新编大学英语 Book4 Unit4 音频原文及答案 核对版 2

Unit 4 Creativity

Part 1 Listening, Understanding and Speaking

Listening I

In China, education is considered a race. Students have to begin as early as possible and have to proceed as quickly as possible around the track. Success is measured by how many students cross the finish line in the short time. In America, we recognize the race too, but we feel that the students have a chance to explore things for themselves, even if not all of them reach the finish line. As a result of their exploring, some of the participants may have more to offer by the end of the race.

The advantage of the Chinese way is that more students become proficient and reach the finish line. The disadvantage is that they may have less to say or to show once they get there. The disadvantage of the American way is that some students never finish the race. The advantage, however, is that some who do go "all the way" have very interesting and original things to say when they get there.

Listening II

Once Wealth and Poverty approached a merchant and introduced themselves as Goddesses. The merchant greeted both of them and said, "May I ask why you have come to my humble house?" The Goddess of Wealth said, "We want you to judge between us who is the most beautiful."

The merchant did not know what to say. He knew he was between the devil and the deep blue sea: If he said that Wealth was more beautiful than Poverty, Poverty would curse him. If he said that Poverty was more beautiful than Wealth, Wealth would abandon him. However, he became calm and said, "I have great respect for you both. Would you please do what I ask of you? It is the only way I can judge properly." The Goddesses agreed. He said, "Mother Wealth, would you please walk towards my house? Mother Poverty, Would you please walk away from my house? This way I can see you both better, from near and far." The two Goddesses did what the merchant had asked them to do. Then the merchant confidently declared, "Mother Wealth! You appear most beautiful when you are nearest my house. Mother Poverty! You look most beautiful when you are farthest from my house." The Goddesses appreciated the wit and wisdom of the merchant. The Goddess of Wealth happily stayed in his house while the Goddess of Poverty cheerfully departed.

Whenever we have a serious problem, if we look within and think calmly, a solution will come in answer to the problem.

Listening III

There is an old and common saying in the United States that "There is nothing new under the sun."

I thought of that today while reading an article in a magazine. The article tells about the growing number of people who are building earth-sheltered houses, which are partly underground. I had known about modern earth-sheltered houses, but I had never thought about their roofs before. Instead of having metal or tiles on the roofs, many of these houses now have living roofs. The