M: I don‘t know what to do. I have to drive to Chicago next Friday for my cousin‘s wedding, but I have got a Psychology test to prepare for.
W: Why don‘t you record your notes so you can study on the way? Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 12.
M: Professor Wright, you may have to find another student to play this role, the lines are so long and I simply can‘t remember them all.
W: Look, Tony. It is still a long time before the first show. I don‘t expect you to know all the lines yet. Just keep practicing.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 13.
M: Hello, this is Dr. Martin from the Emergency Department. I have a male patient with a fractured ankle.
W: Oh, we have one bed available in ward 3, send him here and I will take care of him. Q: What are the speakers talking about? 14.
W: Since Simon will graduate this May, the school paper needs a new editor. So if you are interested, I will be happy to nominate you.
M: Thanks for considering me. But the baseball team is starting up a new season. And I‘m afraid I have a lot on my hands.
Q: What does the man mean?
15. W: Have you heard the news that Jame Smeil has resigned his post as prime minister?
M: Well, I got it from the headlines this morning. It‘s reported that he made public at this decision at the last cabinet meeting.
Q: what do we learn about Jame Smeil?
16. W: The morning paper says the space shuttle is taking off at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
M: Yeah, it‘s just another one of this year‘s routine missions. The first mission was undertaken a decade ago and broadcast live then worldwide. Q: what can we infer from this conversation?
17. M: We do a lot of camping in the mountains. What would you recommend for two people? W: You‘d probably be better off with the four real drive vehicle. We have several off-road trucks in stock, both new and used.
Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place? 18. W: I hear you did some serious shopping this past weekend.
M: Yeah, the speakers of my old stereo finally gave out and there was no way to repair them. Q: What did the man do over the weekend? Conversation One
W: Now, could you tell me where the idea for the business first came from?
M: Well, the original shop was opened by a retired printer by the name of Gruby. Mr Gruby being left-handed himself, thought of the idea to try to promote a few products for left-handers. W: And how did he then go about actually setting up the business?
M: Well, he looked for any left-handed products that might already be on the market which were very few. And then contacted the manufactures with the idea of having products produced for him,
mainly in the scissors range to start with.
W: Right. So you do commission some part of your stock.
M: Yes, very much so. About 75 percent of our stock is specially made for us. W: And the rest of it?
M: Hmm, the rest of it now, some 25, 30 years after Mr. Gruby‘s initial efforts, there are more left-handed product actually on the market. Manufactures are now beginning to see that there is a market for left-handed products.
W: And what‘s the range of your stock?
M: The range consists of a variety of scissors from children scissors to scissors for tailors, hairdressers etc. We also have a large range of kitchen ware.
W: What‘s the competition like? Do you have quite a lot of competition?
M: There are other people in the business now in specialists, but only as mail-order outlets. But we have a shop here in central London plus a mail-order outlet. And we are without any doubt the largest supplier of the left-handed items.
Q19: What kind of business does the man engaged in? Q20: What does the man say about his stock of products?
Q21: What does the man say about other people in his line of business? Conversation Two
M: Can we make you an offer? We would like to run the campaign for four extra weeks.
W: well, can we summarize the problem from my point of view? First of all, the campaign was late. It missed two important trade affairs. The ads also did not appear into key magazines. As a result, the campaign failed. Do you accept that summary of what happened?
M: well, the delay wasn‘t entirely our fault. You did in fact make late changes to the specifications of the advertisements.
W: Uh, actually, you were late with the initial proposals so you have very little time and in fact, we only asked for small changes.
M: Well whatever, can we repeat our offer to run the campaign for 4 extra weeks?
W: That‘s not really the point. The campaign missed two key trade affairs. Because of this, we are asking you either to repeat the campaign next year for free, or we only pay 50% of the fee for this year.
M: Could we suggest a 20% reduction to the fee together with the four week sustention to the campaign.
W: We are not happy. We lost business.
M: I think we both made mistakes. The responsibility is on both sides.
W: Ok, let‘s suggest a new solution. How about a 40% cut in fee, or a free repeat campaign? M: Well, let‘s take a break, we‘re not getting very far. Perhaps we should think about this. 22: What do we learn about the man‘s company?
23: Why was the campaign delayed according to the man?
24: What does the woman propose as a solution to the problem?
25: What does the man suggest they do at the end of the conversation? Section B Passage One
The University of Tennessee‘s Walters Life Sciences building, is a model animal facility, spotlessly clean, careful in obtaining prior approval for experiments from an animal care
committee. Of the 15,000 mice house there in a typical year, most give their lives for humanity. These are good mice and as such won the protection of the animal care committee. At any given time however some mice escape and run free. These mice are pests. They can disrupt experiments with the bacteria organisms they carry. They are bad mice and must be captured and destroyed. Usually, this is accomplished by means of sticky traps, a kind of fly paper on which they become increasingly stuck. But the real point of the cautionary tale, says animal behaviorist Herzau, is that the labels we put on things can affect our moral responses to them. Using stick traps or the more deadly snap traps would be deemed unacceptable for good mice. Yet the killing of bad mice requires no prior approval. Once the research animal hits the floor and becomes an escapee, says Herza, its moral standard is instantly diminished. In Herzau‘s own home, there was more ironic example when his young son‘s pet mouse Willy died recently, it was accorded a tearful ceremonial burial in garden. Yet even as they mourned Willy, says Herzau, he and his wife were setting snap traps to kill the pest mice in their kitchen with the bare change in labels from pet to pest, the kitchen mice obtained totally different moral standards Questions:
26, What does the passage say about most of the mice used for experiments? 27, Why did the so-called bad mice have to be captured and destroyed? 28, When are mice killed without prior approval?
29, Why does the speaker say what the Herzau‘s did at home is ironical? Passage Two
There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is swallowed up by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three trembling cities the greatest is the last, the city of final destination, the city that has a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York's high-strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from Italy to set up a small grocery store in a slum, or a young girl arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh eyes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company.
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 30. What does the speaker say about the natives of New York? 31. What does the speaker say commuters give to New York? 32. What do we learn about the settlers of New York? Passage Three
“If you asked me television is unhealthy‖, I said to my roommate Walter, as I walked into the living room.―While you are sitting passively in front of the TV set, your muscles are turning to fat, your complexion is fading, and your eyesight is being ruined.‖
“Shh~‖Walter put his finger to his lips, ―This is an intriguing murder mystery.‖
“Really?‖ I replied.
“But you know, the brain is destroyed by TV viewing. Creativity is killed by that box. And people are kept from communicating with one another. From my point of view, TV is the cause of the declining interest in school and the failure of our entire educational system.‖
“Ah ha, I can‘t see your point.‖ Walter said softly. ―But see? The woman on the witness stand in this story is being questioned about the murder that was committed one hundred years ago.‖ Ignoring his enthusiastic description of the plot, I went on with my argument.
“As I see it,‖ I explained, ―not only are most TV programs badly written and produced, but viewers are also manipulated by the mass media. As far as I am concerned, TV watchers are cut off from reality from nature, from the other people, from life itself! I was confident in my ability to persuade.
After a short silence, my roommate said, ―Anyway, I‘ve been planning to watch the football game. I am going to change the channel.‖
“Don‘t touch that dial!‖ I shouted, ―I wanted to find out how the mystery turns out!‖ I am not sure I got my point to cross.
Questions 33- 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. As the speaker walked into the living room, what was being shown on TV? 34. What does the speaker say about watching television? 35. What can we say about the speaker? Section C Compound Dictation
In the past, one of the biggest disadvantages of machines has been their inability to work on a micro scale. For example, doctors did not have devices allowing them to go inside the human body to detect health problems or to perform delicate surgery. Repair crews did not have a way of identifying broken pipes located deep within a high-rise apartment building. However, that‘s about to change. Advances in computers and biophysics have started a micro miniature revolution that allows scientists to envision and in some cases actually build microscopic machines. These devices promise to dramatically change the way we live and work.
Micromachines already are making an impact. At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, research scientists have designed a 4-inch silicon chip that holds 700 tiny primitive motors. At Lucas Nova Sensor in Fremont, California, scientists have perfected the world‘s first microscopic blood-pressure sensor. Threaded through a person‘s blood vessels, the sensor can provide blood pressure readings at the valve of the heart itself.
Although simple versions of miniature devices have had an impact, advanced versions are still several years away.
Auto manufacturers, for example, are trying to use tiny devices that can sense when to release an airbag and how to keep engines and breaks operating efficiently. Some futurists envision nanotechnology also being used to explore the deep sea in small submarine, or even to launch finger-sized rockets packed with micro miniature instruments.
“There is an explosion of new ideas and applications,‖ So, when scientists now think about future machines doing large and complex tasks, they‘re thinking smaller than ever before.
11(2011,6)
M :I left 20 pages here to copy ,here’s the receipt
W : I’ m sorry ,sir ,but we are a little behind ,could you come back in a few minutes ? Q: what does the woman mean ? 12
W: I hope you are not to put out with me for the delay ,I had to stop for the Fred’s home to pick up a book on my way here
M : well , that’s not a big deal ,but you might at least phone if you know you will keep someone waiting
Q : what do we learn about the women ? 13
W : Mark is the best candidate for chairman of the student’s union , isn’t he ?
M :well ,that guy won’t be able to win the election unless he got the majority vote from women students ,and I am not sure about it ? Q :what does the man mean ? 14
M : sorry to have kept you waiting ,Madam , I’ve located your luggage, it was left behind in Paris and won’t arrive until later this evening
W : oh ,I can’t believe this ,have it been to delivered to my hotel then ,I guess Q :what happened to the woman’s luggage ? 15
W：I don’t think we have enough information for our presentation. But we have to give it tomorrow. That doesn’t seem to be much we can do about it.
M: Yeah, at this point, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got. Q: what does the man suggest they do? 16
M: I’m taking this great course psychology of language. It’s really interesting. Since you’re psychology major, you should sign up for it.
W: Actually, I tried to do that. But they told me I have to take language studies first. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 17
W: Can you believe the way Larry was talking to his roommate? No wonder they don’t get along.
M: Well, maybe Larry was just reacting to something his roommate said. There are two sides to every story you know.
Q: What does the man imply about Larry and his roommate? 18
M: We don’t have the resources to stop those people from buying us out. Unless a miracle happens, this may be the end of us.
W: I still have hope we can get help from the bank. After all, we don’t need that much money.
Q: What do we learn about the speakers from the conversation? Conversation One
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
W: You know I've often wondered why people laugh at the picture of a big belly businessman slipping on a banana skin and falling on his bottom. We are to feel sorry for them.
M: Actually, Laura, I think we laugh because we are glad it didn't happen to us. But of course there is also a kind of humorous satisfaction in seeing somebody self-important making a fool of themselves.
W: Yes, and there are a lot of jokes about people who are too fat or physically handicapped, you know, deaf, or short-sighted things like that. After all, it's not really funny to be like that.
M: Oh, I think that's because we're embarrassed. We don't know how to cope with the situation. Perhaps we are even a bit frightened we may get like that, so we laugh.
M: What about the custard pie routine? W: What do you mean 'custard pie routine'?
M: You know, all those old films where someone gets so outraged with his boss, He picks up a custard pie and plasters it all over the other person's face.
W: That never makes me laugh much, because you can guess what's going to happen. But a lot of people still find it laughable. It must because of the sort of the thing we'd all love to do once in a while and never quiet have the courage to.
M: I had an old aunt who used to throw cups of tea at people when she was particularly irritated. She said it relieved her feelings.
W: It must have come a bit expensive.
M: Not really. She took care never to throw her best china.
19. Why does the man say we laughed when we see some self-important people making fool of themselves?
20. Why do some people joke about those who are fat or handicapped according to the man?
21. Why do many people find it funny to see someone throwing a custard pie on their boss's face?
22. Why do the man say she would drop cups of tea at people occasionally? Conversation Two
W：Your name Sanjay Kumar is that correct? M：Yes, madam.
W：You claim you are traveling on a scholarship from Delhi University. M：That's right.
W：Now it seems that a hand gun was found in your luggage. Do you admit that? M：Yes, but„ W：According to the statement you made, you had never seen the hand gun before it was found in your bag. Do you still maintain that?
M：But it's true. I swear it.
W：Mmm, you do realize Mr. Kumar that to bring a hand gun into Hong Kong without proper authorization is a serious offense.
M：But I didn't bring it. I „ I mean I didn't know anything about it. It wasn't there when I left Delhi. My bags were searched. It was part of the airport security check.
W：Maybe so, but someone managed to get that hand gun onto the aircraft or it couldn't have been there.
M：Someone but not me.
W：Tell me , where was your personal bag during the flight?
M：I had it down by my feet between me and the man in the next seat.
M: He was the only person who could have opened my bag while I was asleep. It must have been him.
W: I see. Have you any idea who this man was?
M: He told me his name, Alfred Foster. He was very friendly, after I woke up that is. He hadn't spoken before.
W: Alfred Foster, we can check that on the passenger list.
M: He said he had a car coming to meet him. He offered me a lift. W: Oh, Why should he do that?
M: So he can get his handgun back, that's why. Please find him, Madam. Questions 23-25 are based on the conversation you have just heard 23. What is Sanjay Kumar suspected of? 24. What do we know about Alfred Foster ?
25. What does Sanjay Kumar ask the woman to do finally? Section B
Passage One
Everyone is looking for a good investment these days. And with stocks, currencies and companies all crashing, some are finding that taking the trip of a lifetime is actually a smart move right now. Prices are good, crowds are fewer and the dividends like expanded worldview, lifelong memories, the satisfaction of boosting the global economy—can't be easily snatched away. Sylvia and Paul Custerson, a retired couple from Cambridge, England, recently took a 16-day vacation to Namibia, where they went on bird-watching excursions. Later this year, they are planning a trip to Patagonia. \"We're using our capital now,\" says Sylvia, \"And why not? We're not getting any interest in the bank. If it's a place we really want to go, then we will go. We may as well travel while we're fit and healthy. \"
Some travel agents are thriving in spite of the economy. \"We've had more people booking in the first quarter of this year than last,\" says Hubert Moineau, founder of Tselana Travel, which is planning to introduce a new program of longer adventure trips, including polar expeditions and cruises in the Galápagos. \"We're hearing things like, 'We don't know what the situation will be in six months so let's travel now' \has been surprised to see an increase in last-minute bookings of high-priced trips to such places as India, Bhutan and Nepal. \"It seems people would rather give up something else than the big trip,\" he says. Travel has become a necessity. It's just how we travel that is changing. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. According to the speaker, why are some people willing to spend their money on travel these days?
27. What is Tselana Travel planning to do, according to its founder?
28. According to Ashley Toft, managing director of Explore, what is changing now with regard to travels? Passage Two
Somehow the old male and female stereotypes no longer fit. Men and women in this country haven’t been fulfilling their traditional roles for some time now. And there seem to be fewer and
fewer differences between the sexes. For instance, even though more women than men are still homemakers without paying jobs, women have been taking over more responsibility in the business world, earning higher salaries than ever before and entering fields of work that used to be exclusively male areas. At office meetings and in group discussions, they might speak up more often, express strong opinions and come up with more creative and practical ideas than their male colleagues. Several days ago, my 23-year-old daughter came to me with some important news. Not only had she found the highest paying job of her career, but she‘d also accepted a date with the most charming men she‘d ever met.
“Really?”, I responded,” tell me about them.”
“Receptionist in an attorney’s office and a welder at a construction site.” She answered in a matter-of-fact way. The interesting thing is my daughter’s date is the receptionist and my daughter is the welder. The old stereotypes of men’s and women’s work have been changing more quickly than ever before, except perhaps in my own marriage.
“Who's going to mow the lawn? ” I asked my husband this morning. “Oh, I will,” he answered politely. ”That's men's work. ” “What?” Irritated, I raised my voice. “That's a ridiculous stereotype. I'll show you who can do the best job on the lawn.”
The work took 3 hours and I did it all myself.
Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 29. What is the speaker mainly talking about?
30. What might women do at office meetings nowadays according to the speaker? 31. Why did the speaker mow the lawn herself that morning? Passage Three
Florence Hayes is a journalist for the Green Ville Journal, the daily newspaper in town. Specifically she covers crime in the Green Ville area. This responsibility takes her to many different places every week——the police station, the court and the hospital. Most of the crimes that she writes about fall into two groups: violent crimes and crimes against property. There isn‘t much violent crime in a small town like Green Ville, or at least not as much as in the large urban areas. But assaults often occur on Friday and Saturday nights, near the bars downtown. There‘re also one or two rapes on campus every semester. Florence is very interested in this type of crime and tries to write a long article about each one. She expects that this will make women more careful when they walk around Green Ville alone at night
Fortunately, there were usually no murders in Green Ville. Crimes against property make up most of Miss Heyes’ reporting. They range from minor cases of deliberate damaging of things to much more serious offenses, such as car accidents involving drunk drivers or bank robberies but Florence has to report all of these violations from the thief who took typewriters from every unlock room in the dormitory to the thief who stole one million dollars worth of art work from the university museum. Miss Hayes enjoys working for a newspaper but she sometimes gets unhappy about all the crime she has to report. She would prefer to start writing about something more interesting and less unpleasant such as local news or politics, maybe next year Florence Hayes Green Ville
Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
32 What is Florence Hayes’ main responsibility as a journalist? 33 What does the speaker say about security in Green Ville?
34 What do we learn about crimes against property in the Green Ville area? 35 What would Florence Hayes prefer to do? Section C Compound Dictation
In America, people are faced with more and more decisions every day, whether it’s picking one of thirty-one ice cream flavors, or deciding whether and when to get married. That sounds like a great thing, but as a recent study has shown, too many choices can make us confused, unhappy, even paralyzed with indecision. ‗That‘s particularly true when it comes to the work place‘, says Barry Schwartz, an author of six books about human behavior. Students are graduating with a variety of skills and interests, but often find themselves overwhelmed when it comes to choosing an ultimate career goal. In a study, Schwartz observed decision-making among college students during their senior year. Based on answers to questions regarding their job hunting strategies and career decisions, he divided the students into two groups：maximizers, who consider every possible option, and satisficers, who look until they find an option that is good enough. You might expect that the student who had undertaken the most exhausted search would be the most satisfied with their final decision, but it turns out that‘s not true. Schwartz found that while maximizers ended up with better-paying jobs than satisficers on average, they weren‘t as happy with their decision. The reason why these people feel less satisfied is that a world of possibilities may also be a world of missed opportunities. When you look at every possible option, you tend to focus more on what was given up than what was gained. After surveying every option, a person is more acutely aware of the opportunities they had to turn down to pursue just one career.
Section A
短对话（11~18） 11(2010,12)
W: This is one of our best and least expensive two-bedroom listings. It‘s located in a quiet building and it‘s close to bus lines.
M: That maybe true. But look at it, it‘s awful, the paint has peeled off and carpet is worn and the stove is ancient.
Q: What can we infer from the conversation? 12
M: The pictures we took at the botanical garden should be ready tomorrow.
W: I can‘t wait to see them, I‘m wondering if the shots I took are as good as I thought. Q: What is the woman eager to know? 13
W: The handle of the suitcase is broken. Can you have it fixed by next Tuesday? M: Let me see, I need to find a handle that matches but that shouldn‘t take too long. Q: What does the man mean? 14
M: This truck looks like what I need but I‘m worried about maintenance. For us it‘ll have to
operate for long periods of time in very cold temperatures.
W: We have several models that are especially adaptive for extreme conditions. Would you like to see them?
Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation? 15
M: I think your boss would be very upset when he gets your letter of resignation.
W: That may be so. But in the letter, I just told him frankly I could no longer live with his poor management and stupid decisions.
Q: What do we learn about the woman? 16
W I‘d like to exchange the shirt. I‘ve learned that the person bought it for allergic to wool. M Maybe we can find something in cotton or silk. Please come this way. Q；What does the women want to do？ 17
M: Excuse me, Miss？Did anyone happen to turn in a new handbag? You know, it’s a birthday gift for my wife.
W: Let me see. Oh, we‘ve got quite a lot of women‘s bags here. Can you give me more detailed information, such as the color, the size and the trademark? Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place? 18
M What are you going to do with the old house you are in heritage from your grandfather?
W I once intended to sell it, but now, I‘m thinking of turning it into a guest house, because it's still a solid structure.
Q: What does the man plan to do with his old house? 长对话（19~25）
W: When you write a novel, do you know where you‘re going, Dr. James?
M: Yes, you must, really, if you‘re writing the classical detective story, because it must be so carefully plotted and so carefully clued. I have schemes. I have charts. I have diagrams. It doesn‘t mean to say that I always get it right, but I do plan before I begin writing. But what is so fascinating is how a book changes during the process of writing. It seems to me that creative writing is a process of revelation, really, rather than of creativity in the ordinary sense.
W: When you‘re planning the basic structure, do you like to go away to be sure that you‘re by yourself?
M: I need to be by myself certainly, absolutely. I can‘t even bare anybody else in the house. I don‘t mind much where I am as long as I‘ve got enough space to write, but I need to be completely alone.
W: Is that very important to you?
M: Oh, yes. I‘ve never been lonely in all my life. W: How extraordinary! Never? M: No, never.
W: You‘re very lucky. Someone once said that there‘s a bit of ice at the heart of every writer.
M: Yes. I think this is true. The writer can stand aside from experience and look at it, watch it happening. There is this ‗detachment‘ and I realize that there are obviously experiences which would overwhelm everyone. But very often, a writer can appear to stand aside, and this
detachment makes people feel there‘s a bit of ice in the heart.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. What is the key to write a good classical detective story according to the man? 20. What does the man mainly need when working on a book? 21. What does the man say about writers?
W: There is an element there about competition then, isn‘t there? Because British railways are a nationalized industry. There‘s only one railway system in the country. If you don‘t like a particular kind of big beans, you can go and buy another. But if you don't like a particular railway, you can‘t go and use another.
M: Some people who write to me say this. They say that if you didn‘t have monopoly, you wouldn‘t be able to do the things you do. Well, I don‘t think we do anything deliberately to upset our customers. We have particular problems. Since 1946, when the Transport Act came in, we were nationalized.
W: Do you think that‘s a good thing? Has it been a good thing for the railways, do you think, to be nationalized?
M: Oh I think so, yes. Because in general, modes of transport are all around. Let‘s face the fact. The car arrived. The car is here to stay. There is no question about that.
W: So what are you saying then? Is it if the railways happen being nationalized, they would simply have disappeared?
M: Oh, I think they would have. They‘re disappearing fast in America. Er, the French railways lose 1 billion ponds a year. The German railways, 2 billion ponds a year. But you see, those governments are preparing to pour money into the transport system to keep it going.
W: So in a sense, you cope between two extremes. On the one hand, you‘re trying not to lose too much money. And on the other hand, you‘ve got to provide the best service. M: Yes, you are right.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 22. What does the woman say about British railways?
23. What do some people who write to the man complain about? 24. What does the man say threatens the existence of railways? 25. What does the man say about railways in other countries? Section B Passage One
Among global warming‘s most frightening threats is the prediction is that the polar ice-caps will melt, raising sea level so much that coastal cities from New York to Los Angles to Shanghai will be flooded. Scientists agree that key player in this scenario is the West Antarctic ice sheet, a Brazil-size mass of frozen water that is much as 7000 feet thick. Unlike floating ice shelves which have little impact on sea level when they break up, the ice sheet is anchored to bedrock will blow the sea surface. Surrounded by open ocean, it is also vulnerable, but Antarctic experts disagree strongly on just how unstable it is. Now, new evidence reveals that all or most of the Antarctic ice sheet collapsed at least once during the past 1.3 million years, a period when global temperatures probably were not significantly higher than they are today. And the ice sheet was assumed to have been stable. In geological time, a million years is recent history. The proof, which was published last week in Science, comes from a team of scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden and California Institute of Technology who drew deep holes near the edge of ice sheet. Within samples
collected from the solid substances lying beneath the ice. They found fossils of microscopic marine plants which suggest that the region was once open ocean not solid ice. As Herman Engleheart, a co-author from the California Institute of Technology says, ‗the West Antarctic ice sheet disappear once and can disappear again.‘
26. What is one of the most frightening threats of global warming according to the passage? 27. What did scientists disagree on?
28. What is the latest information revealed about the West Antarctic ice sheet? 29. What the scientists‘ latest findings suggest? Passage Two
It's always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself.
Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL link to the picture is and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.
Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.
Why do \"deleted\" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service at the same time. But because changes aren't reflected across the content delivery networks immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.
In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually \"after a short period of timehough obviously that time can vary considerably.
30. What does the speaker ask us to try out?
31. What accounts for the failure of some websites to remove photos immediately?
32. When will the unwanted data eventually disappear from Facebook according to the company? Passage Three
Enjoying an iced coffee? Better skip dinner or hit the gym afterwards, with a cancer charity warning that some iced coffees contain as many calories as a hot dinner.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) conducted a survey of iced coffees sold by some popular chains in Britain including Starbucks, Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee to gauge the calories as studies increasingly link obesity with cancer.
The worst offender - a coffee from Starbucks -- had 561 calories. Other iced coffees contained more than 450 calories and the majority had an excess of 200.
Health experts advise that the average woman should consume about 2,000 calories a day and a man about 2,500 calories to maintain a healthy weight. Dieters aim for 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day.
\"The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman's daily calories allowance is alarming,\" Dr Rachel Thompson, science programme manager at London-based WCRF, said in a widely-reported statement.
\"This is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal, not in a drink.\"
The WCRF has estimated that 19,000 cancers a year in Britain could be prevented if people lost their excess weight with growing evidence that excess body fat increases the risk of various cancers.
\"If you are having these types of coffee regularly then they will increase the chances of you becoming overweight, which in turn increases your risk of developing cancer, as well as other diseases such as heart disease.\" she added.
33. What warning did some health experts give?
34. What does the author suggest people do after they have an iced coffee?
35. What could British people expect if they maintain a normal body weight according to the WCRF? Section C
Psychologists are finding that hope plays a surprisingly vital role in giving people a measurable advantage in rounds as diverse as academic achievement, bearing up in tough jobs, and coping with tragic illness. And, by contrast, the loss of hope, is turning out to be a stronger sign that a person may commit suicide than other factors long thought to be more likely risks. ‗Hope has proven a powerful predictor of outcome in every study we've done so far,‘ said Doctor Charles R. Snyder, a psychologist, who has devised a scale to assess how much hope a person has. For example, in research with 3920 college students, Doctor Snyder and his colleagues found that the level of hope among freshmen at the beginning of their first semester was a more accurate predictor of their college grades, than were their SAT scores or their grade point averages in high school, the two measures most commonly used to predict college performance. ‗Students with high hope set themselves higher goals and know how to work to attain them,’ Doctor Snyder said. ‗When you compare students of equivalent intelligence and past academic achievements, what sets them apart is hope.‘ In devising a way to assess hope scientifically, Doctor Snyder went beyond the simple notion that hope is merely the sense that everything will turn out all right. ‗That notion is not concrete enough and it blurs two key components of hope,‘ Doctor Snyder said, ‗Having hope means believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be.’
Section A 2010,6 Short Conversation
11. M: Oh, I‘m so sorry I forgot to bring along the book you borrowed from the library.
W: What a terrible memory you have! Anyway, I won‘t need it until Friday night. As long as I can get it by then, OK?
Q: What do we learn from this conversation?
12. W: Doctor, I haven‘t been able to get enough sleep lately, and I‘m too tired to concentrate in class.
M: Well, you know, spending too much time indoors with all that artificial lighting can do that to you. Your body loses track of whether it‘s day or night. Q: What does the man imply?
13. M: I think I‘ll get one of those new T-shirts, you know, with the school‘s logo on both the front and back.
W: You‘ll regret it. They are expensive, and I‘ve heard the printing fades easily when you wash them.
Q: What does the woman mean?
14. W: I think your article in the school newspaper is right on target, and your viewpoints have certainly convinced me.
M: Thanks, but in view of the general responses, you and I are definitely in the minority. Q: What does the man mean?
15. M: Daisy was furious yesterday because I lost her notebook. Should I go see her and apologize to again?
W: Well, if I were you, I‘d let her cool off a few days before I approach her. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?
16. M: Would you please tell me where I can get batteries for this brand of camera?
W: Let me have a look. Oh, yes, go down this aisle, pass the garden tools, you‘ll find them on the shelf next to the light bulbs. Q: What is the man looking for?
17. M: Our basketball team is playing in the finals but I don‘t have a ticket. I guess I‘ll just watch it on TV. Do you want to come over?
W: Actually I have a ticket. But I‘m not feeling well. You can have it for what it cost me. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
18. M: Honey, I‘ll be going straight to the theatre from work this evening. Could you bring my suit and tie along?
W: Sure, it‘s the first performance of the State Symphony Orchestra in our city, so suit and tie is a must.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation? Long Conversations Conversation 1
M: I got two letters this morning with job offers, one from the Polytechnic, and the other from the Language School in Pistoia, Italy.
W: So you are not sure which to go for?
M: That‘s it. Of course, the conditions of work are very different: The Polytechnic is offering two-year contract which could be renewed, but the language school is only offering a year‘s contract, and that‘s a different minus. It could be renewed, but you never know.
W: I see. So it‘s much less secure. But you don‘t need to think too much about steady jobs when you are only 23. M: That‘s true.
W: What about the salaries?
M: Well, the Pistoia job pays much better in the short term. I’ll be getting the equivalent of about ￡22,000 a year there, but only ￡20,000 at the Polytechnic. But then the hours are different. At the Polytechnic I’d have to do 35 hours a week, 20 teaching and 15 administration, whereas the Pistoia school is only asking for 30 hours teaching. W: Mmm…
M: Then the type of teaching is so different. The Polytechnic is all adults and mostly preparation for exams like the Cambridge certificates. The Language School wants me to do a bit of exam preparation, but also quite a lot of work in companies and factories, and a couple of children‘s
classes. Oh, and a bit of literature teaching.
W: Well, that sounds much more varied and interesting. And I‘d imagine you would be doing quire a lot of teaching outside the school, and moving around quite a bit.
M: Yes, whereas with the Polytechnic position, I‘d be stuck in the school all day. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard: Q19. What do we learn about the man from the conversation? Q20. What do we learn about the students at the Polytechnic?
Q21. What does the woman think of the job at the Language school? Conversation 2
Good evening and welcome to tonight's edition of Legendary Lives. Our subject this evening is James Dean, actor and hero for the young people of his time. Edward Murray is the author of a new biography of Dean. W: Good evening, Edward. M: Hello Tina.
W: Edward, tell us what you know about Dean's early life.
M: He was born in Indiana in 1931, but his parents moved to California when he was five. He wasn't there long though because his mother passed away just four years later. Jimmy's father sent him back to Indiana after that to live with his aunt. W: So how did he get into acting?
M: Well, first he acted in plays at high school, then he went to college in California where he got seriously into acting. In 1951 he moved to New York to do more stage acting. W: Then when did his movie career really start?
M: 1955. His first starring role was in East of Eden. It was fabulous. Dean became a huge success. But the movie that really made him famous was his second one, Rebel Without a Cause, that was about teenagers who felt like they didn't fit into society. W: So how many more movies did he make?
M: Just one more, then he died in that car crash in California in 1955.
W: What a tragedy! He only made three movies! So what made him the legend he still is today? M: Well I guess his looks, his acting ability, his short life, and maybe the type of character he played in his movies. Many young people saw him as a symbol of American youths. Q22 What is the woman doing?
Q23 Why did James Dean move back to Indiana when he was young? Q24 What does the man say James Dean did at college in California? Q25 What do we know about James Dean from the conversation? Section B Passage 1
The time is 9 o‘clock and this is Marian Snow with the news.
The German authorities are sending investigators to discover the cause of the plane crash late yesterday on the island of Tenerife. The plane, a Boeing 737, taking German holiday makers to the island crashed into a hillside as it circled while preparing to land. The plane was carrying 180 passengers. It‘s thought there are no survivors. Rescue workers were at the scene.
The British industrialist James Louis, held by kidnapper in central Africa for the past 8 months, was released unharmed yesterday. The kidnappers had been demanding 1 million pounds for the release of Mr. Louis. The London Bank and their agents who had been negotiating with the
kidnappers have not said whether any amount of money has been paid.
The 500 UK motors workers who had been on strike in High Town for the past 3 three weeks went back to work this morning. This follows successful talks between management and union representatives, which resulted in a new agreement on working hour and conditions. A spokesman for the management said they‘d hope they could now get back to producing cars, and that they lost lots of money and orders over this dispute.
And finally the weather. After a code start, most of the country should be warm and sunny. But towards late afternoon, rain will spread from Scotland to cover most parts by midnight. Questions 26 – 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26 What does the news say about the Boeing 737 plane? 27 What happened to British industrialist James Louis? 28 How did the 3-week strike in High Town end?
29 What kind of weather will be expected by midnight in most parts of the country? Passage 2
Juan Louis, a junior geology major, decided to give an informative speech about how earthquakes occur. From his audience and analysis he learned that only 2 or 3 of his classmates knew much of anything about geology. Juan realized then that he must present his speech at an elementary level and with a minimum of scientific language. As he prepared the speech, Juan kept asking himself, ―How can I make this clear and meaningful to someone who knows nothing about earthquakes or geological principles?‖ Since he was speaking in the Midwest, he decided to begin by noting that the most severe earthquake in American history took place not in California or Alaska but at New Madrid, Missouri in 1811. If such an earthquake happened today, it would be felt from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and would flatten most of the cities in the Mississippi valley. That, he figured, should get his classmates‘ attention. Throughout the body of the speech, Juan dealt only with the basic mechanics of the earthquakes, carefully avoid technical terms. He also prepared visual aids, diagramming photo line, so his classmates wouldn‘t get confused. To be absolutely safe, Juan asked his roommate, who was not a geology major, to listen to the speech. ―Stop me,‖ he said, ―any time I say something you don‘t understand.‖ Juan‘s roommate stopped him four times. And at each spot, Juan worked out a way to make his point more clearly. Finally, he had a speech that was interesting and perfectly understandable to his audience. Questions 30 – 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q30 What did Juan Louis learn from the analysis of his audience? Q31 How did Juan Louis start his speech?
Q32 What did Juan ask his roommate to do when he was making his trial speech? Passage 3
Esperanto is an artificial language, designed to serve internationally as an auxiliary means of communication among speakers of different languages. It was created by Ludwig Lazar Zamenhof, a polish Jewish doctor specialized in eye diseases. Esperanto was first presented in 1887. An international movement was launched to promote its use. Despite arguments and disagreements, the movement has continued to flourish and has members in more than 80 countries. Esperanto is used internationally across language boundaries by at least 1 million people, particularly in specialized fields. It is used in personal contexts, on radio broadcasts and in a number of Its popularity has spread form Europe, both east and west, to such countries as Brazil and Japan. It is, however, in China that Esperanto has had its greatest impact. It is taught in universities and used
in many translations, often in scientific or technological works. EL POPOLA CHINIO, which means from people‘s China, it‘s a monthly magazine in Esperanto and it‘s read worldwide. Radio Beijing‘s Esperanto program is the most popular program in Esperanto in the world. Esperanto vocabulary is drawn primarily from Latin, the Roman‘s languages, English and German. Spelling is completely regular. A simple and consistent set of endings indicates grammatical functions of words. Thus for example, every noun ends in ―o‖, every adjective in ―a‖, and basic form of every verb in ―i‖. Esperanto also has a highly productive system of constructing new words from old ones.
Questions 33 – 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q33 What does the speaker tell us about Esperanto?
Q34 What is said about the international movement to promote the use of Esperanto? Q35 What does the speaker say about Esperanto in China? Section C
George Herbert Mead said that humans are \"talked into\" humanity. He meant that we gain personal identity as we communicate with others. In the earliest years of our lives, our parents tell us who we are:\"You're intelligent.\" \"You're so strong.\"
We first see ourselves through the eyes of others. So their messages form important foundations of our self-concepts. Later, we interact with teachers, friends, romantic partners and coworkers who communicate their views of us. Thus, how we see ourselves reflects the views of us that others communicate.
The profound connection between identity and communication is dramatically evident in children who are deprived of human contact. Case studies of children who are isolated from others reveal that they lack a firm self-concept, and their mental and psychological development is severely hindered by lack of language.
Communications with others not only affects our sense of identity, but also directly influences our physical and emotional well-being. Consistently, research shows that communicating with others promotes health, whereas social isolation is linked to stress, disease, and early death.
People who lack close friends have greater levels of anxiety and depression than people who are close to others. A group of researchers reveal scores of studies that trace the relationship between health and interaction with others.
The conclusion was that social isolation is statistically as dangerous as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity. Many doctors and researchers believe that loneliness harms the immune system, making us more vulnerable to a range of miner and major illnesses
Section A2009,12 11.
W: Did you use credit cards on your vacation last month in Europe?
M: Sure I did. They certainly beat going around with a wallet full of big bills. But carrying lots of cash is still very common among some older people traveling abroad. Q: What does the man say about some elderly people? 12.
W: Rod must be in a bad mood today. What‘s wrong with him?
M: He was passed over in the selection process for the dean of the admissions office. He‘d been
hoping for the position for a long time. Q: What does the man mean? 13.
M: What a great singer Justin is! His concert is just awesome. And you‘ll never regret the money you paid for the ticket.
W: Yeah. Judging by the amount of the applause, everyone was enjoying it. Q: What does the woman mean? 14.
W: I received an email yesterday from Henry. Do you remember? He was one of the chairpersons of our students union.
M: Yes, but I haven‘t heard from him for ages. Actually I‘ve been out of touch with him since our first reunion after graduation.
Q: What do we learn about the speakers? 15.
M: Driving at night always makes me tired. Let‘s stop for dinner.
W: Fine. And let‘s find a motel, so that we can get an early start tomorrow. Q: What will the speakers probably do? 16.
W: Let‘s look at the survey on consumer confidence we conducted last week. How reliable are these figures?
M: They have a 5% margin of error Q: What are the speakers talking about? 17.
W: Look at this catalogue, John. I think I want to get this red blouse.
M: Err, I think you‘ve already one like this in blue. Do you need every color in the rainbow? Q: What does the man mean? 18.
W: This notice says that all the introductory marketing classes are closed. M: That can‘t be true. There‘s supposed to be 13 of them this semester.
Q: What does the man mean? Conversation One
M: I see on your resume that you worked as a manager of a store called ―Computer Country‖. Could you tell me a little more about your responsibilities there?
W: Sure. I was responsible for overseeing about 30 employees. I did all of the ordering for the store, and I kept track of the inventory.
M: What was the most difficult part of your job?
W: Probably handling angry customers. We didn‘t have them very often, but when we did, I needed to make sure they were well taken care of. After all, the customer is always right. M: That‘s how we feel here too. How long did you work there?
W: I was there for three and a half years. I left the company last month. M: And why did you leave?
W: My husband has been transferred to Boston. And I understand your company has an opening there too.
M: Yes, that‘s right. We do. But the position won‘t start until early next month. Would that be a problem for you?
W: No, not at all. My husband‘s new job doesn‘t begin for a few weeks. So we thought we would spend some time driving to Boston and stop to see my parents.
M: That sounds nice. So tell me, why are you interested in this particular position?
W: I know that your company has a great reputation, and a wonderful product. I‘ve thought many times that I would like to be a part of it. When I heard about the opening in Boston, I jumped to the opportunity.
M: Well I‘m glad you did.
19. What was the woman‘s previous job?
20. What does the woman say was the most difficult part of her job? 21. Why is the woman looking for a job in Boston?
22. When can the woman start to work if she gets the job? Conversation Two
W: Today in the studio we have Alberto Cortez, the well-known Brazilian advocate of the anti-global movement. He‘s here to talk about the recent report, stating that by 2050 Brazil will be the one ot the word‘s wealthiest and most successful countries. Alberto, what do you say to the report?
M: You know this isn‘t the first time that people are saying Brazil will be a great economic power. The same thing was said over a hundred year ago. But it didn‘t happen. W: Yes, but you must admit the world‘s a very different place now.
M: Of course. In fact I believe there‘s maybe some truth in the prediction this time around. First of all, though, we must remember the problems facing Brazil at the moment. W: Such as…?
M: There‘s an enormous gap between the rich and the poor in this country. In Sal Paulo, you can see shopping malls full of designer goods right next door to the slam areas without proper water and electricity supplies. A lot of work needs to be done to help people in those areas improve their lives.
W: What needs to be done?
M: Education, for example. For Brazil to be successful, we need to offer education to all Brazilians. Successful countries like South Korea and Singapore have excellent education systems. Brazil needs to learn from these countries. W: So you are hopeful for the future.
M: As I said earlier, I‘m hopeful. This isn‘t an easy job. We need to make sure that these important opportunities for Brazil aren‘t wasted, as they were in the past. 23. What does the recent report say about Brazil? 24. What problem does Alberto say Brazil faces now?
25. What does Alberto say about economically successful countries?
From: http://www.hxen.com/englishlistening/CET6/zhenti/2009-12-20/97264_2.html Section B Passage One
Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana. As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic substances in the environment,
often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed high, sometimes deadly, levels of chemicals and other toxic substances, but she was not allowed to make her information public.
Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company, and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change. Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up, and one chemical industry spokesperson calls her ―a top gun for the environmental movement.‖
How has Wilma Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training, partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. ―Public speaking,‖ she says, ―is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people.‖
If you had asked Subra before 1981, ―Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?‖ She would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than 100 presentations a year. Along the way she has lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan.
26. What did Wilma Subra do as part of her job while working at Gulf South Research Institute? 27. What did Wilma Subra leave her job in 1981?
28. What results have Wilma Subra‘s efforts had in the part two decades? 29. What does the speaker say has contributed to Wilma Subra‘s success? Passage 2
One of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today is the rapid advance of globalization. The market place is no longer national or regional, but extends to all corners of the world. And this requires a global ready workforce. Universities have a large part to play in preparing students for the 21st century labor market by promoting international educational experiences. The most obvious way universities can help develop global workforce is by encouraging students to study abroad as part of their course. Students who have experienced another culture first hand are more likely to be global ready when they graduate.
Global workforce development doesn‘t always have to involve travel abroad however. If students learn another language and study other cultures, they will be more global ready when they graduate. It is important to point out that students also need to have a deep understanding of their own culture before they can begin to observe, analyze and evaluate other cultures. In multi-cultural societies, people can study each other‘s cultures, to develop intercultural competencies, such as critical and reflective thinking, and intellectual flexibility. This can be done both through the curriculum and through activities on campus, outside of the classroom, such as art exhibitions, and lectures from international experts. Many universities are already embracing this challenge, and providing opportunities for students to become global citizens. Students themselves, however, may not realize that when they graduate, they will be competing in a global labor market, and universities need to raise awareness of these issues amongst undergraduates. Questions 30-32
Q30: What is one of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today? Q31: What should students do first before they can really understand other cultures? Q32: What should college students realize according to the speaker?
Passage 3
To see if hair color affects a person‘s chances of getting a job, researchers at California State University asked 136 college students to review the resume and photograph of a female applicant for a job as an accountant. Each student was given the same resume. But the applicant‘s picture was altered, so that in some photos her hair was golden, in some red and in some brown. The result? With brown hair, the woman was rated more capable, and she was offered a higher salary than when she had golden or red hair. Other studies have found similar results. Many respondents rate women with golden hair with less intelligent than other people, and red heads as more temperamental. Women with red or golden hair are victims of the common practice of stereotyping.
A stereotype is a simplistic or exaggerated image that humans carrying in their minds about groups of people. For example, lawyers are shrewd and dishonest is a popular stereotype. Stereotyping can occur in public speaking classes. When trying to choose a speech topic, some males think that women are uninterested in how to repair cars, while some females think that men are uninterested in creative hobbies, such as knitting and needle point. We should reject stereotypes, because they force all people in a group into the same simple pattern. They fail to account for individual differences, and the wide range of characteristics among members of any group. Some lawyers are dishonest, yes! But many are not. Some women are uninterested in repairing cars, yes! But some are enthusiastic mechanics. Questions 33-35
Q33: What did researchers at California State University find? Q34: What is the popular stereotype of lawyers?
Q35: Why does the speaker say we should reject stereotypes? Section C
The ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called mnemonics. The name is derived from their Goddess of memory \"Mnemosyne\". In the ancient world, a trained memory was an immense asset, particularly in public life. There were no convenient devices for taking notes, and early Greek orators delivered long speeches with great accuracy because they learned the speeches using mnemonic systems.
The Greeks discovered that human memory is largely an associative process that it works by linking things together. For example, think of an apple. The instant your brain registers the word \"apple\it recalls the shape, color, taste, smell and texture of that fruit. All these things are associated in your memory with the word \"apple\". This means that any thought about a certain subject will often bring up more memories that are related to it. An example could be when you think about a lecture you have had. This could trigger a memory about what you're talking about through that lecture, which can then trigger another memory. Associations do not have to be logical. They just have to make a good link. An example given on a website I was looking at follows, \"Do you remember the shape of Austria? Canada? Belgium? Or Germany? Probably not. What about Italy though? If you remember the shape of Italy, it is because you have been told at some time that Italy is shaped like a boot. You made an association with something already known, the shape of a boot. And Italy shape could not be forgotten once you had made the association.\"
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