专四听写范文

Passage 1Town and Country Life in EnglandThere is a big difference between town life and country life in England. In the country, everybody knows everybody else. They know what time you get up, what time you go to bed and what you have for dinner. If you want help, you will always get it and you will be glad to help others.In a large town like London, however, it can sometimes happen that you have never seen your next door neighbor and you do not know his name or anything about him. People in London are often very lonely. This is because people go to different places in the evenings and at weekends. If you walk through the streets in the centre of London on Sunday, it is like a town without people. One is sorry for old people living on their own .They could die in their homes and would not be discovered for weeks or even months. (154 words)Useful Words and Expressions:next door n. n．隔壁the neighbors next他 door隔壁邻居lonely adj ．孤独的，寂寞的，偏僻的，人迹罕至的lonely life孤单的生活a lonely old man一位孤独的老人a lonely sand一个孤岛the loneliest night最孤独的夜晚on (one's) own独自；独立地；通过自己的努力She lives on her own．她一个人过。

1.IdiomsAn idiom is defined as a group of words / whose meaning must be known as a whole, / because it cannot be learned from the meaning of the same words used separately. / Obviously, there is problem / when you cannot look up individual words in a dictionary and find the meaning, / the usual strategy we all employ when we come across a word or words that are unfamiliar. / With idioms, however, we must learn the group of words. / In every English, idioms are in common use. / In fact, idioms are so common that / most native speakers do not even realize that they are using idioms. / It is particularly important to recognize idioms / when you hear them or read them. / When you are able to use them comfortably in your own speech and writing, / and then you have achieved a higher level of mastery / and fluency in the language.2. Legal Age for MarriageThroughout the United States, the legal age for marriage shows some difference. / The most common age without parents’consent is 18 for both females and males. / However, persons who are underage in their home state can get married in another state, / and then return to the home state legally married. / Each state issues its own marriage license. / Both residents and non-residents are qualified for such a license. / The fees and ceremonies vary greatly from state to state. / Most states, for instance, have a blood test requirement, / but a few do not. / Most states permit either a civil or religious ceremony, but a few requires the ceremony to be religious. / In most states a waiting period is required before the license is issued. / This period is from one to five days, depending on the state. / A three-day wait is the most common. / In some states there is no required waiting period.3.The Railway in BritainThe success of early railways, such as the lines between big cities, / led to a great increase in railway building in Victorian times. / Between 1835 and 1865 about 25, 000 kilometers of track were built, / and over 100 railway companies were created. / Railway travel transformed people’s lives. / Trains were first designed to carry goods. / However, a law in the 19th century forced railway companies to run one cheap train a day / which stopped at every station and cost only a penny a mile. / Soon working class passengers found they could afford to travel by rail. / Cheap day excursion trains become popular and seaside resorts grew rapidly. / The railways also provided thousands of new jobs: / buiding carriages, running the railways and repairing the tracks. / Railways even changed the time. / the need to run the railways on time meant that local time was abolished / and clocks showed the same time all over the country.4. How to Gain Fluency in another LanguageTo gain fluency in another language, / many people will tell you the only solution is / to travel to a foreign country and immerse yourself completely. / This advice may be greatly appealing for some people. / But for the majority of people, this solution is both inconvenient and costly. / Thankfully, the Internet has brought us new and exciting options for communicating in another language. / To expand your vocabulary, try reading free articles and original books in another language. / To begin with, reading may be a slow and frustrating process / as you will have to stop to look up the meanings for many unfamiliar words. / Before you begin, find an online dictionary / that will offer you quick translations. / Hearing a language is the key to learn how to speak it. / Popular music downloading sites offer free audio files / that you can download and take with you wherever you go. / And most importantly, one must actually practice speaking the language.5.Differences between Chinese and Western Eating HabitsThere are great differences between Chinese and Western eating habits. / Unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, / in China the dishes are placed on the table and everyone shares. / If you are being treated by a Chinese host, / be prepared for a ton of food. / Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine / and will do their best to show their hospitality. / And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks to put food in your bowl or plate. / This is a sign of politeness. / The appropriate thing to do would be to eat the whatever-it-is / and say how tasty it is. / If you feel uncomfortable with this, / you can just say a polite thank-you and leave the food there. / And you should never tap on your bowl with your chopsticks, / which can be very insulting to the host.。

英语专业四级听写50篇前言听写在英语专业四级统考中占有15％的比重，是考试的重要组成部分。

说起听写，正在准备和已经参加过英语专业四级考试的同学会说：“我能明白听写的内容，可写的时候就是跟不上！”“短文大意我明白，可是有的语我不会写。

”这只反映出了问题的两个方面。

一是听写速度不够快。

二是词汇量不够或词汇掌握得不够准确。

这些无疑是影响听写成绩的重要因素。

但是，这些不是问题的全部。

在从事听写教学及听写问卷过程中，很容易发现学生失分的具体问题：（1）没听懂，没听好，听写速度跟不上，写出的内容断断续续不连贯，学生因此大量失分；（2）有的词汇没听懂，拼写不够准确，这导致听写失分；（3）时态错误导致失分；（4）单复数不准确导致失分；（5）没有注意断句或专有名词，句子开头单词或专有名词错误使用大小写导致失分；（6）没有注意原文冠词的使用，书写时漏掉冠词导致失分；（7）没有注意单数第三人称形式导致失分；（8）没有注意单数复数名词的形式导致失分。

上述问题的产生有的是缺乏训练造成的，如书写速度跟不上。

有的则是语言基础较差造成的，如听力较差没有完全听懂或没有掌握好词汇。

而单复数、大小写、冠词漏写等则多是粗心大意造成的。

听写部分能提高吗？当然能！而且提高的空间很大。

笔者从事英语专业基础教学与研究，从一开始所带的教学班参加四级考试超过全国院校平均通过率28．2个百分点，超过全国专业外语院校平均通过率12．5个百分点开始，所带的教学班在全国英语专业④级统考中通过率始终ito％，平均成绩、优秀率始终名列前茅。

最近一次所带的教学班参加四级统考，又考出了很好的成绩，通过率超过全国院校平均水平26石个百分点，超过全国专业外语院校13．6个百分点，而且在十几个平行班中平均成绩是最高的，优秀人数也是最多的。

在四级考试中，听写一项的成绩也不例外，每次均位居第一，本项目满分15分，所带班级平均成绩能够达到14分。

是不是学生基础很好？统计表明，和平行班相比所带班级入学时并不存在什么特别优势。

专四指南听写20篇第一篇：开篇介绍专四考试是中国大学英语四级考试的口语部分，是考生评估英语口语能力的重要环节。

为了帮助考生顺利准备和应对专四考试，本指南将提供20篇精心编写的听写文章，以帮助考生提升听力和写作能力。

第二篇：日常生活题目：健康饮食的重要性在快节奏的现代生活中，健康饮食变得越来越重要。

不仅要摄入足够的水分和必需的营养，还要避免高糖、高盐和高脂肪的食物。

健康饮食有助于维持身体健康，预防慢性疾病的发生。

第三篇：教育与学业题目：全球化对教育的影响随着全球化的加速发展，教育也面临着改变。

学校需要培养学生的跨文化交流能力和全球意识，以应对全球化带来的挑战。

同时，全球化也给学生提供了更多广阔的学习机会和全球化交流的平台。

第四篇：职场技能题目：有效的时间管理在职场中，时间管理是提高工作效率和生产力的关键。

通过制定合理的计划，设置优先级，克服拖延症，有效利用时间就能更好地完成任务。

良好的时间管理能力有助于提高职业发展。

第五篇：科技与创新题目：人工智能的发展趋势人工智能正日益影响着人们的工作和生活。

随着科技的不断进步，人工智能将在医疗、交通、娱乐等领域发挥更大的作用。

人们需要了解并适应这一趋势，以充分利用和应对人工智能的发展。

第六篇：社会问题题目：环境保护的重要性环境保护是一个全球性问题，影响着人类的生存和发展。

我们应该采取积极的措施，减少污染、节约资源、保护生态环境。

环境保护不仅关乎我们自身的生活质量，更关系到后代子孙的未来。

第七篇：文化与艺术题目：传统文化的传承与发展传统文化是一个国家和民族的根基，我们要尊重和传承自己的传统文化。

同时，传统文化也需要与时俱进，与现代社会相结合，发展出独具特色的文化艺术形式。

第八篇：国际交流题目：跨文化交流的重要性在全球化的背景下，跨文化交流具有重要意义。

通过了解不同文化的差异，我们能够更好地理解他人，避免误解和冲突，促进友好合作和共同发展。

第九篇：历史与人文题目：世界历史上的重要事件世界历史上发生过许多重要事件，如法国大革命、二战爆发、柏林墙倒塌等。

英语专四听写英语专四听写01ReadingNowadays few of us read books after we leave school.This is rather disturbing, for one should know that books are no less necessary to one’s mental life than fresh air is to one’s physical life. From good reading we can derive companionship, experience and instruction. A good book is our faithful friend. It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy, and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely. Books can also offer us a wide range of experience. Few of us can travel far from home or live long over 100,’s more, but all of us can live many lives through the pages of books. Whatreading books can increase our intellectual ability, broaden our minds and make us wise.With the coming of TV,, books are no longer read as widely as they once were. However, nothing can replace the role that books play in our lives.Useful words and expressions:1. leave school 离校，中学毕业2. disturbing 烦扰的3. mental 精神的4. derive 得到5. companionship 伴侣6. intellectual 智力的02 Natural ResourcesThrough the changes in the ways of making a living in a family over several generations, the cartoon aims at sounding a warning against man’s wasteful use of natural resources and emphasizing the urgent need to preserve these resources.Ever since man appeared on the earth, man’s survival has been heavily dependent on nature. Almost everything we use in our everyday life comes from nature, ranging from the food we eat, the water we drink, to the wood which is turned into furniture. With the development of technology and population growth, the amount and range of materials used has increased at an alarming rate.However, natural resources are not inexhaustible. Some reserves are already on the brink of exhaustion and there is no hope of replacing them. The widespread water shortage is an example in point. If man continued to squander natural resources with no thought for the future, the whole world would be in a mess.Useful Words and Expressions:谋生1. make a living 谋生2. aim at 瞄准3. aim high 胸怀大志4. alarming使人惊动的5. inexhaustible 无穷无尽的6. squander 浪费乱七八糟7. be in a mess 乱七八糟03 Population GrowthIt is well-known that there has been a drastic increase in world population. But it is probably les well-known that the extinction rate of wildlife species is experiencing a parallel trend.T ake the United States for instance. In 1990, U.S. population reached an unprecedented level of 250 million, which is approximately 250 times of that of 1800. On the other hand, wildlife species are disappearing from the country at an alarming rate. By 1990, about 70 wildlife species would never be seen in U.S. We are fully justified in declaring that the explosive population growth has had an adverse effect on the survival of wildlife species and will be a constant threat to the wildlife resources if no immediate actions are taken.Nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world. It has been demolishing the environment we are living in.Useful words and expressions:1. drastic 激烈的2. parallel 平行的3. trend 倾向4. unprecedented 空前的5. magnitude 大小，数量6. alter 改变7. demolish 毁坏04House and Home“House”and “home”are two words that have similar meanings.“House”and “home”both refer to places where people live. However, thereis a difference between them. “Home”is often referred to as the place that we live in with our families. Sadly, in our society, people can hardly distinguish a home from a house because they often see no difference between them. This confusion can be traced back to the indifference between family members. Therefore, we can say that love is an important factor in a home. A home is a shelter, not only for our bodies but also for our minds. Whenever we are depressed, we can go home for comfort. Everyone in the family will do his best to take care of each other and share their happiness as well as sorrow. Without love, a home is merely a house where loneliness is all that can be found. And a house can never be a home unless there is love.Useful words and expressions:1. refer to 提到2. distinguish区别，辨别3. confusion 混乱，混淆4. trace back 追溯到5. indifference 不关心6. depressed 沮丧的05 AutomobilesIt is impossible to say that any one man invented the automobile. Many individuals living and working in different countries and at different times contributed to its development. Many of the discoveries that went into thecreation of the automobile were small in themselves. But together they were important. Here are two examples.“Carriage is running at a speed of 8 to 9 miles an hour.”It was almost unheardof in those days. According to automobile historians, this was the first practical use of mechanical power to move a vehicle. After its first run, the machine reportedly burned up while the inventor and his friends were celebrating its success at a pub.Henry Ford is considered the father of modern automobiles mass production. His famous Model-T car,, because of its low price, made it possible to produce cars on a large scale and his efforts made it accessible to ordinary people. Useful words and expressions:1. reportedly 据传说，据传闻2. mass production大规模生产大规模地3. on a large scale 大规模地4. accessible 易接近的，可到达的accessible to 与……接近06 The Influence of LifeIn the early times when human beings hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as the other lower animals did.When they learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel, they cut down trees. They also burned clearings in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that human beings fed upon. Thisdevelopment led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as setting up families, forming societies and founding cities.Useful words and Expressions:1. interact with 与……组合2. clearing 空旷地3. grazing 放牧，牧草4. domestication 驯养，驯服5. previously 先前，以前6. inedible 不能吃的，不适于食用的7. pursuit 追击8. set up 设立07 Gardening in AmericaBelieve or not, 43,000,000 Americans are gardening. That is about one in six. Gardeners, of course, come in many varieties. Not surprisingly, most of them are people who live in the suburbs, and enjoy planting flowers, or maybe a small vegetables garden.The average age of gardeners in America is about 45 years old; they usually fall somewhere in the middle class. But the fastest growing groups are city dwellers. Urban residents are finding ways of gardening even in their crowded areas. Many go to large public gardens, as a place designed by the city for garden, and you can actually ranch your own plot.Still other people use their balconies or roof tops, wherever they can find the space to plant small patches of green.Useful Words and Expressions:1. suburb 郊区2. dweller 居民3. ranch 经营牧场4. balcony 阳台5. patch小块地08 Our ConcernThe history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings. T o a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Only in the present century has one species of man acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.The rapidity of change follows the pace of man rather than the pace of nature. Radiation is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals are the creations of man’s inventive mind, having no counterparts in nature.We have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals into the hands of persons largely ignorant of their potentials for harm. We have subjected enormous numbers of people to contact with these enormous numbers of people to contact with these poisons, without their consent and often without their knowledge. We have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or noadvance investigation of their effect. Future generations are unlikely to forgive our lack of concern.Useful Words and Expressions:1. interaction 交互作用，交感2. vegetation 植被3. mold 塑造，浇铸4. species 种类5. unnatural 不自然的6. temper with 损害，影响7. counterpart 配对物8. poisonous 有毒的9. potent 有力的，有效的10. consent 同意，赞成09 SleepWhy is it so difficult to fall asleep when you are overtired? There is no one“tired”physically answer that applies to every individual. It is possible to feeland still be unable to fall asleep, because while your body may be exhausted,“turn off”.you do not feel sleepy. It is not so easy to simplyLack of sleep complicates matters even more. Experts say adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. When you get less“sleep sleep than that on consecutive three nights, you begin to accrue four debt”. As sleep debt increases your body experiences a stress response. Now a vicious cycle has been created: You experience the feeling of being more and more tired, but your body is increasingly stimulated. “Power sleeping”formore hours on weekends is only a temporary solution. There is no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.Useful Words and Expressions:1. overtire 使过度疲劳2. apply to 将……应用于3. consecutive 连续的，连贯的4. accrue 自然增加，产生5. vicious恶的vicious cycle 恶性循环6. stimulate 刺激，激励7. substitute for 代替……，替换……10 Apology HelpsIt is never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you have judged roughly, you said unkind things, and pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the occasions when you indicated clearly and truly that you were so sorry. A bit frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening, isn’tit? It is frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is disturbed; and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and regret expressed.A heartfelt apology can not only heal a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or judged too roughly, or just neglected, do something about it right now.1. push ahead 捉紧进行在损害……的情况下2. at the expense of 在损害……的情况下3. mysterious神秘的4. moral 道德的5. disturbed 扰乱的不参与……，置身于……之外6. stay out of 不参与……，置身于……之外7. heartfelt 衷心的，真心真意的8. roughly粗糙地，概略地11 How High Can You Jump?Fleas trainers have observed a strange habit of fleas while training them. Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the cardboard box over and over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box. They will not jump out because they cannot jump out. Why? The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that is all they can do!Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing al they can do.1. cardboard 纸板2. lid 盖子3. conditioned 有条件的，习惯于……的4. restrict 限制，约束限于狭窄的范围内be restricted within narrow limits 限于狭窄的范围内be restricted in one’s movements 行动受限制12Don’t give upIf we would ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must persevere. If we would learn our lessons in school, we must be diligent and not give up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do to us if we will preserve and learn them thoroughly.But there are some among us who are ready to give up when they come to a hard example in mathematics, and say, “I can’t do this.”They never will if they feel so. “I can’t”never does anything worthwhile, but “I’ll try”accomplishes wonders.Let us remember that we shall meet with difficulties all through life. They are in the pathway of everyone. If we will only try and keep trying, we shall be sure to conquer and overcome very difficulty we meet.13“How to”BooksBooks which give instructions on how to do things are popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “how to”books are available. In fact, there“how to’.are about for thousand books with titles that begin with the wordsMany “how to”books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. Many of these books help people to use their free time better.. Some people want book which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travel. Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like plumbing and electrical wiring or on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.Why have “how to”books become so popular? Probably because life has become more complex. T oday people have far more free to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve, “how to”books help people to deal with modern life.1. step-by-step 按部就班的Useful words and Expressions:1.2. redecorate 重新装饰，再装饰3. complex 复杂的，综合的14Professioanl Sports in the U.S.Professional sports are not only very popular in the United States, but also a big business. The most popular sports are baseball, football and basketball. Each sport has its own season and individual teams have millions of supporters. Professional teams are named for the cities where they are located. For example, the Lakers are in Los Angeles. The strongest supporters of the Lakers are residents of Los Angeles and Southern California. When the Lakers play, many people in Los Angeles enthusiastically follow the game. When we mention “NBA”, almost every one knows it ahs some relationship with U.S. professional basketball. However, what does it really stand for? N.B.A is gainingnew fans and supporters around the world. Basketball has been called the “national pastime”. However, football is the most popular professional sport in the U.S.. American football is different from international football, which Americans call “soccer”. Both games require strength and specialized skills. Useful Words and Expressions:被指定为1. be named for 被指定为是……的简称2. be short for 是……的简称3. stand for代表15 ArtistsEvery artist knows in his heart that he is saying something to the public. Not only does he want to say it well, but he wants it to be something which has not been said before.What visual artists, like painters, want to say is easy to make out but difficult to explain, because painters translate their experiences into shapes and colors, not words. They seem to feel that a certain selection of shapes and colors, out of the countless billions of possible, is exceptionally interesting for them and worth showing to us.Most artists take their shapes and colors from the world of nature and from human bodies in motion and response; their choices indicate that these aspects of the world are worth looking at, that they contain beautiful sights. Contemporary artists might say that they merely choose subjects that provide an interesting pattern, that there is nothing more in it. Yet even they do not choose entirely without reference to the character of their subjects.Useful words and Expressions:1. visual artist 视觉艺术家2. selection 挑选，选择3. exceptional 例外的，异常的4. motion 运动，动作5. indicate显示，象征6. contemporary 当代的，同时代的7. without reference to 不论，与……无关16 SoccerSoccer has had a slow start in America. In fact, the majority of schools still have no official soccer teams or coaches. But the blossoming popularity of the game cannot be denied. Thanks to the efforts of some world-famous soccer stars, soccer is soon to have its place in American culture.Although soccer has enjoyed decades of popularity elsewhere, it was literally ignored in America. Instead, a variation of the game called “football”was most popular in the U.S. and still is to this day. But the obvious advantages of playing soccer instead will soon win even the most avid football enthusiasts. For one thing, soccer is a much safer game to play than football. No one deliberately tries to knock an opponent down in soccer. In fact, they players are discouraged from even touching each other.Soccer is a game that requires skill and dexterity in controlling the ball. Since no one may use hands to do this, soccer players soon acquire incredible control of their heads, knees, and feet.Useful Words and Expresisons:1. slow start 缓慢起动2. blossom 兴旺，发展3. ignore 忽视4. avid 渴望的5. discourage from 劝阻6. dexterity 灵巧，机敏17 Will Computers Replace Human Beings?We are in the computer age today. The computers are working all kinds ofwonders now. They are very useful in automatic control and data processing. Atthe same time, computers are finding their way into the home. They seem to beso clever and can solve such complicated problems that some people think sooner or later they will replace us.But I do not think that there is such a possibility. My reason is very simple:computers are machines, not humans. And our tasks are far too various andcomplicated for any one single kind of machine to perform.Probably the greatest difference between man and computer is that the former can do things of his own while the latter can do nothing without beingprogrammed. In my opinion, computers will remain nothing but an extension ofour human brains, no matter how clever and complicated they may become.18 Where Do the British LiveNearly everyone in Britain would like to own their own home and, whether theydo or not, they are prepared to put time and money into decorating andfurnishing it or even making structural alterations to it. Because of the climateand because of the expense involved in going out for the evening, the British spend a lot of time at home and a large part of their social life takes place there. Young people tend to stay with their families longer these days as accommodation is expensive but, when they move away to a job or college, there are various options open to them. They can get lodgings with a landlady. This means that they rent a room in someone’s house and have breakfast with the family. They can also get a bed-sitting room, that is to say one self-contained room in which they can cook, live and sleep. Alternatively, they can share a rented flat or house with a group of young people, perhaps the most popular option of all.Useful Words and Expressions:1. lodging 寄宿处2. bedsit 卧室兼起居室3. bed-sitting 卧室兼起居室的4. self-contained 设备齐全的19 Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have brought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right.Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt you may have. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner so you can complain direct. In a chain store, ask the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the. Stick to the complaint later. If you do not want to do it in person, write a letterfacts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article.20Water PollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time.Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrialwasters into rivers every day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water is becoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has also happened to our seas and oceans. So, the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide.Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps. That day, one day the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean waterwe believe, is not very far off.21 CartoonistsIn a good cartoon, the artist can tell in a few lines as much as a writer can tell inhalf a dozen paragraphs. The cartoonist not only tells a story but he also tries topersuade the reader to his way of thinking. He has great influence on publicopinion. In a political campaign, he plays an important part. Controversial issues in Congress or at meetings of the United Nations may keep the cartoonist well-supplied with current materials.A clever cartoonist may cause laughter because he often uses humor in his drawings. If he is sketching a famous person, he takes a prominent feature and exaggerates it. Cartoonists, for instance, like to lengthen an already long nose and to widen an already broad grin. This exaggeration of a person’s characteristics is called caricature. The artist uses such exaggeration to put his message across.Useful Words and Expressions:1. cartoonist 漫画家2. campaign 活动3. controversial 争论的，争议的4. sketch 素描5. prominent 卓越的6. exaggerate 夸张7. lengthen 延长8. grin 露齿笑22 TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or evenkill time. Common questions in American English reveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Do you have any time?”, “Can you get sometime for this?”, “How much free time do you have?”The treatment of time asa possession influences the way that time is carefully divided.Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. In businesses, the careful scheduling of time and the separation of activities are common practices. Appointment calendars are printed with 15-,30-, and 60-minute time slots. The idea that “there is a time and place for everything”extends to American social life. Visitors who drop by without prior notice may interrupt their host’svisiting them is personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before v isitinggenerally preferred to visitors’dropping by.Useful words and expressions:1. tangible 切实的2. kill time 消磨时间3. reveal 显示，揭示4. scheduling 行程安排5. slot 缝隙6. drop by 随便访问7. preferred 首选的23 A Free Dress Every Week Thetemptationtostealisgreaterthaneverbeforeespeciallyinlargeshopsandpeople arenotsohonestastheyoncewere.Adetectiverecentlywatchedawell-dressedwomanwhoalwayswentintoalargestor eonMondaymornings. OneMonday, therewerefewerpeopleintheshopthanusualwhenthewomancamein, soitwaseasierforthedetectivetowatchher. Thewomanfirstboughtafewsmallarticles. Afteralittletime,shechoseoneofthemostexpensivedressesintheshopandhandedittoanassistantw howrappeditupforherasquicklyaspossible. Thewomansimplytooktheparcelandwalkedoutoftheshopwithoutpaying. Whenshewasarrested, thedetectivefoundoutthattheshopassistantwasherdaughter. Believeitornot, thegirl“gave” hermotherafreedresseveryweek!24 Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience?Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives’s intelligence arein rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the limits of a personfixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence.25 Travel for WorkYou can see them in every airport in the world. They are businessmen and women who have to travel for their work.When they first applied for the job, they may have thought of good food and hotels, huge expense accounts and fashionable cities. Now they have to sit in airport lounges, tired and uncomfortable in their smart clothes, listening to theloudspeaker announce “The fight of T okyo, or Berlin, or New York is delayed for another two hours.”Some people say to me, “How lucky you are to be able to travel abroad in your work! You can go sightseeing without paying any money by yourself!”They think that my job is like a continual holiday. It is not.There are advantages, of course, and I do thin I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist.26 A Place of Our OwnWe are all usually very careful when we buy something for the house. Why? Because we have to live with it for a long time. We paint a room to make it brighter, so we choose the colors carefully.We buy new curtains in order to match the newly decorated room, so they must—orbe the right color. We move the furniture round so as to make more spacewe buy new furniture—and so on. It is an endless business.Rich or poor,, we take time to furnish a room. Perhaps some people buy furniturein order to impress their friends. But most of us just want to enjoy our surroundings. We want to live as comfortably as we can afford to. We spend a large part of our lives at home. We want to make a small corner in the world which we can recognize as our own27 Great Depression in the U.S.In 1929, the bills started to come in. American industry had produced too many goods. Americans could not afford to buy all of them. So factories had to cut down on their production. Many workers lost their jobs. Investors tried to get their money back. But businesses did not have enough money to pay them.Banks tried to get their money back from investors. But the investors could not pay, either. T oo many people owed money. And few of them could pay their bills. During the next few years, business got worse and worse. By 1932, banks all over the country were closing.People without money could not buy goods. So more businesses closed. More and more people lost their jobs. By 1932, more than 12 million Americans were jobless. Millions more were earning barely enough to live on. The country was in a great depression they had never experienced before.Useful Words and Expressions:1. bill 帐单，票据foot the bill付账，负责减少2. cut down on 减少3. depression 沮丧，萧条Great Depression大萧条28 America’s Worst SurpriseDecember 7, 1941 was one of the worst days in American history. Nearly allAmericans who are old enough to remember that day can still remember what they were doing at the moment they heard “the news”. The news was that America had been attacked!.M., a radio dispatch came into Washington from Honolulu, Shortly before 2:00 P.M.,Hawaii. “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor—This is no drill.”Japanese planes had begunan attack on the largest American military base in the Pacific. They first. destroyed planes on the ground. Then they bombed the ships in the harborNo one had expected the attack. So no one was prepared for it. And it did not。

专四听写50 篇Dictation 1 Superstition 迷信(144 words)One person in four in Britain is, apparently, superstitious, / and they?ll do everything fromhanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers, / touching wood and absolutely never walking under a ladder. / And they?re careful about cats. / Black cats are supposed to be the familiars of witches, / so if one is following you it?s definitely bad luck —a witch is after you! / On the other hand, if one crosses your path and continues / then it?s good luck because it hasn?t noticed you. / However, in some places the beliefs are different / — so it pays to know where your black cat comes from! / Old superstitions linger even in today?s modern world. / The author Philip Pullman drew on them / in his award winningnovel “His Dark Materials”. / The novel, which appeals to both children and adults, / hasbeen adapted for radio and also the theatre. /Dictation 2 Graduate Student 研究生(157 words)Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study. / They study to become experts inthis field / and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A. or Ph.D. / Sometimeswhen they get an M. A. in one field they begin studying another field. / They hope that when theyearn their graduate degrees / they will succeed in finding important jobs. / They hope to get jobsthat are interesting and high paying. / The life of a graduate student is often difficult. / They areusually too busy studying to make a good living. / Often they haveto pay high tuition fees fortheir education. / Some give up studying before they get their degrees. / But most keep on workingat their studies until they graduate. / In today?s world, most graduate students don?t regretspending time with their studies. / They are finding that new developments are occurring in allfields. / For many graduate study has become a necessity. /Dictation 3 April Fool’s Day 愚人节(157 words)1st April is a day to be careful, or you could easily get tricked by someone. / It?s April Fool?s Day, a day when people traditionally like to try / to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them. / There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day, / but one explanation is connected with the change in the calendar in the 16th century, / which meant that 1st April was no longer the beginning of the year. / Those who still celebrated the New Year on 1st April were called fools. /So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool?s Day? / Well, there are lots of simpletricks / that you can play on your friends. / For example, you could wear a black sweater / and pulla piece of white thread through it, / so that people try to pull it off. / You could change thetime onsomeone?s alarm clock / so that they?re late for work. /Dictation 4 Living Online 网上生活(159 words)How do you meet new people, make new friends, or find out about the latest bands? / Here inthe UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars, pubs and clubs. /However, there is a new generation growing up / that finds it easier to manage their sociallives on the net, / using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces. / Welcome to the social networking website / — a place where you can present yourself tothedigital community and meet other like-minded people. /The most successful social networking website in the UK is . / As of July 2006,MySpace is the world?s fourth most popular English-language website, / attracting almost 3 million visitors per month. / MySpace claims tohave 95 million members / with 500,000 new members joining the community each week. /So how has it become so successful? / Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. / Each new member can build their own page simply —uploading photos, videos and MP3 files. /Dictation 5 Mother’s Day 母亲节(160 words)Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? / Well, Mother?s Day is the time toshow her. / It?s a chance to say …thank you?, or to tell your mum how much you love her. /In Britain, Mother?s Day, or Mothering Sunday, / falls on adifferent day each year, / becauseit takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. / But itis always in the early springtime,which seems appropriate, / as the season when new plants emerge, / and baby birds and animalsare born. / In the USA, Mother?s Day takes place a little later, in May, / and many other countriesalso celebrate their mothers on different days of the year. /It began many years ago, when children, / especially girls, as young as 10 would live andwork away from home / as housemaids and other types of servant. / Mothering Sunday was a daywhen everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers. /Dictation 6 Online Shopping 网上购物(159 words)With only two weeks to go before Christmas, / buying presents is a high priority for a lot ofpeople. / However, this year not so many people are leaving their homes to browse around theshops. / These days lots of people can do their shopping / in the comfort of their own home withthe help of the internet. /Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons; / prices areoften lower online, / you don?t have to queue up in busy shops / and you can buy almost anyproduct imaginable / with just a few clicks of your mouse. /Computer trends are often male-dominated / but this year women are expected to do more shopping on the internet than men. / It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience ofonline shopping than they used to be. /Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to ,240 / compared to theslightly lower average of ,233 for men. /Dictation 7 Reality TV 真实电视(155 words)The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV. / Reality TV means that shows follow and film ordinary people in an artificial situation. / This could be at work, or in some kind of competition. /One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother. / In this show, 15 complete strangers have to live together in a house for 11 weeks. / They are filmed 24 hours a day,/ and shown on television. / Each week, the viewers vote to evictone of the housemates. / Finally,only one is left, / and they win the prize money! /The show was an instant hit, and runs in several countries. / The housemates often becomestars as a result of the show, / and appear in national newspapers and on other shows. / Another very popular show is I?m a Celebrity —Get Me Out Of Here! / In this show, 10celebrities have to complete tasks each week, such as eating insects. /Dictation 8 School 学校(160 words)September is traditionally the end of summer / and the beginning of autumn in the UK. / It isalso the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays. / There are two types of school in England. / State-run schools are paid for by the government,so are free to attend. / Independent Schools are private, whichmeans you have to pay to attend. /The school day usually starts at 9 in the morning and finishes around 4, / with breaks for lunch of course! / In many schools, you have to wear a uniform too. /Children start school when they are 5 years old. / This is called primary school, / and lasts until the child is 11 when he or she will go on to senior school. /Secondary school is compulsory from 11 until 16 years of age. / At 16, students take nationalexaminations called GCSE?s. / After this, students can stay atschool for another 2 years and takeA Level examinations. /Dictation 9 The Modern Family 现代家庭(154 words)Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. / The two children take the bus to school, / and mother stays home cooking and cleaning / until father and the kids return home inthe evening. / This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. / The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain./The biggest change has been caused by divorce. / As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now endin divorce, / leading to a situation where many children live with one parent / and only see theother at weekends or holidays. /There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work. / The largerise in divorces has meant / many women need to work to support themselves and their children. /Even when there is no divorce, / many families need both parents to work in order to survive. /Dictation 10 Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节(146 words)On 25th September this year, people all over China / will be getting together to eat with theirfamilies, / look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar./However, the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China. / Here in the UK eventsare taking place for Chinese people living here, / and to teach the people of Britain more about thispopular festival. /The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study / which showed that Chinese Londonersdon?t engage much with the arts world. / As a result, …Moon walking In China? has beencreated tocelebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. /This is no normal theatre production though, / as it doesn?t take place in the theatre. / Theatreprofessionals and volunteers from the local community / will take audiences around the streets ofSoho / on a magical lantern-lit walk / through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown. /Dictation 11 The Dragon 龙(160 words)When many people in the west think of China, / the animal that they think of is the dragon. /For them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. / Many popular legendstell ofhow dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens. /For Chinese people however, the dragon is not an evil monster. / It?s a cultural and spiritualsymbol for prosperity and good luck. / The dragon?s main task is to create harmony and bring rain./ Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, / and of course the dragon dance is a very popularritual. / Millions of Chinese have the word …long?, meaning dragon, as part of their name. /China isn?t the only country to have the dragon as its symbol. / Wales, one of the fourcountries in the UK, / has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. / The only other country inthe world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, / the tiny country between China and India. /Dictation 12 Rainy Britain 阴雨的英国(153 words)Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, / but many parts of the country thisJune / are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before. / Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks, / roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated / from their homes because of the floods. / The worst hit area seems to be the north of England. / There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain / or were washed away by the floodwaters. / Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK / and it is said that over a month?sworth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days. /The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain?s famous June events. / The Glastonburyfestival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival / and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there, / this year was particularly bad. /Dictation 13 Christmas traditions 圣诞节传统(145 words)There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, / and some British people like to go on holiday,/ go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. / But most people?s idea of atraditional Christmas / involves spending a few days with their family / — sometimes theirextended family. /The day is the most exciting for the children. / They may have spent weeks or even monthsdreaming of the presents they want most. / Since the beginning of December, they may haveopened their advent calendars, / finding a new festive picture, chocolate, or small gift, / to countdown each day until 25th December. /On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings, / ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus. /Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, / as well as a carrot forthose hungry reindeer. /Dictation 14 Olympic Slogan 奥运口号(140 words)Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. / “One World, OneDream” was finally selected / from more tha n 210,000 entries from around the world. /Beijing?s original bid to host the 2008 games / had a different slogan “New Beijing, GreatOlympics”. / The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely / from the city of Beijingitself to the spirit of the Olympics /— unity, friendship amongst nations and progress. /It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan / captured the traditional Chinesevalues of peace and harmony. /The Olympics hasn?t always had a slogan attached to each host country. / In fact itwasn?tuntil 1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea / that the first slogan appeared. / “Harmony andProgress” was chosen / and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years. /Dictation 15 Sunbed 太阳床(159 words)In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, / there appears to be anever increasing number of very tanned young people. /So just how are they achieving their golden tans? / Some are opting for the sun-free option / and are getting their tan from a bottle. / However, it appears that others are turning to tanningsalons, / of which there are thousands in the UK. /While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, / in the UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin. / So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? / Often, they aretrying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers? wives. / Research from theBritish Sunbed Association suggests that / many people believe a tan makes them feel and lookhealthier. /This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. / They firmly statethat being tanned is not a sign of health. /Dictation 16 Speechwriting 写演讲稿(143 words)The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, / with merit being givento speakers who are confident, articulate, / knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech withconviction. /But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, / it is a speechwriter. / Andone industry in which this practice is common is that of politics. / So what does it take to be apolitical speechwriter? /Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain, / a politicalspeechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills, / be detail oriented and able to demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject. / They must also work closely with speakers / and be able to relate to their style. /Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent, / a natural creative instinct, /and that speechwriting is an art form. /Dictation 17 AWalk in the Park 在公园散步(141 words)Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health / —it can improveyourmood / and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes. / So says research in the journal Environmental Health and Technology. / Exercise alone is known to make you happier. / So is being in a natural setting. / So scientistswanted to see the effect of combining the two. / They evaluated 10 different UK studies involvingmore than 1,200 people. /Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening, / sailing and country walks, andrated their mood and self-esteem. /The research showed that both areas get a significant boost / with as little as five minutes of outdoor exercise. / And people with mental disorders benefited the most. / The study authors saythis is the first study / to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect. /Dictation 18 Fast food Makes Us Less Patient 快餐使我们失去耐性(146 words)Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry, / and for some of us, drive-through dinner has become a way of life. / Granted, sometimes we grab something quick because we really don?thave time. / But psychologists got to wondering / whether all this speed eating might actuallymake us less patient. /In a series of experiments, the scientists showed volunteers logos / from several fast-foodchains or asked them to recall the last time they?d visited. / And they found that folks who hadthought about fast food would then read faster, / even though no one told them to hurry. / And theyalso expressed a preference for time-saving products, / like shampoo plus conditioner. / And theytended to opt for immediate rewards, / like getting a small cash payment right away / rather thanwaiting a week for a larger sum. / So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation. Try a slowcooker. /Dictation 19 Light All Night Not Alright 整夜开灯并非好事(159 words)A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed. / But it may also open the door to theblues. /If you have access to electricity, you no doubt switch on a lamp, / maybe even watch a little TV, after the sun goes down. / But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate ourhormones / and of course our sleep cycles. / So what might these extra photons be doing to ourhealth? /To find out, scientists housed mice in a room / where the lights were always on. / After threeweeks, they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression, / more sothan mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night. / Interestingly, mice who could escape thelight by ducking into a dark tube / also escaped the worst of the depression. / So flip that light switch at your own risk. / Because the artificial brightness that helps keep usup could also bring us down. /Dictation 20 London 2012 Olympic Games 伦敦2012 奥运会(154 words) After a hard-fought campaign, / London has been awarded the right to host the 2012 OlympicGames. / The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities: / Paris, Madrid, Moscow andNew York. /Londoners can now look forward to the transformation of their city / in the same way as theircounterparts in Beijing. / Indeed, there are many similarities in the two cities? approach to hostingthe games. / Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure / in order to cope with thedemands of the event. /However, this kind of investment is far from cheap / — it is estimated that it will costaround $40 billion to prepare for the 2008 games, / much of which will be spent on transport links./ Nevertheless, the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous / — Barcelona,whichhosted the 1992 games, / was completely regenerated and has since become one of themostpopular tourist destinations in the world. /Dictation 21 Picnic 野餐(155 words)As summertime begins in Britain, people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat. / Peoplelove to have a picnic whenever the weather is good enough, / especially people with children. / It?sa great way to spend a sunny afternoon. /Even in the centre of London, on a sunny day, / the parks are fullof office workers eatinga shop-bought their lunch outside on the grass. / That might be a pretty basic picnic / —sandwich and a bottle of water. /But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park, / they would probably pack acool bag / with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches, snacks, cake, fruit and soft drinks. /They might have a picnic rug to sit on, and paper plates and cups. / University students enjoy having picnics, / and usually take along some kind of sports equipment, / such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch. /Dictation 22 Changing Name after Marriage 婚后改名(155 words)Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one?s life./ Thisis because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one?s life altogether. / Right from thewedding dress to the house / that the couple will live after their wedding, / is decided with utmostcare. / An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for thewedding / is to choose between one?s maiden name and spouse?s name. / Though traditionally,women are expected to change their name / from their maiden name to their husband?sname, /many women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, / mostly for professionalreasons. / Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband?s last name / and keep theirmaiden name as their second name. / Also, there are couples who make a new name with boththeir names, / by separating the names with a hyphen. /Dictation 23 The Compass 指南针(153 words)A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now, / and its utility in helping people find their way is undoubted. / Before technology gave us the privilege of GPSnavigation systems, / the act of finding out where you are and which side is north / wascarried outsimply with the help of a compass. / We?ve all seen a compass at some point or the other, / and thishas almost always led us to the question “How does a compass work?” / The answer to thisquestion can be explained / through the concept of the earth?s electromagnetism. /Simply speaking, a compass is basically a small magnet / that has a needle attached on oneend. / The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin. / When the compass is heldout steadily, / the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth, / and this causes itto point north. /Dictation 24 Ball Games 球类运动(157 words)Ball games have become an integral part of modern society. / They give us entertainmentproviding us a means to safely free ourselves from stress. / There are many different ball gamesthat can do this for us. / Some people enjoy football, while others like basketball. / These two ballgames are the most popular in China. / Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal, yethave not become popular. / The development of these games is interesting. / Basketball is one ofthe few sports with a known date of birth. / Football, or soccer, originally developed from traitsfound in both China and Europe. / It has grown to become the world?s most popular sport. / InEurope, football clubs have been established, / which in turn has been copied in the rest of theworld. / These football clubs train players / who may later go play for their nations in the WorldCup. / This is the most watched ballgame championship on the planet. /Dictation 25 Water Sports 水上运动(145 words)The history of man?s involvement with water sports / stretches back before history waswritten down. / It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement. / Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world / with nothing but thestars to guide them. / The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared, / for lurked unknown creatures and death by drowning. / Few actually ventured into the water. / As a sport, however, water sports such as swimming, diving, / and water polo are new comparatively to those on land. /Probably the oldest one is rowing in a rowboat. / This is seen in modern games such as competitions / between rowing clubs in British and American universities. / Olympic WaterSportsbegan with swimming but did not end there. / The different kinds of water sports such as diving orwater skiing came later. /Dictation 26 Famous Universities 名校(140 words)Many countries have excellent universities. / There are, however, few world famous ones. /These universities have achieved their fame / through a combination of both their age / and thehigh levels of quality in their instruction. / Throughout their histories, / each one has been a testingground for the leadership of the nation. / In the United States, Harvard and Yale attract thousandsof foreign students / who would use what they learn for the advancement of their own nations. / Inthis way, these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication. /Graduates around the world are able to connect with each other / by having graduated from one ofthe finest universities in the world. / Leaders in every field, whether government officials or ground-breaking scientists, / who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other / and understand each other much better. /Dictation 27 Ideal Life 理想人生(157 words)The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue, yet few achieve. / The balancebetween dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome. / Many people choose a vocationin the hopes / that it would bring them wealth and success. / However, after years of labor in theirchosen field, they begin to hate their jobs. / This is mainly because they have neglected other partsof their lives in search of this success. / These people devotetheir lives to working / and are unable to separate themselves from their work. / They find that it may not be enough. / Some have jobs where their principles and emotional health / are challenged by dishonesty or bad work environments. / These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which theywork, / leading to personal or health problems. / This choice is not a permanent situation, however,/ as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives. / Dictation 28 Reeducation and Employment 再教育和就业(160 words) During the course of our lives, we must make many choices that we may come toregret. /This is especially true when choosing a career. / Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding becomedull or not worth it / as we live our daily existence. / This is where reeducation can help. / Occupational schools have been set up to train people in jobs / that they may be better suited for. / People can adapt their interests and talents through selected courses. / They can learn cookingskills, which are always in great demand. / Gardening is an optionfor those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb. / If a person is interested in motors or cars, they can get trainingas a mechanic. / Even more, the learning of a foreign language / would allow them the opening ofa dream life. / The job qualification certificates they earn canalso be used too enhance their resumes, / so that they are trained in a variety of skills. /Dictation 29 Made in China 中国制造(160 words)The label, Made in China, is one that is becoming increasing common / in shopping centersall over the world. / In the United States, shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation?s largest retailer /have awide selection of products mostly produced in China. / The large amount of Chinese imports havecreated a large selection of goods in other countries / as people begin to buy more and moreproducts made in China. / These goods are even readily available in other Asian nations, / whereChinese-made goods are quite popular. / Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known outside of China. / The development of China has amazed the world with its growth. /。

英语专业四级听写50篇文本（Oct. 22, 2011）Passage 1 Professor BumbleProfessor Bumble is not only absent-minded but short-sighted as well. His mind is always busy with learned thoughts and he seldom notices what is going on around him.On a fine day recently, he went for a walk in the countryside. But as always, he read the book as he walked. He hadn't gone far when he ran into a large cow and fell down. He had lost his spectacles in the fall, and he thought he had stumbled over a fat lady. "I beg your pardon, madam," he said politely before searching for his glasses. As soon as he had put the glasses on，he realized his mistake.Soon he was concentrating on his book again and paying no attention to anything else. He had scarcely been walking for five minutes when he fell over again, losing both his book and his glasses. This time he became very angry. Seizing his umbrellas, he struck the "cow" in anger. Then, after finding his glasses, he realized with horror that he had made a second mistake. A large fat woman was running away from him in terror. （187 words）Passage 2 TeamworkTeamwork is just as important in science as it is on the playing field or in the gym. Scientific investigations are almost always carried out by teams of people working together. Ideas are shared, experiments are designed, data are analyzed, and results are evaluated and shared with other investigators. Group work is necessary, and is usually more productive than working alone.Several times throughout the year you may be asked to work with one or more of your classmates. Whatever the task your group is assigned, a few rules need to be followed to ensure a productive and successful experience.What comes first is to keep an open mind, because everyone's ideas deserve consideration and each group member can make his or her own contribution. Secondly, it makes a job easier to divide the group task among all group members. Thirdly, always work together, take turns, andencourage each other by listening, clarifying, and trusting one another. Mutual support and trust often make a great difference.（166 words）Passage 3 Mistakes Are Good TeachersAfter the birth of my second child，I got a job at a restaurant. Having worked with an experienced waitress for a few days，I was allowed to wait on tables on my own. When Saturday night came，I was luckily given the tables not far from the kitchen. However，I still felt a little hard to carry the heavy trays. So I moved slowly, minding every step. I remembered how happy I was when I saw a tray standing next to the tables. It looked different from the one I was trained on，and it had nice handles which made it easier to move around. I was pleased with everything and began to believe I was natural at this job. Then, an old man came to me and said that was his wife's walker. I stood frozen as ice，but my face was on fire. Since then, I have learned to be more careful and not to be too sure of myself. (164 words)Passage 4 Time Has the Power to Change AttitudeLast week, my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home.My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family but uncomfortable with his children. As a child, I loved him； as a school girl and young adult, I feared him and felt bitter about him.On the first day of my visit, we did some shopping，ate on the street table，and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions. Gone was my father's critical air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around？The next day, my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him until that moment. After so many years, I'm at last seeing another side of my father. (162 words)Passage 5 Experiences SpeakThere are many different ways of seeing a town for the first time. One of them is to walk around it, guidebook in hand. Of course, we may study with our guidebooks the history and special developments of a town and get to know them. But then, if we take our time and stay in a townfor a while, we may get to know it better. When we look at it as a whole, we begin to have some questions, which even the best guidebooks do not answer. Why is the town just like this, this shape, this plan, and this sizeHere even the best guidebooks fail us. We can’t find in it the information about how a town has developed to the present appearance. However, we may get some idea of what it used to look like by walking around the town. A personal visit to a town may help us better understand why it is attractive than just reading about it in a guidebook. (167 words)Passage 6 Representatives of Civilization: Pottery Ancient people made clay pottery because they needed it for their survival. They used the pots they made for cooking, storing food, and carrying things from place to place. Pottery was so important to early cultures that scientists now study it to learn more about ancient civilizations. The more advanced the pottery in terms of decoration, materials, glazes and manufacture, the more advanced the culture itself.The artisan who makes pottery in North America today utilizes his or her skill and imagination to create items that are beautiful as well as functional, transforming something ordinary into something special and unique.The potter uses one of the Earth's most basic materials, clay. Clay can be found almost anywhere. Good pottery clay must be free from all small stones and other hard materials that would make the potting process difficult.The most important tools potters use are their own hands; however, they also use wire loop tools, wooden modeling tools, plain wire, and sponges. (162 words)Passage 7 Words Can Make a DifferenceOn August 26，1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm during the morning rush hour that caused the streets to flood. Many people who were going to work were forced to go home. Some battled to call a taxi, get a bus or walk miles to get to work.I soon discovered most of the subway lines had stopped service. I finally found an operating line, but there were so many people that I could not initially get to the platform. Finally, I got to my office, wet through, and exhausted.After an unenjoyable day, Garth, my Director, sent an e-mail to everyone:Thanks to everyone who reported to work. It is always reassuring when employees show their devotion to their jobs, Thank you.”Garth's email was short, but welcomed. It made me realize that even when times are tough, a few kind words can make a big difference. (151 words)Passage 8 Fairy TalesTales of the supernatural are common in all parts of Britain. In particular, there was a belief in fairies. Not all of these fairies are the friendly, people-loving sprites that appear in Disney films. In some folktales, they are cruel and cause much human suffering. This is true in the tales about the Changeling. These tell the story of a mother whose baby grows sick and pale and is changed so much that it is almost unrecognizable to the parents. It was then feared that the fairies had come and stolen the baby away and replaced the human baby with a fairy Changeling. In those cases, there was often a way to get the real baby back. You could place the Changeling on the fire--then it would rise up the chimney, you would hear the sound of fairies' laughter and soon after, you would find your own child safe and sound nearby. (153 words)Passage 9 Self-imageSelf-image is your own mind’s picture of yourself. This image includes the wa y you look, the way you act, the way you talk and the way you think. Interestingly, our self-images are often quite different from the images others hold about us. Unfortunately, most of these images are more negative than they should be. Thus changing the way you think about yourself is the key to changing your self-image and your whole world.It might be that you are experiencing a negative self-image because you can’t move past one flaw or weakness that you see about yourself. Well, roll up your sleeves and make a change of it as your primary task. The best way to get rid of a negative serf-image is to realize that your image is far from objective, and to actively convince yourself of your positive qualities. Changing the way you think and working on those, you will go a long way towards promoting a positive self-image. (161 words)Passage 10 ShopaholicsThe word addiction usually makes you think of alcohol or drugs, but in modern day society we are seeing some new kinds of addictions. Some people are compulsive shoppers. Others find it impossible to pull themselves away from their work. Still others spend countless hours watching TV or playing computer games.Over the years, shopping has become a very common activity. Many people enjoy going to malls or stores more and more every day, but it's more than a common hobby for some of them. They have turned into shopaholics. They are people who simply enjoy shopping and walking around spending money without being able to stop doing it. They are hooked on shopping and usually buy things that they don't need. Even though they don't have enough money, they want to buy everything they want.Why do they have this addiction There isn't a specific answer. Some people go shopping when they are sad, worried, upset or lonely. Some even tend to have this addiction when they feel guilty. (167 words)Passage 11 Time ManagementTime is something from which we can’t escape. Even if we ignore it, it’s still going by, ticking away, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour. So the main issue in using your time well is, “Who’s in charge” We can allow time to slip by and let it be our enemy. Or we can take control of it and make it our ally.By taking control of how you spend your time, you’ll increase your chances of becoming a more successful student. Perhaps more importantly, the better you are at managing the time you devote to your studies, the more time you’ll have to spend on your outside interests.The aim of time management is not to schedule every moment so we become slaves of a timetable that governs every waking moment of the day. Inside, the aim is to make informed choices as to how we use our time. (153 words)Passage 12 Charity ShopsThe charity shop is a British institution, selling everything from clothes to electric goods, all at very good prices. You can get things you won’t find in the shops any more. The thing I like best about them is that your money is going to a good cause and not into the pockets of profit-driven companies, and you are not damaging the planet, but finding a new home for unwanted goods.Most of the people working in the charity shops are volunteers, although there is often a manager who gets paid. Over 90% of the goods in the charity shops are donated by the public.The shops have very low running costs: all profits go to charity work. Charity shops raise more than ￡110 million a year, funding medical research, overseas aid, supporting sick and poor children, homeless and disabled people, and much more. (153 words)Passage 13 Passive LearningWe can achieve knowledge either actively or achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning. We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor.That’s what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then, too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping it with their own personal style. Yet those who hear it think they know. (168 words)Passage 14 Different "Styles" of DirectionsI travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to th e post office”In Japan, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, " Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop."In the countryside of the American Midwest, instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. For example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it” They don’t know. (155 words)Passage 15 RainforestsRainforests are the lungs of the planet – storing large quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world’s oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for guaranteeing their own survival. The tall trees make a cover of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, dry heat and strong winds.Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is a deliberate method to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects.They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can produce 75% of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal – and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. (165 words)Passage 16 Juana Lopez’s InventionOne day, Juana Lopez had an idea for a dish washing machine that worked without using water. She went to see several dishwasher manufacturers about producing the machine, but none of them were interested. Juana found investors to back her idea and founded her own production company. She spent millions of dollars on developing her own dishwasher and it was launched three years later. From then on, sales were very good, better even than Juana had hoped. But Global Domestic, one of the companies that she had been to, made its own waterless dishwasher. Juana obtained one and found that it used the technical ideas she had developed. She had obtained legal protection for legal process. Global Domestic was forced to stop making its competing dishwasher and to pay Juana several million dollars. Now Juana’s waterless dishwasher has 40% of the worldwide dishwasher market and this is increasing every year. (164 words)Passage 17 Rising Sea LevelLatest research predicts that the global sea level is expected to rise 9 to 88 centimeters by 2100, with a “best estimate” of 50 centimeters. This is due to global warming which is causing the ice caps to melt.This great rise of close to one meter would threaten huge areas of low-lying coastal land as well as major cities such as London, New York and Tokyo.In many places, 50 centimeters would see entire beaches being washed away. On low-lying Pacific islands, the highest point is only two or three meters above the current sea level. If the sea level was to rise by 50 centimeters, big parts of these islands would disappear under the water.Even if they remain above the sea, many island nations will have their supplies of drinking water reduced because sea water will pollute their freshwater.There are also tens of millions of people living in low-level coastal areas of southern Asia, such as the coastlines of Pakistan and India, who would be in danger. (172 words) Passage 18 What Is a FatherA father is a person who is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic. He growls when he feels good, and laughs very loud when he is scared half-to-death.A father never feels entirely worthy of the worship in a child's eyes. He is never quite the hero his daughter thinks. Never quite the man his son believes him to be, and this worries him sometimes.A father is a person who goes to war sometimes and would run the other way except that war is part of his only important job in his life, which is making the world better for his child than it has been for him.I don't know where father goes when he dies, but I've an idea that, after a good rest, wherever it is, he won't just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he's loved and the children she bore. He'll be busy there too, repairing the stars, oiling the gates, improving the streets, smoothing the way. (173 words)Passage 19 Little Boy's Big IdeaThe Intellectual Property Owners Association(IPO) is running a project to encourage young inventors. Samuel Houghton, a five-year-old boy has become the youngest Briton to hold a patent after watching his father struggling in the garden. Samuel developed a garden tool after watching his father Mark use two brushes to sweep up leaves outside their house. His father used a largebrush to gather leaves and small branches, and then got a small brush to pick up what was left. Samuel came up with the idea for a labor-saving tool, which has been patented and named the Improved Broom.It is a simple idea that combines two ordinary brooms with different-sized bristles and brush-heads to enable different-sized dirt to be swept up more efficiently. “The small one gets the first bits and the one at the back gets those left behind, Samuel explains.The IPO says that Samuel is its youngest known patent holder. (154 words)Passage 20Cultural DifferencesMeeting people from another culture can be difficult. Different cultures emphasize the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job.In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar value; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decision more quickly. (146 words)Passage 21 StressStress is what you feel when you react to pressure, either from the outside world or from inside yourself. Stress is a normal reaction for people of all ages.Most people think that pressure is always a bad thing. In fact, a little bit of stress is good. Without stress, most of us couldn’t push ourselves to do well, especially in difficult things.People usually complain about feeling pressed for time when they are under certain pressure. It is true t hat you can’t always control the things that are stressing you out, but you can control how you react to them. The way you feel about things results from the way you think about things. If you change how you think, you can change the way you feel. Try the following tips to deal with your stress:Make a list of the things that are causing your stress.Give yourself an excuse.Don't promise to do things you can't do or don't want to do.Find someone to talk to. (170 words)Passage 22 Love Is a TelephoneLove is a telephone which is always silent when you are hoping for a call, but rings when you are not ready for it. As a result, we often miss the love coming from the other end.Love is a telephone which is seldom program-controlled or directly dialed. You cannot get an immediate answer with a simple “hello”, let alone go deep into your lover’s heart with one call. Usually it has to be relayed by an operator, and you have to wait patiently.Love is a telephone that is always busy. When you are ready to dial for love, you only find, to your disappointment, the line is already being used by someone else.Love is a telephone, but it is difficult to know when to dial. You will miss the opportunity if your call is either too early or too late. (143 words)Passage 23 JealousyThe experience of jealousy varies enormously from age to age, from culture to culture, from couple to couple, from person to person, and can be different within the same person from time to time. In the United States, there has been a change of attitude toward jealousy in recent years. “Normal” jealousy, which has been seen as an inevitable accompaniment of love and support of marriage, has come to be seen by some as evidence of personal insecurity and weakness in the relationship, and therefore a threat to the partnership.1111Most jealous flashes come from feeling left out of an activity involving your partner and another person or other people. When your partner pays attention to another, your first reaction is to note that they are “in” and you are “out”. You feel excluded, ignored, unappreciated.This kind of experience is not uncommon, and dealing with it gracefully is part of the etiquette of our time.(157 words)Passage 24 Differences Between Television and Radio AnnouncersWhen television first began to expand, very few of the people who had become famous as radio announcers were able to be equally effective on television. Some of the difficulties they experienced when they were trying to adjust themselves to the new medium were technical. When working on radio, for example, they had become used to seeing on behalf of the listener. This art of seeing for others means that the announcer has to be very good at talking.In the case of television, however, the announcer sees everything with the viewer. His duty, therefore, is completely different. He is there to make sure that the viewer does not miss any point of interest, to help him focus on particular things, and to help him understand the images on the television screen. Unlike his radio colleague, he must know the value of silence and how to use it at those moments when the pictures speak for themselves. (157 words)Passage 25 The African ElephantThe African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna surroundings in which it lives, setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat.It is the elephant's great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches off big trees.1212This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas.What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem. (159 words) Passage 26Operations on the BrainIt is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes.Dr. White thinks doctors should try to make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctors a longer time to do something for the brain.Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs. Then he operated on them. He made the monkeys' blood go through a machine which cooled the blood, and then sent the blood back to the monkeys' brains. When the brain temperature was 50 degrees, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they were before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them. (163 words)Passage 27 DepressionThe dictionary describes depression as the state of feeling very sad, anxious and hopeless. The question here is why one gets depressed. Is the inability to deal with the situation or the high stress levels that come with success or failureLife is full of twists and turns. Some are pleasant and some are not so pleasant, and sometimes even terrible.1313Seasonal changes are the main reason for depression in nature. Change is unavoidable. It may happen in nature or in life. But the way the change makes us feel is subjective. They differ from person to person, along with the ways we deal with them.Feeling depression is a normal phenomenon, but letting it overtake us completely is not the best thing. There are no specific rules or concepts in dealing with it. A person should adopt whatever way he or she feels is the best, but be sure it will not hurt another person. (157 words)Passage 28 White NoiseThere are different kinds of noise with distinct frequencies that are classified by color，namely: white noise, pink noise, brown noise, blue noise, and gray noise. Below is an overview of white noise.Generally speaking, white noise is a part of the full scale of sound frequencies a human ear can recognize. White noise is a mixture of sound frequencies in equal levels. It is a very quiet sound that is relaxing and pleasant to the ears of anyone. A number of people say that it is similar to the sound of the rain or the ocean waves.White noise offers countless benefits. The noise comes in different forms that serve different purposes. Some white noise works better than others for particular uses. Some people may find some white noise sounds more pleasing than others. Moreover, white noise is said to have a more calming effect than music does. (149 words)Passage 29 Cell PhonesNowadays, with the rapid development of IT and information industry, cell phones play a dominant role in people’s life. On the one hand, the mobile phone is portable and convenient. Being wireless, you can carry them everywhere with great ease. 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.1414However, just as every coin has two sides, the cell phone also has its many disadvantages. 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 people’s spare time, because with the mobile phone the boss can easily reach them and call them to duty during their spare time. Worst of all, the electromagnetic wave emitted from the phone is said to be harmful to people’s health and does often cause headaches to the owner. (163 words)Passage 30 Facing the Enemies WithinWe are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of your fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you’ve read in the papers. Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy your ambitions, fortunes, relationships, and even life.Another enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future.The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure you can’t believe everything. But don’t let doubt take over you. It will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart.Also, there are indifference, worry and overcaution that you should do battle with. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become. (149 words)Passage 31 The Tower of LondonIn 1078, King William began to build a large stone building on the north bank of the Thames River and named it the Tower of London. The tower was finished 20 years later.Around 1240, King Henry III made it his home. He painted the tower white, and widened the grounds to include a church, a great hall and other buildings.In 1381, Richard II became King of England. A group of farmers attacked the tower. In the end, Richard was forced to give up his power to Henry IV.1515。

专四听写30篇专四听写30篇Dictation1Superstition迷信（144words）One person in four in Britain is,apparently,superstitious,/and they’ll do everything from hanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers,/touching wood and absolutely never walking under a ladder./And they’re careful about cats./Black cats are supposed to be the familiars of witches,/so if one is following you it’s definitely bad luck—a witch is after you!/ On the other hand,if one crosses your path and continues/then it’s good luck because it hasn’t noticed you./However,in some places the beliefs are different/—so it pays to know where your black cat comes from!/Old superstitions linger even in today’s modern world./The author Philip Pullman drew on them/in his award winning novel“His Dark Materials”./The novel,which appeals to both children and adults,/has been adapted for radio and also the theatre./Dictation2Graduate Student研究生（157words）Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study./They study to become experts in this field/and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A.or Ph.D./Sometimes when they get an M.A.in one field they begin studying another field./They hope that when they earn their graduate degrees/they will succeed in finding important jobs./They hope to get jobs that are interesting and high paying./The life of a graduate student is often difficult./They are usually too busy studying to make a good living./Often they have to pay high tuition fees for their education./Some give upstudying before they get their degrees./But most keep on working at their studies until they graduate./In today’s world,most graduate students don’t regret spending time with their studies./They are finding that new developments are occurring in all fields./For many graduate study has become a necessity./Dictation3April Fool’s Day愚人节（157words）1st April is a day to be careful,or you could easily get tricked by someone./It’s April Fool’s Day,a day when people traditionally like to try/to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them./ There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day,/but one explanation is connected with the change in the calendar in the16th century,/which meant that1st April was no longer the beginning of the year./Those who still celebrated the New Year on1st April were called fools./ So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool’s Day?/Well,there are lots of simple tricks/that you can play on your friends./For example,you could wear a black sweater/and pull a piece of white thread through it,/so that people try to pull it off./You could change the time on someone’s alarm clock/so that they’re late for work./ Dictation4Living Online网上生活（159words）How do you meet new people,make new friends,or find out about the latest bands?/Here in the UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars,pubs and clubs./ However,there is a new generation growing up/that finds it easier to manage their social liveson the net,/using free websites like MySpace,Bebo or MSN Spaces./Welcome to the social networking website/—a place where you can present yourself to the digital community and meetother like-minded people./The most successful social networking website in the UK is /doc/ec12483279.html,./As of July2006, MySpace is the world’s fourth most popular English-language website,/attracting almost3million visitors per month./MySpace claims to have95million members/with500,000new members joining the community each week./So how has it become so successful?/Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity./Each new member can build their own page simply—uploading photos,videos and MP3files./Dictation5Mother’s Day母亲节（160words）Does your mother know how much you appreciate her?/Well,Mother’s Day is the time to show her./It’s a chance to say‘thank you’,or to tell your mum how much you love her./ In Britain,Mother’s Day,or Mothering Sunday,/falls on a different day each year,/because it takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter./But it is always in the early springtime, which seems appropriate,/as the season when new plants emerge,/and baby birds and animals are born./In the USA,Mother’s Day takes place a little later,in May,/and many other countries also celebrate their mothers on different days of the year./It began many years ago,when children,/especially girls,as young as10would live and work away from home/as housemaids and other types of servant./Mothering Sunday was a day when everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town,and visit their mothers./Dictation6Online Shopping网上购物（159words）With only two weeks to go before Christmas,/buying presents is a high priority for a lot of people./However,this yearnot so many people are leaving their homes to browse around the shops./These days lots of people can do their shopping/in the comfort of their own home with the help of the internet./ Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reason s;/prices are often lower online,/you don’t have to queue up in busy shops/and you can buy almost any product imaginable/with just a few clicks of your mouse./ Computer trends are often male-dominated/but this year women are expected to do more shopping on the internet than men./It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience of online shopping than they used to be./ Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to￡240/compared to the slightly lower average of￡233for men./Dictation7Reality TV真实电视（155words）The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV./Reality TV means that shows follow and film ordinary people in an artificial situation./This could be at work,or in some kind of competition./ One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother./In this show,15complete strangers have to live together in a house for11weeks./They are filmed24hours a day,/and shown on television./Each week,the viewers vote to evict one of the housemates./Finally,onlyone is left,/and they win the prize money!/The show was an instant hit,and runs in several countries./The housemates often become stars as a result of the show,/and appear in national newspapers and on other shows./ Another very popular show is I’m a Celebrity—Get Me Out Of Here!/In this show,10 celebrities have to complete tasks each week,such as eating insects./Dictation8School学校（160words）September is traditionally the end of summer/and the beginning of autumn in the UK./It is also the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays./ There are two types of school in England./State-run schools are paid for by the government, so are free to attend./Independent Schools are private,which means you have to pay to attend./ The school day usually starts at9in the morning and finishes around4,/with breaks for lunch of course!/In many schools,you have to wear a uniform too./Children start school when they are5years old./This is called primary school,/and lasts until the child is11when he or she will go on to senior school./Secondary school is compulsory from11until16years of age./At16,students take national examinations called GCSE’s./After this,students can stay at school for another2years and take A Level examinations./Dictation9The Modern Family现代家庭（154words）Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast./The two children take the bus to school, /and mother stays home cooking and cleaning/until father and the kids return home in the evening. /This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain./The past20years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain./ The biggest change has been caused by divorce./As many as2out of3marriages now end in divorce,/leading to a situation where many children live with one parent/and only see the other at weekends or holidays./ There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work./The large rise in divorces hasmeant/many women need to work to support themselves and their children./ Even when there is no divorce,/many families need both parents to work in order to survive./Dictation10Mid-Autumn Festival中秋节（146words）On25th September this year,people all over China/will be getting together to eat with their families,/look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar./ However,the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China./Here in the UK events are taking place for Chinese people living here,/and to teach the people of Britain more about this popular festival./The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study/which showed that Chinese Londoners don’t engage much with the arts world./As a result,‘Moon walking In China’has been created to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival./This is no normal theatre production though,/as it doesn’t take place in the theatre./Theatre professionals and volunteers from the local community/will take audiences around the streets ofSoho/on a magical lantern-lit walk/through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown./Dictation11The Dragon龙（160words）When many people in the west think of China,/the animal that they think of is the dragon./ For them,the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire./Many popular legends tell of how dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens./ For Chinese people however,the dragon is not an evil monster./It’s a cultural and spiritual symbol for prosperity and good luck./The dragon’s main task is to create harmony and bring rain./ Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture,/andof course the dragon dance is a very popular ritual./Millions of Chinese have the word‘long’,meaning dragon,as part of their name./ China isn’t the only country to have the dragon as its symbol./Wales,one of the four countries in the UK,/has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag./The only other country in the world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan,/the tiny country between China and India./Dictation12Rainy Britain阴雨的英国（153words）Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather,/but many parts of the country this June/are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before./Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks,/roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated/from their homes because of the floods./The worst hit area seems to be the north of England./There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain/or were washed away by the floodwaters./Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK/and it is said that over a month’s worth o f rain has fallen in just the last couple of days./The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain’s famous June events./The Glastonbury festival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival/and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there,/this year was particularly bad./Dictation13Christmas Traditions圣诞节传统（145words）There are many ways to celebrate Christmas,/and some British people like to go on holiday,/ go out for lunch to a restaurant,or spend the day with friends./But most people’s idea of a traditional Christmas/involves spending a few days with their family/—sometimes their extended family./The day is the most exciting for the children./They may have spent weeks or even months dreaming of the presents they want most./Since the beginning of December,they may have opened their advent calendars,/finding a new festive picture,chocolate,or small gift,/to count down each day until25th December./ On Christmas Eve,they hang up stockings,/ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus./ Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left,/as well as a carrot for those hungry reindeer./Dictation14Olympic Slogan奥运口号（140words）Beijing unveiled the slogan for the2008Olympics as far back as2005./“One World,OneDream”was finally sel ected/from more than210,000entries from around the world./ Beijing’s original bid to host the2008games/had a different slogan“New Beijing,Great Olympics”./The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely/from the city of Beijing itself to the spirit of the Olympics/—unity,friendship amongst nations and progress./ It was also felt that the“One World,One Dream”slogan/captured the traditional Chinese values of peace and harmony./ The Olympics hasn’t always had a slogan attached to each host country./In fact it wasn’t until 1988at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea/that the first slogan appeared./“Harmony and Progress”was chosen/and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years./Dictation15Sunbed太阳床（159words）In the UK,a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine,/there appears to be an ever increasing number of very tanned young people./So just how are they achieving their golden tans?/Some areopting for the sun-free option/ and are getting their tan from a bottle./However,it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, /of which there are thousands in the UK./While in China young people often prefer to remain fair,/in the UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin./So why do the British prefer to be bronzed?/Often,they are trying to emulate their favorite celebrities,footballers,or footballers’wives./Research from the British Sunbed Association suggests that/many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier./This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK./They firmly state that being tanned is not a sign of health./Dictation16Speechwriting写演讲稿（143words）The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker,/with merit being given to speakers who are confident,articulate,/knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with conviction./But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches,/it is a speechwriter./And one industry in which this practice is common is that of politics./So what does it take to be a political speechwriter?/Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain,/a political speechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills,/be detail oriented and able to demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject./They must also work closely with speakers/and be able to relate to their style./ Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent,/a natural creative instinct,/ and that speechwriting is an art form./Dictation17A Walk in the Park在公园散步（141words）Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health/—it can improve your mood/and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes./So says research in the journal Environmental Health and Technology./Exercise alone is known to make you happier./So is being in a natural setting./So scientists wanted to see the effect of combining the two./They evaluated10different UK studies involving more than1,200people./Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening,/sailing and country walks,and rated their mood and self-esteem./The research showed that both areas get a significant boost/with as little as five minutes of outdoor exercise./And people with mental disorders benefited the most./The study authors say this is the first study/to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect./Dictation18Fast Food Makes Us Less Patient快餐使我们失去耐性（146words）Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry,/and for some of us,drive-through dinner has become a way of life./Granted,sometimes we grab something quick because we really don’t have time./But psychologists got to wondering/whether all this speed eating might actually make us less patient./In a series of experiments,the scientists showed volunteers logos/from several fast-food chains or asked them to recall the last time they’d visited./And they found that folks who had thought about fast food would then read faster,/even though no one told them to hurry./And they also expressed a preference for time-saving products,/like shampoo plus conditioner./And theytended to opt for immediate rewards,/like getting a small cash payment right away/rather than waiting a week for a larger sum./So if you want to ease the pace,forget meditation.Try a slow cooker./Dictation19Light All Night Not Alright整夜开灯并非好事（159words）A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed./But it may also open the door to the blues./If you have access to electricity,you no doubt switch on a lamp,/maybe even watch a little TV,after the sun goes down./But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate our hormones/and of course our sleep cycles./So what might these extra photons be doing to our health?/To find out,scientists housed mice in a room/where the lights were always on./After three weeks,they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression,/more so than mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night./Interestingly,mice who could escape the light by ducking into a dark tube/also escaped the worst of the depression./ So flip that light switch at your own risk./Because the artificial brightness that helps keep us up could also bring us down./Dictation20London2012Olympic Games伦敦2012奥运会（154words）After a hard-fought campaign,/London has been awarded the right to host the2012Olympic Games./The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities:/Paris,Madrid,Moscow and New York./Londoners can now look forward to the transformation of their city/in the same way as their counterparts in Beijing./Indeed,there are many similarities in the twocities’approach to hostingthe games./Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure/in order to cope with the demands of the event./ However,this kind of investment is far from cheap/—it is estimated that it will cost around $40billion to prepare for the2008games,/much of which will be spent on transport links./ Nevertheless,the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous/—Barcelona,which hosted the1992games,/was completely regenerated and has since become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world./Dictation21Picnic野餐（155words）As summertime begins in Britain,people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat./People love to have a picnic whenever the weather is good enough,/especial ly people with children./It’s a great way to spend a sunny afternoon./Even in the centre of London,on a sunny day,/the parks are full of office workers eating their lunch outside on the grass./That might be a pretty basic picnic/—a shop-bought sandwich and a bottle of water./But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park,/they would probably pack a cool bag/with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches,snacks,cake,fruit and soft drinks./ They might have a picnic rug to sit on,and paper plates and cups./ University students enjoy having picnics,/and usually take along some kind of sports equipment,/such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch./Dictation22Changing Name after Marriage婚后改名（155words）Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one’s life./This is because it is a step that hasthe potential to alter or change one’s life altogether./Right from the wedding dress to the house/that the couple will live after their wedding,/is decided with utmost care./An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for the wedding/is to choose between one’s maiden name and spouse’s name./Though traditionally, women are expected to change their name/from their maiden name to their husband’s name,/ many women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage,/mostly for professional reasons./Apart from this,there are women who adopt their husband’s last name/and keep their maiden name as their second name./Also,there are couples who make a new name with both their names,/by separating the names with a hyphen./ Dictation23The Compass指南针（153words）A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now,/and its utility in helping people find their way is undoubted./Before technology gave us the privilege of GPS navigation systems,/the act of finding out where you are and which side is north/was carried out simply with the help of a compass./We’ve all seen a compass at some point or the other,/and this has alm ost always led us to the question“How does a compass work?”/The answer to this question can be explained/through the concept of the earth’s electromagnetism./Simply speaking,a compass is basically a small magnet/that has a needle attached on one end. /The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin./When the compass is held out steadily,/the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth,/and this causes it to point north./Dictation24Ball Games球类运动（157words）Ball games have become an integral part of modern society./They give us entertainment providing us a means to safely free ourselves from stress./There are many different ball games that can do this for us./Some people enjoy football,while others like basketball./These two ball games are the most popular in China./Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal,yet have not become popular./The development of these games is interesting./Basketball is one of the few sports with a known date of birth./Football,or soccer,originally developed from traits found in both China and Europe./It has grown to become the world’s most popular sport./In Europe, football clubs have been established,/which in turn has been copied in the rest of the world./ These football clubs train players/who may later go to play for their nations in the World Cup./ This is the most watched ballgame championship on the planet./Dictation25Water Sports水上运动（145words）The history of man’s involvement with water sports/stretches back before history was written down./It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement./ Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world/with nothing but the stars to guide them./The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared,/for lurked unknown creatures and death by drowning./Few actually ventured into the water./As a sport,however,water sports such as swimming,diving,/and water polo are new comparatively to those on land./Probably the oldest one is rowing in a rowboat./This is seen in modern games such as competitions/between rowing clubs in British and American universities./Olympic Water Sports began with swimming but did not end there./The different kinds of water sports such as divingor water skiing came later./Dictation26Famous Universities名校（140words）Many countries have excellent universities./There are,however,few world famous ones./ These universities have achieved their fame/through a combination of both their age/and the high levels of quality in their instruction./Throughout their histories,/each one has been a testing ground for the leadership of the nation./In the United States,Harvard and Yale attract thousands of foreign students/who would use what they learn for the advancement of their own nations./In this way,these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication./ Graduates around the world are able to connect with each other/by having graduated from one of the finest universities in the world./Leaders in every field,whether government officials or ground-breaking scientists,/who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other/ and understand each other much better./Dictation27Ideal Life理想人生（157words）The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue,yet few achieve./The balance between dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome./Many people choose a vocation in the hopes/that it would bring them wealth and success./However,after years of labor in theirchosen field,they begin to hate their jobs./This is mainly because they have neglected other parts of their lives in search of this success./These people devote their lives to working/and are unable to separate themselves from their work./They find that it may not be enough./Some have jobs where their principles and emotional health/are challenged by dishonesty or bad workenvironments./These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which they work,/leading to personal or health problems./This choice is not a permanent situation,however, /as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives./Dictation28Reeducation and Employment再教育和就业（160words）During the course of our lives,we must make many choices that we may come to regret./This is especially true when choosing a career./Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding become dull or not worth it/as we live our daily existence./This is where reeducation can help./Occupational schools have been set up to train people in jobs/that they may be better suited for./People can adapt their interests and talents through selected courses./They can learn cooking skills,which are always in great demand./Gardening is an option for those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb./If a person is interested in motors or cars,they can get training as a mechanic./Even more, the learning of a foreign language/would allow them the opening of a dream life./The job qualification certificates they earn can also be used too enhance their resumes,/so that they are trained in a variety of skills./Dictation29Made in China中国制造（160words）The label,Made in China,is one that is becoming increasing common/in shopping centers all over the world./In the United States,shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation’s largest retailer/have a wide selection of products mostly produced in China./The large amount of Chinese imports have created a large selection of goods in other countries/as people begin to buy more and more products made in China./These goods are even readily availablein other Asian nations,/where Chinese-made goods are quite popular./Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known outside of China./The development of China has amazed the world with its growth./And also,as China is a developing economy with large amounts of labor,/industries are beginning to relocate in an effort to minimize costs and increase profits./The results of these relocations are that/nations are beginning to try to limit the flow of Chinese goods/with the use of taxes and import restrictions./Dictation30Glaciers冰川（153words）Glaciers are formed in places where the temperatures are extremely cold./This could even include places that are at sea level,/but are mostly places that are high up on mountains./ In such cold places it snows most of the year./This snow will settle down and when it snows again/the lower layer of snow gets compressed./Every time it snows,the below layers will compress more,/finally turning into hard ice./This ice is what forms the glacier./ When the temperature rises slightly,/the outer edges of the formed glacier and fresh snow will melt./For a glacier to form and sustain itself it is of prime importance/that the amount of snow that falls on it must be more than the amount of glacier that has melted./This is the only way in which the glacier will be able to maintain itself/and keep increasing in size year after year./。