Unit 12 Listening

Unit 12Section One Tactics for ListeningPart 1 PhoneticsExercise: Complete the following short dialogue as you listen to the tape. Pay special attention to the weak forms,link-ups and contractions.[Sound of busy street]Jeff: Hi, Carl, (I) What’s up?Carl: Hey, Jeff. We're (2) on our way to see that new comedy Running From the Mob. Want to (3) go with us?Jeff: I (4) hear it's really funny.Carl: Yeah, it's got a lot of good (5) people in it. Should be great. Let's go.Jeff: Ah, I (6) wish I could, but I've got to study.Carl: Well, maybe n ext time. You're (7)missing a good thing. Jeff: I know. (8) Got to go. See you.Carl: Bye.Part 2 Listening and Note-TakingTAPESCRIPTExercise: Complete the passages as you listen to it.The (1) first thing I do at the office is to (2) open all theboss’s letters, I (3) answer the easy ones and I (4) leave the difficult ones on the (5) boss’s desk.At about (6) 10 o’clockI make (7) a cup of coffee for the boss and for myself. Thenthe boss (8) dictates letters for about (9) an hour. Of course,I answer the phone (10)all day. Sometimes it doesn’t (11) stop.I have about (120 half an hour for lunch at about (13) one o’clock. Then I do jobs in the (140 office till about (15) five o’ clock.Section Two Listening ComprehensionPart 1 DialoguesDialogue 1 Job InterviewTAPESCRIPTMs Brown: What was your previous job?Mr Wigmore: I worked for the National Bus Company.Ms Brown: And how long have you worked for them?Mr Wigmore: I’ve worked for them for f ive years.Ms Brown: How long have you been an area sales manager?Mr Wigmore: Eighteen months.Ms Brown: And what did you do before joining the Bus Company? Mr Wigmore: I worked for a chain of hotels as junior manager.Ms Brown: The post you’ve applied for involves a lot oftraveling. Have you been abroad much?Mr Wigmore: I’ve b een to most of Western Europe, and I’ve been to eastern Europe once, to Hungary.Ms Brown: Why did you go there?Mr Wigmore: The hotel sent me to attend a conference.Ms Brown: I see. Have you ever organized a conference yourself?Mr Wigmore: Yes. I have actually. Why?Ms Brown: Well, this job would require rather a lot oforganizing meetings and conferences.Exercise: Listen to the dialogue and answer the questions.1. How many jobs has the interviewee had before he appliesfor this job? What are they?(He has had two jobs. He worked for the National Bus Company as an area sales manager. Before that, he worked for a chain of hotels as junior manager.)2. What are the requirements for this job?(This job involves a lot of traveling and requires rather a lot of organization meetings and conferences.)3. Do you think the interviewee is qualified for this job?Give your reasons.(Probably he is qualified for the job. Because he has beena manager for many years and he has been abroad much. Hehas been to most of Western Europe. He actually has theexperience of organization a conference.)Dialogue 2 Job RedundancyDavid: Cheer up, George. What’s happened to that happy smile we all know and love?George: Oh, hello, David .I was miles away, I’m afraid. David: What’s the problem? You look as if you’ve lost a pound and found 10 pence.George: Decisions, decisions. I’ve lost my job.David: You haven’t.George: I have.David: I thought you were doing so well.George: So did I. Then yesterday they gave us all the official letter. Apparently the business has been losing money, sothey’ve decided to close it down.David: Gracious, when?George: End of the week.David: You’ve worked there for quite a long time, haven’t you? George: Nearly six years.David: So you’re entitled to some redundancy* money?George: Not a lot. Not if they’ve been losing money.David: What are you going to do? Are you going to try and get another job in the music business?George: Well, I thought I might start a little business of myown.David: That’s a good idea. What sort of business? A music shop? George: No. A recording studio. Recording studios charge the earth these days and there are lots of youngsters who c an’t afford those prices. I thought …if I find suitablepremises*…I could offer a cut-price* recording service. David: That sounds a marvelous idea. Then, as you get more famous, you could increase your charges.George: No, I’d rather encourage young mus icians to come and make t heir first recording with me a nd then I thought maybeI could branch out and become an agent.David: Ah, I see. Then you could sell the recording made b y your protégés* to the big record companies.George: That’s the general idea.David: Great. Well, if you decide you need someone t o look after the accounts and make the coffee, let me know. I might beinterested.George: OK. I may take you up on* that offer. Bye.David: Bye.Exercise: Listen to the dialogue and decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T or F in the space provided. Discuss with your classmates why you think the statement is true or false.T1. George is usually happy and gay. ( David: …What’s happened to that happy smile we all know and love?)F2. George works miles away. ( When George says “ Oh, hello, David. I was miles aways, I’m afraid,”　he means h e is not paying any attention.)F 3. George has just been to an interview. ( Probably Georgehas just been back from his work.)T4. George look s depressed. ( David: …　You look as if you ‘ve lost a pound and 10 pence.)F 5. Since the business is not doing well, the company decidesto reduce the number of its workers. ( Since the businessis not doing well, the company decides to close it down.)T 6. The company just gave George a week notice. ( the company will be closed down by the end of next week.)T 7. Since George has been working for the company for nearly six year, he should be given a sort of compensation. (Since George has been working for the company f or nearly six year,he should be given a sort of compensation, which is called redundancy money.)F 8. George is going to look for a new job. ( George is goingto start his own business.)F 9. George thinks his recording studio can attract youngstersby offering a high-quality recording service. ( Georgethinks his recording studio can attract youngsters byoffering a cut-price recording service.)F10. George would start a recording studio rather a music shop because he thinks he can make much more money. ( Thoughrecording studios charge the earth these days, George would just offer an opportunity for the young musicians to comeand make their first recording with him.)F11. George’s ambition is to establish a big record company.( George’s ambition is to branch out and become an agentand sell the recordings made by his protégés to the big record companies.)F 12. George has accepted David’s offer to be his accountant.( George may consider David’s offer later on.)Part 2 PassagesPassage 1 Burglary (1)The old lady was glad to be back at the block of flats whereshe lived. Her shopping had tired her. In the lift her thoughts were on lunch and a good rest; but when she got out at her own floor, both were forgotten in her sudden discovery that herfront door was open. She was thinking that she must reprimand* her daily maid the next morning for such a monstrous negligence, when she remembered that she had gone shopping after the maidhad left and she knew that she had turned both keys in theirlocks. She walked slowly into the hall and at once noticed that all the room doors were open, yet following her regular practice she had shut them before going out. Looking into the drawingroom, she saw a scene of confusion over by her writing desk.Exercise: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.1 .D 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. B 6. D 7.A 8.CPart 3 NewsNews Item 1TAPESCRIPTWater has long been considered important to the development of life. That is why scientists are so interested in findingwater in our solar system. Now, the American space agency has confirmed that there is water ice on the planet Mars.The discovery is a major step in the search for the conditions for life on the red planet. The discovery was madewith the help of an American spacecraft, the Phoenix Mars Lander. The spacecraft landed on the extreme north of Mars on May 25.On June 15, it dug a hole about seven centimeters deep in theMartian soil. The hole contained small particles of a light-colored substance. Scientists wondered whether the substance was frozen carbon dioxide, salt or water ice.Exercise A: Listen to the news item and complete the following summary.The news item is about the experiment carried out on Mars bya spacecraft.Exercise B: Listen to the news item again and answer thefollowing questions.1.The American space agency has confirmed that there is waterice on the planet Mars.2.The discovery was made with the help of an Americanspacecraft.3.The Phoenix Mars Lander.4.It is a major step in the search for the conditions for lifeon Mars.5.The spacecraft landed on the extreme north of Mars on May25.6.It dug a hole about seven centimeters deep in the Martiansoil.7.The hole contained small particles of a light-coloredsubstance.8.Scientists wondered whether the substance was frozen carbondioxide, salt or water ice.News Item 2An American study has suggested that melting ice in theArctic Sea is threatening permanently frozen soil. The studyfound that rates of warming in northern Alaska, Canada andRussia could increase when the sea ice melts quickly. Duringsuch periods, the increase could be more than three times greater than the average twenty-first century warming ratespredicted in earlier studies.The new study is the work of scientists from the NationalCenter for Atmospheric Research and the National Snow and IceData Center. The findings were reported last month in Geophysical Research Letters, a publication of the American Geophysical Union.Exercise A: Listen to the news item and complete the followingsummary.The news item is about melting ice in the Arctic Sea that is threatening permanently frozen soil.Exercise B: Listen to the news item again and answer the following questions.1.It has suggested that melting ice in the Arctic Sea isthreatening permanently frozen soil.2.In northern Alaska, Canada and Russia.3.The increase could be more than three times greater than theaverage twenty-first century.st month.5.In Geophysical Research Letters.6.The American Geophysical Union.News Item 3TAPESCRIPTSpace scientists have been searching nearby stars for planets with great success. The United States space agencysays that 264 exoplanets have been discovered so far. But,until now, few of the planetary systems found orbiting otherstars have been like our own s olar system. That has all changed with the discovery of a fifth planet orbiting a star calledFifty-Five Cancri in the constellation Cancer.The star is forty-one light years away from Earth. It isalso very similar to our own sun.Last month, astronomers announced the discovery of a fifth planet orbiting Fifty-Five Cancri. What makes the discovery extraordinary is that the new exoplanet orbits in what astronomers call a "habitable zone." This means t emperatures on the planet may b e warm e nough for liquid water to exist either on its surface or on one of its moons.Exercise A: Listen to the news i tem and complete the following summary.The news item is about the discovery of a fifth planet orbitinga star called Fifty-Five Cancri.Exercise B: Listen to the news item again and complete thefollowing passage.Last month, astronomers announced the discovery of a fifth planet orbiting Fifty-Five Cancri. The star is 41 light years away from Earth and it is very similar to our own sun.According to the United States space agency, 264exoplanets have been discovered so far and few of the planetary systemsfound orbiting other stars are like our own s olar system. Thathas all changed with the discovery.What makes the discovery extraordinary is that the new exoplanet orbits is in a habitable zone, which means liquid water may on its surface or on one of its moons.Section There Oral WorkPart 1 Questions and AnswersTAPESCRIPTJenny: Would you like a game of tennis next Thursday?Chris: I can't, I'm afraid, I'm going to Bristol.Jenny: What for?Chris: I have an interview for a job as manager of a record shop.Jenny: I didn't know you wanted to move.Chris: Well, my p arents are going to retire to Bath next year, and I want to be near them.Jenny: How are you getting to Bristol?Chris: I have a bit of a problem, actually. My car isn'tworking at the moment. I'm thinking ofgetting a taxi to the station, and then getting a train.Jenny: I'll give you a lift to the station. Don't worryabout a taxi.Chris: Really?Jenny: Mmm.Chris: OK. Then I’ll get a taxi home.Jenny: Well, what time is your train back?Chris: It gets in at 21.15 ----- what's that? ----- quarterpast nine in the evening.Jenny: It's all right. I'll pick you up as well. It's notrouble.Chris: That's great! Thanks a lot. Jenny.Exercise: Listen to the dialogue and then answer some q uestions about it. You will hear the dialogue and the questions only once. Answer each question with a complete sentence afteryou have heard it.Questions:1. What does Jenny want to know?(She wants to know whether Chris would like a game o f tennis next Thursday.)2. Can Chris play tennis with her next Thursday?(No, he is unable to.)3. Why isn't he able to de that?(He will go to Bristol to have an interview for a job.)4. What kind of job does au-is apply for?(He applies for a job as manager of a record shop.)5. Why does Chris want to move?(His parents are going to retire next year and he wants to be near them.)6. How is Chris getting to Bristol?(He's thinking of getting a taxi to the station and thengetting a train.)7. Why needn't Chris worry about a taxi?(Jenny will give him a lift.)8. What time is his train back?(It is a quarter past nine in the evening.)Part 2 RetellingRuth Lawrence, a 13-year-old English girl, was awarded adegree at the University of Oxford. When speaking to the reporters from television, radio and the press Ruth said thatshe was not a genius, and her success was the result of a lotof hard work.Ruth is very special girl. At Oxford University Ruth completed her degree in two years instead of the usual three.Her teacher says that Ruth has the quickest mind than anystudent she has ever known.Ruth has never attended school. Ruth's father has been her teacher for the most of her life and he stopped working for his computer company to go to Oxford with her. Mrs. Lawrence hasbeen managing the computer company since Ruth and her fatherwent to Oxford.Ruth's father said that he was very happy with his daughter's success. And he hoped that Ruth was going to stayin Oxford and do researchExercise: Listen to the passage and then retell it in your own words. You will hear the passage only once.Section Four Supplementary ExercisesPart 1 Listening ComprehensionPassage 1 Burglary (2)TAPESCRIPTIt was as clear as daylight then that burglars had forced an entry during her absence. Her first impulse was to go round all the rooms looking for the thieves, but then she decided that at her age t might be more prudent to have someone with her,so she went to (etch the porter from his basement. By this timeher legs were beginning to tremble, so she sat down a nd accepted a cup of very strong tea, while he telephoned the police.They went through the rooms, being careful to touch nothing, as they did not want to hinder* the police in their search for fingerprints. It seemed a s though everything she possessed had been tossed out and turned over and over. At least sorting out the things she should have discarded* years ago was being made easier lot her. Then a police inspector arrived with a constable and she told them of her discovery of the ransacked flat. Theinspector began to look for fingerprints, while the constablechecked that the front door locks had not been forced, thereby proving that the burglars had either used skeleton keys orentered over the balcony. There was no trace of fingerprints,but the inspector found a dirty red bundle that contained jewellery which the old lady said was not hers. So their entry into this flat was apparently not tile burglars first job that day.Exercise: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.I.A 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. D 6. C 7. B 8.BPassage 2 Nursing CrisisThe World Health Organization says the number of flumes andmidwives around the world is decreasing. Nurses are health care workers who are trained to care the sick people. Midwives arehealth care workers who are trained m assist women during childbirth. The World Health Organization says this decreasein skilled health cam providers will hurt health care services in many countriesMost nurses and midwives are said to be leaving the health care profession because of several reasons. They include lowpay and poor working conditions Health care experts discussedthese problems daring a meeting in December. They met al theWorld Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland Experts said the problems explain why it is becoming more difficult to bring new people into die nursing and midwifeprofessions.Naeema Al-- Gasseer is in expert in nursing and midwifery the World Health Organization. She says health services indeveloping countries may suffer most from the shortage. Shesays More people may get sick and die number of women who die while giving birth may i ncrease Mizz—Al Gasseer also says the number of babies and children in developing countries may increase because the services of nurses and midwives will nolonger be provided.AI-Gasseer also says them is a so--called "skills drain"around the world. This means that nurses and midwives in developing countries are being offered belier jobs in industrial countries. As a result, she says an already badsituation is worsening.For example, the World Health Organization reports about one hospital in Zambia. The Hospital has only five-hundrednurses However, the hospital needs three limes as many nursesto operate effectively. This same situation is happening allover the world. For example, the WorldHeath Organization reports there has been a decrease in thenumber of nurses in Poland, Chile and Egypt.Because of this problem, the World Health Organization says governments around the World need to take immediate action. It says countries need to solve the problem of the shortage of nurse and midwives to protect the health of their people.Exercise A: Listen to the report and give the definition of the following words.A nurse is a health care worker who is trained to care for sick people.A midwife is a health care worker who is trained to assist women during childbirth.“Skills drain”means t hat nurses, and midwives in developing countries are being offered better job industrial countries.Exercise B: Listen to the report again and complete the following sentences.1. This report is mainly about nursing crisis.2. The World Health Organization headquarters are in Geneva. Switzerland.3 Most nurses and midwives are leaving the health care profession because of low pay and poor working conditions.4 Governments around the world need to take immediate action solve this problem.Part 2 Oral WorkTAPESCRIPTIt is a strange experience coming back to the place where you were born and brought up after being away for many years. This happened to Bob a few months ago when he decided to return to Brighton to take up the post of reporter on a newspaper there. Bob get this job through an old friend of his. Though Bob didn't need to worry about his job any longer, he had otherproblems. He quickly discovered that his hometown l ooked quite unfamiliar to him when he went to look for somewhere to live..word格式,Many parts el it had completely changed. Having to look for aflat helped him to rediscover it, lot he had to search hardbefore he could find what he wanted.Exercise: Listen to the passage and then give your opinion onthe following topics,1. Great changes have taken place in our country, even in your hometown .And it is still changing. Do you Bliss any of thethings that no longer exist in your hometown?2 How c an you be prepared to adapt yourself to the old unfamiliar hometown?, 专业.专注.。

Keys to ExercisesUnit T welvePart Ⅰ Listening PracticeSection A Helping the EnvironmentTask 1Person 1: smogPerson 2: plasticPerson 3: CFCsPerson 4: carbon dioxide/water shortagePerson 5: toxic chemicalsPerson 6: deforestationTask 2Person 1: ride a bikePerson 2: use cloth bags when shoppingPerson 3: use a car without an air conditionerPerson 4: plant trees and use as little water as possiblePerson 5: avoid using chemical cleanersPerson 6: stop eating beefSection B Earth Day CelebrationTask 31. Plant trees.2. Learn more about the environment.3. Reduce, reuse and recycle all day long.4. Sing or listen to “Earth” songs.5. Teach others about the environment.6. Wear green or brown.7. Cook a special Earth Day meal.8. Ride your bike. 中国人民大学出版社Task 4Earth Day is a day of events and observances intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. Founded by United States Sena-tor Gaylord Nelson, this Earth Day is now observed on April 22 each year by more than 500 million people and several national governments in 175 countries.Every day is Earth Day. Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. Don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year; learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice – every day!Section C Genetically Modified Food Task 5AdvantagesDisadvantages Crops could be made resistant to plant-killing chemicals.There could be new toxins in foods.Crops could be made resistant to bacteria, viruses, and insects.Diseases could spread across different species of plants.More nutritious food could be developed.The ecological balance could be disturbed.Plants could grow out of control. Section D Discussing the Environment Task 71. Issue being discussed:The positive advances in technology vs. the damage it does to the environment.2. Main points of each speaker:Stevens: M odern innovations in technology cause irreversible damage to the en-vironment.Technological advances can’t keep up with negative impact. Grant: T echnology can reverse environmental damage.Overpopulation can be limited by birth control.Pollution can be cut down by effective means of mass transit.中国人民大学出版社Keys to ExercisesKeys to ExercisesTask 8Stevens thinks that technological innovation cannot solve the problems of environmental damage caused by technology itself, while Grant thinks that despite the damage caused by technology, there are many positive implications of technological innovation for environmental improvement.Part Ⅲ　Listening Comprehension TestTalk One1. Reduce, reuse, recycle.2. To reduce impulse buying.3. B ecause they last long so they save you money and the environment in the long run.4. R ecycling means collecting, processing, marketing, and ultimately reusing materials that were once discarded.5. Glass, aluminum, steel, paper and cardboard, plastics.Talk T wo6. 85% and 70%.7. 50%.8. A system of megaparks (large national parks).9. To protect the forests and help the environment.10. P eople used to eat its eggs. Now they work in the tourist industry, including acting as guides to take tourists to see the turtles.中国人民大学出版社。

Unit 12 Opinion PollsPart A Pre-listening TaskAdditional questions for discussion1. What factors make an opinion poll successful?There are several key factors in order to make an opinion poll successful. First, there must be a large enough sample. Second, the sample of a poll must be well selected and highly representative. Third, interview questions must be properly designed and presented. And finally, the data collected from a poll must be correctly analyzed and reported. To achieve all those things, people who conduct an opinion poll must have relevant training and experience, take their work seriously, and perform their duties in a responsible as well as skillful manner.2. Do you think opinion polls are a true reflection of public opinion? Why or why not?I believe opinion polls do reflect public opinions. As to how true the reflection is, or how reliable the poll data are, it depends to a large extent on how scientific the selection of the sample, the design of the questions, and the operation of the polling process are. There has been abundant evidence throughout the world over the years that good opinion polls give accurate results and bad polls produce unreliable information that would not be useful at all. So if you want reliable information, you have to make sure that the opinion poll is done right.3. How much can policy makers rely on opinion polls to help them make decisions?Policy makers can make good use of the information from public opinion polls to help them make decisions. Opinion polls often provide valuable information about the public's priorities and viewpoints. Policy makers may become better informed if they include the results of such polls in their assessment of the overall situation. Of course, the policy-making process is a complicated one and it involves aspects that go beyond the public sentiment. As a result, policy makers cannot be expected to make their decisions by solely relying on opinion polls.Part B Listening Tasks ILanguage and Culture:1. Background information: An opinion poll is a survey of public opinion on a certain subject. The making of a poll involves five essential steps: 1) the research design, or how to plan a poll; 2) the sample or whom to ask; 3) the question design, or what to ask; 4) techniques of collecting data, or how to ask; and 5) the analysis of the findings. Opinion polls were used as early as 1824 by two American newspapers to test the strength of the presidential candidates. The polling methods used in those polls, however, were very crude as the samples were haphazardly selected. It was not until the 1930s that more scientific methods were introduced in public opinion polling, which led to the huge popularity of polls inNational and statewide polls regularly sample public opinion on different topics and publish the results in newspapers and magazines. The best-known polls are the Harris Poll and the Gallup Poll. In our country, opinion polls have also become more widely used and accepted. And it is likely that they are to play a more important role in our life in the future.2. In some car parks it now costs ... for half an hour.Parking a car in a public car park can be very expensive, especially in downtown areas. For example, parking a car for half an hour may cost you $10 in lower Manhattan, New York City. So most people will not go to a public car park unless they can't find a parking space in the street. Or they simply take trains or other means of transport when they go downtown.3. ... I don't see what you're getting at.... I don't understand what you are trying to say.4. I don't know anyone who doesn't think they're too high.Everyone I know thinks petrol prices are too high.5. graded charging system:a charging system that is not fixed but varies (according to how far from the city center a car park is)6. So what's to stop these goods being transported by train or even via canal?Is there any reason for not transporting these goods by train or even via canal?percentage n. 百分比absurd a. 荒谬的，荒唐的inner a. 内部的nominal a. (价格或金额)微不足道的penalize v. 予以处罚prohibitive a. (价格或收费)使人望而却步的tram n. 有轨电车lorry n. (BrE)卡车，运货车via prep. 通过，凭借canal n. 运河car park (汽车)停车场Opinion PollsMan: Do you know the thing that's always struck me as odd about opinion polls? Woman: What's that?Man: The percentages. Like recently there was a survey about what people thought about traffic, and petrol prices, and public car parks. (Question 1) In some car parks it now costs something like 5 pounds to park a car for half an hour.Woman: Yeah, but I don't see what you're getting at.Man: What I mean is the percentages in the results. So there might be 70% of people whocomplained about high petrol prices, and 60% who want to see the traffic reduced, and 65% who think car park charges are too high. Does that mean that there are 35% who actually think the charges are OK and would even be prepared to pay more, (Question 2) and another 30% who think petrol prices are OK? I mean that's absurd. I don't know anyone who doesn't think they're too high.Woman: Well, actually I think we should pay more.Man: Come on, you're joking.Woman: No, seriously. I think we should pay more for petrol, even twice as much maybe, and certainly far more for inner city car parks.Man: But why?Woman: More taxes should be charged on petrol, I think, to discourage people from using cars, and a kind of graded charging system for car parks depending on how far they are from the city center.Man: What do you mean?Woman: Well, if you park your car quite far from the city center then you pay a nominal amount as a kind of reward for not polluting the city center.(Question 3 & 4) Well, the closer you get to the center, the more you are penalized. Prices in the center should be totally prohibitive. I mean with an efficient bus or tram service there's no excuse for using cars. Man: Yeah, but you can't penalize people who don't use their car to go into town. I mean if you doubled the price of petrol, it would cost people a fortune to go anywhere, even on short trips, and especially on holidays.Woman: Don't use your car then. Use a train.Man: But what about lorries? I mean they use a lot of petrol to transport goods from one place to another.Woman: So what's to stop these goods being transported by train or even via canal? Man: Well, anyway, I still can't believe (Question 5) that 30% of those people who said car park charges were OK all think the same as you.Woman: Well, maybe that's where you are wrong. Just think about what I've said and you'll realize that perhaps it's not so stupid as it sounds.Listen to the story and choose the right answers to the questions you hear. Questions:1. What items are surveyed in the opinion poll mentioned in the conversation?A. Traffic, petrol prices, and public car parks.B. Public transport, petrol prices, and car parks.C. Public transport, car parks, and vehicle taxes.D. Traffic, vehicle taxes, and road taxes.正确答案：A. Traffic, petrol prices, and public car parks.2. What does the man find absurd about the survey?A. That three different things are examined in a single survey.B. That the results of the survey are contrary to everybody's expectation.C. That it indicates there are people who are willing to pay more for petrol and car parking.D. That it indicates there are people who would rather take buses or trains than drive.正确答案：C. That it indicates there are people who are willing to pay more for petrol and car parking.3. Which of the following best reflects the woman's view about car parking?A. People should be heavily fined for parking offenses.B. The nearer to the city center you park your car, the higher the charge.C. Car park charges should be made as high as possible to deter people from using cars.D. People cannot park their cars for longer than half an hour in the city center.正确答案：B. The nearer to the city center you park your car, the higher the charge.4. Which problem is the woman most concerned about according to the conversation?A. Heavy traffic in the city.B. Pollution in the city center.C. The inefficiency of public transport.D. The high cost of building car parks in the city center.正确答案：Pollution in the city center.5. Which of the following describes the man's attitude toward opinion polls?A. Positive.B. Neutral.C. Skeptical.D. Critical.正确答案：C. Skeptical.Listen to the conversation again and decide if the statements you hear are true or false.Statements:(F) 1. Both the man and the woman have been interviewed in the poll mentioned in the text. (T) 2. The survey finds that a majority of people complained about heavy traffic.(F) 3. The woman thinks that people should pay twice as much for inner city parking. (T) 4. The woman thinks that raises in petrol price and parking charge can discourage people from using cars.(F) 5. According to the man, it's difficult for people to use public transport to go on short trips or holidays.(F) 6. The woman does not object to people's use of cars away from the town center. (F) 7. It can be inferred that 30% of those interviewed in the poll think the same as thewoman.(F) 8. The man finally agrees with the woman that opinion polls are not so stupid as he first thought.Speaking Task I:What do you think of the text you've just heard? Exchange views with your partner. Reflections:Reflections:Comment on the conversation in which two speakers were discussing the reliability of opinion polls. What does the man feel odd about the results of the poll? What is the woman's opinion with regard to petrol prices and car park charges? What does the conversation tell you about the functions and limitations of opinion polls? Exchange views with your partner. You may mention the following points in your discussion.1. different views held by the two speakers about certain poll results2. opinion polls reflecting highly diversified views3. poll results -- expressed in percentages4. interpretation of the percentages -- reasons why certain choices are made in a pollObviously the man's view that petrol prices and car park charges were too high was shared by the majority of people interviewed in the poll. What he found odd was that there was not a complete consensus. The survey seemed to suggest that there were people who were willing to pay more, which he found absurd because it was contrary to what he believed people really thought.The woman, however, held the very view that the man dismissed as absurd. She thought it would be necessary to impose higher taxes on petrol and charge more for inner city parking to discourage people from using their cars. And the survey showed that she was not alone in thinking so.From the conversation, we can see how people's views on a certain issue may differ if they approach it from different perspectives. For example, while the man responded to the survey questions from a personal perspective, the woman approached the problem from the perspective of society as a whole and therefore reached a very different conclusion. This diversity of opinion is represented in polls, which provide a platform where different voices, especially those of the minority, are heard.Of course, opinion polls also have their limitations. Polling questions usually belong to yes-or-no or agree-or-disagree types and the results, expressed in percentages, fail to inform the public of the reasons why certain answers are chosen. In the text, if the woman hadn't explained to the man what she thought about the matter, he wouldn't have had the chance to know that those with different views did have a good reason for their choice. Opinion polls might do a better job if more open questions were asked so that the public could know better why those who are interviewed in a poll think the way they do.Speaking Tasks II:Read the following table that shows the results of an opinion poll conducted amongresidents in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on their attitudes toward different forms of education. Describe to your partner the results of the poll and analyze thereasons behind the data.The table shows that people's views on the three types of school vary at different stages of education. At the preschool stage, the percentage of people who are for private schools is 56.5%, as compared with 43.5% for public schools. Many parents favor private kindergartens because of their qualified teachers and better facilities. Apparently they think it is worthwhile to invest in education right at the beginning. The percentage of people who are for overseas study at this stage is naught, which is understandable, considering how young the children are.For the 9-year compulsory education stage, an overwhelming majority (96.5%) of the respondents are for public schools. None of the respondents in the survey is for private schools. This is because our country has a well-established compulsory education system and the public schools are generally quite good. This also explains why only 3.5% are for overseas study at this stage. Since local schools are very good, there is no point in spending a lot of money sending children abroad to study.At the senior middle school stage, the public school is still the first choice for a majority of people. The percentage of people who are for overseas study, however, increases to 18.5%. Perhaps they think that children are now mature enough to take care of themselves and are ready for some cross-cultural experience.For college and higher learning, the percentage of those who are for the public school equals that of those who are for overseas study. Both are considered advantageous at this stage. Many colleges and universities in our country have a dedicated teaching staff and a fine tradition of learning, which are what appeal to prospective students. On the other hand, overseas schools have better equipment and facilities for doing research and there is a greater chance for students to be exposed to current development in science and technology. Moreover, with the quickening pace of globalization, overseas experience can serve as a big advantage in the global labor market.The above data will be useful to educators who must decide what types of school to establish and how to raise the quality of education at every level. Part C Additional ListeningListen to the passage and choose the right answers to the questions you hear.become weary of 厌烦；疲倦pollster n. 民意测验专家random a. 任意的，随意的digit n. 数字hypothetically ad. 假设地，假想地sampling error 取样误差census statistics 人口普查数据finalize v. 把(计划、稿件等)最后定下来anomaly n. 异常；反常buck n. (美俗)美元respondent n. 回答者How These Pollsters Do Those PollsVoters can become weary (疲倦的) of polls as a campaign winds down (接下), and in public, candidates invariably (总是) declare that they ignore them -- at least, the candidates who are losing. But the fact is, pollsters are good and getting better.Most election-eve polls in 1992 predicted the voting percentages eventually won by Clinton, Bush and Perot well within the sampling margin of error. Of some 300 such polls, none projected Bush or Perot as the winner.Typically, these polls are generated by telephone interviews with 600 to 1,000 "likely voters", who are 18 or older, as determined by answers to initial questions. The phone numbers are selected as random (任意的) digits by a phone-dialing computer.Hypothetically (假设地), almost every person in America has an equal chance of being called since most households have phones. The samples may seem small, but the techniques used in polls are proven enough to be regularly accepted as evidence by the courts when election results are legally challenged. No sample is as accurate as interviewing 100 percent of the people in an election district, of course. A "sampling error" (取样误差) or "margin of error" accompanies every significant result. It is the largest possible difference that could(Question 3) Often, after a random sample is collected, it's compared with US Census (人口普查) statistics to determine the degree of agreement before the poll is finalized. This can help polling professionals correct anomalies so that they can get clients that pay them the big bucks.The "exit polls" that play a key part in election night drama in American homes are even more accurate than other forecasts because the specially trained interviewers are using respondents who are known voters.Questions:1. How is a typical election poll conducted in the US?A. By telephone.B. By face-to-face interviews.C. By mail.D. By door-to-door interviews.正确答案：A. By telephone.2. How large is the sample for a typical election poll?A. 600 - 1,200.B. 300 - 600.C. 600 - 1,000.D. 800 - 1,200.正确答案：C. 600 - 1,000.3. If a poll shows a 50% support for a candidate with a 3% margin of error, what would be the probable percentage of support for him?A. 47%.B. 53%.C. 47 - 53%.D. It depends on how large the voting population is.正确答案：C. 47 - 53%.4. Why are "exit polls" especially accurate?A. Because the interviewers are specially trained.B. Because the respondents are known voters.C. Because the interviewers know the respondents personally.D. Because a large sample of respondents are polled.正确答案：B. Because the respondents are known voters.5. What is the passage mainly about?A. Polls are remarkably accurate in predicting election results.B. Polling organizations make a lot of money from their clients.C. American voters are losing interest in election polls.D. The development of technology contributes greatly to the accuracy of polls.正确答案：A. Polls are remarkably accurate in predicting election results.Leisure TimeQuotable Quotes1. The world is not run by thought, nor by imagination, but by opinion.-- Elizabeth Drew2. The only sin which we never forgive in each other is difference of opinion.-- Ralph Emerson3. New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.-- John Locke4. A government can be no better than the public opinion which sustains it.-- Franklin Roosevelt5. So many men, so many opinions.-- Terence6. It were not best that we should all think alike: it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.-- Mark TwainMovie TimePublic OpinionOprah: Recently, you all have seen the story on the news, I'm sure, a Brinks armored truck overturned on a Miami freeway, spewing over 3.7 million dollars and causing a near riot as people snatched up the cash, some standing in the streets screaming "Hallelujah, Jesus!". Um, we did an informal poll of is audience, and found out that many of you said that you would keep any cash that you had found. What did you say?Woman: I would not.Oprah: You would not keep the cash. Even if, let's say, your rent was in due, your mortgage payment...overdue...Woman: I've been there.Oprah: Been there? Would not?Woman: Lived in my car.Oprah: Lived in your car?Woman: With my children.Oprah: So if you've been living in your car at the time the Brinks truck overturned in front of you and dropped the cash all over the street...Woman: No.Oprah: You would have returned it.Woman: No, against God's rules.Oprah: It's against God's rule. OK. Yes, Ma'am?Woman 2: Uh, I would have considered it an act of God, perhaps, and kept the money. Oprah: You would have considered it an act of God?Woman 2: Yes.Oprah: An act of God? OK. I, I question that. Do the money, the truck turning over at that moment and time, in that particular, you know, part of town...Woman 2: It's a chance of a lifetime.Oprah: Chance of a lifetime, you would have thought. OK.Woman 2: Sure, sure.Oprah: So, you would have taken the money.Woman 2: I think so, yes.Oprah: OK, now, if they had done as they're doing now in Miami, going on the news, asking people to please return the money, and we have you on film, would you have still kept he money?Woman 2: Perhaps. I think I would have.Oprah: Perhaps you would have. OK, OK, whether you really needed it or not?Woman 2: It's such an opportunity.Oprah: An act of God, you say. OK, yes, yes.Woman 3: I teach a Sunday school class of 4- and 5-year-olds, and our subject class Sunday was what would we do if we were on the street and we found money? Would we return it? And, ur, the bottom line was it's God's rules. You always return money.Oprah: OK. Being on the street and returning money is a little different than the Brinks truck turning over in front of you.Woman 3: Yes, but they still...Oprah: I don't know how a Sunday school teacher explains it, but, you do see a little difference. Is there a little difference?Woman 3: Well, not really, it's still the bottom line.Oprah: OK.Woman 3: You know, they need to know what's right, what's wrong.Oprah: I agree. (The) bottom line is what's right, what's wrong.Woman 3: Right.Oprah: Brinks truck has turned over in front of you. Your gas and electric bill is due. You are two months behind in your mortgage payments; they're coming to take your car, and there it is, right in front of your face, you happen to be walking down the street, you're minding your own business, the Brinks truck overturns in front of you. What do you do?Woman 4: Oprah, I would have kept every dime I could have my hands on.Oprah: You would kept every dime.Woman 4: Yes, I would have. I have a two-year-old child, I'm a single mother. That money would provide a wonderful future in college for my child.Oprah: Even if they were on television saying: "Please, ma'am, give the money back"? Woman 4: No.Oprah: OK. If you knew that the money belonged to somebody, another person who had lost eh money, would that have made you feel differently about it?Woman 4: Yes.Oprah: Or is it because it's the Brinks truck and you think it's just the Brinks' truck money? Woman 4: And it's insured. That means a lot, too.Oprah: That means a lot, too.Woman 4: Yeah. It's insured. So...Oprah: If you found money on the street that you know belonged to somebody else? Woman 4: It would have been different, sure. I would have given it back because I would have wanted someone to do the same thing for me.Oprah: For you?Woman 4: Yes.Oprah: But it's the Brinks truck factor.Time to TalkLook at these pictures and describe them one by one. If possible, try also to find something relevant to talk about.This chart shows the results of a Gallup poll on death penalty. Opinions vary from year to year. Generally speaking, however, the number of people in favor of the death penalty kept increasing from 1972 to 1994, as the percentages rose from about 57% in 1972 to 80% in 1994. Then after that the support rate of the death penalty started to drop. In six years' time, the figures dropped from 80% to around 65% in the year 2000. The poll was done in the year 2000 and I wonder if the Americans would give the same response after 911 terrorist attacks on the US.This picture shows the result of an opinion poll on people's attitude towards the issue of immigration. About 30% of the people say they would like to keep it at the present level, while 58% would like to have it decreased; 8% hope that it will be increased and 4% give no opinion. Perhaps the people who were polled were worried that the immigrants would take the jobs away from the local people. I heard that in Germany and France, some local people are against having more immigrants and are quite hostile to them for the same reason. This picture shows Bush's approval ratings in four aspects -- overall job, international affairs, economy and environmental issues. The chart also shows that in the eyes of those who were polled, Bush has done a good job, as theapproval ratings are higher than the disapproval ones in all four aspects. Even though he is low in economy and environment issues, the president is quite impressive in the overall job and in the international affairs -- about 68% versus 32%. I suppose this has something to do with his tough international policies. Part D Home Listeningbooth n. 小亭；小房间newsworthy a. 有新闻、报道价值的methodology n. 方法论；一套方法delinquency n. 违法；不法行为socialization n. 适应社会；社会化Use of Public Opinion PollsPublic opinion polls are regularly conducted and published in many countries. They measure not only support for political parties but also public opinion on a wide range of social and political issues. They are frequently published in major newspapers and are generally accepted as useful tools by businesses, political organizations, the mass media and government, and academic research groups. Hundreds of public polling firms operate around the world. The Gallup Poll (盖洛普民意测验) and Harris Poll (哈里斯民意测验法) are among the best known in the US.In business, polls are used to test consumers' preferences and to discover what gives a product its appeal. Responses to commercial polls help businesses in planning marketing and advertising strategies and in making changes in a product to increase its sales.In politics, polls are used to obtain information about voters' attitudes toward issues and candidates, to put forward candidates with winning potential, and to plan campaigns. Polling organizations have also been successful in predicting the outcome of elections. By polling voters on Election Day, it is often possible to determine the probable winner even before the voting booths close.Newspapers, magazines, radio and television are heavy users of public opinion polling information, especially political information that helps to predict election results or measure the popularity of government officials and candidates. The public's attitude toward various social, economic, and international issues is also considered newsworthy.Governments use opinion polls to find out public sentiment (情绪) about issues of interest. They also use polling methodology (方法论) to determine unemployment rates, crime rates, and other social and economic indicators.Opinion polls have also been employed extensively in academic research, particularly in the social sciences. They have been valuable in studying delinquency (行为不良, 错失), socialization (社会主义化), political attitudes, and economic behavior. Among the prominent (卓越的, 显著的) organizations that primarily serve academic research purposes are theSurvey Research Center at the University of Michigan and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.Questions:1. By whom are public opinion polls generally accepted as useful tools?By businesses, political organizations , the mass media and government and academic research groups.2. For what are opinion polls used by businesses?To test consumers' preferences and to discover what gives a product its appeal. Responses to commercial polls help businesses in planning marketing and advertising strategies and in making changes in a product to increase its sales.3. For what are opinion polls used in politics?To obtain information about voters' attitudes toward issues and candidates, to put forward candidates with winning potential, and to plan campaigns, Polling organizations have also been successful in predicting the outcome of elections.4. For what are opinion polls used by governments?To find out public sentiment about issues of interest. They also use polling methodology to determine unemployment rates, crime rates, and other social and economic indicators.5. What new media are heavy users of the information from opinion polls? Newspapers, magazines, radio and television.6. For what are opinion polls used in academic research?To study delinquency, socialization , political attitudes, and economic behavior / behaviour.。

九年级英语单词听读十二单元Here is the English essay on the topic "Listening and Reading of English Vocabulary in Grade 9, Unit 12", with a word count of over 1000 words.Learning English vocabulary is a crucial aspect of developing proficiency in the language. In grade 9, unit 12, the focus is on listening and reading skills for English vocabulary. This unit provides students with the opportunity to expand their lexical knowledge and improve their overall language comprehension.One of the primary objectives of this unit is to enhance students' listening skills. Listening to English words and phrases is an essential component of language acquisition, as it allows learners to become familiar with the pronunciation, stress patterns, and intonation of the language. Through carefully designed listening activities, students are exposed to a variety of vocabulary words, ranging from common everyday terms to more specialized academic vocabulary.These listening exercises often involve audio recordings or dialogues, where students are asked to identify the target words or phrases. By actively listening and recognizing the spoken form of the vocabulary,students build a stronger connection between the written and auditory representations of the words. This helps to solidify their understanding and facilitates the retrieval of the vocabulary in both receptive and productive language use.In addition to listening, the unit also emphasizes the development of reading skills for English vocabulary. Reading is a crucial skill that allows learners to expand their lexical knowledge and deepen their comprehension of the language. Through engaging reading passages and activities, students are exposed to a diverse range of vocabulary words in written form.One effective strategy employed in this unit is the use of context clues. Students are encouraged to use the surrounding text to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words. This not only helps them to understand the vocabulary in the given context but also fosters their ability to deduce the meanings of unknown words in future reading encounters.Furthermore, the unit often incorporates vocabulary-building exercises, such as word-matching activities, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and synonym/antonym identification tasks. These activities reinforce the students' understanding of the vocabulary and encourage them to actively engage with the words, exploring their relationships and nuances.Another important aspect of this unit is the integration of vocabulary learning with other language skills. For instance, students may be asked to write sentences or short paragraphs using the target vocabulary words, thereby applying their knowledge in a practical and meaningful way. This holistic approach helps students to internalize the vocabulary and develop their overall proficiency in the English language.Throughout the unit, teachers employ a variety of instructional strategies to cater to the diverse learning styles and needs of the students. Some may use visual aids, such as flashcards or word walls, to facilitate the memorization of vocabulary. Others may encourage group discussions or collaborative activities to foster active engagement and peer-to-peer learning.Moreover, the unit often incorporates the use of technology to enhance the learning experience. Digital resources, such as interactive language-learning platforms or vocabulary-building apps, can provide students with personalized practice and immediate feedback, making the learning process more engaging and effective.As students progress through the unit, they are given opportunities to assess their own learning and set personal goals for vocabulary acquisition. Self-evaluation exercises, such as reflective journals orvocabulary quizzes, empower students to take ownership of their learning and identify areas for improvement.In conclusion, the focus on listening and reading of English vocabulary in grade 9, unit 12, is a crucial component of language development. By engaging in a range of listening and reading activities, students not only expand their lexical knowledge but also cultivate essential skills for effective communication and comprehension. Through this comprehensive approach, students are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the English language and achieve their academic and personal language-learning objectives.。

Unit 1 Can you play the guitar?Section A (1a-2d)一、教学目标：1. 语言知识目标：1) 能掌握以下单词：guitar, sing, swim, dance, chess, play chess, draw, speak, speak English, join, club能掌握以下句型：①—Can you play the guitar? —Y es, I can./ No, I can't.②—What can you do? —I can dance.③—What club do you want to join? —I want to join the chess club.2) 能了解以下语法：情态动词can的用法want to do sth.的用法2. 情感态度价值观目标：该部分内容贴近学生的生活，谈论的话题是能力。

通过互相询问或谈论自己或对方在某一方面的能力，可以培养学生的一种群体意识。

二、教学重难点1. 教学重点：1) 学习询问和谈论彼此的能力和特长；2) 掌握一些弹奏乐器的表达方式。

2. 教学难点：情态动词can的构成和使用。

三、教学过程Ⅰ. Lead in1. 教师可携带一些易于演奏的乐器，也可带一些演奏乐器的图片，一边演示乐器，一边说: I can play the guitar．…等；再指着图片说：He／She can play the violin．But I can’t play it．等；然后询问学生：Can you play the guitar?…．并引导学生进行简单的回答。

2. S s look at the picture in 1a. Then read the words and phrases. Let Ss match theactivities with the people.Then Check the answers with the class together.Ⅱ. Presentation出示一些反映各种活动的图片、幻灯片或播放课件，引导学生谈论活动：He／She can dance／swim／sing／"··But I can’t dance／swim／sing／...等，学习表达活动的动词短语。

Unit 12 Working 24/7Americans work longer hours than nearly anyone in the developed world, even the Japanese. For many professionals and corporate managers, the 40-hour work week is history; 60- to 80-hour work weeks are now the norm.Signs of our addiction to work are everywhere. For one, rush hours are starting earlier and ending later. When 60 Minutes first broadcast this story a few months ago, the first train for commuters from the suburbs into New York had just been pushed back to 4:45 a.m., by popular demand.Why do Americans work so much? The simplest answer is because we can.The Digital Revolution means cell phones, wireless Internet and handheld computers like the BlackBerry allow us to work anywhere, anytime, 24/7. And we do, as correspondent Lesley Stahl reports.It's 7 a.m. Pacific time, and Joe Hurd is still in bed. But this 36-year-old Silicon Valley entrepreneur has already made two phone calls over the Internet to clients overseas. He has checked e-mails on his BlackBerry and sent a half-dozen instant messages from his laptop.For Joe and his wife, Christina Mireles, new technology means their work day isn't 9 to 5. It's 5 to 9."Because we have wireless access, you can work wherever," says Joe."We can be in the kitchen. We can be in our bedroom, we can be here in the living room," Christina points out.With a masters and a law degree each, they're not exactly underachievers. Joe logs 12- to 15-hour days as vice president of an Internet travel Web site. Sometimes, Joe admits he gets up at night to send e-mails. "Sometimes I can't sleep and I'll get up at 2 or 3 (a.m.), yeah, to do e-mails, definitely," he said, while his wife was shaking her head."Or you'll set your alarm, you know to wake up at one, two in the morning," she added."I do, I do," he replied.Christina, a vice president of a charter school company, works a few hours less than Joe. She says she is no match for her husband in terms of gadgets."Oh, I have the absolute bare minimum, I think. I have two cell phones, a personal and …," Christina explained."That's the bare minimum, America. Two cell phones," Joe interrupted.Not a minute is wasted, even before getting to the office. Christina juggles the two cell phones, returning business and personal calls. She usually eats behind the wheel.On his commute, Joe manages the consulting business he has on the side and even keeps track of new messages on his BlackBerry. But he says he's never tried anything as dangerous as typing out an e-mail while driving in rush hour traffic.Joe's work day is a blur of business meetings, incoming phone calls, and hundreds of e-mails."I can check e-mails and respond to e-mails. I can have a conversation on the telephone. I can have a conversation via IM. And I can keep exactly probably half an ear on a conversation with a person," he says."In the room with you?" Stahl asks."Half, yeah, exactly," Joe says.Asked if he is doing all of these things well when he does them at the same time, Joe says, "You know, this is not neurosurgery we're talking about here … but you can do a lot of that simultaneously."Joe may be able to pull that off, but many corporate executives say the volume of voicemail and e-mail they get has become unmanageable —eating up an average of three hours a day.Combine that with a corporate culture that values endless meetings and "face time" with the boss, and you can see why so many employees toil into the night just to get their "real work" done.60 Minutes visited the corporate headquarters of Best Buy, the electronics retailer, in Richfield, Minn. Employees Stacy Verstraight, Jason Dehne and Marissa Plume say that putting in 60- to 80-hour weeks got them pats onthe back."You know, you'd send an e-mail at nine o'clock at night. And the next thing your co-workers would say, 'Hey, wow, were you working that whole time? Wow. Great job,'" says Marissa.But if you weren't there at the crack of dawn, you were put down."You know, if I come in at nine o'clock or 10 o'clock, I was at a doctor's appointment, you know, people are saying, 'Oh gee. Glad you could show up today.' You know, so it felt [like] a little bit of a dig," says Stacy. "And people were just watching other people. So it felt like a lot of unnecessary pressure.""I canceled booked vacations. I mean I booked vacations, and I'd cancel 'em because I had to work," Jason recalls.In 2002, after a jump in people quitting and filing stress-related health claims, Best Buy launched an experiment: employees would be allowed to work wherever and whenever they wanted, as long as they got their jobs done.That means the unit that Chap Achen manages often looks like a ghost town."Some folks literally don't come in the office for weeks at a time," says Achen.If asked where a specific employee physically is, Achen says he doesn't know. "I couldn't tell you if he was in his basement or he was at a Starbucks with a wireless connection."Since the Best Buy experiment started, Jason's health has improved. Normally at his desk by 7:30 a.m., he now jogs to his local coffee shop and takes his 8 a.m. conference call by cell phone.Marissa, a night owl, now does her best work around midnight from her bedroom."I have to trust that my team is going to get the work done in this environment," says Achen. "And the ironic thing about it is that it's that trust factor that actually makes them work harder for you.""And just as long?" Stahl asked"And just as long," he replied.Or longer. Stacy, Jason and Marissa say they often work more hours than they did before. Not a bad deal for the company. Productivity among employees in the program has jumped a healthy 35 percent."We can spread out our work over seven days of the week," explains Stacy. Asked why that's a positive, Jason says, "It's the way I choose to work." "But if it takes 70 hours to do your job, why doesn't Best Buy go hire more people?" Stahl asked."You know, I am a happier employee, with the trust," says Stacy.Asked if she wants to work the 70 hours, Stacy replied, "I love what I do." The group all said they didn't think they were working too much when asked by Stahl."You're brainwashed," Stahl said, laughing."Maybe we're all crazy," Jason said. "Maybe we are," Stacy added, laughing. Maybe they are: They don't even make more money for the longer hours. But when you try to cut back on the hours, it's not that easy.Mike Moody and Jeff Ward left high stress, six-day-a-week jobs as big-city lawyers because they wanted to spend more time with their wives and children. They decided to do what more and more working mothers are doing — share a job."Well, for the first six months of the job, I was referred to as the new Joanne," says Jeff.The job of assistant in-house counsel at Timberland in Stratum, N.H. had been filled by two women for years."I have two weekends a week. Yeah," says Mike. "And I have a four-day weekend," Jeff adds.It is a pretty sweet deal. They each work three days a week, overlapping on Tuesdays.How do they keep the office from pulling them back in on their days off?"It's a constant struggle," Jeff admits. "We're always on call because of the BlackBerry.""The crackberry," Mike jokes.The BlackBerry is practically attached to Mike's body — even on his days off, when he's the house-husband in the kitchen and in the laundry room.The company pays them 75 percent of full-time pay, because, as it's turned out, they each end up working about 40 hours a week."That's a full-time job," Stahl remarked."It's not many people's full-time job though," Mike replied."But it's what we used to think of as a full-time job," Stahl said."Absolutely," Jeff agreed.With so many Americans working more than 40 hours a week, it may surprise you to learn that when it comes to productivity, the U.S. is not No.1. In fact, workers in four European countries, including France, are more productive per hour of work than Americans — that's the key: "per hour of work" — even though the Europeans work less and take more vacation. Joe Hurd thinks all these gadgets and technology are helping him be more productive. "If you want to measure productivity by, for me, for example, keeping the e-mails flowing, you know, multiple conversations going, then yes, the technology does facilitate that.""The downside, however, is that oftentimes we really don't have substantive conversations when we come home. We will be sitting on our couch, each doing work," his wife says.It turns out Joe and Christina e-mail and instant-message each other, even if they are at home."But what about your relationship? I'm not trying to get too personal here...," Stahl asked."Well, that's what I mean, that's the downside. It would be nice to have a conversation even once a week and not be, I mean, really be concentratingand listening to each other. But we've got one eye on our computers," Christina replied.Christina says she does tune out everything once she gets home from work, to play with their 8-month old daughter Amina. She even turns her cell phones off.But when Amina gets fussy, they both reach for her favorite toy: the BlackBerry."I can have her on the bed with a bunch of toys," Christina says. But her daughter will always pick the BlackBerry.Which means when Amina grows up, she may have a house like Greg Shenkman's.Shenkman is such a workaholic that he has wired his house with Internet, telephone and television in every single room. As CEO of the global high-tech firm Exigen in San Francisco, he feels he has to be available to his customers at all hours."Well, you lose something. You lose some days of your kids' lives. You lose — some of those tender moments with the family," Shenkman says. When he stops working, he says he aches."If you go on vacation, sometimes, in order to sort of relax, it takes a little bit of an effort," Shenkman says. But he always stays connected.He's so obsessed, he has wired his shower. When Greg soaps up, he doesn't daydream — he watches the business news, checks his e-mail, and answers the phone.60 Minutes arranged for the producer to call Shenkman, with his shower running. When the speaker phone picked up, the water was turned off automatically, and Stahl and Shenkman could talk to the producer from the shower.The electronics are waterproof — but not foolproof."Whoa, what happened!" Stahl said, laughing, as she got a little wet. "We forgot to turn it off," Shenkman said."Well, I usually don't have Lesley Stahl in the shower with me. That would be an unusual occurrence for me," Shenkman added, laughing.。

Unit12 SectionA（1a-2d）教案1.0Teaching Analysis教情分析1.1Teaching Objectives 教学目标1.1.1Language goals 语言目标1.1.1.1 Key Words and Chunks1.1.1.1.1 For applying: ring, go off, wake up, already, put on, brush one’steeth, wash one’s face, be late for, at least1.1.1.1.2 For comprehending: give … a lift, rush out, luckily1.1.1.3 Sentence Structures1)W hat happened?2)L ife is full of the unexpected!3)B y the time I got up, my brother had already got in the shower.4)W hen I got to school, I realized I had forgotten my backpack at home.5)M y alarm clock didn’t go off! I kept sleeping, and when I woke up it wasalready 8:00 a.m.!6)S o I just quickly put on some clothes and rushed out the door.7)L uckily, Carl’s dad saw me on the street and gave me a lift in his car.8)B ut before I got to the bus stop, the bus had already left.9)W ell, at least by the time you got to school, you were only five minuteslate for class.1.1.1.4 Grammar Focus1)B y the time I got up, my brother had already got in the shower. (by thetime引导时间状语从句，had + 动词过去分词形式表示过去完成时态)2)W hen I got to school, I realized I had forgotten my backpack at home.（when引导时间状语从句，had + 动词过去分词形式表示过去完成时态）3)W ell，before I got to the bus stop, the bus had already left. （before引导时间状语从句，had + 动词过去分词形式表示过去完成时态）1.1.2Ability goals 能力目标1.1.2.1 学会用when/ by the time引导时间状语从句，用“had+动词过去分词形式”谈论过去的事情。