Unit 1
The Umbrella Man (Part One)
I'm going to tell you about a funny thing that happened to my mother and me yesterday evening. Yesterday afternoon, my mother took me to London to see the dentist. After that, we went to a cafe. When we came out of the cafe, it was raining. "We must get a taxi," my mother said. Lots of them came by, but they all had passengers inside them.
Just then a man came up to us. He was a small man and he was probably seventy or more. He said to my mother politely, "Excuse me." He was under an umbrella which he held high over his head.
"Yes?" my mother said, very cool and distant.
"I wonder if I could ask a small favour of you," he said. I saw my mother looking at him suspiciously. She is a suspicious person, my mother. The little man was saying, "I need some help."
My mother was staring down at him along the full length of her nose. I wanted to say to her, "Oh mummy, he's a very old man, and he's polite, and he's in some sort of trouble, so be nice to him." But I didn't say anything.
"I've never forgotten it before," he said.
"You've never forgotten what?" my mother asked.
"My wallet," he said. "I must've left it in my other jacket."
"Are you asking me to give you money?" my mother said.
"No, I'm offering you this umbrella to protect you and to keep, if you would give me a pound for my taxi fare just to get me home."
"Why don't you walk home?" my mother asked.
"Oh, I don't think I could manage it. I've gone too far already."
The idea of getting an umbrella to shelter was very attractive.
"It's a lovely silk umbrella," the little man said. "Why don't you take it, madam? It cost me over twenty pounds, but that isn't important because I want to get home."
"I don't think it's quite right that I should take an umbrella from you worth twenty pounds. I think I'd better just give you the taxi fare."
"No, no, no!" he cried. "I would never accept money from you like that! Take the umbrella, dear lady, and keep the rain off your shoulders."
She took out a pound and gave it to the little man. He took it and gave her the umbrella. He said, "Thank you, madam, thank you." Then he was gone.
Questions:
1. Why did the mother stay very cool and distant when she was offered an umbrella?
2. What was the first reaction of the narrator when the old gentleman asked her mother for help?
3. What was the first reaction of the mother when the old gentleman asked a small favour of her?
4. Why did the old gentleman just ask for one pound for such an expensive silk umbrella?
5. What made the mother change her mind and agree to exchange the silk umbrella for just one pound?
The Umbrella Man (Part Two)
"Come under here and keep dry, darling," my mother said. "Aren't we lucky! I've never had a silk umbrella before." "Why were you so unpleasant to him?" I asked.
"I wanted to be sure he was a gentleman. I'm very pleased I was able to help him."
"There he goes," I said. "Over there. He's crossing the street. He's in a hurry."
We watched the little man. When he reached the other side of the street, he turned left, walking very fast.
"He doesn't look very tired, does he, mummy? He doesn't look as if he's trying to get a taxi, either."
My mother was standing very still. "He's up to something. Come with me." We crossed the street together. It was raining very hard now, but we were under the silk umbrella.
"He said he was too tired to walk and now he's almost running."
"He's disappeared!" I cried. "Where's he gone?"
"He went in that door!" It was a pub. The room we were looking into was full of people and cigarette smoke, and our little man was in the middle of it all, without his hat and coat, and moving towards the bar. When he reached it, he spoke to the barman. The barman gave him a drink. The little man gave him a pound. The barman didn't give him any change. The little man drank it in one go.
"That's a very expensive drink," I said.
He was smiling now. He went to where his hat and coat were. He put on his hat. He put on his coat. Then very quickly, he took from the rack one of the many wet umbrellas, and left.
"Did you see that!" my mother shouted.
"Sssh!" I whispered. "He's coming out."
He didn't see us. He opened his new umbrella and went down the road. We followed him back to the main street where we met him first, and we watched as he exchanged his new umbrella for another pound. This time it was with a tall, thin man who didn't even have a hat or a coat. When it was over he went off again, this time in the opposite direction.
"He never goes into the same pub twice," my mother said. "I expect he's always hoping for a rainy day." Questions:
1. Why was the mother so unpleasant to the old man at first?
2. What made the narrator and her mother believe that the old man was not telling the truth?
3. What can be concluded about the silk umbrella that the old man sold?
4. What can be inferred about the old gentleman?
A Stranger on the Internet
I was first introduced to the Internet when I was thirteen. While in real life I was a very shy and "bookish" girl, on the Internet I was a completely different person. I found myself able to talk to everyone online, and send e-mails saying things no one in my position would even dare think of in real life. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it had something to do with no one being able to see my unattractive face.
Within just a few months I became active in writers' circles. I even created my own young writers' club and through that made writer friends of all ages.
I remember the day I first met Jack in a chat room. I'm not exactly sure how we got to talking but we did, and after that there was no stopping us. One thing that perked his interest considerably was my mention that my favorite author was John Durante.
We talked about John Durante for an hour and there was a lot to talk about as John was a sort of "unconventional" writer who by his very nature invited discussion. His books were classified "young adult" but both Jack and I agreed that a person of any age could read them. Also, we both liked the unhappy endings that were present in many of the books. As Jack said, it was just more realistic that way. The good guy didn't always win. I added that John was brave to be such a non-conformist. For some reason Jack found this amusing.
We were both very talkative. We drifted from one topic to another: writing, books, publishers, the unreliability of free e-mail services, and the weather. In the end, when my mother told me to log off and get to bed, we exchanged e-mail addresses.
The e-mails continued for about six months after that. Jack and I had a lot in common: a dry sarcastic sense of humor, a love of books and writing and practical jokes, the same hair color, the same favorite food ... It's amazing, though, how little we really knew about each other. I don't think we ever bothered to ask for each other's full names even. He was Jack. I was Alice. Nothing more. I never knew his age, either. I estimated through his e-mails that he was a youngish adult, college-age maybe, and I think he could tell that I was a teenager, but neither of us mentioned it. None of these issues ever seemed to crop up. So many things were left unasked, and while I knew so much about him, I never really knew who he was.
Jack was the one who suggested the meeting, and at first I balked. Not because I was afraid he was a serial killer or something, but because I had never met any of my keypals
offline and I didn't know how to act. But Jack could be gently persuasive, and I found myself agreeing to meet him in Central Park after school.
I was a bit nervous, and I told him that. He understood. "It's okay," he reassured me. "The meeting will go fine. I'll ride my motorcycle from Worcester to Manhattan and you just walk." He asked me if I had a distinctive piece of clothing. I answered yes, a red silk windbreaker. He told me to wear it at the meeting so he could recognize me.
I can just see myself now: a nervous little girl, fidgeting in her black skirt and crimson jacket, the wind playing with her long dark hair. Sitting on the park bench, waiting for The Moment to arrive.
The motorcycle pulled up and a tall and rather handsome dark-haired man was about to get off. He looked vaguely familiar, but just then a crazy Toyota ran straight into his motor and him. "Jack!" I screamed. Instantly the whole world of mine was overwhelmed by the flames.
Questions
1. What kind of person was the narrator in real life?
2. What kind of person was the narrator online?
3. What was the event that drew the two strangers together?
4. What kind of person was Jack according to the narrator?
5. Which of the following words can be used to describe the ending of the story?
Unit 3
A Letter from Sunderland
As I exited from the Sunderland train station, fear began to set in. I had just finished a six-hour plane journey followed by more than four hours on a train, and now I was supposed to find my way to my residence hall with a heavy suitcase. I was alone in a strange country and getting a little scared.
At the moment, a cab miraculously appeared before my eyes. The driver swiftly put my luggage in the trunk and asked where I was going. I somehow managed to mumble the address I had been given and we were quickly on our way. I think he asked me where I was from, but his accent was thick and hard to understand. I could have told him that my name was "The United States."
Soon my uneasiness subsided and I realized where I was, England. Before now, it had seemed a distant dream. Back in the US, the University of Maine had offered me a scholarship and I had made the decision to spend a semester in the United Kingdom last year and the University of Sunderland was my school of choice.
Not only did they have a journalism program, but they would accept my scholarship, making it affordable for me to go. Although I was psyched to leave, I hadn't prepared myself mentally for it when I actually got here.
England is a great place. So far everyone has been really friendly and helpful, and there are so many things to do and see here. Although some things are similar to the United States, there are some interesting cultural differences.
Little things that the locals take for granted seem so strange and foreign to me. It was a few days before I got used to looking right before crossing the street or saying football instead of soccer. Prompts for me to "get in the queue" were met with a blank stare before I realized I was being told to get in line. As fate would have it, I was put into a residence hall with mostly other Americans. There were also some students in the hall from Canada, Norway, Denmark and England. We bonded quickly and soon held a party together.
The first week here was a whirlwind of trying to complete necessary administrative details like registering with the university, getting a library card and finding the nearest pub. Good news, there's one right around the corner!
Classes start on Monday, and I'm ready for them to begin. My only apprehension is that the professors or lecturers will have such thick accents that I won't be able to understand them. The accents here have very thick Scottish influences to them, so some of the locals are a bit hard to understand.
One of the things I am most excited about while being here is traveling to other parts of the United Kingdom and Europe. The Center for International Education at the University of Sunderland has many day trips for international students planned. Unlike the US, it's fairly easy to travel in England. The rail system can take you pretty much anywhere you want to go. I can already tell that being here is going to be the experience of a lifetime. Although the decision to go so far away wasn't an easy one, I'm glad to be here and can't wait for the semester ahead.
Questions:
1. How did the speaker travel to the University of Sunderland?
2. What would the speaker become after graduation?
3. Which of the following is NOT true?
4. Why did the speaker choose the University of Sunderland as her place of study?
5. What was the speaker's feeling at the end of the story?
MIT
This is Bill White with the "VOA Special English Education Report".
Today, in week twenty-six of our "Foreign Student Series", we tell about an American university that is famous for training scientists. That is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known as MIT. It is in the northeast, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston.
MIT has more than 900 professors and nearly 10,000 students. It is organized into schools of study. One is the School of Architecture and Planning. Two others are the schools of Engineering and Science. MIT also has a School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. And it has the Sloan School of Management and a College of Health Sciences and Technology.
MIT is difficult to get into. Almost 11,000 students wanted to study in its undergraduate programs in 2002. The school offered admission to just 16 percent of them. More than 16,000 other students applied for graduate school at MIT. Twenty-one percent of them received admission.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has close to 3,000 foreign students. They come from more than 100 countries. Most are graduate students. China sends the largest number of foreign students to MIT. 335 Chinese students are studying there. More than 180 students are from India, and about the same number are from South Korea. France and Britain each sent more than 100 students to MIT this year.
Most of the foreign students at MIT study engineering. Others study business, the sciences, mathematics, architecture, writing and political science.
The cost to attend MIT for one year is almost $40,000. That includes classes, housing, food and books. The university does offer financial aid. Detailed information about aid for foreign undergraduates can be found on the university's Web site. The address is https://www.doczj.com/doc/fc16081114.html,. Individual departments decide on financial aid for international graduate students. Such aid is normally in the form of a job as a research or teaching assistant. Again, the Web site is https://www.doczj.com/doc/fc16081114.html,. And at the Special English Web site you can find the other programs in our series for students who want to study in America. That address is https://www.doczj.com/doc/fc16081114.html,.
This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.
Questions:
1. What is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology famous for?
2. Why is MIT difficult to get into?
3. How many Chinese students are currently studying in MIT?
4. Where can detailed information about financial aid be found?
5. What can be inferred about MIT?
Unit 4
Laughter: The Best Medicine
The following is an interview by a TV hostess with Dr. Lee Berk of the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California.
W: We've all heard the saying "Laughter is the best medicine." How important is it to our health, Dr. Berk?
M: This saying has been scientifically proven! According to our research, laughter strengthens the immune system and lowers the levels of stress hormones ...
W: Can you be more specific?
M: Well, after a bout of laughter, blood pressure drops to a lower, healthier level than when the laughter began. Dr. William Fry of StanfordUniversity found that "twenty seconds of guffawing gives the heart the same workout as three minutes of hard rowing."
W: What else?
M: Another year-long study of heart attack victims done at the Oakhurst Health Research Institute in California found that of those patients who spent half an hour a day watching comedy videos, 10 percent had a second heart attack, whereas 30 percent of those who did not watch had a second attack.
W: Wow! Laughter is really a good medicine to patients. Can you give us another example?
M: Sure! Norman Cousins, editor of the "Saturday Review", learned this during a battle with a debilitating illness. He discovered that his condition improved when he enjoyed himself and watched funny movies. Laughing, he wrote, is like inner jogging. It helps us heal by activating the immune system. Many sick people have taken his advice and incorporated humor into their recovery regimen by watching comedies or reading collections of jokes.
W: You said Norman learned this? Do we have to learn to laugh?
M: Not necessarily. Since laughing is something people can do sitting down, costs no money, and requires no special exercise equipment or skill, it's the perfect workout for anyone who doesn't have the time or desire to participate in a regular fitness program.
W: Oh, I see. Do you have such a program to offer to the general public?
M: Yes, we do. It's called the Smile Time-Out.
W: How does it work?
M: It's easy. You take a deep breath, smile, exhale, and say "Aaah" while visualizing all your muscles and cells smiling.
Then add to that a memory of a time you felt really good and laughed and laughed.
W: What about the situation in which you aren't in a mood to laugh?
M: OK, remember, even when you fake a smile or laugh, you get the same physiological benefits as when it's the real thing, because your mind is smart, but your body is stupid and can't tell the difference!
W: Great! Ha, ha, ha ...! I've learned it! And thank you for joining us to talk about laughing.
M: My pleasure.
Questions:
1. Who is the man?
2. What will happen to a person after a bout of laughter?
3. Why is laughter considered to be the perfect workout for all people?
4. Why would it be good for us to fake a smile or laugh sometimes?
July 4th Celebration
Next Wednesday is the 4th of July, America's Independence Day. Americans celebrate the anniversary of their declaration of independence from Britain in 1776. Each year Americans hold parties to celebrate the 4th of July. They fly American flags, sing patriotic songs and light fireworks. It might surprise you to learn that America's Independence Day also is celebrated in Denmark. Shirley Griface explains:
From the middle 1880s until 1900, one of every ten people in Denmark moved to the United States. They were poor farmers seeking a new economy and a better life. Most settled in America's Middle West. In 1912 these immigrants created an organization called the Danish-American Society. It bought land back home in Denmark, near the city of Alban, about 250 kilometers northwest of Copenhagen. The Society gave the land to Denmark on the condition that America's Independence Day would be celebrated there every year. Denmark's ruler of that time King Christian agreed. He established a national park on the land. He said the park would represent the friendship between the two nations. That is why America's Independence Day has been celebrated at IbillNational Park and in the city of Alban ever since.
Over the years hundreds of thousands of visitors have joined with games in the celebration at IbillPark. American and Danish flags fly side by side. People eat American and Danish food. They listen to speeches. Speakers in the past have included former presidents George Bush and Ronald Regan, and actor Denny Kay. Celebrations in nearby Alban extend over a few days. Events include concerts and shows. This year the United States Air Force Band will take part in the celebration. The final event of the 4th of July celebration in Alban is the same as in the United States: fireworks. Then the nation of Denmark ends its celebration of America's Independence Day until next year.
Questions:
1. What do Americans celebrate on July 4th?
2. When did the U.S. win their independence from Britain?
3. What is the Danish-American Society?
4. Which of the following is NOT included as an event of the celebration?
Laughing, Good for Our Soul
Fred's job is to train emergency medical technicians, and he's certainly the kind of person we'd like to meet in an ambulance. We call him a "jollytologist," because he's got a great sense of humor and laughs easily and heartily. He's got a huge heart, and even strangers are drawn to him.
We couldn't help noticing this about Fred when he visited us last summer along with Mary's brother and sister-in-law and two of her sisters. This group sprinkled good cheer all over New York as they toured the city in what seemed to be a state of constant delight. They were great guests and good teachers of the spiritual practice of laughing.
In our work, the ability to put a positive face forward is a major asset for those who come in contact with people during an emergency. A smile or a chuckle may be just what someone in dire straits needs. Laughter takes the edge off our troubles. It offers a distraction and sometimes even relief from pain and grief.
The 19th-century English novelist William Thackeray once noted, "A good laugh is sunshine in a house." Try to set aside time each day to tickle your funny bone. Doing so is good for your mind, body and soul. Sometimes before speaking in public, we'll make faces at ourselves in a mirror - monster faces, silly faces. This relaxes us and our audience as well.
At home, we have a collection of clowns that have been with us for more than 30 years. They remind us to be playful as they reflect our foibles back to us. We especially love the sculpture of a clown on a tightrope desperately trying to keep his balance. Seeing it gives us pleasure, especially in the face of so much pain, madness and injustice in the world around us. Karl, a preacher in our community, said: "Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God." Keep that in mind the next time you find yourself chuckling in a church meeting. Laughter is as sacred as music, stained-glass windows or silence.
Like prayer, laughter binds people together and tears down the walls that separate us from each other. When it is not coming out of the ego's need for power, judgment or pride, laughter can be a healing medicine - like the mercy of God.
In closing, we offer this quote from a professor of religion. We think it's a beautiful summary of this spiritual practice: "The first and last words belong to God and therefore not to death but life, not to sorrow but joy, not to weeping but laughter. Surely it is God who has the last laugh."
Questions
1. Why was Fred called a "jollytologist?"
2. What did Fred do last summer?
3. Which of the following is NOT a beneficial effect of laughter according to the passage?
4. Why do people sometimes make faces at themselves in a mirror before speaking in public?
5. Why did the speaker keep a collection of clowns for over 30 years at home?
Unit 5
Hog Farm
Nestled among the redwood forests and high rolling hills of northern California's Mendocino County is the nearly 300-hectare plot of land, which 30 or so Hog Farm family members call home.
There are no hogs at the Hog Farm Commune as there were back in 1965 when the group coalesced on a mountaintop farm in New Mexico. But the guiding principles of the Hog Farm are still service and sharing. Members have their own jobs and bank accounts, but most expenses are shared much as they were during the hippie heyday of the 1960s.
Jahanara Romney, who helped start the commune with her husband Wavy Gravy back in 1964, says that communal living has always been her preferred way of life.
"I remember when I was a kid, that, um, somebody down the block had a, a motorized lawnmower that you sat in and steered. And it was a big deal and one person had it and it was 'Would they loan it?' and, and everybody wanted one and I thought why don't we just get one for the neighbourhood, you know, our grass doesn't grow that fast. We could share it. And, um, I remember the response was that I was saying something really weird and I kind of went
'whoops!' Ha, ha … I did something wrong here. But it's always made sense to me."
The Hog Farm was one of many ad hoc social experiments of the 1960s that emphasized group cooperation over competition, and "people over profits," as one contemporary slogan put it.
Hog Farmer Richie Shirley was one of many who left his traditional workaday job and joined the psychedelic culture then blossoming in the East Village of New York City. That is where he met his future Hog Farm "brothers and sisters."
"To me, it was like a birth of, um, uh, my life as a cultural person, you know, that then in the sense that history was being made at that, that moment and we could, we could all affect it in some way, you know, to protest the war, trying to prevent violence from happening around you, you know? And, uh, by, by just, by just being kind of a nice person if you could, you know, walking down the street and saying 'Hello,' meeting in the park, sharing food and pass(ing) a bottle of wine around or whatever, you know, and I think I got a little radical understanding of, of things."
Yet as Dr. Sharon Palton points out, communal living isn't exactly unique. "This is an old lifestyle, you know. Uh, I think it's very common all over the world to the people that can stand to live in a pile with a bunch of other people, it's very enriching spiritually and, and in the heart, you know, there is a part of us that, um, doesn't like to be lonely sometimes, you know, and so knowing each other through all those years, uh, it kind of ... has a richness. The Hog Farm is a many ... multi-colorful thing. I don't know, I think of it as my extended family."
Questions
1. What is the Hog Farm?
2. How many members are there in the Hog Farm family?
3. What are the guiding principles of the Hog Farm?
4. What did Dr. Sharon Palton think of the Hog Farm?
How to Deal with Difficult Roommates
It is considered lucky to have a helpful and understanding roommate, but not all of us are blessed. Imagine, you do all the cleaning by yourself and still have to endure all the bad habits of your roommate, who is inconsiderate of your feelings and emotions. However, things can be changed by following a few simple rules. They would not make the two of you absolutely compatible, but would be effective enough to avoid any kind of frictions. The two of you can transform from being fighting buddies to loving friends!
Set the rules
Remember, it is never too late to set the rules in the room. This prevents the other person from behaving badly and also gives him/her a clear knowledge of boundaries. Also, let the other person know that the place is essential for the two of you and that no third person, especially those of the opposite sex, is allowed in the room. If your roommate violates the rules, call in the landlord to intervene and sort out the matter.
Make a chart
House chores are often the roots for fights in the dorm and the life becomes much easier when the chores are divided. But few people really understand this. So consult your roommate and make a daily chore chart, from doing the cleaning to washing the dishes. Distribute all the chores equally and follow what is written in the chart. This would avoid any clashes, as each person would know what his/her work is for the day.
Set up a schedule
It is extremely important to have schedules for you and your roommate. This would avoid clashes and help both of you understand each other better. Setting up a flexible schedule also helps in cases when both the roommates are of extreme nature, that is, one likes social life and the other prefers isolation. For instance, before your roommate brings in a friend, let you be informed in advance.
Respect each other's schedules
The two of you should respect each other's schedules. For instance, if you and your roommate have different working hours, understand the other person's need for sleep or relaxation, when you might be up and in mood for fun. This would strengthen your bond and would help make the two of you compatible. Do not make noise or make the other person feel uncomfortable.
Sit down and talk
It is said communication solves all problems. Instead of showing aggressive behavior or passing rude comments, resort to talking to each other. Just by discussing the problem, you might be able to get rid of it. Just talk to each other amiably and discuss ways to avoid problems in the future.
Questions
1. What is the passage mainly about?
2. What is the first tip concerning rules?
3. Why does the speaker suggest making a chart?
4. Why does the speaker suggest setting up a schedule?
5. What is the right attitude toward your roommate according to the passage?
Unit 7
Did We Land on the Moon?
Last week my phone rang. It was my mother and she was very upset.
"Tony!" she exclaimed, "I just came from the coffee shop and there's a guy down there who says NASA never landed on the Moon. Everyone was talking about it ... I ... I just didn't know what to say!"
That last bit was hard to swallow, I thought. Mom's never at a loss for words.
But even more incredible was the controversy that swirled through the small town and places like it across the country. After a long absence, the "Moon Hoax" was back.
All the debates about the Moon landing began on Thursday, February 15, 2001 when the Fox Television network aired a program called "Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?" It was re-aired on March 19. The program was hosted by "X-Files" actor Mitch Pileggi.
The program was an hour long, and featured interviews with a series of people who believe that NASA faked the Apollo Moon landings in the 1960s and 1970s. The biggest voice in this is Bill Kaysing, who claims to have all sorts of hoax evidence, including pictures taken by the astronauts, engineering details, discussions of physics and even some testimony by astronauts themselves. The program's conclusion was that the whole thing was faked in the Nevada desert. According to them, NASA technology in the 1960s did not have the technical capability of going to the Moon. Instead, anxious to win the Space Race any way it could, NASA acted out the Apollo program in movie studios. Neil Armstrong's historic first steps on another world, the Moon vehicle and the American flag -- it was all a fake!
Fortunately the Soviets didn't think it was a hoax. Otherwise, they could have filmed their own fake Moon landings and really embarrassed the free world.
According to the show, NASA was a blundering movie producer thirty years ago. The hoax believers pointed out a lot of discrepancies in Apollo imagery. For example, pictures of astronauts transmitted from the Moon don't include stars in the dark lunar sky -- an obvious production error! What happened? Did NASA film-makers forget to turn on the constellations?
Here's another one. Pictures of Apollo astronauts erecting a US flag on the Moon show the flag bending and waving. How can that be? After all, there's no breeze on the Moon ...
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." These immortal words were spoken
when American astronaut Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon in 1969. Or did he? Questions:
1. Why was the speaker's mother at a loss for words at the beginning?
2. When did the Fox TV network air the program for the second time?
3. What was the theme of the program that the Fox TV network aired in 2001?
4. Why did NASA fake the Moon landings in the 1960s and 1970s according to the passage?
5. What was the speaker's attitude toward the hoax incident?
US Carmakers Make Progress
... I'm Henry Beatle with "Your Money".
For decades many people have insisted that they wouldn't buy an American car or light truck simply because they believe European and Asian vehicles were better made. "Consumer Reports Annual Auto" issue says the US carmakers have been making tremendous progress over the past five years in improving the quality of their products and in reducing the number of things that will go wrong with them.
David Champion is the director of auto-testing for the magazine. He says the American automakers now feel vehicles (that) are as reliable on average during the first year as those from European manufacturers. In fact, Champion says the Europeans have made smaller
improvements and haven't kept up with the strides being made by carmakers in the US and Asia. A "Consumer Reports" survey finds American and European models now average 21 problems per hundred vehicles during the first year compared to 12 problems per hundred for Asian models.
With CNN radio "Your Money". I'm Henry Beatle.
Questions:
1. What's the main topic of this news report?
2. In which area has progress been made by the US carmakers?
3. Who is David Champion?
4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the talk?
Unit 8
Renovator of Lives
Sitting at her desk not long ago, Betty Hines ripped open a letter marked personal and started to read. "You may not remember me. I graduated in 1985," it began. Hines glanced at the signature, and her mind filled with memories of Jose Mendez and her first days at a Detroit high school. She had done battle with Mendez almost from the beginning, dogging the frequently truant junior to shape up. It was the same challenge she had faced with so many students.
In 1984 Hines came to Southwestern High School as the new principal of an old facility. The windows rattled in the wind. The roofs leaked. Every room seemed to need repair.
Worse, students roamed the halls, some wearing gang colors. Classrooms stood partially empty due to truancy and a 38-percent dropout rate. After first surveying the school, Hines returned to her office, pulled out a writing pad and began writing. "We can't teach them if they're not here. We can't get them here if we don't offer training they can
use. Once here, we must provide a safe, clean, caring environment." Hines, who grew up in Detroit's tough government housing projects, didn't just want to redecorate a school. She wanted to renovate the lives of her students.
Hines first organized parent, student and teacher groups to improve the site. It took four years, but every window was eventually replaced, and repairs were made to the damaged areas.
She also tackled the attendance problem, marked by the regular absence of nearly 30 percent of the students. She initiated incentive programs, including internships with local businesses, and she guaranteed to teach employable skills to all those who maintained a certain grade level. Today, attendance is at 90 percent.
When Hines realized that the majority of students getting scholarship assistance for post-secondary education were athletes, she started banging on corporate doors and applying for grants. Since 1988 scholarship awards totaling nearly $9 million have gone to her graduating seniors, the majority for academic achievement.
In the earliest days, however, there were few incentives for kids to stick with school. To get them back, she sometimes drove through the community to confront them.
She hounded a gang member in just this way. One afternoon she went to the boy's home to see if he was doing his schoolwork, only to find he wasn't there. Without a second thought, she drove through every street. When she spotted him "hanging" with his buddies, she pulled up. "Get in the car," she said calmly.
"No way," he said.
"Get in, or I'll drag you in," insisted Hines. Unwillingly, the boy complied, and Hines took him home to his mother where the three talked for more than an hour. Afterward, the boy slowly began to improve. He still required constant supervision, but the principal never flinched.
The night he graduated, he caught Hines completely off guard. He took his diploma, then embraced her. He buried his head on her shoulder, sobbing without shame as his classmates erupted in cheers.
During her tenure at Southwestern, Betty Hines has built a teaching staff that mirrors her beliefs about renovating the lives of students who have been worn down or broken. Hines explains, "There's something in every young person that can be cultivated into greatness."
Questions:
1. What was the challenge that Hines faced when she first became a principal?
2. What was the first step in her renovation of the school?
3. How did Hines tackle the problem of truancy?
4. Why did the boy embrace Hines, sobbing without shame when he graduated?
5. What can be inferred about Hines?
unit1 Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. He was born on Feb. 1) 17, 2) 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He is 3) 1.98 meters tall and weighs 4) 216 pounds. Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls team for the 5) 1984 season. In the 6) 1986 season he shot 7) 3041 points, the 8) third highest score ever. He was named NBA Slam Dunk Champion (扣篮冠军) in 9) 1987 and won the Most Valuable Player Award in 10) 1988, an honor repeated 11) four times in the next 12) ten years to 13) 1998. Jordan guided his team to win 14) six NBA championships during the 15) 1990s, scoring 16) 45 points during the 17) sixth and last game of the 18) 1998 NBA finals. In 19) 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century. Jordan left the NBA at the beginning of the 1993-1994 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball. Since his baseball game wasn’t quite as good as his basketball games, he finally gave it up to rejoin the Bulls in 1995. Yet, after playing for 20) five more years, he once again announced his retirement in 21) 1999. But he returned for two more NBA games in 22) 2001 as a member of the Washington Wizards. Part B Pre-listening Task Exercise 1 d b Exercise 2 Listen again and write down answers to the following questions. 1. Why is Laura so keen on sports? Because she wants to enjoy good health. She also wants to stay in shape and look good. 2. What sports do Peter and Laura go in for? Both Peter and Laura like cycling and swimming. Laura also plays tennis regularly. Part c d c d c b unit 2 Part A 1. Yes 2.No 3.Yes 4.No 5.Yes 6.No 7.No 8.No Part B Text Exercise 1: 1. ...for a while 2. ...plans for this Saturday
新视野大学英语视听说教程第二版4级答案（全新版本） Unit1 enjoy your feelings
II C B D A D Listening In Task 1 what a clumsy man! Keys: A C D C B Task 2 causes of depression Keys: (1)families (2)chemicals (3)information (4) certain (5)self-esteen (6)thinking patterns (7)mood (8)divorce (9)physical abuse (10)financial difficulties (11)stress (12)anxiety Task 3 happiness index Keys: B D A A C
Let’s Talk Keys: (1) shy (2) crying (3)scared (4) came down (5) fun (6) nice (7) two step (8) argue (9) touch (10) bad time (11) speak (12) comfortable (13) brother (14) adults (15) children (16) secondary (17) growing (18) learn Further Listening and Speaking Task 1: Big John is coming! (S1) owner (S2) running (S3) drop (S4) run (S5) local (S6) yelling, (S7) lives!” (S8) As he’s picking himself up, he sees a large man, almost seven feet tall. (S9) The bartender nervously hands the big man a beer, hands shaking. (S10) “I got to get out of town! Don’t you hear Big John is coming?”Task 2 Reason and emotion Key : A B C C D Task 3 Every cloud has a silver lining Key : T F F T F
全新版大学英语听说教程答案第三册 UINT1 Part B Text 1 Exercise 1: 1. c 2. a 3.b Exercise 2: 1. She suggested that her husband spend more time with his mother. She said to her husband, "Life is too short, you need to spend time with the people you love. You probably won't believe me, but I know you love her and I think that if the two of you spend more time together , it will make us closer." 2. 1) ...she was waiting by the door with her coat on and she had her hair curled. 2) She had told her lady friends about this. Text 2 Exercise 1: 1. c 2. d 3. d Exercise 2: 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F Part C 1. b 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. d PART D My First Job My parents ran a small restaurant. It was open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. My first job was shining shoes for customers when I was six years old. My duties increased as I grew older. By age ten I was clearing tables and washing plates. My father made it clear that I had to meet certain standards. I had to be on time, hard-working and polite to the customers. I was never paid for any work I did. One day I made the mistake of telling Dad I thought he should give me ten pounds a week. He said, "OK, then how about you paying me for the three meals a day when you eat here and for the times you bring your friends here for free drinks?" He figured I owed him about 40 pounds a week. This taught me quite a lot. Unit 2 Part B Text 1
Unit 5 test Next Part I Script Directions: Listen to the short dialogs, and then choose the correct answers to the questions. You will hear the recording twice. After the first playing, there will be time for you to choose the correct answers. Use the second playing to check your answers. @ (Listen to the audio recording for the question.) 1. A. The man wants to leave, and the woman tries to keep him. B. The woman wants to leave, and the man tries to keep her. @ C. The woman wants the man to leave, and the man wants to stay. D. The man wants the woman to leave, and the woman wants to stay. 2.(Listen to the audio recording for the question.) , A. The man is employed by a head-hunting company. B. The man works in the same company as the woman. C. The man will take the offer. } D. The man is offering a job to the woman. 3.(Listen to the audio recording for the question.) ] A. Changing her job. B. Transferring to an important position. C. Staying at the company and gather experience. < D. Going back to school to learn more knowledge. 4.(Listen to the audio recording for the question.) ^ A. His new job is very satisfying.
全新版大学英语听说教程答案第三册 Part B Text 1 Exercise 1: 1. c 2. a 3.b Exercise 2: 1. She suggested that her husband spend more time with his mother. She said to her husband, "Life is too short, but you need to spend time with the people you love. You probably won't believe me, but I know you love her and I think that if the two of you spend more time together , it will make us closer." 2. 1) ...she was waiting by the door with her coat on and she had her hair curled. 2) She had told her lady friends about this. Text 2 Exercise 1: 1. c 2. d 3. d Exercise 2: 1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F Part C 1. b 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. d PART D My First Job My parents ran a small restaurant. It was open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. My first job was shining shoes for customers when I was six years old. My duties increased as I grew older. By age ten I was clearing tables and washing plates. My father made it clear that I had to meet certain standards. I had to be on time, hard-working and polite to the customers. I was never paid for any work I did. One day I made the mistake of telling Dad I thought he should give me ten pounds a week. He said, "OK, then how about you paying me for the three meals a day when you eat here and for the times you bring your friends here for free drinks?" He figured I owed him about 40 pounds a week. This taught me quite a lot. Unit 2 Part B Text 1 Exercise 1: 1. b 2. a 3. d 4. c Exercise 2: 1984 / son / medical school / tuition / afford it / realize / newspaper ads / extra business / advertisement / succeeded / agent / changed / phone call / put aside / doing / immediately / familiar / father-in-law's / visited / his father-in-law alive / coincidence. Text 2 Exercise 1: 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F 5. F
最新版新视野大学英语视听说教程第二版4答案（全新版本）Unit 1 enjoy your feelings! II C B D A D l Listening In Task 1 what a clumsy man! Keys: A C D C B Task 2 causes of depression Keys: (1)families (2)chemicals (3)information (4) certain (5)self-esteen (6)thinking patterns (7)mood (8)divorce (9)physical abuse (10)financial difficulties (11)stress (12)anxiety Task 3 happiness index Keys: B D A A C l Let’s Talk Keys: (1) shy (2) crying (3)scared (4) came down (5) fun (6) nice (7) two step (8) argue (9) touch (10) bad time (11) speak (12) comfortable (13) brother (14) adults (15) children (16) secondary (17) growing (18) learn l Further Listening and Speaking Task 1: Big John is coming!
(S1) owner (S2) running (S3) drop (S4) run (S5) local (S6) yelling, (S7) lives!” (S8) As he’s picking himself up, he sees a large man, almost seven feet tall. (S9) The bartender nervously hands the big man a beer, hands shaking. (S10) “I got to get out of town! Don’t you hear Big John is coming?”Task 2 Reason and emotion Key : A B C C D Task 3 Every cloud has a silver lining Key : T F F T F l Viewing and speaking Key ：(1) seven (2) 150 (3) favorite (4) bridge (5) 111 (6) fast (7) simple (8) trusted (9) stupid (10) did (11) No way (12) ultimate (13) limits (14) skywards (15)&60 (16)cheap Unit tset 1.C D B C D 2. (1)over (2) companionship (3) lover (4) definition (5 scarce (6) diar
Unit 1 Parents Passage 1 Ex. 1 1-3 c a b Ex. 2 1. her husband spend more time with his mother. // Life is too short, you need to spend time with the people you love, You probably won’t believe me, but I know you love her and I think that if the two of you spend more time together, it will make us closer. 2. 1) she was waiting by the door with her coat on and she had her hair curled. 2) She had told her lady friends about this. Passage 2 Ex. 1 1-3 c d d Ex. 2 1. took// out to dinner// neighborhood 2. nicer than he expected. 3. A couple of times. 4. the importance of slowing down//his marriage Part C 1-5 b c b d d
Unit 2 Coincidence Passage 1 Ex 1 1-4 b a d c Ex 2 1984 // son // medical school // tuition // afford it // realize // newspaper ads // extra business // advertisement //succeeded // agent // changed // phone call // put aside // doing // immediately familiar // his father-in-law’s // visited // father-in-law // alive //coincidence Passage 2 1. The house was decorated exactly the same as Mr. Stewart remembered it 2. Mr. Stewart happened to be in the house when a postman came to deliver a letter to his father-in-law who had died 15 years ago. 3. The old postman had called in sick that day, and the postman who came in his place was not familiar with the neighborhood. Other wise the letter would have been returned to its sender. Ex. 2 1. He was intrigued. 2. A bank statement. 3. His father-in-law had put an amount of money in the bank for his grandchildren’s education.
大学英语（第二版）听说教程 听力原文 Test 1 Part A Directions: You are going to hear eight short conversations between two speakers. Each will be read only once. After each conversation, a question will be asked about what you have heard. Listen once and choose the right answer to the question you hear. (8 points) 1.M: You like music, don’t you, Sally W: Yes. Classical and light music. But now what you hear everywhere is only noisy music. I can’t stand it. Q: What does the woman mean 2.W: I think I’ll wear my red blouse to the party tonight. M: Why don’t you wear the blue one I think you look in better in it. Q: What does the man mean 3.W: How do you like the pie you’ve had M: Never have I had such a delicious pie. Q: What does the man mean 4.W: Oh, Peter. I’m hungry. I can’t walk any further. M: How about getting something to eat in the restaurant just round the corner by the parking lot Q: Where are the two speakers 5.W: Nice day, isn’t it Want to join us for a swim M: Would you mind waiting for a minute while I get prepared Q: What does the woman mean 6.W: Hi, Tony. Haven’t seen you for some time. How have you been M: I have a car accident last week, but only some minor injuries. Q: What happened to Tony 7.W: Maggie, could you forward this mail to Professor Wang M: Sorry, Phil. My computer has broken down. But I’ll do it as soon as I have it fixed. Q: What does the woman mean 8.W: I’ve been under the weather for quite a few days. I thought my cold was going away. But it seems to get worse now. M: You’ve been complaining too much. Why didn’t you make an appointment with the doctor earlier Q: What does the man mean Part B Directions: You’ll hear two conversations. Each will be read once. Listen carefully and choose the right answers to the questions you hear. (7 points) Conversation 1 Alan: Are you going to the football game today, Betty Betty: No, Alan. But I’ll be watching it on television with some friends. Alan: Weren’t you able to get any tickets Betty: I didn’t try. I really don’t go to games so often. Alan: But don’t you enjoy going Don’t you find it exciting to be part of the crowd Betty: Oh, that’s for sure. Nothing beats the atmosphere at a sporting event: the cheering, all that energy. But sometimes it’s just too inconvenient getting into and out of the
听说教程的参考答案 Unit1 part C: 1) most difficult the words he doesn’t know focus on the general idea 2) focus on the general idea carefully 3) main idea details Part D 1—5 DCBDB Unit 2 1) T 2) F the frowning students remembered the angry article better 3) T 4) F the specialists still don’t know why facial expressions help money Part D 1---3 DCD Unit 3 part C: busy lives 2) six to fifteen 3) reading 4) remain current 5) revise and update Part D : 1---3: ACA Unit 4 Part C: 1) he calls because he can’t attend Laura’s party 2) Some of his friends are coming from Scotland to see him 3) He will take his friends out to dinner 4) She says that Simon can drop in later with his friends Part D : 1---5 BDDCA Unit 5 Part D : 1---4: BDBA Unit 6 Part D : 1---5: ACBDD Unit 7 Part D : 1---3: DCB Unit 8 Part D : 1---3: BCB Test 1: 1—5: ACCBD 6---8：DBD 9---12：ACBD 13----15：BCD 16) language 17) acquire 18) success 19) throughout 20) radio 21) concerts 22) succeed 23) Listening is basically the understanding of words and the relationship between sentences 24) This is impossible even when we listen in our own language
新视野大学英语听说教程 答案 The Standardization Office was revised on the afternoon of December 13, 2020
新视野大学英语4听说教程答案 Unit One Warming Up F T NG Listening Understanding Short Conversations 1~5 A C B B D 6~10 B A C C D Understanding a Long Conversation 1~5 A B A C B Understanding a Passage 1~5 A A D B C Undenstanding a Radio Program 1 married in ’s Cathedral 2 was a guest at the wedding ceremory 3 wore a hat with flowers at the wedding 4 is remmembered as having been naughty 5 was one of the designers of the wedding dress Culture Talk T F F T Listening and Speaking 1 They have high status. 2 They get the attentions of the public. 3 Using their fame to make money. Homework Supplementary Listening Task 1 1~5 D A B B A Task 2 1~5 C A B B A Task 3 1、shortage 2、assigned 3、centered 4、hospitalization 5、treatment 6、colleague 7、decentralized 8、There’re nurse-managers instead of head-nurses 9、decidea among themselves who will work what to do and when 10、an equal with other wise presidents of the hospital Unit Two Warming Up 1、Her new book 2、Original 3、Use your own words to complete it,this question has no correct answers. Listening Understanding Short Conversations 1~5 D D D C B 6~10 A A B C D Understanding a Long Conversation 1~5 D A B B A
全新版大学英语（第二版）听说教程4参考答案 Unit 1 Part B 1. What is One World? A radio or TV program. 2. What is the topic of the program? Birthday celebrations around the world. 3. What do Shaheen Hag and Pat Cane do? They run a weekly column in the Toronto Daily Star. 4. Why don’t some people in India celebrate their birthdays? Because they can’t afford the cost. 5. Why is the eighteenth birthday so important in Finland? Because eighteen is the age when one is accepted as an adult with the right to vote, buy wines and drive a car. 6. Why can girls in some countries get to vote at an earlier age than boys? Because girls are considered to be more mature than boys of the same age. 7. Which of the countries mentioned in the conversation are Muslim countries? Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, and Senegal. 1. The program is broadcast in Canada every day.( F ) 2. People everywhere in the world celebrate their birthdays.( F ) 3. Many Muslims do not celebrate their birthdays for religious reasons.( T ) 4. In England, the twenty-first birthday is very important, which is unusual in the West.( F ) 5. The twenty-first birthday is very important in Japan. ( F ) 6. In Norway, young men and women usually get married before 30 to avoid having pepper thrown at them.( F ) 7. Eighteen is a very lucky number in Japan.( F ) 8. It can be concluded that our world is made more colorful by the many different ways birthdays are observed in different countries.( T ) Part C 1) unique 2) globe 3) simultaneously 4) terrorist 5) remembrance 6) appropriate 7) sharing. 8) The material can be submitted to the project organizers in Scotland 9) It will allow a voice to all people regardless of nationality, religion, race, political viewpoint, gender or age. 10) Contributors will be invited to attend the first public performance of the film in their respective countries Unit 2 Part B d c b a a 1 Non-smokers seem to have won the battle because smoking is banned
新视野大学英语视听说教程2(第二版)答案(带unit test) Unit1 Listening skills BBDCA Listening in Task1 FTFTF Listening in Task2 BBDAC Listening in Task3 classical，peaceful，relaxing，Jazz，sadness，heavy metal，energy，sporting events，physical labor，road accidents Let's talk Task 1 Good Morning to All，success，musical talents，without，second part，replaced，legal action，real owners Further listening and speaking Task 1
special，joke，talent，proud，loud，joy，honesty，dancer，talk，wondered，capture，fan Task2 BAADC Task 3 TFTTT Unit 1 test 1-5 CCDCB 1.favorite band ， 2.Not anymore ， 3.no longer ， 4.a big fan ， 5.collected ， 6.the ones ， 7.Going crazy ， 8.Maybe to you ， 9.pressure ，10.fall in love ，11.get it ，12.from time to time ，13.Go on ，14.music video 1-5BCDDA 1-5CDABA 6-10 CDCBC Unit2 Listening skills: Making inferences ADBCB Listening in > Task 1
大学英语听说教程课件 英语听说选材贴近学生生活与社会现实，都是学生喜闻乐见的内容，形式新、巧、奇，图文并茂，为学生创造了一个宽松、适宜、创新的英语学习环境。 大学英语听说教程课件 摘要：根据大学英语视听说课程的特色，设计本课程的教学方法。以这些教学方法为基础，实现"视""听""说"三位一体的教学，以此达到切实提高学生的听说能力的教学目标。 关键词：视听说课程教学方法设计三位一体教学 英语专业的视听说课程可以说是历史悠久，而大学英语的教学一直以来都集中于综合英语的教学，用于听力和口语教学的时间少之又少。近年来许多高校都尝试在大学英语教学中把综合英语课程和听说课程分开，进行分科教学。分科教学既有利于老师对所教课程深入研究、充分准备和灵活讲授，也更有利于老师因材施教，有的放矢地组织教学，充分调动学生英语学习的积极性。[1]我校每周大学英语课时为六节，进行分科教学后综合英语更改为每周五节，视听说课程教学为每周一节，也就是说两周才安排一次为时两节课即九十分钟的教学时间，一个学期除掉假期、学生实习和考试时间，真正意义上上课的时间为每学期六次即540分钟。如何在如此短的时间内，在学生基础比较薄弱的情况下（相对于英语专业的学生而言）切实提高学生的英语听说能力，这是所有视听说课教师为之头痛而亟待解决的问题。如何
设计视听说课堂教学，实现“视”“听”“说”三位一体教学，切实提高学生的英语听说能力便成为视听说课程教学的重中之重。 一、何为视听说课程 英语视听说是一门特殊的英语技能综合课程。其特殊性体现在输入手段的多样化，即“视”、“听”、“说”并举；“听说领先，重在应用”。该课程发挥和利用现代的科技手段，在教学活动中充分体现出视听课教学的现代性，把传统的听力课与口语课相脱节的教学发展成为视、听、说相结合、实用性强、视听内容丰富的综合课堂。教学目的是结合相关主题，进行主题讨论，通过收听英语对话，观看英语录像，为学生提供一个仿真的语言环境，并根据培养英语应用技能的要求，提高和加强学生以听说为主的英语综合应用能力，彻底消灭“聋子加哑巴”英语的怪现象。 二、视听说课程特色 英语视听说课程与以往的听力和口语分开教学不同，它有自己的独特之处。第一、多媒体性。英语视听说课程教学是在多媒体的辅助下进行的。多媒体环境下视听英语教学模式是以计算机多媒体环境为视听条件、以英语主题教学内容为视听教学任务、以英语语言教学情景为视听教学手段、以教师与学生互动为视听教学方法，为学生提供真切的语言环境和广泛的语言素材，使其活动、行为、思维和表述都在由多媒体所提供的特定语言环境中进行的教学。[2]二、网络性。网络的飞速发展给英语教学带来了丰富的视听说资源。教师可以借助网上的音频、视频进行视听说课程教学。教师可以选取网络上直观的视频