Unit1

Enjoy the colorful campus life!

III. Listening In

Task 1:On the first day

Keys:

(1)the first day

(2)changing

(3)really good

(4)hard workers

(5)went over her head

(6)explained

(7)notes

(8)Wednesday

(9)participation

(10)education

Task 2:How to select elective courses?

Keys:

(1)extra training

(2)chemistry

(3)accounting

(4)many fields of study

(5)better potential

(6)business degree

(7)challenging

(8)how to learn

(9)better understanding

(10)narrow-minded

Task3: How to get straight A's?

Keys:1.B 2.C 3. D 4.A 5.D

VI. Further Listening and Speaking

Listening Task:

Task1: Problems with our educational system

Script:

Hi, everybody. My topic today is "Problems with our educational system".

I disagree on a lot of the ways that things have happened for a long time in our educational system.

It seems that educators just want to give standardized tests,

which focus only on academic performance and neglect students' abilities and interest in other areas.

I think there are a lot of people who are very intelligent,

but haven't had the opportunities they could have had if they had learned in a broader-minded educational system.

I feel that a lot of courses that students are required to take in high school are too academic, and, as a result,

many kids have lost their interest in learning.Educators often fail to recognize various kinds of intelligence.

They simply exert a lot of pressure on students to be as well-rounded as possible.

I think being well-rounded isn't really possible.

And as a consequence, some students I believe to be intelligent can't get into good colleges if they,

you know, haven't scored well on the math section, even if they are brilliant writers.

Another thing that disturbs me is that the so-called weak students are separated from the rest of the school.

Some kids are kept in a separate class if their grades are lower than others'. And they're very aware of their social position, you know.

I think it causes them to act in a way that is not really positive.

They're just acting in a way they are expected. Often their grades go from bad to worse. And that's pretty sad.

I think that many of the kids in those classes are intelligent,

but they never actually realize their potential because of the way they are treated early on in their education.

Keys:

(1)standardized tests

(2)abilities and interest

(3)interest

(4)pressure

(5)well-rounded

(6)get into good colleges

(7)the rest of the school

(8)from bad to worse

Task 2: The final exam

Script

At a university, there were four sophomores taking a chemistry course.

They were doing so well on all the quizzes, midterms, labs, etc. that each had an "A" so far for the semester.

These four friends were so confident that on the weekend before the final, they decided to go up to the University of Virginia and party with some friends there.

They had a great time and didn't make it back to school until early Monday morning.

Rather than taking the final then,

they decided to find their professor after the final and explain to him why they missed it.

They explained that they had planned to come back in time for the final exam, but,

unfortunately, they had a flat tire on the way back and didn't have a spare. As a result, they missed the final.

The professor thought it over and then agreed they could make up the final the following day.

The guys were relieved and elated.

The next day, the professor placed them in separate rooms, handed each of them a paper, and told them to begin.

They looked at the first problem, worth five points.

It was a simple question on a chemical reaction.

"Cool," they all thought at the same time, each one in his separate room, "this is going to be easy."

Each finished the problem and then turned the page.

On the second page was a question worth 95 points: "Which of the tires was flat?"

Keys:

(1)course

(2)quizzes

(3)semester

(4)confident

(5)party

(6)make

(7)missed

(8)they had a flat tire on the way back and didn't have a spare

(9)placed them in separate rooms, handed each of them a paper

(10)On the second page was a question worth

Task3: Harvard University

Script

Harvard University is the oldest institute of higher learning in the United States.

Founded 16 years after the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth,

the university has grown from nine students with a single master to the present enrollment of more than 21,000 students,

including undergraduates and students in 10 graduate and professional schools.

Over 14,000 people work at Harvard, including more than 2,100 faculty members.

Harvard has produced eight American presidents and many Nobel Prize winners.

During its early years, Harvard offered a classic academic course based on the model of English universities,

but consistent with the prevailing Puritan philosophy.

Although many of its early graduates became ministers in Puritan churches throughout New England,

the university was never formally affiliated with a specific religious group. Under President Pusey, Harvard started what was then the largest fundraising campaign in the history of American higher education.

It was an 82.5-million-dollar program for the university.

The program increased faculty salaries, broadened student aid, created new professorships,

and expanded Harvard's physical facilities.

NeiI L. Rudenstine took office as Harvard's 26th president in 1991.

As part of an overall effort to achieve greater coordination among the university's schools and faculties,

Rudenstine encouraged academic planning and identified some of Harvard's main intellectual priorities.

He also stressed the importance of the university's excellence in undergraduate education,

the significance of keeping Harvard's doors open to students from families of different economic backgrounds,

and the task of adapting the research university to an era of both rapid information growth and serious fund shortage.

Keys: 1.B 2.A 3. C 4.D 5.D

Viewing and speaking:

Task 1:University budget cuts

Script

Host: Well, David Lammy, the University Minister, joins me from Westminster. Now thanks for joining us this lunchtime,

Mr. Lammy. How do these cuts... tie in with your much trumpeted commitment to increasing higher education?

Interviewee: Well, I think it's important to remind viewers that we will spend well over 12 billion pounds on higher education this year and to also say that there will be more students at university next year than ever before in our history.

But what is important is that when they get to university, is that they have good facilities, good buildings,

that they have good contact with their lecturers and, for students from poorer backgrounds that they receive a grant.

And you know 40 percent of students who are going to university are in receipt of some grants. So we have to plan...

Host:But there's going to be less money next year. That's the bottom line,

isn't it?

Interviewee: Er, we are asking universities to make a one percent cut in their teaching grant.

That's 51 million out of a total budget of over five billion.

Look, I think there are families across the country preparing for Christmas spending a bit less and they're,

you know, it's a lot more than one percent that they're, they're feeling.

So I think this is reasonable to ask universities if we are to ensure that we can continue to send more young people to university and we remain committed to that.

Host:And briefly, what about these two-year degrees? This is a reduction in standards, isn't it?

Interviewee:Well, we, we, we... It's important in this country that we remember that students aren't just the classic 18- to 21-year-old undergraduates.

We want mature students. We want more parttime students and over the last few years we've been growing the number of foundation degree,

two-year degrees that ensure that transition into high university and high level skills.

That's what we want to support and that's what we're indicating in the grant letter that we've sent to universities over the last few days.

Host:OK. David Lammy, thank you so much for joining us.

Interviewee:Thank you.

Keys:

(1)increasing

(2)12 / twelve

(3)more

(4)facilities

(5)lecturers

(6)poorer

(7)grant

(8)one

(9)budget

(10)less

(11)young

(12)classic

(13)part-time

(14)growing

(15)two-year

Task 2:Talk after viewing

Script

There will be more students at universities next year than ever before in our history.

When they get to university, they have good facilities, good buildings, as well as good contact with their lecturers.

Students from poorer backgrounds receive a grant.

40 percent of students who are going to university will receive some sort of grant.

Uint2

Our globe is in danger!

III. Listening In

Task 1:We should have proper respect for nature!

Script:

Martha:Do you think most people in your culture respect nature?

Ed:I think so. Um... more now than before.

Martha:What do you think is the most serious environmental problem in the world today?

Ed: Today... I think damage to the ozone layer is a big problem, and another problem is pollution in big cities and things like that.

Martha: How do you learn about environmental problems?

Ed: Um... through school. A lot of clubs promote environmental safety, and some TV programs, too. They talk about environmental safety and stuff like that. Martha: Do you think students should learn more about the environment at school?

Ed: I think so. So, as they grow older, they can be more aware of all the problems that are going on, and also to prevent more problems from occurring.

Martha: If you could create a new law to help the environment, what would it be? Ed: A new law for the environment? Um... I'd probably say that when people throw away their cigarette butts, they have to throw them into the garbage bin, not just throw them everywhere because it's just littering and I hate that. So they should be fined if they throw them on the floor or on the ground.

Martha: That's a good idea. What do you personally do to help protect the environment?

Ed: I'm so against littering. I never litter. If I see somebody litter, I get really angry. So I always throw my trash into the garbage bin.

Keys:

(1)nature

(2)environmental problem

(3)pollution

(4)promote

(5)aware of

(6)from occurring

(7)law

(8)throw away

(9)fined

(10)trash

Task 2:River pollution

Script:

If you see dead fish floating on the river or notice that the water is discolored and smelly,

you know the river has been polluted, and there are four main possible causes for it.

First, fertilizer. If large amounts of fertilizer or farm waste drain into a river, the concentrations of nitrate and phosphate in the water increase considerably.Algae use these substances to grow rapidly, turning the water green.

This massive growth of algae leads to pollution. When the algae die, they are broken down by the action of the bacteria, which quickly multiply, using up all the oxygen in the water and therefore causing the death of fish.

Second, industrial waste. Factories sometimes discharge chemical waste into rivers. Examples of such pollutants include cyanide, lead, copper, and mercury. These substances may enter the water in such high concentrations that fish and other animals are killed immediately. Sometimes the pollutants enter the food chain and accumulate until they reach toxic levels, eventually killing fish and other animals.

Third, oil pollution. If oil enters a slow-moving river, it forms a rainbow-colored film over the entire surface, preventing oxygen from entering the water.

Fourth, warm water. Industry often uses water for cooling processes, sometimes discharging large quantities of warm water back into rivers. A higher temperature of the water lowers the level of dissolved oxygen and upsets the balance of life in the water.

Keys:1.D 2.A 3.B 4.C 5.D

Task3: Curbing carbon emissions

Script:

Although it is not an easy task, China is striving to fulfill the promise to cut its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40 to 45 percent in the next 10 years. Zhang Guobao, Director of the National Energy Administration, said, "The government puts great emphasis on seeking harmonious development between cities and the environment, and is readjusting the energy structure by giving priority to the development of clean and low-carbon energies, including hydroelectric, nuclear, wind, and solar power."

Government authorities have closed small, coal-fired plants with a total capacity of 60.06 million kilowatts in the past four years. This year's target of closing 10 million kilowatts of capacity will be achieved by August.

"We have promised to the international community that 15 percent of our power will be generated from nonfossil sources by 2020," Director Zhang said. At present, non-fossil energy accounts for only 7.8 percent.

China is making efforts to increase the proportion of clean energy in its total energy consumption. Statistics show that China invested US$34.6 billion in clean energy last year, exceeding the United States which invested US$18.6 billion. Thus, China has become the world leader in generating clean energy. Five years earlier, China's investment in clean energy was only US$2.5 billion.

However, China's carbon emission reduction target cannot be achieved easily. The shift to a low-carbon economy might be met at a cost to society. For instance, more than 400,000 people were laid off as a result of the shutdown of small coal-fired power plants in the past four years. Many studies indicate that the effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions may delay China's development, affect people's income, and lead to unemployment.

Keys:1.D 2.D 3.A 4.B 5.C

VI. Further Listening and Speaking

Listening Task:

Task1: The environment and the development

Script:

Li:Hi, Professor Wang.

I'm Li Lin, a correspondent for the university newspaper.

The staff and students here are getting more and more interested in the relationship between the environment and economic development.

What do you think is the most serious environmental problem at present? What measures should we adopt to improve the environment and develop the economy

at the same time?

Wang: There are many environmental problems: air pollution, water pollution, desertification, overfishing, destruction of natural habitats, acid rain, overconsumption of wild animals and plants, etc. But lying at the center of all those problems, as I see it, is the contradiction between economic growth and the environment.

Since the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992, growing number of people and governments have adopted the new idea of "sustainable development". This means today's economic growth should not wipe out the resources and options for future generations. Planning and development should ensure not only economic growth, but also social advancement and environmental health. In other words, some economic behavior must be restricted or controlled. Instilling principles of sustainable development into government planning, resource management and economic policy is the most important step China can take to solve its environmental problems.

China has already taken some remarkable steps to reduce damage to the environment. For instance, following the huge floods of 1998, the government banned logging in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in order to protect forests and reduce the risk of floods.

Still, the basic contradiction between the environment and development persists. Much work is to be done before we can achieve the aim of a balance between economic growth and the environment.

Keys:

(1)water pollution

(2)overconsumption

(3)economic growth

(4)resources

(5)social advancement

(6)restricted

(7)government planning

(8)economic policy

(9)remarkable steps

(10)balance

Task 2: Thick cloud of pollution covering southern Asia

Script

A United Nations study says a thick cloud of pollution covering southern Asia threatens the lives of millions of people. Scientists say the pollution could increase lung disease and cause early death. The cloud is also damaging agriculture and affecting rainfall levels. It has affected many countries in southern Asia. The pollution cloud is three kilometers high. Scientists say it can move halfway around the world in a week.

The cloud is the result of forest fires, the burning of agricultural waste, and huge increases in the burning of fuels by vehicles, industries, and power stations. Pollution from millions of bad cooking stoves has made the problem worse.

Many poor people burn fuels like wood and animal waste in such stoves. Scientists say the cloud of pollution appears to cool the land and oceans by blocking sunlight.

They say it reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface by as much as 15 percent.

At the same time, heat inside the cloud warms the lower parts of the atmosphere. Harmful chemicals from the cloud are mixing with rainfall.

This acid rain damages crops and trees and threatens public health.

Scientists are concerned that the pollution will intensify during the next 30 years as the population of Asia increases to an estimated 5,000 million people.

Keys:1.D 2.B 3.A 4.C 5.C

Task3: Mountain regions face a number of dangers

Script

Mountain people around the world are in great danger of the negative effects of the worsening environment, according to a UN report.

As global warming and deforestation accelerate and technology makes wilder places more accessible, environmental and social pressures on the world's remotest regions increase.

The UN has found that many mountainous regions—inhabited by one out of five of the world's people—are barely recognizable when they are compared to what they were like 60 years ago.

This is mostly because forests were cut to make way for cattle grazing and agriculture.

The authors of the UN study expect 98 percent of the mountain areas to experience severe climate change by 2055.

Biological losses are expected to be heavy.

The mountains of Europe, parts of California and the northwest Andes in South America are among the most threatened mountain areas in the world and should be given priority in conservation.

The UN is anxious to raise awareness of the problems facing mountain areas because they are inhabited by some of the most vulnerable people.

These people could lose their culture and their livelihood with even the smallest shifts in climate.

At the same time, many mountain regions are losing people. Thousands of villages in Europe are deserted most of the year.

In other areas like Nepal, people are drifting to the cities in search of work. Keys:

(1)negative

(2)report

(3)warming

(4)pressures

(5)mountainous

(6)barely

(7)make way for

(8)expect 98 percent of the mountain areas to experience severe climate change by 2055

(9)The UN is anxious to raise awareness of the problems facing mountain areas

(10)Thousands of villages in Europe are deserted most of the year

Viewing and speaking:

Task 1:Santa's home town in danger

Script

Weather experts may have found a new problem caused by global warming, one which many people will pay attention to: There are signs that Santa's home in the North may be in trouble because of warmer temperatures.

The Finnish town of Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle, which many Europeans say is the home of Santa Claus, has had its warmest winter in 40 years.

As a result, there has been much less snow than usual—meaning no snowmen, no snowballs, and possibly not enough snow for Santa to ride his sleigh on.

More important for local residents, it may mean fewer tourists, as well. Santa's wintry home town normally attracts thousands of visitors each year, and millions of dollars.

Anne Pelttari-Bergman, the town's tourist director, worries that the town could be in trouble if snow levels do not return to normal.

She explains: "Snow is really important for us, of course, for Santa Claus, for Christmas tourism, and also for our winter tourism because winter is our best season. It is really important for us."

Weather experts and town residents are hoping this warm winter is an one-time thing. Few people can imagine a holiday when even Santa does not have a white Christmas.

Keys:

(1)signs

(2)warmer temperatures

(3)warmest

(4)snow

(5)attracts

(6)trouble

(7)normal

(8)season

(9)one-time

(10)white

Task 2:Talk after viewing

Script

The image of Santa Claus flying in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and leaving toys and gifts for every child is known worldwide, and Santa Claus has become the most beloved of Christmas symbols.

But if the weather at Santa's home town were to become so warm that there was no more snow at Christmas, Santa Claus would lose his charm.

So snow is really important for Santa Claus, for his home town's Christmas tourism,

and its winter tourism as winter is the best season in Santa's home town. Uint 3

Culture makes me what I am

III. Listening In

Task 1:Competition in America

Keys:1.C 2.A 3. C 4.B 5.D

Task 2:How to select elective courses?

Keys:

(1)roots

(2)what

(3)moral

(4)diligence

(5)sin

(6)teachings

(7)centuries

(8)If it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing well

(9)In English a new word has been created to describe people who work compulsively

(10)Others hold that workaholics are valuable members of society because they are extremely productive

Task3: Cross-cultural tips on doing business

Keys:1.D 2.A 3. D 4.A 5.C

Task 2:What's your answer?

VI. Further Listening and Speaking

Listening Task:

Task1: Problems with our educational system

Script:

To Americans, punctuality is a way of showing respect for other people's time. Being more than 10 minutes late to an appointment usually calls for an apology and maybe an explanation.

People who are running late often call ahead to let others know of the delay.

Of course, the less formal the situation, the less important it is to be exactly on time.

At informal get-togethers, for example, people often arrive as much as 30 minutes past the appointed time.

But they usually don't try that at work.American lifestyles show how much people respect the time of others.

When people plan an event, they often set the time days or weeks in advance. Once the time is fixed, it takes almost an emergency to change it.

If people want to come to your house for a friendly visit, they will usually call first to make sure it is convenient.

Only very close friends will just "drop in" unannounced.

Also, people hesitate to call others late at night for fear they might already be in bed.

The time may vary, but most people think twice about calling after 10:00 p.m.

To outsiders, Americans seem tied to the clock. People in some Eastern cultures value relationships more than schedules.

In these societies, people don't try to control time, but to experience it.

Many Eastern cultures, for example, view time as a cycle.

The rhythm of nature—from the passing of seasons to the monthly cycle of the moon—shapes their view of events.

If they have wasted some time or let an opportunity pass by, they are not very worried, knowing that more time and opportunities will come in the next cycle. But Americans often want to jump at the first opportunity.

They are unwilling to stand by idly and give up the opportunity.

The early American hero Benjamin Franklin expressed that view of time like this: "Do you love life? Then do not waste time, for that is the stuff life is made of." Keys:1.C 2.B 3.A 4.C 5.D

Task 2: Our personal space

Script

Our personal space, that piece of the universe we occupy and call our own, is contained within an invisible boundary surrounding our body. As the owners of this area, we usually decide who may enter and who may not. When our space is invaded, we react in a variety of ways. We back up and retreat, stand our ground as our hands become moist from nervousness, or sometimes even react violently. Our response shows not only our unique personality, but also our cultural background. For example, cultures that stress individualism such as England, the United States, Germany, and Australia, generally demand more space than collective cultures do, and tend to become aggressive when their space is invaded. This idea of space is quite different from the one found in the Mexican and Arab cultures. In Mexico, the physical distance between people when engaged in conversation is closer than what is usual north of the border. And for Middle Easterners, typical Arab conversations are at close range. Closeness cannot be avoided.

As is the case with most of our behavior, our use of space is directly linked to the value system of our culture. In some Asian cultures, for example, employees do not stand near their bosses; the extended distance demonstrates respect. Extra interpersonal distance is also part of the cultural experience of the people of Scotland and Sweden, for whom it reflects privacy. And in Germany, private space is sacred.

Keys:1.A 2.B 3.A 4.B 5.B

Task3:We don't know what to do with them.

Script

A Russian, a Cuban, an American businessman, and an American lawyer were passengers on a fast train speeding across the French countryside. As time wore on, they gradually became friendly with one another, introducing themselves and shaking hands. Eventually, the Russian took out a large bottle of vodka and poured

each of his traveling companions a drink. Just as the American businessman was sipping the vodka and praising its fine quality, the Russian hurled the half-full bottle out of the open window.

"What did you do that for?" asked the startled American businessman.

"Vodka is plentiful in my country," said the Russian. "In fact, we have thousands and thousands of liters of it—far more than we need."

The American businessman shook his head and leaned back in his seat, obviously baffled by the Russian's reasoning.

A little later, the young Cuban passed around a box of fine Havana cigars. The men enjoyed this treat and made admiring remarks about the pleasure of smoking good Havana cigars. At that very moment the Cuban took a couple of puffs of his cigar and then tossed it out of the open window.

"I thought the Cuban economy was not good this year," the American businessman said. "Yet you threw that perfectly good cigar away. I find your actions quite puzzling."

"Cigars," the Cuban replied, "are a dime a dozen in Cuba. We have more of them than we know what to do with."

The American businessman sat in silence for a moment. Then he got up, grabbed the lawyer, and threw him out of the window.

Keys:

1.The Russian hurled the half-full bottle of vodka out of the open window.

2.He answered, "Vodka is plentiful in my country. In fact, we have thousands and thousands of liters of it—far more than we need."

3.The businessman said, "I thought the Cuban economy was not good this year. Yet you threw that perfectly good cigar away. I find your actions quite puzzling."

4.He replied, "Cigars are a dime a dozen in Cuba. We have more of them than we know what to do with."

5.The American businessman sat in silence for a moment. Then he got up, grabbed the lawyer, and threw him out of the window. He did that probably because he thought there were too many lawyers in the United States.

Viewing and speaking:

Task 1:Reviving the image of tea

Keys:

(1)disappearing

(2)kicking

(3)tea shop

(4)image crisis

(5)update

(6)compete

(7)fast

(8)product designers

(9)contacts

(10)similar

(11)want

(12)challenge

(13)consumer

(14)traditional

Task 2:Talk after viewing

Script

As people become espresso fiends and cappuccino connoisseurs, the traditional British tea are being kicked off the menu by designer coffees.

Unit 4

Taste the sweets and bitters of family life

Ⅲ

Listening in >

Task 1

Correct answer

(1) typical

(2) known

(3) Generally

(4) find

(5) apartment

(6) sole

(7) principal

(8) Dual-earner families are the

predominant type for

families with children in

the United States

(9) adequate day care of

children is necessary for

dual-earner families

(10) companies are getting

involved in the arrangement

of day care

Listening in > Task 2

1-5BAABA

Listening in > Task 3

1-5AAADC

ⅥFurther listening and speaking > Further listening > Task 1

Your answer Correct answer

(1) divorce her husband divorce her

husband

(2) irresponsible irresponsibl

e

(3) changing jobs changing jobs

(4) stability stability

(5) bills bills

(6) poverty line poverty line

(7) apartment apartment

(8) yells at yells at

(9) calls him names calls him

names

(10) half half

Task 2

1-5BCADC

Task 3

Correct answer

(1) the last word

(2) remarriage failures

(3) picture

(4) eight times

(5) wife

(6) dating

(7) loneliness and anxiety

(8) second

(9) response to her

(10) lukewarm