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Dictation 听力原文9. Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879, His father owned a factory that made electrical devices. His mother enjoyed music and books. His parents were Jewish but they did not observe many of the religion’s rules. Albert was a quite child who spent much of his time alone. He was slow to talk and had difficulty learning to read. When Albert was five years old, his father gave him a compass. The child was filled with wonder when he discovered that the compass needle always pointed in the same direction—to be north. He asked his father and his uncle what caused the needle to move. Their answers about magnetism and gravity were difficult for the boy to understand. Y et he spent a lot of time thinking about them. He said later that he felt something hidden had to be behind things.Useful expressions and words:1.device 装置，设备leave to one’s own devices 听任某人自行其是，允许某人按自己的意愿做事She left the child to her own devices for an hour in the afternoon.她允许孩子在下午有一个小时的自由支配时间。
Digital camerasAccording to a standard definition, a digital camera is a camera that produces digital images that can be stored in a computer, displayed on a screen and printed. Years ago, people used to possess two different devices in order to take pictures and make videos. The creation of digital cameras was motivated mainly by two factors. First, need to spare space. Second make it more comfortable for people to do both things with higher quality results. the multi-functionalism of digital cameras and combination of several devices in one make it a popular choice for a modern man. For years a digital camera has been unaffordable for many families. However, the variety of digital cameras and various prices nowadays make it possible for almost every single family to buy a digital camera. With increasingly fierce competition, the digital camera manufactures satisfy customers with lower prices but best quality standards.The migration of birdsThe most obvious feature of birds is that they can fly. This facility gives them great mobility and control over their movements. Many species can travel quickly and economically over long distances, up to thousands of kilometers, if necessary, crossing seas, deserts or other inhospitable areas. They also have great orientation and navigational skills and are able to remember and re-find remote places they have previously visited. Birds can thereby occupy widely separated areas at different seasons, returning repeatedly to the same localities from year to year. Although migration is evident in other animal groups, including insects, mammals and fish, in none is it as widely and well-developed as in birds. The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire planet. As a result of migration, birds’ distributions are continually changing on regular seasonal patterns and on local, regional or global scales.Benefits of becoming a teacherBecoming a teacher gives you a chance to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. With kids around, you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. On becoming a teacher, you get a chance to be with children, laughing with them, think their way and enjoy their innocent, silly and hopefully naughty behavior. Apart from this, the nature of your job is that you do not work on weekends and you get your share of holidays. Becoming a teacher entitles you for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships for teaching programs. However, one of the most important benefits of becoming a teacher is that teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations. They make a difference to society by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds.British and American police officersReal policemen both in Britain and the U.S. hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they see on TV, if they ever get home in time. Somethings are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them. The first difference is that a policema n’s real life deals with the law. Most 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.CellphonesNowadays, Cellphon es play a dominant role in people’s life. On the one hand, the mobile phone is portable and convenient. You can reach a person wherever and however far away he is. On the other hand, it is a friend indeed. Whenever you come across trouble, you can call for help immediately. However, some people complain that mobile phones give unpleasant noise on some important occasions, when the owner forgets to turn them off. And it also cuts into peopl e’s spare time. Because with the mobile phone, the boss can easily reach them and call them to duty during their spare time.Privates carsWith the increase in the general standard of living, some ordinary Chinese families begin to afford a car. Yet opinions of the development of a private car vary from person to person. It gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility1. The owner of a car is no longer forced to rely on public transport, and hence no irritation2 caused by waiting for buses or taxis. They maintain that as more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volume of poisonous gas will be given off, polluting the atmosphere and causing actual harm to the health of people. Whether private cars should be developed in China is a difficult question to answer, yet the desire for the comfort and independence a private car can bring will not be eliminated.。
英语专四听力突破辅导：如何进行英语听写练习精听一个重要的练习方法是听写（Dictation）。
英语专业四级考试中听写还是很重要的一块。
考察方式是，一篇文章一共读四遍。
第一遍总听，大约把握文章主题和大意。
听第二遍时开始写，但肯定会漏掉很多词没写下来。
第三遍开始补空。
最后一遍总体检查。
假如我们平时练习听力也用这样的方法的话，你会发现既浪费时间，提高得也很缓慢。
但说心里话，我觉得当时的老师并没有教给我们什么学习方法，完全靠拼命反复做题。
由我的经历可以得出：你要是特别能吃苦，可以天天学英语十几个小时，并且坚持下来的话，你的英语同样可以学好，在刻苦练习的过程中自己也会总结出很多学习方法和规律。
可人的生命太短暂了，假如我们把有限的生命错误地投入到一些低效能的事情上的话，就得不偿失了。
人要把有限的精力投入到最有也许带来效益的事情上去。
现在大家有福了！我会尽力帮大家总结提炼些能帮助你们高效提高英语水平的学习方法。
听写材料的选择建议大家不要用电影对白或者托福听力的对话部分练听写。
换句话说，对话类型的材料（conversations）是不适合拿来练听写的。
因素很简朴，对话的难点不在于某一个词，或一个复杂的句型，或比较晦涩的内容，或巨大的信息量。
难点往往来自于一些音变现象，比如连读失去爆破；来自于一些俚语习惯表达；来自于上下文语境的理解。
换句话说，很多对话材料，就算原文里每个单词你都结识，但不一定理解这句话的意思。
所以，费了半天劲听写下来的对话内容，要么看不懂不理解；要么就是这次看懂了，下次还是听不出。
所以，对话材料应当采用的练习方法其实是跟读模仿。
后面会讲到。
用来练听写的材料应当是一个人的陈述、讲座之类的（Lecture）。
之所以选择这样的材料，是和练听写的目地分不开的。
练听写的核心本质其实是为了提高我们快速理解和记忆的能力。
有的同学误认为听写就是要把听到的所有内容都写下来，那是一些考试的规定，不是我们平时提高听力的方法。
英语专四听力Dictation真题答题技巧2018英语专四听力Dictation真题答题技巧2018英语专业四级考试，很多考生感到无从下手不知道怎么复习及如何复习，新东方在线专四频道将专四听力、专四阅读、专四作文、专四完形填空、专四语言知识进行了解题技巧大汇总，希望能帮助考生们顺利通过专四考试。
首先，必须提高英语专四听力水平，熟悉英美国家的说话发音的不同方式，语音语调;其次对于大纲中所列单词和短语，不仅要认知，而且会熟练拼写。
另外考生可以利用二读三读时的停顿，一般地说，二读时，某个意群如有停顿，接下去是另一意群，那么两者之间可能有符号，如逗号，也可能没有。
此外，要充分利用语法知识进行分析，如单复数是否一致,上下文时态是否相配,大小写是否恰当,介词搭配或词语用法是否合乎规范,前后语意内容是否通顺等。
加强记忆和速记能力。
有时候，听的内容都懂了，但由于记忆的问题或时间的问题没写下来，因此在平时的训练中，有意识地不是以单个的词而是以意群为单位进行理解和记忆;在短暂的停顿空间，如果时间来不及，可以选用自己熟悉的缩写形式或符号记录，等以后有时间时再复原。
这种速记能力也要靠平时的多练，才能获得。
根据评分方式，学会取舍。
因为听写的评分不是根据写出的单词个数多少而是以是否表达清楚原文的主要意思为依据，然后以是否有小的错误，如单复数，大小写，定冠词等分层次扣分，也就是说，扣分有主要和次要信息之分，因此听的时候也要分清重点和非重点;另外听写的全部内容根据意群分成15分，每个意群最多扣一分，如果在听的过程中有个别词或词组一下反应不出来，就不要苦苦纠缠单个的词，要跟着录音进行下一意群的.听写，避免个别词或句的错漏影响对其它内容的听音。
注意以下错误扣分情况：A. 小错误：1)单词拼写错一到二个字母。
例：inconvenient- unconvenient, inconvient;originally- origionally, originally; knives- nives。
如何做dictation？有些同学问我怎么做dictation来提高听力。
其实步骤很简单，我跟大家概括一下，顺便随便抽了一张去年练的BBC常速英语（5min）做个示范，希望同学们能找到适合自己的方法，提高听力水平。
1.通听第一遍。
拿到材料（常速也好，慢速也罢）以后，第一件事情是听一遍，了解这个材料讲了哪些事情或者哪一件事情。
这一次可以在草稿纸上面写下重点信息（非常少的），比如“乌克兰-爆炸”、“巴以纠纷”等。
2.精听+听写。
以句子为单位（按BBC常速来举例的话，一般3-5秒的信息量），将听到的东西写出来。
有的句子听了一遍忘记了，再回放一次句子（注意一定要是整块的信息，而不是单独的词，不然没有训练到记忆力跟理解力，没有意义），直到写出答案为止。
实在写不出来的，就拼一个词出来，下面划横线，表示此处不确定。
3.通听最后一遍+修改。
全部写完以后，再全部听一遍，不要停顿，修改自己写的东西。
4.订正+整理。
订正听力稿，整理新闻中出现的生词（包括重要地名与人名，比如我以下图片中整理的“William Hague”）。
注：dictation的方法对于提高听力水平十分有效，不过必须是通过长时期的大量练习。
大家现阶段可以根据自己的能力，选择适合的材料进行听写，VOA慢速也可以。
更难一点的材料是VOA-CNN-BBC，而且时间也可以越听越长。
写这个的目的不是为了给大家施压，跟我们上课内容也没有关系，只是帮助对于提高听力感到迷茫的同学。
此外，大一阶段要打好各方面基础，以后应试专四、专八时就不会感觉太过于头疼。
大家加油吧~！↖(^ω^)↗。
2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年的英语专业四级考试刚刚结束不久，很多考生已经在等待着专四答案了。
下面是应届毕业生考试网我为大家整理的2023年4月专4级考试真题参考答案之听力篇。
PartⅠ DICTATIONLearning SympathyA big part of being human is feeling sympathy, / but how early on in our lives do we learn this? / Scientists find that babies respond to other people / by crying when other babies cry. / However, babies cant distinguish between themselves and others / until theyre eighteen to twenty months old. / Toddlers start to show concern for others around this time. / Kids also begin to do things like comforting other people. / And by the time theyre three, / most children will try to protect a victim in a fight.PartⅡ LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1. a physical classroom2. a coherent concept3. personalized curriculum4. (more) meaningful practice5. feedback6. collaborating7. question and answer8. fundamental human right9. lifelong learning10. innovationSECTION B CONVERSATIONS1. Whats wrong with the mans computer?答案：A. It has wiped the data from the flash drive.2. How will the man be compensated if the computer cant be fixed?答案：C. Get a new computer.3. How did the man feel about the womans offer of compensation?答案：D. Dissatisfied.4. When will the service engineer come to fix the computer?答案：B. After 8:30 tomorrow morning.5. What is the mans phone number?答案：A. 6574-3205.6. What should we do if our neighbors didnt reach out?答案：B. Introduce ourselves first.7. Which is the best way to handle a noisy neighbor?答案：C. Give him a reason to stop.8. What should we do if we have a nosy neighbor?答案：D. Dont answer their questions.9. How long do we expect our neighbors to stay?答案：B. Five to ten minutes.10. Where can we get more information on this topic?答案：D. CBS news website.文档内容到此结束，欢迎大家下载、修改、丰富并分享给更多有需要的人。
四级能不能过关键在听力,阅读.语法部分是要靠长期积累,短时可能没有多大的突破.并且分值也低，而听力和阅读是可以在短时间内提高的.你可以分别去买针对性很强的专项练习来做.听力可以在网上听听VOA的特别英语，或者是去找一套托福考试的听力，这两样一样可以帮助你提高听新闻，另一个帮助你听平时的对话．阅读就必须要坚持．每天坚持做五篇，按照规定的时间来做．做完后把正确率记下来．以便日后对比．在读的过程中不要去查单词，只要把它们划出来，到最后做完题后再来把新单词抄到一个便笺本上，当天解决．当然，第二天还要把昨天记过的单词再看几遍．这种方法既练了阅读，又记住了单词．比你去买一本所谓的四级词汇还管用十几倍．听力Dictation 技巧看起来你的基础比较差，要把基础打好。
听写的很关键的一点是要理解大意，这样有助于记忆每个意群。
不知道你无法理解大意是不是跟词汇量有关，如果看原文还是不大理解就真的应该多背单词了，一般一篇文章的生词数不应超过5个。
建议你多背单词，多做练习，每天都做，比如基英课本上的dictation。
一篇听写可以多次使用，今天做过后明天后天可以继续听，直到全对为止；当然，每天也都要做新的dictation。
有的人建议专四dictation准备初期找150词左右的公四听力材料作为dictation的文章，不过我练起来不是很适应，不知道你适不适合。
平时不论是做什么听力都要试着复述，多加练习，一定会有所提高的。
多写英语，练习连写，提高书写速度。
做dictation时不一定要一次把一个单词写完整，可以先写几个字母，只要自己明白是什么单词就行了，留到第三遍或第四遍还有检查的时候补全。
希望对你有所帮助。
专四Dictation答题攻略从90年开始第一次TEM4测试，听写就作为一项测试项目，占有10 分, 比重为10%, 91 ,92年，93年上升到15 分, 比重为10%，从94年起（由于难度问题，本次取消了 proof reading）, 听写尽管仍为15 分, 但比重上升为15%，其间制定的新的考试大纲，正式明确了这一点。
英语听力技巧：如何进行英语听写练习精听一个重要的练习方法是听写（Dictation）。
我还记得，当年我考英语专业八级时，是要考听写的。
那时考察方式是，一篇文章一共读四遍。
第一遍总听，大概把握文章主题和大意。
听第二遍时开始写，但肯定会漏掉很多词没写下来。
第三遍开始补空。
最后一遍总体检查。
如果我们平时练习听力也用这样的方法的话，你会发现既浪费时间，提升得也很缓慢。
虽然我英语八级证书是优秀，但说心里话，我觉得当时的老师并没有教给我们什么学习方法，完全靠拼命反复做题。
由我的经历能够得出：你要是特别能吃苦，能够天天学英语十几个小时，并且坚持下来的话，你的英语同样能够学好，在刻苦练习的过程中自己也会总结出很多学习方法和规律。
可人的生命太短暂了，如果我们把有限的生命错误地投入到一些低效能的事情上的话，就得不偿失了。
推荐大家看《80/20效率法则》，很多外企面试员工，都会考察这本书里面的一些观点。
这本书的核心观点其实就是：人要把有限的精力投入到最有可能带来效益的事情上去。
现在大家有福了！我会尽力帮大家总结提炼些能协助你们高效提升英语水平的学习方法。
听写材料的选择建议大家不要用电影对白或者托福听力的对话部分练听写。
换句话说，对话类型的材料（conversations）是不适合拿来练听写的。
原因很简单，对话的难点不在于某一个词，或一个复杂的句型，或比较晦涩的内容，或巨大的信息量。
难点往往来自于一些音变现象，比如连读失去爆破；来自于一些俚语习惯表达；来自于上下文语境的理解。
换句话说，很多对话材料，就算原文里每个单词你都理解，但不一定理解这句话的意思。
所以，费了半天劲听写下来的对话内容，要么看不懂不理解；要么就是这次看懂了，下次还是听不出。
所以，对话材料应该采用的练习方法其实是跟读模仿。
后面会讲到。
用来练听写的材料应该是一个人的陈述、讲座之类的（Lecture）。
之所以选择这样的材料，是和练听写的目地分不开的。
练听写的核心本质其实是为了提升我们快速理解和记忆的水平。
Dictation(听写法)在英语听力教学中的应用[摘要] 随着外语教学法的不断改革创新,英语听力教学方法也经历了历次改革。
听写法(dictation),作为一种听力技巧和考试方法,却一直颇受争议。
与20世纪60年代前的流行地位相反,这种“过时的”教学方法遭到当今推崇交际教学法的外语教师的反对。
争议之处何在?本文结合相关文献和教学实践,在分析听写的法性质、听写存在问题的基础上,提出改进听写方法的一些建议,以期促进英语听力教学。
[关键词] 听写法英语听力教学随着外语教学法的不断改革创新,英语听力教学方法也经历了历次改革。
听写法(dictation)作为一种听力技巧和考试方法,却一直颇受争议。
与20世纪60年代前的流行地位相反,这种“过时的”教学方法遭到当今推崇交际教学法的外语教师的反对。
争议之处何在?本文结合相关文献和教学实践,在分析听写的法性质、听写存在问题的基础上,提出改进听写方法的一些建议,以期促进英语听力教学。
一、听写法(dictation)的性质维基百科全书将听写定义为“口头文本的转录过程,即一方口述,另一方记录。
”然而正是这个看似简单的过程却引起学者们的诸多争论。
著名语言学家Lado批评“听写法似乎没能测试学生的语言能力。
学生可以通过上下文猜词,听写几乎无法测学生的语音知识;听写中特意放慢的速度使学生不太可能听错单词。
”听写似乎没有可取之处,然而事实并非如此。
Oller(1971)用表1描述了听写复杂却意义非凡的全过程。
听写过程综合听者辨别语音语调单位、语法、句法、语音、语义、语用知识和文字输出的能力。
Morris(1983)因此认为听写有助于培养外语学习者精确听写的能力,人们应该重新估量其重要性。
Field(2008)认为听写是一个解码声音信号(decoding)和意义建构(meaning building)的过程。
准确解码声音信号要求听者具备良好的听力和语音知识,意义建构需要听者综合运用语法、句法、语用、语义等语言知识。
Unit 1Social customs and ways of behaving change. But they do not necessarily always change for the better. Things which were considered impolite many years ago are now acceptable. Just a few years ago, it was considered impolite behaviour for a man to smoke on the street. No man who thought of himself as being a gentleman would make a fool of himself by smoking when a lady was in the room.The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable — especially if they are your guests. There is a story about a rich nobleman who had a very formal dinner party. When the food was served, one of the guests started to eat his peas with a knife. Other guests were amused or shocked, but the nobleman calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way. It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable.Unit 2Undoubtedly, Tibet is one of the harshest places for human existence. It is cool in summer but freezing cold in winter. In Lhasa, the mildest city temperature may exceed 29C in summer while plummeting to -16C in winter! Sun radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City. The thin air can neither block off nor retain heat so that the temperature extremes can be met in daytime and the same night respectively in Tibet. However it is not impossible to visit the holy snow land. April to October is the best time to visit Tibet, out of the coldest months, which are from December to February usually. The average temperature in north Tibet is subzero and winter arrives in October until the following May or June. July and August are the best time to visit the area, enjoying warm temperature, intense sunshine, beautiful scenery and festive events. May, June and September is the tourist season in east Tibet. In winter, roads are all blocked by heavy snow. Landslides and rock falls frequently occur, which will make travel difficult.Unit 3I could hear the guard blowing his whistle, so I ran onto the platform and up to the train.Luckily someone saw me coming, a door opened, and I jumped on while the train was moving out of the station. “Phew!” I thought. “That was hard work!” I was sure the other passengers could hear my heart beating; it was so loud, and I was in a cold sweat.After a while, I recovered, and had a look at the other passengers. The compartment was full, but I was the only one standing. The people in the carriage turned their eyes away as they noticed me looking at them; all except one, a beautiful woman sitting in the corner. I saw her watching me in the mirror. Automatically, I adjusted my tie. She had seen me running for the train: maybe this was my lucky day after all. I prepared to say hello.She spoke first, however. “Would you like my seat?” she asked. “You look rather ill.” That was the day on which I realized I was getting middle-aged.Unit 4Aesop was a very clever man who lived in Greece thousands of years ago. He wrote many good fables. He was known to be fond of jokes. One day, as he was enjoying a walk he met a traveler, who greeted him and said, “Kind man, can you tell me how soon I shall get to town?”“Go,” Aesop answered.“I know I must go”, said the traveler, “but I should L ike you to tell me how soon I shall get to town.”“Go,” Aesop said again angrily.“This man must be mad,” the traveler thought and went on.After he had gone some distance, Aesop shouted after him, “You will get to town in two hours.” The traveler turned around in astonishment. “Why didn’t you tell me that before?” he asked.“How could I have told you before?” answered Aesop. “I did not know how fast you could walk.Unit 5Americans know that higher education is the key to the growth they need to lift th eir country, and today that is more true than ever. Just listen to these facts. Over half the new jobs created in the last three years have been managerial and professional jobs. The new jobs require a higher level of skills.Fifteen years ago the typical worker with a college degree made 38 percent more than a worker with a high school diploma. Today that figure is 73 percent more. Two years of college means a 20 percent increase annual earnings. People who finish two years of college earn a quarter of a million dollars more tan their high school counterparts over a lifetime.Unit 6I began my career during college, reporting on news stories at a Toronto radio station. The station’s program manager was also a professor who taught one of my classes. I convinced him that she needed a youth reporter because that year was International Youth Year. After graduation, I took a job as a television news reporter and later, news anchor. But sports reporting was something different, so I decided to try it. Figure skating was my first assignment.I had two months until my new job began. It was like waiting an entire summer for school to start. I spent those two months talking to figure skating coaches and judges. I read boring rule books. I drove to the rinks where the skaters trained, and made notes about our conversations. I even took a lesson, which made some of the skaters laugh.Unit 7Thomas Edison was one of ten said to be the greatest genius of his age. There are only a few men in all of the history, who have changed the lives of other men as much as the inventor of the first useful electric light. But Edison could never be happy only because someone said he was a genius.“ There is no such thing as genius,” Edison said. He said that what people called genius was mostly hard work.But Edison was a dreamer as well as a worker. From his earliest days as a child he wondered about the secrets of nature. Nature, he often said, is full of secrets. He tried to understand them; then, he tried to learn what could usefully be done with them.Edison enjoyed thinking. He knew that most people will do almost anything instead ofthe difficult work of thinking, especially if they do not think very often. But he knew, too, that thinking can give men enjoyment and pleasure.Unit 8The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says hunger kills millions of people each year — especially children . The UN organization says millions more people will die unless more money is invested to fight against hunger.This is b ased on the result of a new UN study called “The State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2002”. It found that more than nine million people die each year from hunger. Six million of them are children younger than age five. Researchers also found that the nu mber of starving people is growing in some parts of the world.The report says that about eight hundred and forty million people around the world are getting enough food to eat. Ninety-five percent of these people are in developing countries.Unit 9In contemporary English, there are many reported differences in the talk of males and females . In same gender pairs having conversations, women generally discuss their personal feelings more than men . Men appear to prefer non-personal topics such as sport and news . Men tend to respond to mention personal experiences that match or connect with the other woman’s . There is a pattern documented in the American English social context of women cooperating and seeking connection via language, whereas men are more competitive and concerned with power via language . In mixed-gender pairs having conversations, the rate of men interrupting women is substantially greater than he reverse. Women are reported to use more expressions associated with tentativeness , such as “hedges” and “tags” , when expressing an opinion : Well ,erm , I think that golf is kind of boring , don’t you ?Unit 10The University of Oxford, situated in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world . The universities of Oxford and Cambridge are sometimes referred to collectively as Oxbridge. The two universities have a long history of competition with each other, as they are two oldest and most famous universities in England.The date of Oxford’s foundation is unknown, and indeed it may not have been a single event , but there is evidence of teaching there as early as 1096. When Henry II of England of forbade English students to study at the University of Paris in 1167, Oxford began to grow very quickly . The foundation of the first halls of residence, which later became college, dates from this period and later. Following the murder of two students accused of rape in 1209, the University was disbanded, and this led to the foundation of the University of Cambridge. In 1214, the University returned to Oxford with a charter, and the University’s status was formally confirmed.Unit 11Planet Earth is 4,600,000,000 years old. If we condense this time span we can compare it to a person 46 years old. Only at the age of 42 did the Earth begin to flower. Dinosaurs and the great reptiles did not appear until one year ago, when the planet was 45. Mammalsarrived only eight months ago, and in the middle of last week human-like apes developed into ape-like humans, and last weekend the last ice age covered the Earth.Modem man has been around for 4 hours. During the last hour agriculture was discovered. The Industrial Revolution began a minute ago. Since then, we have multiplied our numbers to plague proportions, caused the extinction of 500 species of animals, turned the planet upside down in the search for fuels, and now we stand, arrogant with power, on the edge of a war to end all wars, and close to effectively destroying this oasis of life in the solar system.Unit 12London is one of the biggest cities in the world. It has a population of over 8 million. Some people like it very much because there is a lot to do there and it is very interesting. There are hundreds of cinemas, theatres, museums and restaurants there. But other people don't like it because there is so much traffic and noise everywhere.Brighton is a medium-sized town with a population of around 300,000. It is on the coast, about 50 miles from London. Of course it isn't as interesting as London, but the air is a lot cleaner and better. There are a few factories, but not many. It isn't very easy to find a good job there. But there are a lot of hotels and language schools in the town, and in the summerthe town is full of tourists.Unit 13An old man died and left his son a lot of money. But the son was a foolish young man, and he quickly spent all the money, so that soon he had nothing left. Of course, when that happened, all his friends left him. When he was quite poor and alone, he went to see Nasreddin, who was a kind, clever old man and often helped people when they had troubles.“My money has finished and my friends have gone,” said the young man. “What will happen to me now?”“Don’t worry, young man,” answered Nasreddin. “Everything will soon be all right again. Wait and you will soon feel much happier.”The young man was very glad. “Am I going to get rich again then?” he asked Nasreddin.“No, I didn’t mean that,” said the old man. “I meant that you would soon get used to being poor a nd to having no friends.”Unit 14The future will not determine itself. The future is determined by the actions of the present day.Edward Cornish, the editor of The Futurist magazine published by the World Future Society, says:The responsibility we have for the future begins when we recognize that we ourselves create the future — that the future is not something imposed upon us by fate or other forces beyond our control. We ourselves build the future both through what we do and what we do not do.A novel way of teaching may change the way universities are run. An engineering teacher at the American University of Illinois has had great success without textbooks, without examsand without deadlines. His students won nine of the top ten engineering awards in a university competition.The engineering professor, Ricardo Uribe, let his engineering students express themselves, in-stead of telling them what to do. His students all focused on the problems that interested them, not what their teacher told 'them. They worked their own hours, not hours set by the university. They did not have to sit tests, and they helped each other in open classes.Unit 15Newspapers are one of the main sources from which we learn what is going on--in world politics, science, local government, the arts, fashion, food, education and sports. The papers we choose show our interests and usually the politics which we believe in. There are nine national daily newspapers in Britain, of which five are tabloids and four are quality papers. Do these newspapers realty serve the people they are written for? Many people question the objectivity of newspapers. How objective are they? We might be better able to judge if we understand how a newspaper is produced. Reporters, of course, are the sou rce from which the facts must come, but there are many other people who are involved in and influence newspapers.。
DICTATION 1[00:50.44]Dining Customs in the USA[00:54.14]Americans, like many people elsewhere in the world, [00:58.12]like to invite friends to their homes for an evening of food, [01:02.10]drink and conversation.[01:04.90]Formal dinners in fine homes and hotels in the US[01:08.90]are much the same as formal dinners anywhere in the world. [01:13.50]But as most people in the US have no servants,[01:17.42]their dinner parties at home tend to be informal.[01:21.34]Guests may sit down at a table,[01:23.77]or as many new small homes have no[01:26.25]separate dining room or very small dining space.[01:30.48]Guests can also serve themselves and eat in the living room, [01:34.65]holding their plates or trays on their knees.[01:37.76]A more enjoyable form of entertainment is the picnic. [01:41.79]Americans are great picnickers and[01:44.23]almost every family has a picnic basket.[01:47.90]Summer invitations are often for[01:49.96]a picnic at a park or in the open countryside,[01:53.63]and less hamburgers or hot dogs are cooked over a fire. [01:57.86]Picnic food is usually cold.DICTATION 2[00:50.31]Costs in Colleges and Universities[00:54.66]Nearly all American students in colleges and[00:57.71]universities pay for their educations.[01:01.07]There are many costs.[01:03.44]First of all, there is tuition.[01:06.31]At some schools, the tuition is very high,[01:09.67]ten thousand dollars a year or more.[01:12.80]At other schools,[01:14.18]it may only be a few hundred dollars a year.[01:17.74]At some community colleges, tuition is free.[01:22.11]There are other costs as well.[01:24.85]Many students leave their homes to[01:26.86]go to schools in other cities.[01:29.84]They may live in dormitories or apartments,[01:32.83]and they must pay for it.[01:35.13]Finally, students must buy textbooks for their courses. [01:39.80]Going to college or university can be a big expense. [01:44.67]Some families start saving money for[01:47.25]their children's education when the children are small. [01:51.67]Many students work to save money for tuition.[01:55.71]They can also get loans from the government.[01:58.95]They pay the money back to the government[02:01.12]when they finish their education.DICTATION 4[00:49.96]Rainbow[00:51.51]You will not always see a rainbow[00:53.63]when it rains while the sun shines.[00:56.62]The sun must be in the right position over the horizon. [01:00.72]And remember to turn your back to the sun[01:03.85]when you look toward the sky.[01:05.90]A rainbow will never appear[01:07.92]in the path between you and the sun.[01:10.91]If you are on the ground,[01:13.08]you will only see a part of the rainbow.[01:16.27]This is because the earth blocks the rest of the circle. [01:20.07]You can see the whole circle[01:21.94]if you are flying high in a plane when a rainbow happens. [01:26.43]The shadow of the plane would be in the center.[01:30.22]Rainbows hold an important place[01:32.85]in the traditional stories and beliefs[01:35.75]that make up many cultures.[01:37.94]For example, some cultures say the rainbow[01:40.74]represents a bridge between life and death.[01:44.28]Still others see the rainbow as a sign of good things to come.PART I DICTATION text 1[01:02.23]Plastic[01:03.41]We use plastic wrap to protect our foods.[01:06.40]We put our garbage in plastic bags or plastic cans.[01:10.55]We sit on plastic chairs, play with plastic toys,[01:14.30]drink from plastic cups,[01:16.43]and wash our hair with shampoo from plastic bottles.[01:20.62]Plastic does not grow in nature.[01:23.51]It is made by mixing certain things together.[01:27.01]We call it a produced or manufactured material.[01:31.52]Plastic was first made in the 1860s from plants,[01:35.41]such as wood and cotton.[01:37.72]That plastic was soft and burned easily.[01:41.55]The first modern plastics were made in the 1930s.[01:46.00] Most clear plastic starts out as thick, black oil.[01:50.93]That plastic coating inside a pan begins as natural gas.[01:56.53]Over the years,[01:57.79]hundreds of different plastics have been developed.[02:01.15]Some are hard and strong. Some are soft and bendable. [02:05.91]Some are clear. Some are many-colored.[02:09.90]There is a plastic for almost every need.[02:13.79]Scientists continue to experiment with plastics.[02:17.73]They hope to find even more ways to use them.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION1-10 C A D C A C B C B C11-20 A D D D B B B C B D21-30 C B C C C D D C C D[00:16.16]PART I DICTATION text 2[01:01.98]Music[01:02.85]Music is the abstract art of arranging vocal or[01:06.28]instrumental sounds[01:07.62]in a manner that produces a flowing,[01:10.08]unified and thoughtful composition that has melody,[01:14.32]harmony, rhythm.[01:16.25]In contrast to the other arts,[01:18.43]music is not a readily tangible form of expression.[01:22.86]Music may be called both the most mathematical and [01:26.36]the most abstract of the arts.[01:29.30]Unlike words, images, or dance, however,[01:32.82]musical tones in themselves have no concrete associations, [01:37.55]and only gain meaning when they are combined into patterns. [01:42.04]Through the centuries various philosophers have[01:44.79]attempted to integrate theories[01:46.78]on the essence of music with their particular world views. [01:50.92]Many non-Western cultures and some Western writers [01:54.53]as well have perceived it as an inherently mystical force, [01:58.85]able to unlock elemental truths or principles[02:02.27]that cannot be translated into written or graphic form. [02:06.83]Music is an important part of our lives,[02:09.44]and has been an important part of[02:11.50]every civilization known to man.PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION1-10 A D C C B C D B A D11-20 C C A B A A C C B A21-30 D C D D C D B D A C。
