大学体验英语视听说教程 UNIT 1McDonald’s Business

新标准⼤学英语视听说综合教程⼀Unit1test Unit testPart I: Vocabulary and StructureSection A: Complete each sentence using the correct word or expression from the box.ignorant cultural sign up for gapbarely intelligent check in memoirmuscle ballroom1.Your answer Correct answercultural cultural2.Your answer Correct answersign up for sign up for3.question.Your answer Correct answerignorant ignorant4.Your answer Correct answerbarely barely5. I've been thinking about volunteering in South-east Asia during myYour answer Correct answergap gap6.Your answer Correct answerballroom ballroom7.Your answer Correct answercheck in check in8.Your answer Correct answermuscle muscle9.Your answer Correct answermemoir memoir10.Her psychology thesis examines whether cats are dogs. Your answer Correct answerintelligent intelligentSection B: Choose the best way to complete the sentences.11. Please send all correspondence to my new place of ____.A. residentB. residentsC. residenceD. residue12. The professor tried to ____ us that there would be no surprise test next week.A. assureB. sureC. ensureD. pressure13. My paper is about nature's ability to ____ potential threats.A. inspectB. infectC. deflectD. detect14. The student did an ____ thing when she returned the money she found.A. admireB. admiringC. admirableD. admiringly15. We learned about the ____ people in that country experienced throughout history.A. persecuteB. persecutedC. persecutingD. persecution16. Would you like a small ____ of my coffee?A. sipB. nibbleC. swallowD. bite17. Be careful you don't ____ the paint!A. spellB. spillC. spoilD. sip18. Tom felt foolish and ____ when he showed up for the final exam without a pencil.A. adequateB. adequatelyC. inadequatelyD. inadequate19. Before class, I met my friends at the school ____ for lunch.A. libraryB. gymnasiumC. cafeteriaD. ballroom20. After graduation, Cindy framed her ____ and hung it on her bedroom wall.A. certificateB. diplomaC. qualificationD. recordSection C: Complete each sentence with a suitable word. 21.Your answer Correct answerinto into22.thunderstorm!Your answer Correct answersurely surelyYour answer Correct answerwith without24.The whole situation was so ridiculous that I simplyYour answer Correct answerinto into25.Pablo looked at the new he wanted it but could not afford it. Your answer Correct answeradmiringly admiringly26.Renaissance.Your answer Correct answerof27.priceless insight into your culture.Your answer Correct answerwith with28.Your answer Correct answerfor for29.Your answer Correct answerbarely barelyYour answer Correct answerIn InPart II: Banked ClozeQuestions 31 to 40 are based on the following passage.Tanya wants to study abroad in Europe. To prepare herself, she reads online aboutplaces she might like to go. She needs to do enough research to make an informedand (31)One of the main reasons she wants to study abroadis because she doesn't want to graduate and be (32)countries and cultures.She is looking for a unique (33)home.What about Paris? The school and the city are both wonderful. However, prices fora decent (34)Paris are too high —she can't afford it. Madrid?She looks (35)the beautiful campus in the picture on the school's website. How she would love to be there! However, without speaking Spanish, Tanyadecides she would feel sadly (36)Then Tanya thinks about London. They speak English there and the school prices arereasonable. Also, the (37)be very convenient to travel aroundthe city without a car. Tanya decides to (38)London.She is surprised that she was able to surf the Internet and make a decision withoutmoving a (39)in London. Maybe she will even write a(n) (40)experiences!Your answer Correct answer(31) intelligent intelligent(32) ignorant ignorant(33) cultural cultural(34) residence residence(35) admiringly admiringly(36) inadequate inadequate(37) subway subway(38) sign sign(39) muscle muscle(40) memoir memoirPart III: Reading ComprehensionQuestions 41 to 45 are based on the following passage.Attending your first Freshers' Fair can be a confusing and overwhelming experience. First of all, you are still trying to become accustomed to yournew environment and living away from home. You are probably already feeling pressure to make new friends, study for class, and make your family proud. Deciding which club to join is just an added layer of pressure and might bethe last thing you want to think about.Have no fear! The Freshers' Fair is actually a fun and exciting place, ifyou manage to forget your worries, kick back, and enjoy yourself. Just followthis simple advice for a pleasant and productive day.1. Shop around. Take your time, walk around, and check out everything that's available. It's a little like shopping for a good bargain. The first pair of pants you see might not be the best fit.2. Ask questions. The whole point of the Freshers' Fair is to let you know what clubs and activities are available. Representatives are there to answer your questions. Take advantage of them.3. Take notes. Write down all important information you want to remember. How often are meetings? What are the requirements of membership? What is the time commitment and will it interfere with your class schedule?4. Don't be shy. Many groups will have sign-up sheets. They will use these to send out more information or let you know about upcoming events. There is often no commitment to join, so even if you have a passing interest, sign up and stay in touch.Now that you've got a leg-up and have a plan for your first Freshers' Fair, get out there and start taking advantage of the many opportunities your school provides. You won't regret it!41. Which of the following is NOT the advice that is given fora first Freshers' Fair?A. Write down club meeting schedules.B. Ask for more information about interestinggroups.C. Look for a great pair of pants.D. Try to forget the pressure you're feeling ata new school.42. According to this passage, what is the point of a Freshers' Fair?A. To make new friends.B. To feel less pressure.C. To ask questions about membershiprequirements.D. To learn about available opportunities atschool.43. Which of the following most accurately describes "aleg-up" (Para. 7, Line 1)?A. A plan.B. An advantage.C. An opportunity.D. A disadvantage.44. This type of writing would best be described as ______.A. Persuasive.B. Entertaining.C. Informative.D. Analytical.45. A proper title for this passage might be ______.A. Helpful Advice for a First Freshers' FairB. Dealing with Pressure at UniversityC. Shop Around at the Freshers' FairD. Get a Leg-Up at University。

《大学英语视听说课程实训手册第1册》听力原文Unit 1 Stay Hungry, Stay FoolishLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat theUnit 2 The Internet: A Double-Edged SwordLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 3 Animation WorldLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 4 Financial IntelligenceLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 5 Public TransportLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questionsTask 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Unit 6 Post-Olympic AgeLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the clip again and decide if the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 7 Body LanguageLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Unit 8 Beyond the BluesLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.11。

Unit1我在哈佛的第一周新生迈进哈佛校园的第一天，据说总是令人兴高采烈，激动不已。

这的确也是我来到哈佛第一天的真实写照。

父母陪着我开车驶过主校门进入校园时，那柔和的阳光透过绿树间隙照射在具有历史意义的砖墙建筑物上。

沾满晨露的绿草在阳光下闪闪发光。

我凝视着车窗外面的迷人景色，自忖“最幸运的新生不过如此了！”我们来到了卡纳迪公寓——我的宿舍楼。

我和四个女孩同住在四室一厅的套房里。

这个套房在顶楼，天花板很高，上面有天窗。

从卡纳迪公寓到餐厅和上课的教室，都只需要两分钟的路程。

我很喜欢自己的室友。

我们各自的背景、种族、宗教信仰和兴趣爱好都完全不同。

这也映衬出哈佛引以自豪的“多样性”。

第一周，幸亏有这样四个可称为朋友的女孩相伴，帮助我顺利度过了到哈佛后的这段适应期。

这一周有许多重要的抉择需要我来做，而没有父母和好友的帮助，有时我会感到十分艰难。

选课是第一步。

在哈佛，新生唯一的必修课是说明文写作。

这一年，我实际上可以选修我想学的任何课程，而且课程的门类出奇地多！我该如何选择呢？庆幸的是哈佛允许新生在“选课周”里到课堂试听。

上课时间和平时一样，我们可以试听任何想选修的课程，多少不限。

如果我最后决定选修某一门课程，我就要完成“选课周”里布置的所有功课。

另外，如果我试听了一门选课表上看似很好的课程，却发现这门课并不适合我，或教授讲课枯燥乏味，我可以决定不选修这门课！同样艰难的是在众多的运动队、出版社团、乐队、戏剧社或俱乐部中做出选择。

到底该参加哪一个呢？在哈佛，就餐肯定也是新生最关注的事情之一。

不仅是一日三餐吃什么——吃的都是美味，更值得一提的是就餐的环境真的很好。

我们的餐厅更像是一个教堂或博物馆。

桌子、椅子、地板、墙壁，还有高高的天花板都是用华丽的深色木料制作的，油漆得精光锃亮。

而且，大厅里悬挂着枝形吊灯，墙上镶嵌着明亮的彩色玻璃窗，厅里到处可见哈佛历史名人的雕塑和画像。

哈佛第一周的所有这些经历将成为我毕生的珍贵记忆。

大学体验英语视听说教程1教学设计一、教学背景和目标教学背景本教学课程适用于高等教育中英语专业的大学生，通过本教学可以提升学生的英语视听说能力，提高英语水平。

教学目标•学会掌握基本的英语语音、语调；•学会简单的英语口语表达；•提高听力和口语能力；•培养参与英语听说活动的能力。

二、教学方法和策略教学方法•任务驱动教学法：学生通过完成任务学习；•合作学习法：学生在小组中完成任务，相互协作，提高学习效率；•情境教学法：将学生置于生活场景中学习英语，更能增强学习体验。

教学策略•以任务为主线，分阶段完成不同的任务以达到教学目标；•使用多媒体教具，鼓励学生在听说活动中实践；•常召开小组讨论，引导学生思考，共同解决英语学习难题。

三、教学内容和过程本次教学内容为《听力与口语》第一部分，课程分为三个部分，包括英语音素的学习和口语训练。

第一部分：英语音素1.英语元音和辅音的基本发音规律，并通过多媒体教具进行听、说练习。

2.学生分组进行英语发音练习，每个小组一位学生读出一段话，其余组员进行评价。

第二部分：语音语调1.英语语调的基本规律，学生通过实践掌握英语语调，并通过多媒体教具进行听、说练习。

2.学生分小组模拟日常对话情境，每个小组选出代表进行表演，其余组员进行评价。

第三部分：口语训练1.通过学习对比中文和英文的口腔语音与发音，指导学生准确发音和减少口音。

2.学生分小组进行对话练习，通过合作学习和互相帮助，提高口语能力。

四、教学评估方法1.反馈评估：通过听取学生对教学的反馈，收集学生的需求，及时进行调整和优化教学内容。

2.课程成绩评定：将学生的参与度、听说能力成绩、考试成绩等综合评估，给出相应的分数。

五、教学后记本教学以任务驱动、情境化教学为主线，辅以小组合作、多媒体教具等多种教学方法和策略，通过实践和练习提高语音、语调、口语能力，在培养学生英语听说能力的同时，也增强了学生的参与感和学习体验。

Unit 1 Stay Hungry, Stay FoolishLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat theUnit 2 The Internet: A Double-Edged SwordLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 3 Animation WorldLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 4 Financial IntelligenceLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 5 Public TransportLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questionsTask 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Unit 6 Post-Olympic AgeLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1 Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2 Checking the FactsListen to the clip again and decide if the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Unit 7 Body LanguageLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Unit 8 Beyond the BluesLesson OneAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are true or false.Lesson TwoAudio StudioTask 1Identifying the GistListen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Task 2Checking the FactsListen to the audio clip again and fill in the blanks according to what you have heard. Repeat the sentences after you have completed them.10。

⼤学体验英语听说教程第⼀单元听⼒原⽂第⼀单元听⼒原⽂Warm up1. Jack: Hey, guys, what's up?Lucy: Oh, nothing much.2. Hugh: Hi, Marci. How are you doing?Marci: Oh, you know. Pretty good. How about you?3. Suzie: Hi, Alan. Long time no see.Alan: Hey, what a surprise. Good to see you.4. Tony: Hello, I'm Tony Martin.Claire: Oh, you're Tony. I'm glad you're here.5. Alex: Hi, Jeff. How's it going?Jeff: Not bad … not bad at all.6. Don: It's nice to see you again, Sue.Sue: It's good to see you, too, Don.Listening task1. Mark: Hey, Tony, what's up?Tony: Not a whole lot.Mark: How's the job going?Tony: Ah, it's going fine.Mark: That's good.Tony: Yep.Mark: Well, got to go.Tony: Yeah, me too. Back to work.Mark: Yep.Tony: Well, see you.2. Dan: Hey. How are you?Jess: Pretty good. What's going on?Dan: Not much. You know, just shopping, walking around. Hey, who's your friend? Jess: Oh, sorry. This is Tanya. Tanya, this is Dan.Tanya: Hi, Dan.Dan: Hi. Nice to meet you.3. Lisa: Hi, Cara.Cara: Hi, Lisa. How are you doing?Lisa: Fine. How about you?Cara: Pretty good.Lisa: How's your math class going?Cara: Oh, it's kind of hard, but I like it.A lot of homework.Lisa: Yeah, homework. Well, keep at it.Cara: I'll try to.Lisa: See you.Cara: Bye.4. Craig: Good morning.Todd: Morning.Craig: How are you doing these days?Todd: Great, great. We're really busy at the office.Craig: Oh, yeah?Todd: Yeah. Just got a big new account.Craig: Well, that's good. Well, take it easy.Todd: Thanks, have a good one.5. Jerry: Hi! Anybody home?Amy: Oh, hi! You're home. I'm so happy to see you.Jerry: Yeah, I'm a little tired. It was a long flight.Amy: But you're back.Jerry: Hey, guys. I'm home.6. Rob: Hi, I'm Rob Martin from Jiffee Plastics.Donna: Hi, Rob. Donna Schneider.Rob: Nice to meet you.Donna: Yes, uh, Rob, I'd like to introduce you to Janet Ramiro. She's our project manager. Janet: Nice to meet you. Is it Rob?Rob: Yes, that's right.Real world listeningPart 1. Tomas talks to Eddie.Tomas: Hey, Eddie! How's it going?Eddie: Not bad. How are you doing?Tomas: Pretty good.Eddie: So how was your summer?Tomas: Mm, it was all right.Eddie: Cool.Tomas: Hey, where are you living this year?Eddie: Oh, I got an apartment with some friends.Tomas: Nice.Eddie: What about you? Where you living?Tomas: Eh, I'm in the dorms again.Eddie: Dorms. That's not too bad.Tomas: No, it works.Part 2. Tomas talks to Yuki.Tomas: Hey, how's it going?Yuki: Oh, hey. You're in this class too?Tomas: Yeah.Yuki: Do you think it's going to be hard?Tomas: Hmm. I don't know. I hope not.Yuki: Yeah, me too.Tomas: So …Yuki: Oh, here he comes.Tomas: Who?Yuki: The teacher.Tomas: Oh, well, talk to you later, OK?Part 3. Tomas talks to Dr. Collins.Tomas: Um, Dr. Collins?Dr. Collins: Yes? Can I help you with something? Tomas: Um, yes. Um, is there, um.Do you have room in your psychology class?Dr. Collins: Hmm. Psychology. Which class?Tomas: The one on Monday and Wednesday. Ten to eleven. Dr. Collins: Psychology 103. Hmm.Yes, I think I have room in that one. You're in luck. Tomas: Oh, great. I want to add the class. Can you sign this? Dr. Collins: Sure. There you go.Tomas: Thanks, Dr. Collins.Dr. Collins: You're welcome. I'll see you on Wednesday. Video 1Rachel: Excuse me. Are you Dr. Wang?Dr. Wang: Yes, I am. Can I help you?Rachel: Yes! We've just signed up for your philosophy course.My name is Rachel. And this is my friend Phil.Dr. Wang: It is very nice to meet you both.Phil: We are really looking forward to taking your course.So too is our friend Cindy, who should be here any minute.(Cindy arrives)Cindy: Hello everyone!Dr. Wang: Good afternoon.I am Dr. Wang, and you must be Cindy?Cindy: Yes! How did you know?Dr. Wang: Your friends were just beginning to tell mehow you will all be studying philosophy with me.Cindy: Indeed! And we are very excited about it!Dr. Wang: Great! I hope my course lives up to your expectationsand I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday in Lecture Hall 3.We are beginning with Plato.Be sure to arrive with some interesting questions!Video 2(Jack's phone rings. Mary answers)Jack: HelloMary: Hi Jack, it's Mary.Jack: Mary, my old friend, what a nice surprise!How are you?Mary: I am doing really well, thanks.I thought I'd call because I haven't seen or heard from you in ages! How have you been?Jack: Great, thanks. Yes, it has been a while.Too long in fact!Mary: I agree, we need to catch up —I was wondering if you would like to meet up for a drink or a meal? Jack: I would love to do both, but my schedule is pretty busy. When were you thinking?Mary: Tomorrow evening?Jack: Unfortunately that won't work;I have plans to catch a movie with my sister.How about Sunday, at 7pm?Mary: Yeah, Sunday at 7pm is perfect.Let's meet at the Pizza House next to the entrance to Lakeview Park. Jack: Great idea! Thanks Mary, see you soon.Mary: See you, Jack.。

大学体验英语听说教程第四版答案UNIT 11。

2.全选3。

4. 全选5. 全选6.第二个7. c d a b e8. You can hardly blame my parents, for being so disapproving of my teen age boyfriends.During my adolescent years, I was strangely attracted to losers and oddballs. My parents couldn't believe th e bizarre specimens of boyhoodth at I regularly dragged home. One of my first "romances" was with greasy-hai red David, whose drug problem did not go down too well with my family m embers. So why did David seem so attractive to me? Simple, my parents str ongly disapproved of him. There is nothing new, of course, in parental disap proval of teenage love interests. Nor is there anything new in teenagers falli ng in love with the biggest losers around. Adolescent girls with eccentric boy friends are essentially screaming out to their parents, "If you can't accept that I' m old enough to make my own decisions, I'll just have to prove it to you i n a way that you are sure to notice." So why do parents fail to realize that the more they oppose unsuitable boyfriends,the more their daughters will pic k them out? After all, did my mother really think that in my heart of hearts I truly fancied the losers? Had she simply smiled and said sweetly, "What a darling boy. Let's invite him round for Sunday lunch",he would have been giv en the boot in no time. It is bad enough bringing home a complete loser, b ut when you date someone twice your age it is guaranteed to push family r elations to the limit.The parents of Mary Russell encountered this when their 16-year-old daughter entered into a relationship with her 32-year-old teache r. "There were a lot of arguments between her and me and her dad about it not being right," said Mrs. Russell. Surprisingly, despite all the fights, Mary 's parents failed to dissuade their daughter from dating her older teacher an d, following a bitter court case, the lovesick couple are now back in each ot her's arms. In my case, my parents wisely switched to a more wily way of a ttempting to get rid of boyfriends whom they felt were inappropriate. Indeed, by the time I'd reached 17 and had my first serious boyfriend, there were no more arguments. Nor were there any obvious signs of dislike. They tried an approach that they thought would be far more effective than verbal cond emnation －they invited him to a boring family get-together. Now I realizemy mother's initial disapproval of my teenage romances is a universal feeling. Parents want children to fulfill their own dreams.Their hopes were fairly n ormal:they wanted to witness my wedding vows; they wanted to see their daughter settled down in a well-established family; they wanted me to get married and have kids.10.Eric,I hope I meet the woman of my dreams sooner rather than later. I want to settle down and have a family before I am thirty. Well,I’ve always thought that you and Rachel would make a wonderful couple!Rachel? She'd never go for me. I wouldn’t be so sure. Y ou should see the way she looks at you… What year were you born in? What year was I born in? What’s that got to do with anything? Lots.The year you were born says a great deal about your personality and who you would be compatible with as a mate. Y ou’re kidding, right? No.Iam perfectly serious. I was born in 1985. That’s the year of the ox. That makes sense, because you’re down to earth, caring and loyal, just like ox people. Are you aware that Rachel was born in 1987? Y es, I am, but what’s your point? That’s the year of the rabbit. Rabbit people are usually sweet natured, sociable and romantic. Just like Rachel…You know, it is said that an ideal match for a rabbit is an ox…12.A:Lisa, you’re such an extroverted person, while I am m uch more introverted. You’re outgoing, whereas I am soft spoken. You’re very social, while I am very reserved. What do you think it is that makes our personalities so different? After all, we’re sisters! B:I think it all has to do with the nature versus nurture debate?A:Nature versus nurture? B:Yes, some scientists think that people are born with their personalities. That’s the “nature” theory of human behavior. Other scientists claim that the environment people grow up in shapes their personalities.That’s the “nurture”theory of human behavior. A:Hm. Interesting. I tend to think that the environment determines a person’s character. I guess that means I subscribe to he“nurture”theory. B:Me too. I suppose that’s why we are so different. We went to different schools, you played sports while I studied music, and we hung out with different types of friends.A:Nonetheless, I do think nature plays a role in shaping personality too. After all, we’re both intelligent, talented in what we do and very caring towards others. These are probably all traits that we inherited. A:Maybe. I am no expert. The important thing to me is that we get along so well, enjoy being together and love each other. B:You’re right. I couldn’t ask for a better sister!UNIT 21. 2.3.4. drug5.6. 第三个和第三个7.In Rome, you can read your email while your dirty clothes wash, soak and dry in machines beside you. In Helsinki, you can surf the Web while still sweating from a simmer in a nearby sauna. Some people travel to sample the finest of foreign cuisines. Some seek sublime art to appreciate or sacred architecture to celebrate.as an international connoisseur of Internet cafe. In my past five months overseas，I've surfed the information superhighway in Swaziland, driven the data expressway in Estonia and cruised the communication causeway in Croatia. And I can say this: Gone are the days when postcards were the preferred method of making those at home envious of your adventures abroad. Set foot on the road to faraway places and you'll soon find that cyber cafés are an inescapable part of the contemporary travel experience. Just ask Michelle Amundson from Attleboro, Mass. Just ask Michelle Amundson from Attleboro, Massachusetts. I found this 23-year-old parked in front of a flat-screen monitor at Big Net café－the biggest Internet café in Vienna －exchanging love notes with her boyfriend back home. Michelle has been on vacation 10 days and has emailed him every one of them. Think of myself: My (much) better half is traveling with me and still of the 35 cities we've visited thus far, I've used cyber cafés in precisely 71.4 percent of them. When I left the US, I vowed I wouldn't eat at a single McDonald's no matterhow cheap and soothingly familiar the food might be. I've stayed true to that promise. But I admit when I slip into an Internet café, I feel just a wee bit like I'm taking a bite of a Big Mac. I comfort myself, however, with the discovery that no two cyber cafés are alike. It's hard to know where to begin in Prague, a city suffering a particularly virulent strain of cyber café-itis. At The Globe you can surf the Net while listening to a jazz trio. At Bohemian Bagel you can order up the namesake roll and a cup of joe along with a side of cyber crack. And at Krakatit, a "science fiction café, " you can surf the Web surrounded by pictures of dragons and spaceships and robots, oh my. Some people predict that cyber cafés, like postcards, will soon find themselves a relic as mobile phones with high-speed Internet access replace them as the new traveler's darling. That means no matter where we are we'll always have the World Wide Web in our pocket. And no matter where we are, we'll never be more than a button press (or two) from the comforts of home.9.A:This is Tina Lin from HTN news, and we are with Rachel Wu today,a student of Feminist Studies. Rachel, would you say that there is true equality in our society between men and women?B:That’s a good question. On th e whole, in most areas, I believe we can speak about real equality between men and women, and that is a veryclear sign of social progress. However, the wage gap is still a significant problem: women still earn a lot less money than men who have the same jobsA:Can you give us a specific example of discriminatory wage practices based on sex?B:Most certainly. Research shows that male health professionals, such as doctors and administrators, earn twice as much as female workers doing the same jobs full-time.A:Twice as much! That must be an extreme case.B:Yes, on average, the pay gap is just under 10%. An example of such a gap would be hotel management. Male hotel managers generally earn 9.8% more than their female counterparts.A:Is there any reason to believe things will improve?B:Yes, there is. In fact, the situation is getting better as we speak. 10 years ago, the pay gap was 16.2%. So in the last decade, there has been an improvement of over 6% -- this shows that our society is headed in the right direction.A:Rachel, thank you for speaking with us today.B:You’re very welcome.11.A:I am reading a compelling book right now. It’s called Fire withFire.B:Who’s the author?A:Naomi Wolf.B：Never heard of her.A:She is a feminist writer. Female empowerment is one of the major themes of the book.B:Really? In what way?A:She wants all women to have a voice that is heard. Like most feminists, she believes in gender equality and equal opportunities for women.B:How about you: are you a feminist?A:I am in the sense that I support the idea of men and women having equal rights. I am also sensitive to how language sometimes discriminates against women.B:Language discriminates?A:Yes, you know, people often use terms like: “businessman”, “policeman” or “salesman”.B:What’s wrong with that?A:It suggests that women can’t do these jobs. Non-discriminatory language would be terms like: “businessperson”, “police officer” or “sales representative”.B:Yes, I see. That language is much more gender neutral.UNIT 31.2.3. b、c b a、b、c4. househusbbands5. 第二个和第四个6. b、d、e a、c、d7. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a wife. And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother. Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had a child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like tohave a wife. Why do I want a wife? I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to keep track of the children's doctor and dentist appointments. And to keep track of mine, too. I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will wash the children's clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturing attendant to my children, who arranges for their schooling, makes sure that they have an adequate social life with their peers, takes them to the park, the zoo, etc. I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school. Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while she is working. I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean。

Scripts for Unit OneListening Task 1The neighborhood children my age played together: either active, physical games outdoors or games of dolls-and-house indoors. I, on the other hand, spent much of my childhood alone. I’d curl up in a chair reading fairytales and myths, daydreaming, writing poems or stories and drawing pictures. Sometimes around the fourth grade, my “big”(often critical, judgmental) Grandma, who’d been visiting us said to me, “What’s wrong with you? Why don’t the other children want to play with you?”I remember being startled and confused by her question. I’d never been particularly interested in playing with the other children. It hadn’t, till then, occurred to me that that was either odd or something with me. Nor had it occurrred to me that they didn’t “want to play with”me. My first conscious memory of feeling different was in the fourth grade. At the wardrobe, listening to classmates joking, chattering and laughing with each other, I realized I hadn’t a clue about what was so funny or of how to participate in their easy chatter. They seemed to live in a universe about which I knew nothing at all. I tried to act like others but it was so difficult. I felt confused and disoriented. I turned back to my inner world: reading books, writing and daydreaming. My inwardness grew me in ways that continued to move me further away from the world of my age peers. The easy flow of casual social chat has remained forever beyond my reach and beyond my interest, too.Listening Task 2The greatest difficulty for me is that as a person of mixed origin I am at home neither here nor there. Wherever I am, I am regarded as being foreign, either “white” or “blac k”. It happens to me when I live in my mother’s country of origin, in Switzerland, and it happened to me when I was living in my father’s country, Ivory Coast. I would feel at home where I could feel that people accept me just the way I am! When you are a small child you first do not feel that you are different from the others. But soon the others will make you feel different – and children too can be very cruel in their behavior against the “strange child”. Sometimes incredible incidents happen. Some time ago I was riding my bike somewhere in a little place in Switzarland nearby to where I live. A car drove by, and the male driver opened the window and yelled at me: “Scheiss – Neger – dirty nigger!” I almost froze. I felt helpless and unable to defend myself. When I looked at the number plate, I saw that it was a German number plate. This means that the insulting person himself was a foreigner in this country! How could he dare insult me like this? I felt that I wanted to kill this man. When I recovered I was able to think about it more clearly. These racist people are just stupid and do not know anything about life.Scripts for Unit TwoListening Task 1Everybody cheats. Whether it’s the taxi driver who tricks a visitor and takes hime the long way round, or the shop assistant who doesn’t give the correct change, or the police officer who accepts a bribe – everybody’s at it. Cheats in the news include the scientist whose research was based on fake data, the game show contestant who collaborated with a friend in the audience to win a million pounds, and the doctor who forged his qualifications and wasn’t really a doctor at all. Everybody cheats; nobody’s playing the game.Is cheating acceptable, a natural way of surviving and being successful? Or is it something that should be frowned on, and young people discouraged from doing? If it’s the latter, how can we explain to children why so many bend the rules?Take sport for example. The pinnacle of football, the World Cup, was rife with cheating. Whether pretending to be hurt or denying a handball, footballers will do anything for a free-kick or a penalty shot. French player Henry denied cheating to win the free-kick which led to his side’s second goal in their 3-1 victory over Spain. Whatever the nationality there’s one common strategy: the player rolls over holding his leg, ankle or head seeming to be in great pain. As a result a yellow card or free-kick is given for the foul and then, a few seconds later, the player is up and about as if nothing had happened!Of course it’s not just the footballers. In 1998 the Tour of France, the world’s greatest cycling event, was hit by a drug-taking scandal. Forty bottles of drugs found with a team triggered a massive investigation that almost caused the cycling tour to be abandoned. One rider was banned for nine months.Listening Task 2A climate of mistrust surrounds everyone.In the field of business, Enron, America’s seventh largest company, could serve as an unfortunate example. Its collapse in 2001 caused thousands of people to lose their jobs and life savings. The company had fooled investors into believing it was healthier than it really was. One boss now faces the rest of life in prison.Meanwhile companies around the world are losing billions of dollars to the counterfeit trade. From cut-price CDs and DVDs to sportswear and cosmetics, cheap fake products are everywhere. It has become socially acceptable to buy fake Gucci bags and illegal copies of films. If parents are doing this, their children will follow.So perhaps it’s not surprising that around the world more pupils than ever are caught cheating during exams. In one case keys to exam papers were put up for sale on the Internet. In another, widespread cheating took place by pupils using their mobile phones to receive texted answers. In a third case, pupils admitted to candidate substitution. They blame the pressure put on them to do well in exams. It doesn’t help that their role models are also cheats. Surely we can’t complain when we’re setting such a bad example.Unit 3 LifestyleListening task 1When she has young children, a stay-at-home mom has two jobs. Her house and her kids. A stay-at-home mom is expected to do all the house cleaning. She is expected to always be the one to get up in the middle of the night, do the school things –room-mother, baker, coordinator, chauffeur and carpooler, etc. often, a stay-at-home mom is expected to take over “daddy-type”chores such as lawn-mowing and taking cars for repair. Imagine sitting in a repair shop with two squirmy toddlers! The worst thing is that the stay-at-home mom is made to feel guilty for saying “no”. The reason the stay-at-home mom does not get her nails done or have a spa day is she feels guilty for spending family money on herself.Gosh, you all have such hectic lives. I’m dizzy just hearing your daily activities. I guess I have it nice. I have no schedule at all! I get up whn I want. I work my business when I want. I shop when I want to. I wash my hair when I bathe or I don’t wash my hair. When I go to work all I have to do is open up my office door in my house and I’m at work already. No traffic to deal with and there can be 10 feet of snow on the ground and I wouldn’t have to walk an inch of it because my house connects directly to my warehouse! If I get up and don’t feel like working I don’t.Listening task 2I took my first drink and smoked my first marijuana cigarette when I was 12 years old. In high school, I used all kinds of drugs. After high school until I was 21, I did a lot of binge drinking. When I was 31, I started using crack cocaine. That’s when the real problems began.I was addicted to alcohol and cocaine, and my life was a wreck. I tried to quit a number of times. I moved to Mexico and gave up cocaine. I still drank and smoked marijuana, but for the time I lived there, I was off cocaine. I thought that that time off cocaine would completely cure me of any desire for it, but when I got back in town two years later, I started using it again only five days later. Every part of my life was messed up. I remember my oldest son being embarrassed to be seen with me. He would pass me on the street with his friends but he wouldn’t even speak to me. The bottom came for me when I was finally evicted from my apartment. I lost my car, my home and my sons. I looked in the mirror that day, and I couldn’t look myself in the eyes. The next morning, I showed up at the treatment center. The first few days of detox and treatment were hard, but I was convinced that I needed help, so I stayed. I’ve been clean now for five years, and I have a new life.Unit Four FamilyListening Task OneThe traditional American family is a “nuclear family”. A nuclear family refers to a husband and wife and their children. The average American family today has two or three children. In some cultures, people live close to their extended family. Several generations may even live together. In America, only in a few cases does more than one household live under one roof.American values are valued in the home. Many homes are run like a democracy. Each family member can have a say. A sense of equality often exists in Amercan homes. Husbands and wives often share household chores. Often parents give children freedom to make their own decisions. Preschoolers choose what clothes to wear or which toys to buy. Young adults generally make their own choices about what career to pursue and whom to marry.Families in America, like those in every culture, face many problems. Social pressures are breaking apart more and more American homes. Over half of US marriages now end in divorce. More than one in four American children are growing up in single-parent homes. As a result, many people believe the American family is in trouble.Even so, there is stll reason for hope. Many organizations are working hard to strengthen families. Americans almost unanimously believe that the family is one of the most important parts of life. They realize that problems in family life in recent years have brought serious consequences. As a result, more and more people are making their family a priority. Many women are quitting their jobs to stay home with their children. Families are going on vacations and outings together. Husbands and wives are making a concentrated effort to keep their marriages solid.The United Naitions has declared 1994 the “International Year of Family”. Not just in America, but all over the world, people recognize the importance of a strong family bond.Listening Task TwoWomen are beginning to rise steadily to the top in the workplace all over the developed world, but in the US they are forging ahead. New figures show that in almost a third of American households with a working wife, the woman brings home more money than her husband. They are gaining more college degrees and Masters of Business Administration qualifications than men and now occupy half the country’s high-paying, executive administrative and managerial occupations,compared with 34 per cent 20 years ago.The trend is caused by two main factors, experts say – a growing acceptance of men as househusbands and mass redundancy of male white-collar workers from the technology, finance and media industries in the last three years.The University of Maryland has produced a report that shows women to be the family’s bread-earner-in-chief in 11 per cent of all US marriages. And where bothe spouses work, she now brings in 60 per cent or more of the family income in 30.4 per cent of the households.An economist at the University of Wisconsin said that ambitious women are increasingly looking for househusbands and leave men at the kitchen sink.Unit Five Health and DietListening Task 1I had just turned 40, and has spent most of my adult life working as a public relations consultant with little time to cook, let alone learn how to cook. But a few years ago I made a resolution to start writing down the recipes I had grown up with and posting them to my website. I come from a big family – six kids – and thought what a terrific family project to document our family recipes! Both my mother and father are excellent home cooks; mom raises us all, and dad loves to eat well and enjoys the experimentation of trying out new recipes. I’m spending a lot of time with my parents lately; we cook a meal and then over dinner discuss the finer points of the proper way to prepare the dishes, and whether or not a new recipe was worth the effort.Many of the recipes are family recipes, and many of them are those that we pick from cookbooks, magazines, and newspaper clippings we’ve collected over 30 years. But sometimes it’s hard when you only have a clipping. The recipes shown here use mostly whole food ingredients and only occasionally a few things from cans or prepared foods. We believe in a varied, healthy diet, using real butter, real cream, eggs, and protein from meat, fish, and cheese.About me, my name is Alice Bauer and I am a partner in a consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. I maintain several weblogs in addition to Simply Recipes as part of .Thanks so much for visiting Simply Recipes!Listening Task 2One of my most favorite breakfast is a poached egg on toast, with a side of papaya and lime, including some prosciutto with the papaya. Papaya is filled with enzymes that help digestion, and is even used to tenderize meat. The ingredients you need include: 1 firm but ripe papaya, 2 ounces of thinly sliced prosciutto, and 1/2 lime, cut and sliced into a few wedges. Now let’s go!First, using a vegetable peeler, peel away the outer skin of the papaya. Then cut the papaya in half. Using a metal spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. By the way, the seeds are edible. They taste peppery, like nasturtium flowers, and can be used in salads. Next, slice the papaya halves into wedges lengthwise. Arrange them on a plate. Now what you need to do is to roll up thin sheets of prosciutto and place them between the papaya wedges. Remember the last thing, squeeze fresh limejuice over the papaya and prosciutto.If you would like to serve the papaya as an appetizer, cut the papaya into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle on some lime juice, wrap each piece with some prosciutto, and secure with a tooth pick. It serves 2-4.Unit Six TravelListening Task 1I was spending my summer in a remote village in Ghana. I got afflicted with “the runny stomach”,as the family I lived with called it. After 5 days of the runny stomach, we left the village and took a 12-hour car ride to the capital city. Needless to say, 12-hour car rides and runny stomachs aren’t compatible. Once we had to stop in a village, greet the 20 or so people that were there, give a detailed explanation of my condition, and then I was allowed to use a brand-new porcelain toilet. I was very embarrassed because they had someone clean the toilet and stand outside while I did my noisy business. Through a crack in the bathroom wall I could hear some kids washing the dishes. I was splendid entertainment for the kids. Each time I let out some gas, I heard squeals of delight and hysterical laughter. They also muttered about “runny stomach”. But the highlight of my sickness had to be the wedding we attended in the capital. There I was greeted by countless guests. They asked about the details of my stomach condition. On my 8th day of sickness, we went to a private hospital and for the next two weeks I took lots of prescribed antibiotics and drank bottles of oral rehydration salts. My condition began improving in about two days. Much to my disappointment, the stool and blood samples came back negative, so my condition was a result of a change of diet. Needless to say, I learned not to be shy about stomach conditions.Listening Task 2When he realized that his short-term memory was failing, my husband decided to wear a multi-pocketed vest. The vest, with its 17 pockets each serving a purpose, did work for a while. Things were going so well that he started to relax a little and one day he turned back to his traditional pants-pocket wallet.Just seconds after boarding the crowded Rome subway, a pickpocket was attracted by the familiar bulge. My husband stared at him for a moment. Finally the would-be thief withdrew and joined the crowd.My partner became more careful, and the next time he was better organized, all the essentials in their assigned pockets. We had checked in for our flight to Athens. Before boarding I casually asked where his Swiss army knife was. His hand immediately went to the pocket designated for the knife, and found it safe there. Then his face fell: safe, that is , for anything but air travel. Realizing that his precious knife would be taken away at security, he returned to the check-in counter. Fortunately, the frowning attendant agreed to pack his knife in a little box and check it separately.By the time we got to Athens at midnight we were both exhausted. Our luggage emerged and all the other passengers were gone. My husband was still watching the carousel going round and round and round. Finally, he went to find a baggage handler and a half hour later reappeared triumphantly with his knife.Unit Seven LanguageListening Task 1Jessica Bucknam shouts “tiao!” and her fourth-grade students jump. “Dun!” she commands, and they crouch. They giggle as the commands keep coming in Mandarin Chinese. Most of the kids have studied Chinese since they were in kindergarten.They are part of a Chinese-immersion program at Woodstock Elementary School, in Portland, Oregon. Bucknam, who is from China, introduces her students to approximately 150 new Chinese characters each year. Students read stories, sing songs and learn math and science, all in Chinese. Half of the students at the school are enrolled in the program. They can continue studying Chinese in middle and high school. The goal: to speak like natives.About 24,000 American students are currently learning Chinese. Most are in high school. But the number of younger students is growing in response to China’s emergence as a global superpower. The U.S government is helping to pay for language instruction. Recently, the Defense Department gave Oregon schools $700,000 for classes like Bucknam’s. The Senate is considering giving $1.3 billion for Chinese classes in public schools.“China has become a stong partner of the United States,”says Mary Patterson, Woodstock’s principal. “Children who learn Chinese at a young age will have more opportunities for jobs in the future.” Isabel Weiss, 9, isn't thinking about the future. She thinks learning Chinese is fun. “When you hear people speaking in Chinese, you know what they’re saying,” she says. “And they don’t know that you know.”Want to learn Chinese? You have to memorize 3,500 characters to really know it all! Start with these Chinese characters and their pronunciations.Listening Task 2An idiom is an expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through conventional use. In the English expression to kick the bucket, a listener knowing only the meaning of kick and bucket would be unable to deduce the expression’s actual meaning, which is to die. Although kick the bucket can refer literally to the act of striking a bucket with a foot, native speakers rarely use it that way.Idioms hence tend to confuse those not already familiar with them; students of a new language must learn its idiomatic expressions the way they learn its other vocabulary. In fact many natural language words have idiomatic origins, but have been sufficiently assimilated so that their figurative senses have been lost.Interestingly, many Chinese characters are likewise idiomatic constructs, as their meanings are more often not traceable to a literal meaning of their assembled parts, or radicals. Because all characters are composed from a relatively small base of about 214 radicals, their assembled meanings follow several different modes of interpretation –from the pictographic to the metaphorical to those whose original meaning has been lost in history.Real world listeningQ: Why are some idioms so difficult to be understood outside of the local culture?A: Idioms are, in essence, often colloquial metaphors –terms which requires some foundational knowledge, information, or experience, to use only within a culture where parties must have common reference. As cultures are typically localized, idioms are more often not useful for communication outside of that local context.Q: Are all idioms translatable across languages?A: Not all idioms are translatable. But the most common idioms can have deep roots, traceable across many languages. To have blood on one’s hands is a familiar example, whose meaning is obvious. These idioms can be more universally used than others, and they can be easily translated, or their metaphorical meaning can be more easily deduced. Many have translations in other languages, and tend to become international.Q: How are idioms different from others in vocabulary?A: First, the meaning of an idiom is not a straightforward composition of the meaning of its parts. For example, the meaning of kick the bucket has nothing to do with kicking buckets. Second,one cannot substitute a word in an idiom with a related word. For example, we can not say kick the pail instead of kick the bucket although bucket and pail are synonyms. Third, one can not modify an idiom or apply syntactic transformations. For example, John kicked the green bucket or the bucket was kicked has nothing to do with dying.Unit 8 ExaminationListening Task 1At first, fifth-grader Edward Lynch didn’t pay much attention to his teacher’s warnings about the big tests the class would take at the end of the school year. But two weeks before North Carolina’s first-ever elementary-promotion exams, Edward says he’s scared. He’s a B student but an erratic test taker. “The other night I had a dream my books were squishing me and pencils were stabbing me,”says the 11-year-old. His classmate West Bullock says, “I have friends who throw up the night before tests.” Their teacher, Kelly Allen, worries that half of her 21 students are at risk of failing next week’s multiple-choice tests on math and reading. If they fail, they won’t be able to graduate to middle school.In 1996 the state of North Carolina launched its ABCs testing program, a carrot-and-stick approach that holds schools responsible for their students’ educational progress. Over the next four years, scores on statewide tests rose 14%. But critics of the program say the cost has been high, in ways that range from stomachaches to insomnia and depression.Schools, also, are sacrificing important lessons in science, social studies and foreign languages to focus on concepts that will be tested. Thus the harmful practices such as retention in grade and tracking are encouraged. High school biology students no longer dissect frogs. A history teacher doesn’t assign research papers because they don’t help him prepare students for state-mandated tests. Lisa, a mother of a struggling fifth-grader said. “If they have kids with straight A’s, they think it’s fine, but I think there’s too much pressure with this pass-fail system.”She views the accountability system as a social experiment whose outcome is not yet known.Listening Task 2No one wants to be tested. We would all like to get a driver’s license without answering questions about right of way or showing that we can parallel park a car. Many future lawyers and doctors probably wish they could join their profession without taking an exam.But tests and standards are a necessary fact of life. They protect us – most of the time – from inept drivers, hazardous products and shoddy professionals. In schools too, exams play a constructive role. They tell teachers what their students have learned – and have not. They tell parents how their children are doing compared with others their age. They encourage students to exert more effort.Therefore, formal testing has its place in the overall scope of education. The test data can be very useful in making decisions for the upcoming school year as well as for long term planning. Besides, the parents need accountability to themselves. Welcome the opportunity to discover their child’s strengths and weaknesses and to ascertain needs that should be addressed or pieces that are missing in the student’s academic training.However, all tests have a margin of error. Several factors will affect tests scores, including rapport established with examiner, health of students, lack of sleep the night before, temperature of testing room, attention span, and many other variables. In other words, don’t fall apart if the scores aren’t what you think they should have been. They are just test scores and tests are not infallible.。