英语专业四级Dictation听写50篇

专四听写50篇专四听写50 篇Dictation 1 Superstition 迷信（144 words）One person in four in Britain is, apparently, superstitious, / and they?ll do everything from hanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers, / touching wood and absolutely never walking under a ladder. / And they?re careful about cats. / Black cats are supposed to be the familiars of witches, / so if one is following you it?s definitely bad luck — a witch is after you! / On the other hand, if one crosses your path and continues / then it?s good luck because it hasn?t noticed you. / However, in some places the beliefs are different / — so it pays to know where your black cat comes from! /Old superstitions linger even in today?s modern world. / The author Philip Pullman drew on them / in his award winning novel “His Dark Materials”. / The novel, which appeals to both children and adults, / has been adapted for radio and also the theatre. /Dictation 2 Graduate Student 研究生（157 words）Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study. / They study to become experts in this field / and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A. or Ph.D. / Sometimes when they get an M.A. in one field they begin studying another field. / They hope that when they earn their graduate degrees / they will succeed in finding important jobs. / They hope to get jobs that are interesting and high paying. / The life of a graduate student is often difficult. / They are usually too busy studying to make a good living. / Often they have to pay high tuition fees for theireducation. / Some give up studying before they get their degrees. / But most keep on working at their studies until they graduate. / In today?s world, most graduate students don?t regret spending time with their studies. / They are finding that new developments are occurring in all fields. / For many graduate study has become a necessity. /Dictation 3 April Fool’s Day 愚人节（157 words）1st April is a day to be careful, or you could easily get tricked by someone. / It?s April Fool?s Day, a day when people traditionally like to try / to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them. / There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day, / but one explanation is connected with the change in the calendar in the 16th century, / which meant that 1st April was no longer the beginning of the year. / Those who still celebrated the New Year on 1st April were called fools. / So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool?s Day? / Well, there are lots of simple tricks / that you can play on your friends. / For example, you could wear a black sweater / and pull a piece of white thread through it, / so that people try topull it off. / You could change the time on someone?s alarm clock / so that they?re late for work. /Dictation 4 Living Online 网上生活（159 words）How do you meet new people, make new friends, or find out about the latest bands? / Here in the UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars, pubs and clubs. / However, there is a new generation growing up / that finds it easier to manage their social lives on the net, / using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces. / Welcome to the social networking website / —a place where you can present yourself to the digital community and meet other like-mindedpeople. /The most successful social networking website in the UK is /doc/9516999746.html. / As of July 2006, MySpace is the world?s fourth most popular English-language website, / attracting almost 3 million visitors per month. / MySpace claims to have 95 million members / with 500,000 new members joining the community each week. /So how has it become so successful? / Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. / Each new member can build their own page simply — uploading photos, videos and MP3 files. /Dictation 5 Mother’s Day 母亲节（160 words）Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? / Well, Mother?s Day is the time to show her. / It?s a chance to say …thank you?, or to tell your mum how much you love her. / In Britain, Mother?s Day, or Mothering Sunday, / falls on a different day each year, / because it takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. / But it is always in the early springtime, which seems appropriate, / as the season when new plants emerge, / and baby birds an d animals are born. / In the USA, Mother?s Day takes place a little later, in May, / and many other countries also celebrate their mothers on different days of the year. / It began many years ago, when children, / especially girls, as young as 10 would live and work away from home / as housemaids and other types of servant. / Mothering Sunday was a day when everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers. /Dictation 6 Online Shopping 网上购物（159 words）With only two weeks to go before Christmas, / buying presents is a high priority for a lot of people. / However, this yearnot so many people are leaving their homes to browse around the shops. / These days lots of people can do their shopping / in the comfort of their own home with the help of the internet. / Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons; / prices are often lower online, / you don?t have to queue up in busy shops / and you can buy almost any product imaginable / with just a few clicks of your mouse. / Computer trends are often male-dominated / but this year women areexpected to do more shopping on the internet than men. / It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience of online shopping than they used to be. /Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to ￡240 / compared to the slightly lower average of ￡233 for men. /Dictation 7 Reality TV 真实电视（155 words）The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV. / Reality TV means that shows follow and film ordinary people in an artificial situation. / This could be at work, or in some kind of competition. / One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother. / In this show, 15 complete strangers have to live together in a house for 11 weeks. / They are filmed 24 hours a day, / and shown on television. / Each week, the viewers vote to evict one of the housemates. / Finally, only one is left, / and they win the prize money! / The show was an instant hit, and runs in several countries. / The housemates often become stars as a result of the show, / and appear in national newspapers and on other shows. / Another very popular show is I?m a Celebrity —Get Me Out Of Here! / In this show, 10 celebrities have to complete tasks each week, such as eating insects. /Dictation 8 School 学校（160 words）September is traditionally the end of summer / and the beginning of autumn in the UK. / It is also the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays. / There are two types of school in England. / State-run schools are paid for by the government, so are free to attend. / Independent Schools are private, which means you have to pay to attend. / The school day usually starts at 9 in the morning and finishes around 4, / with breaks for lunch of course! / In many schools, you have to wear a uniform too. / Children start school when they are 5 years old. / This is called primary school, / and lasts until the child is 11 when he or she will go on to senior school. / Secondary school is compulsory from 11 until 16 years of age. / At 16, students take national examinations called GCSE?s. / After this, students can stay at school for another 2 years and take A Level examinations. /Dictation 9 The Modern Family 现代家庭（154 words）Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. / The two children take the bus to school, / and mother stays home cooking and cleaning / until father and the kids return home in the evening. / This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. / The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain. /The biggest change has been caused by divorce. / As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now end in divorce,/ leading to a situation where many children live with one parent / and only see the other at weekends or holidays. / There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work. / The large rise in divorces has meant / many women need to work to support themselves and their children. / Evenwhen there is no divorce, / many families need both parents to work in order to survive. /Dictation 10 Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节（146 words）On 25th September this year, people all over China / will be getting together to eat with their families,/ look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar./ However, the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China. / Here in the UK events are taking place for Chinese people living here, / and to teach the people of Britain more about this popular festival. / The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study / which showed that Chinese Londoners don?t engage much with the arts world. / As a result, …Moon walking In China? has been created to c elebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. / This is no normal theatre production though, / as it doesn?t take place in the theatre. / Theatre professionals and volunteers from the local community / will take audiences around the streets of Soho / on a magical lantern-lit walk / through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown. /Dictation 11 The Dragon 龙（160 words）When many people in the west think of China, / the animal that they think of is the dragon. / For them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. / Many popular legends tell of how dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens. / For Chinese people however, the dragon is not an evil monster. / It?s a cultural and spiritual symbol for prosperity and good luck. / The dragon?s m ain task is to create harmony and bring rain. / Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, / and of course the dragon dance is a very popular ritual. / Millions of Chinese have the word …long?, meaning dragon, as part of their name. / China isn?t the only country to have the dragon as itssymbol. / Wales, one of the four countries in the UK, / has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. / The only other country in the world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, / the tiny country between China and India. /Dictation 12 Rainy Britain 阴雨的英国（153 words）Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, / but many parts of the country this June / are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before. / Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks, / roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated / from their homes because of the floods. / The worst hit area seems to be the north of England. / There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain / or were washed away by the floodwaters. / Flood warnings have been issuedin many parts of the UK / and it is said that over a month?s worth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days. / The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain?s fam ous June events. / The Glastonbury festival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival / and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there, / this year was particularly bad. /Dictation 13 Christmas traditions 圣诞节传统（145 words）There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, / and some British people like to go on holiday, / go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. / But most people?s idea of a traditional Christmas / involves spending a few days with their family / — sometimes their extended family. /The day is the most exciting for the children. / They may have spent weeks or even months dreaming of the presents they want most. / Since the beginning of December, they may have opened their advent calendars, / finding a new festive picture, chocolate,or small gift, / to count down each day until 25th December. / On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings, / ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus. / Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, / as well as a carrot for those hungry reindeer. /Dictation 14 Olympic Slogan 奥运口号（140 words）Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. / “One World, One Dream” was finally selected / from more than 210,000 entries from around the world. / Beijing?s original bid to host the 2008 games / had a different slogan “New Beijing, Great Olympics”. / The o rganizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely / from the city of Beijing itself to the spirit of the Olympics /— unity, friendship amongst nations and progress. / It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan / captured the traditional Chinese values of peace and harmony. /The Olympics hasn?t always had a slogan attached to each host country. / In fact it wasn?t until 1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea / that the first slogan appeared. / “Harmony and Progress” was chosen / and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years. /Dictation 15 Sunbed 太阳床（159 words）In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, / there appears to be an ever increasing number of very tanned young people. / So just how are they achieving their golden tans? / Some are opting for the sun-free option / and are getting their tan from a bottle. / However, it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, / of which there are thousands in the UK. /While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, / inthe UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin. / So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? / Often, they are trying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers? wives. / Research from the British Sunbed Association suggests that / many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier. /This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. / They firmly state that being tanned is not a sign of health. /Dictation 16 Speechwriting 写演讲稿（143 words）The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, / with merit being given to speakers who are confident, articulate, / knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with conviction. / But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, / it is a speechwriter. / And one industry in which this practice is common is that of politics. / So what does it take to be a political speechwriter? /Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain, / a political speechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills, / be detail oriented and able to demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject. / They must also work closely with speakers / and be able to relate to their style. / Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent, / a natural creative instinct, / and that speechwriting is an art form. /Dictation 17 AWalk in the Park 在公园散步（141 words）Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health / —it can improve your mood / and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes. / So says research in the journal Environmental Health and Technology. / Exercise alone is knownto make you happier. / So is being in a natural setting. / So scientists wanted to see the effect of combining the two. / They evaluated 10 different UK studies involving more than 1,200 people. /Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening, / sailing and country walks, and rated their mood and self-esteem. / The research showed that both areas get a significant boost / with as little as five minutes of outdoor exercise. / And people with mental disorders benefited the most. / The study authors say this is the first study / to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect. /Dictation 18 Fast food Makes Us Less Patient 快餐使我们失去耐性（146 words）Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry, / and for some of us, drive-through dinner has become a way of life. / Granted, sometimes we grab something quick because we really don?t have time. / Butpsychologists got to wondering / whether all this speed eating might actually make us less patient. / In a series of experiments, the scientists showed volunteers logos / from several fast-food chains or asked them to recall the last time they?d visited. / And they found that folks wh o had thought about fast food would then read faster, / even though no one told them to hurry. / And they also expressed a preference for time-saving products, / like shampoo plus conditioner. / And they tended to opt for immediate rewards, / like getting a small cash payment right away / rather than waiting a week for a larger sum. / So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation. Try a slow cooker. /Dictation 19 Light All Night Not Alright 整夜开灯并非好事（159 words）A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed. / But it may also open the door to the blues. / If you have access to electricity, you no doubt switch on a lamp, / maybe even watch a little TV, after the sun goes down. / But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate our hormones / and of course our sleep cycles. / So what might these extra photons be doing to our health? /To find out, scientists housed mice in a room / where the lights were always on. / After three weeks, they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression, / more so than mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night. / Interestingly, mice who could escape the light by ducking into a dark tube / also escaped the worst of the depression. / So flip that light switch at your own risk. / Because the artificial brightness that helps keep us up could also bring us down. / Dictation 20 London 2012 Olympic Games 伦敦2012 奥运会（154 words）After a hard-fought campaign, / London has been awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. / The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities: / Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York. / Londoners can now look forward to the transformation of their city / in the same way as their counterparts in Beijing. / Indeed, there are many simi larities in the two cities? approach to hosting the games. / Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure / in order to cope with the demands of the event. /However, this kind of investment is far from cheap / —it is estimated that it will cost around $40 billion to prepare for the 2008 games, / much of which will be spent on transport links. / Nevertheless, the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous / — Barcelona, which hosted the 1992 games, / wascompletely regenerated and has since become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. /Dictation 21 Picnic 野餐（155 words）As summertime begins in Britain, people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat. / People love to havea picnic whenever the weat her is good enough, / especially people with children. / It?s a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. / Even in the centre of London, on a sunny day, / the parks are full of office workers eating their lunch outside on the grass. / That might be a pretty basic picnic / — a shop-bought sandwich and a bottle of water. /But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park, / they would probably pack a cool bag / with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches, snacks, cake, fruit and soft drinks. / They might have a picnic rug to sit on, and paper plates and cups. / University students enjoy having picnics, / and usually take along some kind of sports equipment, / such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch. /Dictation 22 Changing Name after Marriage 婚后改名（155 words）Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one?s life. / This is because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one?s life altogether. / Right from the wedding dres s to the house / that the couple will live after their wedding, / is decided with utmost care. / An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for the wedding / is to choose between one?s maiden name and spouse?s name. / Though traditionally, women are expected to change their name / from their maiden name to their husband?s name, / many women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, / mostly for professionalreasons. / Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband?s last name / and keep their maiden name as their second name. / Also, there are couples who make a new name with boththeir names, / by separating the names with a hyphen. /Dictation 23 The Compass 指南针（153 words）A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now, / and its utility in helping people find their way is undoubted. / Before technology gave us the privilege of GPS navigation systems, / the act of finding out where you are and which side is north / was carried out simply with the help of a compass. / We?ve all seen a compass at some point or the other, / and this has almost always led us to the question “How does a compass work?” / The ans wer to this question can be explained / through the concept of th e earth?s electromagnetism. / Simply speaking, a compass is basically a small magnet / that has a needle attached on one end. / The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin. / When the compass is held out steadily, / the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth, / and this causes it to point north. /Dictation 24 Ball Games 球类运动（157 words）Ball games have become an integral part of modern society. / They give us entertainment providing us a means to safely free ourselves from stress. / There are many different ball games that can do this for us. / Some people enjoy football, while others like basketball. / These two ball games are the most popular in China. / Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal, yet have not become popular. / The development of these games is interesting. / Basketball is one of the few sports with a knowndate of birth. / Football, or soccer, originally developed from traits found in both China and Europe. / It has grown to become the world?s most popular sport. / In Europe, football clubs have been established, / which in turn has been copied in the rest of the world. / These football clubs train players / who may later go play for their nations in the World Cup. / This is the most watched ballgame championship on the planet. /Dictation 25 Water Sports 水上运动（145 words）The history of man?s involvement with water sports / stretches back before history was written down. / It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement. / Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world / with nothing but the stars to guide them. / The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared, / for lurked unknown creatures and death by drowning. / Few actually ventured into the water. / As a sport, however, water sports such as swimming, diving, / and water polo are new comparatively to those on land. / Probably the oldest one is rowing in a rowboat. / This is seen in modern games such as competitions / between rowing clubs in British and American universities. / Olympic Water Sports began with swimming but did not end there. / The different kinds of water sports such as diving or water skiing came later. / Dictation 26 Famous Universities 名校（140 words）Many countries have excellent universities. / There are, however, few world famous ones. / These universities have achieved their fame / through a combination of both their age / and the high levels of quality in their instruction. / Throughout their histories, / each one has been a testing ground for the leadership of the nation. / In the United States, Harvard and Yale attract thousands of foreign students / who would use what theylearn for the advancement of their own nations. / In this way, these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication. / Graduates around the world are able to connect with each other / by having graduated from one of the finest universities in the world. / Leaders in every field, whether government officials or ground-breaking scientists, / who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other / and understand each other much better. /Dictation 27 Ideal Life 理想人生（157 words）The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue, yet few achieve. / The balance between dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome. / Many people choose a vocation in the hopes / that it would bring them wealth and success. / However, after years of labor in their chosen field, they begin to hate their jobs. / This is mainly because they have neglected other parts of their lives in search of this success. / These people devote their lives to working / and are unable to separate themselves from their work. / They find that it may not be enough. / Some have jobs where their principles and emotional health / are challenged by dishonesty or bad work environments. / These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which they work, / leading to personal or health problems. / This choice is not a permanent situation, however, / as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives. /Dictation 28 Reeducation and Employment 再教育和就业（160 words）During the course of our lives, we must make many choices that we may come to regret. / This is especially true when choosing a career. / Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding become dull or not worth it / as we live our daily existence. / Thisis where reeducation can help. / Occupational schools have been set up to train people in jobs / that they may be better suited for. / People can adapt their interests and talents through selected courses. / They can learn cooking skills, which are always in great demand. / Gardening is an option for those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb. / If a person is interested in motors or cars, they can get training as a mechanic. / Even more, the learning of a foreign language / would allow them the opening of a dream life. / The job qualification certificates they earn can also be used too enhance their resumes, / so that they are trained in a variety of skills. /Dictation 29 Made in China 中国制造（160 words）The label, Made in China, is one that is becoming increasing common / in shopping centers all over the world. / In the United States, shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation?s largest retailer / have a wide selection of products mostly produced in China. / The large amount of Chinese imports have created a large selection of goods in other countries / as people begin to buy more and more products made in China. / These goods are even readily available in other Asian nations, / where Chinese-made goods are quite popular. / Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known outside of China. / The development of China has amazed the world with its growth. / And also, as China is a developing economy with large amounts of labor, / industries are beginning to relocate in an effort to minimize costs and increase profits. / The results of these relocations are that / nations are beginning to try to limit the flow of Chinese goods / with the use of taxes and import restrictions. /Glaciers are formed in places where the temperatures are extremely cold. / This could even include places that are at sealevel, / but are mostly places that are high up on mountains. / In such cold places it snows most of the year. / This snow will settle down and when it snows again / the lower layer of snow gets compressed. / Every time it snows, the below layers will compress more, / finally turning into hard ice. / This ice is what forms the glacier. /When the temperature rises slightly, / the outer edges of the formed glacier and fresh snow will melt. / For a glacier to form and sustain itself it is of prime importance / that the amount of snow that falls on it must be more than the amount of glacier that has melted. / This is the only way in which the glacier will be able to maintain itself / and keep increasing in size year after year. /Dictation 31 Oxygen 氧气（157 words）Oxygen, that thing you breathe, / that essential gas that keeps the world going round / is really more important than you give it credit for. / Oxygen is what essentially and literally keeps you alive and keeps you going. / Consider this: people can survive for a few days without food and water, / but do you think a person can survive even a few minutes without oxygen? / No, the brain would die and the heart would stop pumping immediately. / This is how essential oxygen is to the human body. / It is used to convert fats and proteins from the food we consume into heat and energy / for the body and its normal functioning. / Oxygen is essential for the production of living cells / and for respiration of these cells as well. / Oxygen is also used in removing toxic waste from the body. / Quite simply put, the more the oxygen there is in the body, / the more energetic the body will be. / Dictation 32 Purpose of Society 社会的作用（156 words）One of the primary purposes of society / is the formation of。

英语专业四级听写50篇Passage 1Town and Country Life in EnglandThere is a big difference between town life and country life in England. In the country, everybody knows everybody else. They know what time you get up, what time you go to bed and what you have for dinner. If you want help, you will always get it and you will be glad to help others.In a large town like London, however, it can sometimes happen that you have never seen your next door neighbor（neighbour）,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 (what) is sorry for old people living on their own. They could die in their homes and would not be discovered for weeks or even months. (154 words)逗号该省。

Test for English majors grade 4 part I dictation100 Global warmingGlobal warming is the increase in the average temperature of the earth’s surface air and oceans. Climate change is any major change in measures of climate such as temperature, rainfall and wind. Scientists have debated about global warming for years. Many have different opinions about the extent to which greenhouse gases are responsible for it. An increase in global temperatures has led to other problems. Scientists have observed a rise in sea levels and a melting of ice in the earth’s polar areas. Scientists also believe that global warming is affecting endangered plants and animals, sea life, and seasonal activities of organisms.99 TornadoesA tornado is violently turning tube of air suspended from a thick cloud. It extends from a thunder storm in the sky down to the ground. The shape is like a funnel, wide at the top, narrower at the bottom. Tornadoes form when winds blowing in different directions meet in the clouds and begin to turn in circles. Warm air rising from below causes the wind tube to reach towards the ground. Because of their circular movement, these wind storms are also known as twisters. The most severe tornadoes can reach wind speeds of 320 km per h or more.98 US climateThe United States is one of the biggest countries in the world. It has all sorts of geography from deserts to beaches, mountains to flat lands. These conditions help create all sorts of weather: mild,轻徽的moderate中等的, and extreme. In the summer, some areas get very hot and the air is very wet. But others have dry air so the heat does not feel so bad. In the winter, parts of country get cold and snowy while others stay warm and sunny. Hurricanes are ocean storms that strike mainly in the southeast. Tornadoes 龙卷风are a risk across the country.Tropical cyclone热带气旋97 Earwax耳垢Experts say earwax protects and cleans the ear. It traps dirt and other matter and keeps insects out. Doctors think it might also help protect against infections. Earwax is normally expelled and it falls out the ear or gets washed away. But extra earwax can harden and form a blockage that interferes with sound waves and reduces hearing. People can also cause a blockage when they try to clean out their ears but only push the wax deeper inside. Earwax removal is sometimes is necessary. But you have to use a safe method or you could do a lot of damage.96 The coffee culture in AmericaIn America the number of specialty coffee shops has increased greatly over the years. It is hard to walk down the street without coming across a coffee shop. And chances are that coffee shop might be a Starbucks. The Starbucks Company has helped make coffee culture a popular part of people’s daily lives. Its stores se ll all kinds of coffee, food, music and books. But there is much more to making and enjoying coffee than Starbucks. In fact there are many smaller independent coffee shops. They usually have a strong and loyal following, although large companies like Starbucks have made business difficult for them.95 Currency in the UKThe currency in the UK is pound sterling英磅. It is the oldest currency in the world still in use. A pound consists of one hundred pence （便士penny的复数形式）. The word pence is often shortened to the letter P. These notes are usually issued in the name of bank of England. And the notes and coins are accepted throughout the UK. You may occasionally find some bank notes bearing the names of banks in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Although these are legal tender法定货币throughout the UK, some traders may refuse to accept them outside of the issuing country.94 HalloweenIt’s October 31 and across Britain and the USA thousands of children are dressing up as monsters, ghosts and witches and going to their neighbor’s houses to ask for sweets or to play tricks on them if they refuse. Many houses have lanterns made from pumpkins in their windows. These lanterns have frightening faces cutting into them. What’s the reason for all of this? It’s Halloween. To an outsiders, this may seem a strange festival. But it’s a very popular one and an important part of the culture in Britain and the USA.Zombie, skeleton, wizard, spook, spooky93 AdventureThe idea of adventure has always captured the imagination激起…的想象（力）；引人遐想, kindle. The idea that just over the next hill there will be excitement and mystery is a big part of what makes us human. This is just as true of ancient times as it is today. Famous explorers set out in small boats or journeyed across immerse oceans and deserts. More importantly they set out to test themselves against the force of nature in pursuit of knowledge. Many explorers today do the same thing. They are going to space in pursuit of the last frontier or seeking in the depth of science for new knowledge.Be true of 适合于，符合92 Sports medicine运动医学Sports medicine is the part of the medical profession that provides health care for people who take part in physical training or sports 体育训练/体育锻炼. The purpose is to reduce the chance of injury and to effectively treat injuries that do happen. Sports medicine doctors must understand general medicine. They must also understand sports training, and the athletes’ thoughts and feelings involved in that training. Sports medicine experts are deeply concerned about training. They do research to find better and safer methods of training athletes and design sports equipment and ways to use it to get the best effects.Attitudes, emotions, ideas, opinions91 ColdsColds are more common in winter but not because of low temperatures. People tend to congregate and be together. And the way the common cold virus is transmitted from one person to another is through hand-shakes, through sneezing or coughing on one another. There is still no cure for the common cold, but there are ways to feel better sooner. If get a cold and on day 1 you start taking about 2 grams of vitamin C a day, there is evidence that it might shorten the number of days that you will be suffering with these symptoms.90 Soap operasA soap opera is a serial 电视剧on television or radio where each episode links to the next episode. So you are always left at the end of one short episode, wondering what’s going to happen next. Soap opera is generally about neighbors, friends, family. There may be controversial subjects like drug-taking, or violence, divorce. So it would cover all the things that you could imagine possibly happening in people’s lives. The term soap opera comes from the 1950s when radio in America started advertising soap products and they devised little stories to sell these soap products and they called them soap operas.Advert/Ad/Ads89 CheerleadingCheerleaders are part of athletic competitions throughout America. They lead the crowd in cheering for the team it likes best. Most cheerleaders in the early years were men. But that changed during World War II when large numbers of young men left the country to fight. From that time on, more than 90% cheerleaders have been female. Today most American high schools include cheerleading among their student athletic activities. The cheerleaders must be in good physical condition. They must be able to jump high, turn circles in the air, and lift each other.88 A Scottish new yearIf you are invited to a Scottish home on New Year’s Eve, it’s important to know what to bring with you: a lump of coal一块煤, some shortbread (cookie, biscuit), and some whisky. The coal signifies warmth, so you are wishing that the people you visit will have enough heat in the coming year过上温暖的生活. The shortbread represents food, so you are hoping that the people will have enough to eat不愁吃. Whiskey was called the water of life by Scots. So it means you want the hosts to have enough to drink不愁喝.87 Adult educationMillions of people are enrolled in evening adult education programs across America. Community colleges have become popular and their enrollments have increased rapidly. Larger universities are offering more courses in the evenings for adult students. One reason for this is that many older people are changing their professions. Another reason is that repair costs have increased. Adults taking courses like electrical repair hope the high costs for repairs can be avoided. Advanced technology is the most important reason for the rise in adult education. Engineers, teachers, and businessmen have found that more education is needed to do their jobs well.86 Vocational education in the USThere is a long history of vocational education in the US. Dating back to colonial times, the government has supported programs to train skilled workers. It started out as a way to teach students to farm and work in industries. But as the American economy grew, so too has vocational training. Today vocational education is usually called career and technical education or CTE. Students in high schools 中学and trade schools中等职业学校can earn degrees in many areas including nursing, engineering, accounting, biotechnologies, web design and auto mechanics. Career and technical education is different from traditional school, because it is much more hands-on动手的; 实际操作的.85 Education for the blindAn American federal law approved in 1975 guarantees blind students a free public education. It requires that all States provide a free public education in the best environment to students who suffer mental or physical problems. To help blind students learn, schools are also required to provide special books published for the blind. Schools also provide services and equipment to help blind people learn. Children with sight problems can attend their local public schools with other students. They are also taught the same subjects as other students their age. But they also receive special life skills training.84 Working while studying in the U.S.International students are permitted to work for the college or university they attend or for a business at the school. But the business must directly provide a service to students. Also a foreign student can’t displace an American citizen in a job. Foreign students normally can’t take jobs that have no connection to the school. But government may give permission if students are suddenly faced with a situation that is out of their control. Examples include large medical bills, the loss of financial aid, or an unexpected changes in the financial condition of their source of support.83 On campus housing校内住宿Housing polies differ from school to school in American universities. Some schools have limited housing or none at all. Dormitory buildings might house a small number of students or many hundreds. Some dorms have suites套房. A suite has several bedrooms, a common area, and a bath room. Other dorms have rooms along a common hallway. Two, three, or four students might share a room. Male and female often live on different floors of the same building. Or they might live on the same floor, or in some cases even share a suite if permitted. But single-sex housing is usually also available.82 West pointWest point is a four year military school in New York State that educates future army officers. Students do not have to pay for their education, but they do have to agree to serve on active duty in the army for at least five years after they graduate. It is difficult to become a student at West point. Only about 15% of students who apply are accepted. They are nominated to the academy by federal or state lawmakers. The nominees must also satisfy the entrance requirements. These include excellent physical conditions and high marks in schools.Military school=military academy军事院校81 The international student exchange programThe international student exchange program or ISEP was started in 1979. ISEP is a group of colleges and universities around the world. They cooperate to provide international educational experiences for their students. To take part in the ISEP program, students must attend a member college or university. Each school has an ISEP coordinator who helps students apply to the ISEP office in Washington D.C. Students are asked to list up to ten choices of American schools they would like to attend. The officials at the ISEP office then place students in the openings offered in colleges and universities.80 The graduation ceremonyIn American high schools and universities, the last day of the school year is the graduation day. The graduation ceremony is usually in the school gymnasium. The people who come to watch the graduation are the teachers, parents, and friends of the graduates. Those students who will graduate wear long ropes and caps with square tops. The graduate who has the best record in school will make a speech. The school principal and other officials will also make speeches. Then each graduate will receive a diploma or degree which has his name and the name of the school.79 DictionaryA dictionary is a reference book that focuses on defining words and phrases including multiple meanings. The most frequently-used dictionary is the language dictionary that includes the majority of words frequently used in a language. There are competing dictionaries put out by different companies. Not only do they have difference in their forms, but they differ in other ways. Each company, for example, uses their own version of phonetic respellings. Many dictionaries include their experts’ guidance on grammars, usage, or the history of the language. Definitions differ slightly and sample sentences may be the work of the editorial staff or taken from real-world usage, probably the first known written news.78 TOEICTOEIC, which stands for the test of English for international communication, measures the ability of people to communicate in the workplace using everyday English. More than 9000 universities use the test in more than 90 countries. Non-native English sparkers take the test to demonstrate their English skills when seeking a new job or a promotion. Some organizations use the TOEIC to measure progress in English training programs and as placement test. TOEIC is really two tests. One is the paper-and-pencil test which measures listening and reading skills. The other given on a computer measures speaking and writing skills.placement test 分级考试，分班考试77 Educational technologySchools are almost all connected to the internet. But some have more technology and use it more than others. For example, some schools use computers for activities like video conferencing to bring the world into the classroom. And some classrooms are equipped with things like an interactive white board. Interactive white boards are large displays for presentations. They connect to a computer and can operate by touch. They can be used for documents, or writing, or to project video. Some teachers are trying creative new ways to teach with devices like mobile phones. But educators say the most important thing is the content.76 Memory and agingMany people worry about their memory as they get older. But progressive memory loss is inevitable as the years pass. Changes do occur in how the brain works and how you will remember things. And diseases contributing to a decline in mental powers do become more common. Nevertheless, the majority of people reach their eighties or nineties without significant problems. Although the way the brain stores memory is far from(副词短语，根本不; 远远不) understood, there seems to be several types of memory including very recent memory, short term memory and long term memory. The older you get, the less efficient the brain becomes at storing and recalling memory.75 In service education and vocational development在职教育和职业发展Universities with their complete curriculum are intended to first teach us (teachers???) about everything. Later studies fill in the gap of knowledge by offering more specialized courses. Universities however are meant to teach the theories of any particular field, not the practical knowledge needed to do our jobs. V ocational school has arisen to fill this particular gap of knowledge. V ocational schools can aid us in this by teaching us to be especially good at one thing. If a person has enough health and energy as well as determination, he may go to night school to take a self-teaching program.74 National museum of natural historyThe national museum of natural history is one of the most visited museums. It has the largest collection of any natural history museum in the world. (It houses the largest natural history collection in the world). Scientists have been collecting specimens for almost 200 years. Scientists working for the museum are doing research in many countries to find new information about the natural world and its organisms. Each year they report important discoveries to the public. Now the expansion of internet has made it possible for people around the world to get this information. People who are unable to visit this museum can use the computer to explore the museum.73 RaceThe whole question of the changing role of blacks in American society has been the subject of newspaper articles around the world so frequently that visitors to the United States do not what to expect when they arrive. Many dark skin visitors arrive in the United States, fearing personal attack and expecting various degrees of racial prejudice. Some forms of discriminations still exist unfortunately, especially in the areas of the housing, schools, and jobs. There are also too many areas of the country where black Americans cannot enjoy the same full opportunities as white Americans.72 Choosing a good passwordLots of confusion surrounds the choice of strong passwords. Here is simple way to create strong passwords that you can remember and that will make you less vulnerable to online attackers. The ideal password is a random sequence of characters. But such a password is not so human friendly, as you may find it tricky to remember. One good technique is to choose a memorable phrase and use the first letter of each word to create an acronym to use as your password. The chosen phrase should not be well-known. And using capitals and lowercase can add quite a lot of strength.71 Nonprofit organizationsSeveral well-known nonprofit organizations are international. Nonprofit means these groups do not seek to make money from their efforts. Nonprofits usually have a focus or shared interest, such as the environment, humanitarian aid or entertainment. The national geographic society is one of the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational institutions in the world. It is primarily focused on exploration, geography, and natural science. It also supports interactional research and exploration. The projects it has sponsored or assisted with are more than 9000. The Red Cross is probably the most recognizable aid organization in the world. It provides food and other a id to people and areas in distress.in distress 英[ɪn dɪˈstres]美[ɪn dɪˈstres]遇险; 悲痛; 遇难; 处于危难中; 窘迫70 Test of English as a foreign languageIt is the most widely respected English language test in the world, recognized by more than 8000 colleges and universities in more than 130 countries. It is called TOEFL which stands for test of English as a foreign language. TOEFL is an important test for foreign students who want to study in America. More than 4000 American universities and other schools require students seeking admission to take the test. Every year, nearly a million individuals of all ages take the TOEFL the test to demonstrate their English language proficiency. It measures your ability to use and understand English at the university level.69 Hydroelectric energyHydroelectric energy is made by flowing water. Most hydroelectric power plants are located on dams which block the river and create an artificial lake. A controlled amount of water is forced through the tunnel of the dam to produce electricity. Hydroelectric energy has some advantages. First it’s fairly inexpensive. Dams don’t need to be complex and the resources to build them are not difficult to obtain. Second, its source is available to many people as rivers flow all over the world. Third, it’s fairly reliable. The flow of water doesn’t depend on the weath er but is controlled by engineers.turbine [ˈtɜːbaɪn] n. 涡轮机; 汽轮机68 Personal safety while travellingWhen you are on holiday in strange places, you need to keep your safety in mind. In many holiday destinations, personal safety is a matter of staying alert, being sensible, and taking necessary precautions. The risk of violent assault varies from country to country. Some countries have certain areas that are unsafe to visit, while other countries should be avoided entirely or only visited on essential business. Here is some advice for a traveler. First, carry the minimum amount of cash anddon’t show off valuables. Second, dress sensibly and respect local traditions. Third, be careful around areas or buildings of religious significance.taboo 英[təˈbuː] n. (文化或宗教习俗方面的) 禁忌，忌讳，adj. 禁忌的，忌讳的67 University days大学时光British universities start in September or October. Courses normally last three years. But some such as languages, engineering, and medicine can take much longer to complete. 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 apply for student loans or take part time jobs. University life is not about just studying however. Many students take part in drama productions or play music; others of course take part in a wide range of sports.66 Environmental protest (ˈprəʊtest) group抗议; 抗议书(或行动); 反对Facts about global environment read like quotes on a poster for an epic （叙事诗；史诗；史诗般的作品）movies. Many people feel that the governments of countries around the world are not taken environmental issues seriously enough. To allow the voices of concerned people to be heard, many protest groups have been set up by ordinary people to raise awareness of the issues. A few of them have become household names. Today many of these groups have extensive websites providing information about their activities. The internet helps more and more people work together to find solutions to the problems that the modern world faces.65 Carers for the elderlyOne of the defining features of growing old is a gradual decline in the ability to do everything for yourself. Some people remain independent long into their late years, but many increasingly need help with these activities essential for daily living. Some people prefer to make their own informal arrangements with a relative or friend to do the task they need help with. Others would employ someone directly themselves. There are also many people who prefer to get a care agency to manage their care needs. Each of these options has both advantages and disadvantages, no matter which one people choose.64 Music in British schoolsMusic plays a big part in British schools. Pupils can learn an instrument at school. Traditionally, school children learn classical instruments. British schools do not just offer lessons for instruments, but they have music classes for all pupils. 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 orchestras and put on 举办(演出、展览) concerts each term. It’s also common for pupils themselves to form their own bands.63 Rock climbingMany people take part in rock climbing around the world. Some do it just for fun while others compete. Rock climbing takes strength, control and good balance. Climbers have to be strong enough to pull themselves straight up the face of high rocks or walls. There are several kinds of rock climbing. Traditional climbing is done outside. Climbers wear ropes and attach devices to the rocks as they climb up. Sport climbing is similar but with the protective devices permanently placed in the rock. There is also indoor climbing in which rock walls made of wood or concrete have place s for the climber’s hands and feet.62 Thanksgiving in AmericaThe American thanksgiving, by law on the fourth Thursday of November, has a long tradition in the United States. The first American thanksgiving occurred in 1621 with early North American settlers celebrating their first harvest after a harsh winter in the new world. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made it an official holiday. Today thanksgiving serves as a day for family gatherings with luxurious feasts accompanied by a wide array （连读）of side dishes and pies. So this holiday is one of the busiest times for travel in America. Millions of people travel by car, train, and air to feast with family.61 GuitarProbably no other musical instrument is as popular around the world as the guitar. Musicians use 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. Rock and roll music would almost be impossible without this instrument. Music experts do not agree about where the guitar first was played. Many agree it is ancient.60 Community gardensUK residents have relied on community gardens （花园，园圃，菜园）as an important source of food for many years. And the contemporary community gardening movement began in the late 1960s, with the renewed interest in green spaces and cities. Today the gardens come in all shapes and sizes. They can by tiny plots (专用的) 小块土地, gardens on (the) roofs, and school gardens, private or open to the public. Besides, the scope of what community gardens can achieve also varies widely. They can provide fresh fruit and vegetables, a place for wildlife, improved play areas, an outdoor classroom and safe public spaces that are well maintained. Moreover, community gardens often bring different cultures and generations together.59 Peace symbolsThe concept of peace is a very important one in cultures all over the world. There are certain symbols which people in different cultures recognize as representing peace. The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for long in many different cultures. But it did not become a modern symbol of peace until it was used on a poster for the World Peace Congress 世界和平大会in 1949. The rainbow is also an ancient and universal symbol, often representing the connection between human beings and their gods. Nowadays, it is used by many movements (具有共同思想或目标的) 运动for peace and the environment, representing the possibility of a better world in the future.58 American education systemThe education system is the United States is controlled by State and local governments. But education laws are similar in each State. Public schools are free of charge for grades one through twelve. Private schools also operate in all States and territories （地区；领土，范围）. Some private schools are operated by churches and religious groups; other private schools are not linked to any religious organization. The school years usually begins in September and continues until June. Most states require a school year of 180 days. But some schools have changed this schedule and require students to attend schools throughout the year.57 Personal loansA personal loan involves borrowing a lump sum （一次总付的钱款）from a lender which you agree to pay back with interest over fixed periods. There are two main types of personal loans: secured and unsecured. Unsecured loans are not tied to any of your assets. But secured loans are usually tied to your property. If you default on （拖欠）a secured loan, your lender can force you to sell the assets to pay off your debt. Interest rate on loans can be fixed or variable. A fixed rate will remain the same for the term of the loan, while a variable rate will be subject to change. 可变汇率将随时变动56 Effects of smokingFor many years, scientists have warned that smoking tobacco is bad for your health. Yet people around the world continue to smoke. It is estimated that almost 5 million people around the world die each year from the effects of smoking. Smoking tobacco is the leading cause of lung disease and it also has been linked to heart disease, stroke, and many kinds of cancer. Scientists have identified more than 40 chemicals in tobacco smoke that cause cancer. Experts say that smoking affects not only the smoker but also the people who do not smoke.。

英语专业四级听写50篇原文!Passage 1Town and Country Life in EnglandThere is a big difference between town life and country life in England. In the country, everybody knows everybody else. They know what time you get up, what time you go to bed and what you have for dinner. If you want help, you will always get it and you will be glad to help others.In a large town like London, however, it can sometimes happen that you have never seen your next door neighbor and you do not know his name or anything about him. People in London are often very lonely. This is because people go to different places in the evenings and at weekends. If you walk through the streets in the centre of London on Sunday, it is like a town without people. One is sorry for old people living on their own. They could die in their homes and would not be discovered for weeks or even months. (154 words.)Passage 2A 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 pos ition. 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, many girls 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 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 on each of them. (154 words) Passage 3A Popular Pastime of the English PeopleOne of the best means of understanding the people of any nation is watching what they 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 the 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 widow box or something growing in a pot will do. Looking at each other’s gardens is a popular pastime with the English. (144words.) Passage 4British and American Police OfficersReal policemen, both in Britain and the ., hardly recognize any common points between their lives and what they see on TV—if they ever get home in time.Some things are about the same, of course, but the policemen do not think 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. (177words) Passage 5Living 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, the more they tend to bite each other and even kill each other. Thus, for rats, population 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.(147 words) Passage 6The 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. (156 words) Passage 7PlasticWe 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 doesn’t 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 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! (160 words)Passage 8Display 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 a 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. (166 words)Passage 9Albert 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 quiet 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 the north. He asked his father and his uncle what caused the needle to move. Their answers about magnetism and gravity weredifficult 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. (143 words.)Passage 10Private CarsWith the increase in the general standard of living, some ordinary Chinese families begin to afford a car. Yet opinions of the development of a private car vary from person to person.It gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility. The owner of a car is no longer forced to rely on public transport, and hence no irritation caused by waiting for buses or taxis. However, others strongly object to developing private cars. They maintain that as more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volume of poisonous gas will be given off, polluting the atmosphere and causing actual harm to the health of people.Whether private cars should be developed in China is a difficult question to answer, yet the desire for the comfort and independence a private car can bring will not be eliminated.(143words)Passage 11A Henpecked Husband and His WifeThere was once a large, fat woman who had a small, thin husband. He had a job in a big company and was given his weekly wages every Friday evening. As soon as he got home on Fridays, his wife used to make him give her all his money, and then she used to give him back only enough to buy his lunch in his company every day.One day, the small man came home very excited. He hurried into the living-room. His wife was listening to the radio and eating chocolates there.“You will never guess what happened to me today, dear,” he said.He waited for a few seconds and then added, “I won ten thousand dollars on the lottery!”“That is wonderful!” said his wife delightedly. But then she pulled a long face and added angrily, “But how could you afford to buy the ticket?” (148 words)Passage 12A Young Man’s PromiseOne day a young man was writing a letter to his girl friend who lived just a few miles away in a nearby town. He was telling her how much he loved her and how wonderful he thought she was. The more he wrote, the more poetic he became. Finally, he said that in order to be with her he would suffer the greatest difficulties, he would face the greatest dangers that anyone could imagine. In fact, to spend only one minute with her, he would swim across the widest river, he would enter the deepest forest, and he would fight against the fiercest animals with his bare hands.He finished the letter, signed his name, and then suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to mention something quite important. So, in a postscript below his name, he added:“By the way, I’ll be over to see you on Wednesday night, if it doesn’t rain.” (154 words)Passage 13A Kind NeighborMr. and Mrs. Jones’ apartment was full of luggage, package, furniture and boxes. Both of them were very busy when they heard the doorbell ring. Mrs. Jones went to open it and she saw a middle-aged lady outside. The lady said she lived next door. Mrs. Jones invited her to come in and apologized because there was no place for her to sit. “Oh, that’s OK,” said the lady. “I just come to welcome you to your new home. As you know, in some parts of this city neighbors are not friendly at all. There are some apartment houses where people don’t know any of their neighbors, not even the ones next door. But in this building everyone is very friendly with everyone else. We are like one big hap py family. I’m sue you’ll be very happy here. ” Mr. and Mrs. Jones said, “But madam, we are not new dwellers in this department. We’ve lived her for two years. We’re moving out tomorrow. ” (163 words)Passage 14That Isn’t Our FaultMr. and Mrs. Williams got married when he was twenty-three, and she was twenty. Twenty-five years later, they had a big party, and a photographer came and took some photographs of them.Then the photographer gave Mrs. Williams a card and said, “They’ll be ready next Wednesday. You can get them from studio.”“No,” Mrs. William said, “Please send them to us.”The photographs arrived a week later, but Mrs. Williams was not happy when she saw them. She got into her car and drove to the photographer’s studio. She went inside and sa id angrily, “You took some photographs of me and my husband last week, but I’m not going to pay for them.”“Oh, Why not?” the photographer asked.“Because my husband looks like a monkey,” Mrs. William said.“Well,” the photographer answered, “that isn’t our fault. Why didn’t you think of that before you married him?” (148 words)Passage 15A Guide’s AnswerIn 1861, the Civil War started in the United States between the Northern and the Southern states. The war continued with great bitterness until 1865, when the Northerners were victorious. However, even today, many Southerners have not forgotten their defeat, or forgiven the Northerners.A few years ago, a party of American tourists were going round one of the battlefields of the Civil War with a guide who came from one of the Southernstates. At each place, the guide told the tourists stirring stories about how a few Southern soldiers had conquered powerful forces of Northerners there.At last, one of the tourists, a lady who came from the North, stopped the guide and said to him, “But surely the Northern army must have won at least one victory in the Civil War?”“Not as long as I’m the guide here, madam,” answered the Southern guide.(147 words)Passage 16A Qualified PilotThe captain of a small ship had to go along a rocky coast, but he was unfamiliar with it, so he tried to find a qualified pilot to guide him. He went ashore in one of the small ports, and a local fisherman pretended that he was a pilot because he needed some money. The captain took him on board and asked him where to steer the ship.After half an hour the captain began to suspect that the fisherman did not really know what he was doing and where he was going.“Are you sure you are a qualified pilot?” he asked.“Oh, yes,” answered the fisherman. “I know every rock on this part of the coast.”Suddenly there was a terrible crash from under the ship. At once the fisherman added, “And that’s one of them.” (138 words)Passage 17Living Things ReactYou and all organisms live in an environment. An environment is made up of everything that surrounds an organism. It can include the air, the water, the soil, and even other organisms.An organism responds to changes in its environment. When an organism responds to a change, it reacts in certain ways. All living things respond in some way.Have you ever noticed how plants and insects respond to light? Plants bend toward light. Insects fly toward light.Living things also respond in other ways. The leaves on some trees respond to a change in season. In autumn, they change colors and then fall offthe branches. Animals also respond to a change in season. Squirrels save nuts for the winter. Bears sleep through the winter in a cave.You respond to your environment in many ways, too. You may shiver if you are cold. What other ways do you respond to changes in your environment? (156 words)Passage 18Flowering PlantsWhat are the parts of a flower?Flowers can have male parts and female parts. The female parts make eggs that become seeds. The male parts make pollen. Pollen is a powdery material that is needed by the eggs to make seeds. To make seeds, pollen and eggs must come together. The wind, insects, and birds bring pollen to eggs. Many animals love flowers’ bright colors. They also like a sugary liquid in flowers. This is called nectar. While they drink nectar, pollen rubs off on their bodies. As they move, some of this pollen gets delivered to the female flower parts.Over time, the female parts turn into fruits that contain seeds. Animals often eat the fruits and the seeds pass through their bodies as waste. The animals do not know they are working for the plants by planting seeds as they travel to different places. (147 words)Passage 19Finding the Direction and LocationHow can you tell which direction? By day, look for the Sun. It is in the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. At night, use the Big Dipper to help you find the North Star. It would be better to bring a compass because its needle always points north.How do you know how far you have gone? You could count every step. Each step is about two feet. You’d better wear a pedometer which is a tool that counts steps. If you know where you started, which direction you are heading, and how far you have gone, you can use a good map to figure out exactly where you are.Today there is a new way for travelers to figure out where they are. It is the GPS. It has 24 satellites that orbit the earth and constantly broadcast their positions. Someday you may carry a small receiver as you hike and use GPS to find out if you are there yet!Passage 20WavesHow does light get from the sun to the earth? How does music get from the stage to the audience? They move the same way — in waves!Light and sound are forms of energy. All waves carry energy, but they may carry it differently. Light and sound travel through different kinds of matter. For example, light waves cannot move through walls, but sound waves can. That is why you can hear people talking in another room even though you cannot see them. The energy of some waves is destructive. An earthquake produces seismic waves.Catch a wave. Ask a friend to stand a few feet away from you. Stretch a spring between you. Shake the spring to transfer energy to it. What happens? The spring bounces up and down in waves. When the waves reach your friend, they bounce back to you!Light waves travel 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) per second! They can also travel through a vacuum. That is why light from the sun and distant stars can travel through space to the earth.(175 words)Passage 21SoilsThere are many different kinds of soils. Different soils have different types of rock and minerals in them than other. Some soils have more water in them than others. Some soils might have more plant and animal material in them, too.Different kinds of soils are found in different parts of the world. There are several kinds of soils found in the United States. In some areas, the soil has a lot of clay. Other soils are very sandy. Loam is a kind of soil that has a good mixture of clay and sand.In some places, soil layers are very thick. Lots of plants grow in places with a thick soil layer. In dry and windy places soil layers are much thinner. Layers of soil on mountains are thin because gravity pulls the soil downhill.The type of soil in a particular place affects what kinds of plants can grow there. (150 words) Passage 22CrisisLife is a contest! Who will win? A bluebird and sparrow both compete for space to build their nests. A fast-growing maple tree and slower-growing dogwood compete for the sunlight they both need. Oil competes with coal and nuclear power as an energy source for electric power plants.There is a problem. There is a limited amount of space for birds, sunlight for trees, and energy for people! If we do not cut back on our uses of some of our resources, someday they will be gone!How can we use energy today and know we will have enough to go around in the future? We can choose alternate, or replacement, energy resources. It takes the earth millions of years to create coal, oil, and gas. They are nonrenewable resources.Solar energy, wind energy and water energy are renewable. What other ways we conserve our resources? How can we make sure there is always enough to go around? (159 words.)Passage 23Ameri ca’s Worst SurpriseDecember 7, 1941 was one of the worst days in American history. Nearly all Americans who are old enough to remember that day can still remember what they were doing at the moment they heard “the news”. The news was that America had been attacked!Shortly before 2:00 ., a radio dispatch came into Washington from Honolulu, Hawaii. “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor —This is no drill.” Japanese planes had begun an attack on the largest American military base in the Pacific. They first destroyed places on the ground. Then they bombed the ships in the harbor.No one had expected the attack. So no one was prepared for it. And it did not take long for the Japanese to do their damage. When the smoke cleared, the Navy counted its losses. Eighteen ships had been sunk or badly damaged. Nearly 150 planes had been destroyed. More than 2,400 Americans had been killed and more than 1,200 wounded. (157 words)Passage 24Great Depression in the U.S.In 1929, the bills started to come in. American industry had produced too many goods. Americans could not afford to buy all of them. So factories had to cut down on their production. Many workers lost their jobs. Investors tried to get their money back. But businesses did not have enough money to pay them. Banks tried to get their money back from investors. But the investors could not pay, either. Too many people owned money. And few of them could pay their bills.During the next few years, business got worse and worse. By 1932, banks all over the country were closing.People without money could not buy goods. So more businesses closed. More and more people lost their jobs. By 1932, more than 12 million Americans were jobless. Millions more were earning barely enough to live on. The country was in a great depression they had never experienced before. (151 words)Passage 25A Place of Our OwnWe are all usually very careful when we buy something for the house. Why? Because we have to live with it for a long time. We paint a room to make it brighter, so we choose the colours carefully.We buy new curtains in order to match the newly decorated room, so they must be the right colour. We move the furniture round so as to make more space — or we buy new furniture — and so on. It is an endless business.Rich or poor, we take time to furnish a room. Perhaps some people buy furniture in order to impress their friends. But most of us just want to enjoy our surroundings. We want to live as comfortably as we can afford to. We spend a large part of our lives at home. We want to make a small corner in the world which we can recognize as our own. (151 words)Passage 26Travel 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 flight to Tokyo, or Berlin, or New Y ork 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 think I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist. (149 words) Passage 27IntelligenceAre 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. (154 words) Passage 28A 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 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. (148 words)Passage 29TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or even kill time. Common questions in American English r eveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Doyou 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. Visitors who drop by without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before visiting th em is generally preferred to visitors’ dropping by. (157 words) Passage 30CartoonistIn 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-supplies with current materials.A clever cartoonist may cause laughter because he often uses humour 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. (144 words)Passage 31Water 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 wastes 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. (161 words) Passage 32Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have bought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favour to get it put right.。

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。

专四听写20篇Dictation 1 Forest Fire森林火灾（150 words）Forest fire or wildfire is often used to signify an uncontrolled intense fire / that breaks out in the wooded areas / due to many factors ranging from natural to manmade causes. / Wildfires can be witnessed throughout the world and they usually occur in cycles. / Mild forest fires are often considered beneficial, / as growth of many plant species depend on it. / Many plant species also depend on wildfires for reproduction. / However, the large forest fires can have serious damaging effect on the surrounding environment. /Due to the extensive size and the immense speed, / a forest fire can easily spread to a vast area. / Besides, it can also change its direction / and overcome occasional barriers like roads, rivers and fire breaks. / Forest fires break out in areas like grassland, woodland and bush. / Some important causes of it are lightning and volcanic eruptions. / Besides these, sparks from rock falls can also ignite forest fires. /Dictation 2 Job Hunting求职（150 words）Job hunting is a stressful problem for everyone. / Whether someone getting a job right out of school / or someone seeking a better position than the one they just left, / it is not something that comes easy to most people. / However, with preparation and planning, / the difficulties can be focused on / and the situation can become less stressful. / For example, dressing correctly is an important step for any applicant. / Also, if you dress correctly, / you will feel more confident in your ability to get the job. / Men should wear a dress shirt and tie or even a suit if they possess one. / Women should wear a suit or other clothing suitable for the occasion. / It is better to dress too conservatively than not conservatively enough. / Always use honesty as some interviewers will be able to detect problems in your resume. / Good manners and correct speech are essential in impressing the interviewer. /Dictation 3 Vocational Schools职业学校（150 words）The universities are not able to meet / all the growing needs of the society for future development. / Vocational schools have arisen to fill these needs / by providing a more detailed knowledge than that provided by universities. / This has led to a weak base of theory for many workers. / Their focus, practical application, is much more detailed / than the theory provided at college. / Many students choose to go to vocational schools instead of universities. / This has led many college graduates to question the value of their degrees. / They should not, as the levels of education offered by different vocational schools are unequal. / Some of these schools are private and offer a flexible schedule for students / who may be working or are even in school at university. / On the other hand, because they are run by individuals, / the teaching quality and the teaching resources / offered by many vocational schools maybe of low quality. /Dictation 4 National Race种族（150 words）The whole question of the changing role of Blacks in American society / as been the subject of newspaper articles around the world so frequently / that visitors to the United States do not know / what to expect when they arrive. / They may be surprised when they see that Blacks and Whites work side by side / in offices, factories, and schools across the country. / The majority of Blacks in the United States, however, / live in and around only a small number of American cities./ Many dark-skinned visitors arrive in the United States / fearing personal attack or expecting various degrees of racial prejudice. / Some forms of discrimination still exist, unfortunately, / especially in the areas of the housing, schools, and jobs. / The school equality is still more a dream than a reality. / There are still too many areas of the country / where Black Americans do not enjoy the same full opportunities as White Americans. /Dictation 5 A Positive View of Every Day积极看待每一天（149 words）If your life feels like it is lacking the power that you want and the motivation that you need, / sometimes all you have to do is shift your point of view. /By training your thoughts to concentrate on the bright side of things, / you are more likely to have the incentive to follow through on your goals. / You are less likely to be held back by negative ideas / that might limit your performance. /Your life can be enhanced, and your happiness enriched, / when you choose to change your perspective. / Don’t leave your future to chance, / or wait for things to get better mysteriously on their own. / You must go in the direction of your hopes and aspirations. / Begin to build your confidence, / and work through problems rather than avoid them. / Remember that power is not necessarily control over situations, / but the ability to deal with whatever comes your way. /Dictation 6 Languages in America美国的语言（151 words）The United States is primarily an English speaking country. / The majority of the population speaks English as their native language. / Business, education and most public aspects of life are conducted in English. / Across the country, people pronounce English sounds in several different ways / and some regional vocabulary differences exist, / but for the most part, Americans speak one common language. / This language is sometimes called American English. / However, not everyone in the U.S. is a native speaker of English. / Most immigrants to the country are speakers of other languages. / There are hundreds of communities around the U.S. / where English is not the most commonly used language. / Chinese, Italian, German, Armenian, Greek, Vietnamese and French / are all spoken in numerous communities in the U.S. / Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language after English in the U. S. / It is widely spoken in New York and across the southern part of the country. /Dictation 7 Halloween 万圣节（151 words）It’s October the 31st, and across Britain and the USA, / thousands of children are dressing up as monsters, ghosts / and witches and going to their neighbors’ houses / to ask for sweets or toplay tricks on them if they refuse. /Many houses have lanterns made from pumpkins in their windows. / These lanterns have frightening faces cut into them. /What is the reason for all of this? It’s Halloween! / To an outsider, this may seem a strange festival, / but it is a very popular one and an important part of the culture in Britain and the USA. / The holiday once had a religious significance. / November the 1st is All Saint’s Day, / and October the 31st was believed to be a day / when all the spirits came back to the world of the living. / In modern times, this has changed to be a day / when children dress up as monsters, ghosts and witches. /Dictation 8 Universities in the UK 英国的大学（151 words）Universities in Britain are a magnet for overseas students. / There are currently over 200 000 from outside Britain studying at British universities. / The largest single group is Chinese students. / There are currently 50 000 in the UK. /The British government expects the total number of overseas students to be around 900 000 by 2020, / and also thinks that a quarter of these will be Chinese. / But why is the UK such a popular destination for university students? /Well, the quality of your course is guaranteed. / All courses are assessed by an independent system, / so you can be assured that your course is officially approved / and has wide international recognition. / The British education system is very flexible / in order to provide for the needs of a modern, complex society. / Degree courses are usually 3 years long, which is shorter and more intensive than in other countries. / There are lots of scholarships available. /Dictation 9 Money and Happiness金钱与快乐（151 words）It seems only natural that happiness should flow from having more money. / Even if they don’t admit it, / people still behave as though it were true. / More money means you can have what you want and do what you want. / The house you dream of? It’s yours. / The new car you desire? Here are the keys. / The freedom to enjoy your favorite pastimes? / Here’s your racket, the court is down there, just past the pool. /So the puzzle is this: why do social scientists consistently find only moderate relationships / between having more money and being happy? / Some have even suggested that this moderate connection might be exaggerated. / In reality money might have very little to do with happiness at all. /Most puzzling, though, is that people often seem aware at some level / that money won’t make them happy. / And yet they continue to work away earning money they don’t objectively need. /Dictation 10 Tea Party Food茶会食物（151 words）A tea party without good food is just as distasteful as a cake without sugar. / So along with cups of tea, / you need to arrange variety of party foods, / like cookies, snacks, chips and starters. /A bite of sugar and spice will always enhance the flavor of tea party. / Sandwiches, pizzas, finger chips and French fries serve as good side dishes for tea. / Cream cheese salad, pudding and salads are good delicacies for tea parties. / Children love to relish chicken pies, apple pies, cakes and chocolates. / Above all, remember it’s a tea party, / so serve different varieties of tea to your guests. / Black, green and white will be the ideal for your guests. / You can also brew some spicy herbal tea or flavored tea. / For kids, you can serve cream, honey, milk and sugar. / You can organize glasses of wine late in the evening / or punch a bottle of champagne also. /Dictation 11 Adventure探险（151 words）The idea of adventure has always captured the imagination. / The idea that just over the next hill there will be excitement and mystery / is a big part of what makes us human. / This is just as true of ancient times as it is today. / Famous explores set out in small boats / or journeyed across immense deserts and oceans. / Early explorers like Christopher Columbus or Zheng He / traveled to foreign places for the glory of their nations. / More importantly, they set out to test themselves against the forces of nature and the pursuit of knowledge. / Other explorers today do the same thing. / People are going to space in pursuit of the last frontier / or seeking in the depths of science for new knowledge. / Most people, in their daily lives, / do not have the opportunity to truly test themselves in these ways. / Modern living has given them the opportunity, however, with adventuring events. /Dictation 12 Office Conflict办公室冲突（148 words）The office can be very demanding on the lives of the workers. / Stress can build up and explode into problems. / This can seriously influence the productivity and efficiency of a business. / The problems that upset an office can vary drastically / depending on the nature of the employees or even the employers. / Employees may feel that they are being overworked or underpaid. / They may also feel that this signals the loss of appreciation on their work, / causing increasing tension as they complain about work. / They may also have personality differences which can cause conflict. / This can be seen in offices where too close relationships develop. / People in authority may tend to place more value / on these relationships than on the work itself. / They may have lost sight of the goal / of forwarding the development of the company. / Gossiping about co-workers and the company is a frequent example of this. /Dictation 13 Food and Culture饮食和文化（148 words）The culture of food and dining in the West is a little different from that in China. / The proper western dinner at a fine restaurant / is one of manners, focusing on conversation. / You are expected to have knowledge of table manners / such as what folk or knife to use as these are essential in western dining. / The meal would consist of several courses including a soup or salad, / an appetizer, the main dish, and a dessert. / The atmosphere will be filled with light music / that would only serve as background as people converse with each other. / The decorations are usually sparse / and are only meant to highlight the atmosphere / that is being created by the music. / Thistype of dining is different from the dining experience in most restaurants in China. / However, with the increase in internationalism, / more restaurants are opening which reflect the more western dining style. /Dictation 14 In-service Education and Vocational Development在职教育和职业发展（148 words）Many people feel that the successful finding of a job is the end of their schooling. / This idea is rarely true, however, / as each field of work requires a thorough knowledge of it. / This may go beyond that which could be learned in high school or university. / Universities, with their complete curriculum, / are intended to first teach us about everything. / Later studies fill in the gap of knowledge by offering more specialized courses. / Universities, however, are meant to teach the theories of any particular field, / not the practical knowledge needed to do our jobs. / The rise of vocational school has risen / to fill a gap of practical knowledge. / Vocational schools can aid us in this / by teaching us to be especially good at one thing. / If a person has enough health and energy, as well as determination, / he may go to Night School or take a self-teaching program. /Dictation 15 Hospitality待客之道（148 words）An American friend has invited you to visit his family. / You’ve never been to an American’s home before, / and you’re not sure what to do. / Should you take a gift? How should you dress? / What time should you arrive? / What should you do when you get there? Glad you asked. / When you’re the guest, you should just make yourself at home. / That’s what hospitality is all about: / making people feel at home when they’re not. /The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests nervous. / Giving your host a gift is not just a social nicety in some culture s—it’s expected. / But in American culture, a guest is not obligated to bring a present. / Of course, some people do bring a small token of appreciation to their host. / Appropriate gifts for general occasions might be flowers, candy or / —if the family has small children—toys. /Dictation 16 The Football Field Length足球场的长度（148 words）Knowledge about the football field length / does not seem like something fans and players have to be aware of, / but it is certainly something that the most passionate fans will know. / The length of a football field, / be it American football or soccer, / is universally known and all professional stadiums and grounds adopt these measurements. / In soccer, there may be some minor differences in the football field length from stadium to stadium, / and this occurs because these stadiums are historical monuments / that have been around before the measurements were standardized. /On the other hand, American football requires that the football field length / be uniform across all the grounds and the stadiums in the country. / The National Football League has laid down / particular guidelines and rules about the football field length, / and this cannot be altered. / As a player, one must be completely aware about these football field dimensions. /Dictation 17 Culture文化（152 words）The cultural values of a community give it an identity of its own. / A community gains a character and a personality of its own, / because of the culture of its people. / Culture is shared by the members of a community. / It is learned and passed from the older generations to the newer ones. / For an effective transfer of culture from one generation to another, / it has to be translated into symbols. / Language, art and religion serve as the symbolic means of / transfer of cultural values between generations. /Culture is a bond that ties the people of a region or community together. / It is that one common bond, / which brings the people of a community together. / The customs and traditions that the people of a community follow, / the festivals they celebrate, the kind of clothing they wear, the food they eat, / and most importantly, the cultural values they adhere to, bind them together. /Dictation 18 Fashion时尚（152 words）Every year London Fashion Week attracts retailers, fashion leaders, / and the press to shows of all that’s new in British fashion. / Outrageous designs, original fabrics, and beautiful slim models / are displayed on the catwalk / in an atmosphere of extravagant elegance. / However, how much of this gets translated into street fashion, appearing in high street shops? / And how many of us actually follow the trends we see? /We all need to be comfortable with what we wear. / After all, first impressions count, / and we want our appearance to be consistent with the image we would like to project. / How can we do this without becoming a fashion slave? / We are bombarded with magazines that show us the new fashions for each season, / and where we can buy trendy clothes for reasonable prices. / The distinction between what we see on the catwalk / and what’s on display in the high street is becoming increasingly blurred. /Dictation 19 American Society美国社会（147 words）The United States, like other countries has its rich and poor people, its rich and poor neighborhoods. /Americans love —and many are themselves living examples of —the “self-made man.” / You will hear this expression often. / But for every person who is successful, / they are usually better educated than their parents / and therefore more likely to have good, well paying jobs. / In addition to the fact that the United States includes people / whose families originally came from many other parts of the world, / Americans move across the nation in great numbers. / One study reported that one of every five families / in the United States moves every three years. / This continuous mixing of people into new communities is an important observation / to consider when trying to understand the meaning of class in America. / We have already discussed the questioning, / “do-it-yourself” American personality that is another important consideration. /Dictation 20 Recreation休闲（147 words）Recreations are an important part of people’s life. / For example, after hours of attentive study, / students feel like having a football game to relax their nerves. / Workers, too, find it very satisfying to sit in front of a TV set for an hour or two / when they come back from a day’s tiring work. / Besides, recreations serve as a pleasing way for the retired people / to pass their excessive time. / Everywhere you go, you will find that during their spare time, / people are engaged in recreational activities of one kind or another. /Generally speaking, there are two kinds of recreations: / physical activities and intellectual activities. / Physical activities, on the one hand, keep one fit and develop team spirit. / Basketball is an example. / On the other hand, intellectual activities such as playing chess and reading novels / can train one’s brains and provide temporary escape from one’s troubles. /。

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)____________________________________________________________________。

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。