新世纪英语专业本科听力教程第三册听力原文和答案

?UNIT 1Section One Houses in the Future

?Well, I think houses in the future will probably be (1) quite small but I should think they'll be (2) well-insulated so that you don't need so much (3) heating and (4) cooling as you do now, so perhaps very economical (5) to run. Perhaps they will use (6) solar heating, although I don't know, in this country, perhaps we (7) won't be able to do that so much. Yes, I think they'll be full of (8) electronic gadgets: things like very advanced televisions, videos, perhaps videos which take up ... the screen (9) takes up the whole wall. I should think. Yes, you'll have things like (10) garage doors which open automatically when you (11) drive up, perhaps electronic (12) sensors which will (13) recognize you when you, when you come to the front door even. Perhaps (14) architects and designers will be a bit more (15) imaginative about how houses are designed and perhaps with the (16) shortage of space people will think of putting gardens (17) on the roof and, and maybe rooms can be (18) expanded and, and (19) contracted* depending on what you use them for, so perhaps there'll be a bit more (20) flexibility about that.

?Part 2

?A: Tuesday two fifteen. Let me look in my diary. B: No, Thursday.

?A: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said Tuesday.

?B: Thursday two fifteen. No, I'm sorry. I've got an appointment until three. Could we make it later?

?Say three fifteen?

?A: Well, there's a lot to talk about. It'll take a couple of hours, at least. B: Shall we say Monday morning, then?

?A: Monday morning. All right. Nine o'clock?

?B: Nine. I think that will be all right. I'll ring you back and confirm. A: All right. But ring before five, could you?

?B: All right.

?A: Right you are. Bye. B: Bye.

?Exercise. Directions:Listen to the dialogue and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide.

? 1. This dialogue is about making an appointment

?Woman: Listen! I'm terribly sorry I'm late. Man:

?Man: Oh, that's all right. It doesn't really matter, does it? I haven't got anything better to do, have I?

?Woman: Just let me explain, will you?

?Man: I've only been waiting for over an hour. That's all.

?Woman: Yes. I know, and I would have ...

?Man: After all, my time isn't really that important, is it?

?Woman: Please don't be like that. Just let me explain. (Silence. Man says nothing.)

?Woman: I ... I tried to get here in time but just after I left home, the car broke down.

?Man: The car broke down?

?Woman: Yes, and ... well ... luckily ... there was a garage near me. And ... and it took them a while

?to repair it.

?Man: Why didn't you at least phone?

?Woman: I would have! But I didn't know the number of the restaurant.

?Man: You could have looked it up in the telephone book!

?Woman: Yes, but ... you'll never believe this ... I couldn't remember the name of the restaurant. I knew where it was, but forgot the name.

?Man: I see. Well, at least it was lucky you found a garage to repair your car.

?Woman: Yes. It was something I couldn't do myself. It didn't take too long, but that's why I'm late,

?you see.

?Man: Uh-huh. Which garage, by the way?

?Woman: Pardon?

?Man: Which garage did you take it to?

?Woman: Uh ... the one near my flat. You know. Lewis Brothers.

?Man: Yes, I know that garage. It's the only one near your flat.

?Woman: Hmm, well now, let's have something to eat. Uh, what about some ...

?Man: I know the garage very well!

?Woman: Yes. Let's see now. Yes, I think I'll have some ...

?Man: A pity it's Sunday.

? 2. The key words are Tuesday. Thursday. two fifteen. three fifteen. Monday morning. nine o'clock.

?Part 1 Dialogue

?I'm terribly sorry I'm late.

?Woman: Listen! I'm terribly sorry I'm late. Man:

?Man: Oh, that's all right. It doesn't really matter, does it? I haven't got anything better to do, have I?

?Woman: Just let me explain, will you?

?Man: I've only been waiting for over an hour. That's all.

?Woman: Yes. I know, and I would have ...

?Man: After all, my time isn't really that important, is it?

?Woman: Please don't be like that. Just let me explain. (Silence. Man says nothing.)

?Woman: I ... I tried to get here in time but just after I left home, the car broke down.

?Man: The car broke down?

?Woman: Yes, and ... well ... luckily ... there was a garage near me. And ... and it took them a while

?to repair it.

?Man: Why didn't you at least phone?

?Woman: I would have! But I didn't know the number of the restaurant.

?Man: You could have looked it up in the telephone book!

?Woman: Yes, but ... you'll never believe this ... I couldn't remember the name of the restaurant. I knew where it was, but forgot the name.

?Man: I see. Well, at least it was lucky you found a garage to repair your car.

?Woman: Yes. It was something I couldn't do myself. It didn't take too long, but that's why I'm late,

?you see.

?Man: Uh-huh. Which garage, by the way?

?Woman: Pardon?

?Man: Which garage did you take it to?

?Woman: Uh ... the one near my flat. You know. Lewis Brothers.

?Man: Yes, I know that garage. It's the only one near your flat.

?Woman: Hmm, well now, let's have something to eat. Uh, what about some ...

?Man: I know the garage very well!

?Woman: Yes. Let's see now. Yes, I think I'll have some ...

?Man: A pity it's Sunday.

?Woman: Pardon?

?Man: A pity it's Sunday. That garage is closed on Sunday!

? 1. They are possibly boyfriend and girlfriend.

? 2. In a restaurant.

? 3. "It doesn't really matter, does it? I haven't got anything better to do, have I?"

?"I've only been waiting for over an hour. That's all" "After all, my time isn't really that important, is it?" well, at least It was lucky you found a barrage to repair your car

?Exercise Directions: Listen to the dialogue and answer the following questions.

?"Well, at least it was lucky you found a garage to repair your car."

? 4. Because she wants to stop the conversation like this.

?Because he knows the girl is lying.

?Part 2 Passage The Oscar Statuette

? 1 Industry insiders and members of the press called the award "the Academy statuette", "the golden trophy" or "the statue of merit", but the term never stuck.

? 2. No hard evidence exists to support that tale, but in any case, by the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934, a Hollywood columnist used the name in his column.

? 3. Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes on behalf of his animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

? 4. If the statuettes don't meet strict quality control standards, they are immediately cut in half and melted down.

? 5.The large boxes are shipped to the Academy offices via air express, with no identifiable markings.

?The Oscar statuette, designed by MGM's* chief art director Cedric Gibbons, depicts* a knight holding a crusader's* sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes, signifying the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians.

?Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named "Oscar". Industry insiders and members of the press called the award "the Academy statuette", "the golden trophy" or "the statue of merit". The entertainment trade paper, Weekly Variety, even attempted to popularize "the iron man". The term never stuck.

? A popular story has been that an Academy librarian and eventual executive director, Margaret Herrick, thought the statuette resembled her uncle Oscar and said so, and that as a result the Academy staff began referring to it as Oscar.

?No hard evidence exists to support that tale, but in any case, by the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934, Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used the name in his column in reference to Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress win. The Academy itself didn't use the nickname officially until 1939.

?Since its conception, the Oscar statuette has met exacting uniform standards - with a few notable exceptions. In the 1930s, juvenile players received miniature replicas* of the statuette; a ventriloquist* Edgar Bergen was presented with a wooden statuette with a moveable mouth; and Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes on behalf of his animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Between 1942 and 1944, in support of the war effort, Oscars were made of plaster. After the War, winners turned in the temporary awards for golden Oscar statuettes.

?The traditional Oscar statuette, however, hasn't changed since the 1940s, when the base was made higher. In 1945, the base was changed from marble to metal and in 1949, Academy Award statuettes began to be numbered, starting with No. 501.

?Approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago by the manufacturer, R. S. Owens. If they don't meet strict quality control standards, the statuettes are immediately cut in half and melted down.

?Each award is individually packed into a Styrofoam* container slightly larger than a shoebox.

?Eight of these are then packed into a larger cardboard box, and the large boxes are shipped to the Academy offices in Beverly Hills via air express, with no identifiable markings.

?On March 10, 2000, 55 Academy Awards mysteriously vanished en route from the Windy City* to the City of Angels. Nine days later, 52 of stolen statuettes were discovered next to a Dumpster* in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles by Willie Fulgear, who was later invited by the Academy to attend the Oscar 2000 ceremonies as a special guest.

?For eight decades, the Oscars have survived war, weathered earthquakes, and even managed to escape unscathed* from common thieves. Since 1995, however, R. S. Owens has repaired more than 160 statuettes. "Maybe somebody used chemicals on them to polish them and the chemicals rubbed right through the lacquer* and into the gold," explains the company president. "Or maybe people stored them someplace where they corroded." Although he stresses that the statuette is made to endure, Siegel offers this sage advice to all Oscar winners: "If it gets dusty, simply wipe it with a soft dry cloth."

? A. Pre-listening Question

?Every January, the attention of the entertainment community and of film fans around the world turns to the upcoming Academy Awards, the highest honor in filmmaking. The annual presentation of the Oscars has become the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' most famous activity. The Oscar Statuette is a knight holding a crusader's sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes.

? B.. Sentence Dictation

?Directions: Listening to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

?Exercise C Detailed Listening

?Directions: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Discuss with your classmates why you think the statement is true or false.

?----I...- 1. There were five original branches of the Academy.

?(Because the five spokes on the reel of film signify the original branches of the Academy:

?Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians.)

?~ 2. The Academy Award of Merit was officially named "Oscar" in 1928.

?(Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named "Oscar.")

?----I...- 3. The Academy staff began referring to the Academy statuette as Oscar because Margaret Herrick said the statuette was like her uncle Oscar.

?(An Academy librarian and eventual executive director, Margaret Herrick, thought the statuette resembled her uncle Oscar and said so, and as a result the Academy staff began referring to it as Oscar.)

? 4. Since its conception, the Oscar statuette has met exacting uniform standards.

?(There were a few notable exceptions. In 1930s, juvenile players received miniature replicas of the statuette and a ventriloquist Edgar Bergen gained a wooden statuette with a moveable mouth. Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes. )

?----I...- 5. Oscars were made of plaster in the 1940s because of the War.

?(Between 1942 and 1944, in support of the war effort, Oscars were made of plaster.) ----I...- 6. The manufacturer, R. S. Owens makes about 50 Oscars each year in Chicago. (Approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago by the manufacturer, R. S.

Owens.)

?~ 7. 55 Academy Awards were stolen by a mysterious person en route from the Windy City to the City of Angels on March 10, 2000. ?(On March 10,2000,55 Academy Awards just mysteriously vanished en route from the Windy City to the City of Angels, but how and by whom was unknown.)

?~ 8. For eighty years, the Oscars have survived war, weathered earthquakes, managed to escape unscathed from common thieves and even chemical corrosion.

?(Since 1995, however, R. S. Owens has repaired more than 160 statuettes. "Maybe somebody used chemicals on them to polish them and the chemicals rubbed right through the lacquer and into the gold."

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

? 1. The traditional Oscar statuette hasn't changed since the 1940s, when the base was made higher.

?In 1945, the base was changed from marble to metal and in 1949, Academy Award statuettes began to be numbered, starting with No.501.

?News News Item1 Bush-NATO-Iraq

?Mr. Bush says he hopes America's NATO allies will stand with the United States if he decides to take military action against Iraq. ?All the same, the president says no action is likely in the near future. He says for now the focus is on implementing the new UN resolution that calls for a tough weapons inspection regime* and warns of consequences if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein fails to comply*.

?Administration official say they expect the NATO summit to release a political statement backing the UN resolution. They say President Bush will bring up Iraq in his bilateral meetings in Prague*, but they also say they do not believe the Iraqi threat will be the focus of the summit.

?In Prague, the alliance plans to take steps toward the creation of a rapid deployment force that can playa role in combating terrorism.

The president said even the smallest NATO member nations can contribute something to the cause

? A. Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

? B.. Directions: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions

? 1. He hopes America's NATO allies will stand with the United States if he decides to take military

?action against Iraq.

? 2. No, the president says no action is likely in the near future.

? 3. They expect the NATO summit to release a political statement backing the UN resolution.

? 4. The NA TO summit is held in Prague.

?No, it will not be the focus of the NATO summit.

?Bush-Iraq

?President Bush says everyone knows the real power in Iraq lies with Saddam Hussein: "There is no democracy. This guy is a dictator and so we have to see what he says." The president says the Iraqi leader has a choice to make: disarm peacefully or be disarmed by force: "If Saddam Hussein does not comply to the detail of the resolution, we will lead a coalition to disarm him. It is over. We are through with negotiations. There is no more time. The man must disarm. He said he would disarm. He now must disarm." Mr. Bush spoke with reporters while touring the Washington D.C. police department, a tour designed to highlight his plan to create a cabinet level Department of Homeland Security. He left no doubt his patience regarding Iraq is wearing very thin*, stressing the United States will no longer tolerate any efforts by Saddam Hussein to circumvent* demands to disarm.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about the Bush administration's attitude towards Iraq.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

?Britain-Iraq

?British Prime Minister Tony Blair delivered a radio address late Thursday to the Iraqi people warning that Saddam Hussein must comply with UN demands or suffer the consequences.

?Prime Minister Blair said Saddam Hussein must cooperate with UN weapons inspectors, or be prepared to face military action. In an interview with Radio Monte Carlo's Arabic service Thursday, Mr. Blair said war could be avoided, if Iraq agreed to disarm. ?"The situation is very clear. If Saddam Hussein agrees to disarm Iraq of all chemical, or biological or nuclear weapons programs and capability, then conflict would be avoided, and his duty is to cooperate fully with the inspectors to tell them exactly what material he has, to cooperate and comply with them in the eradication of that material."

?The prime minister said he wanted to speak directly to the Iraqi people to try to dispel* what he called myths that have arisen between Christians and Muslims. He said the dispute with Iraq is not about the West versus the East or about oil, but about weapons of mass destruction.

? A.

?Directions: Listening to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about British Prime Minister's stand on the Iraqi issue.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following sentences.

? 1. Prime Minister Blair warned that Saddam Hussein would suffer the consequences unless he cooperated with the UN weapons inspectors.

?Saddam Hussein should cooperate fully with the inspectors to tell them exactly what material he has, and comply with them in the eradication of that material.

? 2. On Thursday Tony Blair had an interview with Radio Monte Carlo's Arabic service.

? 3. According to the Prime Minister, the conflict can be avoided if Saddam Hussein agrees to disarm Iraq of all chemical. or biological or nuclear weapons programs and capability.

? 4. Mr. Blair said the dispute with Iraq is not about the West versus the East or about oil, but about weapons of mass destruction. ?Part 1 Feature report

?Blix’s Iraq Inspection

?The chief UN arms inspector has been assigned the task of searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The Security Council gave Iraq this last opportunity to disarm or face serious consequences, a euphemism* for possible war. The United States says it will make sure Iraq disarms, one way or another.

?But Mr. Blix* emphasizes that his inspectors will not determine the course of events in the region. He says they will visit suspected

sites, conduct interviews with Iraqi scientists, ferret* out information and report back to the Security Council for its members to decide.

?As for US and British intelligence reports, which the Bush administration says proves that Iraq has banned weapons, Mr. Blix says he is not going into Iraq with pre-conceived ideas of what is there.

?The next test for Iraq will be December 8th, the deadline for Iraq to present a full accounting of its weapons programs. If Iraq presents, in effect, a blank sheet, Mr. Blix says, he would expect the United States to put its evidence on the table, so it can be verified.

?Iraq has persistently maintained it does not have the banned weapons. The latest such assertion came in a letter to the UN this week, in which Baghdad accepted the latest Security Council resolution setting out the parameters* for what experts say will be the most intrusive inspections in Iraq, so far.

?After the preliminary technical work starting Monday, Mr. Blix says, he expects the first wave of inspections to start November 27th.

Two months later, he is required to report to the Security Council on Iraq's performance.

?Directions: Listening to the news report and complete the summary.

?This news report is about Mr. Blix's weapons inspections in Iraq.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and fill in the blanks with the missing words.

?Mr. Blix emphasizes that his inspectors will not determine the course of events in the region. He says they will visit suspected sites, conduct interviews with Iraqi scientists, ferret out information and report back to the Security Council for its members to decide.

?The next test for Iraq will be December eighth, the deadline for Iraq to present a full accounting of its weapons programs. If Iraq presents, in effect, a blank sheet, Mr. Blix says, he would expect the United States to put its evidence on the table, so it can be verified.

?Iraq has persistently maintained it does not have the banned weapons. The latest such assertion came in a letter to the UN this week, in which Baghdad accepted the latest Security Council resolution setting out the parameters for what experts say will be the most intrusive inspections in Iraq, so far.

?Part 2 Passage Rise and Fall of Egypt

? 1. The Nile River was a kind friend but occasionally a hard taskmaster of the people who lived along its banks.

? 2. In due course of time, one man who grew more powerful than most of his neighbors became their King.

? 3. Provided he was not obliged to pay more taxes to his King than he thought just, he accepted the rule of pharaoh as accepted the rule of Mighty Osiris.

? 4. It was different however when a foreign invader came and robbed him of his possessions.

? 5. Egypt regained a semblance of independence when one of Alexander's generals set himself up as king of a new Egyptian state.

?The Nile River* was a kind friend but occasionally it was a hard taskmaster*. It taught the people who lived along its banks the noble art of "teamwork". They depended upon each other to build their irrigation trenches and keep their dikes in repair. In this way they learned how to get along with their neighbors and their mutual-benefit-association quite easily developed into an organized state.

?Then one man grew more powerful than most of his neighbors and he became the leader of the community and their commander-in-chief when the envious neighbors of western Asia invaded the prosperous valley. In due course of time he became their King and ruled all the land from the Mediterranean to the mountains of the west.

?But these political adventures of the old pharaohs* (the word meant "the Man who lived in the Big House") rarely interested the patient and toiling peasant of the grain fields. Provided he was not obliged to pay more taxes to his King than he thought lust, he accepted the rule of pharaoh as accepted the rule of Mighty Osiris *.

?It was different however when a foreign invader came and robbed him of his possessions.

?After twenty centuries of independent life, a savage Arab tribe of shepherds, called the Hyksos*, attacked Egypt and for five hundred years they were the masters of the valley of the Nile. They were highly unpopular and great hate was also felt for the Hebrews who came to the land of Goshen* to find a shelter after their long wandering through the desert and who helped the foreign usurper* by acting as his tax-gatherers and his civil servants.

?But shortly after the year 1700 B.C., the people of Thebes* began a revolution and after a long struggle the Hyksos were driven out of the country and Egypt was free once more.

? A thousand years later, when Assyria* conquered all of western Asia, Egypt became part of the empire of Sardanapalus*. In the seventh century B.C., it became once more an independent state

? A. Pre-listening Question

?,It is the Great Pyramid of Giza probably. The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20-year period. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.

? B.. Sentence Dictation

? 1. B.. Sentence Dictation

?Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

?Exercise C Detailed listening

?Directions: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

? 1. C 2.B 3.B 4.A 5.A 6.B 7.D 8.C

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

? 1.The last Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, tried her best to save the country when the Romans came in the year 39 B. C. Her beauty and charm were more dangerous to the Roman generals than half a dozen Egyptian army corps. She was successful twice in her attacks upon the hearts of her Roman conquerors. In the year 30 B.c., Augustus landed in Alexandria and destroyed her armies. She killed herself by taking poison.

?UNIT 2

?Section One Tactics for listeningMy Mother

?My mother was an efficient (1) taskmaster who cooked, cleaned and shopped for nine people (2) on a daily basis. She was a disciplinarian* who would (3) make us seven kids walk up and down the stairs a hundred times if we clumped* like (4)field hands to-dinner. She also enlisted us to help her in the day's (5) chores

?My mother believed that each of her children had a special (6) knack* that made him or her invaluable on certain (7) missions. My brother Mike, for example, was believed to have especially (8) keen eyesight. He was hoisted* up as a human (9) telescope whenever she needed to see something (10) far away. John was the climber when a kite (11) got caught. My own job was navigator for our (12) gigantic* old Chrysler.

?But my mother's (13) ability to get work done well was only (14) one side. She also had an (15) imagination that carried her in different directions, that (16) allowed her to transcend* her everyday life. She did not (17) believe in magic as portrayed on a stage, but (18) valued instead the sound of a metal bucket being (19) filled bv a hose, or the persistence of a dandelion * at the (20) edge of

a woodpile.

?Part 2 Listening for Gist

?For hundreds of years man has been fascinated by the idea of flying. One of the first men to produce designs for aircraft was Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian artist who lived in the fifteenth century. However, it was not until the eighteenth century that people began to fly, or perhaps it would be better to say float, across the countryside in balloons. The first hot-air balloon was made in April 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers in France.

?In the following years many flights were made by balloon. Some of the flights were for pleasure and others were for delivering mail

and for military purposes, such as observation and even bombing. However, in the late nineteenth century, airships superseded balloons as a form of transport.

?Airships came after balloons. The first powered and manned flight was made by a Frenchman, Giffard, in September 1852. His airship, powered by steam, traveled twenty-seven kilometers from Paris to Trappes at a speed of eight kilometers per hour. However the days of the airship were numbered as the aero plane became increasingly safe and popular.

?Exercise

?Directions: Listen to the passage and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide.

? 1. This passage is about the early history of flying.

? 2. The key words are jlving. designs. an Italian artist. fifteenth century: eighteenth century. flv. float. balloons: hot-air balloon.

April 1783: airships. September 1852: aeroplane.

?Part 1 Dialogue Buying a Car

?A: Good morning, can I help you?

?B: Yes, I'm interested in buying a car.

?A: Have you anything in mind?

?B: Not really.

?A: What price are you thinking of?

?B: Not more than ￡13,500.

?A: Let's see now ... Over there between the Lancia and the Volvo is a Mini. It costs ￡12,830 and is cheap to run: It does 38 miles per gallon. Or there's the Citroen, behind the Mini. It costs ￡12,070 and is even cheaper to run than the Mini: It does 45 miles per gallon. It's not very fast though. It only does 69 miles per hour.

?B: No, I think the Mini and the Citroen are too small. I've got three children. Isn't there anything bigger at that price?

?A: Well, there's the Toyota over there, to the left of the Peugeot. It's very comfortable and costs ￡13,040. It's cheap to run too, and it also has a built-in radio. Or there's the Renault at the back of the showroom, behind the Peugeot. It costs a little more, ￡13,240, but it is cheaper to run. It does 40 miles per gallon and the Toyota only does 36 miles per gallon.

?B: What about that V olkswagen over there, in front of the Toyota?

?A: That costs a little more than ￡13,500 but it's a very reliable car. It's more expensive to run than the others: It does 34 miles per gallon, but it's faster. Its top speed is 90 miles per hour. The Toyota's is 80 miles per hour and the Renault's is 82 miles per hour.

?B: How much does it cost?

?A: ￡13,630 and that includes a 5-year guarantee.

?B: And the Fiat next to the Volkswagen?

?A: Again that's more than ￡13,500, but it's cheaper than the V olkswagen. It costs ￡13,550.

?B: Hmm well, I'll have to think about it and study these pamphlets. How much is that Peugeot incidentally, behind the Lancia?

?A: Oh, that's expensive. It costs ￡15,190.

?B: Yes, that is a bit too much. Thank you very much for your help. Goodbye.

?R

?￡13.240

?40m/g

?82m/h

?T.

?￡13.040

?36m/g

?80m/h 1￡1/1901 k

?￡12.070

?45m/g

?69m/h

?1￡13~5501 VW 1￡16~2401 M 1￡15~8501

?￡13.630 ￡12.830

?34m/g 38m/g

?90m/h

?Part 2 Passage

?The Wrights’ Story

? 1. On the morning of December 17, 1903, between 10:30 a.m. and noon, four flights were made, two by Orville Wright and two by Wilbur Wright.

? 2. Under the direction of the operator it climbed upward on an inclined course till a height of 8 or 10 feet from the ground was reached.

? 3. Into the teeth of a December gale the "Flyer" made its way forward with a speed of 10 miles an hour over the ground and 30 to

35 miles an hour through the air.

? 4. The height chosen was sufficient for maneuvering in so gusty a wind and with no previous acquaintance with the conduct of the machine and its controlling mechanisms.

? 5 .In attempting to bring the machine down to the desired height, the operator turned the rudder too far, and the machine turned downward more quickly than had been expected.

?On the morning of December 17, 1903, between 10:30 a.m. and noon, four flights were made, two by Orville Wright and two by Wilbur Wright. The starts were all made from a point on the level sand about 200 feet west of our camp, which is located a quarter of a mile north of the Kill Devil sand hill, in Dare County, North Carolina.

?The wind at the time of the flights had a velocity* of 27 miles an hour at 10 a.m., and 24 miles an hour at noon, as recorded by the anemometer* at the Kitty Hawk Weather Bureau Station.

?The flights were directly against the wind. Each time the machine started from the level ground by its own power alone with no assistance from gravity or any other source whatever.

?After a run of about 40 feet along a monorail* track, which held the machine 8 inches (20 centimeters) from the ground, it rose from the track and under the direction of the operator climbed upward on an inclined course till a height of 8 or 10 feet from the ground was reached, after which the course was kept as near horizontal as the wind gusts and the limited skill of the operator would permit. ?Into the teeth of a December gale the "Flyer" made its way forward with a speed of 10 miles an hour over the ground and 30 to 35 miles an hour through the air.

?It had previously been decided that for reasons of personal safety these first trials should be made as close to the ground as possible.

The height chosen was sufficient for maneuvering* in so gusty a wind and with no previous acquaintance with the conduct of the machine and its controlling mechanisms. Consequently the first flight was short.

?The succeeding flights rapidly increased in length and at the fourth trial a flight of 59 seconds was made, in which time the machine flew a little more than half a mile through the air and a distance of 852 feet over the ground.

?The landing was due to a slight error of judgment on the part of the aviator. After passing over a little hummock* of sand, in attempting to bring the machine down to the desired height, the operator turned the rudder* too far, and the machine turned downward more quickly than had been expected. The reverse movement of the rudder was a fraction of a second too late to prevent the machine from touching the ground and thus ending the flight.

?As winter was already well set in, we should have postponed the trials to a more favorable season, but we were determined to know whether the machine possessed sufficient power to fly, sufficient strength to withstand the shocks of landings and sufficient capacity of control to make flight safe in boisterous* winds, as well as in calm air.

? A. Pre-listening Question

?Orville Wright (1871-1948), American aeronautical engineer, famous for his role in the first controlled, powered flight in a heavier-than-air machine and for his participation in the design of the aircraft's control system. Wright worked closely with his brother, Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), American aeronautical engineer, in designing and flying the Wright airplane.

?During the years 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1903, the two brothers developed the first effective airplane. At Kitty Hawk, North Carolina,

on December 17, 1903, Orville Wright made the first successful flight of a piloted, heavier-than-air, self-propelled craft, called the Flyer. The third Flyer, which the Wrights constructed in 1905, was the world's first fully practical airplane. It could bank, turn, circle, make figure eights, and remain in the air for as long as the fuel lasted, up to half an hour on occasion.

? B.. Sentence Dictation

?Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

?Exercise C Detailed Listening

?Directions: Listen to the passage and answer the following questions.

? 1. Four flights were made on the morning of December 17, 1903, two by Orville Wright and two by Wilbur Wright.

? 2. The wind at the time of the flights had a velocity of 27 miles an hour at 10 a.m., and 24 miles an hour at noon, as recorded by the anemometer at the Kitty Hawk Weather Bureau Station.

? 3. Each time the machine started from the level ground by its own power alone with no assistance from gravity or any other source whatever.

? 4. The machine ran about 40 feet along a monorail track before it rose from the track.

? 5. These first trials should be made as close to the ground as possible for reasons of personal

?safety.

? 6. The machine flew a little more than half a mile through the air in 59 seconds at the fourth trial.

?7. The early landing was due to a slight error of judgment on the part of the aviator.

?8. As winter was already well set in, it was not a favorable season for the trials.

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

? 1. Because they wanted to know whether the machine possessed sufficient power to fly, sufficient strength to withstand the shocks of landings and sufficient capacity of control to make flight safe in boisterous winds as well as in calm air.

?News Item 1

?World Basketball Championship

?The semifinal round of the World Basketball Championship tournament is later today (Saturday) in the mid-western (US) state of Indiana.

?Argentina is the only undefeated team at the tournament. The South Americans have outscored their opponents by an average of 19 points per game. On Wednesday, Argentina shocked the host United States (87-80) to snap a 58-game international winning streak* by professional squads of the National Basketball Association players.

?Argentina also defeated Brazil (78-67) to reach the semifinal round where the team will face Germany. Primarily using European experienced players, Argentina defeated Germany earlier in the second round, 86-77.

?Defending champion Yugoslavia, which ousted the United States (81-78) in the quarterfinals, plays upstart* New Zealand. But Yugoslav head coach Svetislav Pesic says he is not surprised.

?The losers of each game will play for the third place on Sunday before the championship game.

? A.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about the semifinal round of the World Basketball Championship tournament.

? B..

?Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following sentences.

? 1. In the second round Argentina defeated Germany 86-77.

? 2. Argentina also defeated Brazil to reach the seminal round.

? 3. Before the semifinal round Argentina is the only undefeated team at the tournament.

? 4. Defending champion Yugoslavia, which ousted the United States in the quarterfinals, plays against New Zealand.

? 5. The four teams that will play in the semifinals are Argentina, Germany, Yugoslavia and New Zealand.

? 6. The losers of each game will play for the third place before the championship game.

?News Item 2

?European Football

?English football club Liverpool* crashed out of the Champions League, despite fighting back from a 3-0 deficit to tie* FC Basel* 3-3 in Switzerland. Liverpool needed a win Tuesday to qualify / for the second phase. Instead, the English club will play for the UEFA Cup*. Basel became the first Swiss side ever to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, qualifying second in Group B?

behind Valencia* of Spain, which beat Spartak Moscow* 3-0.

?English champion Arsenal* played to a scoreless home draw* against Dutch-side PSV Eindhoven* to top Group A and move into the second phase, where the team will be seeded. They'll be joined by German team Borussia Dortmund*, which advanced despite a 1-0 loss to Auxerre* in France.

?AS Roma* played to a 1-1 draw against AEK Athens* in Italy, to capture second place in Group C. Group winner Real Madrid* of Spain will also advance, after drawing 1-1 with Racing Genk* in Belgium.

?In Group D, Inter Milan* of Italy got a pair of goals from Hernan Crespo* to beat Ajax Amsterdam* 2-1 in the Netherlands. Both teams qualified at the expense of French side Lyon*, which was held to a 1-1 draw by Rosenborg* in Norway.

? A.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about European football matches.

? B..

?Directions: Listen to the news again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

? 1.T 2.F 3.F 4.T 5.T 6.F 7.T

?News Item 3

?Kemper Open Gulf Preview

?The annual Kemper Open* golf tournament gets underway Thursday near Washington at the Tournament Players Club at Avenel.

?Twenty-eight-year-old American Rich Beem* is back to defend his title. Before his victory here, he had missed the halfway cuts in five straight tournaments. He hopes he can again find his form during the next four days, as he is currently 132nd on the money list. ?The player who is number-one on golf's money list and in the world rankings, American Tiger Woods*, decided to skip this event after winning the rain-delayed Memorial Open in (Dublin) Ohio on Monday.

?Compatriot* Jeff Sluman says even Tiger has to take periodic breaks.

?He's unbelievable. He's got an opportunity, as I said even a couple years ago, if he stays healthy and does the right things, he can maybe be the best golfer of all time, and he's showing right now what he can do. The kid is just a fabulous, fabulous player, but he can't play every week."

?Eight of the past 10 Kemper Open winners are in this year's field of 156 golfers, who are vying* for three million dollars in prize money. The first-place check has been increased from 450 thousand to 540 thousand dollars.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about an annual Kemper Open golf tournament on Thursday.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions."

? 1. The Kemper Open golf tournament will be held on Thursday.

? 2. Rich Beem comes back to defend his title.

? 3. He is currently ranked 132nd on the money list.

? 4. Tiger Woods is number-one on golf's money list and in the world rankings.

? 5. He has to take a break after a match on Monday.

? 6. There are 156 golfers taking part in this event.

?7. The total prize money is three million dollars.

?8. The prize for the first place is 540 thousand dollars

?Section Four Supplementary Exercise

?Part 1 Feature Report

?US Men’s Na tional Collegiate Basketball Tournament

?The widely followed US men's national collegiate basketball tournament concludes tonight (9 p.m. EST) in Atlanta with a championship match-up* between Maryland and Indiana.

?Maryland is in the championship game for the first time in the school history. To get here, the Maryland Terrapins* had to beat three teams with great basketball traditions: Kentucky, Connecticut and Kansas.

?Now they face another, Indiana. while Maryland was one of the four top seeds in this 65-team tournament, the Indiana Hoosiers* were a fifth seed, and virtually no one expected them to reach the title game*. But they knocked off defending champion Duke in the third round, and in the semifinals they upset Oklahoma.

?Maryland coach Gary Williams knows it will take a solid effort to win.

?"Any team that's gotten to where Indiana has gotten, you don't look at their record. You look at how they're playing now, how they play. Any time a team plays team defense like they do, they have a chance to beat anybody. That's what concerns me the most, their ability to play together as a unit, because a lot of times you can play with anybody when you play that close together like they do." ?Indiana has 27 wins and 11 defeats this season. The last time a team won the national championship with as many as 11 losses was Kansas in 1988. Maryland has a school record of 31 wins against only 4 losses. It has three seniors in the starting line-up* who reached the semifinals last year, and they are determined that this time they will take home the school's first men's national basketball championship.

?Directions: Listen to the news report and complete the summary.

?This news report is about two teams that will compete for the championship of US men's national collegiate basketball tournament. ?Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following sentences.

? 1. Maryland moves in the championship game for the first time in the school history.

? 2. The Maryland Terrapins had to beat three teams with great basketball traditions before it reached

?the title game.

? 3. Among the 65 teams, the Indiana team was a fifth seed.

? 4. Indiana has 27 wins and 11 defeats this season.

? 5. Last year the Maryland Terrapins reached the semifinals.

? 6. In 1988, the team who won the national championship with as many as lJ losses was Kansas.

?Part 2 Passage

?Who on Earth Invented the Airplane?

? 1. He would keep his dirigible tied to a gas lamp post in front of his Paris apartment and during the day he'd fly to go shopping or to visit friends.

? 2. Since his was the first public flight in the world, he was hailed as the inventor of the airplane all over Europe.

? 3. But to bring up the Wright brothers with a Brazilian is bound to elicit an avalanche of arguments as to why their flight didn't count.

? 4. His flight did meet the criteria: He took off unassisted, publicly flew a predetermined length and then landed safely.

? 5. By the time the Brazilian got around to his maiden flight the Wright brothers had already flown numerous times, including one flight in which they flew 39 kilometers.

?Ask anyone in Brazil who invented the airplane, and they will say Alberto Santos-Dumont, a bon vivant* as well-known for his aerial prowess* as he was for his dandyish* dress and place in the high-society life of Belle Epoque Paris * .

?As Paul Hoffman recounts in his biography Wings of Madness, the eccentric* Brazilian was the only person in his day to own a flying machine.

?"He would keep his dirigible* tied to a gas lamp post in front of his Paris apartment at the Champs Elysees, and every night he would fly to Maxim's for dinner. During the day he'd fly to go shopping or to visit friends," Hoffman said.

?It was on November 12, 1906, when Santos-Dumont flew a kite-like contraption* with boxy wings called the 14-Bis some 220 meters on the outskirts of Paris. Since his was the first public flight in the world, he was hailed as the inventor of the airplane all over Europe.

?It was only later that Orville and Wilbur Wright proved they had beaten Santos-Dumont at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, three years earlier.

?But to bring up the Wright brothers with a Brazilian is bound to elicit* an avalanche* of arguments as to why their flight didn't count.

?"It's one of the biggest frauds* in history," scoffs Wagner Diogo, a taxi driver in Rio de Janeiro.

?"No one saw it, and they used a catapult* to launch the airplane."

?The debate centers on the definition of flight.

?Henrique Lins de Barros, a Brazilian physicist and Santos-Dumont expert, argues that the Wright brothers' flight did not fulfill the conditions that had been set up at the time to distinguish a true flight from a prolonged hop.

?Santos-Dumont's flight did meet the criteria: He took off unassisted, publicly flew a predetermined length and then landed safely. ?"If we understand what the criteria were at the end of the 19th century, the Wright brothers simply did not fill any of the prerequisites," said Lins de Barros.

?Brazilians claim that the Wrights launched their Flyer in 1903 with a catapult or at an incline, disqualifying it from being a true airplane.

?Even Santos-Dumont experts like Lins de Barros concede* this is wrong. He says that the steady winds at Kitty Hawk were crucial for the Flyer's takeoff, disqualifying the flight because it probably could not lift off on its own.

?Peter Jakab, chairman of the aeronautics division at the US National Air and Space Museum in / Washington, says such claims are preposterous*.

?By the time Santos-Dumont got around to his maiden flight the Wright brothers had already flown numerous times, including one flight in which they flew 39 kilometers.

?Even in France the Wrights are considered to have flown before Santos-Dumont, says Claude Carlier, director of the French Center for the History of Aeronautics and Space.

?By rounding the Eiffel Tower in a motorized dirigible in .190 I, Santos-Dumont helped prove that air travel could be controlled.

?

? A. Pre-listening Question

?Alberto Santos-Dumont was a wealthy Brazilian aviation pioneer who came to Paris, France, at the age of 18 to live and study. He attempted his first balloon ascent in 1897 and had his first successful ascent in 1898. He began to construct dirigible airships powered with gasoline-powered engines in 1898 and built and flew fourteen of the small dirigibles. In 1901, he flew his hydrogen-filled airship from St. Cloud, around the Eiffel Tower, and back to St. Cloud. It was the first such flight and won him the Deutsch Prize and a prize from the Brazilian government. In 1902, he attempted to cross the Mediterranean in an airship but crashed into the sea. In 1909, he produced his "Demoiselle" or "Grasshopper" monoplane, the precursor to the modern light plane.

? B.. Sentence Dictation

?Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

?Exercise C Detailed Listening

?Directions: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Discuss with your classmates why you think the statement is true or false.

?-T- 1. The Brazilians believe that it was Alberto Santos-Dumont who invented the airplane.

?(Ask anyone in Brazil who invented the airplane, and they will say Alberto Santos-Dumont ... )

?-T- 2. In Paul Hoffman's day Alberto Santos-Dumont was the only person to own a flying machine.

?(As Paul Hoffman recounts in his biography Wings of Madness, the eccentric Brazilian was the only person in his day to own a flying machine.)

?-T- 3. According to Hoffman, Alberto Santos-Dumont used his dirigible as a means of transportation.

?(He would keep his dirigible tied to a gas lamp post in front of his Paris apartment at the Champs Elysees, and he would fly to Maxim's for dinner every night and he'd fly to go shopping or to visit friends during the day.)

?-F 4. On November 12, 1906, Santos-Dumont flew a kite-like device with boxy wings some 200 meters on the outskirts of Paris.

?(It was on November 12, 1906, when Santos-Dumont flew a kite-like contraption with boxy wings called the 14-Bis some 220 meters on the outskirts of Paris.)

?-T- 5. Some Brazilians claim that the Wrights launched their Flyer in 1903 with assistance by a device.

?(Brazilians claim that the Wrights launched their Flyer in 1903 with a catapult or at an incline, disqualifying it from being a true airplane.)

?-T- 6. Some experts believe steady wind might have helped the Flyer's takeoff.

?(Even Santos-Dumont experts like Lins de Barros ... , Lins de Barros says that the steady winds at Kitty Hawk were crucial for the Flyer's takeoff, disqualifying the flight because it probably could not lift off on its own.)

?~ F 7. Officials from the US National Air Force say such claims are groundless.

?(Peter Jakab, chairman of the aeronautics division at the US National Air and Space Museum in Washington, says such claims are preposterous.)

?--T 8. The Wrights had already made several successful flights before Santos-Dumont got around to his maiden flight.

?(By the time Santos-Dumont got around to his maiden flight the Wright brothers had already flown numerous times, including one flight in which they flew 39 kilometers.)

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

? 1. By rounding the Eiffel Tower in a motorized dirigible in 1901, Santos-Dumont helped prove that air travel could be controlled. ?Unit 3

?Every ten minutes, one kind of animal, plant or insect (1) dies out for ever. If nothing is done about it, one million species that are alive today will have become (2) extinct twenty years from now.

?The seas are in danger. They are being filled with (3) poison: industrial and nuclear waste, chemical fertilizers and (4) pesticides, sewage. If nothing is done about it, one day soon nothing will be able to (5) live in the seas.

?The tropical rain (6) forests, which are the home of half the earth's living things are (7) being destroyed. If nothing is done about it, they will have (8) nearly disappeared in twenty years. The effect on the world's (9) climate - and on our agriculture and food (10) supplies - will be disastrous.

?(11) Fortunately, somebody is trying to do something about it. In 1961, the (12) World Wildlife Fund was founded - a small group of people who wanted to (13) raise money to save animals and plants (14) from extinction. Today, the World Wildlife Fund is a large

(15) international organization. It has raised over (16) ￡35 million for (17) conservation projects, and has created or given support

to the National Parks in (1 8) five continents. It has helped 30 (19) mammals* and birds - including the tiger - to (20) survive.

?Part 2 Listening for Gist

?Mrs. Bates: Hullo. Is that Reception? .

?Reception: Yes, madam

?Mrs. Bates: This is Mrs. Bates. Room 504. I sent some clothes to the laundry this morning, two of my husband's shirts and three of my blouses. But they're not back yet. You see, we're leaving early tomorrow morning.

?Reception: Just a moment, madam. I'll put you through to the housekeeper.

?Housekeeper: Hullo. Housekeeper.

?Mrs. Bates: Oh, hullo. This is ... I'm phoning from Room 504. It's about some clothes I sent to the laundry this morning. They're not back yet and you see ...

?Housekeeper: They are, madam. You'll find them in your wardrobe. They're in the top drawer on the left.

?Mrs. Bates: Oh, I didn't look in the wardrobe. Thank you very much. Sorry to trouble you.

?Housekeeper: That's quite all right. Goodbye.

?Mrs. Bates: Goodbye.

?Exercise

?Directions: Listen to the dialogue and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide.

?1) This dialogue is about making an inquiry about the laundry.

?2) The key words are reception. laundry. shirts. blouses. wardrobe.

?Section Two Listening Comprehension

? A UN Interpreter

?Interviewer: ... so perhaps you could tell us how exactly you became so proficient at language

?learning, Suzanne.

?Suzanne: Well, I think it all started with a really fortunate accident of birth. You know I was born in Lausanne*, Switzerland; my father was Swiss-French Swiss and my mother was American, so, of course, we spoke both languages at home and I grew up bilingual. Then, of course, I learnt German at school - in Switzerland that's normal. And because I was already fluent in English, my second language at school was Italian. So I had a real head start*!

?Interviewer: So that's ... one, two, three, four - you had learnt four languages by the time you left school? How fluent were you?

?Suzanne: Urn, I was native speaker standard in French and English, but I'd become a bit rusty* in German and my Italian was only school standard. I decided the best option was to study in the UK, and I did Hispanic Studies at university, studying Spanish and Portuguese, with some Italian, and living in Manchester. Then I went to live in Brazil for two years, teaching English.

?Interviewer: So by this time you must have been fluent in six languages?

?Suzanne: Nearly. My Italian wasn't perfect, but I had a boyfriend from Uruguay* while I was there, so my Spanish also became pretty good!

?Interviewer: And then what did you do?

?Suzanne: When I was 25 I came back to Switzerland, went to an interpreters' school and then got a job in the United Nations when I was 28.

?Interviewer: And you've been there ever since?

?Suzanne: Not quite. In the first few months I met Jan, a Czech interpreter, who became my husband. We went to live in Prague in 1987 and that was where I learnt Czech.

?Interviewer: And the eighth language?

?Suzanne: Well, unfortunately the marriage didn't last; I was very upset and I decided to take a long break. I went to Japan on holiday, got a job and stayed for two years, which was when I learnt Japanese.

?Interviewer: That's amazing! And now you're back at the United Nations?

?Suzanne: Yes. Well, I never really left. I carried on doing work for them when I was in Prague - some in Prague, some in Austria and Switzerland, and I took a "sabbatical*" to work in Japan. They need people who can understand Japanese. But, yes, I've been back with them full-time for two years now.

?Interviewer: And your plans for the future?

?Suzanne: I'm going to learn more Oriental languages. It was such a challenge learning Japanese - it's so different from all the others.

So I'll spend another two or three years here with the UN full-time, during which time I hope to get a substantial promotion, then I think I'll go back and learn Korean, or perhaps Chinese, and Thai - I'd love to learn Thai. And then, perhaps an Indian language.

Whatever, I want to be fluent in another three or four languages before 45.

?Directions: Listen to the dialogue and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

?l.T 2.F 3.F 4.F 5.T 6.F 7. T 8. T

9. T 10. F

?The Clyde River

?1) Salmon are very sensitive to environmental conditions and require cool, well-oxygenated water to thrive.

?2) The closure of factories that had poured toxins and other pollutants into the river boosted water quality significantly and modern sewage processing plants helped eliminate some of the foul smells.

?3) The river's depth and navigability helped make Glasgow an important center for importing tobacco, sugar and cotton from the Americas starting in the 1600s.

?4) The mills and factories that lined the Clyde made steel, textiles and chemicals, tanned leather and even produced candy and

brewed alcohol.

?5) When the factories began to close in the second half of the 20th century, working-class Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, gained

a reputation for social deprivation and rough streets.

?Running through one of Britain's biggest manufacturing centers, Glasgow, the Clyde River* was poisoned for more than a century by the fetid* byproducts of industry.

?The waterway bore the brunt of Glasgow's economic success during the Industrial Revolution and beyond, as pollution and chemicals destroyed its fish and wildlife populations and brewed smells whose memory still makes residents wince*. Now, with heavy industry gone and Glasgow reconceived as a center for culture and tourism, the Clyde is coming back to life.

?For the first time since the late 1800s, its native salmon have returned in sizable numbers, reflecting the new cleanliness of a river that was once one of Britain's filthiest.

?The Clyde River Foundation surveyed fish populations last autumn at 69 sites in the Clyde and its tributaries, and found salmon in seven of the nine major tributaries.

?The migratory fish, which vanished from the Clyde around 1880 after a long decline, first reappeared in the 1980s, but last year's survey was the first to show they've come back in healthy numbers.

?Although commercial salmon fishing was never widespread on the Clyde, the fish's return is symbolically important for Glasgow, where salmon were once so important to the city's identity that two are pictured on its official coat of arms.

?The salmon's comeback is also a sign of big improvements to water quality. Like sea trout, which have also reappeared in the Clyde system in recent years, salmon are very sensitive to environmental conditions and require cool, well-oxygenated* water to thrive.

?The decline of Glasgow's main industries helped boost the fortunes of a river that was essentially fishless for decades during the worst periods of pollution.

?The closure of factories that had poured toxins* and other pollutants into the river boosted water quality significantly.

Environmental regulators also lightened dumping rules, and modern sewage processing plants helped eliminate some of the foul* smells that once tainted* the air.

?With worries rising about the environmental impact of enormous fish farms elsewhere in Scotland and severely depleted fish stocks in the North Sea and North Atlantic, the Clyde comeback is a rare bit of good news for Scotland's fish lovers.

?Since the area that is now Glasgow was first settled around the year 550, the Clyde has been central to its history.

?The river's depth and navigability helped make Glasgow an important center for importing tobacco, sugar and cotton from the Americas starting in the 1600s. Later, during the Industrial Revolution that began in the late 1700s, Glasgow became a center of British shipbuilding and one of the country's great manufacturing centers.

?The mills and factories that lined the Clyde made steel, textiles and chemicals, tanned leather and even produced candy and brewed alcohol.

?When the factories began to close in the second half of the 20th century, working-class Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, gained a reputation for social deprivation* and rough streets. More recently, its art museums and nightlife have helped drive an economic comeback that has turned the city into a popular tourist destination.

?Rivers are important to humans because they supply fresh drinking water, serve as home for important fishes, and provide transportation routes.

?Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

?(Refer to Typescript)

?Exercise C Detailed Listening

?Directions: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

?l.A 2. C 3. C 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. B 8. A

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

?1) The Clyde's depth and navigability helped make Glasgow an important center for importing tobacco, sugar and cotton from the

Americas starting in the 1600s. And the city became a center of British shipbuilding and one of the country's great manufacturing centers during the Industrial Revolution. More recently, its art museums and nightlife have helped drive an economic comeback that has turned the city into a popular tourist destination.

?News Item1

?NATO Expansion Seven countries are expected to become members of the Transatlantic Alliance at the Prague Summit: Bulgaria*, Estonia*, Latvia*, Lithuania*, Romania, Slovakia* and Slovenia*. For most people in these countries, formally joining the West represents the fulfillment of lifelong dreams.

?Eastward expansion is not the only issue to be discussed at the Prague Summit. Many people believe the political and military alliance, created after World War II to provide a collective security system for the ten West European countries and the United States and Canada, lost its purpose with the collapse of the Soviet Union - for many years its only threat.

?NATO expansion and its post-Cold War role have been the subject of endless debate on both sides of the Atlantic, especially after the terrorist attacks on the United States.

? A possible war in Iraq is also high on the Prague agenda. Critics in the United States note few of the current candidates for membership have military forces that can contribute significantly to the new form of conflict. Some observers cite the importance of even minimal contributions, such as participating in NATO border defense, surveillance* or peace-keeping operations.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about the NATO eastward expansion and its military contribution.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following passage.

?At the Prague Summit many people believe the political and military alliance, created after World War II to provide a collective security system for the ten West European countries and the United States and Canada, lost its purpose with the collapse of the Soviet Union - for many years its only threat.

?Another item on the Prague agenda is a possible war in Iraq. Critics in the United States note that the new comers have no military forces that can contribute significantly to the new form of conflict. Some observers cite the importance of even minimal contributions, such as participating in NATO border defense. surveillance or peace-keeping operations.

?News Item2

?NATO Summit

?One month and one day before the Prague summit, President Bush met with the NA TO Secretary General George Robertson and praised the alliance. At the time, Mr. Robertson described the Prague meeting as "a transformational summit", perhaps the most important in the history of the alliance.

?It is a transformation that began with the end of the Cold War, and gained momentum with the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States.

?Just days after hijacked planes rammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, NATO voted to invoke its charter and help defend the United States. The Bush administration thanked the alliance, asked for NATO help with surveillance flights over the east coast, and then proceeded to launch a war on terrorism outside the structure of the alliance.

?At the Prague meeting - the first NATO summit since the terrorist attacks on America - the alliance will take up the creation of a rapid deployment force which could be deployed outside Europe. Members will be asked to commit units with specialty skills that can be used in unique situations such as forces trained in dealing with chemical weapons or the special challenges of fighting in rugged* mountains.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about NATO's Prague Summit and its help to the USA.

?Directions: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions.

?1) One month and one day before the Prague summit, President Bush met with the NA TO Secretary General.

?2) When meeting with President Bush, the NATO Secretary General described the Prague summit as "a transformational summit", perhaps the most important in the history of the alliance.

?3) Because just days after September 11 th terrorist attacks, NATO voted to invoke its charter and help defend the United States. ?4) They are the skills that can deal with chemical weapons or fight in rugged mountains and the like.

?News Item3 Putin-Bush Summit

?Presidents Bush and Putin ended their talks with a joint statement in which they said Iraq must comply with UN demands to disarm or face major consequences.

?They stressed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein must comply fully and unconditionally with the latest Security Council disarmament resolution, and they expressed concern about the proliferation* of weapons of mass destruction.

?Russia backed the UN resolution as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council.

?But Moscow does not support the use of force against Iraq.

?At the end of their meeting in an 18th-century castle near the St. Petersburg airport, Mr. Putin said he still hopes diplomatic pressure will produce results. And he urged President Bush to continue to work through the UN.

?Their statement on Iraq bears a striking resemblance to the language approved by the 19 NA TO member countries at the Prague summit. Mr. Bush told reporters that it is important to assure Russia that it has nothing to fear from NATO expansion.

?Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.

?This news item is about the talks between the US president and the Russian president.

?l. .F 2. T 3. T 4.F 5. T

?Section Four Supplementary Exercises

?Part 1Feature Report

?Bush’s Arrival in Europe

?Air Force One touched down on a cool, rainy summer's night at a military base outside London. Mr. Bush said nothing to reporters during the more than seven-hour flight from Washington, and he left the air base without making any remarks.

?But before he left the White House, the president said he will stand firm on his positions on global warming and missile defense.

They are issues that have divided America and its European allies. And the prospects for a quick resolution are as gloomy as the skies that greeted his arrival on European soil.

?These are issues sure to be discussed at length on the sidelines of the Genoa* summit meeting. The leaders of the world's seven largest industrialized countries plus Russia have put the plight* of the world's poorest nations at the top of their formal agenda. But no one expects to avoid the controversies

?generated by President Bush's opposition to the Kyoto* climate treaty, and his plan to develop a missile defense system.

?In an interview with foreign journalists prior to his departure for London, Mr. Bush talked about the dispute over the Kyoto protocol.

He said some leaders have been more sympathetic to his view than others. And he said he will seek to reassure critics that the United States is seeking viable* alternatives to the agreement, which calls for mandatory* controls on emissions of certain gases, such as carbon dioxide.

?His talks Thursday with British Prime Minister Tony Blair could provide a clue of what lies ahead. The two will meet at Chequers, Mr. Blair's official residence in the British countryside. A spokesman for the Prime Minister indicates on global warming and missile defense the two leaders may simply agree to disagree.

?It will be a serene* spot for a meeting. All indications at the reception awaiting the G-8 summit participants in Genoa will be quite the opposite.

?About a hundred thousand protestors are expected and elaborate security measures are in place in the Italian port city. President Bush says he can't quite understand what motivates the demonstrators. In his interview with foreign reporters, he said their aggressive protest tactics do more harm than good. He added their anti-trade stance* would lock people into* poverty.

?This news report is about the attitudes of President Bush and the US government towards the issues of global warming and missile defense.

?Mr. Bush arrived in London for a short visit before the G-8 summit in Genoa.

?But before he left the White House, the president said he will stand firm on his positions on global warming and missile defense, the issues that have divided America and its European allies and are sure to be discussed at length at the Genoa summit meeting.

?The leaders of the world's seven largest industrialized countries plus Russia have put the plight of the world's poorest nations at the

1QJ2 of their formal agenda. But no one expects to avoid the controversies generated by President Bush's opposition to the Kyoto climate treaty; and his plan to develop a missile defense system.

?Mr. Bush defended his stance by saying that the United States is seeking viable alternatives to the agreement, which calls for mandatory controls on emissions of certain gases, such as carbon dioxide.

?About a hundred thousand protestors are expected and elaborate security measures are in place in the Italian port city.

?Part 2 Passage

?Corn Plastics

?1) The sugar is fermented and distilled to extract the carbon, a basic building block for commercial-grade plastics and fibers.

?2) Perhaps the greatest appeal of corn plastics is their green credentials. They go back to nature in 40 days.

?3) The biggest demand for corn plastics has been outside the United States, where packing components are developed for many products exported to America.

?4) Corn-based plates are about 5 percent more expensive than traditional plastic, and the cups can be 25 percent more costly.

?5) A billion pounds of PLA can be harvested annually within a decade, w hich would mean 10 percent of America’s corn supply would be into plastics and fiber.s

?Corn plastic are being developed by Cargill Dpw LLC at its plant outside Blair,where refined corn suger is converted into a substance called polyactide or PLA . . The sugar is fermented* and distilled* to extract the carbon, a basic building block for commercial-grade plastics and fibers.

?PLA, in pellets* the size of 0.46 centimeters in diameter, is being pressed into packaging for food, plastic wrap, foam and dinner ware. It is spun into fabrics at plants in North Carolina, Hong Kong and several cities in Japan, and marketed under the Ingeo* brand of clothing and blankets. Cargill Dow, a joint venture between privately held food giant Cargill Inc. and Dow Chemical Co., says Ingeo means "ingredients from the Earth".

?DuPont Co. is in the early stages of developing a similar product, but it still includes some petroleum. The company is part of a consortium* that received US$19 million from the US Department of Energy to develop a way to turn com stocks, stems and leaves into a polymer* from which plastic can be made.

?Perhaps the greatest appeal of com plastics is their green credentials. It takes about a month for plastic bags made from com to degrade in a compost. A similar oil-based plastic bag could take centuries to decompose.

?Coca~Cola Co. used 500,000 cups made from com plastics at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City last year. Instead of creating a large trash problem, used cups were simply composted and quickly turned into dirt.

?"The product performed beautifully. They go back to nature in 40 days," said Frederic Scheer, president of Los Angeles-based Biocorp North America, which supplied the cups.

?The biggest demand for com plastics has been outside the United States, including China's Taiwan island, where packing components are developed for many products exported to America. Taiwan bans petroleum-based plastic shopping bags and disposable plastic tableware. Electronics giant Sony Corp was involved in the early development of com plastics and has wrapped its mini discs in a com-based film made by Cargill Dow for two years. Cargill Dow also reached an agreement with Taiwan-based Wei Mon Industry to distribute com-plastic packaging materials.

?IPER, one of Italy's largest supermarket chains, has been working with the natural-based packaging from Cargill Dow for nearly a year for film containers and heat-sealable film overlays.

?The com-based plastic is more costly now. Biocorp North America*'s com-based plates are about 5 percent more expensive than traditional plastic, and the cups can be 25 percent more costly. But Scheer said the price will decline as production goes up with demand - which he expects to see within five years. That could amount to a highly productive and new use of America's com supply, which is so abundant that it is widely converted into com-based sweeteners and animal feed.

?Cargill Dow believes a billion pounds of PLA can be harvested annually within a decade. That would mean 10 percent of America's com supply would be converted into plastics and fibers.

? A. Pre-listening Question

?Com starch is used primarily as a thickener. Sweeteners generated in the com-refining process are used as sugar substitutes. Refined com oil is used as cooking oil and producers of margarine, salad dressings, shortening, mayonnaise and other foods. The second

major refined corn product is ethanol, which is gaining increasing acceptance as a cleaner burning option for motor fuels. The latest development in this field is the making of corn-based bio-chemical products like corn plastic and fiber.

? B.. Sentence Dictation

?Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times. ,1'

?Exercise C Detailed Listening

?1) Corn plastics are being developed by Cargill Dow LLC at its plant outside Blair.

?2) The substance is called polylactide or PLA.

?3) "Ingeo" is a brand of plastic fabrics made from corn sugar and it means "ingredients from the Earth".

?4) It takes about a month for plastic bags made from corn to degrade in a compost. A similar oil-based plastic bag could take centuries to decompose.

?5) Coca-Cola Co. used 500,000 cups made from corn plastics at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

?6) Many corn-plastic products are mentioned, such as cups and plates, shopping bags, packing components and packaging materials, film containers and heat-sealable film overlays.

?7) Probably because the production is still low now and the price will decline as production goes up with demand - possibly within five years.

?8) Cargill Dow believes a billion pounds of PLA can be harvested annually within a decade.

?Exercise D After-listening Discussion

?1) Frederic Scheer said the price will decline as production goes up with demand - which he

?expects to see within five years. That could amount to a highly productive and new use of America's corn supply, which is so abundant that it is widely converted into corn-based sweeteners and animal feed.

?Unit 4 Stephen Powelson ‘s Amazing Memory

?When Stephen Powelson was nine, his school organized a (1) weekly contest in memorizing passages from the Bible. Stephen paid

(2) no attention until he was chided* for (3) not competing. The next Sunday he surprised everyone by (4) reciting all the passages

for the (5) entire year.

?As a teenager in prep school*, Stephen took Greek. His teacher (6) assigned 21 lines of the Iliad* to be memorized (7) in a week. At the end of the hour - though he (8) insisted he paid full attention to the (9) lecture - Stephen knew all 21. He went on to memorize the first (10) 100 lines.

?In 1978, for the first time (11) since college, Powelson, now 60, had some (12) spare time. To keep his mind active, he reread the Iliad and (13) discovered that he still knew the first 100 lines (14) by heart.

?That someone could memorize so much between ages 60 and 70 is (15) astonishing to most people, who are (16) convinced that memory (17) worsens as we grow older.

?Powelson's method is to (18) read a book into his tape recorder, then read it several more times, making sure he understands (19) each word. "Also," he says, "I attempt to (20) visualize myself as part of the action."

?Woman: Surgery.

?Stone: Good afternoon. My name's Frank Stone. I want to make an appointment to see Dr Milton please.

?Woman: Yes, of course, Mr Stone. May I have your address please?

?Stone: 118 Hill Road, London, S.E.18.

?Woman: Yes, we have you ?on the records. Can you manage this afternoon at 5:30?

?Stone: I'm afraid not. I can manage tomorrow.

?Woman: I'm afraid Dr Milton's not on duty tomorrow. He'll be here the day after. That's Thursday, March 27th.

?Stone: Fine.

?Woman: Will 5:30 be all right?

?Stone: Well, yes, but I'd prefer a later time so I can come along after work.

?Woman: Then what about 6: 15?

?Stone: Well, that's fine. Thank you. Goodbye.

?Woman: Goodbye.