英语专四模拟题听写答案

269

TV Ratings

Children in the United States watch from one to five hours of television every day. / That’s a lot of television! / Teachers and parents don’t like a lot of the children’s television programs. / They think a lot of these programs are not suitable for children. / For this reason, every television program in America has a rating. / The ratings tell parents about the program. / Parents can check the ratings in the newspaper and this gives parents a choice. / TV-G programs are suitable for all ages, and families watch them together. / TV-Y programs are suit- able for children 2-6, and they don’t frighten children. / TV-PG programs are suitable for some children, but they can frighten children. / Some parents watch these programs with their children. / Then, they can answer their children’s questions. / TV-14 programs are suitable for children 14 and older. / TV-MA programs are for adults, 17 and older. / They are not suitable for children. /

268

The Functions of the Family

The family fulfills a number of roles, / such as providing education and recreational activities. / Yet there are several major functions performed by the family. / First, unlike the young of animals, / human infants need constant care and economic security. / In all cultures, the family assumes ultimate responsibility for the protection of children. / Second, parents monitor a child's behavior / and transmit the values and language of a Culture to the child. / Third, ideally, the family provides members with warm and intimate relationships / and helps them to feel satisfied and secure. / Unlike other institutions, the family is obliged to serve the emotional needs of its members. / Finally, family resources affect children's ability to pursue certain opportunities / such as higher education and specialized study. / It is apparent, then, that the family has been assigned / at least four vital functions within human societies. /

267 Stress

As the pace of life continues to increase, / we are fast losing the art of relaxation. / Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, / it is hard to slow down. / But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body. / Stress is a natural part of everyday life. / In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. / A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation. / It is only when the stress gets out of control / that it can lead to poor performance. / The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individ- ual. / Some people are not afraid of stress, / others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. / Since we cannot remove stress from our lives, / we need to find ways to deal with it. /

266

Laws

Before laws were written, there was no sure way / of knowing what was permitted and what was forbid- den. / One judge might apply one set of rules to a case / while another judge might apply completely different rules to a similar case. / It all depended on the personal judgment of one person. /

Today we follow the custom of recording our laws. / Rules passed by our lawmakers are printed and avail- able for everyone to see. / Unless laws are publicly available, / we do not regard them as binding. /

Each of us is subject to many different sets of laws. / Some laws say what is permitted, such as how fast you may drive. / Other laws say what is required, such as paying a federal income tax. /

Still other laws say what is prohibited, such as smoking in elevators. / In the United States, federal laws apply to everyone / and state laws apply to activities within each state. /

265

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is one of the most truly American holidays in the United States/and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country. / In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, sailed to America on the May Flower, /seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. /After a two-month tempestuous voyage they landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the icy November. / During their first winter, over half of the settlers died of starvation or epidemics. / Those who survived began sowing in the first spring. / All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety, /knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony/depended on the coming harvest. / Finally the fields produced a rich yield beyond expectations. /And therefore it was decided/that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. / Years later, a President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year. / The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today.

264

The Father and His Sons

A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves. / When he failed to heal their disputes, / he determined to give them a practical illustration of disunion; /and for this purpose he told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. /When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, /and ordered them to break it in pieces. /They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it. /He next opened the faggot,/took the sticks separately, one by one,/and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. /He then addressed them in these words: /

"My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other,/you will be as this faggot, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; / but if you are divided among yourselves,/you will be broken as easily as these sticks."

263

Sleep

Sleep is part of a person's daily activity cycle. / There are several different stages of sleep, and they too occur in cycles. / If you are an average sleeper, your sleep cycle is as follows. /When you first drift off into sleep, your eyes will roll about a bit, your temperature will drop slightly, / your muscles will relax, and your breathing will slow and become quite regular. / Your brain waves slow down a bit, too, /with a rhythm of rather fast waves predominating for the first few minutes. / This is called Stage 1 sleep. / For the next half hour or so, as you relax more and more, / you will drift down through Stage 2 and Stage 3 sleep. / The lower your stage of sleep, the slower your brain waves will be. / Then about 40 to 69 minutes after you lose consciousness / you will have reached the deepest sleep of all. / Your brain will show the large slow waves. / This is Stage 4 sleep.

262

Social and Physical Distance

Social distance may affect how openly employees speak about their work. /People of the same rank may talk frankly to one another about how things are going. / However, they may be less

honest with someone higher up in the hierarchy / for fear of prejudicing their position in the company. / For this reason employees often alter the facts to tell the boss what he or she wants to hear. / One way of reducing social distance is to cut clown the ways / in which employees can indicate higher status. / Physical distance can affect how well people communicate. / The farther away one person is from another, the less often they communicate. / Some research has shown that when the distance is more than 10 meters, / the probability of communicating at least once a week is only 8%. / The most important thing for all managers to remember / is that communication is a two-way process. / They should encourage their employees to ask questions/and to react to what the managers are saying.

261

The Historical Significance of American Revolution

The American Revolution represents the link between the seventeenth century, / in which modern England became conscious of itself, / and the awakening of modern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. / It may seem strange that the march of history should have had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, / but only in the North American colonies could a straggle for civic liberty/lead also to the foundation of a new nation. / Here, in the popular rising against a "tyrannical" government, / the fruits were more than the securing of a freer constitution. /They included the growth of a nation horn in liberty by the will of the people, / not from the roots of common descent, / a geographic entity, or the ambitions of king or dynasty. / With the American nation, /for the first time, a nation was born, /not in the dim past of history/but before the eyes of the whole world.

260

Salt

We do not know when man first began to use salt, /but we do know that it has been used in many different ways. / Historical evidence shows that people who lived over 3,000 years ago ate salted fish. / Thousands of years ago in Egypt, / salt was used to embalm the dead. / Stealing salt was considered a major crime during some eras of history. / In the 18th century', if a person was caught stealing salt, / he could be put in jail. / Salt was an important item on the table of royalty. / It was traditionally placed in front of the King when he sat down to eat. / In the early days in the U. S., salt was very scarce. / So the storekeeper of pioneer days was very careful with his salt. / in the modern world salt has many uses beyond the dining table. / It is used in making glass and airplane parts, /growing crops and killing weeds.

259

There are very often strong opinions expressed about what makes a good wine. /At a simple level, a good wine is one that you enjoy drinking. /But why do you prefer one wine to another? /To judge a wine there are three basic senses that have to be employed: /the sense of sight, the sense of smell, and the sense of taste. /Of these three, taste is by far the most complex, but sight and smell are powerful. /The wrong colour or the wrong smell enables a wine to be discarded /without taste even being involved. /Having examined the wine, /you can now get on and drink it. /But try and remember your conclusions, /for it is only by building up your own personal taste bank memory /that you can progress as a wine taster. /It is not difficult, and it is great fun. Cheers!

258

American Wedding Customs

Wedding days are often considered the most important day of many people's lives. /For this mason alone, throughout the past and into modern day,/numerous customs and superstitions have developed around the wedding event,/in hopes of creating "The Perfect Day". /A very common custom still honored today /is in reference to a time-old saying: /something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, /and a silver sixpence inside your shoe. /So old is this that tracing it back to its origination is nearly impossible. /The "old" is believed to be the friends and family attending the wedding. /The "new" is represented by the couple themselves, as a "new" union. /The "borrowed" is something from the families that is to be returned. /Something "blue" is interpreted to represent the bride's virginity. /The sixpence can be any form of money, tucked into the bride's shoe, /this to bring wealth to the union, both in monetary means and love.

257

Opportunity

Opportunities don't come often. /They come every once in a while. Very often, they come quietly and go by without being noticed. /Therefore, it's advisable that you should value and treat them with care. /When an opportunity comes, /it brings a promise but never realizes it on its own. /If you intend to fulfill one of your ambitions, you must work hard. /Otherwise, you will take no advantage of opportunities when they visit you. /The difference between a successful man and one who is not lies only in their way of treating opportunities. /The successful person always makes adequate preparations to meet opportunities. /The loser, on the other hand, works little and just waits to see them pass by. / There are plenty of opportunities for everyone in our society, /but only those who are prepared adequately and qualified highly / can make use of them to achieve their purpose. /Chance favors the minds that are prepared.

256

Television

Television, although not essential, has become an important part of most people's lives. / It alters people's ways of seeing the world; / in many ways, it supports and sustains modern life. / Television has become a baby-sitter, an introducer of conversations, / the major transmitter of culture, a keeper of tradition. / Yet what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed. / It becomes evident that television is not a reader but a sustainer; / the poor quality of programmers does not elevate people into greater understanding, / but rather maintains and encourages the life as it exists. / The primary reason for the lack of quality in American television/is related to both the history of TV program development and the economics of TV. /The close relationship which the advertisers had with radio programs/ became the system for American TV. / Sponsors not only paid money for time within programs, /but many actually produced the programs.

255

Self-concept

The self-concept is a complex structure./This complexity is illustrated by the idea of multiple selves./We seem to be a different person in each of many different situations./An example may clarify this concept. First, picture yourself at an athletic event. / Now, contrast this image with one of yourselves taking a final exam. /Finally, imagine yourself at work on a very busy day./You should probably describe yourself differently in each setting./Which image is really you? Of course, all are./We have multiple selves, each dependent on a context. Together they form our

self-concept./It is the context that makes certain aspects of our self-concept more important at a particular moment./ Self-concept is composed of our beliefs, values, and attitudes./Our beliefs give our self-concepts their substance,/our values give them aspirations and standards,/and our attitudes give them motivation./These three elements provide a structure in which we develop and build ourselves.

254

Hemingway

American writer Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois. / He started his career as a writer in a newspaper office at the age of seventeen./During the 1920s, Hemingway became a member of the group Americans living in Paris,/ which he described in his first important work, The Sun Also Rises. / Equally successful was A Farewell To Arms, / the study of an American ambulance officer's disillusionment in the war and his role as a deserter./Hemingway used his experience as a reporter/during the Civil War in Spain as the background for his most ambitious novel,/For Whom the Belt Tolls. /Among his later works, the most outstanding is the short novel / The Old Man and The Sea,/the story of an old fisherman's journey,/his long and lonely struggle with a fish and the sea,/and his victory in defeat./Now Hemingway is the classic symbol of bravery, or strong man.

253

Global Text Project

Books are a high cost of higher education./But the Global Text Project hopes to create a free library of one thousand electronic textbooks / for students in developing countries./ The aim is to offer subjects that students may take in their first few years at a university./The books could be printed or read on a computer/or copied onto a CD or DVD./The Global Text Project is a new technology,/the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit on the Internet./But only one or two people will be able to make the final edits in texts./The project includes a committee of scholars,/mostly from developing countries,/to advice on required textbooks and their content./The group's first book on information systems is being tested in Indonesia. / Project organizers also want to offer textbooks in Arabic, Chinese and Spanish./ They are working with a translation company in the United States.

252

Christmas Day

Christmas Day, the 25th of December,/is the biggest festival celebrated in the Christian countries of the world./ Although everyone enjoys Christmas Day, it is particularly enjoyed by children,/who get very excited bemuse of the presents they know they are going to receive./Small children believe that their presents are brought by Father Christmas./Father Christmas is a kind of old man who, / the children are told, lives at the North Pole. / He travels through the sky on a sleigh which is pulled by deer and loaded with presents./Stopping on the roof of houses, he enters by climbing the chimney./When small children go to bed on Christmas Eve,/they hang a stocking at the end of their beds./Their parents warn them not to try to look at Father Christmas,/or he will not leave them anything./When they wake, they find their stockings filled with presents./Children are very excited on Christmas morning and always wake up early. 251

Guilty or Not Guilty

Many attempts have been made in the past to assess the effects of alcohol on road safety./For

several reasons this is a complicated problem./It is hard to establish that the accused driver had been drinking,/and if so, how much./ Even when there is no doubt about this, / there still remains the task of proving that the accident was in fact / due to the alcoholic state of the driver./In Great Britain, it's particularly difficult to make any precise assessment of the effect of alcohol / on the rate of traffic accidents./Because the police, when reporting an accident,/are most reluctant to say that they suspect the driver of being under the influence of alcohol / unless they charge him with being drunk./They are also aware that, even when the driver is charged with being drunk,/he stands an excellent chance of being released / if he chooses to appear for trial before a judge and jury.

250

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills enable you to communicate and to build personal, social and work relationships with others. These skills enable you to own your own thoughts and feelings and to express these in words and actions, that is, in verbal and nonverbal communication and listening signals that form a connection with the other person.

The qualities that identify an effective interpersonal communicator are openness to others, considerateness with others, supportiveness, positiveness and equality. People with these qualities acknowledge and are responsive to others. Skills in decision-making and problem solving are combined interpersonal skills to relate to others in a way that is satisfying to both. The challenge is to extend and develop your interpersonal skills further. The rewards are the opportunity to communicate effectively, to set goals and plan in a way that meets and extends your abilities while maintaining a balance in your interpersonal relationships with friends, co-workers and family.

249

Opportunity

Opportunities don't come often. They come every once in a while. Very often, they come quietly and go by without being noticed. Therefore, it's advisable that you should value and treat them with care.

When an opportunity comes, it brings a promise but never realizes it on its own. If you intend to fulfill one of your ambitions, you must work hard. Otherwise, you will take no advantage of opportunities when they visit you.

The difference between a successful man and one who does not lies only in the way treating opportunities. The successful person always makes adequate preparations to meet opportunities. The loser, on the other hand, works little and just waits to see them pass by.

There are plenty of opportunities for everyone in our society, but only those who are prepared adequately and qualified highly can make use of them to achieve their purpose. Chance favors the minds that are prepared.

248

Culture Shock

"Culture shock" occurs as a result of total immersion in a new culture. It happens to "people who have been suddenly transplanted".' Newcomers may be anxious because they. do not speak the language, know the customs, or understand people's behavior in daily life. The visitor finds that "yes" may not mean "yes", that "friendliness" may not mean friendship, or that statements that appear to be serious are really intended jokes. The foreigner may be unsure as to when to

shake hands or embrace, when to initiate conversations, or how to approach a stranger. The notion of "culture shock" helps explain feelings of bewilderment and disorientation. Language problems do not account for all the frustrations that people feel. When one is deprived of everything that was once familiar, difficulties in coping with the new society may arise. When an individual enters a strange culture, he or she is like a fish out of water. That's the effect of culture shock.

247

Capital Punishment

Capital punishment, or death penalty, is legal action of death as a penalty for violating criminal law. For most of recorded history, capital punishment was available to every government for especially serious crimes and often for a great variety of less serious offenses. Despite its practice of long standing, the current trend in most industrialized nations has been to first stop executing prisoners and then to substitute long terms of imprisonment for death as the most severe of all criminal penalties.

Capital punishment is a highly controversial and hotly contested issue with many groups and prominent individuals participating in the debate. Arguments for and against it are based on practical, moral and emotional approaches. Many public opinion polls indicate that capital punishment enjoys significant support, while opponents question whether a high level of support actually exists for the death penalty. They note that public-approval ratings of capital punishment decline when the alternative punishment is a life imprisonment.

246

Hemingway

American writer, Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois. He started his career as a writer in a newspaper office at the age of seventeen. During the 1920s, Hemingway became a member of the group Americans living in Paris, which he described in his first important work, The Sun Also Rises. Equally successful was A Farewell To Arms, the study of an American ambulance officer's disillusionment in the war and his role as a deserter. Hemingway used his experience as a reporter during the Civil War in Spain as the background for his most ambitious novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls. Among his later works, the most outstanding is the short novel The Old Man and The Sea, the story of an old fisherman's journey, his long and lonely struggle with a fish and the sea, and his victory in defeat. Now Hemingway is the classic symbol of bravery, or strong man. 245

Guilty or Not Guilty

Many attempts have been made in the past to assess the effects of alcohol on road safety. For several reasons this is a complicated problem. It is hard to establish that the accused driver had been drinking and, if so, how much. Even when there is no doubt about this, there still remains the task of proving that the accident was in fact due to the alcoholic state of the driver. In Groat Britain it's particularly difficult to make any precise assessment of the effect of alcohol on the rate of traffic accidents. Because the police, when reporting an accident, are most reluctant to say that they suspect the driver of being under the influence of alcohol unless they charge him with being drunk. They are also aware that, even when the driver is charged with being drank, he stands an excellent chance of being released if he chooses to appear for trial before a judge and jury.

244

American Characteristics

Individualism, independence, and self-reliance are perhaps the most distinctive American characteristics. American "individualism" is considered a good thing, and is regarded as a good quality; it does not mean being selfish. Each person is expected to make decisions for himself about all aspects of life. The nuclear family is an important aspect of American society, but usually has much less influence on the behavior of any individual in it than is generally true in Eastern countries. Children are encouraged from an early age to be self-reliant. Parents provide advice and assistance, especially when their children are young, but the importance of the individual is stressed. This is reflected in American expression such as "You are the master of your own fate." Americans assume a greater responsibility for the decisions they make and the actions they take. This principle applies to all aspects of life, including the family, social relations, finance, business, law and medicine.

243

Serf-Concept

The self-concept is a complex structure. This complexity is illustrated by the idea of multiple selves. We seem to be a different person in each of many different situations. An example may clarify this concept. First, picture yourself at an athletic event. Now, contrast this image with one of yourselves taking a final exam. Finally, imagine yourself at work on a very busy day. You should probably describe yourself differently in each setting. Which image is really you? Of course, all are. We have multiple selves, each dependent on a context. Together they form our self-concept. It is the context that makes certain aspects of our serf-concept more important at a particular moment. Self-concept is composed of our beliefs, values, and attitudes. Our beliefs give our self-concepts their substance, our values give them aspirations and standards, and our attitudes give them motivation. These three elements provide a structure in which we develop and build ourselves.

242

Oxford

Oxford is an exceptionally old university town, on the River Thames, about 60 miles from London. Unlike modern university towns, where you usually find the universities on the edge of the town, or on its own campus, Oxford's center is the universities; and all around the crossroads at the very heart of Oxford, there are gray stone Colleges and other university buildings. In the center you can also find interesting old pubs and paved passages. Like all English towns, there are parks, and one "the Parks", is the leafy home of university cricket in the summer months. As you leave the center and go towards the outskirts of Oxford you can see industrial estates and a car factory in one direction; and in another, attractive and expensive suburbs. There is, in fact, quite a lot of industry in Oxford.

241

American Wedding Customs

Wedding days are often considered the most important day of many people's lives. For this reason alone, throughout the past and into modern day, numerous customs and superstitions have developed around the wedding event, in hopes of creating The Perfect Day.

A very common custom still honored today is in reference to a time-old saying: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence inside your shoe. So old is this that tracing it back to its origination is nearly impossible. The old is believed to be the

friends and family attending the wedding. The new is represented by the couple themselves, as a new union. The borrowed is something from the families that is to be returned. Something blue is interpreted to represent the brides' virginity. The sixpence can be any form of money, tucked into the bride's shoe, this to bring wealth to the union, both in monetary means and love.

240

More than a third of young women have been sexually assaulted after getting drunk according to new research...The "Anatomy of a big night out" survey reveals 34% of young women have had unplanned or unprotected sex after drinking too much./More women than men admitted they had been arrested/or cautioned by police while under the influence./And nearly a fifth of the female interviewees had been injured through an accident after getting drunk. /More than half the young women questioned/had got into an argument while drunk./Almost half of the young women questioned/did not eat a meal either before. or during a big night out./Almost one third of interviewees said/they drank too much because they had a bad day or week/and 31% said they got drunk to make them feel more confident.

239

At the wedding reception, the bride and groom greet their guests./Then they cut the wedding cake and feed each other a bite. /Guests mingle while enjoying cake, punch and other treats./Later the bride throws her bouquet of flowers to a group of single girls./Tradition says that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry./During the reception,/playful friends "decorate" the couple's car with tissue paper, tin cans and a" Just Married" sign./When the reception is over, the newlyweds' run to their" decorated" car and speed off./Many couples take a honeymoon, a one or two-week vacation trip, to celebrate their new marriage./Almost every culture has rituals to signal a change in one's life./Marriage is one of the most basic life changes for people of all cultures./So it's no surprise to find many traditions about getting married even in America./Yet each couple follows the traditions in a way that is uniquely their own

238

In its most extreme form, poverty is a lack of basic human needs/such as adequate and nutritious food, clothing, housing, clean water, and health services./Extreme poverty can cause terrible suffering and death,/and even poverty can prevent people from realizing many of their desires./The world's poorest people-many of whom live in developing areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America. and Eastern Europe/struggle daily for food. shelter, and other necessities./They often suffer from severe malnutrition, infectious disease outbreaks, famine, and war./In wealthier countries---such as the United States. Canada, Japan, and those in Western Europe/the effects of poverty may include poor nutrition, mental illness, drug dependence, crime, and high rates of disease./Extreme poverty, which threatens people's health or lives, is also known as destitution or absolute poverty./ Relative poverty is the condition of having fewer resources or less income than others within a society or country/or compared to worldwide averages.

237

Cheese, a nutritious food made from the milk of cows and other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, camels, and mares./Cheese is one of the world's oldest food products--for thousands of years,/people have raised animals for milk, turning their surplus milk into cheese./More than 400 varieties of cheese exist, making it one of the most general foods in the world./ Cheese comes in hundreds of different shapes, sizes, flavors, and is used in as many different ways./Enjoyed with bread, crackers, and fruit, used as an ingredient in cooked foods, or

mixed with salads and flour,/cheese is a healthy food all over the world./ Cheese is a concentrated source of almost all the valuable nutrients found in milk, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals,/as well as the less desirable fat and cholesterol, substances that may lead to health problems when consumed in excess./Because of its high protein and calcium content/cheese in moderation is an important component of a balanced diet./

236

Aircraft Carriers are a powerful and extremely flexible part of a nation's defense./A carrier is flexible in a way that armies and air forces are not because it can influence events merely by being seen./The power of an aircraft carrier can act as a visible deterrent to enemy aggression./A carrier is also flexible because it operates on the ocean./Unlike a land air base, no other country has to be consulted about where a carrier can go and what it can be used for/because most of the ocean is considered international water and not part of any one country./This freedom allows carriers to move from one trouble spot to another quite easily./Carriers operate with a number of support and supply ships;/this group of ships is referred to as a carrier battle group./While carriers are important, they are also quite expensive,/so there are only a few patrolling the world's oceans today./Approximately 40 carriers of all types are currently in use or being built./ 235

Kindergarten students are typically four or five years old./In class, they are introduced to the alphabet, numbers, and colors;/they study their bodies, their families, and their communities;/they listen to stories read aloud;/they make art projects; and they learn about holidays, plants, animals, and other topics in science and social studies./Some kindergartens also teach introductory reading and mathematical skills./Kindergartens tend to offer children a foundation for the development of social skills, self-confidence, motivation, and the process of learning./The first kindergarten was started by a German educator./He chose the German term kindergarten (meaning children's garden) because he intended children in his school to grow as freely as flowers in a garden./His kindergarten was based on the then idea that children's play was significant./At the time, almost no children under the age of seven attended school,/but he designed his kindergarten for children between the ages of three and seven./The kindergarten became widely admired for its revolutionary teaching methods./

234

From 1946 until 1954, the Vietnamese had struggled for their independence from France during the First Indochina War./ At the end of this war, the country was temporarily divided into North and South Vietnam. /North Vietnam came under the control of the Vietnamese Communists who had opposed France/, and who aimed for a unified Vietnam under Communist rule./ The South was controlled by Vietnamese who had collaborated with the French. /The United States became involved in Vietnam because it believed that if all of the country fell under a Communist government/Communism would spread throughout Southeast Asia and beyond./This belief was known as the" domino theory," /The U. S. government, therefore, supported the South Vietnamese government./This government's policies led to rebellion in the South. /Finally, however, the United States failed to achieve its goal, /and in 1975 Vietnam was reunified under Communist control; /in 1976 it officially became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. /

233

The Olympic Games, an international sports competition, held every four years at a different site, /in which athletes from different nations compete against each other in a variety of sports.

/There are two types of Olympics, the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics./Through 1992 they were held in the same year, /but beginning in 1994 they were rescheduled so that they are held in alternate even-numbered years. /For example, the Winter Olympics were held in 1994 and the Summer Olympics in 1996. /The Winter Olympics were next held in 1998, /and the Summer Olympics will next occur in 2000. /The Olympic Games began in Athens, Greece. /The program for the 1896 Games, comprising only summer events (the Winter Olympics were not established until 1994), /included about 300 athletes from fewer than 15 countries competing in 43 events in nine different sports. /In contrast, the program 100 years later for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, /included more than 10,000 athletes from more than 190 countries competing in 271 events in 29 different sports./

232

Einstein

Albert Einstein had a great effect on science and history, /greater than only a few other men have achieved. /An American university president once commented/that Einstein had created a new outlook, a new view of the universe. / Maybe the average mind needs time to understand fully the identity of time and space / — but even ordinary men understand that the universe is something larger than ever thought before./

By 1914 young Einstein had gained world fame. /He accepted the offer to become a professor in Berlin. /He had duties, little teaching and unlimited opportunities for study, /but soon his peace and quiet life was broken by the First World War./

Einstein hated violence. /The misery of war affected him deeply, /and he sat unhappily in his office doing little. / He lost interest in his research. /Only when peace came in 1918 was he able to get back to work.

231

American Thanksgiving Day

The traditional American Thanksgiving Day celebration goes back to 1621. /In that year a special feast was prepared in Plymouth, Massachusetts. /The colonists who had settled there had left England /because they felt denied of religious freedom. /They came to the new land and faced difficulties in coming across the ocean. /The ship which carried them was called Mayflower. /The North Atlantic was difficult to travel. /There were bad stomas. /They were assisted in learning to live in the new land by the Indians who inhabited the region. /The Puritans, as they were called, had much to be thankful for. /Their religious practices were no longer a source of criticism by the government. /They learned to adjust their fanning habits to the climate and soil. /When they selected the fourth Thursday of November for their Thanksgiving celebration, /they invited their neighbors, the Indians, /to join them in dinner and a prayer of gratitude for the new life.

230

UFOs

There are many explanations for why UFOs visit the Earth. /The most popular one is that they may be visitors from other planets. /To fly such aircraft, their builders must develop different forms of aviation, /because they seem to fly much faster than normal aircraft. /The UFOs, it is believed, must contain scientists/from other planets who are studying life on earth. /It is even believed that several such aircrafts may have landed on earth/and the space visitors may be living among us./

But there are also less fantastic explanations available. /Although some sightings of UFOs are difficult to explain, most can be explained quite easily. /In many cases the observers might have made a mistake. /They might have seen a weather balloon or an aircraft. /Or the light they saw in the sky might have been light from the ground, /reflected on the clouds. /However, the exact cause of many sightings still remained a mystery.

229

Most people prefer short stories to novels. /Magazines, newspapers and books, printed in millions of copies every month, /often supply the demand for short fiction. /In the U. S. today the short story is the most popular form of current literature. /Perhaps it is the modem manner of living/that demands that all current fiction be short. /In the present society people do everything with a fast pace. /Literature shares its place in the favor of the crowd/with amusements undreamed of a hundred years ago. /The time for leisurely reading of ten-volume novels appears to have passed. /The fiction readers demand a form that best fits their habits. /Long introductions and detailed descriptive passages became the special joy of a particular kind of reader, /whereas the crowd, chooses the short story for pleasure. /Small wonder that many writers have turned their talents to the short story.

228

British women, in common with women in most Western countries, /have been fighting for sexual equality with men for much of the last century. /Their achievements have been considerable. /

First and foremost, discrimination against anyone on the grounds of their sex alone is illegal. /For women, this means they are entitled to be given equal respect and status/with men in all areas of life. /Many British women expect to pursue careers/for intellectual, financial and social reasons. /They also expect equal pay with men for the same job. /When they have family responsibilities, /some women, depending on financial and other circumstances, /choose not to work; /others choose to take time off work while their children are young. /In still other families, the father will give up work/while the mother continues to pursue her career. /In all these cases, men and women are generally expected/to share the domestic responsibilities at home with their partners.

227

The real problem with pollution is people--/the way people think about their environment and their relationship with it. /We are all reluctant to accept the fact that our natural resources are fixed--/fixed, in fact, since the earth was created. /We want to go on using virgin materials. /We are not educated on reusing resources, /or even placing a value on "waste" products. /We are a crisis society. /Currently, we are fearful of losing the use of our water and air to pollution. /In one context, it is probably a good thing/that we are so concerned because now we will begin/to adjust our thinking on the values of natural resources. /We once thought of water and air as free. /They are not, not any more than the land is free. /People have not wanted to be educated on the part/they must play in solving our environment problems.

226

The Violins of Cremona

Most musicians agree that the best violins were first made in Italy. /Violins made in Cremona, about 200 years ago, /sound better than any others, even those made today. /Violin makers and scientists try to make instruments like the Italian violins, /but they aren't the same. /Why are

these old Italian violins so special?/Some people think it is the age of the violins that makes them wonderful, /but the problem is not all old violins sound wonderful. /Other people think the secret to those violins is the wood , /which must be from certain kinds of trees. /It may be, however, more important to cut the wood a special way/because the smallest difference will change the sound of the violin. /Scientists have also tried to make new ones that are exactly the same size and shape, /but they still do not sound as good as the old ones. /In a word, there may never be other violins like the violins of Cremona.

225

Elias Howe

Most inventions come from long hours--sometimes years--of work. /At other times they came from just a bit of luck. /Take the case of Elias Howe, who invented the sewing machine. /He had most of it worked out/but was having trouble with one thing. /He couldn't get the thread fed into the needle/so that the machine could work right. /

One night, Howe had a dream in which he was being chased by men with spears. /The men held the spears with the point towards the ground. /As they ran, /they moved the spears up and down. /Howe noticed something strange about the spears. /Each of them had an eyehole, like a needle, /but the hole was at the bottom. /It was just above the point of the spear. /Howe woke up and hurried to his workshop/where he made a new needle, with the eye near the point. /It worked.

224

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is one of the most truly American holidays in the United States and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country.

In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, sailed to America on the May Flower, seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. After a two-month tempestuous voyage they landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the icy November.

During their first winter, over half of the settlers died of starvation or epidemics. Those who survived began sowing in the first spring.

All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety, knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony depended on the coming harvest. Finally the fields produced a rich yield beyond expectations. And there-fore it was decided that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. Years later, a President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year. The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today.

223

The Father and His Sons

A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes, he determined to give them a practical illustration of disunion; and for this purpose he told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it. He next opened the faggot, took the sticks separately, one by one, and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. He then addressed them in these words:

"My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot,

uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies; but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks."

222

Sleep

Sleep is part of a person's daily activity cycle. There are several different stages of sleep, and they too occur in cycles. If you are an average sleeper, your sleep cycle is as follows. When you first drift off into sleep, your eyes will roll about a bit, your temperature will drop slightly, your muscles will relax, and your breathing will slow and become quite regular. Your brain waves slow down a bit, too, with a rhythm of rather fast waves predominating for the first few minutes. This is called Stage 1 sleep. For the next half hour or so, as you relax more and more, you will drift down through Stage 2 and Stage 3 sleep. The lower your stage of sleep, the slower your brain waves will be. Then about 40 to 69 minutes after you lose consciousness you will have reached the deepest sleep of all. Your brain will show the large slow waves. This is Stage 4 sleep.

221

The Historical Significance of American Revolution

The American Revolution represents the link between the seventeenth century, in which modern England became conscious of itself, and the awakening of modern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. It may seem strange that the march of history should have had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, but only in the North American colonies could a struggle for civic liberty lead also to the foundation of a new nation. Here, in the popular rising against a "tyrannical" government, the fruits were more than the securing of a freer constitution. They included the growth of a nation born in liberty by the will of the people, not from the roots of common descent, a geographic entity, or the ambitions of king or dynasty. With the American nation, for the first time, a nation

220

There are very often strong opinions expressed about what makes a good .wine. At a simple level, a good wine is one that you enjoy drinking. But why do you prefer one wine to another?

To judge a wine there are three basic senses that have to be employed: the sense of sight, the sense of smell, and the sense of taste. Of these three, taste is by far the most complex, but sight and smell are powerful. The wrong colour or the wrong smell enable a wine to be discarded without taste even being involved.

Having examined the wine, you can now get on and drink it. But try and remember your conclusions, for it is only by building up your own personal taste bank memory that you can progress as a wine taster. It is not difficult, and it is great fun. Cheers!

219

Social distance may affect / how openly employees speak about their work. People of the same rank / may talk frankly to one another / about how things are going. However, they may be less honest / with someone higher up in the hierarchy--for fear of prejudicing their position in the company. For this reason / employees often alter the facts / to tell the boss what he or she wants to hear. One way of reducing social distance / is to cut down the ways / in which employees can indicate higher status.

Physical distance can affect / how well people communicate. The farther away one person is from another, the less often they communicate. Some research has shown / that when the distance is more than 10 meters, the probability of communicating / at least once a week is only

8%. The most important thing for all managers to remember / is that communication is a two-way process. They should encourage their employees to ask questions / and to react to what the managers are saying. /

218

Expanded use of computer technology, development of stronger and lighter materials, and research on pollution control will produce better, "smarter" automobiles./In the 1980s the notion that a car would" talk" to its driver was science fiction; by the 1990s it had become reality./Onboard navigation was one of the new automotive technologies in the 1990s./By using the satellite-aided global positioning system (GPS), a computer in the automobile can pinpoint the vehicle’s location within a few feet./The onboard navigation system uses an electronic compass, digitized maps, and a display screen showing where the vehicle is relative to the destination the driver wants to reach./After being told the destination, the computer locates it and directs the driver to it, offering alternative routes if needed./Some cars now come equipped with GPS locator beacons, enabling a GPS system operator to locate the vehicle, map its location/and, if necessary, direct repair or emergency workers to the scene./

217

Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is a term that refers to all the ways by which man pollutes his surrounding. Man dirties the air with gases and smoke, poisons the water with chemicals and other substances, and damages the soil with too many fertilizers and pesticides. Man also pollutes his surroundings in various other ways. For example, people ruin natural beauty by scattering junk and litter on the land and in the water. They operate machines and motor vehicles that fill the air with disturbing noises Nearly everyone causes pollution in some way. Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing mankind today. Badly polluted air can cause illness, and even death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine lives. Pollution of soil reduces the amount of land available for growing food. Environmental pollution also brings ugliness to man's naturally beautiful world.

216

Future

I do not know who wrote those words, but I have slways liked them as a reminder that the future can be anything we want to make it. We can take the mysterious, hazy future and carve out of it anything that we can imagine, just like a sculptor carves a statue from a shapeless stone. We are all in the position of the farmer. If we plant a good seed, we reap a good harvest. If our seed is poor and full of weeds, we reap a useless crop. If we plant nothing at all, we harvest nothing at all. I want the future to be better than the past. I don't want it contaminated by the mistakes and errors with which history is filled. We should all be concerned about the future because that is where we will spend the remainder of our lives.

215

More People Applying to MBA Programs

There is more competition among adults applying to the nation's top MBA programs. A survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council found that two-thirds of fun-time MBA programs saw an increase in applications in 2006. That's compared to only 21% seen increases the year before. Part-time and executive MBA programs are also sifting through more applicants. It's not just members of the old boys club who are applying. The survey shows that more women

and minorities axe looking to advance their careers with an advanced degree. So why are people applying now? Some suggest that the increase in applications could be a result of a slowing economy. More people are willing to attend school during a slowdown and hope things will pick up after graduation. Others see it as a career investment.

214

Diners

Diners are known for "comfort food". This kind of food reminds people of the meals their mothers and grandmothers made. Meatloaf is a good diner meal. It is baked in an oven and traditionally served with potatoes that are mashed and mixed with milk or cream. Most diners serve breakfast meals all day long, net just in the morning. Pancakes are a favorite breakfast food at diners. They are a thin, round cake made of flour, eggs and milk — all cooked on a greased surface. Another popular diner food is a milkshake. This sweet, thick drink is made of ice cream and milk. In the nineteen forties and fifties, teenagers would meet at diners to talk, drink milkshakes and listen to music. Immigrants owned many of the diners across America. They added foods from their own countries to the menu. Many diners offer Greek foods. Over the years, diners changed as American tastes changed.

213

Generation Gap

Old people are always saying that the young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and it is always true. It has never been truer than it is today. The young are better educated. They have a lot more money to spend and enjoy more freedom. They grow up more. quickly and are not so dependent on their parents. They think more for themselves and do not blindly accept the ideas of their elders. Events which the older generation remembers vividly are nothing more than past history. This is as it should be. Every new generation is different from the one that preceded it. The old always assume that they know best for the simple reason that they have been around a bit longer. They don't like to feel that their values are being questioned or threatened. And this is precisely what the young are doing.

212

Television

The field of television can be divided into two categories determined by its means of transmission. First, there is broadcast television, which reaches the masses through broad-based airwave transmission of television signals. Second, there is non-broadcast television, which provides for the needs of individuals or specific interest groups through controlled transmission techniques.

Traditionally, television has been a medium of the masses. We are most familiar with broadcast television because it has been with us for about thirty-seven years in a form similar to what exists today. During those years, it has been controlled, for the most part, by the broadcast networks, which have been the major purveyors of news, information, and entertainment. These giants of broadcasting have actually shaped not only television but our perception of it as well. We have come to look upon the picture tulle as a source of entertainment, placing our role as the passive viewer.

211

American Society Is Changing

In many nations, everyday activities are done in a planned, orderly manner. For example,

formal relationships among people may be determined according to customs and habits that have existed for a long time. People visiting an informal country, such as the United States, may find that the American belief in personal initiative or freedom and the whole economic system are quite confusing and uncontrolled. To some visitors such freedoms are too "loose" and too disorganized to be comfortable.

Today, the United States is experiencing great changes in every part of society, therefore life in America may indeed seem confused. Social attitudes are being questioned. Americans are wondering." Is there any morality? ”“ Why has the nation never given all of its citize ns full opportunity?" Visitors may notice that some Americans are beginning to leave the cities and make their homes in small cities and towns where life is quieter and slower.

210

Authority

In many countries, authority is seldom questioned, either because it is highly respected, or because it is feared. Sometimes, because rank has been important in certain societies for a long time, people have been trained never to question those in authority. For example, children are not expected to question their teachers in school. It may be considered improper for young businessmen to suggest ideas that differ from those of older, more experienced members of the business.

In other countries, children are trained to question and search for answers. When a child asks a question, he will often be told to go to the library and find the answer for himself. By the time students reach the age of 14 or 15, they may be developing exciting new ideas in all fields of science and the arts. To encourage such creativity, there are many national prizes offered to students, every year for their scientific discoveries and artistic accomplishments.

209

Two Types of Drivers

There are two extremes of drivers behind the wheel today./The first type is the unsafe driver, the one who disregards traffic regulations/and makes life difficult for pedestrians and other drivers . /He is impatient and honks his horn or blinks his lights unnecessarily./He is also inconsiderate;/he takes two parking places and slow down/or speeds up just to annoy other drivers./Above all he is reckless, taking risks and causing accidents./In sharp contrast is the safe driver./He obeys traffic traffic regulations and practices the courtesy of the road . /Aware of the rights and desires of others,/he is always considerate of pedestrians and of other drivers./ He is a careful driver, one who signals, plans ahead, and does not take chances . /Often it is the alert driver who, though quick action,/is able to prevent a dangerous situation from turning into a bad accident.

208

Insurance

There are numerous types of insurance./Those which you will be most concerned with are medical, auto- mobile and renters' insurance./Renters' insurance protects a person' s property in case of theft or fire. /Auto- mobile insurance is essential if you buy a car./It is important to shop around carefully for car insurance , /to compare rates and types of coverage. /Medical insurance is an absolute must, particularly if you have dependents./It is extremely important to select a health insurance plan/to cover you and your family's medical needs./In general, when you have decided what insurance to get and have applied for it,/you will receive a full contract and a

premium notice , /and be notified of your effective date of coverage./When the expiration date of your policy is near,/you will be given an opportunity to renew your policy/and will be told of any change in the premium rates for the following period.

207

Music

Music is used for many purposes today,/and not all of them involve entertainment ./It is used in advertis- ing to attract attention and to promote products . /Huge amounts of money are spent to create clever thirty- second "hits",/which subtly pressure consumers to make purchases./Mnsic is also used as a pacifier;/the music piped into elevators, supermarkets, airplanes, and shopping centers is designed to be ignored . /It serves its purpose best when it is least obvious . /This music encourages listeners to relax, slow down, and buy./ Business firms provide background music for their workers , /to blot out distracting noises and increase efficiency./ Farmers supply the same "canned" music/to their livestock to increase milk and egg production./The un- fortunate aspect of all this background music is that it has conditioned the listener to not listen./Almost in self- defense, one learns to block such music automatically.

206

Exams

Exams may be open-book or closed-book./During an open-book exam in a classroom,/students may use class notes, books, and other relevant materials announced beforehand by the instructor. /Sometimes an open- book exam is a "take-home" exam;/that is, students take the exam questions out of the classroom and return their answers at a specified time,/which might be a few hours or even a week later . /During that time each student is expected to work independently. /During a close-book exam, however, students may not use any notes, books, dictionaries, or other materials./

In the American educational system , /students are on their honor to do their own work, that is, not to cheat./To uphold a university honor code means that during an exam , /above all, students will not give informarion to others;/next, students will not receive information from others ; /last but not least, they will report violations which they observe . /Students can be expelled from a university for violating an honor code.

205

Roads

The United States is covered with a network of major highways/designed to help a driver get from one place to another in the shortest possible time . /Although these wide modem roads are generally smooth and well-maintained,/with few sharp curves and many straight, even stretches , /a direct route is not always the most enjoyable one .Large highways often bypass scenic areas and interesting small towns./Furthermore, these highways generally connect large urban centers , /which means that they become clogged with heavy traffic during rush hours , /when the "fast, direct" way becomes a very slow mute./

Unless time is short, there is almost always an alternate route./Not far from the relatively new superhighways , /there are often older, less heavily traveled roads , /sometimes marked as "scenic routes", which go through the country side. /Though these less direct mutes are usually longer and slower,/they generally go to places where the air is clean and the scenery is beautiful. 204

Fast Foods

Marketers have found that it is worth spending large amounts of money/to find our, what attracts people to new products./The study of consumer behavior is an interesting aspect of marketing./

Before introducing a new product, /the marketer arranges conducting a variety of marketing research tests,/and tries to determine which advertising approach and what prices would give the company the greatest profits./If the sample population seems not to like to use it,/the marketers will recommend improving it to meet consumer taste./Sometimes this means to reduce the price, thus attracting "bargain hunters. "/Or they may recommend changing the packaging. /Good packaging is economical, functional, and attractive./

Although marketers cannot control the needs and wants of the consumer,/they can control the stimuli to which the consumer responds. /By developing and advertising products which appeals to those needs and wants,/they can be successful and at the same time satisfy consumers.

203

After a movie, a baseball game or a dance, /boys and girls usually like to go to a fast food restaurant for something to eat. /Sometimes they stay in their cars. /They give their orders into a microphone near the car window, /and someone gives them their food and takes their money./ Popular foods are hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs, ice-cream and Coca Cola. /Some fast food restaurants also offer American, Chinese, German, or Mexican foods./

People who do not want to eat in their cam can take the food with them. /They can carry home a complete chicken dinner/and put it on the dinner table/or take it to the park for a family picnic./

For many high-school and college students/fast food restaurants are not just a place to eat./Since these restaurants need many young people to prepare and serve food,/they are also good places for them to work.

202

Laser

A laser is used to produce very powerful beams of light./Today laser is getting wider use in more fields./ Why is laser so much more powerful than other kinds of light? /

Laser is a kind of light and also a form of energy./A laser beam is made up of very short waves . /These waves all have the same wavelength. /The laser beam keeps going on and off all the time./As these changes are very fast, we can but see them./During the time the laser beam is off,/the energy for the next burst of light is being built up,/so when the beam is on again, it will be a strong burst./And the laser beam doesn't spread,/it doesn't get wider and wider as other fight beams do./This is why the laser beam can keep all of its energy/and is so much more powerful than other light beams.

201

Dolphins

Dolphins are social animals./Many of them even enjoy being around humans./In addition to being playful, they are helpful to men./For example, as early as 400 B.C. ,/the Greek poet Arion was saved from drowning by a dolphin./Even since then, dolphins have been helping swimmers who are in trouble./Swimmers, however, are not the only humans they help./In some parts of the world, they help men catch fish./

Dolphins are very clever./A dolphin's brain is even larger than a haman brain./Therefore, some people think a dolphin must be smarter than a man./But of course, brain size is not the only

measure of cleverness./ Besides, measuring dolphin's cleverness in other ways is not possible since men cannot talk with them./But we can almost be sure that dolphins can talk with each other./They make different sounds which seem to be at least a form of language.

200

Global Warming

Global warming is heating the planet twice as quickly as previously feared./Temperatures could soar by nearly 6℃this century/--faster than at any time in the past 10,000 years,/warns a UN report released recent ly ./The report warns that a temperature rise of up to 5.8℃,/with the warming of the oceans and melting of polar icecaps,/will force sea levels to rise by as much as 3 feet,/making tens of millions of people in Bangladesh and Egypt homeless. /Parts of low land Britain are also at risk./

Scientists believe the predicted rise, which will bring storms, floods and droughts,/will be partly due to a reduction in air pollution . /The report was issued at a meeting in Shanghai./It's said that a reduction in emissions of sulphur dioxide,/which causes acid rain, has increased the impact of greenhouse gases. /These gases trap the sun's heat whereas sulphur dioxide cools the atmosphere.

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Have you ever wondered where soap came from? / We use it every day for all kinds of things./Cleaning ourselves, washing clothes, and dishes./ But this idea of cleanliness we have in our society today is no new thing. / The origin of soap could be found in an old ancient Roman legend./ There was a mountain on which animals were sacrificed,/ and the rain washed a mixture of their fat and ashes/down into the clay soil in a river. / Women .who would wash in this fiver found/that this clay-like mixture cleaned their wash better/and took a lot less effort. / It is recorded that the history of soap/dates as far back as 2800 B. C. / where a soap-like substance was found in clay.

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The year 1066 had a resounding impact/on the course of English history./ William the First, Duke of Normandy,/conquered England and took it as a stronghold in his reign. /William imported French rulers/to take over English government and religious posts. /The French were not only the new aristocracy in England, /but the new society. /The English amended their language and their culture/in an effort to more resemble the French/and to communicate with their new lords. /The English language was more changed by the Norman Conquest/than by any other event in the course of English history. /Middle English is defined as the four hundred year period/ between the Norman Conquest and the time /the printing press was introduced to England in 1476.

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Railways in Britain

The success of early railways, such as the lines between big cities, / led to a great increase in railway building in Victorian times. / Between 1835 and 1865 about 25,000 kilometres of track were built, / and over 100 railway companies were created. /

Railway travel transformed people's lives. / Trains were first designed to carry goods. / However, a law in the 19th century forced railway companies to run one cheap train a day / which stopped at every station and cost only a penny a mile. / Soon working class passengers found they could afford to travel by rail. / Cheap Day Excursion trains became popular and seaside resorts grew rapidly. /

专四听力50篇答案.doc

Popular Pastime of the English People One of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what the do with their non-working time. Most English men, women and children love growing things, especially flowers. Visitors to England in spring, summer or autumn are likely to see gardens all they way along the railway lines. There are f lowers at the airports and flowers in factory grounds, as well as in gardens along the roads. Each English town has at least one park with beautifully kept flower beds. Public buildings of every kind have brilliant window boxes and sometimes baskets of flowers are hanging on them. But what the English enjoy most is growing things themselves. If it is impossible to have a garden, then a window box or something growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other ’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English. 4. British and American Police Officers Real policemen, both in Britain and the ., hardly recognize any commonpoints between their lives and what they se on TV — if they ever get home in time. Some things are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them much of them. The first difference is that a policeman ’s real life deals with the law. Most of what he learns is the law. He has to know actually what actions are against the law and what facts can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a lawyer, and what ’s more, he has to put it into practice on his feet, in the dark and, running down a narrow street after someone he wants to talk to. Little of his time is spent in talking with beautiful girls or in bravely facing cruel criminals. He will spend most of his working life arranging millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, ordinary people who are guilty--- or not of stupid, unimportant crimes. Useful Words and Expressions: 1. think much of 重视，尊重 2. in court 在法庭上 3. criminal 罪犯，犯罪者 4. guilty 犯罪的，有罪的 5. Living Space How much living space does a person need What happens when his space needs are not met Scientists are doing experiments on rats to try to determine the effects of overcrowded conditions on man. Recent studies have shown that the behavior of rats is greatly affected by space. If rats have enough living space, they eat well, sleep well and produce their young well. But if their living conditions become too crowded, their behavior and even their health change obviously. They can not sleep and eat well, and signs of fear and worry become clear. The more crowded they are, and more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, populations and violence are directly related. Is this a natural law for human society as well Is enough space not only satisfactory, but necessary for human survival These are interesting questions.

英语专业四级听写50篇(完整版)

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