basketball is one ofthe few sports with a known date of birth. / Football, or soccer, originally developed from traitsfound in both China and Europe. / It has grown to become the world?s most popular sport. / InEurope, football clubs have been established, / which in turn has been copied in the rest of theworld. / These football clubs train players / who may later go play for their nations in the WorldCup. / This is the most watched ballgame championship on the planet. /Dictation 25 Water Sports 水上运动(145 words)The history of man?s involvement with water sports / stretches back before history waswritten down. / It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement. / Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world / with nothing but thestars to guide them. / The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared, / for lurked unknown creatures and death by drowning. / Few actually ventured into the water. / As a sport, however, water sports such as swimming, diving, / and water polo are new comparatively to those on land. /Probably the oldest one is rowing in a rowboat. / This is seen in modern games such as competitions / between rowing clubs in British and American universities. / Olympic WaterSportsbegan with swimming but did not end there. / The different kinds of water sports such as diving orwater skiing came later. /Dictation 26 Famous Universities 名校(140 words)Many countries have excellent universities. / There are, however, few world famous ones. /These universities have achieved their fame / through a combination of both their age / and thehigh levels of quality in their instruction. / Throughout their histories, / each one has been a testingground for the leadership of the nation. / In the United States, Harvard and Yale attract thousandsof foreign students / who would use what they learn for the advancement of their own nations. / Inthis way, these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication. /Graduates around the world are able to connect with each other / by having graduated from one ofthe finest universities in the world. / Leaders in every field, whether government officials or ground-breaking scientists, / who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other / and understand each other much better. /Dictation 27 Ideal Life 理想人生(157 words)The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue, yet few achieve. / The balancebetween dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome. / Many people choose a vocationin the hopes / that it would bring them wealth and success. / However, after years of labor in theirchosen field, they begin to hate their jobs. / This is mainly because they have neglected other partsof their lives in search of this success. / These people devotetheir lives to working / and are unable to separate themselves from their work. / They find that it may not be enough. / Some have jobs where their principles and emotional health / are challenged by dishonesty or bad work environments. / These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which theywork, / leading to personal or health problems. / This choice is not a permanent situation, however,/ as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives. / Dictation 28 Reeducation and Employment 再教育和就业(160 words) During the course of our lives, we must make many choices that we may come toregret. /This is especially true when choosing a career. / Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding becomedull or not worth it / as we live our daily existence. / This is where reeducation can help. / Occupational schools have been set up to train people in jobs / that they may be better suited for. / People can adapt their interests and talents through selected courses. / They can learn cookingskills, which are always in great demand. / Gardening is an optionfor those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb. / If a person is interested in motors or cars, they can get trainingas a mechanic. / Even more, the learning of a foreign language / would allow them the opening ofa dream life. / The job qualification certificates they earn canalso be used too enhance their resumes, / so that they are trained in a variety of skills. /Dictation 29 Made in China 中国制造(160 words)The label, Made in China, is one that is becoming increasing common / in shopping centersall over the world. / In the United States, shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation?s largest retailer /have awide selection of products mostly produced in China. / The large amount of Chinese imports havecreated a large selection of goods in other countries / as people begin to buy more and moreproducts made in China. / These goods are even readily available in other Asian nations, / whereChinese-made goods are quite popular. / Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known outside of China. / The development of China has amazed the world with its growth. /。

2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇

2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇

2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年的英语专业四级考试刚刚结束不久,很多考生已经在等待着专四答案了。

下面是应届毕业生考试网我为大家整理的2023年4月专4级考试真题参考答案之听力篇。

PartⅠ DICTATIONLearning SympathyA big part of being human is feeling sympathy, / but how early on in our lives do we learn this? / Scientists find that babies respond to other people / by crying when other babies cry. / However, babies cant distinguish between themselves and others / until theyre eighteen to twenty months old. / Toddlers start to show concern for others around this time. / Kids also begin to do things like comforting other people. / And by the time theyre three, / most children will try to protect a victim in a fight.PartⅡ LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1. a physical classroom2. a coherent concept3. personalized curriculum4. (more) meaningful practice5. feedback6. collaborating7. question and answer8. fundamental human right9. lifelong learning10. innovationSECTION B CONVERSATIONS1. Whats wrong with the mans computer?答案:A. It has wiped the data from the flash drive.2. How will the man be compensated if the computer cant be fixed?答案:C. Get a new computer.3. How did the man feel about the womans offer of compensation?答案:D. Dissatisfied.4. When will the service engineer come to fix the computer?答案:B. After 8:30 tomorrow morning.5. What is the mans phone number?答案:A. 6574-3205.6. What should we do if our neighbors didnt reach out?答案:B. Introduce ourselves first.7. Which is the best way to handle a noisy neighbor?答案:C. Give him a reason to stop.8. What should we do if we have a nosy neighbor?答案:D. Dont answer their questions.9. How long do we expect our neighbors to stay?答案:B. Five to ten minutes.10. Where can we get more information on this topic?答案:D. CBS news website.文档内容到此结束,欢迎大家下载、修改、丰富并分享给更多有需要的人。

专四试题及答案2024

专四试题及答案2024

专四试题及答案2024一、听力理解(共20分)1. 短对话理解(共5分)- 根据所听对话,选择正确答案。

- 例:What is the man going to do?- A. Go to the library.- B. Go to the cinema.- C. Go to the concert.- 答案:A2. 长对话理解(共5分)- 根据所听对话,回答以下问题。

- 例:What is the main topic of the conversation?- 答案:The main topic is the upcoming holiday plans.3. 新闻听力(共5分)- 根据所听新闻,选择正确答案。

- 例:What is the news report mainly about?- A. A new policy.- B. A natural disaster.- C. A sports event.- 答案:B4. 听力填空(共5分)- 根据所听短文,填写空缺的单词或短语。

- 例:The project was completed on _______.- 答案:schedule二、阅读理解(共30分)1. 快速阅读(共10分)- 阅读文章,判断下列句子是否正确。

- 例:The article mainly discusses the benefits of exercise.- 答案:True2. 深度阅读(共20分)- 阅读文章,回答以下问题。

- 例:What is the author's opinion on the issue?- 答案:The author believes that the issue requires a balanced approach.三、词汇与语法(共20分)1. 词汇选择题(共10分)- 选择最合适的词填空。

- 例:The _______ of the new policy was met with mixed reactions.- A. introduction- B. conclusion- C. exclusion- 答案:A2. 语法填空(共10分)- 根据句子结构,填写正确的语法形式。

专四听力训练答案

专四听力训练答案

Passage 1The experience of jealousy varies enormously from age to age, from culture to culture, from couple to couple, from person to person, and can be different within the same person from time to time. In the United States, there has been a change of attitude toward jealousy in recent years. “Normal” jealousy, which has been seen as an inevitable accompaniment of love and support of marriage, has come to be seen by some as evidence of personal insecurity and weakness in the relationship, and therefore a threat to the partnership.Most jealous flashes come from feeling left out of an activity involving your partner and another person or other people. When your partner pays attention to another, your first reaction is to note that they are “in” and you are“out”. You feel excluded, ignored, unappreciated.This kind of experience is not uncommon, and dealing with it gracefully is part of the etiquette of our time.from time to time 不时,偶尔inevitable adj. 必然的,不可避免的the inevitable course of history历史必由之路bow to the inevitable听天由命accompaniment n. 伴随物;伴奏Destruction is an accompaniment of war.破坏会随着战争而来,有战争就有破坏。

英语专业四级短文听力50篇答案

英语专业四级短文听力50篇答案

英语专业四级短文听力50篇答案1.Town and Country Life in EnglandThere is a big difference between town life and country life in England. In the country, everybody knows everybody else. They know what time you get up, what time you go to bed and what you have for dinner. If you want help, you will always get it and you will be glad to help others.In a large town like London, however, it can sometimes happen that you have never seen your next door neighbor and you do not know his name or anything about him. People in London are often very lonely. This is because people go to different places in the evenings and at weekends. If you walk through the streets in the centre of London on Sunday, it is like a town without people. One is sorry for old people living on their own. They could die in their homes and would not be discovered for weeks or even months.2.A Change in Women’s LifeThe important change in women’s life-pattern has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity, and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards return to full-time or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money, and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.Useful Words and Expressions:1. life-pattern生活方式2. Share3.A Popular Pastime of the English PeopleOne of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what the do with their non-working time.Most English men, women and children love growing things, especially flowers. Visitors to England in spring, summer or autumn are likely to see gardens all they way along the railway lines. There are flowers at the airports and flowers in factory grounds, as well as in gardens along the roads. Each English town has at least one park with beautifully kept flower beds. Public buildings of every kind have brilliant window boxes and sometimes baskets of flowers are hanging on them.But what the English enjoy most is growing things themselves. If it is impossible to have a garden, then a window box or something growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English.Useful Words and Expressions:1. window box:窗台上的花盆箱2.pastime 消遣,娱乐Swimming is my favorite pastime.4.British and American Police OfficersReal policemen, both in Britain and the U.S., hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they se on TV—if they ever get home in time.Some things are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them much of them.The first difference is that a policeman’s real life deals with the law. Most of what he learns is the law. He has to know actually what actions are against the law and what facts can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a lawyer, and what’s more, he has to put it into practice on his feet, in the dark and, running down a narrow street after someone hewants to talk to.Little of his time is spent in talking with beautiful girls or in bravely facing cruel criminals. He will spend most of his working life arranging millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, ordinary people who are guilty--- or not of stupid, unimportant crimes.Useful Words and Expressions:1. think much of 重视,尊重2. in court 在法庭上3. criminal 罪犯,犯罪者4. guilty 犯罪的,有罪的5.Living SpaceHow much living space does a person need? What happens when his space needs are not met? Scientists are doing experiments on rats to try to determine the effects of overcrowded conditions on man. Recent studies have shown that the behavior of rats is greatly affected by space. If rats have enough living space, they eat well, sleep well and produce their young well. But iftheir living conditions become too crowded, their behavior and even their health change obviously. They can not sleep and eat well, and signs of fear and worry become clear. The more crowded they are, and more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, populations and violence are directly related. Is this a natural law for human society as well? Is enough space not only satisfactory, but necessary for human survival? These are interesting questions.6.The United NationsIn 1945, representatives of 50 nations met to plan this organization. It was called the United Nations. After the war, many more nations joined.There are two major parts of the United Nations. One is called the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, every member nation is represented and has an equal vote.The second part is called the Security Council. It has representatives of just 15 nations. Five nations are permanent members: the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China. The 10 other members are elected every two years by the General Assembly.The major job of the Security Council is to keep peace in the world. If necessary, it can send troops from member nations to try to stop little wars before they turn into big ones.It is hard to get the nations of the Security Council to agree on when this is necessary. But they did vote to try to stop wars.Useful Words and Expressions:1. representative 代表2. General Assembly 联合国大会3. permanent 永久的,持久的4. Security Council 联合国安全理事会7.PlasticWe use plastic wrap to protect our foods. We put our garbage in plastic bags or plastic cans. Wesit on plastic chairs, play with plastic toys, drink from plastic cups, and wash our hair with shampoo from plastic bottles!Plastic does not grow in nature. It is made by mixing certain things together. We call it a produced or manufactured material. Plastic was first made in the 1860s from plants, such as wood and cotton. That plastic was soft and burned easily.The first modern plastics were made in the 1930s. Most clear plastic starts out as thick, black oil. That plastic coating inside a pan begins as natural gas.Over the years, hundreds of different plastics have been developed. Some are hard and strong. Some are soft and bendable. Some are clear. Some are many-colored. There is a plastic for almost every need. Scientists continue to experiment with plastics. They hope to find even ways to use them!8.Display of GoodsAre supermarkets designed to persuade us to buy more?Fresh fruit and vegetables are displayed near supermarket entrances. This gives the impression that only healthy food is sold in the shop. Basic foods that everyone buys, like sugar and tea, are not put near each other. They are kept in different aisles so customers are taken past other attractive foods before they find what they want. In this way, shoppers are encouraged to buy products that they do not really need. Sweets are often placed at children’s eye level at the checkout. While parents are waiting to pay, children reach for the sweets and put them in the trolley.More is bought from a fifteen-foot display of one type of product than from a ten-foot one. Customers also buy more when shelves are full than when they are half empty. They do not like to buy from shelves with few products on them because they feel there is something wrong with those products that are there.Useful Words and Expressions:1. aisle 走廊,过道2. trolley 手推车3. checkout 收款台9.Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879, His father owned a factory that made electrical devices. His mother enjoyed music and books. His parents were Jewish but they did not observe many of the religion’s rules. Albert was a quite child who spent much of his time alone. He was slow to talk and had difficulty learning to read. When Albert was five years old, his father gave him a compass. The child was filled with wonder when he discovered that the compass needle always pointed in the same direction—to be north. He asked his father and his uncle what caused the needle to move. Their answers about magnetism and gravity were difficult for the boy to understand. Yet he spent a lot of time thinking about them. He said laterthat he felt something hidden had to be behind things.Useful expressions and words:1. device 装置,设备leave to one’s own devices 听任某人自行其是,允许某人按自己的意愿做事She left the child to her own devices for an hourin the afternoon. 她允许孩子在下午有一个小时的自由支配时间。

历年英语专四听力真题答案和原文

历年英语专四听力真题答案和原文

2000年专四听力答案PART I DICTATIONWhat We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery and will remain so. / However, we now do know something about it. / First, we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. / No human race anywhere on earth is so backward / that it has no language of its own at all. /Second, there is no such thing as a primitive language. / There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped, / but the languages they speak are by no means primitive. / In all the languages existing in the world today,/ there are complexities that must have been developed for years. / Third, we know that all languages are perfectly adequate./ Each is a perfect means of expressing its culture. /And finally, we know that language changes over time, / which is natural and normal if a language is to survive. / The language which remains unchanged is nothing but dead.PART ⅡLISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A CONVERSATIONSQuestions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.M:Jill,have you registered with the next semester?W:Not yet, there's still something that I'm not sure. Do you know if Professor Smith's economics 102 is still available to all undergraduate students?M: No, I don't think so. Last semester I tried to register in that course but all the other people told me not to.W: Why not?M: They said that my lack of knowledge in higher mathematics might be an obstacle in understanding Professor Smith's theory.W: Really?M: (I ) Jack tqld me that Professor Smith usually uses lots of formulas inside class. So you'd better make sure that you are extremely familiar with these formulas if you are seriously considering taking his course.W:What a shame I (2)My friends all told me that Professor Smith has lots of original ideas and he really can stimulate students to think. But I don't think I have the mathematical skills to keep up with the others.M:lf you want to take the course so much, why don't you register in a course in higher mathematics first?W. But I'm afraid that I will miss Professor Smith's course when I finish the mathematics course. M: Hey, I heard that Professor Smith would give the same course in the semester that starts next fall. ( 3 ) Why don't you take a year's higher mathematics and register in economics 102 the next fall?W:That sounds a good idea.I. [ B] 推断题。

华研专四听力答案

华研专四听力答案

华研专四听力答案专四听写 50 篇Dictation 1 Superstition 迷信(144 words)One person in four in Britain is, apparently, superstitious, / and they’ll do everything from hanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers, / touching wood and absolutely never walking under a ladder. / And they’re careful about cats. / Black cats are supposed to be the familiars of witches, / so if one is following you it’s definitely bad luck ? a witch is after you! / On the other hand, if one crosses your path and continues / then it’s good luck because it hasn’t noticed you. / However, in some places the beliefs are different / ? so it pays to know where your black cat comes from! / Old superstitions linger even in today’s modern world. / The author Philip Pullman drew on them / in his award winning novel “His Dark Materials”. / The novel, which appeals to both children and adults, / has been adapted for radio and also the theatre.Dictation 2 Graduate Student 研究生(157 words)Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study. / They study to become experts in this field / and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A. or Ph.D. / Sometimes when they get an M. A. in one field they begin studying another field. / They hope that when they earn their graduate degrees / they will succeed in finding important jobs. / They hope to get jobs that are interesting and high paying. / Thelife of a graduate student is often difficult. / They are usually too busy studying to make a good living. / Often they have to pay high tuition fees for their education. / Some give up studying before they get their degrees. / But most keep on working at their studies until they graduate. / In today’s world, most graduate students don’t regret spending time with their studies. / They are finding that new developments are occurring in all fields. / For many graduate study has become a necessity. /Dictation 3 April Fool’s Day 愚人节(157 words)1st April is a day to be careful, or you could easily get tricked by someone. / It’s April Fool’s Day, a day when people traditionally like to try / to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them. / There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day, / but one explanation isconnected with the change in the calendar in the 16th century, / which meant that 1st April was no longer the beginning of the year. / Those who still celebrated the New Year on 1st April were called fools. / So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool’s Day? / Well, there are lots of simple tricks / that you can play on your friends. / For example, you could wear a black sweater / and pull a piece of white thread through it, / so that people try to pull it off. / You could change the time on someone’s alarm clock / so that they’re late for work. /Dictation 4 Living Online 网上生活(159 words)How do you meet new people, make new friends, orfind out about the latest bands? / Here in the UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars, pubs and clubs. / However, there is a new generation growing up / that finds it easier to manage their social lives on the net, / using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces. / Welcome to the social networking website / ? a place where you can present yourself to the digital community and meet other like-minded people. / The most successful social networking website in the UK is /doc/7d8424243.html,. / As of July 2006, MySpace is the world’s fourth most popular English-language website, / attracting almost 3 million visitors per month. / MySpace claims to have 95 million members / with 500,000 new members joining the community each week. / So how has it become so successful? / Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. / Each new member can build their own page simply ? uploading photos, videos and MP3 files.Dictation 5 Mother’s Day 母亲节(160 words)Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? / Well, Mother’s Day is the time to show her. / It’s a chance to say ‘thank you’, or to tell your mum how much you love her. / In Britain, Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday, / falls on a different day each year, / because it takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. / But it is always in the early springtime, which seems appropriate, / as the season when new plants emerge, / and baby birds and animals are born. / In the USA, Mother’s Day takes place a little later, in May, / and many other countries also celebrate their mothers on different days ofthe year. / It began many years ago, when children, / especially girls, as young as 10 would live and work away from home / as housemaids and other types of servant. / Mothering Sunday was a daywhen everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers.Dictation 6 Online Shopping 网上购物(159 words)With only two weeks to go before Christmas, / buying presents is a high priority for a lot of people. / However, this year not so many people are leaving their homes to browse around the shops. / These days lots of people can do their shopping / in the comfort of their own home with the help of the internet. / Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons; / prices are often lower online, / you don’t have to queue up in busy shops / and you can buy almost any product imaginable / with just a few clicks of your mouse. / Computer trends are often male-dominated / but this year women are expected to do more shopping on the internet than men. / It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience of online shopping than they used to be. / Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to £240 / compared to the slightly lower average of £233 for men.Dictation 7 Reality TV 真实电视(155 words)The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV. / Reality TV means that shows follow and film ordinary people in an artificial situation. / This could be at work, or in some kind of competition. / One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother. / In this show, 15 complete strangers have to live together in a house for 11 weeks. / They are filmed 24 hours a day, / and shown on television. / Each week, the viewers vote to evict one of the housemates. / Finally, only one is left, / and they win the prize money! / The show was an instant hit, and runs in several countries. / The housemates often become stars as a result of the show, / and appear in national newspapers and on other shows. / Another very popular show is I’m a Celebrity ? Get Me Out Of Here! / In this show, 10 celebrities have to complete tasks each week, such as eating insects.Dictation 8 School 学校(160 words)September is traditionally the end of summer / and the beginning of autumn in the UK. / It is also the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays. / There are two types of school in England. / State-run schools are paid for by the government, so are free to attend. / Independent Schools are private, which means you have to pay to attend. / The school day usually starts at 9 in the morning and finishes around 4, / with breaks forlunch of course! / In many schools, you have to wear a uniform too. / Children start school when they are 5 years old. / This is called primary school, / and lasts until the child is 11 whenhe or she will go on to senior school. / Secondary school is compulsory from 11 until 16 years of age. / At 16, students take national examinations called GCSE’s. / After this, students can stay at school for another 2 years and take A Level examinations.Dictation 9 The Modern Family 现代家庭(154 words)Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. / The two children take the bus to school, / and mother stays home cooking and cleaning / until father and the kids return home in the evening. / This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. / The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain. / The biggest change has been caused by divorce. / As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now end in divorce, / leading to a situation where many children live with one parent / and only see the other at weekends or holidays. / There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work. / The large rise in divorces has meant / many women need to work to support themselves and their children. / Even when there is no divorce, / many families need both parents to work in order to survive.Dictation 10 Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节(146 words)On 25th September this year, people all over China / will be getting together to eat with their families, / look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunarcalendar. / However,the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China. / Here in the UK events are taking place for Chinese people living here, / and to teach the people of Britain more about this popular festival. / The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study / which showed that Chinese Londoners don’t engage much with the arts world. / As a result, ‘Moon walking In China’ has been created to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. / This is no normal theatre production thoug h, / as it doesn’t take place in the theatre. /Theatre professionals and volunteers from the local community / will take audiences around the streets of Soho / on a magical lantern-lit walk / through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown.Dictation 11 The Dragon 龙(160 words)When many people in the west think of China, / the animal that they think of is the dragon. / For them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. / Many popular legends tell of how dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens. / For Chinese people however, the dragon is not an evil monster. / It’s a cultural and spiritual symbol for prosperity and good luck. / The dragon’s main task is to create harmony and bring rain. / Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, / and of course the dragon dance is a very popular ritual. / Millions of Chinese have the word ‘long’, meaning dragon, as part of their name. / China isn’t the only country to have the dragon as itssymbol. / Wales, one of the four countries in the UK, / has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. / The only other country in the world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, / the tiny country between China and India.Dictation 12 Rainy Britain 阴雨的英国(153 words)Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, / but many parts of the country this June / are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before. / Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks, / roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated / from their homes because of the floods. / The worst hit area seems to be the north of England. / There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain / or were washed away by the floodwaters. / Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK / and it is said that over a month’s worth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days. / The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain’s famous June events. / The Glastonbury festival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival / and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there, / this year was particularly bad.Dictation 13 Christmas traditions 圣诞节传统(145 words)There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, / and someBritish people like to go on holiday, / go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. / But most people’s idea of a traditional Christmas / involves spending a few days with their family / ? sometimes their extended family. / The day is the most exciting for the children. / They may have spent weeks or even monthsdreaming of the presents they want most. / Since the beginning of December, they may have opened their advent calendars, / finding a new festive picture, chocolate, or small gift, / to count down each day until 25th December. / On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings, / ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus. / Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, / as well as a carrot for those hungry reindeer.Dictation 14 Olympic Slogan 奥运口号(140 words)Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. / “One World, One Dream” was finally selected / from more than 210,000 entries from around the world. / Beijing’s original bid to host the 2008 games / had a different slogan “New Beijing, Great Olympics”. / The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely / from the city of Beijing itself to the spirit of the Olympics /? unity, friendship amongst nations and progress. / It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan / captured the traditional Chinese values of peace andharmony. / The Olympics hasn’t always had a slogan attached to each host country. / In fact it wasn’t until 1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea / that the first slogan appeared. / “Harmony and Progress” was chosen / and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years.Dictation 15 Sunbed 太阳床(159 words)In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, / there appears to be an ever increasing number of very tanned young people. / So just how are they achieving their golden tans? / Some are opting for the sun-free option / and are getting their tan from a bottle. / However, it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, / of which there are thousands in the UK. / While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, / in the UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin. / So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? / Often, they are trying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers’ wives. / Research from the British Sunbed Association suggests that / many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier. / This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. / They firmly state that being tanned is not a sign of health. /Dictation 16 Speechwriting 写演讲稿(143 words)The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, / with merit being given to speakers who are confident, articulate, / knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with conviction. / But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, / it is a speechwriter. / And one industry in which this practice is common is that of politics. / So what does it take to be a political speechwriter? /Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain, / a political speechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills, / be detail oriented and able to demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject. / They must also work closely with speakers / and be able to relate to their style. / Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent, / a natural creative instinct, / and that speechwriting is an art form.Dictation 17 AWalk in the Park 在公园散步(141 words)Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health / ?it can improve your mood / and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes. / So says research in the journal Environmental Health and Technology. / Exercise alone is known to make you happier. / So is being in a natural setting. / So scientists wanted to see the effect of combining the two. / They evaluated 10 different UK studies involving more than 1,200 people. / Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening, / sailing and country walks, and rated their mood andself-esteem. / The research showed that both areas get a significant boost / with as little as five minutes of outdoor exercise. / And people with mental disorders benefited the most. / The study authors say this is the first study / to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect.Dictation 18 Fast food Makes Us Less Patient 快餐使我们失去耐性(146 words)Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry, / and for some of us, drive-through dinner has become a way of life. / Granted, sometimes we grab something quick because we really don’t have time. / But psychologists got to wondering / whether all this speed eating might actuallymake us less patient. / In a series of experiments, the scientists showed volunteers logos / from several fast-food chains or asked them to recall the last time they’d visited. / And they found that folks who had thought about fast food would then read faster, / even though no one told them to hurry. / And they also expressed a preference for time-saving products, / like shampoo plus conditioner. / And they tended to opt for immediate rewards, / like getting a small cash payment right away / rather than waiting a week for a larger sum. / So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation. Try a slow cooker.Dictation 19 Light All Night Not Alright 整夜开灯并非好事(159 words)A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed. / But it may also open the door to the blues. / If you have access to electricity, you no doubt switch on a lamp, / maybe even watch a little TV, after the sun goes down. / But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate our hormones / and of course our sleep cycles. / So what might these extra photons be doing to our health? / T o find out, scientists housed mice in a room / where the lights were always on. / After three weeks, they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression, / more so than mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night. / Interestingly, mice who could escape the light by ducking into a dark tube / also escaped the worst of the depression. / So flip that light switch at your own risk. / Because the artificial brightness that helps keep us up could also bring us down.Dictation 20 London 2012 Olympic Games 伦敦 2012 奥运会(154 words)After a hard-fought campaign, / London has been awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. / The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities: / Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York. / Londoners can now look forward to thetransformation of their city / in the same way as their counterparts in Beijing. / Indeed, there are many similarities in the two cities’ approach to hostingthe games. / Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure / in order to cope with the demands of the event. / However, this kind of investment is far from cheap / ? it is estimated that it will cost around $40 billion to prepare for the 2008 games, / much of which will be spent on transport links. / Nevertheless, the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous / ? Barcelona, which hosted the 1992 games, / was completely regenerated and has since become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.Dictation 21 Picnic 野餐(155 words)As summertime begins in Britain, people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat. / People love to have a picnic whenever the weather is good enough, / especially people with children. / It’s a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. / Even in the centre of London, on a sunny day, / the parks are full of office workers eating their lunch outside on the grass. / That might be a pretty basic picnic / ? a shop-bought sandwich and a bottle of water. / But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park, / they would probably pack a cool bag / with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches, snacks, cake, fruit and soft drinks. / They might have a picnic rug to sit on, and paper plates and cups./ University students enjoy having picnics, / and usually take along some kind of sports equipment, / such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch.Dictation 22 Changing Name after Marriage 婚后改名(155 words)Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one’s life. / Th is is because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one’s life altogether. / Right from the wedding dress to the house / that the couple will live after their wedding, / is decided with utmost care. / An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for the wedding / is to choose between one’s maiden name and spouse’s name. / Though traditionally, women are expected to change their name / from their maiden name totheir husband’s name, / many women nowada ys opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, / mostly for professional reasons. / Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband’s last name / and keep theirmaiden name as their second name. / Also, there are couples who make a new name with both their names, / by separating the names with a hyphen.Dictation 23 The Compass 指南针(153 words)A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now, / and its utility in helping people find their way is undoubted. / Before technology gave us the privilege of GPS navigation systems, / the act of finding out where you are and which side is north / was carried out simply with the help of a compass. / We’ve all seen a compass at some point or the other, / and this has almost always l ed us to the question “How does a compass work?” / The answer to this question can be explained / through the concept of the earth’s electromagnetism. / Simply speaking, a compass is basically a small magnet / that has a needle attached on one end. / The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin. / When the compass is held out steadily, / the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth, / and this causes it to point north.Dictation 24 Ball Games 球类运动(157 words)Ball games have become an integral part of modern society. / They give us entertainment providing us a means to safely free ourselves from stress. / There are many different ball games that can do this for us. / Some people enjoy football, while others likebasketball. / These two ball games are the most popular in China. / Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal, yet have not become popular. / The development of these games is interesting. / Basketball is one of the few sports with a known date of birth. / Football, or soccer, originally developed from traits found in both China and Europe. / It has grown to become the world’s most popular sport. / In Europe, football clubs have been established, / which in turn has been copied in the rest of the world. / These football clubs train players / who may later go play for their nations in the World Cup. / This is the most watched ballgame championship on the planet.Dictation 25 Water Sports 水上运动(145 words)The history of man’s involvement with wate r sports / stretches back before history was written down. / It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement. / Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world / with nothing but the stars to guide them. / The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared, / for lurked unknown creatures and death by drowning. / Few actually ventured into the water. / As a sport, however, water sports such as swimming, diving, / and water polo are new comparatively to those on land. / Probably the oldest one is rowing in a rowboat. / This is seen in modern games such as competitions / between rowing clubs in British and American universities. / Olympic Water Sports began with swimming but did not end there. / The different kinds of water sports such as diving or water skiing came later.Dictation 26 Famous Universities 名校(140 words)Many countries have excellent universities. / There are, however, few world famous ones. / These universities have achieved their fame / through a combination of both their age / and the high levels of quality in their instruction. / Throughout their histories, / each one has been a testing ground for the leadership of the nation. / In the United States, Harvard and Yale attract thousands of foreign students / who would use what they learn for the advancement of their own nations. / In this way, these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication. / Graduates around the world are able to connect with each other / by having graduated from one of the finest universities in the world. / Leaders in every field, whether government officials or ground-breaking scientists, / who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other / and understand each other much better.Dictation 27 Ideal Life 理想人生(157 words)The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue, yet few achieve. / The balance between dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome. / Many people choose a vocation in the hopes / that it would bring them wealth and success. / However, after years of labor in their chosen field, they begin to hate their jobs. / This is mainly because they have neglected other parts of their lives in search of this success. / These people devote their lives to working / and are unable to separate themselves from their work. / They find that it may not be enough. / Some havejobs where their principles and emotional health / are challenged by dishonesty or bad work environments. / These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which they work, / leading to personal or health problems. / This choice is not a permanent situation, however, / as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives.Dictation 28 Reeducation and Employment 再教育和就业(160 words)During the course of our lives, we must make many choices that we may come to regret. / This is especially true when choosing a career. / Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding become dull or not worth it / as we live our daily existence. / This is where reeducation can help. / Occupational schools have beenset up to train people in jobs / that they may be better suited for. / People can adapt their interests and talents through selected courses. / They can learn cooking skills, which are always in great demand. / Gardening is an option for those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb. / If a person is interested in motors or cars, they can get trainingas a mechanic. / Even more, the learning of a foreign language / would allow them the opening of a dream life. / The job qualification certificates they earn can also be used too enhance their resumes, / so that they are trained in a variety of skills.Dictation 29 Made in China 中国制造(160 words)The label, Made in China, is one that is becoming increasing common / in shopping centers all over the world. / In the United States, shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation’s largest retailer / have a wide selection of products mostly produced in China. / The large amount of Chinese imports have created a large selection of goods in other countries / as people begin to buy more and more products made in China. / These goods are even readily available in other Asian nations, / where Chinese-made goods are quite popular. / Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known outside of China. / The development of China hasamazed the world with its growth. / And also, as China is a developing economy with large amounts of labor, / industries are beginning to relocate in an effort to minimize costs and increase profits. / The results of these relocations are that / nations are beginning to try to limit the flow of Chinese goods / with the use of taxes and import restrictions. /Dictation 30 Glaciers 冰川(153 words)Glaciers are formed in places where the temperatures are extremely cold. / This could even include places that are at sea level, / but are mostly places that are high up on mountains. / In such cold places it snows most of the year. / This snow will settle down and when it snows again / the lower layer of snow gets compressed. / Every time it snows, the below layers will compress more, / finally turning into hard ice. / This ice is what forms the glacier. / When the temperature rises slightly, / the outer edges of the formed glacier and fresh snow will melt. / For a glacier to form and sustain itself it is of prime importance / that the amount of snow that falls on it must be more than the amount of glacier that has melted. / This is the only way in which the glacier will be able to maintain itself / and keep increasing in size year after year. /。

历年英语专四听力真题、答案和原文

历年英语专四听力真题、答案和原文

2000年专四听力答案PART I DICTATIONWhat W e Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery and will remain so. / However, we now do know something about it. / First, we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. / No human race anywhere on earth is so backward / that it has no language of its own at all. /Second, there is no such thing as a primitive language. / There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped, / but the languages they speak are by no means primitive. / In all the languages existing in the world today,/ there are complexities that must have been developed for years. / Third, we know that all languages are perfectly adequate./ Each is a perfect means of expressing its culture. /And finally, we know that language changes over time, / which is natural and normal if a language is to survive. / The language which remains unchanged is nothing but dead.PARTⅡLISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A CONVERSATIONSQuestions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.M:Jill,have you registered with the next semester?W:Not yet, there's still something that I'm not sure. Do you know if Professor Smith's economics 102 is still available to all undergraduate students?M: No, I don't think so. Last semester I tried to register in that course but all the other people told me not to.W: Why not?M: They said that my lack of knowledge in higher mathematics might be an obstacle in understanding Professor Smith's theory.W: Really?M: (I ) Jack tqld me that Professor Smith usually uses lots of formulas inside class. So you'd better make sure that you are extremely familiar with these formulas if you are seriously considering taking his course.W:What a shame I (2)My friends all told me that Professor Smith has lots of original ideas and he really can stimulate students to think. But I don't think I have the mathematical skills to keep up with the others.M:lf you want to take the course so much, why don't you register in a course in higher mathematics first?W. But I'm afraid that I will miss Professor Smith's course when I finish the mathematics course.M: Hey, I heard that Professor Smith would give the same course in the semester that starts next fall. ( 3 ) Why don't you take a year's higher mathematics and register in economics 102 the next fall?W:That sounds a good idea.I. [ B] 推断题。

冲击波系列 专四听力50篇音频及原文答案

冲击波系列 专四听力50篇音频及原文答案

1.What a Firefighter's Job Is Like?The damage that a fire can cause is obvious / and this is why the firefighters'jobs are so important. / ?Firefighters are usually the first ones responding to any type of emergency and perform many tasks,/which include putting out burning buildings, / helping out with medical emergencies, vehicle accidents and many other incidents./ ?They must make sure their equipment is clean / and all the items they use are in proper working order. / ?Keeping their skills up to date is necessary./ ?Therefore, they will be continually trained with new equipment and techniques. / ?Because of the extreme conditions / and also the stress associated with the emergency situations that arise, / the firefighters definitely need to stay in shape for the work they must do. / ?They will stay in the fire station while on duty. / ?Unless they need to work on the trucks or respond to a call, / they can eat, sleep, shower and watch TV at the fire station, just like at home. (160 words)2.Aliens?For a long time, aliens have often been in the news. / ?They have always been surrounded by mystery / and interest of people all around the world. / ?People have claimed to have been abducted by aliens. / ?Some have claimed to have actually seen them. / ?But is there a sound proof that can prove aliens to be real? / ?Alien sightings have mostly been accompanied by sightings of lights in the night sky./ ?Some of them have also believed that / the lights came from the spaceships used by the aliens. / ?Disk-like objects traveling across the sky / have often been taken as aliens' vehicles./ ?At times, people have found blood or hair at the locations / where aliens were sighted. / ?Researchers say alien sightings could have probably been a result of human imagination accompanied by fear, / and some of these sightings might have been a result of certain astronomical phenomena. ( 145 words)puter Eyeglasses?As computers become a more and more vital part of today's lifestyle and practices,/ new medical conditions are developing as a result of their usage. / ? The most common to date is computer vision problems, / which include eye pain, tired and burning eyes, watering or dry eyes, eye strain. / ?One Would never imagine thatsuch a useful and innovative tool could cause so much physical discomfort ! / ?As a result of these, science professionals seized the opportunity / to create computer eyeglasses to ease these common conditions / and make computer usage lesspainful and more comfortable. / ?The computer vision problems affect adults as well as children./ ?Although children normally have different requirements for near and distance vision glasses, / computer eyeglasses can be used universally for both groups. / ?Please note that near and distance vision glasses / should not be used as replacements for computer glasses. /?They do not serve the same purpose, / and in some cases will cause more harm than good. (158 words)bor Day?International Labor Day, also known as International Workers' Day, / is scheduled for May 1st of each year. /?It is a holiday in celebration of the eight-hour workday. / ?It evolved from efforts of the labor union movement / to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. / ?It is celebrated as a national holiday across many countries around the world. / ?The idea for a workers' holiday began in Australia in 1856 / but was celebrated on May 1st in 1886 in Chicago. /?In China, Labor Day was extended to three days during the 1990s. / ?The Chinese government made it a seven-day holiday / by moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these three days. / ?This holiday allowed millions of Chinese people to travel / or take other activities during this period. / ?However, China has reduced the Golden Week holiday down to one day in 2008, / while at the same time reviving some traditional holidays such as Mid-Autumn Festival. (158 words)5.Negative Effects of Television?Spending too many hours watching television wastes the precious time / that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities like exercise or reading. / ?It also uses up the time / that you can rather spend with your family and friends./ ?Chatting with your near ones, spending time with your close ones / is a better way of spending time than watching TV. / ?People watching television, especially children and youngsters,/ start identifying with what is shown on TV. / ?They relate to television shows and films to such an extent that / they get bored of living a normal and simple life. ! ?They are eager for fame and money; / they long for living the lives of their favorite 'IV characters. / ?This may lead to a high amount of dissatisfaction for the real world. / ?As real life is the contrast of the life shown on TV, / such TV addicts become hungry for power, money and status. (151 words)6.Family Life in India?Family life is equally varied in Indian states. /?India is a country with many states / in which people are from different cultures, and so on. /?The languages, clothing, customs, and traditions of people are influenced by the respective regions they live in. / ?Most of the families in India are extended ones, / in which every member has his or her own role, often influenced by age and gender. / ?Children are cherished and considered as gifts from God. !?Children can look forward to continual family support throughout their lives. / ?However, they are expected to respect their elders and parents, their wishes and family relationships. / ?The family structure in India is typical, / in which there are many wedding customs, / which have to be strongly followed by people. / ?Religion, social status, traditional practices, and regional differences influence family structures. / ?Indians are more emotionally attached to the members of their family. / ?Husbands and wives are not allowed to openly display their affection for one another. ( 160 words)7.Society's Influence on Education?Society plays an important role in education, and influences it both positively and negatively. / ?Social inequalities and unhealthy educational practices are some of the negative influences of society on our lives. / ?Customs and traditions prevent certain sections of society from exercising their fundamental rights / and get in the way of the well-being of society, / shatter the basic ideas of education and social awareness. / ?Some social groups deny women's right to education, / while others force children to work, / depriving them from a healthy environment / which is good to their growth and development. / ?Education is one of the basic human rights. / ?If social norms come in the way of social welfare, / it defeats the purpose of education. /?Society is an entity that can't be separated from us. / ?It is we who make up the society. / ?It is entirely in our hands whether to add value to our education or devalue it. (149 words)8.Choosing the Perfect Hair Color?Coloring your hair is one way to express your individuality. / ?Choosing the right hair color can be confusing / whether you want to cover gray hair or give yourself a new fresh look. / ?If you are clear about what you want exactly, / it can help whilechoosing the hair color that is right for you. / ?You can achieve the most flattering look, / if you consider your skin make-up and eye color. / ?Hair color that balances your complexion gives the best results. / ?For covering gray hair, you can select a shade close to your natural hair color. / ?Hair highlights are another way to improve your overall look. /?Highlights can look fascinating and make an attractive impression. / ?They add depth and dimension to the base color or natural hair. /?Different hair colors suit different complexions. /?In order to choose a suitable hair color, / you need to identify the right combination. ( 148 words)9.Traditional Brazilian Clothing?Brazil is known internationally for its stylish and sophisticated clothing./?Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted and decorated with attractive laces. / ?Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by a combination of different races and immigrants from all over the world. / ?A true traditional Brazilian clothing can be seen in the countryside, / where men's clothing includes shirt, jeans and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. / ?In the south of Brazil, the cowboys wear a distinctive dress including loose-fitting trousers, / while in the northeast region they wear coat, hat and leather trousers. / ?In the urban areas of Brazil, most people prefer modern clothing. / ?Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. / ?Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. / ?Brazilian jeans are very common ! and they come in a wide variety of styles and textures. / ?Jeans made for women are tight-fitting and loose-fitting near the feet. / ?Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, / beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil. ( 156 words)10.Sunday School?Sunday School is a practice designed to help children, after church, / to adhere to the path of justice and truth. /?However, today, the approach is very unlike the older one / which focused on the classroom-bound mode of interaction and reflection / on the values of Christianity and the Holy Word. / ?Now, children are being allowed to experiment with ideas / and develop a result-based resource base, / with the help of planned and directed effort. / ?Sunday School is now being held within and out of church. / ?The children and youth are allowed to interact with peers / outdoors, at picnics, workshops and camping. / ?This calls for a redress of security and safety equipment. / ?As a matter of fact, with activities such as these, / Sunday Schoolsecurity and safety is the concern of every parent. /?And the safety and security of the children is the prime responsibility of the public. ( 146 words)11.Spy Cell Phones?A spy phone is a mobile phone or a spy device / that allows a user to monitorand hear or record conversations and other activities taking place over the phone. /?Spy phones can function in different ways. / ?They can be used as listening devices/ whereby secretive conversations can be tracked. / ?They are popularly used by secret agencies to track criminal activities / that are carried out over networks./ ?They can be used for tracking periodic calls and recording the frequency of calls from certain suspicious numbers. / ?Also, they can be used for monitoring business and household activities / while the cell phone user is away. / ?Although spy cell phones have many positive sides, / they give rise to legal as well as moral concerns, / because spy cell phone software is easily available. / ?Cell phones are easily transferable to spy phones. / ?Their ready availability makes them subject to illegal use. (146 words)12.Water Pollution?Water pollution is an undesirable change in the state of water, / polluted with harmful substances. /?It is the second most important environmental issue next to air pollution. / ?Any change in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water / will have a harmful effect on living things. / ?Water pollution affects all the major water bodies of the world / such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater./ ?Polluted water is unfit for drinking and for other consumption processes. / ?It is also not suitable for agricultural and industrial use. / ?The effects of water pollution are harmful to human beings, plants, animals, fishes and birds. / ?Water problems in the future will become more intense and more complex. / ?Our increasing population will tremendously increase urban wastes, primarily sewage. / ?On the other hand, increasing demands for water / will decrease the amount of water available for dealing with wastes. /?Due to water pollution, the entire ecosystem gets disturbed. (150 words)13.Health Benefits of Red Wine?We all know drinks containing alcohol are not good for health, / but when it comes to drinking red wine, / it is the other way around. / ?Recent studies have concluded that there are no negative effects on the body, / if red wine is not consumed excessively. / ?Certain compounds in red wine can play a very important role in protecting the heart. / ?It is a heart-healthy drink that can be enjoyed during evening meals. /?If you think that red wine is only good for the heart, / then you are wrong. / ?Studies have revealed that the substance found in the skin of red grapes, / can restrict cancer's development. /?However, the ideal consumption is not 7 to 8 glasses of red wine. /?Scientific studies on the potential benefits of red wine recommend that women should not have more than one drink per day; / whereas men can have 2 drinks per day. /?The word "moderate" is the key to maximize health benefits of red wine. (160 words)14.How to Gain Fluency in Another Language?To gain fluency in another language, / many people will tell you the only solution is / to travel to a foreign country and immerse yourself completely. / ?This advice may be greatly appealing for some people. / ?But for the majority of people, this solution is both inconvenient and costly. / ?Thankfully, the Internet has brought us new and exciting options for communicating in another language. / ?To expand your vocabulary, try reading free articles and original books in another language./ ?To begin with, reading may be a slow and frustrating process / as you will have to stop to look up the meanings for many unfamiliar words. / ?Before you begin, find an online dictionary / that will offer you quick translations. / ?Hearing a language is the key to learn how to speak it. / ?Popular music downloading sites offer free audio files / that you can download and take with you wherever you go. / ?And most importantly, one must actually practice speaking the language. (155 words)15.Benefits of Going to College?One of the primary benefits of going to college / is being able to obtain a college degree. /?A college degree helps you push your career in the right direction / and opens doors for good job opportunities. / ?The college years are filled with academic / as well as extra curricular activities. / ?The projects, the oral and practical examsand demonstrations that are parts of college education / help you build self-confidence and enhance your communication skills. / ?College education plays a vital role in the development of analytical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills./ ?These skills help you throughout life. / ?However, the most important benefit of going to college is / perhaps the environment it offers. /?It gives you an opportunity to be a part of a huge group. / ?College education helps you develop skills of working in a team. / ?It gives you an opportunity to understand different points of view on different issues in life.( 150 words)16.Benefits of Becoming a Teacher?Becoming a teacher gives you a chance to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. / ?With kids around, you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. / ?It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. / ?On becoming a teacher, / you get a chance to be with children laughing with them, / think their way and enjoy their innocently silly and healthily naughty behavior./ ?Apart from this, the nature of your job is such that / you do not work on weekends / and you get your share of holidays. / ?Becoming a teacher / entitles you for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships for teaching programs./ ?However, one of the most important benefits of becoming a teacher is that / teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations./ ?They make a difference to society / by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds. ( 146 words)anic Coffee?Today many agricultural products are grown using organic methods / and coffee is no exception. / ?Organic products have a very minimal effect on the environment / because there is no use of pesticides and fertilizers. / ?M1 organic produces are certified to ensure that / their products are grown in such a way./ ?Organic coffee is a multimillion dollar industry / and each year the sales of this coffee are increasing. / ?Exports of organic coffee are up in most of Europe and North America. / ?Organic coffee is usually grown in many countries such as Africa, Asia and South America. / ?All over the world people have become organic coffee drinkers, / but Americans consume the majority of it./ ?AI1 organic coffee products in the USA are certified for quality. /?The organic coffee is produced in a very specific way / and all operators are at random inspected to ensure that they meet US Department of Agriculture standards. ( 149 words)18.The Rivers?The rivers are formed when group of springs and streams, / which are known as headwaters/ and having their origin in the mountains, / flow down to form a largestream or springs. / ?The stream bed of a river lies between the banks of a river./ ?The large streams are called as rivers / while the smaller ones are called as creeks. / ?The rivers form the major component of the water cycle. / ?The water in a river is accumulated from gathering of ground water / and also through the release of stored water in natural reservoirs such as icebergs. / ?Rivers have been one of the sources of food, water and transport since prehistoric times. / ?The rivers aid the cultivation of crops by supplying water. / ?Historians claim that shipping dates back to a very long time ago. / ?Rivers of the world are the major source of fresh water / and they maintain their own food chain. ( 147 words)19.Environmentally Friendly Cars?Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be the vehicles of future generations. / ?Nevertheless, such cars exist now / and are becoming more popular in the modem car market than traditional vehicles / which work on fossil fuels./ ?The advantages of such cars are not only in their lower harmfulness for the environment and people's health / but also in the lower fuel costs. / ?However, their production is rather expensive, / so it is still a controversial point / both for the customers and the automobile manufacturers. / ?Although they are more expensive to buy, / they pay for themselves in a period of about 5 years / because they consume less expensive fuels. /?The common types of environmentally friendly ears include electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars, crossbreed cars and solar cars. / ?And environmentally friendly cars have become the choice of many people / who decided to reduce the influence of burning fossil fuels on the nature. (146 words)20.Overpopulation?Overpopulation is the condition / where the number of organisms exceeds the carrying capacity of their habitat. / ?We are facing the effects of overpopulation in our daily lives. / ?Overpopulation has affected the life of common man / and hasproved to be one of the most serious difficulties that have to be fought./ ?Overpopulation implies a shortage of resources and economic inflation. / ?Living through the negative effects of overpopulation / has made us realize serious problems associated with it. / ?It is high time we waken up / and found the causes of overpopulation and worked on them. /?Generally, the causes of overpopulation include decline in the death rate, rise in the birth rate, migration and lack of education. / ?Not every nation is capable of providing its people with the adequate amount of resources. / ?The ever-increasing population will eventually fail to provide its people with the resources they need to thrive. /?When the environment fails to accommodate the living beings that inhabit it, / over-population becomes a disaster. (160 words)21.The Bottled Water?The bottled water used can be sourced from public water sources, / and the purity and safety depend largely on the regulation of quality adopted within a country. /?The regulation conducted and recorded ensures that / the bottled water's quality is safe. /?The label on the bottled water container or bottle accurately reflects bottle contents, / or at least it is expected to. / ?In many developing and under-developed nations, / these standards are variable. / ?This makes the safety of the bottled water controversial. / ?There is no doubt about the convenience of bottled water relative to boiling. / ?However, bottled water may provide a possibility to unsafe drinking water/ only for those who can afford it. / ?The sales of bottled water have surpassed the sales of all other drinks, except some soft drinks. / ?And the bottled water companies make a good money / even though the popularity of bottled water has been criticized by environmentalist, economists and care-takers and -givers. (151 words)22.Online Education?Online education, or distance learning, has really taken on a life of its own in the past few years. / ?With the availability of the Internet, /it is becoming easier and easier to join one of the approved online colleges /and to get your degree online. /?These colleges are spread out all over the world. / ?If you are truly getting your education online / then you don't have to be in the same city / as if you were getting your degree locally. / ?You simply log into the classroom every day to get your assignments, / then you upload them in order to get your grade. / ?There isn't even a need to meet the teachers or other students / and you can do it at any time of the day. /?Therefore, it won't interfere with your work schedule or your life in general./ ?And the great news is that employers are recognizing more and more that / an online education is a great way to go. (160 words)23.Red Wolves?Red wolves present a characteristic red colored fur / which is more obvious behind the ears and in the neck and legs. /?Other than these parts, / the fur color of red wolves is brown with black shading in the back and tail. / ?Their big ears help them overcome hot and humid climatic conditions. /?The average size of red wolves is 4 feet in length, 20 inches tall and weight about 45 to 80 pounds. / ?Generally, red wolves attain sexual maturity at the age of 22 months; / however, there are some species that attain within 10 months. /?The breeding season of red wolves is during February and March / and their pregnancy period is about 2 months. / ?Females give birth to about 1 to 10 children one time around March to April. / ?The newly borns usually stay with their parents about two years, / after which, they spread around the wild. /?The lifespan of red wolves is around 7 or 8 years in the wild / and about 15 years in captivity. (160 words)24.The Earth Day?Our Planet Earth has so much to give us. / ?From the beautiful natural surroundings to the rich types of creatures, / Planet Earth has loads of things to offer / that only make the life more beautiful. / ?However, have you given a thought to how many individuals actually respect this planet? / ?April 22nd is known the world over as Earth Day. / ?It is celebrated to create more awareness about our planet / and situations that we need to take care of/to ensure our Planet Earth is well loved and cared for. / ?As things are, we need to celebrate it on one day / to remind us of the responsibilities we need to handle in the coming years. / ?The importance of Planet Earth is something / that should be taught to children in their early years, at home and in the school. / ?Only then will the young and old alike, understand the issues / such as global warming, energy conservation and the importance of recycling. (159 words)25.Car Alarm System?Car alarm systems are basic ways to keep thieves away. / ?The first car alarm system was designed in 1896. / ?Nowadays every car is fitted with advanced electronic sound alarm system. / ?Though car alarm systems do not always stop the theft from happening but they do create troubles, / which act as alarms for both the owner of the car and the thief. / ? There have been innumerable cases / when in spite of the car alarm system being there, / the vehicle has been stolen, / because at times the car alarm system fails to understand what exactly is a car theft. / ?Experts are of the opinion that / nowadays thefts occur in spite of the alarm system being there / because nobody bothers much about it. / ?People do not pay attention because alarm systems sound / even when there is a strong wind or a pet trying to interfere with the vehicle. / ?Moreover, thieves are designing newer ways tomake new technologies that are being used failed. (160 words)26.Domestic Violence and Abuse?Domestic abuse occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person. / ?An abuser doesn't play fair. / ?He or she uses fear, guilt, and shame to wear you down and gain complete power over you. / ?He or she may threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you. / ?Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence. / ?Victims of domestic abuse or domestic violence may be men or women, / although women are more commonly victimized. /?Except for the gender difference, domestic abuse doesn't discriminate. / ?It happens within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and financial levels. / ?The abuse may occur during a relationship, / while the couple is breaking up, or after the relationship has ended. / ?Despite what many people believe, / domestic violence is not due to the abuser's loss of control over his behavior. / ?Actually, violence is a deliberate choice made by the abuser / in order to take control over his wife or partner. ( 165 words)27.Differences between Chinese and Western Eating Habits?There are great differences between Chinese and Western eating habits./ ?Unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, / in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. / ?If you are being treated by a Chinese host, / be prepared for a ton of food. / ?Chinese are very proud of theirculture of cuisine / and will do their best to show their hospitality. / ?And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks to put food in your bowl or plate. / ?This is a sign of politeness. / ?The appropriate thing to do would he to eat the whatever-it-is /and say how tasty it is. / ?If you feel uncomfortable with this, / you can just say a polite thank-you and leave the food there. / ?And you should never tap on your bowl with your chopsticks, / which can be very insulting to the host. (143 words)28.Water Pollution?When toxic substances enter lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, and other waterbodies, / they get dissolved or lie suspended in water or get deposited on the bed./ ?This results in the pollution of water whereby the quality of the water deteriorates,/ affecting aquatic ecosystems. / ?Pollutants can also go down and affect the groundwater deposits. /?Water pollution has many sources. / ?The most polluting of them are the city sewage and industrial waste discharged into the rivers. /?The facilities to treat waste water are not adequate in any city in India./ ?Presently, only about 10% of the waste water generated is treated; / the rest is discharged as it is into our water bodies. / ?Due to this, pollutants enter groundwater, rivers, and other water bodies. / ?Such water, which ultimatelyends up in our households, / is often highly polluted and carries disease-causing bacteria./?Agricultural run-off, or the water from the fields that drains into rivers, / is another major water pollutant as it contains fertilizers and pesticides. (161 words)29.Listening Skills?Communication with others involves learning listening skills. / ?It's a good feeling when someone listens to you / when you're talking to them. / ?It makes you feel like they care about you and what you're saying. / ?The same respect should be given to people that are speaking to you. / ?Controlling the conversation or interrupting constantly with your views or suggestions / is not listening to the other person. / ?Listening closely and then responding at the appropriate time makes a good conversation. /?Making comments at the correct time lets the speaker know you're interested / and can help you stay centered on the conversation. / ?Asking good questions about the subject will show you want to know more about it. / ?Try。

(完整版)历年英语专四听力真题答案和原文

(完整版)历年英语专四听力真题答案和原文

2000年专四听力答案PART I DICTATIONWhat We Know About LanguageMany things about language are a mystery and will remain so. / However, we now do know something about it. / First, we know that all human beings have a language of some sort. / No human race anywhere on earth is so backward / that it has no language of its own at all. /Second, there is no such thing as a primitive language. / There are many people whose cultures are undeveloped, / but the languages they speak are by no means primitive. / In all the languages existing in the world today,/ there are complexities that must have been developed for years. / Third, we know that all languages are perfectly adequate./ Each is a perfect means of expressing its culture. /And finally, we know that language changes over time, / which is natural and normal if a language is to survive. / The language which remains unchanged is nothing but dead.PART ⅡLISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A CONVERSATIONSQuestions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.M:Jill,have you registered with the next semester?W:Not yet, there's still something that I'm not sure. Do you know if Professor Smith's economics 102 is still available to all undergraduate students?M: No, I don't think so. Last semester I tried to register in that course but all the other people told me not to.W: Why not?M: They said that my lack of knowledge in higher mathematics might be an obstacle in understanding Professor Smith's theory.W: Really?M: (I ) Jack tqld me that Professor Smith usually uses lots of formulas inside class. So you'd better make sure that you are extremely familiar with these formulas if you are seriously considering taking his course.W:What a shame I (2)My friends all told me that Professor Smith has lots of original ideas and he really can stimulate students to think. But I don't think I have the mathematical skills to keep up with the others.M:lf you want to take the course so much, why don't you register in a course in higher mathematics first?W. But I'm afraid that I will miss Professor Smith's course when I finish the mathematics course. M: Hey, I heard that Professor Smith would give the same course in the semester that starts next fall. ( 3 ) Why don't you take a year's higher mathematics and register in economics 102 the next fall?W:That sounds a good idea.I. [ B] 推断题。

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3.A Popular Pastime of the English PeopleOne of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what the do with their non-working time.Most English men, women and children love growing things, especially flowers. Visitors to England in spring, summer or autumn are likely to see gardens all they way along the railway lines. There are flowers at the airports and flowers in factory grounds, as well as in gardens along the roads. Each English town has at least one park with beautifully kept flower beds. Public buildings of every kind have brilliant window boxes and sometimes baskets of flowers are hanging on them. But what the English enjoy most is growing things themselves. If it is impossible to have a garden, then a window box or some thing growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English.4. British and American Police OfficersReal policemen, both in Britain and the U.S., hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they se on TV—if they ever get home in time.Some things are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them much of them.The first difference is that a policeman’s real life deals with the law. Most of what he learns is the law. He has to know actually what actions are against the law and what facts can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a lawyer, and what’s more, he has to put it into practice on his feet, in the dark and, running down a narrow street after someone he wants to talk to.Little of his time is spent in talking with beautiful girls or in bravely facing cruel criminals. He will spend most of his working life arranging millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, ordinary people who are guilty--- or not of stupid, unimportant crimes.Useful Words and Expressions:1. think much of 重视,尊重2. in court 在法庭上3. criminal 罪犯,犯罪者4. guilty 犯罪的,有罪的5. Living SpaceHow much living space does a person need? What happens when his space needs are not met? Scientists are doing experiments on rats to try to determine the effects of overcrowded conditions on man. Recent studies have shown that the behavior of rats is greatly affected by space. If rats have enough living space, they eat well, sleep well and produce their young well. But if their living conditions become too crowded, their behavior and even their health change obviously. They can not sleep and eat well, and signs of fear and worry become clear. The more crowded they are, and more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, populations and violence are directly related. Is this a natural law for human society as well? Is enough space not only satisfactory, but necessary for human survival? These are interesting questions.6. The United NationsIn 1945, representatives of 50 nations met to plan this organization. It was called the UnitedNations. After the war, many more nations joined.There are two major parts of the United Nations. One is called the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, every member nation is represented and has an equal vote.The second part is called the Security Council. It has representatives of just 15 nations. Five nations are permanent members: the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China. The 10 other members are elected every two years by the General Assembly.The major job of the Security Council is to keep peace in the world. If necessary, it can send troops from member nations to try to stop little wars before they turn into big ones.It is hard to get the nations of the Security Council to agree on when this is necessary. But they did vote to try to stop wars.Useful Words and Expressions:1. representative 代表2. General Assembly 联合国大会3. permanent 永久的,持久的4. Security Council 联合国安全理事会7. PlasticWe use plastic wrap to protect our foods. We put our garbage in plastic bags or plastic cans. We sit on plastic chairs, play with plastic toys, drink from plastic cups, and wash our hair with shampoo from plastic bottles!Plastic does not grow in nature. It is made by mixing certain things together. We call it a produced or manufactured material. Plastic was first made in the 1860s from plants, such as wood and cotton. That plastic was soft and burned easily.The first modern plastics were made in the 1930s. Most clear plastic starts out as thick, black oil. That plastic coating inside a pan begins as natural gas.Over the years, hundreds of different plastics have been developed. Some are hard and strong. Some are soft and bendable. Some are clear. Some are many-colored. There is a plastic for almost every need. Scientists continue to experiment with plastics. They hope to find even ways to use them!10. Private CarsWith the increase in the general standard of living, some ordinary Chinese families begin to afford a car. Yet opinions of the development of a private car vary from person to person.It gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility. The owner of a car is no longer forced to reply on public transport, and hence no irritation caused by waiting for buses or taxis. However, others strongly object to developing private cars. They maintain that as more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volume of poisonous gas will be given off, polluting the atmosphere and causing actual harm to the health of people.Whether private cars should be developed in Chicago is a difficult question to answer, yet the desire for the comfort and independence a private car can bring will not be eliminated.12. A Young Man’s PromiseOne day, a young man was writing a letter to his girlfriend who lived just a few miles away in a nearby town. He was telling her how much he loved her and how wonderful he thought she was.The more he wrote the more poetic he became. Finally he said that in order to be with her, he would suffer the greatest difficulties, he would face the greatest dangers that anyone couldn’t imagine. In fact, to spend only one minute with her, he would swim across the widest river, he would enter the deepest forest, and he would fight against the fiercest animals with his bare hands. He finished the letter, signed his name and then suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to mention something quite important. So, in a postscript below his name, he added:“By the wThat Isn’t Our Fault14.Mr. and Mrs. Williams got married when he was twenty-three, and she was twenty. Twenty-five years later, they had a big party, and a photographer came and took some photographs of them. Then the photographer gave Mrs. Williams a card and said, “They’ll be ready next Wednesday. You can get them from studio.”“No,” Mrs. Williams said, “please send them to us.”The photographs arrived a week later, but Mrs. Williams was not happy when she saw them. She got into her car and drove to the photographer’s studio. She went inside and said angrily, “You took some photographs of me and my husband last week, but I’m not going to pay for them.”“Oh, why not?” the photographer asked.“Because my husband looks like a monkey,” Mrs. Williams said.“Well,” the photographer answered, “that isn’t our fault. Why didn’t you think of that before yo u married him?”ay, I’ll be over to see you on Wednesday night, if it doesn’t rain.”17. Living Things ReactYou and all organisms live an environment. An environment is made up of everything that surrounds an organism. It can include the air, the water, the soil, and even other organisms.An organism responds to changes in its environment. When an organism responds to a change, it reacts in certain ways. All living things respond in some way.Have you ever noticed how plants and insects respond to light? Plants bend toward light. Insects fly toward light.Living things also respond in other ways. The leaves on some trees respond to a change in season. In autumn, they change colors and then fall off the branches Animals also respond to a change in season. Squirrels save nuts for the winter. Bears sleep through the winter in a cave.You respond to your environment in many ways, too. You may shiver if you are cold. What other ways do you respond to changes in your environment?18. Flowering PlantsWhat are the parts of a flower?Flowers can have male parts and female parts. The female parts make eggs that become seeds. The male parts make pollen. Pollen is a powdery material that is needed by the eggs to make seeds. To make seeds, pollen and eggs must come together. The wind, insects, and birds bring pollen to eggs. Many animals love flowers’ bright colors. They also like a sugary liquid in flowers. This is called nectar. While they drink nectar, pollen rubs off on their bodies. As they move, some of this pollen gets delivered to the female flower parts.Over time, the female parts turn into fruits that contain seeds. Animals often eat the fruits and the seeds pass through their bodies as waste. The animals do no know they are working for the plantsby planting seeds as they travel to different places!Useful words and Expressions:1. flowering 开花的2. pollen 花粉3. powdery 粉状的4. sugar 含糖的,甜的5. nectar花蜜,甘露19. Finding the Direction and LocationHow can you tell which direction? By day, look for the Sun. It is in the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. At night, use the Big Dipper to help you find the North Star. It would be better to bring a compass because its needle always points north.How do you know how far you have gone? You could count every step. Each step is about two feet. You’d better wear a pedometer which is a tool that counts steps. If you know where you started, which direction you are heading, and how far you have gone, you can use a good map to figure out exactly where you are.Today there is a new way for travelers to figure out where they are. It is the GPS. It has 24 satellites that orbit the earth and constantly broadcast their positions. Someday you may carry a small receiver as you hike and use GPS to find out if you are there yet!Useful Words and Expressions:1. dipper北斗七星2. compass 罗盘3. pedometer 步数计4. GPS= Global Position System全球定位系统5. orbit 轨道,绕……轨道而行6. receiver 接收器20. America’s Worst SurpriseDecember 7, 1941 was one of the worst days in American history. Nearly all Americans who are old enough to remember that day can still remember what they were doing at the moment they heard “the news”. The news was that America had been attacked!Shortly before 2:00 P.M., a radio dispatch came into Washington from Honolulu, Hawaii. “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor—This is no dri ll.” Japanese planes had begun an attack on the largest American military base in the Pacific. They first destroyed planes on the ground. Then they bombed the ships in the harbor.No one had expected the attack. So no one was prepared for it. And it did not take long for Japanese to do their damage. When the smoke cleared, the Navy counted its losses. Eighteen ships had been sunk or badly damaged. Nearly 150 planes had been destroyed. More than 2,400 Americans had been killed and more than 1,200 wounded.Useful Words and Expressions:1. dispatch 派遣,急件2. air raid 空袭3. drill 军事训练,操练4. Pearl Harbor 珍珠港23.A Place of Our OwnWe are all usually very careful when we buy something for the house. Why? Because we have to live with it for a long time. We paint a room to make it brighter, so we choose the colors carefully. We buy new curtains in order to match the newly decorated room, so they must be the right color. We move the furniture round so as to make more space—or we buy new furniture—and so on. It is an endless business.Rich or poor, we take time to furnish a room. Perhaps some people buy furniture in order to impress their friends. But most of us just want to enjoy our surroundings. We want to live as comfortably as we can afford to. We spend a large part of our lives at home. We want to make a small corner in the world which we can recognize as our own.26.Travel for WorkYou can see them in every airport in the world. They are businessmen and women who have to travel for their work.When they first applied for the job, they may have thought of good food and hotels, huge expense accounts and fashionable cities. Now they have to sit in airport lounges, tired and uncomfortable in their smart clothes, listening to the loudspeaker announce “The fight of Tokyo, or Berlin, or New York is delayed for a nother two hours.” Some people say to me, “How lucky you are to be able to travel abroad in your work! You can go sightseeing without paying any money by yourself!” They think that my job is like a continual holiday. It is not.There are advantages, of course, and I do thin I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist.27. IntelligenceAre some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience?Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the limits of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence.29. TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or even kill time. Common questions in American English reveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Do you have any time?”, “Can you get some time for this?”, “How much free time do you have?” The treatment of time as a possession influences the way that time is carefully divided.Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. In businesses, the careful scheduling of time and the separation of activities are common practices. Appointment calendars are printed with 15-,30-, and 60-minute time slots. The idea that “there is a time and place for everything” extends to American social life. Visitorswho drop by witho ut prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before visiting them is generally preferred to visitors’ dropping by.Useful words and expressions:1. tangible 切实的2. kill time 消磨时间3. reveal 显示,揭示4. scheduling 行程安排5. slot 缝隙6. drop by 随便访问7. preferred 首选的31. Water PollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time.Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrial wasters into rivers every day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water is becoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has also happened to our seas and oceans. So, the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide. Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps one day the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean water. That day, we believe, is not very far off.32. Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have brought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right. Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt you may have. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner so you can complain direct. In a chain store, ask the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the complaint later. If you do not want to do it in person, write a letter. Stick to the facts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article33. Where Do the British Liveeveryone in Britain would like to own their own home and, whether they do or not, they are prepared to put time and money into decorating and furnishing it or even making structural alterations to it. Because of the climate and because of the expense involved in going out for the evening, the British spend a lot of time at home and a large part of their social life takes place there.Young people tend to stay with their families longer these days as accommodation is expensive but, when they move away to a job or college, there are various options open to them. They can get lodgings with a landlady. This means that they rent a room in someo ne’s house and have breakfast with the family. They can also get a bed-sitting room, that is to say one self-containedroom in which they can cook, live and sleep. Alternatively, they can share a rented flat or house with a group of young people, perhaps the most popular option of all.Useful Words and Expressions:1. lodging 寄宿处2. bedsit 卧室兼起居室3. bed-sitting 卧室兼起居室的4. self-contained 设备齐全的34. Will Computers Replace Human Beings?We are in the computer age today. The computers are working all kinds of wonders now. They are very useful in automatic control and data processing. At the same time, computers are finding their way into the home. They seem to be so clever and can solve such complicated problems that some people think sooner or later they will replace us.But I do not think that there is such a possibility. My reason is very simple: computers are machines, not humans. And our tasks are far too various and complicated for any one single kind of machine to perform.Probably the greatest difference between man and computer is that the former can do things of his own while the latter can do nothing without being programmed. In my opinion, computers will remain nothing but an extension of our human brains, no matter how clever and complicated they may become.38.“How to” BooksBooks which give instructions on how to do things are popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “how to” books are available. In fact, there are about for thousand books with titles that begin with the words “how to’.Many “how to” books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. Many of these books help people to use their free time better. Some people want book which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travel. Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like plumbing and electrical wiring or on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.Why have “how to” books become so popular? Probably because life has become more complex. Today people have far more free to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve, “how to” books help people to deal with modern life.Useful words and Expressions:1. step-by-step 按部就班的2. redecorate 重新装饰,再装饰3. complex 复杂的,综合的39. Don’t give upIf we would ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must persevere. If we would learn our lessons in school, we must be diligent and not give up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do to us if we will preserve and learn them thoroughly.But there are some among us who are ready to give up when they come to a hard example in mathematics, and say, “I can’t do this.” They never will if they feel so. “I can’t” never does anything worthwhile, but “I’ll try” accomplishes wonders.Let us remember that we shall meet with difficulties all through life. They are in the pathway of everyone. If we will only try and keep trying, we shall be sure to conquer and overcome very difficulty we meet.41Apology HelpsIt is never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you have judged roughly, you said unkind things, and pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the occasions when you indicated clearly and truly that you were so sorry. A bit frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is disturbed; and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and regret expressed.A heartfelt apology can not only heal a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or judged too roughly, or just neglected, do something about it right now.Useful Words and Expressions:1. push ahead 捉紧进行2. at the expense of 在损害……的情况下3. mysterious神秘的4. moral 道德的5. disturbed 扰乱的6. stay out of 不参与……,置身于……之外7. heartfelt 衷心的,真心真意的8. roughly粗糙地,概略地42. SleepWhy is it so difficult to fall asleep when you are overtired? There is no one answer that applies to every individual. It is possible to feel “tired” physically and still be unable to fall asleep, because while your body may be exhausted, you do not feel sleepy. It is not so easy to simply “turn off”. Lack of sleep complicates matters even more. Experts say adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. When you get less sleep than that on consecutive three nights, you begin to accrue four “sleep debt”. As sleep debt increases your body experiences a stress response. Now a vicious cycle has been created: You experience the feeling of being more and more tired, but your body is increasingly stimulated. “Power sleeping” for more hours on weekends is only a temporary solution. There is no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.Useful Words and Expressions:1. overtire 使过度疲劳2. apply to 将……应用于3. consecutive 连续的,连贯的4. accrue 自然增加,产生5. vicious恶的vicious cycle 恶性循环6. stimulate 刺激,激励7. substitute for 代替……,替换……45.The Influence of LifeIn the early times when human beings hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as the other lower animals did. When they learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel, they cut down trees. They also burned clearings in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that human beings fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as setting up families, forming societies and founding cities.Useful words and Expressions:1. interact with 与……组合2. clearing 空旷地3. grazing 放牧,牧草4. domestication 驯养,驯服5. previously 先前,以前6. inedible 不能吃的,不适于食用的7. pursuit 追击8. set up 设立47.House and Home“House” and “home” are two words that have similar meanings.“House” and “home” both refer to places wh ere people live. However, there is a difference between them. “Home” is often referred to as the place that we live in with our families. Sadly, in our society, people can hardly distinguish a home from a house because they often see no difference between them. This confusion can be traced back to the indifference between family members. Therefore, we can say that love is an important factor in a home. A home is a shelter, not only for our bodies but also for our minds. Whenever we are depressed, we can go home for comfort. Everyone in the family will do his best to take care of each other and share their happiness as well as sorrow. Without love, a home is merely a house where loneliness is all that can be found. And a house can never be a home unless there is love.Useful words and expressions:1. refer to 提到2. distinguish区别,辨别3. confusion 混乱,混淆4. trace back 追溯到5. indifference 不关心6. depressed 沮丧的48. Population GrowthIt is well-known that there has been a drastic increase in world population. But it is probably les well-known that the extinction rate of wildlife species is experiencing a parallel trend.Take the United States for instance. In 1990, U.S. population reached an unprecedented level of 250 million, which is approximately 250 times of that of 1800. On the other hand, wildlife species are disappearing from the country at an alarming rate. By 1990, about 70 wildlife species would never be seen in U.S. We are fully justified in declaring that the explosive population growth has had an adverse effect on the survival of wildlife species and will be a constant threat to the wildlife resources if no immediate actions are taken.Nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world. It has been demolishing the environment we are living in.Useful words and expressions:1. drastic 激烈的2. parallel 平行的3. trend 倾向4. unprecedented 空前的5. magnitude 大小,数量6. alter 改变7. demolish 毁坏50. ReadingNowadays few of us read books after we leave school.This is rather disturbing, for one should know that books are no less necessary to one’s me ntal life than fresh air is to one’s physical life. From good reading we can derive companionship, experience and instruction. A good book is our faithful friend. It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy, and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely. Books can also offer us a wide range of experience. Few of us can travel far from home or live long over 100, but all of us can live many lives through the pages of books. What’s more, reading books can increase our intellectual ability, broaden our minds and make us wise.With the coming of TV, books are no longer read as widely as they once were. However, nothing can replace the role that books play in our lives.Useful words and expressions:1. leave school 离校,中学毕业2. disturbing 烦扰的3. mental 精神的4. derive 得到5. companionship 伴侣6. intellectual 智力的。

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