中科大综合英语听力教程Unit 11

U n i t E l e v e n Life and Self-fulfillment

Part I Individuals and Family

?Task 3

Many studies have been made in an effort to determine the causes of delinquency. Most of these have focused on family relationships or on neighborhood or community conditions. The results of these investigations have shown that it is doubtful that any child becomes a delinquent for any single reason.

Family relationships, especially those between parents and individual children, have been the focus of several delinquency studies. An early study comparing delinquent and nondelinquent brothers showed that over 90 percent of the delinquents had unhappy home lives and felt discontented with their life circumstances. Only 13 percent of their brothers felt this way. Whatever the nature of the delinquents' unhappiness, delinquency appeared to them to be a solution. It brought attention to youths neglected by their parents, or approval by delinquent friends, or it solved problems of an unhappy home life in other ways. More recent studies have revealed that many delinquents had parents with whom they did not get along or who were inconsistent in their patterns of discipline and punishment.

Neighborhood conditions have been stressed in studies by sociologists. Many of these inquiries concentrate on differing rates of delinquency, rather than on the way individuals become delinquents.

A series of studies have shown that delinquency rates are above average in the poorest sections of cities. Such areas have many broken homes and a high rate of alcoholism. They also have poor schools, high unemployment, few recreational facilities, and high crime rates. Many young people see delinquency as their only escape from boredom, poverty, and other problems.

Social scientists have also studied the influence of other youngsters on those who commit delinquencies. For example, they point out that most youngsters who engage in delinquent behavior do so with other juveniles and often in organized gangs.

Studies indicate that the causes of delinquency also extend to a whole society. For example, delinquency rates tend to be high among the low-income groups in societies where most people are well-to-do. The pain of being poor and living in slum conditions is felt more strongly in a rich society than in a poor one.

Questions:

1.As to the causes of delinquency, which of the following have most of studies NOT focused on?

2.What is the result of delinquency investigations?

3.Which of the following is NOT true as to the influence of family relationships on delinquency?

4.What do many inquiries concentrate on concerning the effect of neighborhood conditions on delinquency?

5.Which of the following is NOT supported by delinquency studies?

6.According to the passage, in what way does society contribute to delinquency

7. A. Community conditions.

B. Political status.

C. Family relationships.

D. Economic conditions.

8. A. An unhappy home life should be responsible for juvenile delinquency.

B. A high rate of alcoholism is the main cause of juvenile delinquency.

C. It is doubtful that any child becomes a delinquent for any single reason.

D. Poor education leads to juvenile delinquency.

3. A. Most of the delinquents had unhappy home lives.

B.Most of the delinquents felt discontented with their life circumstances.

C. Parents were inconsistent in their patterns of discipline and punishment.

D. Most of the delinquents’ parents got a divorce

4. A. Differing rates of delinquency.

B. The way individuals become delinquents.

C. The poorest living sections.

D. Those living sections with high crime rates.

5. A. Delinquency rates are above average in the poorest sections of cities.

B. Many young people see delinquency as their only escape from boredom and poverty.

C. Most youngsters often commit delinquencies in organized gangs.

D. In a poor society delinquency rates tend to be higher than in a rich society.

6. A. A big discrepancy between the rich and the poor.

B. Insufficient social facilities.

C. Little education of the poor.

D. Imperfect laws and regulations

Part II Individuals and Society

?Task 3

At some time in your life you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don’t act on your impulse, but let it pass instead. You know that to commit the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.

One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. The “in” look is thin. Not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youth-looking, trim executives to sell their images as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and self-respect. After all, people think, how can people who care about themselves, and therefore the way they look, permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society like the U.S., thin is “in”, fat is “out”.

It’s not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed with staying slim and “in shape”. The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the sole reason for America’s obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the critical importance of diet and exercise for personal health. The effect of this new appreciation of the importance of exercise is evident: parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, physical education programs are enjoying a newly found prestige, and many companies are providing special exercise facilities for their employees to use during the work day.

Questions:

1.What do we know about “taboo” from this passage?

2.What did people use to think of the topic of death?

3.Which of the following is true about the topic of fat, according to the passage?

4.Why do most companies prefer youth-looking, slim executives?

5.What can we infer about “being fat” in American society, based on the ideas presented in this passage?

6.Which of the following is not mentioned as examples of people’s new appreciation of the importance of

exercise?

1. A. It is a strong desire to do something strange or terrible.

B. It is a crime committed on impulse.

C. It is a behavior considered unacceptable in a society.

D. It is an unfavorable impression left on other people.

2. A. They considered it so upsetting and unpleasant.

B. They thought it acceptable and natural.

C. They were willing to express their feelings about it.

D. Only the old people considered it unlucky.

3. A. It is the same as many other taboo topics.

B. It is different from many other taboo topics.

C. It is more popular than many other taboo topics.

D. It is less often talked about than many other taboo topics.

4. A. Because the thin look is associated with vigor and success.

B. Because the thin look is more charming, thus attracting more customers.

C. Because the thin look is more healthy than the fat look.

D. Because the thin look has always been what people are eager for.

5. A. It will remain to be a taboo.

B. It is not considered a taboo by most people.

C. It has long been a taboo.

D. It may no longer be a taboo some day.

6. A. Parks are crowded with joggers and bicyclists.

B. Physical education programs are enjoying popularity.

C. Companies are providing special exercise facilities for their employees.

D. People’s exercise hours are gradually increasing.

Part III Individuals and Life-pursuit

?Task 3

Amelia Earhart, the famous pioneer pilot, can serve as an excellent model for both contemporary young women and young men. This is the story of her courage and daring and illustrates how a person can realize nearly any dream if he or she has enough determination.

Amelia was born in Atchinson, Kansas, in 1898, and demonstrated a daring and adventuresome spirit even in her childhood by always being the first to try any new adventure and never seeming to fear anything. During World War I Ameli a became a nurse’s aid at a military hospital in Canada because this was the contribution that she wanted to make. After the war was over, Amelia went to California to visit her parents who had moved there earlier. While she was there, she went to an air show with her father and watched the brave pilots fly their airplanes in many exciting ways. She then realized that she wanted to learn to be a pilot. However, she did not have the

thousand dollars that was required to take flying lessons so she obtained a job in the telephone company office to earn money for the lessons.

Amelia took flying lessons when she was able to afford them from another woman pilot. With money borrowed from her mother, she later was able to buy herself a small yellow airplane called a Canary. Because of her flying ability, Amelia was asked to become the first woman passenger on a transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Wales in 1928. Because of this daring adventure, she became famous both in Europe and the United States.

A melia’s fame as a woman flier began to spread and in 1932 she became the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland to the Irish coastline. After this flight, Amelia became even more famous, and in 1937 she and a copilot attempted to fly around the world near the equator but were lost over the Pacific Ocean after completing most of their flight. However, Amelia Earhart proved that women are able to accomplish most of the things that men are able to do.

Questions:

1.What quality did Amelia have as a girl that probably helped her to become a famous pilot?

2.What did Amelia do during World War I?

3.How did Amelia afford to buy herself a small airplane?

4.When did Amelia fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time?

5.Which of the following is TRUE?

6.Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?

1. A. Her strong determination to do what men could.

B. Her daring and adventuresome spirit.

C. Her intelligence to learn things quickly.

D. Her flying ability and good training.

2. A. To work as a pilot.

B. To obtain a job in the telephone company office.

C. To teach in a flying school.

D. To work as a nurse’s aid.

3. A. By borrowing money from her mother.

B. By working in the telephone company.

C. By receiving an award for her daring flight.

D. By making money from coaching women pilots.

4. A. In 1898.

B. In 1937.

C. In 1925.

` D. In 1932.

5. A. Amelia died in an airplane crash.

B. Amelia took flying lessons from her father.

C. Amelia completed the well-known flight around the world.

D. Amelia died at the age of 37.

6. A. A person can accomplish nearly any things if he or she is well-educated.

B. Women can accomplish all the things that men can do.

C. People can do almost any things if they have strong resolution.

D. Amelia’s courage has helped many women realize their dreams