英语专四dictation

Dictation 听力原文9. Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879, His father owned a factory that made electrical devices. His mother enjoyed music and books. His parents were Jewish but they did not observe many of the religion’s rules. Albert was a quite child who spent much of his time alone. He was slow to talk and had difficulty learning to read. When Albert was five years old, his father gave him a compass. The child was filled with wonder when he discovered that the compass needle always pointed in the same direction—to be north. He asked his father and his uncle what caused the needle to move. Their answers about magnetism and gravity were difficult for the boy to understand. Y et he spent a lot of time thinking about them. He said later that he felt something hidden had to be behind things.Useful expressions and words:1.device 装置，设备leave to one’s own devices 听任某人自行其是，允许某人按自己的意愿做事She left the child to her own devices for an hour in the afternoon.她允许孩子在下午有一个小时的自由支配时间。

专项练习Dictation 1Old AgeMany people mistakenly believe that old age is a time of increased illness and loneli ness./ In fact,people do not suddenly change /when they reach the age of 60 or 65. /Consequently , we shouldnot expect more mental illness/ among the 60to 70 age group than among the50 to 6 0. /Furthermore, although more parents and their married children live in separate house holds than ever before,/ this is usually by choice. It is not because children now tend to neglect their parents /when they become old. /Itis also wrong to believe that old age seriously affects a person’s mental abilities. /Th ere is clearproof that people who were eager to learn and who welcomed new experiences in th eir middle age,/ continue to do so in old age. /It is true that older people tend to take l onger to learn somethingnew than young people. /Nevertheless, if they are given sufficient time, /they learn a s well as young people do.Dictation 2GardeningGardening is one of the oldest of the arts. /The Chinese with their deep sensitiveness to beauty /laid the foundation for a form of garden art /which was later to have great influences upon other lan ds. /The Greeks gave to the world a new concept of gardening. /Their homes were decorated with flowers/but it was in their civic design that they most skillfully applied their garden art. /Their temp les were surrounded by rows oftrees, /and trees lined the important streets and market places in thei r principal cities. /TheRomans acquired much of the knowledge and skill in garden craft from Gree ks. /In the second century AD the Romans began to build gardens of great scale, /inspired by the va st palace gardens they had conquered./ They bought water from great distances to supply the orna mental foundations which decorated their villa gardens./ these great villas were later to inspire the Italian garden architects to follow the Roman style.Dictation 3Being UnemployedMost people are much more frightened by being unemployed than they need to be. /Being unempl oyed certainly has disadvantages,/ but there are good things about it too. /One advantage is that you don’t have to get up early to work in the rush hour. /You can stay in bed as long as you like, /and there is plenty of time to read the newspaper /and have a leisurely breakfast./ But the best thing of a ll is that you are your own boss /and there is no one to tell you what to do and when to do it. /One drawback of being unemployed is that you haven’t got much money coming in. /Having a job at le ast enables you to save a lot of money to go on holiday./ On the other hand, when you are unemplo yed, /you needn’t go on holiday /because you are on holiday already. /In fact, the main trouble is th at you have to spend much time looking for a job./Dictation 4The Credit Card in the U.S.Today, more and more people in the U.S. are using credit card/instead of money to buy what they need./Almost anyone who has a steady income and a continuous work record/can apply for a credit card. With a credit card, you can buy a car, eat a dinner, take a trip/ and even get a haircut by charging the cost to your account./ In this way, you can pay for purchases a month or two later./ Or you may choose to spread out your payments over severalmonths/ and pay only part of the total amount each month./With a credit card,you don’t have to carry much cash/ and you don’t have to be concerned about losing your money through carelessness or theft./ The card user only has to worry about paying the final bill./ This of course can be a problem/ if you charge more than you can pay for.Dictation 5A Woman at HomeIn Japan, most people still feel that a woman’s right place is in the home /and most women willingly accept their traditional role as wives, /leaving the business of making a living to their husbands. / For those who do want a career of their own, opportunities are limited. /And working women usual ly have to settle for lower wages and less responsible positions. /In America, on the other hand, m ost women, including wives and mothers, work most of their lives. /But until recently, few have ha d real careers. /As in Japan, most fields are dominated by men /and opportunities for women have been restricted, /salaries low, chances for promotion rare. /American women work mainly because they have to./ In these days of inflation and expensive living, /only one income per family is simpl y not enough. /So American women actually have two jobs: /one outside the home, and the other ro und-the-clock job such as wife, cook and nurse.Dictation 6SuccessSuccess in life depends to a great extent on what is meant by success. /To some peop le, money is the only real indication /of achievement in the modern world and theref ore/ their judgment of success is based on the state/ of their bank balance and the po wer that goes with it. /Their life is devoted to making money/ and they are at a loss t o understand people whose ideas are different from their own./ There are people, ho wever, who consider their lives successful/ if they are doing what they enjoy doing/ t hat may not bring them any great financial reward./A man who spends his time gardening might consider himself successful/ if the flowers blossomed and his trees gave fruit. /Nursing and teaching can also bring their own ki nd of successto those engaged in them. /Success can be found in painting a picture nobody will ev er see. /Thegreat thing is to believe that success is not necessarily public.Dictation 7People’s Way of Seeing ThingsThe way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. /For those people who bel ieved in the physical existence of Hell in the Middle Ages, /the sight of fire must have meant somet hing quite different from what it means today. /Nevertheless, their idea of Hell owed a lot to the sig ht/ of fire consuming and the ashes remaining as well as to their experience of the pain of burns. / We only see what we look at. /To look is an act of choice. /As a result of this act, what we see is br ought within our reach,/ though not necessarily within arm’s reach. /To touch something is to situat e oneself in relation to it./ We never look at just one thing. /We are always looking at the relation b etween things and ourselves. /Our vision is continually active, continually moving, /continually hol ding things in a circle around itself.Dictation 8EducationSome people may say that it is energy that makes the world go round, /but in my opinion thereis something else which is equally important. /That is education. /Education makes it possible to pa ss on /the invaluable knowledge of our ancestors and, at the same time, /makes it easier to explore the contemporary world. /Most great inventions have been brought about by educated people. /So we can say that education makes the world go round. /A poorly educated nation can never be a rich one. /The most advanced countries in the world all place great emphasis on education. /Nations w hich have a low percentage of educated people can, /in most cases, barely produce the basic necessi ties of life,/ let alone develop their science, technology and economics. /Such nations are facing the possibility of extinction in this highly developed world. /Therefore, education cannot be emphasiz ed enough in a developing country.。

英语专四听写Dictation评分标准1. 听写共分15小节；每节1分。

2．每节最多扣1分。

3．重复错误，仅扣一次。

4．错误共分两类：小错误(minor mistakes)和大错误(major mistakes)。

A. 小错误：1)单词拼写错一到二个字母。

例：inconvenient—unconvenient，inconvient；originally--origionally, originally；knives———nives。

2)标点符号错误：一when When；To solve this problem，the—To solve this problem the…。

3)冠词，单复数错误：shells—shell；with a solution—with the solution。

4)小错误扣分标准：小错误在一节中出现一次，留作总计；出现两次，扣0．5分；出现三次，扣0．5分后留一小错做总计；出现四次(以上)，扣1分。

5)未扣分小错误的扣分标准：累计2---4个：扣0．5分。

累计5---8个：扣1分。

B. 大错误：漏写、加词、造词、换词(冠词作小错计)，大移位，时态错误，原文一个词变两个词。

每个错误扣0．5分。

例：are still paid—is still paid，still paid，still pay；were used—we used；coins were—coin was；began—begun；goods—good；cloth—ciof，cloths；salt—soit；paid—payed；throughout--allthrough，through of; accepted——an acception；as payment——for payment；for goods——to goods；they——these，there．5．一些特例的扣分标准：1)下列情况不扣分：in the past—in the past,；“now”后加逗号。

英语专业四级考试有听力吗该怎么复习英语专业四级考试内容共有6个部分：听写、听力理解、语言学问、完形填空、阅读理解、写作。

一、专四听写(Dictation)1.测试要求：(a)能在全面理解内容的基础上逐字逐句写出所听材料(b)拼写和标点符号正确无误,错误率不超过8%(c)考试时间10分钟，分值为非常2. 测试形式：本部分为主观试题，所听材料共念四遍。

第一遍用正常语速朗读，录音语速为每分钟120个单词，让同学听懂材料大意，其次三遍朗读时意群分句和句子之间留出约15秒的空隙，让同学书写，第四遍再用正常语速朗读，让同学检查。

3. 测试目的：测试同学听力理解力量拼写娴熟程度以及正确运用标点符号的力量。

4. 选材原则：(a )题材广泛体裁多样(b)听写材料难度以不超过>规定为准(c) 听写材料长度约150个单词二、专四听力理解(Listening Comprehension)1. 测试要求：(a)能听懂英语国家人士关于日常生活和社会生活的谈话，以及中等难度(如TOEFL中的短文)的听力材料。

能理解大意，领悟说话者的看法感情和真实意图(b)能听懂相当于正常语速和新闻节目的主要内容(c)能区分各种英语变体(如美国英语英国英语澳大利亚英语等)(d)考试时间约15分钟2.测试形式：本部分采纳多项选择题，分三节:Section A，Section B，共20题。

Section A: Talk本部分由一个500个单词的微型讲座(minilecture)和一项填空任务组成。

要求同学边听边做笔记，然后完成填空任务。

考试时间10分钟。

本部分共10道填空题。

Section B: Conversations本部分由两个450个单词的会话组成。

会话后有10道多项选择题。

本部分每道题后有10秒的间隙，要求同学听到问题后从所给的四个选项中选出一个最正确答案，录音语速为每分钟约120个单词，念一遍。

3.测试目的：测试同学获得口头信息的力量4.选材原则：(a )对话和短文中的部分内容与日常生活和学习活动相关(b)微型讲座和会话部分的内容与日常生活以及社会和学习活动相关英语专业四级考试该怎么复习第一类就是听写，听写的时间有15分钟，总共有15个句子，这15个句子就是一段正文，一条句子没有错误的单词、错误的`语法和错误的标点符号就可以得一分，假如有一处错误就会扣0.5分或者1分。

听写，顾名思义，既听又写，它渗透在各种形式的语言活动中，是最常用到的基本功之一。

听写测试要求考生把听到的内容准确无误地以笔头的形式表达出来，虽无需考生自己遣词造句，但由于牵涉到语言（听力﹑单词拼写﹑篇章结构等）与非语言能力（如记忆力﹑速记等）也决非易事。

从90 年开始第一次TEM4测试，听写就作为一项测试项目，占有10 分, 比重为10%, 91 ,92年，93年上升到15 分, 比重为10%，从94年起（由于难度问题，本次取消了proof reading）, 听写尽管仍为15 分, 但比重上升为15%，其间制定的新的考试大纲，正式明确了这一点。

从教纲到考纲，听写都是一项不可或缺的部分，且所占比重上升，与写作相同。

在TEM4 中，考虑到基础阶段的特点及信度要求，采用的是录音式标准听写，根据考纲，长度为150字（word）左右，为一段或多段，答题纸上印有题目便于联想，所选题材广泛而不生僻，体裁多样，可以为叙述性、描写性、说明性，难度适中。

全文共分15个意群（chunk），每个意群可能是词组、分句或句子。

共念四遍，第一遍为正常速度朗读（wpm=120词），考生在此时要从整体理解全文内容，抓住中心大意，而不要着急写。

第二、三遍为慢读，根据意群停顿，分句或长句之间停10-15秒，考生此时要准确，逐字逐句迅速写下听到的内容。

第四遍又是正常语速（wpm=120词）, 便于考生校对，四遍全部听写结束后，留有2分钟作为复查时间。

考生利用此时可检查全文是否有单词遗漏，拼写是否有误，标点符号是否选择正确，直到录音中听到“That is the end of dictation”, 便可进行下一项听力内容了。

根据调查，听写中的几个明显错误是：1. 考生对这种标准听写形式陌生, 对听写材料进行改写甚至加工成作文；2. 第一遍听音时不知如何把握全文的大意(top-down approach), 而是着急写，丢了西瓜捡芝麻(bottom-up)，只见部分单词而缺少骨架结构；3. 同样，在第四遍结束后的两分钟复查时间里，不会很好地利用分析逻辑能力对有些明显的或介词搭配或词语进行校正，小错不断，或丢词，或写出的内容前后不通顺；4. 由于朗读中没有念出标点，而是靠学生自己听，判断选择，于是就出现全文没有标点符号，没有大小写，或所有的停顿处都是一种符号，或中文标点混用在英文短文里的情况。

2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年4月英语专四真题答案之听力篇2023年的英语专业四级考试刚刚结束不久，很多考生已经在等待着专四答案了。

下面是应届毕业生考试网我为大家整理的2023年4月专4级考试真题参考答案之听力篇。

PartⅠ DICTATIONLearning SympathyA big part of being human is feeling sympathy, / but how early on in our lives do we learn this? / Scientists find that babies respond to other people / by crying when other babies cry. / However, babies cant distinguish between themselves and others / until theyre eighteen to twenty months old. / Toddlers start to show concern for others around this time. / Kids also begin to do things like comforting other people. / And by the time theyre three, / most children will try to protect a victim in a fight.PartⅡ LISTENING COMPREHENSIONSECTION A TALK1. a physical classroom2. a coherent concept3. personalized curriculum4. (more) meaningful practice5. feedback6. collaborating7. question and answer8. fundamental human right9. lifelong learning10. innovationSECTION B CONVERSATIONS1. Whats wrong with the mans computer?答案：A. It has wiped the data from the flash drive.2. How will the man be compensated if the computer cant be fixed?答案：C. Get a new computer.3. How did the man feel about the womans offer of compensation?答案：D. Dissatisfied.4. When will the service engineer come to fix the computer?答案：B. After 8:30 tomorrow morning.5. What is the mans phone number?答案：A. 6574-3205.6. What should we do if our neighbors didnt reach out?答案：B. Introduce ourselves first.7. Which is the best way to handle a noisy neighbor?答案：C. Give him a reason to stop.8. What should we do if we have a nosy neighbor?答案：D. Dont answer their questions.9. How long do we expect our neighbors to stay?答案：B. Five to ten minutes.10. Where can we get more information on this topic?答案：D. CBS news website.文档内容到此结束，欢迎大家下载、修改、丰富并分享给更多有需要的人。

Passage 1Weather in BritainIn Britain the weather is news. /A television weather forecast often begins with an interesting fact /– the town with the top temperature of the day or the place with the most rain. /The public like that kind of information. /But the BBC forecasters do not have an easy job. /They are the only presenters on the television who do not use a script, /and they cannot see the map they are describing. /Viewers are often critical, especially of female presenters. /One woman left her job after rude letters and press reports about her clothes. /The British talk about the weather more than almost any other subject, /so it is a surprise to discover /that seventy percent of television viewers cannot remember /what they saw on the weather forecast. /What happens is that people like watching and hearing the forecasts, /but they probably only take real notice when they need to. / (152 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 3Asian ElephantThe Asian elephant is one of the world’s rarest animals. /Unfortunately, its sad condition has not been as well publicized as that of the African elephant. /This is because Asian elephant’s ivory supplies only a small percentage of the world ivory trade. /In fact, we know very little about the Asian elephant. /They live in the remote forests of southern Asia /and it is therefore very difficult to study them. /Most knowledge of Asian elephants is from those that have been captured, or tamed. / Asian elephants are easier to tame than African elephants. /The major reason for the decline of Asian elephants is the harm to their forests. /The huge increase in the human population/ has caused the destruction of the Asian forest. /As a result, the Asian elephants are compelled to scatter in different areas./Originally they lived all over the continent, /but now there are only small isolated populations left. /They are vulnerable to extinction. / (159 words)___________________________________________________________________ Passage 4Happy CommutersThe Golden Gate Bridge joins the beautiful city of San Francisco /with the suburbs to the north. /Each day about one hundred thousand automobiles cross the bridge /taking people to and from the city. /More than half of them cross the bridge during the morning and evening rush hours. /When traffic is so heavy, the trip is not pleasant. /Now, however, there is at least one group of happy commuters. /These are people who travel under the bridge instead of on it. /They go to work by boat /and enjoy it so much that most of them say they will never go by car again. /The ferry they take is spacious, quiet and comfortable. /Commuters can enjoy the sun on deck. /The trip takes only 30 minutes and is not very costly. /Best of all, being on boat seems to make people more friendly toward each other. /There has always been a marriage of two commuters who met on the ferry. / (162 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 5The Red CrossThe worldwide Organization of the Red cross stems from the ideal of Henri Dunant, a Swiss Banker. /On 24th, June 1859, on his way from Geneva to France, /Dunant witnessed a battle. /It was one of the fiercest battles of the 19th century. /Shocked by the lack of medical supplies and attention given to the wounded, /Dunant decided that volunteer service had to be organized. /He gathered together a number of women /who attended the hundreds of wounded soldiers of all nationalities /and helped the surgeons as best they could. /He determined to form a body of people /who would rally together in times of war and attend to the needs of the wounded and thedying. /Many Europeans states supported him /and on 22nd, August 1864 the first Geneva Convention was signed. /This lays down that once a soldier is wounded /everyone else who comes to his help ceases to be an enemy. / (154 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 6Cars in the FutureWhat kind of care will we be driving by the year 2030? /Rather different from the type we know today. /With the next decade bringing greater change than the past 50 years, /the people who will be designing the models of tomorrow believe that /environmental problems may well accelerate the pace of the car’s deve lopment. /The vision is that of a machine with 3 wheels instead of 4, /electrically-powered, environmentally clean and able to drive itself along intelligent roads, /equipped with built-in power supplies. /Future cars will pick up the fuel during long journeys /from a power source built into the road. /This view of future cars is based on a much more sophisticated road system. /Cars will be automatically controlled by a computer. /All the driver will have to do is to say where to go /and the computer will do the rest. /It will be impossible for cars to crash into one another. / (155 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 7Dogs as PetsMost people have had a dog or wanted one as their companion at some time in their life. /If you are thinking of buying a dog, /you should first decide what sort of companion you need. /You must also be ready to devote a good deal of time to train the dog when it is young /and give it the exercise it needs throughout its life. / Dogs are demanding pets. /Whereas cats identify with the house /and so are content if their place is secure, /a dog identifies with its master /and consequently wants him to show proof of his affection. /The best time to buy a baby-dog is when itis between 6-8 weeks old /so that it can transfer its affection from its mother to its master. /If baby-dogs have not established a relationship with the human being /until they are over 3 months old, /their strong relationship will always be with dogs. / (156 words)_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 8Why Do We Cry?Why do we cry? /Can you imagine life without tears? /Not only do tears keep your eyes lubricated, /they also contain a substance that kills certain bacteria so they cannot infect your eyes. /Give up tears, and you will lose this on-the-spot defense. /Nobody wants to give up the flood of extra tears you produce /when you get something physical or chemical in your eyes. /Tears are very good at washing this irrit ating stuff out. /Another thing you couldn’t do without your tears is cry from joy, anger or sadness. /Humans are the only animals that produce tears in response to emotions, /and most people say a good cry makes them feel better. /Many scientists, therefore, believe that crying somehow helps us cope with emotional situations. /It may be that tears discharge certain chemicals from your body, /chemicals that build up during stress. /What do you think will happen to people who restrain their tears? / (155 words)_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 10The MarsScience fiction writers have often imagined humans going to live on the Mars. /But these days, scientists are taking the idea seriously. /It has a great deal to recommend it, /since it might solve the problem of overcrowding on the earth. /But obviously, it would not be worth making the effort /unless people could live there naturally. /If the atmosphere were like that of the earth, /this might be possible. /Apartfrom that, there are other problems to overcome. /For example, the temperature would have to be raised from 6 degrees below zero to 15 degrees above it. /Scientists who study Mars have laid down the program that they can follow. /To begin with, they will have to find out /whether life has ever existed on the planet of Mars in the past. /Secondly, they will have to make a reliable map of its surface. /And finally, they will have to make a list of the gases on Mars. / (159 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 11SharksTo most of us sharks are the most dangerous fish in the sea and they attack humans. /However, according to Doctor Clark, who has studied the behavior of sharks for 12 years, /humans are not normally on the shark’s menu. /She also found that sharks don’t eat as much as people think. /For instance, a 9-year-old shark only needs two pounds of food a day to keep healthy. /But she says, sharks sometimes starve /and at other times they fill themselves with what they have killed. /Around the world, there are only about one hundred shark attacks on humans each year, /ten of which proved fatal. /If you went underwater-fishing and saw a shark, /you could be in trouble. /The shark might go for the injured fish you have attacked /and take a bite of you at the same time. /If you go into a shark’s territory and threaten it, /it might try to bite you because sharks are territorial. / (160 words)_____________________________________________________________________Passage 12Waterways in the USIn the early 19th century, waterways in the middle of the United States /providedNorth America the most popular form of long distance transport. /Travel by river was often more convenient than taking a wagon over country roads, /especially when shipping heavy loads of farm products or household goods. /When the natural waterways were not adequate, /shallow canals were built. /The Erie Canal, opened in 1825, /connected the Great Lakes with the upper Hudson River. /It allowed residents in the Great Lakes region /to send their crops eastward to New York City at a much lower cost. /The construction of the Erie Canal also encouraged people to move westward. /The city of Detroit and Chicago became flourishing cities. /By the mid 1800, faster and cheaper railroads became more popular /and the canal system declined. /During the first third of the century, however, /transport on the rivers, lakes and canals aided greatly in the growth of the United States. /(158 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 13The English LanguageEnglish is increasingly significant in the globalization of the world. /Generally, English is the most important linguistic vehicle in all the human activities carried out worldwide. /These activities include application of science and technology /in medicine, transport, entertainment and information technology /and all the other fields related to human life. /Science and technology cannot do without languages, /which are symbolic systems though not the only ones. /In a world where there are global human enterprises, /a language that is widely understood, /and that can be used across the boundaries of different countries, is a necessity. /English has been extensively used for the purposes of exchanging information. /No matter whether English is more suited to be used as an international language or not, /it is really suited to a great variety of scientific and technological purposes. /It has a very large vocabulary /and all sorts of ways of extending its vocabulary that is already much ample to meet changing needs. /(159 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 14GlobalizationPeople around the globe are more connected to each other than ever before. /“The Era of Globalization” is fast becoming the preferred term for describing the current times. /Globalization is a process of interaction and integration /among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, /a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. /This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, /on economic development and prosperity, /and on human physical well-being in societies around the world.Policy and technological developments of the past few decades /have spurred increases in cross-border trade, investment, and migration so large that / many observers believe the world has entered a qualitatively new phase in its economic development.Technology has been the other principal driver of globalization. /Advances in information technology, in particular, have dramatically transformed economic life. /Information technologies have given consumers, investors and businesses /valuable new tools for identifying and pursuing economic opportunities. /(158 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 17British Pub CultureVisitors to Britain may find the best place to sample local culture is in a traditional pub. / Most pubs have no waiters / --you have to go to the bar to buy drinks. / This may sound inconvenient, / but there is a hidden purpose. / Pub culture is designed to promote sociability in a society known for its reserve. / Standing at the bar for service / allows you to chat with others waiting to be served. / The bar counteris possibly the only site in the British Isles / in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered really quite normal behavior. / The trouble is that if you do not follow the local rules, / the experience may fall flat. / For example, if you are in a big group, / it is best if only one or two people go to buy the drinks. / Nothing irritates the regular customers while they chat about what to order.（163 words）_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 18 CoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, / commonly called coffee beans. / Due to its caffeine content, / coffee has a stimulating effect in humans. / Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. /Coffee was first consumed in the ninth century, / when it was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia. / Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout history. / In Africa, it was used in religious ceremonies. /Coffee is an important export commodity. / In 2004, coffee was the top agricultural export for 12 countries, / and in 2005, it was the world's seventh largest legal agricultural export by value. /Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. / Many studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions. / Whether the overall effects of coffee are positive or negative is still disputed. （159 words）_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 19Buses in LondonThe London Bus is one of London's principal icons. / Although the Routemaster has now been largely phased out of service, / with only two heritage routes still using the vehicles,/ the majority of buses in London are still red / and therefore the red bus remains an iconic symbol of the city./In Britain bus-type vehicles used for long distances / or where it is not possible to get on at any stop / and buy a ticket are always called coaches rather than buses. / Buses have been used on the streets of London since 1829, / and in 1855 the London General Omnibus Company or LGOC was founded / to regulate the horse-drawn omnibus services then operating in London. / LGOC began using motor omnibuses in 1902, / and manufactured them itself from 1909./ The last LGOC horse-drawn bus ran on 25 October 1911, / although independent operators used them until 1914. (155 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 20American FoodMany meals in America are arranged around popular television shows. / People like to eat in front of the TV, / and they sit in a chair or on a sofa. / Cooking in the USA is not just hamburgers, pizza and fast food. / However, the American fast food restaurant chains / have been very successful at introducing American-style fast food around the world. / Now people from many lands believe / it is what everyone eats all the time in the USA. /Most traditional American foods were introduced by the early European immigrants / but modified to take advantage of the locally available ingredients. / Fried chicken, meatloaf, baked potato, corn, baked beans and apple pie / would be considered traditional American dishes. /Regional cooking varies from state to state / and is highly influenced by the types of ingredients locally available, / as well as the cultural background of the people that settled in the area. / (165 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 21New YorkThe City of New York has been the most populous city in the United States since 1790, / while the New York metropolitan area / ranks among the most populous urban areas in the world. / A leading global city, / it exerts a powerful influence over worldwide finance, culture, fashion and entertainment. / As host of United Nations headquarters, / New York is also an important center for international affairs./ The city's estimated population exceeds 8.2 million people / living in just under 305 square miles,/ making New York City the most densely populated major city. / New York is notable among American cities for its high use of mass transit, / much of which runs 24 hours, / and for the overall density and diversity of its population. / The city is sometimes referred to as "The City that Never Sleeps", / while other nicknames include Gotham and the Big Apple. /(153 words)_____________________________________________________________________Passage 22Public SchoolPublic-school education is the most common form of education in the United States / and is provided mainly by local governments, / with control and funding coming from three levels: / federal, state, and local./ Curricula, funding, teaching, and other policies are set / through locally elected school boards by jurisdiction over school districts. / The school districts are special-purpose districts / authorized by provisions of state law. / Generally, state governments can and do set minimum standards / relating to almost all activities of primary and secondary schools, / as well as funding and authorization to enact local school taxes to support the schools. / The federal government funds aid to states and school districts / that meet minimum federal standards. / The first tax-supported public school in America was inMassachusetts. / The vast majority of adults born in the U.S. have attended a U.S. public school. / (149 words)_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 24French FriesFrench fries, or french-fried potatoes are thin strips of potato / that have been deep-fried. / They are popular in many countries / and go by many names in various languages. / A distinction is sometimes made between fries and chips. / North Americans often refer to any elongated pieces of fried potatoes as fries, / while in other parts of the world, / long slices of potatoes are sometimes called fries to contrast them with the thickly cut strips, / which are often referred to as chips. / French fries can contain a large amount of fat or oils from frying. / Some researchers have suggested / that the high temperatures used for frying such dishes may have results harmful to health. / In the United States about ¼ of vegetables consumed are prepared as French fries / and are proposed to contribute to widespread obesity. / Many restaurants now advertise their use of unsaturated oils. / (158 words) Passage 25MoneyMoney is anything that is generally accepted as payment / for goods and services and repayment of debts./ The main uses of money are as a medium of exchange, / a unit of account, and a store of value. / Some authors explicitly require money to be a standard of deferred payment. / The dominant form of money is currency. / The term "price system" is sometimes used / to refer to methods using commodity valuation or money accounting systems. /Money is used as an intermediary for trade, / in order to avoid the inefficiencies of a barter system, / which are sometimes referred to as the 'double coincidence ofwants problem'. / Such usage is termed a medium of exchange. / In economics, money is a broad term that refers to any financial instrument / that can fulfill the functions of money. / Modern monetary focuses on the liquidity of the financial instrument used as money. / (158 words)_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 26NewspapersA newspaper is a publication containing news, information, and advertising. / General-interest newspapers often feature articles / on political events, crime, business, entertainment, society and sports. / Most traditional papers also feature an editorial page / containing columns that express the personal opinions of writers./ Supplementary sections may contain advertising, comics, and coupons./ Newspapers are most often published on a daily or weekly basis, / and they usually focus on one particular geographic area where most of their readers live. / Despite recent setbacks in circulation and profits, / newspapers are still the most iconic outlet for news and other types of written journalism. /By the late 1990s，the Internet posed an ongoing challenge / to the business model of most newspapers in developed countries. / Many newspapers around the world launched online editions / in an attempt to follow or stay ahead of their audience. / However, in the rest of the world, newspapers continue to grow. / (160 words)_____________________________________________________________________Passage 27The History of TeaAfter water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world. / The Chinese have consumed tea for thousands of years. / People of the Han Dynasty used tea as medicine. / China is considered to have the earliest records of tea consumption, / with records dating back to the 10th century BC. / Legend has it that master Lao Zi was saddened by society's moral decay and, / sensing that the end of the dynasty was near, / he journeyed westward to the unsettled territories, / never to be seen again./ While passing along the nation's border, / he encountered and was offered tea by a customs inspector, / who encouraged him to compile his teachings into a single book / so that future generations might benefit from his wisdom. / This then became known as the Dao De Jing, a collection of Laozi's sayings. / A national custom of offering tea to guests began in China. / (158 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 28ChristmasEvery year after Thanksgiving, / most people’s thoughts turn to Christmas. / It is the time when professing Christians are supposed to focus on Jesus Christ. / It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus. / There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world. / But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion. / Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards / are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the world. / And the Christmas has become popular /when Christmas cards appeared in 1846 / and the concept of a jolly Santa Claus was first made popular in nineteenth Century. / Christmas is thought by most to be a wonderful time, / focusing the participants on /giving, family togetherness, beautiful music and decorations, / feasting on special foods and singing Christmas carols throughout the neighborhood. / (150 words)Passage 29For years, students were assured that with a college degree in hand / they could acquire an excellent job. / In recent years, however, several developments / havesignaled the onset of a change / in the supply-demand relationship in the services of higher education. / Teachers with terminal degrees far outnumber / the available teaching positions in many disciplines. / The chairman of a science department today / may receive three to four hundred applications / for a position that once attracted only half a dozen. / Administrations of colleges and universities must be prepared / to enter into competition with all other suppliers of products and services. / Today’s students are in touch with the reality of the world, / and they realize that while a degree may obtain the first job for them, / keeping the job and advancing depend upon the education behind the degree. (148 words)_____________________________________________________________________ Passage 33Credit Card SecurityCredit card security relies on the physical security of the plastic card / as well as the privacy of the credit card number. / Therefore, whenever a person other than the card owner / has access to the card or its number, / security is potentially compromised. / Once, merchants would often accept credit card numbers / without additional verification for mail order purchases. / It's now common practice to only ship to confirmed addresses / as a security measure to minimize fraudulent purchases. / Some merchants will accept a credit card number for in-store purchases, / but many require the card itself to be present, / and require a signature. / A lost or stolen card can be cancelled, / and if this is done quickly, / will greatly limit the fraud that can take place in this way. / (141 words)____________________________________________________________________ Passage 34Independent FilmmakingFilmmaking also takes place outside of the mainstream / and is commonly called independent filmmaking. / Since the introduction of DV technology, / the means ofproduction have become more democratized./ Filmmakers can conceivably shoot and edit a film, / create and edit the sound and music, / and mix the final cut on a home computer. / However, while the means of production may be democratized, / financing, distribution, and marketing remain difficult to accomplish outside the traditional system. / Most independent filmmakers rely on film festivals / to get their films noticed and sold for distribution. / However, the Internet has allowed for relatively inexpensive distribution of independent films; / many filmmakers post their films online for critique and recognition./ Although there is little profitability in this, / a filmmaker can still gain exposure via the web. (139 words)____________________________________________________________________。

专四dictation评分标准Dictation作为英语考试中的一项重要环节，对于学生的英语听力水平有着至关重要的作用。

为了更好地评估学生的英语听力能力，专四考试对dictation的评分标准进行了明确规定。

本文将对专四dictation评分标准进行详细介绍。

一、听力技能Dictation的主要目的是测试学生的英语听力技能，因此听力技能是dictation评分的重要指标之一。

在评分过程中，会根据学生的听力技能水平进行评估，包括：1.听力范围：评估学生能否听懂dictation中的所有单词和句子。

2.听力准确度：评估学生能否准确听懂dictation中的单词和句子，是否有听错或漏听的情况。

3.听力理解力：评估学生能否理解dictation中的单词和句子的意思，是否能够根据dictation内容回答相关问题。

二、拼写技能Dictation评分中还会对学生的拼写技能进行评估。

因为dictation的主要要求是学生将听到的单词和句子正确拼写出来，所以拼写技能是dictation评分的另一重要指标。

在评分过程中，会根据学生的拼写准确度和规范性进行评估。

三、语法和语音除了听力技能和拼写技能外，dictation评分还会对学生的语法和语音进行评估。

在dictation中，学生需要准确使用英语语法，包括动词时态、单复数、语态等。

同时，学生还需要准确使用英语语音，包括发音、重音、语调等。

在评分过程中，会根据学生的语法和语音水平进行评估。

四、总分dictation评分的总分为100分，其中听力技能占60分，拼写技能占20分，语法和语音各占10分。

学生需要在dictation中表现出较高的英语听力水平和拼写水平，同时还需要准确使用英语语法和语音。

只有在这些方面都表现优秀，才能获得较高的dictation分数。

综上所述，dictation评分标准涉及到多个方面，包括听力技能、拼写技能、语法和语音等。

学生需要在dictation中全面表现出自己的英语水平，才能获得较高的分数。

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 months2.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 a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, manygirls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, 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.Useful Words and Expressions:1. life-pattern生活方式2. share3.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 andsometimes 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 hewants 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 eachother 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 other attractive 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。

2023年英语专四dictationThe Dictation section of the TEM-4 exam is a crucial component that tests the examinee's proficiency in both listening and writing skills. With the ever-evolving nature of the English language, it's important to prepare for this section with a focused and strategic approach. Here are some key strategies to help you excel in the 2023 TEM-4 Dictation.**1. Understanding the Format**Familiarize yourself with the format of the dictation section. Typically, it consists of a passage read aloud by a native speaker, followed by a gap of about 15 seconds for the examinee to write down the passage. The passage is usually between 100 and 150 words long and covers a variety of topics, including narratives, descriptive texts, or arguments.**2. Practice Makes Perfect**Regular practice is essential to improve your dictation skills. Start by listening to native speakers, whether it's through podcasts, news broadcasts, or movies. This willhelp you familiarize yourself with different speaking speeds, accents, and pronunciation patterns. Additionally, transcribing these recordings will help you improve your writing speed and accuracy.**3. Active Listening**Dictation requires active listening skills. As you listen to the passage, focus on understanding the main ideas and key details. Try to identify the topic sentence, key vocabulary, and any transitional words or phrases that connect ideas. This will help you organize your writing and ensure that you capture the essence of the passage.**4. Speed and Accuracy**In dictation, speed and accuracy are crucial. Practice transcribing passages at a speed that challenges you but is not too fast to understand. As you improve, gradually increase the speed. However, accuracy should always be your priority. It's better to miss a few words than to write down incorrect information.**5. Organizing Your Notes**Organizing your notes during dictation is essential. Try to write down keywords or phrases instead of complete sentences. This will help you save time and ensure that you capture the most important information. Additionally, use abbreviations or shorthand notations where possible to speed up your writing.**6. Review and Edit**After completing the dictation, take a moment to review and edit your work. Check for any spelling or grammatical errors and ensure that your transcription accurately reflects the content of the passage. If possible, compare your transcription with the original text to identify any areas where you need to improve.**7. Stay Calm and Confident**On the day of the exam, stay calm and confident. Remember that you have practiced and prepared for this section, so trust your skills and abilities. If you encounter any difficulties, don't panic. Focus on what you can control and do your best to complete the task.In conclusion, the Dictation section of the 2023 TEM-4 exam requires a combination of listening, writing, and organizational skills. By understanding the format, practicing regularly, actively listening, prioritizing speed and accuracy, organizing your notes, reviewing and editing your work, and staying calm and confident, you can successfully master this section and achieve your desired results.**2023年英语专业四级听写技能提升**2023年英语专业四级（TEM-4）考试中的听写部分，是检验考生听力和写作能力的重要环节。

Travel for WorkYou can see them in every airport in the world. They are businessmen and women who have to travel for their work.When they first applied for the job, they may have thought of good food and hotels, huge expense accounts and fashionable cities. Now they have to sit in airport lounges, tired and uncomfortable in their smart clothes, listening to the loudspeaker announce “The fight of Tokyo, or Berlin, or New York is delayed for another two hours.” Some people say to me, “How lucky you are to be able to travel abroad in your work! You can go sightseeing without paying any money by yourself!” They think that my job is like a continual holiday. It is not.There are advantages, of course, and I do thin I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist.IntelligenceAre some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience?Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the limits of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence.A Free Dress Every WeekThe temptation to steal is greater than ever before especially in large shops and people are not so honest as they once were.A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible. The woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the shop assistant was her daughter. Believe it or not, the girl “gave” her mother a free dress every week!TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or even kill time. Common questions in American English reveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Do you have any time?”, “Can you get some time for this?”, “How much free time do you have?” The treatment of time as a possession influences the way that time is carefully divided.Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. In businesses, the careful scheduling of time and the separation of activities are common practices. Appointment calendars are printed with 15-,30-, and 60-minute time slots. The idea that “there is a time and place for everything” extends to American social life. Visitorswho drop by without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before visiting them is generally preferred to visitors’ dropping by.Useful words and expressions:1.tangible 切实的2.kill time 消磨时间3.reveal 显示，揭示4.scheduling 行程安排5.slot 缝隙6.drop by 随便访问7.preferred 首选的CartoonistsIn a good cartoon, the artist can tell in a few lines as much as a writer can tell in half a dozen paragraphs. The cartoonist not only tells a story but he also tries to persuade the reader to his way of thinking. He has great influence on public opinion. In a political campaign, he plays an important part. Controversial issues in Congress or at meetings of the United Nations may keep the cartoonist well-supplied with current materials.A clever cartoonist may cause laughter because he often uses humor in his drawings. If he is sketching a famous person, he takes a prominent feature and exaggerates it. Cartoonists, for instance, like to lengthen an already long nose and to widen an already broad grin. This exaggeration of a person’s characteristics is called caricature. The artist uses such exaggeration to put his message across.Useful Words and Expressions:1.cartoonist 漫画家2.campaign 活动3.controversial 争论的，争议的4.sketch 素描5.prominent 卓越的6.exaggerate 夸张7.lengthen 延长8.grin 露齿笑Water PollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time.Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrial wasters into rivers every day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water is becoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has also happened to our seas and oceans. So, the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide.Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps one day the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean water. That day, we believe, is not very far off.Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have brought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right.Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt you may have. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner so you can complain direct. In a chain store, ask the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the complaint later. If you do not want to do it in person, write a letter. Stick to the facts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article.Where Do the British LiveNearly everyone in Britain would like to own their own home and, whether they do or not, they are prepared to put time and money into decorating and furnishing it or even making structural alterations to it. Because of the climate and because of the expense involved in going out for the evening, the British spend a lot of time at home and a large part of their social life takes place there.Young people tend to stay with their families longer these days as accommodation is expensive but, when they move away to a job or college, there are various options open to them. They can get lodgings with a landlady. This means that they rent a room in someone’s house and have breakfast with the family. They can also get a bed-sitting room, that is to say one self-contained room in which they can cook, live and sleep. Alternatively, they can share a rented flat or house with a group of young people, perhaps the most popular option of all.Useful Words and Expressions:1.lodging 寄宿处2.bedsit 卧室兼起居室3.bed-sitting 卧室兼起居室的4.self-contained 设备齐全的Will Computers Replace Human Beings?We are in the computer age today. The computers are working all kinds of wonders now. They are very useful in automatic control and data processing. At the same time, computers are finding their way into the home. They seem to be so clever and can solve such complicated problems that some people think sooner or later they will replace us.But I do not think that there is such a possibility. My reason is very simple: computers are machines, not humans. And our tasks are far too various and complicated for any one single kind of machine to perform.Probably the greatest difference between man and computer is that the former can do things of his own while the latter can do nothing without being programmed. In my opinion, computers will remain nothing but an extension of our human brains, no matter how clever and complicated they may become.SoccerSoccer has had a slow start in America. In fact, the majority of schools still have no official soccer teams or coaches. But the blossoming popularity of the game cannot be denied. Thanks to the efforts of some world-famous soccer stars, soccer is soon to have its place in American culture.Although soccer has enjoyed decades of popularity elsewhere, it was literally ignored in America. Instead, a variation of the game called “football” was most popular in the U.S. and still is to this day. But the obvious advantages of playing soccer instead will soon win even the most avid football enthusiasts.For one thing, soccer is a much safer game to play than football. No one deliberately tries to knock an opponent down in soccer. In fact, they players are discouraged from even touching each other.Soccer is a game that requires skill and dexterity in controlling the ball. Since no one may use hands to do this, soccer players soon acquire incredible control of their heads, knees, and feet.Useful Words and Expresisons:1.slow start 缓慢起动2.blossom 兴旺，发展3.ignore 忽视4.avid 渴望的5.discourage from 劝阻6.dexterity 灵巧，机敏ArtistsEvery artist knows in his heart that he is saying something to the public. Not only does he want to say it well, but he wants it to be something which has not been said before.What visual artists, like painters, want to say is easy to make out but difficult to explain, because painters translate their experiences into shapes and colors, not words. They seem to feel that a certain selection of shapes and colors, out of the countless billions of possible, is exceptionally interesting for them and worth showing to us.Most artists take their shapes and colors from the world of nature and from human bodies in motion and response; their choices indicate that these aspects of the world are worth looking at, that they contain beautiful sights. Contemporary artists might say that they merely choose subjects that provide an interesting pattern, that there is nothing more in it. Yet even they do not choose entirely without reference to the character of their subjects.Useful words and Expressions:1.visual artist 视觉艺术家2.selection 挑选，选择3.exceptional 例外的，异常的4.motion 运动，动作5.indicate显示，象征6.contemporary 当代的，同时代的without reference to 不论，与……无关Professioanl Sports in the U.S.Professional sports are not only very popular in the United States, but also a big business. The most popular sports are baseball, football and basketball. Each sport has its own season and individual teams have millions of supporters. Professional teams are named for the cities where they are located. For example, the Lakers are in Los Angeles. The strongest supporters of the Lakers are residents of Los Angeles and Southern California. When the Lakers play, many people in Los Angeles enthusiastically follow the game. When we mention “NBA”, almost every one knows it ahs some relationship with U.S. professional basketball. However, what does it reallystand for? N.B.A is gaining new fans and supporters around the world. Basketball has been called the “national pastime”. However, football is the most popular professional sport in the U.S.. American football is different from international football, which Americans call “soccer”. Both games require strength and specialized skills.Useful Words and Expressions:1.be named for 被指定为2.be short for 是……的简称3.stand for代表“How to” BooksBooks which give instructions on how to do things are popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “how to” books are available. In fact, there are about for thousand books with titles that begin with the words “how to’.Many “how to” books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. Many of these books help people to use their free time better. Some people want book which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travel. Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like plumbing and electrical wiring or on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.Why have “how to”books become so popular? Probably because life has become more complex. Today people have far more free to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve, “how to” books help people to deal with modern life.Useful words and Expressions:1.step-by-step 按部就班的2.redecorate 重新装饰，再装饰plex 复杂的，综合的Don’t give upIf we would ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must persevere. If we would learn our lessons in school, we must be diligent and not give up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do to us if we will preserve and learn them thoroughly.But there are some among us who are ready to give up when they come to a hard example in mathematics, and say, “I can’t do this.”They never will if they feel so. “I can’t”never does anything worthwhile, but “I’ll try” accomplishes wonders.Let us remember that we shall meet with difficulties all through life. They are in the pathway of everyone. If we will only try and keep trying, we shall be sure to conquer and overcome very difficulty we meet.How High Can You Jump?Fleas trainers have observed a strange habit of fleas while training them.Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the cardboard box over and over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box.They will not jump out because they cannot jump out. Why? The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that is all they can do!Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing al they can do. Useful Words and Expressions:1.cardboard 纸板2.lid 盖子3.conditioned 有条件的，习惯于……的4.restrict 限制，约束be restricted within narrow limits 限于狭窄的范围内be restricted in one’s movements 行动受限制Apology HelpsIt is never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you have judged roughly, you said unkind things, and pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the occasions when you indicated clearly and truly that you were so sorry. A bit frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is disturbed; and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and regret expressed.A heartfelt apology can not only heal a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or judged too roughly, or just neglected, do something about it right now.Useful Words and Expressions:1.push ahead 捉紧进行2.at the expense of 在损害……的情况下3.mysterious神秘的4.moral 道德的5.disturbed 扰乱的6.stay out of 不参与……，置身于……之外7.heartfelt 衷心的，真心真意的8.roughly粗糙地，概略地SleepWhy is it so difficult to fall asleep when you are overtired? There is no one answer that applies to every individual. It is possible to feel “tired” physically and still be unable to fall asleep, because while your body may be exhausted, you do not feel sleepy. It is not so easy to simply “turn off”.Lack of sleep complicates matters even more. Experts say adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. When you get less sleep than that on consecutive three nights, you begin to accrue four “sleep debt”. As sleep debt increases your body experiences a stress response. Now a vicious cycle has been created: You experience the feeling of being more and more tired, but your body is increasingly stimulated. “Power sleeping”for more hours on weekends is only a temporary solution. There is no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.1.overtire 使过度疲劳2.apply to 将……应用于3.consecutive 连续的，连贯的4.accrue 自然增加，产生5.vicious恶的vicious cycle 恶性循环6.stimulate 刺激，激励7.substitute for 代替……，替换……Our ConcernThe history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings. To a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Only in the present century has one species of man acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.The rapidity of change follows the pace of man rather than the pace of nature. Radiation is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals are the creations of man’s inventive mind, having no counterparts in nature.We have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals into the hands of persons largely ignorant of their potentials for harm. We have subjected enormous numbers of people to contact with these enormous numbers of people to contact with these poisons, without their consent and often without their knowledge. We have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or no advance investigation of their effect. Future generations are unlikely to forgive our lack of concern.Useful Words and Expressions:1.interaction 交互作用，交感2.vegetation 植被3.mold 塑造，浇铸4.species 种类5.unnatural 不自然的6.temper with 损害，影响7.counterpart 配对物8.poisonous 有毒的9.potent 有力的，有效的10.consent 同意，赞成Gardening in AmericaBelieve or not, 43,000,000 Americans are gardening. That is about one in six. Gardeners, of course, come in many varieties. Not surprisingly, most of them are people who live in the suburbs, and enjoy planting flowers, or maybe a small vegetables garden.The average age of gardeners in America is about 45 years old; they usually fall somewhere in the middle class. But the fastest growing groups are city dwellers. Urban residents are finding ways of gardening even in their crowded areas. Many go to large public gardens, as a place designed by the city for garden, and you can actually ranch your own plot.Still other people use their balconies or roof tops, wherever they can find the space to plant small patches of green.1.suburb 郊区2.dweller 居民3.ranch 经营牧场4.balcony 阳台5.patch小块地The Influence of LifeIn the early times when human beings hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as the other lower animals did.When they learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel, they cut down trees. They also burned clearings in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that human beings fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as setting up families, forming societies and founding cities.Useful words and Expressions:1.interact with 与……组合2.clearing 空旷地3.grazing 放牧，牧草4.domestication 驯养，驯服5.previously 先前，以前6.inedible 不能吃的，不适于食用的7.pursuit 追击8.set up 设立AutomobilesIt is impossible to say that any one man invented the automobile. Many individuals living and working in different countries and at different times contributed to its development. Many of the discoveries that went into the creation of the automobile were small in themselves. But together they were important. Here are two examples.“Carriage is running at a speed of 8 to 9 miles an hour.” It was almost unheard of in those days. According to automobile historians, this was the first practical use of mechanical power to move a vehicle. After its first run, the machine reportedly burned up while the inventor and his friends were celebrating its success at a pub.Henry Ford is considered the father of modern automobiles mass production. His famous Model-T car, because of its low price, made it possible to produce cars on a large scale and his efforts made it accessible to ordinary people.Useful words and expressions:1.reportedly 据传说，据传闻2.mass production大规模生产3.on a large scale 大规模地4.accessible 易接近的，可到达的accessible to 与……接近House and Home“House” and “home” are two words that have similar meanings.“House” and “home” both refer to places where people live. However, there is a difference between them. “Home” is often referred to as the place that we live in with our families. Sadly, in our society, people can hardly distinguish a home from a house because they often see no difference between them. This confusion can be traced back to the indifference between family members. Therefore, we can say that love is an important factor in a home. A home is a shelter, not only for our bodies but also for our minds. Whenever we are depressed, we can go home for comfort. Everyone in the family will do his best to take care of each other and share their happiness as well as sorrow. Without love, a home is merely a house where loneliness is all that can be found. And a house can never be a home unless there is love.Useful words and expressions:1.refer to 提到2.distinguish区别，辨别3.confusion 混乱，混淆4.trace back 追溯到5.indifference 不关心6.。

英语专四听力dictation提高篇英语专四听力dictation提高篇英语专四听力dictation是英语专四考试第一项听写，考试时间十分钟分值为10分。

很多考生对这部分题感到不好得分，其实平时的写作练习对于此部分也是有所帮助，以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的`英语专四听力dictation提高篇，希望对正在关注的您有所帮助!part 1Education in China today has been developing rapidly./ In many provinces, it is compulsory and free. /Most children start school at the age of six. /They attend 5 years of elementary school /and 6 years of high school. /After graduation from high school, /a student can start his higher education in a two-year college, a four-year college, a university, or a specialized professional school. / Most colleges admit students on the basis of their entrance examination records. /The cost of a college education is not very high. /And the greater part of it is met by their families, / though students can get support from their college. / Many students receive scholarships from the school, / the government, or private foundations and organizations. /Though great progress has been made in China in the field of education, /there is still a comparatively large part of the population in the country who cannot read and write.part 2DreamsDreams are a product of the sleeper's mind. They include events and feelings that he has experienced. Most dreams are related to events of the day before the dream and the strong wishes of the dreamer. Many minor incidents of the hours beforesleep appear in dreams. Few events more than two days old turn up. Deep wishes or fears, especially those held since childhood, often appear in dreams, and many dreams fulfill such wishes. Events in the sleeper's surroundings, a loud noise, for example, may become part of a dream, but they do not cause dreams.Some dreams involve deep feelings that a person may not realize he has. Psychiatrists often use material from a patient's dreams to help the person understand himself better. Dreaming may help maintain good learning ability, memory, and emotional adjustment.part 3EmotionsAccording to psychologists, an emotion is aroused when a man or animal views something as either bad or good. When a person feels like running away from something he thinks will hurt him, we call this emotion fear. If the person wants to remove the danger by attacking it, we call the emotion anger. The emotions of joy and love are aroused when we think something can help us. An emotion does not have to be created by something in the outside world. It can be created by a person's thoughts.Everyone has emotions, but many psychologists believe that infants are born without emotions. They believe children learn emotions just as they learn to read and write. A growing child not only learns his emotions but learns how to act in certain situations because of an emotion.part 4Re-employment of Laid-off WorkersThe issue of re-employment has emerged with large numbers of surplus labourers having been laid off. There is no doubt that it would lead to endless trouble if the surplus werenot reorganized properly. In order to maintain social stability and to secure people's normal living standards, it is essential to work out solutions to the problem.Solving the problem is a two-way operation as far as the government and workers are concerned. On the one hand, the government at all levels should try every possible means to create a wide range of employment options open to laid-off workers; on the other hand, these workers ought not to sit idle and wait for opportunities to come. So long as they don't lose heart and constantly strive to better themselves, their futures will be bright.。