大学英语听力教程上册unit14原文及答案
Unit Fourteen
Part One Statements
Complete each of the statements with what you hear and choose A or B that explains the word or phrase in bold.
1. We were planning on just having a snack and catching the early train. ( A )
2. She owes her present position to having worked very hard. ( B )
3. Snow was blowing across the fields and piling up against walls. ( A )
4. We intended to go to Australia next year if all goes well. ( A )
5. The quickest way to get here is to take the uptown express. ( B )
6. She insisted on telling me every single detail of what they did to her in hospital. ( A )
7. They might try to take legal action against you if you break the terms of the contract. ( B )
8. I'd recognize your handwriting anywhere---it's unique. ( A )
9. This firm has taken over three companies this year. ( A )
10. Last week, the airline cut its overseas service by half because of a sharp reduction in traffic
(B)
Part Two Dialogues
Dialogue One
Immigration and Customs
Customs Officer: Next. Uh, your passport please.
Woman: Okay.
Customs Officer: Uh, what is the purpose of your visit?
Woman: I'm here to attend a teaching convention for the first part of my trip, and then
I plan on touting the capital for a few days.
Customs Officer: And where will you be staying?
Woman: I'll be staying in a room at a hotel downtown for the entire week.
Customs Officer: And uh, what do you have in your luggage?
Woman: Uh, well, just, just my personal belongings um... clothes, a few books, and a CD player.
Customs Officer: Okay. Uh, please open your bag.
Woman: Sure.
Customs Officer: Okay... Everything's fine. Uh, by the way, is this your first visit to the country.
Woman: Well, yes and no. Actually, I was born here when my parents were working
in the capital many years ago, but this is my first trip back since then. Customs Officer: Well, enjoy your trip.
Woman: Thanks.
Listen to the dialogue and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. What is the purpose of the woman's visit? ( C )
2. Where will the woman stay during her trip? ( B )
3. About how long will the woman be in the country? ( C )
4. What things are in the woman's luggage? ( B )
5. What other piece of information do we learn about the woman? ( C )
I. Listen to the dialogue again and write T for True or F for False for each statement you hear.
1. The Customs officer asks the woman to tell the purpose of her visit. ( T )
2. After touting the capital, the woman is going to attend a teaching convention. ( F )
3. She will be staying downtown in her parents' home. ( F )
4. The officer says that it is not necessary to open her bag. ( F )
5. This is not her first trip to the city since she left. ( F )
Dialogue Two
Sightseeing in T own
Man: So, what do you want to do tomorrow?
Woman: Well, let's look at this city guide here.
Man: Okay.
Woman: Uh, here's something interesting. Why don't we first visit the art museum in the morning?
Man: Okay. I like that idea. And where do you want to eat lunch?
Woman: How about going to an Indian restaurant? The guide recommends one downtown a few blocks from the museum.
Man: Now that sounds great. After that, what do you think about visiting the zoo?
Woman: Oh... umm.., well...
Man: Well, it says here that there are some very unique animals not found anywhere else.
Woman: Well, to tell the truth, I'm not really interested in going there.
Man: Really?
Woman: Yeah. Why don't we go shopping instead? There are supposed to be some really nice places to pick up souvenirs.
Man: Nah, I don't think that's a good idea. We only have few travelers checks left, and I only have fifty dollars left in cash.
Woman: No problem. We can use your credit card to pay for MY new clothes.
Man: Oh, no. I remember the last time you used MY credit card for YOUR purchases.
Woman: Oh well. Let's take the subway down to the seashore and walk along the beach.
Man: Now that sounds like a wonderful plan.
I. Listen to the dialogue and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. Where are they planning tO go in the morning? ( B )
2. What kind of restaurant do they want to visit for lunch? ( C )
3. Why does the man want to visit the zoo in the afternoon? ( C )
4. Why does the woman want to go shopping instead? ( A )
5. How do they plan to get to the seashore at the end of the conversation? ( C )
II. Listen to the dialogue again and write T for True or F for False for each statement you hear.
1. The woman wouldn't like to visit the art museum first. ( F )
2. There is an Indian restaurant downtown a few blocks from the museum. ( T )
3. Generally speaking, women wouldn't like to see wild animals in the zoo. ( F )
4. The man wouldn't like to go shopping because he has not enough money with him. ( T )
5. They agree to go to the seashore and walk along the beach. ( T )
Dialogue Three
Spending Money
Joshua: Dad. Allowance Day. Can I have my allowance?
Father: Oh. I forgot about that.
Joshua: Y ou always forget.
Father: I guess I do. How much do I owe you?
Joshua: Just $13.
Father: Thirteen dollars! Why do I owe you that much? Just seems that I paid you the other day. Joshua: No. Y ou forget every Saturday, and it has been piling up.
Father: Well, I'm not sure if I have that much.
Joshua: Go to the bank. Y ou have lots of money.
Father: Lots of money, uh? Uh, well, I think the bank is closed.
Joshua: Then, what about your secret money jar under your bed?
Father: Oh, I guess I could do that. So, what are you going to do with the money?
Joshua: I'm going to put some in savings, give some to the poor people, and use the rest to but books. Father: Well. that sounds great, Joshua.
I. Listen to the dialogue and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. How much does the father owe his son in allowance? ( B )
2. Why hasn't the father given his son allowance? ( A )
3. When does the father usually give his son money? ( B )
4. Where does the man get money to pay his son? ( A )
5. Choose one thing the boy does NOT mention about how he will spend his money. ( A )
II. Listen to the dialogue again and complete the following sentences with the information you hear.
1. How much do I owe you?
2. Why do I owe you that much? Just seems that I paid you the other day.
3. Y ou forget every Saturday, and it has been piling up.
4. Then, what about your secret money jar under your bed?
5. So, what are you going to do with the money?
Part Three Passages
Passage One
There Are Limits, Even to Friendship
A few months ago, I moved into a very small flat after living for years with my parents. It' s the
first time I have ever had a place of my own and I am very fond of it, despite the lack of space. I had been in the flat only for a few days when a friend phoned and practically begged me to let him stay for a while. He explained he had lost his job recently but was sure he would find another one very soon. Since I thought it would be only for a short time, I said yes.
More than a month has gone by since then and my friend showed no sign of moving out. There
are only two small rooms in the fiat, plus the small bath-room and tiny kitchen. He has more or less taken over the front room. I don't like sharing the bathroom, either. In fact, I have discovered that I just don’t like other people living in my flat!
A few days ago, I decided that enough was enough and that he would have to leave. I intended to tell him that I wanted the place to myself again, but somehow he persuaded me to let him stay longer. He still hasn't found a job and can't afford to rent a room of his own. And there
just doesn't seem to be anyone else he can stay with.
Of course, I d like to help him as much as possible. He is, after all, a friend! But there are limits, even to friendship. I just don't know what I' 11 do if he is there much longer.
I. Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hoar.
1. What change took place in the speaker's life? ( A )
2. Why did the friend want to stay with him? ( D )
3. Why did the speaker dislike his friend staying in his fiat? ( B )
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true? ( D )
5. What happened at last to the speaker? ( C )
II, Listen to the passage again and answer the following questions.
1. What did the speaker think about his friend's request?
Since he said that it would be only for a short time he agreed to live with him.
2. Why did the speaker like his small fiat?
Because he lived with parents too long.
3. What rooms are there in the fiat?
Two small rooms, a small bathroom and a tiny kitchen.
4. How did his friend stay with him?
He has more or less taken over the front room and also shared the bathroom.
5. How did the speaker want to solve the problem?
As a friend, he wanted to help him, but there are limits, even to friendship. He didn't know what to do.
Passage T wo
Make Friends
Making friends is a skill. Like most skills, it improves with practice. If you want to meet people and make friends, you must be willing to take some action. Y ou must first go where there are people. Y ou won't make friends staying home alone.
Join a club or group, talking with those who like the same things as you do is much easier. Or join someone in some activity.
Many people are nervous when talking to new people. After all, meeting strangers means seeing the unknown. And it's human nature to feel a bit uncomfortable about the unknow n.
Most of our fears about dealing with new people come from doubts about ourselves. We imagine other people are judging us, finding us too tall or too short, too this or too that. But don't forget that they must be feeling the same way. Try to accept yourself as you are, and try to put the other person at ease. Y ou'll both feel more comfortable.
Try to act self-confidenthly even if you don't feel that way when you enter a room full of strangers, such as a new classroom, walk tall and straight, look directly at other people and smile.
If you see someone you'd like to speak to, say something. Don't wait for the other person to start a conversation.
Just meeting someone new does not mean that you will make friends with that person. Friend-ship is based on mutual liking and "give and take". They take time and efforts to develop. And there are things that keep a new friendship from growing.
I. Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. What is the suggested way to make friends? ( B )
2. What is easy to do to make friends? ( D )
3. What is it that makes us feel nervous when talking to strangers? ( A )
4. How should we deal with new people according to the author? ( C )
5. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? ( D )
II. Listen to the passage again and answer the following questions with Y es or No.
1. Can you make friends if you stay home alone? ( No )
2. Can you make friends if you avoid joining someone in some activity? ( No )
3. Is it right to walk tall and straight, look at other people and smile while entering a room
full of strangers? ( Y es )
4. Is it fight that you start a conversation when you see someone you'd like to speak to?
(Y es)
5. Is it likely that people feel uncomfortable about the unknown? ( Y es )
Passage Three
Railways in Britain
In Britain railways are owned by the State. That means that everybody owns them---or perhaps that nobody owns them. In general train services in Britain are very good, especially on express inter-city lines. However, they are quite expensive unless you can get a reduction. The easiest way to get a reduction is to get a return ticket. If you buy a day-return (so that you go and come back on the same day) you can save 45 % of your fare. Other return tickets are available for travel at weekends or mid-week. If you cannot buy a return, you must buy a single. In Britain tickets (except some special reduced fares) are valid on all trains. It is not necessary to pay an extra fare to travel on an express.
If you want to find out details of train journeys you can phone the information office at the station in most towns or a travel agent. They will tell you about reservations and whether it is necessary to change trains in your journey.
Y ou must buy a ticket before you can go on to the platform at British stations. The ticket collector will want to check your ticket and will sell you a platform ticket if you do not want to travel but only want to say goodbye to a friend. Y ou must keep your ticket safe because it will be checked when you arrive, and probably during the journey as well by the guard. All trains in Britain have first and second class carriages; if you want to travel first class you have to pay about 50% extra for your ticket. There are smoking and non-smoking compartments or carriages on all trains, and most inter-city trains have buffet or restaurant cars.
I, Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. Who owns railways in Britain? ( D )
2. How are train services in Britain? ( B )
3. How can people get a reduction? ( A )
4. Where can you get information about reservation? ( C )
5. Why do you have to keep your ticket safe during your journey? ( A )
II, Listen to the passage again and answer the following questions.
1. What kind of ticket makes you save 45% of your fare?
A day return ticket.
2. Why is it not necessary to pay an extra fare to travel on an express?
Because in Britain tickets are valid on all trains.
3. What do you do if you want to say a goodbye to a friend on the platform?
To buy a platform ticket.
4. How much do you have to pay if you want to travel first class?
To pay about 50% extra for your ticket.
5. On what kind of train are smoking and non-smoking compartments or carriages available?
On all trains.
Part Four idioms and Proverbs
I. In this part, you will be presented with ten sentences. Listen carefully and write them down.
1. Better be an old man's darling than a young man's slave.
2. Between two stools you fall to the ground.
3. The beaten road is the safest.
4. Blood is thicker than water.
5. A bully is always a coward.
6. Burn not your house to fright the mouse away.
7. Beggars must not be choosers.
8. Best is cheapest.
9. Busiest men find the most time.
10. Better be sure than sorry.
II. In this part, you will hear ten sentences. In each sentence there is one idiom that is given below. Listen and guess its meaning from the context.
Script:
1. Could we postpone our meeting until tomorrow? I expect to be in and out of the office most
of the day today.
2. Can you help me with this problem? I've been beating my brains out with it, but I just can't
solve it.
3. I know you're worded about your job interview, but don't get bent out of shape. Y ou'll do
just fine.
4. I'm really behind with my project. Can you help me? I'm afraid I bit off more than I could
chew!
5. Don't say anything to Bob unless you want the whole office to know. Bob's quite a
blabbermouth.
6. Don't forget to bring your boom box to the picnic!
7. The discussion lasted many hours. The bottom line was that the XYZ Company isn't for
sale.
8. I understand you have a job interview tomorrow. Break a leg!
9. Joe broke his mother's heart when he dropped out of school.
10. The cheapest tickets for the concert cost 25 bucks. Do you still want to go?
Keys:
1. be at and away from a place during a particular time
2. try very hard to understand or do something
3. needlessly worried about something
4. take responsibility for more than one can manage
5. a very talkative person---especially one who says things that should be kept secret
6. portable cassette/CD player
7. the most essential information
8. Good luck!
9. make someone feel very disappointed/discouraged/sad
10. dollar(s)
Part Five Exercises for Homework
I, Short Conversations
In this part, you will hear ten short conversations. Each of them is followed by a question. After the question, you are supposed to choose a correct answer from the four choices.
1. W: Wow, your model plane is so beautiful. I guess I'm talking to the big winner.
M: Oh, no. I had it made for demonstration only.
Q: What can we learn about the man's model? ( C )
2. W: Y our eyes look terrible, what's wrong?
M: Oh, I stayed up too late last night.
Q: What's the man's problem? ( A )
3. M: Hi, Betty. I can see you are walking to school. What happened to your bike?
W: It's being repaired.
Q: What's wrong with Betty's bike? ( D )
4. W: I'm not sure if John can win the game this time.
M: Y es, he still has trouble with his left arm.
Q: What can we infer from the conversation? ( B )
5. M: Helen sang a wonderful song at the party last night.
W: She is the best singer in our class.
Q: What can we infer about Helen? ( B )
6. W: We are to meet with our guests from Paris next week, fight?
M: It's the week after the next, to be more exact.
Q: What does the man mean?(A)
7. W: Jack, every boy is helping me in the kitchen. Would you like to make the salad?
M: I have a better idea. I'll go to the small shop to buy it instead.
Q: What does the man mean? ( C )
8. W: I have trouble concentrating in the morning if I don't drink a cup of coffee at breakfast
M: Me, too. The only difference is that I have red tea.
Q: What does the man mean? ( C )
9. M: I think there won't be any tickets left.
W: But if we don't try our best, we'll miss the greatest concert of the year.
Q: What does the woman mean? (A)
10. W: I think this T-shirt is not a very good choice.
M: Y es, it's expensive. Besides, I'm sure the color will fade when you wash it.
Q: What does the man mean? ( A )
II. Passages
Passage One
Living Outside London
Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go into their offices, factories or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up earlier in the morning and reach home later in the evening.
One benefit of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to hire. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one's own.
Then, in the country one can be free from the noise and hurry of the town. Although one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night, and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes
gardens, one can spend one's spare time digging, planting, watering and doing a hundred and one other jobs which are needed in the garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of a person who has shared the secrets of nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things; for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinema and theatres, because of shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live outside London. A walk in one of the parks and a visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want.
Listen to the passage and answer the following questions.
1. What is meant by living outside London and going to offices, factories or schools every day by
train, car or bus?
They have to get up earlier in the morning and reach home later in the evening.
2. What can you get with the same money as you spend on a small flat in London?
A little house in the country with a garden of your own.
3. What are benefits of living in the country?
1) be free from the noise of the town;
2) sleep better at night;
3) enjoy the fresh, clear air of the country;
4) do some gardening.
4. Why do some people take no interest in country things?
For them happiness lies in the town because in the town there are cinemas and theatres,
shops and streets, dance halls and restaurants.
5. Generally speaking, what do city people want for the country?
A walk in one of the parks and a visit to the sea every summer.
Passage T wo
Eating Habits
Our eating habits are very important for good health and a strong body. There are times when most of us like eating sweets and ice cream better than meat and rice. Sweets and ice cream are not bad for us if we eat them at the end of a meal. If we eat them before a meal, they may take away our appetite. It's important for us to eat our meal at regular time each day. When we feel worried or excited, we may not want to eat. A long time ago, in England, some judges often decided whether a man was telling truth by giving him some dry bread. If the man could not swallow the bread, it meant that he wasn't telling the truth. Though this seems strange and foolish, they thought it was an excellent way of finding out truth. A man who is worrying something has difficulty in swallowing anything dry, because he loses his appetite.
Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the questions you hear.
1. When is it good for us to eat sweets and ice cream? ( B )
2. At what time shall we have our meal every day? ( A )
3. What did the judges in England think if a man didn't tell the truth? ( C )
4. What kind of person may not want to eat? ( D )
5. What can we learn from the passage? ( A )
Passage Three
The Bull
Once upon a time two young men were spending some time in the country. One day, while taking a walk together, they crossed a large field. Suddenly a bull appeared and began to chase
them. They were naturally very much frightened. The men began to run, but the bull continued to chase them. Finally, one of the men climbed a tree and the other jumped into a large hole. Soon, however, the man who had jumped into the hole came out again. Immediately, the bull chased him back into the hole. Soon, the man came out of the hole again, and the bull chased him right back This went on for five or six times.
Finally the man in the tree, who was now very angry, cried to his friend in the hole: "Y ou fool! Stay in that hole for a while. Otherwise, this bull will keep us here all day."
As he jumped back into the hole again, the other man said: "That's all fight for you to stay, but there happens to be a bear in this hole."
Listen to the passage and write T for True or F for False for each statement you hear.
1. One day, two young men were taking a walk in a large field. ( T )
2. When the bull appeared and began to chase them, they all jumped into a hole. ( F )
3. When the man came out of the hole, the bull stopped chasing him. ( F )
4. The man jumped in and out of the hole at most three times. ( F )
5. The man jumped out again and again, because there was a bear in the hole. ( T )
III. A Story for Retelling
Here is a funny story. Listen and retell it.
A Math Problem
There was once a millionaire who loved money more than anything else in the world. He didn't know exactly how much he had. So he took on a little girl to count all his money for him.
It took the little girl six days to count all the money. When she told the millionaire that he had forty- two million dollars, he was wild with joy and asked, "How much pay do you want?" He thought that because she was only a child, he could cheat her into taking a very small amount.
The little girl said, "Well, I worked for six days, so I think you ought to pay me for six days Give me two pennies for the first day. Each day after that, just give me the amount you gave me the day before, multiplied by itself'.
The millionaire thought that in this way he would only have to give her a very few dollars. What a foolish little girl! So he immediately had his lawyer write up a contract, fearing that she would change her mind.
On the first day, the millionaire paid her two pennies, and on the second day, two pennies times two pennies, four pennies. Each day after that, he gave her the number of pennies he had given her the day before, multiplied by itself. And by the sixth day, the foolish millionaire had to give the clever little girl all his money.
How is it that the little girl could have all the greedy millionaire’s money? If you’re interested in it, you may try to work out this math problem.