星火英语四级美文听力100篇

Passage 1College LifeAmerican college and university students who live away from their families/ are generally housed in dormitories at least for their first year. / Men and women often live in the same building, / tho ugh they may live on separate floors. /Some dorms have a theme, like an international house, / where students can lean about other cul tures. / In language houses, students try to avoid speaking their native language. / The idea is to l ean a different language. /Colleges and universities often have many clubs that students can join. / These include political, r eligious and service clubs, / as well as groups for activities like singing, dancing, cooking, even lea ning how to play magic. / Schools may also have internal sports clubs. / These are for students wh o do not play for a school team / but want organized sports with other students. / And schools wil l often recognize a new club or activity if enough students are interested. /Passage 2Names in AmericaMost parents in the United States give their babies a first, middle and last name when they are bo rn. / The last name is generally their family name. / First names are a different story. /Some children's names are also the names of cities, plants or flowers. / Religious names from the Bible are also common. / Americans even choose names from other countries. / Americans are in terested in the names / that famous actors, entertainers and athletes give their children. / Some f amous people like names that have been around for many years. / Last names as first names are also popular. /Middle names have become important because many famous people use them. / A middle name is also a way for parents to honor a family member or hero. / Some parents give a girl a boy's mid dle name. / Some American women use their former last name / as middle name after they marr y. /Passage 3The Space RaceThe space race between the United States and the former Soviet Union began in October of 1957, / when the Soviets launched the first man-made satellite into orbit around Earth. / Weeks later t he second satellite was launched. /Their success added to the tensions of what was known as the Cold War, / which many people wo rried could lead to nuclear war. / And it pushed Americans to work harder to reach outer space. / Three months later, the United States launched its own satellite. / Then, in 1961, the Soviet Union sent the first person into space. / An American astronaut followed less than a month later. / The space race continued. / The finish line was the moon. / And it was reached when the crew of American spaceship landed in 1969. / Today, there is cooperation between the Russian and Ameri can space programs. / Astronauts share duties on the International Space Station. / And other co untries are expanding their space programs. /Passage 4Summer for College StudentsCollege students spend their summers in many different ways. / Many students work hard at Sum mer jobs. / They realize it can be difficult to balance college classes and a job during the school ye ar. / Summer is a good time to save up some money. /Restaurants, swimming pools, stores and ot her businesses are always looking for hardworking students. / Some students get jobs in the field they hope to enter after college. /The experience gives students a taste of the world outside of co llege. / Other college students choose to take summer classes. /Instead, they take just one or two . / The extra classes can help students to get ahead in their studies. /However, summers are not all work. / Students spend time with friends, go to a movie or take a tr ip. / A relaxing day under the summer sun / will help students forget a]l about tests and studying' /Passage 5The English LanguageEnglish is the most widespread language in the world /and is more widely spoken and written tha n any other language. / More people are trying to lean English in the world. / English is the langu age of political negotiations and international business. / It has become the international languag e of science and medicine. / International treaties say passenger airplane pilots must speak Englis h. / English is the major foreign language taught in most schools in South America and Europe. / School children in the Philippines and Japan begin learning English at an early age. / English is the official language of more than 75 countries / including Britain, Canada, the United States, Australi a, and South Africa. /In countries where many different languages are spoken,/ English is often used as an official lan guage to help people communicate./ India is a good example./ English is the common language in this country/ where at least 24 languages are spoken by more than one million people./Passage 6DatingDating is the traditional first step toward marriage. /But dating and establishing a relationship can be hard work. . /So a lot of people want to go where they can meet people with similar interests. /They might look for someone/ who share a common interest in religion or books, for example. / A lot of bookstores now have places that serve coffee and food. /Many offer special programs an d social activities for single people. /Singles may join health clubs, or sports teams or maybe even a group for people who like to take l ong walks in the wood. /If nothing else, at least they will have gotten some exercise. /Some people use dating services, /which help people choose a person they might like. /Many ne wspapers and magazines publish message/ from people who are seeking someone to date./ Ther e are also telephone dating services, video dating services and online dating services./Passage 7National Spelling BeeEvery year, the best young English language spellers from around the world / gather in Washingto n, D.C. for the National spelling Bee. / They spell complex words / that most English speakers hav e never even heard of'. /The national spelling bee takes place over two intense days of competition in a large hotel meeting room. / The spellers sit together in front of several judges./ Each speller stands when it is his or her turn. / When the judge calls out the word, / spellers can ask for help. / They can ask for the d efinition of the word or for it to be used in a sentence. / They can also ask which language the wo rd came from. / This can often help them decide how it is spelled. /Students who spell the word correctly remain in the competition. / But if the speller makes a mist ake, / a bell rings and the child must leave the group. /Passage 8SalesWhen a store sells goods or services at a cost lower than usual, it is called a sale./ Sales last for a l imited time. / Then the cost is retuned to its usual amount. /There are many kinds of sales. / For example, a “back-to-school sale” is held near the beginning o f the school year. / Parents can save money on clothes and school supplies for their children. / A “midnight madness” event Starts very late at night. / An “early bird special” sale starts very early in the morning, /usually before the sunrises. /This kind of sale is popular the day after Thanksgiving in November. / A favorite sale among many people is the “buy one, get one free,” sale. / You buy one thing and get a second one with out cost. / Another kind of sale is a “going out of business ” sale. / This is when a store owner tries to sell all the goods in the store / before closing the bus iness permanently. /buy one, get one free买一送一permanently 永久地Passage9Test of English as a Foreign LanguageIt is the most widely respected English-language test in the world, / recognized by morethan 8,000 colleges and universities in more than 130 countries. / It is called TOEFL, which stands for Test English as a Foreign Language. / TOEFL is an important test for foreign students who want to study America. / More than 4,000 American universities and other schools / require students s eek admission to take the test. / Each year, nearly a million individuals of all ages take the TOEFL l evel to demonstrate their English-language proficiency. / It measures your ability to use and unde rstand English at the university level. / And it evaluates how well you combine your four skills, / lis tening reading, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks. / There are two formats for the TOEFL test. / The format you take depends on the location of your test center. / Nowadays, m ost test takers take the Internet-based Test. / Test centers that do not have Internet access offer t he Paper-based Test TOEFL 托福考试demonstrate 说明，显示evaluate评估；评价format形式Internet-based 基于互联网的proficiency 熟练，精通Passage10Heat StressThe most common health problem linked to hot weather is heat stress. / The causes of heat stres s include wearing heavy clothing, / physical work or exercise, hot weather and high humidity./If s everal of these conditions are present at the same time, / a person's body temperature may rise a bove safe levels. / Most people suffer only muscle pain because of heat stress. / The pain is a war ning that the body is becoming too hot. / Doctors say those suffering muscle pains should stop all activity and rest in a cool place. / Doctors say not to return to physical activity for a few hours / b ecause serious conditions could develop. / Some people face an increased danger from heat stres s. / They may have a weak or damaged heart, / high blood pressure or other problems of the bloo d system. / Severe heat is also dangerous for people who weigh too much and have too much bo dy fat, / and for people who drink alcohol. /humidity 湿度，潮湿Passage11Foreign Language Study in AmericaForeign language study starts at a very young age for many students in America. / Some students start language training at age six. / States do not require foreign language training this early in ed ucation. / But many students choose to study languages in elementary school. / The most popula r languages for young students are Spanish, French and German. /Almost 7 million students in public secondary schools in the United States / are studying a foreign language. / Each state sets its own requirements for foreign language study / at the junior high a nd high school level. / Many students graduate high school with at least two years of foreign lang uage study. / Some study a foreign language for four years. / There are different foreign language requirements at colleges and universities. / Some universities require students to have had severa l years of language education in high school. / In addition, many colleges and universities require students / to complete at least two years of foreign language study before graduating. /Passage 12Variations in British AccentsLanguage changes over time as people try to express themselves in different ways to different pe ople. / And English, although broadly the same language, / is spoken in lots of different ways buy l ots of different people. / Normally this is because people live far apart. / However, even in Britain, a relatively small place, / there are huge variations in the way people speak English. / And that is not to forget the large numbers of people who speak other languages as their first language. / Written English is much more fixed, / and changes much less quickly than spoken English. / Peopl e across Britain speak English using not only different accents, but different expressions. /For exa mple, people of different ages and from different parts of Britain / may greet you with as many di fferent words. / As people migrate into Britain, and as people move around Britain more freely, / accents change more quickly. / However, most British people can guess where another British per son from because of their accent. /broadly 广泛地 relatively 相对地 variation 变化，变体 migrate 移居Passage 13Teaching AssistantsForeign students at American colleges and universities may earn money / after they successfully complete an entry-level study program. / Those wishing to continue their education could work as a teaching assistant, or T.A /A teaching assistant usually works about twenty hours each week. / Teaching assistants are paid t o help professors teach students in entry-level study programs. /Generally, the professor gives a talk, or lecture, / to a large group of students one or two times a week. / The teaching assistant meets with smaller groups of students during the week. / The T.A. gives tests and reads any homework or reports the students may be required to write. / Teaching assistants also meet with students who seek help. / They attend teaching meetings / An d some working with science professors help to organize laboratory equipment. /Most American colleges and universities must honor legal requirements / when employing foreig n students as teaching assistants. / One of these is that the T.A. must speak English well. / entry-level入门级的 legal requirement 法定条件Passage 14Open-source SoftwareOpen-source software is computer software / that is available to the general public in source cod e form. / If a person has enough knowledge about computers and computer programming, / he o r she can change the program's source code. / The source code is like a set of directions that sho w the gram how to operate. /People change the codes so that the program will operate / in a way that will meet their needs. / Some changing the code will make the program run faster. / Or it will take problems out of the pr ogram. / These problems can cause a computer program to shut down. / People who change the source code of a computer program / share these programs with each other on the Internet. / Pr ogrammers enjoy being able to improve computer programs on their own. / They enjoy being abl e to ask other people on the Internet for help with their programs. / Working together, people ca n improve computer programs for the good of the group. /source code 源代码the general public 公众operate 运行shut down （机器）关闭 on one's own 独自地Passage 15Party TimeAmericans plan parties for marry reasons. / As in other cultures, many Americans attend parties f or weddings and religious and national holidays. / But some parties are especially American. /For example, a group of neighbors may gather on their street to eat food, play music and visit with on e another. / This is called a block party. / A woman might invite a group of women to a party / call ed a baby shower for a friend who is about to give birth. / Guests bring presents for the new baby . /Birthday parties are also very popular. / Many parents organize a party for their child around a th eme. / Rock star parties axe very popular for young girls and boys' / Birthday parties usually inclu de gifts and a birthday cake with candles. / Birthday parties can be low cost or very costly. /Some parents take their children's birthday parties very seriously, / even when the child is too young tofully understand the celebration. / block party街头聚会 give birth (to) 产生costly 昂贵的Passage 16TimeIf you can read a clock, you can know the time of day. / But no one knows what time itself is. / For all our success in measuring the smallest parts of time, / time remains one of the great mysteries of the universe. /One way to think about time is to imagine a world without time. / There could be no movement, / because time and movement cannot be separated. / A world without time could exist only as lo ng as there were no changes, / for time and change are linked. / We know that time has passed w hen something changes. /In the real world with time, however, changes never stop. /Some changes happen only once in a while, like an eclipse of the moon. / Others happen repeatedly, like the rising and setting of the s un. / Humans always have noted natural events that repeat themselves. / When people began to count such events, they began to measure time. /eclipse（日，月）食rising and setting of the sun日出和日落Passage 17PatentPatents are meant to protect the chances of inventors / to make money from their creations. / Th e term of a patent is up to 20 years. / During that time, the inventor controls the legal right / to m ake, use or sell the invention. / After 20 years, anyone can make or sell the invention. /A patent gives both inventors and investors time to develop and market a product. / Patents also provide a way to share and spread technical information. /Suppose you have an idea for an invention. / How do you get a patent to protect your rights? / Th e first step is to record your idea on paper. / You must be sure no one else has invented a device j ust like yours. / So you must examine the descriptions of similar devices that already have patents . / This can be a big job and take a long time. / Many inventors pay patent lawyers to do this job. /patent 专利up to 到达……之多Passage l8Central ParkCentral Park in New York City is the first m4ior city park in America. / It contains more than 340 h ectares of land. / The designer's goal is to make a beautiful natural environment / with lakes, woo ds and open areas for all the people of New York to enjoy. /About 25 million people visit Central Park each year. / These include people from other areas of A merica and from foreign countries. / Millions of people who live in New York love Central Park / a s a place to escape from their small apartments in high-rise buildings. /Every day, people walk, run or ride bicycles along the paths in Central Park. / Others walk their do gs, play baseball, / row a boat on the lake or eat a meal on the grass. / Bird-watchers can observe more than 200 kinds of birds in the park. / Many people also use the park for special events. / For example, some people choose one of the beautiful natural areas in the park / as the perfect plac e to get married. /hectare 公顷 special event 特别事件Passage l9Yard SalesYard sales do not have to be huge. / One family, or even one person, can hold a yard sale People simply collect some things they no longer want / and put them in the yard outside their h ome. / They might also place handmade signs on nearby streets to direct people to the sale. / Yard sales are a good way for people without much money / to find things for their family. / But e ven people with a lot of money like to look around. / Professional dealers might also go to yard sa les. / If they find something valuable at a low price, they can re-sell it for more. / Still other peopl e go to yard sales because they enjoy the hunt. / They like to find beautiful or unusual things / th at are being sold for less than the value. / For example, they may find a piece of old furniture / th at is worth a lot of money after it is repaired. /dealer 商人Passage 20Pressing Oil from SeedsOil is separated from seeds by using pressure. / A machine called a press is often used. / The first step in pressing the oil from seeds is to crush the seeds between two stones./ A cloth container o r bag is filled with the crushed seeds. / Then the bag is hung up. / Some of the oil will flow out of the bag and can be collected. / But some oil will remain in the crushed seeds inside the bag. / The easiest way to get the rest of the oil out / is to place heavy rocks on the crushed material. / Another method is to place several cloth bags on top of each other in a box, / Then a long woode n stick is used to slowly push a heavy cover down on the bags' / Great pressure is produced in this way. / Much greater pressure can be produced by using a machine. / The greater the pressure, / t he more oil will be produced. /seed 种子hang up 挂起来press 榨油机，压榨 flow out of 从……中流出Passage 21University DaysBritish universities start in September or October. / Courses normally last 3 years, / but some, suc h as languages, engineering or medicine, can take much longer to complete. /Students usually go to university in a different town, / so they need to get used to living alone, pa ying bills and washing their own clothes! / For many, this is a difficult time, but everyone soon be comes used to it! /Universities in Britain used to be free, / but many students now have to pay for part of their course. / Similarly, students used to receive a grant from the government. / Nowadays, they have to ap ply for student loans or take part-time jobs. / Either way, it can be difficult and many students hav e money problems. /University life is not just about studying, however. / Many students take part in drama production s or play music. / Others, of course, take part in a wide range of sports, / such as football, rugby a nd cricket. /grant 助学金，补助金 loan 贷款 cricket 板球Passage 22American Education SystemThe education system in the United States is controlled by state and local governments. / But edu cation laws are similar in each state. / For example, in all 50 states and 6 territories, / all children must attend school from the age of 6 or 7 to the age of 16. / Public schools are free of charge for grades 1 through 12. /Private schools also operate in a1l states and territories. / Some private schools are operated by c hurches and religious groups./ Other private schools are not linked to any religious organization/. Private schools must be approved by the state in which they operate. / Most private schools do n o receive government money. / The parents of private school students pay the school. /The school year usually begins in September and continues until June. / Most states require a sch ool year of 180 days. / Some schools have changed this schedule / and require students to attend school throughout the year. /territory领土，领域Passage 23Universities in the USThere are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States. / Nearly half of the high sch ool graduates in America go on to college. / Most go to large state universities. / Some of these u niversities have 40,000 or more students. / There are also many small universities with only a few hundred students. / Large universities have many buildings, / each building for a particular subje ct. / Students often must go from one class in one building to the next class in another building ac ross campus. / They may have only a few minutes between classes to go from one building to ano ther. /When students begin the university, they must take classes in many subjects. / These are the requ ired courses. / English and math are usually required courses, / and often a history and a science c ourse are required too. / Students will study mostly required courses during their first year. / Later , they will specialize, and take courses in one subject. /graduate 毕业生specialize 专攻state university 州立大学required course 必修课Passage 24Music in British SchoolsMusic plays a big part in British schools. / Pupils can learn an instrument at school. / Traditionally, school children learn classical instruments. / Younger children often learn the recorder. / As they get older, they start to play the violin or piano. / In fact, nearly one out of five music students is le arning the violin. / The piano, or keyboard, is more popular with older children at secondary scho ol, / however, more pupils than ever before are now learning the guitar, / as they think playing th e guitar is cool. /British schools do not just offer lessons for instruments, / but they have music classes for all pupil s. / In the past, the focus of classes was very much Western classical music. / But the classes now cover a far wider range of styles, including folk music and world music. / Many schools have orch estras and put on concerts each term. / It is also common for pupils themselves to form their own bands. /recorder八孔长笛folk music 民乐orchestra 管弦乐队Passage 25Summer School and Online ClassesIn the United States, summer school used to be seen mainly as a place / for high school students t o repeat classes they failed. / But summer programs have expanded. / Students often go to summ er school / so they can ease their class load during the school year. / Or it might give them more f reedom / to choose the classes they want during the regular term. /Summer school students do the same amount of work / as if they took the class during the school year. / But they do it in just one to two months. /Another choice for many students is to take classes online. / However, some online classes requir e students to come to a classroom to take tests. / Students may also have to take part in group dis cussions with the teacher online. / And there may be a required number of hours to spend logged on each day. / Yet there may also be freedom to do the work anytime, day or night. /summer program暑假课程ease the class load 减轻学业负担regular term常规学期log on 登录Passage 26American MoviesAmerican Movies do not attempt to show the lives of all the people of the United States. / Many movies contain some truth. / But even a movie that deals with true subjects / represents the idea s of the person who wrote it, / the people who acted in it and the person who directed it. / Over the years, some Americans have tried to ban some kinds of movies. / These include movies t hat are violent or show people having sexual relations. / People have taken legal action to stop su ch movies. / But court decisions have said that the right to make any kind of movie / is protected by the part of the United States Constitution / that guarantees freedom of speech. / In the United States, people have the right / to produce a bad movie or write a bad book. /People who make movies try to provide entertainment and excitement. / However, entertainment are excitement often have nothing to do with the real world. /the United States Constitution 美国宪法Passage 27The Library of CongressThe Library of Congress is America's national library. / It has more than 120 million books and oth er objects. / It has newspapers, popular publications and letters of historical interest. / It also has maps, photographs, art prints, movies, sound recordings and musical instruments. /The Library of Congress is open to the public Monday through Saturday, / except for government holidays. / Anyone may go there and read anything in the collection. / But no one is permitted tak e books out of the building. /The Library of Congress provides books and materials to the United States Congress. / It also lend s books to other American libraries, government agencies and foreign libraries. / It buys some of i ts books and gets others as gifts. / It also gets materials through its copyright office. / Anyone wh o wants copyright protection for a publication / must send two copies to the library. / This means the Library of Congress receives almost everything published in the United States. /of historical interest 有历史意义的 sound recording 录音copyright protection 版权保护United States Congress 美国国会Passage 28TheatreIn many parts of the world, "going to the theatre" is seen as an activity / which only a very few pe ople do. / "Theatre" is not often seen as being a pastime that many ordinary people do. / Ordinar y people watch TV, or go to the cinema, / or go out to eat with friends. / The theatre is for rich, u pper-class intellectuals. / Like a lot of obvious remarks, there is some truth in this. / Theatre ticket s are quite expensive. /They cost more than cinema tickets. / Theatres which show new plays are usually only in big cities. / However, even though this is true, / there are a lot of theatre companie s who are challenging this idea. / And the way they are challenging this idea is by working with sc hools. / In the UK, many theatre companies now have an "educational department". / They go int o schools and help students to understand and e4ioy the plays they do. /intellectual 知识分子 pastime 消遣娱乐 upper-class 上层社会的 remark /话语Passage 29GuitarProbably no other musical instrument is as popular around the world as the guitar. / Musicians us e the guitar for almost every kind of music. / Country and western music would not be the same without a guitar. / The traditional Spanish folk music could not exist without a guitar. / The sound of American blues music would not be the same / without the sad cry of the guitar. / And rock an d roll music would almost be impossible without this instrument. /Music experts do not agree about where the guitar first was played. / Most agree it is ancient. /S ome experts say an instrument very much like a guitar / was played in Egypt more than 1,000 yea rs ago. / Some other experts say that the ancestor of the modem guitar was brought to Spain / fr om the ancient Iran sometime in the 12th century. / The guitar continued to develop in Spain. / In。

晨读英语美文100篇四级品美文若饮甘露，读雅诗如沐春风。

下面是店铺带来的晨读英语美文100篇四级，欢迎阅读!晨读英语美文100篇四级精选It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career. They were introduced to the broom, and spent the first hours of their business lives sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors and janitresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of business education. But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aim high”. I would not give a fig for the young man who does not already see himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself, “My place is at the top.” Be king in your dreams.And here is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most about it.The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here there, and everywhere. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” is all wrong. I tell you to “put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.” Look round you and take notice, men who do that not often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too many baskets that breaks most eggs in this country. He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.To summarize what I have said: aim for the highest; never enter a bar room; do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund; make the firm’s interest yours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure always within revenue; lastly, be not impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.成功之道年轻人创业之初，应该从最底层干起，这是件好事。

生命是永恒不断的创造，因为在它内部蕴含着过剩的精力，它不断流溢，越出时间和空间的界限，它不停地追求，以形形色色的自我表现的形式表现出来。

－－泰戈尔目录PART ONE 著名人物UNIT 1 Get a Life，Gordon!Minister Says PM Needs More Fun英国：布朗首相是个工作狂吗UNIT 2 Miller’s Not Like the Rest《越狱》新偶像米勒，走和别人不一样的路UNIT 3 She Is a Legend女中传奇UNIT 4 Gettysburg Address葛底斯堡演说UNIT 5 The Second Inaugural Address by Bill Clinton克林顿第二次就职演说UNIT 6 ABlindWoman’sVision海伦·凯勒——奋斗的人UNIT 7 “Mom．in．chief’’Role and More for Michelle Obama准第一夫人：照顾好女儿是首要任务UNIT 8 The Mask Forever——Jim Carrey永远的《面具》——金·凯利UNIT 9 Ronaldo：King ofthe Wodd罗纳尔多：世界球王UNIT 10 McCain：What We’re Fighting for麦凯恩：我们为何而战UNIT 11 Winston Churchill：His Other Life温斯顿·丘吉尔：生活侧记UNIT 1 2 Remarks of Senator Barack Obama：Iowa Caucus Night奥巴马1月3日在衣阿华的演讲辞UNIT 13 Remembering Diana追忆戴安娜UNIT 14 Marilyn Monroe：Candle in the Wind玛丽莲·梦露：风中之烛UNIT 15 Hewitt休伊特UNIT 16 The GenUeman Thief：Arsene Lupin怪盗亚森·罗苹UNIT 17 Engrid Bergman英格利·褒曼UNIT 18 Hillary’S Comparison希拉里的比较UNIT 19 The Making of Isaac Newton牛顿+苹果=万有引力UNIT 20 The Ups and Downs of Katherine Graham奋斗与坚持：报业女巨人的一生UNIT 21 The Britain’S GotTalent Singer~usan Boyle英国新晋超女苏珊大妈PART TWO 工作生活UNIT 1 Kids Think Glasses Make Others Look Smart Honest小孩认为戴眼镜显得更有学问，更诚实UNIT 2 Excuse借口UNIT 3 NextTime ThatY ou ThinkY ou’re Having a Bad Day当觉得自己倒霉时看看这个UNIT 4 Can Happiness Be Bought钱可以买到幸福吗UNIT 5 Januaw 31 the Y ear’s Biggest Night for First Dates1月31日最适合初次约会UNIT 6 ThankY ou：TheTwoLittleWOndsThatAreBetterThanaPayRise 赞扬比加薪更重要UNIT 7 MusicThat’sAlwaysonTop永远的流行音乐UNIT 8 Life ls Miracule生命即是奇迹UNIT 9 Tuesdays with Morrie相约星期二UNIT 10 Women Approaching 30 Prefer Marriage to Carreers30岁的女性婚姻重于事业UNIT 11 Cowboys’Tales of Love and Loss纯粹美国式的乡村音乐UNIT 12 Like Father,Like Daughter就业新趋势：女承父业UNIT 13 Mother Is Role Model in Son’s Choice of Wife男人择偶常以母亲为标准UNIT 14 Short PeopleAre Most Prone to Jealousy个子越矮嫉妒心越强UNIT 15 Blue-eyed Men Prefer Blue·eyed Women蓝眼睛男士为何青睐蓝眼睛女士UNIT 16 Persistence Pays苦尽甘来UNIT 17 Air and Opport UNITy机会如空气，请善待机会UNIT 18 TheseThingsIWishforY ou幸福快乐就好UNIT 19 Online Love Is Often Blind。

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，正在准备和已经参与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，这些不是问题的所有。

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少训练导致的，如书写速度跟不上。

有的则是语言基础较差导致的，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导致的。

听写部分能提高吗？当然能！并且提高的空间很大。

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与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与四级统考，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，并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，所带班级平均成绩可以达成14分。

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

Ways to reduce your headachesThe dynamic lifestyle people lead nowadays causes many reactions in our bodies and the one that is the most frequent of all is the headache. How many times have you come back from work and felt that your head is going to explode. Well there are several ways to reduce the frequency of headaches. And those are eating healthy through the day making sure your body is well hydrated, getting some exercise to eliminate the negative energy, and helping yourself for a short massage on your head.Hot water is beneficial. We all know that water is essential to our survival. We have probably all heard doctor say that drinking roughly 8 glasses is ideal. Warm water is particularly beneficial for digestion. Studies have shown that drinking cold water during or after a meal can harden the oil present in the consumed food. However if you replace the glass of cold water with warm, you can avoid this problem.Stay positive when facing difficulties. Everyone faces difficulties from time to time. Sometimes, the difficulties come from situations that are out of our control. And other times, our difficulties are a direct consequence of the decisions we make. In life, we cannot change events or their outcome. We can however choose the emotion and meaning we attach to them. We have to retrain ourselves to see the positive in even the most challenging times.Measuring pain level is difficult. Scientists have long known that pain’s intensity is difficult to measure, because people experience pain differently. The pain one person rates at 7 for example might be 4 to someone who is more tolerant of pain. These differences make it difficult to show how well new medicines to ease pain really work. The question is especially important because of the increasing misuse of painkilling drugs in some countries.US doctoral degrees may be losing their appeal for many people who seek higher education in the US. The common study period of 2 to 4 years is not enough. The highest level of education offered by American college or university is the doctoral degree. Doctoral degree programs have a path to a well-paying, meaningful career. A new study however finds that the number of people seeking phDs has decreased. Experts say the structure of the American higher education system could be the cause.Save the polar bearsPolar bears live on the ice. It is where they hunt, mate and raise their young. But a team of researchers has found that the animal’s ice habitat is warming up and shrinking faster than experts predicted it would. The researchers say that this change in the animal’s home territory is threatening their survival. Polar bears face a difficult future unless countries reduce air pollution.。

星火英语四级美文摘抄推荐文章英语四级美文听力原文热度：大学英语四级美文朗读热度：英语四级美文热度：英语四级中长篇听力美文热度：英语四级听力美文原文热度：当下物欲横流、心浮气躁,人们需要找到一隅心灵的港湾或情感宣泄的地方,美文恰好成为作者最为适合的表达方式。

下面小编整理了星火英语四级美文，希望大家喜欢!星火英语四级美文摘抄Alone Again, NaturallyAlone, we squander life by rejecting its full potential and wasting its remaining promises.Alone, we accept that experiences unshared are barely worthwhile, that sunsets viewed singlyare not as spectacular, that time spent apart is fallow and pointless. And so we grow oldbelieving we are nothing by ourselves, steadfastly shunning the opportunities for self-discoveryand personal growth that solitude could bring us.We’ve even coined a word for those whoprefer to be by themselves: antisocial, as if they were enemies of society. They are viewed asfriendless, suspect in a world that goes around in twos or more and is wary of solitarytravelers.People who need people are threatened by people who don’t. The idea of seekingcontentment alone is heretical, for society steadfastly decrees that our completeness lies inothers. Instead, we cling to each other for solace, comfort,and safety, believing that we arenothing alone—insignificant, unfulfilled, lost—accepting solitude in the tiniest, mostreluctant of slices, if at all, which is tragic, for it rejects God’s precious gift of life.Ironically,most of us crave more intimacy and companionship than we can bear.Webegrudgeourselves,our spouses,and our partners sufficient physical and emotional breathing room,andthen bemoan the suffocation of our relationships.To point out these facts is not to suggest weshould abandon all our close ties.Medical surveys show that the majority of elderly people wholive alone,yet maintain frequent contact with relatives and friends,rate their physical andemotional well-being as “excellent.”Just as an apple a day kept the doctor away when theywere young, an active social calendar appears to serve the same purpose now. 星火英语四级美文鉴赏Choose OptimismIf you expect something to turn out badly, it probably will.Pessimism is seldom disappointed. But the same principle also works in reverse.If you expect good things to happen, they usually do! There seems to be a natural cause-and-effect relationship between optimism and success.Optimism and pessimism are both powerful forces,and each of us must choose which we want to shape our outlook and our expectations.There is enough good and bad in everyone’s life—ample sorrow and happiness,sufficient joy and pain—to find a rational basis for either optimism or pessimism. We can choose to laugh or cry, bless or curse.It’s our decision: From which perspective do we want to view life?Will we look up in hope or down in despair?I believe in the upward look. I choose to highlight the positive and slip right over the negative.I am an optimist by choice as much as by nature.Sure, I know that sorrow exists.I am in my 70s now, and I’ve lived through more than one crisis.But when all is said and done, I find that the good in life far outweighs the bad.An optimist ic attitude is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.The way you look at life will determine how you feel,how you perform,and how well you will get along with other people.Conversely, negative thoughts, attitudes,and expectations feed on themselves;they become a self-fulfilling prophecy.Pessimism creates a dismal place where no one wants to live.The only thing more powerful than negativism is a positive affirmation,a word of optimism and hope.One of the things I am most thankful for is the fact that I have grown up in a nation with a grand tradition of optimism.When a whole culture adopts an upward look, incredible things can be accomplished.When the world is seen as a hopeful, positive place, people are empowered to attempt and to achieve.星火英语四级美文赏析Choose OptimismIf you expect something to turn out badly, it probably will.Pessimism is seldom disappointed. But the same principle also works in reverse.If you expect good things to happen, they usually do! There seems to be a natural cause-and-effect relationship between optimism and success.Optimism and pessimism are both powerful forces,and each of us must choose which we want to shape our outlook and our expectations.There is enough good and bad in everyone’s life—ample sorrow and happiness,sufficient joy and pain—to find a rational basis for either optimism or pessimism. We can choose to laugh or cry, bless or curse.It’s our decision: From which perspective do we want to view life?Will we look up in hope or down in despair?I believe in the upward look. I choose to highlight the positive and slip right over the negative.I am an optimist by choice as much as by nature.Sure, I know that sorrow exists.I am in my 70s now, and I’ve lived through more than one crisis.But when all is said and done, I find that the good in life faroutweighs the bad.An optimistic attitude is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.The way you look at life will determine how you feel, how you perform,and how well you will get along with other people.Conversely, negative thoughts, attitudes,and expectations feed on themselves;they become a self-fulfilling prophecy.Pessimism creates a dismal place where no one wants to live.The only thing more powerful than negativism is a positive affirmation,a word of optimism and hope.One of the things I am most thankful for is the fact that I have grown up in a nation with a grand tradition of optimism.When a whole culture adopts an upward look, incredible things can be accomplished.When the world is seen as a hopeful, positive place, people are empowered to attempt and to achieve.星火英语四级美文品味The Blue DaysEverybody has blue days. These are miserable days when you feel lousy, grumpy, lonely, andutterly exhausted.Days when you feel small and insignificant, when everything seems just outof reach.You can’t rise to the occasion.Just getting started seems impossible.On blue days youcan become paranoid that everyone is out to get you.This is not always such a bad thing.Youfeel frustrated and anxious, which can induce a nail-biting frenzy that can escalate into atriple-chocolate-mud-cake-eating frenzy in a blink of an eye! On blue days you feel like you’refloating in an ocean of sadness.You’re about to burst into tears at any moment and you don’t even know why.Ultimately, youfeel like you’re wandering through life witho ut purpose.You’re not sure how much longer youcan hang on, and you feel like shouting,“Will someone please shoot me!”It doesn’t take much tobring on a blueday.You might just wake up not feeling or looking your best,find some newwrinkles, put on a little weight, or get a huge pimple on your nose.You could forget your date’sname or have an embarrassing photograph published. You might get dumped,divorced, or fired,make a fool of yourself in public,be afflicted with a demeaning nickname,or just have a plain oldbad-hair day. Maybe work is a pain in the butt.You’re under major pressure to fill someoneelse’s shoes,your boss is picking on you, and everyone in the office is driving you crazy.Youmight have a splitting headache,or a slipped dish, bad breath, a toothache,chronic gas, drylips, or a nasty ingrown toenail.Whatever the reason, you’re convinced that someone up theredoesn’t like you. Oh what to do, what to dooo?。

本文部分内容来自网络整理，本司不为其真实性负责，如有异议或侵权请及时联系，本司将立即删除！== 本文为word格式，下载后可方便编辑和修改！ ==4级晨读英语美文100篇篇一：星火四级晨读英语美文100篇【励志感悟】第2篇星火四级晨读英语美文100篇【励志感悟】第2篇Life Is To Be WholeOnce a circle missed a wedge.The circle wanted to be whole，so it went around looking for its missing piece.But because it was incomplete and therefore could roll only very slowly，it admired the flowers along the way.It chatted with worms.It enjoyed the sunshine.It found lots of different pieces，but none of them fit.Soit left them all by the side of the road and kept on searching.Then one day the circle found a piece that fit perfectly.It was so happy.Now it could be whole，with nothing missing.It incorporated the missing piece into itself and began to roll.Now that it was a perfect circle，it could roll very fast，too fast to notice the flowers or talking to the worms.When it realized how different the world seemed when it rolled so quickly，it stopped，left its found piece by the side of the road and rolled slowly away.The lesson of the story，I suggested，was that in some strange sense we are more whole when we are missing something.The man who has everything is in some ways a poor man.He will never know what itfeels like to yearn，to hope，to nourish his soul with the dream of something better.He will never know the experience of having someone who loves him give him something he has always wanted or never had.There is a wholeness about the person who has come to terms with his limitations，who has been brave enough to let go of his uealistic dreams and not feel like a failure for doing so.There is a wholeness about the man or woman who has learned that he or she is strong enough to go through a tragedy and survive，who can lose someone and still feel like a complete person.Life is not a trap set for us by God so that he can condemn us for failing.Life is not a spelling bee，where no matter how many wordsyou've gotten right，you're disqualified if you make one mistake.Life is more like a baseball season，where even the best team loses one-third of its games and even the worst team has its days ofbrilliance.Our goal is to win more games than we lose.When we accept that imperfection is part of being human，and when we can continue rolling through life and appreciate it，we will have achieved a wholeness that others can only aspire to.That，I believe，is what God asks of us--not “Be perfect”，not “Don't even make a mistake”,but “Be whole.”If we are brave enough to love，strong enough to forgive，generous enough to rejoice in another's happiness，and wise enough to know there is enough love to go around for us all，then we can achieve a fulfillment5) that no other living creature will ever know.翻译:人生在于完整从前有一只圆圈缺了一块楔子。

星火英语听力篇一:高等学校英语应用能力考试A级(星火英语听力部分) 高等学校英语应用能力考试A级Model Test OnePart I · ·Listening Comprehension· ·Section A1.A)Teacher and student.B)Boss and employee.C)Husband and wife. D)Guide and visitor.2.A)He will have a trip. B)He will visit his family members.C)He will change his job D)He will meet hiscolleagues.3.A)In a store. B)In s library.C)At school. D)In a hospital.4.A)The new roommate is very kind.B)The new roommate is not good at study.C)The new roommate is easy-going.D)The new roommate is not talkative.5.A)The woman says too much.B)The woman fails in the e_amination.C)The woman studies English very hard.D)The woman finds it difficult to learn English.Section BConversation 16.A)He wants to taste new food.B)He wants to have a break.C)He wants to date the woman.D)He wants to have a change.7.A)The man.B)The woman.C)Nobody.D)BothConversation 28.A)GentleB)SuccessfulC)MatureD)Patient9.A)About _B)About 30C)About 40D)About 50_.A)She is hesitated to choose her boyfriendB)She is determined to choose her boyfriend.C)She is shamed to choose her boyfriend.D)She is shy to choose her boyfriend.Section C_.What kind of family was Lincoln born in?He was born in a ____________._.How many children did Lincoln have?He had ___________._.When was Lincoln first elected as President?__________._.How did Lincoln die?Lincoln was ________ by John Wilkes Booth._.What is the function of the _th Amendment?It _______ forever.Model Test TwoPart I · ·Listening Comprehension· · Section A1.A)The blue one. B)The white one.C)The cheaper one. D)The one on the left.2.A)It’s unimportant how she dances. B).No one likes to dance.C) I’s too crowded to dance.D)No one knowsthe dance steps.3.A)At a railway station. B)On a flight.C)In a hospital.D)In a reading room.4.A)Learn to sing. B)Keep her company.C)Play the piano. D)Teach her how tosing.5.A)They are too large. B)She doesn’t likethe style.C)They are too small. D)She doesn’t likethe color.Section BConversation 16.A)_:_ B)_:30 C)_:_ D)_:307.A)The weather is fine.B)The train isbeautiful.C)She can see the beautiful views. D)There isenough time to get there.Conversation 28.A)A single room. B)A double room. C)A twin room.D)A triple room.9.A)$60 B)$50 C)$40D)$30_.A)Comfortable,with a view of the mountain.B)Comfortable,with a view of the sea.C)Very large,with free meals.D)Very large,with a view of the mountain.Section C_.What job did the man get first?He got the first job as ______________ ._.How long did the man stay in the first company?He stayed in the first company for ___________._.When did the man get the position as a sales manager? He became a sales manager after he worked for________._.Why did the man leave the first company?Because he _______________._.What did the man do in the factory?He worked as____________.Model Test ThreePart I · ·Listening Comprehension· · Sectio n A1.A)Twenty years oldB)Twenty-one years oldC)Twenty-two years oldD)Twenty-three years old2.A)At 6:_ B)At 6:_ C)At 6:30D)At 6:453.A)In a store B)In a library C)At schoolD)In a hospital4.A)Dr.Block won’t be busy this morning.B)The woman won’t meet Dr.Block before _:_.C)The woman can meet Dr.Block at _:_.D)Dr.Block’s office won’t open until _:_.5.A)The jobs are in French and Spain.B)French and Spanish are necessary for the job.C)The notice appeared in French and Spanish newspapers.D)She would like to teach the man French and Spanish.Section BConversation 16.A)A lot. B)Not much. C)Nothing at all.D)A great deal.7.A)TicketB)PhotoC)FoodD)CardConversation 28.A)At an airport B)In a storeC)In a post officeD)At a bus station9.A)By surface mailB)By airmailC)By e-mailD)By e_press mail_.A)$8 B)$9 C)$_D)$_Section C_.What course were the speaker’s father and mother both interested in?Thy were both interested in _______________._.What did the woman do after she knew the man’s action?She found the book the man wanted to borrow in the library and ______in it._.Why did the woman choose to stick a letter in the book?She wanted to test whether the young man was ____________________._.Why did the woman confirm that the young man could find her?Because her __________________ was on the envelope._.What was the name of the book the man wanted to borrow?The book was _________________.Model Test FourPart I · ·Listening Comprehension· · Section A1.A)$8.60B)$6.40C)$4.30D)$1.402.A)Nervous and frightened B)Very rela_edC)Quite unhappy D)Angry with the professor3.A)Have an interview B)Filling out a formC)Talking with a friendD)Asking for information4.A)His team lost the game. B)His team is the best one at present.C) His team won a very close game. D)His team didn’t get a single point.5.A)Host and guest B)Doctor and patientC)Manager and office workerD)Travel agent and customerSection BConversation 1篇二:2星火英语四级美文听力第2篇The English CharacterThe English CharacterTo other Europeans, the best known quality of the British,and in particular of the English, is 〝reserved〞.A reserved person is one who does not talk very much to strangers,does not show much emotion, and seldom gets e_cited.It is difficult to get to know a reserved person:he never tells you anything about himself,and you may work with him for years without ever knowing where he lives,how many children he has, and what his interests are.English people tend to be like that.Closelyrelated to English reserve isEnglish modesty.Within their hearts, the English are perhaps no less conceited than anybody else,but in their relations with others they value at least a show of modesty.Self－praise is felt to be impolite.If a person is, let us say,very good at tennis and someone asks him if he is a good player,he will seldom reply 〝Yes,〞because people will think himconceited.He will probably give an answer like,〝I’m not bad,〞 or 〝I think I’m very good,〞 or 〝Well, I’m very keen on tennis.〞Even if he had managed to reach the finals in last year’s local championships,hewould say it in such a way as to suggest that it was only due to a piece of good luck.Since reserve and modesty are part of his own nature,the typical English tends to e_pect them in others.He secretly looks down on more e_citable nations,and likes to think of himself as more reliable than they are.He doesn’t trust big promises and open shows of feelings,especially if they are e_pressed in flowery language.He doesn’t trust self－praise of any kind.This applies not only to what other people may tell him about themselves orally,but to the letters they may write to him.To those who are fond of flowery e_pressions,the Englishman may appear uncomfortably cold. quality [ kw?l?ti]n. 质量,品质;特性;才能 1.I think our product is high quality .我想我们的产品是高质量的.2. If you have unlimited fortune and time, how would you better your lifequality.假如你有无限的财富和时间,你会如何改善你的生活品质?quality,feature,characteristic,peculiarity,trait,attribute,character 这些名词均有〝特性.特点.品质〞之意.quality最普通用词,既可指有形或无形的特性,又可指个性或共性的特征. feature指事物突出引人注目的特点.多用来说明人的容貌特征或地理特征. characteristic指某人或某物天生有别于他人或他物的内部特质或外表特征. peculiarity指人或事物独具的或奇怪的特点,常带感情色彩.trait多指人的性格.心情的特征,尤指先天秉赋的持久的行为模式或性格特征. attribute通常指人主观赋予某事物的属性,可指典型事物. character多指一类人或事物所具有的独特的典型的特征.particular [p? tikjul?]adj. 特别的;详细的;独有的;挑剔的n. 详细说明;个别项目 1. Do you have any particular style in mind?你们有没有想要什麽特定的式样?English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reserved2. I like meat in general, and mutton inparticular.我总的来说喜欢吃肉,特别爱吃羊肉.reserved [ri z?:vd]adj. 保留的,预订的;缄默的,冷淡的;包租的v. 保留（reserve的过去分词）1. All Copyrights Reserved by the OriginalAuthors.本栏目归原创作者所有.2. The reservoir in the reserved preserve is an obstacle to the obstinate observer.预留保护区内的水库对固执的观察者是一个障碍. tend [tend]vi. 趋向,倾向;照料,照顾vt. 照料,照管1. He tended a drug store for his father.他替父亲看着一家药店.2. People tend to visit this site fromwork.人们趋于从工作访问这个地点.modesty [ m?disti]n. 谦逊;质朴;稳重 1. There is false modesty, but there is no false pride.可能有虚伪的谦虚,但决没有虚伪的骄傲. 2. Though modesty be a virtue , yetbashfulness is a vice .尽管谦虚是一种美德,但害羞就成了缺点. conceited [k?n si:tid]adj. 自负的;狂想的;逞能的1. If a person is , let us say, very good at tennis and someone asks him if he is a good player, he will seldom reply Yes , because people will think him conceited.比如说,有一个人网球打的很好,要是有人问他是不是个好手,他不大会回答说〝是〞,因为这样一来,别人就会认为他很自负.keen [ki:n]adj. 敏锐的,敏捷的;渴望的;强烈的;热心的;锐利的n. 痛哭,挽歌 1. Difficulties keened their contradictions.困难使他们之间的矛盾更加尖锐化了. 2. A good lawyer needs a keenbrain.一位好律师需要敏锐的头脑.English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reservedtypical [ tipik?l]adj. 典型的;特有的;象征性的1. The typical answer is, Technology and Product.最典型的回答是:技术和产品.2. This is a typical setup for a long running server.这是一个长期运行的服务器的典型设置. e_citable[ik sait?bl]adj. 易激动的;易兴奋的;易怒的1. I am not a e_citable person, but I ame_cited in this e_citing new.我也感到激动.2. Are you ready to win your first game of pre-season, asked one e_citablereporter.激动的记者问道.reliable [ri lai?bl]adj. 可靠的;可信赖的n. 可靠的人1. Own a lot of reliable customers in these markets.在市场上已经拥有一群忠诚的客户. 2. It provides a fle_ibleand reliablehardware platform for software design.为软件设计提供了一个灵活可靠的硬件平台. e_pressed [ik spres]vt. 表达;快递adj. 明确的;迅速的;专门的n. 快车,快递,专使;捷运公司1. Ideas can be e_pressed accurately andeffectively, using simple sentences.用简单的句子可以准确有力地表达思想. 2. The set of statements, e_pressed in data definition language, that completelydescribe the structure of a data base.整地描述了数据库地结构.一组以数据定义语言来表达地语句集,该语句集完〝你准备好赢下你季前赛的首场比赛了吗?〞一个我不是易激动的人,但对于这个振奋人心的新闻,篇三:3星火英语四级美文听力第3篇E_erciseE_erciseA state of physical and mental health allows you to take part in e_ercise comfortably and enjoyably so that it doesn’t hurt, so that you can look forward to it, and feel good afterwards. If you are feeling down, e_ercise may help pick you up. Although researchersdisagree on this issue , one review of past studies found that long-term e_ercise, especially when it includes long-lasting, strenuous training sessions, has about as much of an effect on depression as psychotherapy.Working out helps you deal with stress in your job, relationships or any area of life —possibly because e_ercise is a form of stress itself and helps condition your body to deal with it.When Australian researchers compared people who did 30 minutes of aerobic e_ercise three times a week to those who practiced progressive rela_ation techniques, they found that the former group responded better to acute stress and had lower blood pressure. Even a little e_ercise can make you think less an_iously. Studies have shown that any amount of e_ercise, from abrisk_ minute walk to an intense aerobics or weightlifting session seems to decrease feelings of an_iety.Working out regularly may make you smarter now and lessen the possibility that you’ll lose brain function as you age. According to a recent animal study at the University of Illinois, e_ercise can actually help the brain develop new cells. In several studies, regular weight training or aerobic e_ercise was shown to improvethe quality and duration of sleep. Naturally, this can make you less fatigued and be able to function better during the day. Like meditation, hobbies or any other leisure activity, e_ercise gives your mind a needed break from everyday thoughts, responsibilities and commitments. Finally, there’s one more reason to keep e_ercising. When you work out regularly,your body simply functions better you are better, healthier and less likely to suffer painful physical conditions. And that just plain feels good. mental[ ment?l]adj. 精神的;脑力的;疯的n. 精神病患者1. Workers can put their aggression into their work, be it physical like the work of a smith, or mental like the work of a scientist or an artist.艺术家.2. Your mental body can read very well and so if you have a few blank cards, write affirmations on them and put them in places where you will automatically see them.的看见它们的地方.disagree [,dis? ɡri:]vi. 不同意;不一致;争执;不适宜 1. Those figures disagree with yesterday s results.那些数字与昨天的结果不相符合.English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reserved工人能把他们的进攻放入他们的工作,是它身体检查喜欢铁匠的工作,或心智的喜欢科学家的工作或一个你的精神体可以非常好阅读而且这样如果你有一些银行卡,在它们上面书写肯定和将它们放置在你将自动2. So more agree than disagree.好,同意的比不同意多.issue [ i?ju:, isju:]n. 问题;流出;期号;发行物vt. 发行,发布;发给;放出,排出vi. 发行;流出;造成…结果;传下1. A sound of laughter issued from the adjoining room.从隔壁房间里传出一阵笑声.2. How the gov. solve this issue?这个问题政府怎么解决? issue,distribute,publish 这些动词均有〝发行,发出,发给〞之意. issue多指通过官方或正式渠道正式发行. distribute指把东西分发给所属者或应得者.publish普通用词,多指出版发行文字作品,也指发布新闻或发表见解等.lasting [ lɑ:sti?, l?sti?]adj. 持久的;永恒的n. 厚实斜纹织物v. 持续;维持（last的ing形式） 1. They are the lasting image.它们是持久的形象.2. First impressions are most lasting.第一印象是最耐久的.depression [di pre??n]n. 沮丧;洼地;不景气;忧愁 1. We had a depression 80 years ago.80年前我们就有一场大萧条.2. Then she read about seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that occurs in falland winter.而后她阅读得知季节性情感紊乱:发生在秋季和冬季抑郁的一种形式.stress [stres]n. 压力;强调;紧张;重要性;重读vt. 强调;使紧张;加压力于;用重音读 1. He was being stressed before he gave his lecture.演讲前的那一阵子他感到十分紧张.2. We stressteamwork in our company.我们公司重视团队合作. emphasis,stress 这两个名词均可表示〝强调〞之意.emphasis指尽力突出的重要性或重点.stress常可与emphasis换用,但侧重指迫不及待地强调或坚持. progressive[pr?u ɡresiv]adj. 进步的;先进的n. 改革论者;进步分子 1. All wars that are progressiveare just.所有进步的战争都是正义的.2. There are areas in which science andprogressivepolitics make comfortable bedfellows.在一些领域中,科学和开明政治成为了舒适的盟友. rela_ation [,ri:l?k sei??n]n. 放松;缓和;消遣 1. You need more rest and rela_ation.你需要多休息,松弛一下.2. The mood that how lets oneself gets better rela_ation?怎样让自己的心情得到更好的放松?English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reservedcomfort,ease,leisure,rela_ation,relief,rest 这些名词均含〝舒适,安逸.悠闲〞之意.comfort通常指在摆脱烦人.痛苦的事情,或在要求.愿望得到满足后所感到的舒适. ease指因没有担心和忧虑而轻松. leisure专指闲暇时间或悠闲状态. rela_ation强调消除肌肉疲劳或思想的紧张状态,使身心松弛,得到休息. relief侧重有消除痛苦.不适或困难的负担,常暗含不利因素已不存在的意味. rest与work相对,强调水分除身心痛劳,不着重休息方式. pressure [ pre??]n. 压力;压迫,压强vt. 迫使;密封;使……增压 1. How can you raise oneself resistpressure?怎样可以提高自己的抗压力?2. Low blood pressure, what should anaemia eat?低血压,又贫血该吃些什么呢?brisk [brisk]adj. 敏锐的,活泼的,轻快的;凛冽的vi. 活跃起来;变得轻快vt. 使……活泼;使……轻快;使……兴旺1. A briskbreeze puffs the clouds away.一阵轻快的微风吹开云朵.2. This is my first visit to your fair. What impress me most is your brisk and friendly trade atmosphere.这是第一次参加贵方交易会,给我印象最深的是你们这种轻松友好的贸易气氛. active,energetic,vigorous,brisk,lively 这些形容词均有〝积极的,活跃的〞之意.active指有活动能力,强调与消极或休止相反的积极活动状态. energetic 提精力充沛.奋力从事某事业.vigorous指不仅表现积极.有生气,而且固有精力和活力十分旺盛. brisk指动作敏捷.充满活力.轻快活泼地从事某项工作或活动. lively侧重支轮船快,机智,有生气.intense [in tens]adj. 强烈的;紧张的;非常的;热情的 1. Well, it would be an intensecompetition.很好,那将是场激烈的比赛.2. How to eliminate intensesentiment the most quickly?怎么最快的把紧张的情绪消除掉?an_iety [?? zai?ti]n. 焦虑;渴望;挂念;令人焦虑的事 1. You can still your an_ietyby listening to some music.你听听音乐以消除内心的不安,平静下来.2. Fear and an_iety have always been a part of life and always will be.恐惧与焦虑早就是生活的一部分,而且也将永远如此.lessen [ les?n]vt. 使…变小;使…减轻;使…变少vi. 减少;减轻;变小 1. The talk aimed to lessenthe tension.这次交谈旨在缓和紧张局面.2. What can we do to lessenher ve_ation?我们做些什么才能减轻她的烦恼呢?English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reservedfunction [ f??k??n]n. 功能;函数;职责;盛大的集会vi. 运行;活动;行使职责1. Function key not allowed in this mode.在此模式下功能键不允许用.2. Testing the system functionand make samples.测试系统功能.编写测试用例; duration [dju? rei??n]n. 持续1. E_pose specimen in specified high and low temp, duration and cycles.暴露样品于规定的高低温.持续时间和周期中.2. How long the power lasts. See Duration, page 34, for more information.该异能能持续多久.详情请见第34页的〝持续时间〞. meditation [,medi tei??n]n. 冥想;沉思,深思1. As everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever.大家都知道,沉思和水是始终结合在一起的.2. I would share my thoughts inmeditation, with my friends, and with the Dolphins.我常常将自己沉思中的想法与我的朋友.也与海豚一起分享.plain [plein]adj. 平的;简单的;朴素的;清晰的n. 平原;[计]无格式;朴实无华的东西adv. 清楚地;平易地1. A river intersects the plain.一条河贯穿那片〝平原〞.2. In plaincarbon steel, carbon is the only alloy element.只有在普碳钢中,碳才是唯一的合金元素.apparent,obvious,evident,clear,plain,distinct,definite,manifest 这些形容词均含〝清楚的,明白的,明显的〞之意.apparent强调显而易见或一想便知.这个词从动词appear派生而来,故有时含有表面如此而事实上未必的意味.obvious语气较强,指极为明显,有目共睹,无需说明和论证. evident指根据事实成为显然的. clear普通用词,侧重清楚明白.plain普通用词,含义与clear很接近,可通用,但plain着重简单明了,不复杂. distinct较正式用词,指轮廓的清楚或定义.含义的明确,不会弄错. definite语气肯定,着重明白无误,无可怀疑.manifest语义较强,书面用词,强调一目了然,暗示不要任何推论就一清二楚.English Garden@Harbin University of Commerce, Copyright @ _.All rights reserved。

大学英语四级考试精读荟萃100篇(44):露天演出的服装Pageants are usually conceived on a fairly large scale, often under the auspices of some local or civic authority or at any rate in connection with local groups of some kind. This sometimes means that there is an allocation of funds available for the purpose of mounting the production, though unfortunately this will usually be found to be on the meager side and much ingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performers can be adequately clothed.Most pageants have a historical flavour as they usually come about through the celebration of the anniversary of some event of historic importance, or the life or death of some local worthy. Research among archives and books in the public library will probably prove very useful and produce some workable ideas which will give the production an especially local flavour. From the first economy will have to be practiced because there are usually a great number of people to dress. Leading characters can be considered individually in the same way as when designing for a play; but the main body of the performers will need to be planned in groups and the massed effect must be always borne in mind.Many pageants take place in daylight in the open air. This is an entirely different problem from designing costumes which are going to be looked at under artificial lighting; for one thing, scenes viewed in the daylight are subject to many more distractions. No longer is everything around cut out by the surrounding darkness, but instead it is very easy to be aware of disturbing movement in the audience of behind the performers. Very theatrically conceived clothes do not always look their best when seen in a daylight setting of trees, verdant lawns and old ivy-covered walls; the same goes for costumes being worn in front of the mellow colors of stately homes. The location needs to be studied and then a decision can be made as to what kinds of colors and textures will harmonize best with the surroundings and conditions and then to carry this out as far as possible on the funds available.If money is available to dress the performers without recourse to their own help in the provision of items, it is best to arrange for all the cutting and pinning together of the costumes to be done by one or two experienced people than to be given out to the groups and individuals for completion. When there is little or no money at all, the garments need to be reduced to the basic necessities. Cloaks and shawls become invaluable, sheets and large bath towels and bath sheets are admirable for draping. Unwanted curtains and bed spreads can be cut to make tunics, robes and skirts. These are particularly valuable if they are of heavy fabrics such as velvet or chenille.Colors should be massed together so that there are contrasting groups of dark and light, this will be found to help the visual result substantially. Crowds of people gathered together in a jumble of colors will be ground to look quite purposeless and will lack dramatic impact.The use of numbers of identical head-dresses, however simply made, are always effective when working with groups. If these are made of cardboard and painted boldly the cost can be almost negligible. Helmets, hats and plumes will all make quite a show even if the costumes are only blandest or sheets cleverly draped. The same can be said of theuse of banners, shields and poles with stiff pennants and garlands—anything which will help to have a unifying effect. Any kind of eye-catching device will always go with a flourish and add excitement to the scenes.1. The main idea of this passage is[A]. Pageants. [B]. Costumes on the stage.[C]. Costumes for pageants. [D]. How to arrange a pageant.2. It can be inferred that the most important factor in costume design is[A]. money. [B]. color. [C]. harmony [D]. texture3. Why will much ingenuity have to be required in costume design?[A]. Because pageants take place in daylight in the open air.[B]. Because different characters require different costumes.[C]. Because the colors and textures must be in harmony with the setting.[D]. Because an allocation of the funds available is usually rather small.4. Why do most pageants have a historical flavour?[A]. Because most pageants take place for celebration.[B]. Many pageants take place for amusement.[C]. A lot of pageants take place for religion.[D]. Because pageants usually take place for competition.Vocabulary1. conceive 设想，想象to be conceived 设想好的，构思好的2. under the auspices of 在……的主办下3. meager 贫乏的，不足的4. mount 登上，制作，上演5. flavour 风味，风格，情趣6. archive(s) 档案(馆)7. distraction 使人分心的事8. ivy 常春藤9. mellow 柔和的10. recourse (to) 依赖，求助于11. drape 覆盖，披上12. invaluable 无价的，非常贵重的13. tunic (古时)长达膝盖的外衣，穿在盔甲上的战袍14. chenille 绳绒绒(织品)15. jumble 混乱，搞乱16. pennant 细长三角旗17. garland 花环，花冠难句译注1. This sometimes means that there is an allocation of funds available for the purpose of mounting the production, though unfortunately this will usually be found to be on the meager side and much ingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performers can be adequately clothed.[结构简析] 复合结构。

英语专业四级听力50篇1.Town 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.2.A Change in Women’s LifeThe important change in women’s life-pattern has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity, and most of them took afull-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marryyounger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards return to full-time or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money, and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.3.A Popular Pastime of the English PeopleOne of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what the do with their non-working time.Most English men, women and children love growing things, especially flowers. Visitors to England in spring, summer or autumn are likely to see gardens all they way along the railway lines. There are flowers at the airports and flowers in factory grounds, as well as in gardens along the roads. Each English town has at least one park with beautifully kept flower beds. Public buildings of every kind have brilliant window boxes and sometimes baskets of flowers are hanging on them.But what the English enjoy most is growing things themselves. If it is impossible to have a garden, then a window box or something growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English.Useful Words and Expressions:1. window box:窗台上的花盆箱2.pastime 消遣，娱乐Swimming is my favorite pastime.4.British and American Police OfficersReal policemen, both in Britain and the U.S., hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they se on TV—if they ever get home in time.Some things are almost the same, of course, but the policemen do not think much of them much of them.The first difference is that a policeman’s real life deals with the law. Most of what he learns is the law. He has to know actually what actions are against the law and what facts can be used to prove them in court. He has to know nearly as much law as a lawyer, and what’s more, he has to put it into practice on his feet, in the dark and, running down a narrow street after someone he wants to talk to.Little of his time is spent in talking with beautiful girls or in bravely facing cruel criminals. He will spend most of his working life arranging millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, ordinary people who are guilty--- or not of stupid, unimportant crimes.Useful Words and Expressions:1. think much of 重视，尊重2. in court 在法庭上3. criminal 罪犯，犯罪者4. guilty 犯罪的，有罪的5.Living SpaceHow much living space does a person need? What happens when his space needs are not met? Scientists are doing experiments on rats to try to determine the effects of overcrowded conditions on man. Recent studies have shown that the behavior of rats is greatly affected by space. If rats have enough living space, they eat well, sleep well and produce their young well. But if their living conditions become too crowded, their behavior and even their health change obviously. They can not sleep and eat well, and signs of fear and worry become clear. The more crowded they are, and more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, populations and violence are directly related. Is this a natural law for human society as well? Is enough space not only satisfactory, but necessary for human survival? These are interesting questions.6 The United NationsIn 1945, representatives of 50 nations met to plan this organization. It was called the United Nations. After the war, many more nations joined. There are two major parts of the United Nations. One is called the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, every member nation is represented and has an equal vote.The second part is called the Security Council. It has representatives of just 15 nations. Five nations are permanent members: the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China. The 10 other members are elected every two years by the General Assembly.The major job of the Security Council is to keep peace in the world. If necessary, it can send troops from member nations to try to stop little wars before they turn into big ones.It is hard to get the nations of the Security Council to agree on when this is necessary. But they did vote to try to stop wars.Useful Words and Expressions:1. representative 代表2. General Assembly 联合国大会3. permanent 永久的，持久的4. Security Council 联合国安全理事会7 PlasticWe use plastic wrap to protect our foods. We put our garbage in plastic bags or plastic cans. We sit on plastic chairs, play with plastic toys, drink from plastic cups, and wash our hair with shampoo from plastic bottles! Plastic does not grow in nature. It is made by mixing certain things together. We call it a produced or manufactured material. Plastic was first made in the 1860s from plants, such as wood and cotton. That plastic was soft and burned easily.The first modern plastics were made in the 1930s. Most clear plastic starts out as thick, black oil. That plastic coating inside a pan begins as natural gas.Over the years, hundreds of different plastics have been developed. Some are hard and strong. Some are soft and bendable. Some are clear. Some are many-colored. There is a plastic for almost every need. Scientists continue to experiment with plastics. They hope to find even ways to use them!8 Display of GoodsAre supermarkets designed to persuade us to buy more?Fresh fruit and vegetables are displayed near supermarket entrances. This gives the impression that only healthy food is sold in the shop. Basic foods that everyone buys, like sugar and tea, are not put near each other. They are kept in different aisles so customers are taken past otherattractive foods before they find what they want. In this way, shoppers are encouraged to buy products that they do not really need.Sweets are often placed at children’s eye level at the checkout. While parents are waiting to pay, children reach for the sweets and put them in the trolley.More is bought from a fifteen-foot display of one type of product than from a ten-foot one. Customers also buy more when shelves are full than when they are half empty. They do not like to buy from shelves with few products on them because they feel there is something wrong with those products that are there.Useful Words and Expressions:1. aisle 走廊，过道2. trolley 手推车3. checkout 收款台9 Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879, His father owned a factory that made electrical devices. His mother enjoyed music and books. His parents were Jewish but they did not observe many of the re ligion’s rules. Albert was a quite child who spent much of his time alone. He was slow to talk and had difficulty learning to read. When Albert was five years old,his father gave him a compass. The child was filled with wonder when he discovered that the compass needle always pointed in the same direction—to be north. He asked his father and his uncle what caused the needle to move. Their answers about magnetism and gravity were difficult for the boy to understand. Yet he spent a lot of time thinking about them. He said later that he felt something hidden had to be behind things.Useful expressions and words:1. device 装置，设备leave to one’s own devices 听任某人自行其是，允许某人按自己的意愿做事She left the child to her own devices for an hour in the afternoon.她允许孩子在下午有一个小时的自由支配时间。