新编大学英语视听说3听力原文(完整)

New College English视听说教程 3听力原文

第一单元

Mike: Hey, guys. Come and look. I've found an interesting Web site on star signs.

(The others come close to the computer and look at the star signs on the screen.)

Ted: Hey, that's interesting! What's your sign, Sam?

Sam: I'm a Scorpio. What's yours, Ted?

Ted: I have no idea. I've never really thought about that. Let's have a look. I was born on September 5. Oh, I'm a Virgo.

Simon: And I'm a Libra.

Sam: What do they say about Libra, Simon?

Simon: (He reads.) You're a sociable, charming person. You go out of your way to avoid confrontation and do everything in your power to make your life an easy one. Although you're generally likeable, you can be changeable, superficial and critical. But you manage to hide those traits most of the time. Mike: Do you agree with that? Are you that type of person?

Simon: What do you think? I think there is something in what it says. I am social and outgoing. But I am not changeable, am I? What's your sign, Mike?

Mike: I'm a Taurus. Ah, what's yours, Lilly?

Lilly: I'm a Cancer.

Ted: Now let's look at Taurus.( He reads.) You're a patient, practical type. Good points include your affectionate, kind nature, your trustworthiness and strength of character. Bad points include your possessiveness, self-indulgence and stubbornness. Do you think your character fits well?

Mike: No, not at all. I'm not patient, and I'm not practical either. I am kind of quick-tempered and ambitious. That's definitely not me! But one thing is right: I AM stubborn.

Simon: Sam, let me read yours. (He reads.) You are secretive, and sexy. You have the worst reputation in the zodiac. Scorpio has a dark side, which includes revengeful and destructive traits. Yet despite this, you can be the wittiest, kindest and most entertaining of all the signs.

Sam: Oh, that can't be true! Are you sure you were reading Scorpio?

Simon: Yes, of course! Look for yourself.

Sam: But that's unfair! I have the worst reputation in the zodiac?!

The others: (They all laugh and say.) Ha ha... Poor Sam!

Sam: Who could believe such silly things! Really, I think I'm intelligent, humorous, and kind-hearted. Mike: Yes, but those are just your good traits. Don't forget about your bad ones!

Sam: Come on! Oh, Lilly, we haven't looked at your sign yet. Eh, you are a Cancer, right? You want me to read yours?

Lilly: No, thanks. I'm afraid you'll distort what's written there. Let me read it myself. (She reads.) To some people, you appear tough and determined, but that's just a "front" you put up to protect the real you, which is rather more sensitive and softer. You can be moody, touchy and irritable, but you make up for those negative traits with your kindness, great intuition and protective nature. That's not bad, is it?

Simon: No. But what counts is not what it says, but how you really are, what you are actually like. Lilly: (She is a bit defensive.) What do you mean? What are you trying to say about me?

Simon: I think you are much nicer than what it describes.

(Lilly smiles.)

The other boys: Oh, Simon, don't sweet-talk her! We know what you are thinking.

Ted: Hey, I haven't seen mine yet. Now it's my turn.

Mike: Go ahead, Ted! Be our guest!

Ted: It says: Virgo people like order in all things and are neat, clean and precise in their habits. Virgo people are perfectionists and they sometimes can be critical. They do not like to draw attention to themselves. Virgo people are modest, and careful about what they eat or drink.

Sam: Do you have any objections to that?

Ted: I think the description matches me quite well. I AM a perfectionist. I like things to be in order. Erm, I...I'm careful about what I eat and drink. But it doesn't mention my weak points.

Lilly: Oh! And what are those?

Ted: Well, sometimes I'm so careful I tend to waste a lot of time. I'm not very sociable, and I don't have many friends.

Sam: I think everyone has some undesirable personality traits that could be improved. Don't you think we all could improve our personalities?

Mike: I think we can. For example, my little sister was the youngest girl in our family. My parents loved her very much, but they spoiled her by giving her too much. She was at that time self-centered, selfish, aggressive, bad-tempered, and rude. Her personality didn't change any until she entered primary school. In school, she first acted as she did at home, and she couldn't make a single good friend. For a time, she was even isolated by her classmates. She complained to us, and finally understood her problem. From then on, she made every effort to get rid of her undesirable characteristics both at home and in school. Now she's in middle school and has turned into a popular girl.

Lilly: In my opinion, our personalities are partly inherited and partly shaped by our home environment. As we all know, scientists have found that parents' personality traits can be seen in their children. Most children have some of their parents' personality traits.

Mike: That's right. And our early home and school environment also has a big influence on the shaping of our personality. For instance, I've noticed that many children growing up in rich families may become wasteful, lazy, arrogant or cold. On the other hand, I've noticed that many children raised in poor families are hard-working, caring, sympathetic, and helpful.

Sam: Does that mean you think we have to choose our parents wisely?

(The others laugh.)

P6

Interviewer: Angela, you were born in Korea but you've been living in Canada for a long time, haven't you?

Angela: Yes, I was 10 years old when my parents immigrated to Canada and I've been living here for 20 years now.

Interviewer: Do you think that belonging to two different cultures has affected your personality? Angela: Yes, definitely. There are times when I think that I have two personalities. Depending on where I am and who I'm with, I'm Korean or I'm Canadian.

Interviewer: That sounds complicated. Could you explain what you mean?

Angela: Well, growing up in Canada when I was going to high school, for example, I was known as Angela to the outside world, and as Sun-Kyung at home. I would wave hello to my teachers, but bow to my parents' Korean friends when they visited our home.

Interviewer: Do different cultures have different ideas as to what is polite?

Angela: Yes, definitely. In high school, I was expected to look straight in the eyes of my teachers and to talk openly with them. But when Koreans spoke to me, I was expected to look at my feet and to be shy and silent.

Interviewer: Do you think that having two personalities makes you a richer person?

Angela: Yes, but sometimes I don't know who I am.

P7

I am a very sensitive person, and that's good to a point. I feel everyone should be able to feel or understand what others are going through. But when you hurt, cry, or are unhappy for people you don't know, or for a movie that is not real, then I think that's a little too sensitive. That's the way I am.

I am a very independent person. I must do things for myself. I don't like people doing things for me, or helping me, or giving me things. It's not that I don't appreciate it, because I do. I just feel that when someone does something for you, you owe them, and if there is one thing I don't like to feel, it's that I owe anyone anything.

I think I would be a good friend. I would do almost anything for someone I like, and would share or give anything I have. I'm very caring and understanding. People trust me with their secrets, and they're right for doing so because I never tell any secret that is told to me. I'm always there to help in any way that I can. All you have to do is ask.

I enjoy life and people, which makes me feel good. I find fun in almost everything I do (except housework).

I like to watch people, talk to them, and be around them. It makes no difference whether I agree or disagree

with what they feel, or how they live, or what they look like, or what age they are. I just enjoy learning and being aware of everything and everyone around me.

P9

Tom: Hey, Bill. Do you have any plans for this weekend?

Bill: Yeah, Tom. Cindy and I are going ice-skating on Saturday.

Tom: Oh.

Bill: Why do you ask?

Tom: Well, I thought you might want to come over and study for next week's chemistry test.

Bill: Study?! No way. Hey, what if I try to fix you up with Cindy's sister, Kristi. We could double-date. She's really outgoing, bright, and funny too.

Tom: Hey, I still remember the girl you fixed me up with last time. She was very moody and self-centered. She couldn't stop talking about how great she was. I'm not sure if I can trust you, "Mr. Matchmaker". Bill: Oh come on. So I made a mistake last time. Cindy's sister is really different.

Tom: Well, what does she look like?

Bill: Ah. Looks aren't important. She has a wonderful personality.

Tom: Right.

Bill: Okay. She has long wavy blond hair and blue eyes. She's of medium height, just a little shorter than you are.

Tom: Go on.

Bill: She has a great figure, a nice complexion, and she has a sexy voice. Oh, and she has a tattoo of an eagle on her arm.

Tom: A what?

Bill: No, just kidding. By the way, she was the runner-up in the Miss California Beauty Pageant two years ago. Well, you're probably not interested.

Tom: No, wait!

Bill: Ah, just forget I ever mentioned it.

Tom: No, I'm interested!

P10

David: Barbara, before you go, could you tell me about these students that are coming into my class? Barbara: Oh, yes. Now, let me think, well, there's...er...Paul. He's a tall, slim lad with fair hair. Very friendly face, lovely smile... He's particularly good with group activities, and he's a very helpful person to have in the class and very helpful with the other students. He speaks fluently, but does make a lot of mistakes! He doesn't seem to mind making mistakes. He asks a lot of questions...er...he tends to speak first and think later. But he's got lots of interesting ideas.

David: Good.

Barbara: Ah...Susan...Susan. Now, she's very lively, quick, and very bright. She talks all the time but not always in English.

David: What? Is she difficult or anything?

Barbara: No...she's quite young but she does behave in quite a grown-up way really for her age. It can be a bit difficult to actually shut her up sometimes and make her listen to you.

David: Ah, right.

Barbara: She's very nice. She has dark hair and dark eyes.

David: Right, well...are there any other girls in the class?

Barbara: Yes, there is Maria. She's Susan's sister.

David: Yes.

Barbara: Actually it's quite difficult to tell them apart although...er... Maria is slightly older. She's a bit plumper and has longer hair than Susan. She's not quite as bright as her sister and I think that makes her feel a bit inferior really. Well, you know, she sulks a bit when she gets things wrong or she misunderstands you. But on the whole, a very sensible girl.

David: OK.

Barbara: And then there's Peter, who's older than the others. He's got a sort of moustache, spectacles and wavy dark brown hair. He usually wears a jacket and sometimes a suit. He's very smart and takes notes

all the time. He's also very serious and determined to learn as much as possible. He asks quite difficult questions but he doesn't mean to be nasty.

David: Well, thanks, Barbara. It's all up to me now, isn't it? Have a good holiday, won't you? Barbara: Thanks.

David: Bye.

P11

1. Pedro sleeps only six hours a night. He goes to school full-time and works part-time in the afternoons. At night he plays soccer or basketball. He's seldom tired and his favorite way to relax is to jog two or three miles.

What kind of person is Pedro?

2. Mr. Miller was teaching his fourth grade class how to divide. The students didn't understand. He had to repeat his lesson and explain the idea more slowly. Over the next few days he explained and explained the lesson until almost the whole class understood and knew how to divide.

What kind of teacher is Mr. Miller?

3. People in the High Street neighborhood don't buy their fruits and vegetables in the supermarket. They buy them from Mr. Smith's truck. You can trust Mr. Smith. He never tries to sell any bad or unripe fruit. His prices are fair.

What kind of person is Mr. Smith?

4. Jake and Charles ran into the classroom. Each one saw the chair he wanted to sit on. Unfortunately, it was the same chair. They both sat down at the same time. Each of them had half a chair. Charles said he was there first and tried to push Jake off the chair. Jake said he was first. Both boys refused to move.

"All right, boys," said the teacher. "If you won't move, then you can sit like that for the whole period." Jake and Charles sat like that for the whole period until the bell rang. When they stood up they were stiff and sore.

"I don't care," said Jake. "I was there first."

What kind of person is Jake?

5. Room 46A at Travis High School was always the dirtiest room in the school. Many of the students threw paper on the floor. One day, Mrs. Duke had an idea. She fastened a basketball hoop over the wastebasket. Now the students love to practice throwing their paper into the basket. When they miss, they pick the paper up and try again. And that was the end of the problem.

What kind of person is Mrs. Duke?

P12

A number of visitors to the UK, who had traveled throughout the British Isles, were asked by a newspaper reporter what their impressions of the British people were. Here's a brief summary of what they thought.

There were many different opinions among those interviewed: Some were very flattering, others very critical. The distinction between the English and the British wasn't always understood, but, on the whole, it seemed that the Scots were very popular with visitors. They were thought to be very friendly, even though one Dutch visitor confessed she'd found it hard to understand their English.

A great number found the British generally reserved, particularly the English, although one Australian visitor called the English "the friendliest people in the world and most hospitable". But she did admit that speaking the same language was a great help. Some Asian businessmen, who had traveled widely throughout England, said quite openly that they found North country people "much nicer" than people in the South. When asked what exactly they meant by "much nicer", one of them said, with a playful smile on his face, "By much nicer I mean much more like us!"

A few continentals praised "English courtesy", but the majority found it dishonest and dull. "You're forever saying 'please' and 'sorry' when you don't feel pleased or sorry," one explained.

A young student from South Africa had no views on the matter. He hadn't met any Englishmen, he said. The country appeared to be full of foreigners like himself. Statements:

1. It was easy to tell the English from the British.

2. Speaking the same language helped one Australian visitor a lot.

3. By "much nicer", one of the visitors meant that the British people were more friendly than people of other countries.

4. The majority of continentals thought highly of English manners.

5. To the young student from South Africa, Britain seemed to have a lot of foreign visitors.

P13

One day, when Mr. Smith came home from work, he found his wife very upset about something. Mr. Smith always thought that he was more sensible than his wife, so he started to give her a lecture on the importance of always remaining calm.

Finally he said, "It's a waste of your strength to get excited about small things. Train yourself to be patient, like me. Now, look at the fly that has just landed on my nose. Am I getting excited or annoyed? Am I swearing or waving my arms around? No. I'm not. I'm perfectly calm."

Just as he had said this, Mr. Smith started shouting. He jumped up and began to wave his arms around wildly and swear terribly. He couldn't speak for some time, but at last he was able to tell his wife: The thing on his nose was not a fly, but a bee.

P14

Tom: Oh, that Mr. Taylor. He is so boring!

Mother: What do you mean?

Tom: His lessons put me to sleep. And he's so quick-tempered, Mum.

Mother: Quick-tempered? Mr. Taylor? Are you sure darling?

Tom: Yes, he gets angry very quickly.

Mother: That doesn't sound like Mr. Taylor at all!

Tom: And do you know, he spends all the time looking at his reflection in the window, admiring himself.

Mother: Really? And why does he do that?

Tom: Because he's vain, that's why! And conceited! He thinks he knows everything. Mother: Oh, Tom. Be reasonable. I'm sure you're exaggerating. Mr. Taylor seems such a nice, kind man.

Tom: Well, he isn't. He is mean and cruel.

Mother: Cruel? Now how can a history teacher be cruel?

Tom: Because he only gave me two out of ten points in my history test.

Mother: Oh, now I understand. Tom, I think you'd better get on with your homework!

P15

(S1 = the first speaker; S2 = the second speaker; S3 = the third speaker; S4 = the fourth speaker)

S1: In this week's edition of Up with People we went out into the streets and interviewed a number of people. We asked a question they just didn't expect. We asked them to be self-critical...to ask themselves exactly what they thought they lacked or—the other side of the coin—what virtues they had. Here is what we heard.

S2: Well...I...I don't know really...it's not the sort of question you ask yourself directly. I know I'm good at my job... At least my boss considers me hard-working, conscientious, and efficient. I'm a secretary by the way. When I look at myself in a mirror as you sometimes do in the privacy of your own bedroom...or at your reflection in the shop windows as you walk up the street... Well...then I see someone a bit different. Yes...I'm different in my private life. And that's probably my main fault I should say... I suppose I'm not coherent in my behavior. My office is always in order...but my flat! Well...you'd have to see it to believe it.

S3: Well...I'm retired, you know. Used to be an army officer. And...I think I've kept myself...yes, I've kept myself respectable the whole of my life. I've tried to help those who depend on me. I've done my best.

I am quite self-disciplined. Basically I'm a good guy, fond of my wife and family... That's me.

S4: Well...when I was young I was very shy. At times I...I was very unhappy...especially when I was sent to boarding school at age seven. I didn't make close friends till later...till I was about...fifteen. Then I became quite good at being by myself. I had no one to rely on...and no one to ask for advice. That made me independent. My wife and I have two sons. We...we didn't want an only child because I felt...well I felt I'd missed a lot of things.

第二单元

King: What's in your hand?

Noname: The swords that used to belong to Sky, Sword and Snow, Your Majesty.

King: How did you get them?

Noname: I had a fight with Sky. I killed him and took his sword.

King: Who are you?

Noname: My name is Noname. I was born in Qin. I've been practicing with my sword for more than twenty years, Your Majesty.

King: I heard Sky was a very good swordsman.

Noname: Yes, he was, but not as good as me. We met in a chess house and I knew he was one of the killers Your Majesty wanted. We fought all day and finally I killed him, breaking his sword in two pieces. King: Good. You will get your reward... Then what about Sword and Snow? I heard they were lovers. They were never apart. I heard they were the best with the sword in their kingdom. And few people ever saw them and nobody knew them. How did you find them?

Noname: It took me three years. Three years after they failed to kill you they returned to their own kingdom and lived in a house where they practiced calligraphy all day long. They no longer practiced with their swords. I also learned a secret of them.

King: And what was that?

Noname: They had not talked to each other for three years.

King: That's strange. Why not?

Noname: Snow believed Sword had betrayed her. No one else knew it. When I heard about it and heard where they were, I went to the calligraphy house and asked Sword to write the word "sword" for me.

King: Why did you ask for the word "sword"?

Noname: If I could find a weakness by the way he wrote the word, I might find a way to beat him. King: And did he write the word for you?

Noname: Yes, he did.

King: Did you find his weakness that way?

Noname: No, I didn't find any weakness in his writing, Your Majesty. However, I realized that the art of swordsmanship lies in a man's heart. Even without a sword, a true master can make people around him feel that they are facing a man with a sword.

King: How did you manage to kill him then?

Noname: I did not kill him. He was defeated by his own love towards Snow. I made Snow believe that he had already fallen in love with one of his maids. Snow was very angry. She killed Sword.

King: And then you killed Snow?

Noname: Nobody could have beaten those two if they had worked together. But, left alone, Snow was very easy for me to beat. Besides, she was also wounded during a fight with the maid who wanted revenge for her master's death.

King: Thank you for killing the three people who were the greatest threat to my life. Your story is beautiful, but you have underestimated one person.

Noname: Who, Your Majesty?

King: Me!

Noname: Why did you say that?

King: I had met those people and I would never believe that they could be so foolishly jealous. No one with a jealous mind could become the master of the sword. I would never believe that they could be as narrow-minded as you've described. Now let me tell you my story. Sky, Sword and Snow were good friends. They wanted us to meet because they knew you were a better swordsman than any one of them. They persuaded you that you were the only person who could kill me. Each one of them fought with you to make you believe that. And that's why you are here with their broken swords.

Noname: How do you know all this?

King: Your eyes tell me that. You must be the greatest swordsman in the world to have killed all three of them. Is this to be my last day? Where are you from?

Noname: I was born in Zhao. My parents were killed by your soldiers when I was a baby. I have not forgotten how they died. I made up my mind long time ago that I would kill you one day. I've been practicing with my sword for more than twenty years now, and I know I can kill you if I'm within ten steps of you. However, you have also underestimated one person.

King: Who's that?

Noname: Sword. Before I killed Sword he told me he had already given up trying to kill you. He could see that ordinary people suffered most when kingdoms fought. They lost their homes, their parents, their children and their land. There was no peace anywhere. And then he wrote another word for me.

King: What was that word?

Noname: WORLD. He wanted me to think of the whole world and peace. He realized that there could only be peace when the seven kingdoms were united.

King: (He sighs.) I didn't expect the person wanting to kill me would actually know me better than my own people. But, that's my fate! If my life is to end here today, kill me now.

Noname: I have to do this, but remember all those people that have died because of you...

(Noname purposely missed the King because he realized that a united kingdom is more important than his personal revenge.)

(In 221 BC, the King of Qin united the seven kingdoms in China and became the Emperor of China. Wars came to an end.)

P21

Mart Moody from Tupper Lake used to tell this tale. "I went out one day and there was a big flock of ducks out on Tupper Lake. And I had this good dog. I shot at the ducks, and then I sent the dog out there. She was heavy with pups at the time, and I didn't know whether I should send her out there. It was a cold day in the fall. Well, she took right off and away she went. But she didn't show up when it got dark. I began to worry about her. She was a good dog, a really good retriever. She'd get anything I shot at.

"So the next morning I woke up and I thought I'd better go and see if I could find her. And I got down to the shoreline of the lake and I looked out. Suddenly I saw something coming. It was this dog. She came into the shore! She had three ducks in her mouth. And behind her she had seven pups. And each of the pups had a duck in his mouth."

P22

There was an old man who had a daughter. He told his daughter that he had invited a preacher to his house. He said, "Daughter, I'm going down to the train to meet the Reverend, and I've roasted two ducks and left them there for him in the other room. Don't you touch them!" The daughter said, "No, I won't touch

them." So her papa went to the train to meet the Reverend, and the girl began to taste the ducks. The ducks tasted so good that she kept on tasting them until she had eaten them all up, every bit of them. After the old man came back, he didn't even look in the place where he had left the ducks. He went directly into the other room to sharpen his knife on the oilstone so he could carve the ducks. The preacher was sitting in the room with the girl. She knew that her papa was going to punish her, and she started crying and shedding tears. The preacher asked, "What is the matter with you, girl?" She said, "Papa has this one bad fault: He invites preachers to his house and goes to sharpen his knife to cut off both their ears." And the Reverend asked, "What is that you say, daughter?" The girl said, "Yes, Papa invites preachers here all the time and cuts off both their ears." The preacher said, "Daughter, hand me my hat. Quick!" The girl gave him his hat and he ran out of the door quickly. The daughter called her papa and said, "Papa, the preacher got both the ducks and has gone." The old man ran to the door and yelled to the preacher, "Hey, where are you going in such a hurry? Come back here right now!" But the preacher just kept running and shouted back over his shoulder, "Damned if you'll get either one of these."

P23

Jack Storm was the local barrel maker and blacksmith of Thebes, Illinois. He had a cat that stayed around his shop. The cat was the best mouse catcher in the whole country, Jack said. He kept the shop free of rats and mice. But, one day, the cat got caught in a piece of machinery and got a paw cut off. After that, he began to grow weak and thin and didn't take any interest in anything, because he wasn't getting enough to eat.

So, one day, Jack decided to make a wooden paw for the cat. He made it with his pocket knife and fastened it on the injured leg. After that, the cat began to grow sleek and fat again. Jack decided to stay at the shop one night to see how the cat managed with his wooden paw.

After dark, the cat got down in front of a mouse hole and waited. Pretty soon a mouse peered out cautiously. Quick as a flash the cat seized it with his good paw and knocked it on the head with his wooden one. In no time, that cat had eighteen mice piled up in front of the mouse hole.

P25

Ken: Hey, Josh. Where did you get those comic magazines?

Josh: When I went home last weekend, I found these old Superman magazines that my older brother had bought many years ago.

Ken: You don't have time to read old comics. Why did you bring them here?

Josh: In my World Literature class we've been talking about the importance of myths, folk tales, and legends to cultures. We have to write a short paper on which legendary figure we think is the great American hero. I think it's Superman.

Ken: Superman? Why? I think it's someone like Paul Bunyan, the giant woodsman, or Johnny Appleseed, who planted early apple trees in the Midwest. Superman is just a modern comic magazine character. Josh: When I saw these old comics, I started thinking that Superman represents a combination of cultural traditions and beliefs that have been told throughout our American history.

Ken: How?

Josh: Superman is an orphan who comes by rocket to Earth when his native planet explodes. He lands near a small town and is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who teach him their American middle-class values of honesty, hard work and consideration for others. As an adult, he migrates to a large city and defends Americans against evil.

Ken: What else?

Josh: Well, I was thinking about this and realized that he is a symbol of the American character because he is an immigrant. We Americans have come from somewhere else, too. My great grandparents came from Germany, and I know your grandparents came from Brazil. They all worked hard and succeeded.

Ken: But how does that relate to Superman?

Josh: He goes to the city, just as many immigrants did, works as a newspaper reporter. But his adopted parents' values of honesty, hard work and helpfulness are a part of him. He uses his super abilities to fight dishonesty and to help the victims of crime and injustice, meanwhile working hard at his newspaper job.

Ken: I understand. As an orphan, Superman becomes a new person in a new land, just as our ancestors did, and succeeds. He also represents our values. Your paper should be interesting. I'd like to read it when it's finished.

Josh: OK.

P26

At one time animals and people lived together in peace and talked with each other. But when mankind began to multiply rapidly, the animals were crowded into forests and deserts.

Man began to destroy many animals for their skins and furs instead of only for food. Animals became angry at this treatment by man and decided that mankind must be punished.

The animals held a meeting, but they could not decide how to punish mankind. Finally the animals agreed that because deer were the animals most often killed by man, deer should decide how man should be punished. Deer decided that any Indian hunters who killed deer without asking pardon in a suitable manner would be made to suffer with painful stiffness in their bodies. After this decision was made, the leader of the deer sent a message to the nearest people, the Cherokee Indians. "From now on, your hunters must first offer a prayer to the deer before killing him. You must ask his pardon, telling the deer you are forced to kill him only because your people are hungry and need meat. Otherwise, a terrible disease will come to you."

The spirits of the deer would run to the place where a deer had been killed and these spirits would ask the dead deer, "Did you hear the hunter's prayer for pardon?" If the answer was "yes", the spirits would be satisfied. But, if the answer was "no", then the deer spirits would track down the hunter to his house and strike him with the terrible disease of stiffness in his body, making him crippled so that he could not hunt deer again.

Soon all of the animals agreed that this was a fair and just punishment. Each type of animal decided that they would also cause a disease in people who mistreated them.

When the friendly plants of the world heard what the animals had decided as punishment for mankind, the plants decided that this punishment was too harsh. They had a meeting of their own. Finally they decided that each type of plant should provide a cure for one of the diseases which animals had caused for mankind. This was the beginning of plant medicines from nature among the Cherokee Indians a long, long time ago

P28

Every March, a flock of buzzards returns to the town of Hinkley, Ohio. No one really knows how long this event has taken place, but according to local legend the annual buzzard migration began nearly 200 years ago with a massacre.

"The first legend of buzzards in Hinkley, Ohio, goes back to the Great Hinkley Hunt on December 24, Christmas Eve, in 1818. The local settlers deciding that the township needed to be made safe for their livestock, gathered together about 400 men and boys, with guns and clubs and completely surrounded the township of Hinkley."

As the story goes, the townsfolk began marching toward the center of town, driving all the game in front of them, and killing virtually every wild animal they encountered.

"The settlers took some of the deer and the wild turkeys for the holiday dinners, but left all of the other dead animals out in the snow. When spring came, the remaining dead animals attracted many buzzards, and since 1819 they've been coming back here in March."

Hinkley locals have come to appreciate the buzzards' annual return. In mid-March, on Buzzard Sunday, they celebrate the birds' arrival with costumes, exhibits and songs.

P29

Almost seven centuries ago, in Central Asia, there lived a great king called Tamerlane. He was a mighty, powerful, conquering soldier, and his greatest ambition was that one day he would rule a massive empire stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. He made his imperial capital in the oasis city of Samarkand, which he planned to make the most beautiful city on earth. Many magnificent mosques were built and they were decorated with exquisite blue ceramic tiles on the outside, and with pure gold on the inside.

Tamerlane, like the great oriental king that he was, had many wives, including a Chinese girl called Bibi Khanym. Now Bibi Khanym was the most beautiful of all Tamerlane's wives, and she was also the youngest. She was his favorite wife and was deeply in love with him.

In order to demonstrate her great love of Tamerlane, she decided to build a magnificent mosque to honor him, while he was away fighting in a distant war. She engaged the best architect, who designed for her the most magnificent mosque you could imagine. And then she found the best master builder, who began work immediately. But as the weeks and months passed by, the master builder began to fall in love with Bibi Khanym. She resisted all his advances, but at last he threatened to leave the mosque unfinished unless she allowed him to kiss her just once. Bibi Khanym wanted the beautiful mosque finished more than anything else. She was expecting Tamerlane to return any day. So at last she agreed to let the master builder kiss her, just once.

But that was her terrible mistake, for so powerful was the master builder's love for Bibi Khanym that when he kissed her he left a permanent mark on her face.

King Tamerlane returned and saw the guilty mark on his wife's face. The master builder was executed immediately, and then, thinking that a woman's beauty can be a dangerous thing, Tamerlane ordered that from that day on all the women in the kingdom should never be seen in public without a veil to cover their face.

P30

Long long ago, there was a pretty girl named "Red Riding Hood" because she was always wearing a red hood. One day her mother asked her to take some snacks to her grandmother because her grandmother was ill. Her mother told her, "Don't hang around on your way. Don't leave the main road."

On her way, she saw a wolf. The wolf asked her where she was going and she told him that she was going to her grandmother's house. The wolf thought to himself how delicious she would taste. Red Riding Hood danced in the woods, picking flowers for her grandmother and forgetting what her mother had said to her. The wolf went to the grandmother's house and ate up the poor lady. Then he waited in the bed for Red Riding Hood.

As Red Riding Hood came into the grandmother's house, she found her grandmother looked rather strange with very large ears, eyes, hands and mouth. And suddenly the wolf jumped out of the bed and devoured the little girl.

At that time, a hunter passed the house and heard loud snores made by the wolf. He went in and carefully cut the wolf's stomach open because he thought the wolf had probably eaten the grandmother. Then both little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother escaped from the wolf's stomach. After that, Red Riding Hood remembered the importance of her mother's words and never left the main road again.

Questions:

1. Why was the girl called "Red Riding Hood"?

2. What was she asked to take to her grandmother?

3. What did her mother tell her NOT to do on the way?

4. How did the wolf think Red Riding Hood would taste?

5. What did the wolf do to both the girl and her grandmother?

6. Who rescued Red Riding Hood and her grandmother?

P31

Moon was sad. She had spent many years looking at the people on Earth and she saw that they were afraid. They were afraid of dying. To make them feel better she decided to call on her friend Spider to take a message to them.

"Spider," she said. "The people on Earth are afraid of dying and that makes me very sad. Please tell them that they will all die sooner or later but it is nothing to be scared of."

So Spider slowly made his way to Earth, carefully picking his way down on moonbeams and sunbeams. On his way he met Hare.

"Where are you going, Spider?" asked Hare.

"I am going to give the people of Earth a message from Moon," he said.

"Oh, you'll be far too long. Tell me the message and I'll take it there for you," replied Hare.

"OK! Moon wants the people of Earth to know that they will all die..." Spider started.

"Right! Tell the people of Earth that they will all die," said Hare. And with that, Hare disappeared off to Earth.

Spider gloomily made his way back to Moon and told her what had happened. Moon was very angry with Hare when she heard what he had said to the people, and hit him on the nose! That is why, to this day, Hare has a split lip.

"You should have taken the message yourself," said Moon to Spider.

And to this day, Spider is still carefully carrying Moon's message and spinning the web in the corner of our rooms—but how many of us listen?

第三单元

Paul: Guys, guys, it's getting late. Some of us are going to work tomorrow. Who wants to ride back with me?

Donna: No one is going to ride with you. Give me your car keys. I'll drive you home.

Paul: Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute! That's not happening... I know I've been drinking, but I can still drive.

Donna: No, you can't. We decided when we came that I would be the designated driver tonight. That's why I've been having soft drinks all evening.

Pete: She's right. And I can also drive. I haven't been drinking either since I'm under 21.

Paul: But, I really don't think that having a few drinks can make a person a dangerous driver. Donna: Well, you're wrong about that. I read that even a few drinks can impair concentration and slow reactions.

Jean: I haven't been drinking that much alcohol tonight, but I would rather drive home with Donna. I know from first-hand experience...er...how drinking can affect a driver. My best friend in high school was killed in a drunk driving accident.

Ron: How did it happen?

Jean: Well, it was the night of the senior prom at high school, and my friend had a date. Er, the date had borrowed a car for the evening, but his older brother had given him some booze, you know, just to make the evening go with a swing. Well, they, er...left the prom early with two other couples, and went to the beach, drinking...

Ron: What happened?

Jean: Well, on the way home, my friend's date was driving. He was speeding, lost control of the car, and drove to a lamppost. Er...my friend and two other students were killed outright and three others were badly injured. And the driver, he'll never walk again because his back was broken.

Paul: That's just one incident. That won't happen to me.

Donna: But it's not just one incident, and it could happen to you. I know that almost two thousand underage drinking drivers are involved in serious injury or death each year in the state of California alone. And almost 40 percent of high school seniors admit they have driven after drinking.

Paul: Well, I'm 21 now and a more experienced driver than most high school seniors. I've driven after drinking plenty of times and I haven't had any crashes.

Ron: Well, then you're lucky. I know I don't want to ride with you. I know when I've had too much to drink. Besides, Donna is a designated driver. Donna, why were you willing to do this for us? I know you like to drink sometimes.

Donna: I'm a member of Students Against Drunk Driving, and my mother is a member of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. We believe in having non-drinking designated drivers in order to prevent accidents and help save lives. There are many groups of people of all ages who support programs against drinking and driving. They all agree that drunk driving is one of the major social problems in the U.S., especially among young people.

Pete: So that's how you know all those statistics. Don't you ever drink when you go out? I know I probably will when I'm old enough to do it legally. The bars in this town are very careful about checking our IDs to see if we're old enough.

Donna: Yes, I drink occasionally, but I never drive afterwards.

Jean: Don't forget that people that are older than we are cause accidents too. That's what frightens me.

Donna: Me too. Another fact that I remember is that the average drunk driver is typically male, 25 to 35, with a history of driving while intoxicated. I hate to see you, Paul, or any of my friends, to be included in that group.

Pete: I guess alcohol is only one of the drugs involved in the Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) cases. Many people would like to see marijuana and other drugs become legal in California, but I'm against it because I'm convinced it would increase the number of accidents even further. I recently read that in the U.S., there is a person killed every 33 minutes and someone injured every two minutes because of alcohol and other drug-related accidents. We don't need to add to that.

Paul: What if I drink a quick cup of coffee and then drive?

Jean: No way! Even I know that it won't lower your blood alcohol content, despite what people say. You just can't drive tonight. We've all seen how much you've drunk here. We'll be risking our lives driving with you. Donna is being a good friend by offering to drive your car for you. Anyway, if we didn't take your car keys away from you, I think the bartender would. He saw how much you drank here tonight. He wouldn't want to be responsible for an accident.

Ron: Well, please let's decide who is driving. Drinking makes me sleepy and I need to get back to my room and go to bed. I don't want to fall asleep here. Besides, I have a Saturday job too.

Donna: OK, let me give you one last statistic and I'll drive us all back. Have you ever thought how much it would cost you if you are arrested for DWI, even if you're just stopped in a routine check and you've been drinking, but not even involved in an accident? Just listen to this: A first-time DWI conviction can cost you $11,000 in fines, legal fees, and increased insurance costs. Can you afford that, Paul? Paul: You know I can't. I'm still trying to pay my college fees for this semester. OK, Donna, you win. Here are my keys. Be sure to drive carefully.

P37

In August 1975, three men were on their way to rob the Royal Bank of Scotland at Rothesay when they got stuck in the revolving doors. They had to be helped free by the staff and, after thanking everyone, sheepishly left the building. A few minutes later, they returned and announced their intention of robbing the bank, but none of the staff believed them. When, at first, they demanded ￡5,000, the head cashier laughed at them, convinced that it was a practical joke.

Considerably disheartened by this, the gang l eader reduced his demand first to ￡500 then to ￡50 and ultimately to 50 pence. By this stage the cashier could barely control herself for laughter.

Then one of the men jumped over the counter and fell awkwardly on the floor, clutching his ankle. The other two made their getaway, but got trapped in the revolving doors for a second time, desperately pushing the wrong way.

P38

Man: Yes, I'd like to report a theft.

Police Officer: Okay. Can you tell me exactly what happened?

Man: Well, I was walking home from work two days ago, enjoying the nature all around me...the birds, the frogs, the flowing stream...[Okay, Okay] when this woman knocked me right off my feet, grabbed my stuff[东西], and ran off through the trees. [Hmm.] I was so surprised by the ordeal that I didn't chase her.

Police Officer: Yeah. Can you describe the woman for me?

Man: Yeah. She was about 190 centimeters tall...

Police Officer: Wait. You said a woman robbed you.

Man: Well, I'm not really sure. [Hmm.] You see, the person was wearing a white and black polka-dot dress, a light red sweater over it, and she...or he...was wearing a pair of basketball shoes.

Police Officer: Hmm. What else can you tell me?

Man: Okay. Like I said, the person was about 190 centimeters tall, heavily built, with long wavy hair. She...or he...was probably about in her or his late 30s. I didn't get a good look at the person's face, but well...uh...

Police Officer: What? Was there something else?

Man: Well, the person...had a beard胡须.

Police Officer: Ah! What was, uh, taken...exactly?

Man: Well, just my left shoe. Crazy, isn't it?

Police Officer: Ah hah! The "bearded woman" has struck again!

Man: The "bearded woman"?

Police Officer: Yeah. It's this man who dresses up like a woman and, for some unknown reason, removes the left shoe from his victims. He's really quite harmless, though, and he usually returns the shoe to the crime scene a couple of days later.

Man: Hey, he can keep my shoe, and I'll just take off my left shoe every time I walk through the park. knock sth.(sb.) off one's feet [v] 使...不胜惊奇, 使...极为难过

p39

Melissa Luzzi, a Dallas resident who owns an embroidery business, thought her home was secure. But in broad daylight a thief got in by smashing through a floor-to-ceiling window in the back of her house. Incredibly, no neighbors heard the disturbance—and her home was robbed of everything of value.

One thing common to every neighborhood I visited: empty streets for much of the day. Many of us are working, and the kids are in school. But there's usually someone home in the neighborhood.

I've found that, nationwide, police respond much faster to 911 calls than to alarms. So keep an eye on your neighbors' property[财产], and ask them to do the same for you. Call the police if you hear breaking glass, or see someone lurking about or notice anything suspicious.

You also might consider joining a community crime-watch group. "Criminals know which neighborhoods have watch groups," says Dallas Sgt. Tony Takats. "They avoid them like the plague."

"The little old lady who's home all day?" adds Steve Bell, a 31-year veteran of the Dallas police force. "She's the best security you've got."

broad daylight n.大白天

floor-to-ceiling window 落地窗户

disturbance [n] 骚乱, 扰乱, 不安, 心神不安

nationwide全国范围的

veteran老手

p41

I took a trip recently into the heart of the Amazon Basin where one of the big issues facing our planet stands out: the balance between economic development and the conservation of natural resources. There is strong pressure in the country to harvest [v] 收割, 收获, 获得natural riches for short-term financial gains. Then there is intense international concern about the control of such development. The problem, of course, is that this is a one-way street. Rapid development, and wholesale harvesting of timber, oil, and the like, will soon lead to the Amazon desert, which would mean the extinction of half our planet's animal and plant species and the depletion of much of the oxygen we breathe. This clearly impacts every one of us.

The local people of the Amazon understand the delicate balance of nature. They've survived for thousands of years by making good use of it, not abusing it----something we can all learn from. And now tourism is playing a positive role in the equation. Travelers from more developed countries are increasingly interested in the natural world. As a result, they are fueling a boom in eco-tourism. This is in turn bringing valuable income into the region, raising awareness of critical issues and helping slow down the otherwise uncontrollable development.

P42

It isn't strictly true that one half of the world is rich and the other half is poor. It is one-third that is very rich and two-thirds that are very poor. People in the rich third don't realize the enormous difference between them and the other two-thirds. A very simple example is that a dog or a cat in North America eats better than a child in many of the poorer countries. A fisherman in South America may be catching fish which are processed into pet food and yet his own children are not getting enough protein for their bodies to develop properly.

Although a lot of the world's natural resources come from these poorer countries, people in the richer countries are probably using much more of these resources than people in Asia or Africa. The richer countries are in a position to dictate to suppliers what kind of prices they are prepared to pay for these natural resources. In some cases the prices have gone down. In others they have remained steady.

But the prices the richer countries get for their own exports have continued to rise. So, they are getting richer and richer, and the poorer countries are getting poorer and poorer.

process [v] 加工, 对...起诉, 冲洗, 处理

protein [n] 蛋白质

dictate [v] 口授, 口授, 口述, 要求，命令

p43

The news report that night was about a famine in Ethiopia. From the first few seconds it was clear that this was a really monumental catastrophe. The pictures were of people who were so thin that they looked like beings from another planet. The camera focused on one man so that he looked directly at me, sitting in my comfortable living room. All around was the sound of death.

It was clear that somehow the world had not noticed this tragedy until now. You could hear the despair, grief and disgust in the voice of the reporter, Michael Buerk. At the end of the report he was silent. My wife, Paula, started crying, then rushed upstairs to check our baby, Fifi, who was sleeping peacefully.

I kept seeing the news pictures in my mind. What could I do? I was only a pop singer—and by now not

a very successful pop singer. All I could do was make records which no one bought. But I would do that, I would give all the profits of the next Rats record to Oxfam. What good would that do? It would only be a little money but it was more than I could give just from my bank account. Maybe some people would buy it because the profits were for Oxfam. And I would be protesting about this disaster. But that was not enough.

P44

Marsha and Ed Gibson are sitting at the kitchen table. Ed is nervous and upset, and he's smoking. Marsha's eyes are red. She looks tired. Their children, two boys, eight and ten, are sitting with them. Tony and George know that their parents are having problems. Now, their parents are telling the boys that they're going to get a divorce.

Their mother is talking first. She's telling them that she loves them and their father loves them, too. But she and their father are having problems. They aren't going to live together as a family anymore. It has nothing to do with the boys. The boys are going to live with her. They're going to stay in the same house, go to the same school, and be with all their friends.

Now, their father is talking. He's going to leave the house this weekend. He's not going to move far away; he's going to be in the next town. Two weekends a month, the boys are going to stay with him. And, they're going to be with him one month in the summertime. He'll take his vacation then and they'll go to the beach. The boys can call him anytime. He's going to be nearby. It'll be better this way. Tony and George don't really understand what's happening. On the one hand, they know that their parents aren't happy. On the other hand, they want everyone to stay together.

Questions:

1. How does the couple feel about their divorce?

2. Why does the couple decide to get a divorce?

3. Where will the husband go after the divorce?

4. What is the children's response to their parents' divorce?

P46

A pensioner was shot to death in front of his wife last night. He had complained about local drug dealers shortly before his murder. Terry Morgan, 69, had just driven his wife back from work but was killed by a single shot to the chest as he got out of his car. His wife was opening the front door when she heard a loud bang and found her husband lying on the ground. He died without saying anything. The murder happened at his home in Rugby. It shocked everyone in his town. People said it was really a cold-blooded killing. As police began a major investigation into this horrible murder, they found Mr. Morgan had made complaints to a local official about drug dealing in a nearby street. He had mentioned his concern twice to the local official. A neighbor of Mr. Morgan said he was against drugs of any kind. Whenever this topic arose he always expressed strong views about drugs. Last summer, gangs of teenagers in his neighborhood were found to be drug abusers. He tried to help them stop using drugs, but it only made them angry. But it's still too early to say this is related to the murder. A lady who used to live in the same street as Morgan

said, "Mr. Morgan was a respectable man, a nice man. But it's getting really bad here with gangs of teenagers abusing drugs and stealing. They should be the ones accused of this murder."

P47

Last month, the Wilsons went to Green Trees Park. Jim and Sally sat under the trees and talked and read. The children played ball.

Sally decided to take a picture of the children. She took her camera and walked over to them. She focused her camera. Then, she heard a scream. Sally looked up. A man was stealing a woman's purse. He was running in her direction.

Sally thought fast. She took three pictures of the man. When the police came, she gave them the film. The next day, one of Sally's photographs was in the newspaper. Under it was the story of the robbery. In a few hours, the police knew the man's name and address. They went to his house and arrested him. The man is now serving three months in jail.

Questions:

1. Where was the Wilson family when the story happened?

2. What was Sally doing when she heard the scream?

3. What did Sally see?

4. What did Sally give the police?

5. What happened to the man on the photographs?

第四单元

Mr. Davis: Good morning! So you are Li Lei.

Li Lei: Yes. Good morning, Mr. Davis.

Mr. Davis: How are you doing? Ready to begin?

Li Lei: Fine, thank you. Sure.

Mr. Davis: It says in your résumé that your major is computer engineering. What position are you applying for?

Li Lei: https://www.360docs.net/doc/1c11866605.html,puter programmer.

Mr. Davis: Can you sell yourself in two minutes?

Li Lei: I hope so. With my qualifications and experience, your organization can benefit from my analytical and interpersonal skills. I'm hard-working, responsible and diligent in every project I undertake. Mr. Davis: All right. Give me a summary of your academic performance in university.

Li Lei: Well, I worked very hard during my college studies, as well as my graduate studies. I also won a lot of awards for being an excellent student, first- and second-level scholarships, etc. I believe if the opportunity knocks, I must be in a position to take it.

Mr. Davis: How about your English level?

Li Lei: I've passed CET 4 and 6 tests. I also have a CET certificate for spoken English. I've spent a lot of time on my English because I believe it will be crucial for my career.

I1: What sort of experience have you had?

Li Lei: Well, I don't have any formal work experience, but I do have some experience. I had my internship with a big company, worked together on a project. It was mainly about management information systems. I2: Li Lei, since you were in the Student Union, did you organize any activities while in college? Li Lei: Yes, quite a few. Several of us invited a CEO from a big company to deliver a lecture. And with the help of the university, we arranged a CAD competition.

Mr. Davis: That sounds good. What hobbies do you have?

Li Lei: I have a wide range of interests ranging from surfing the Internet, and reading magazines and journals, as well as jogging.

Mr. Davis: Good. Why are you applying to our company?

Li Lei: I believe your company is one of the best companies in its field. It has a good organizational system, a good working environment, and talented people. And, what's more, your company has a promising future.

I2: How do you rate yourself as a professional?

Li Lei: Well, with my strong academic background, I am capable and competent.

Mr. Davis: What do you have to offer us?

Li Lei: I think my computer programming skills can help your company.

I1: What makes you think you would be successful in this position?

Li Lei: My graduate school training combined with my internship has given me the background for this particular job.

Mr. Davis: Do you work well under stress or pressure?

Li Lei: Yes, I think so. I'm very persistent.

Mr. Davis: What are your strongest traits?

Li Lei: I have very good organizational skills and I work hard.

Mr. Davis: What are your weaknesses?

Li Lei: Well, everybody has weaknesses. I am no exception. Sometimes I'm not patient enough. Especially when I am programming, I don't like to be bothered, and if people keep interrupting me, sometimes I get impatient.

Mr. Davis: How would your friends or classmates describe you?

Li Lei: (He pauses for a few seconds.) They think of me as being friendly, caring and determined. Mr. Davis: What personality traits do you most admire?

Li Lei: I admire someone who is honest, flexible and easy-going.

Mr. Davis: How do you handle criticism?

Li Lei: I think silence is golden. I try not to say anything that'll make things worse. However, I think I accept constructive criticism quite well.

Mr. Davis: How do you handle failure?

Li Lei: Oh yes, I suppose everyone fails sometimes. I would like to have the opportunity to correct my mistakes.

I1: Well, what gives you a feeling of accomplishments?

Li Lei: Mm, doing the best I can in any situation.

I2: If you had a lot of money to donate, who would receive it? And why?

Li Lei: I would donate it to the medical research center because I'd like to try and help others. Mr. Davis: What is most important in your life right now?

Li Lei: To find my job in my field.

Mr. Davis: What current issues are you concerned with the most?

Li Lei: Mm...the general state of our economy and the impact of China's entry into the WTO on an industry. Mr. Davis: How long would you like to stay with this company?

Li Lei: I will stay as long as I can continue to learn and we are happy with one another.

Mr. Davis: Can you imagine what you would like to be doing five years from now?

Li Lei: I'd hope to be in a management position. That would be exciting.

Mr. Davis: What range of pay scale are you interested in?

Li Lei: Erm...money is important; however, the responsibility that goes with this job is what interests me.

Mr. Davis: The salary would be ￥3,600 to start, with increases given according to your performance. Li Lei: That sounds good to me.

Mr. Davis: Thank you. You should be hearing from us within a few days.

Li Lei: Thank you, Mr. Davis.

...

P52

For many of you this will be your last year at university and now is the time for you to begin thinking seriously about your future careers. In order to give you as much help as possible, I have quoted a list of questions that you ought to ask yourself.

First, "Have I got a clear knowledge of my abilities as well as my interests?" Be honest about your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Take a really good look at yourself and give real thought to the kind of person you are, and what kind of person you want to be.

Second, "Do I know the kinds of occupations in which people like myself tend to find success and satisfaction?" Talk to people who have similar abilities and interests and who are already in the careers

that interest you. You can gain some idea of what they consider to be important and challenging in those careers. Watch these people at work.

Third, "Have I weighed carefully the immediate advantages against the long-term prospects offered by the jobs I am considering?" Will the occupation you select give you satisfaction in the years to come? Realize now the importance of education in all fields, technical and professional. Remember that chances of promotion are usually given to educated persons—other things being equal.

Fourth, "Have I talked with my parents, my teachers and my headmaster?" Remember they have a lot of experience that you can benefit from. They can help you think about the jobs. They can stimulate you to give careful thought to what you really want to do, and offer useful suggestions about how you might take full advantage of your personal qualities and qualifications.

Last, "How do I regard my job? Is it just a means of getting money to do the things that I want to do? Is the work important to my future happiness? Is it a combination of both?"

The above questions and their answers should give you some better ideas about how you should start planning your career. Your life-long job cannot be approached in any kind of haphazard fashion. It must be considered carefully, examined from every angle, and talked over with those who know you and those who can help you in any way.

P54

Interviewer: Some people feel that their jobs are misunderstood by others. Is that very common? Sociologist: Oh, absolutely. Most jobs or professions have an image or stereotype attached to them, and some of these are not realistic. The serious point is that young people choose their careers based on these false images, and they may even avoid certain careers which have a negative image. This can cause problems for the economy.

Interviewer: Is there evidence of this problem?

Sociologist: Yes, there was a recent survey of children's attitudes to different professions. Interviewer: How was this done? Children don't know much about jobs and professions.

Sociologist: True. What the investigators wanted to get was children's impressions and prejudices. They gave the children twelve pairs of statements, one of the pair positive, and the other negative. Children were asked to say which of the statements was "most true" for each profession.

Interviewer: For example?

Sociologist: Well, for example, "Such and such a person is likely to be boring or interesting company." Interviewer: I see. What professions did they ask about?

Sociologist: The list is long, but it included lawyers, economists, accountants, sales representatives, scientists and engineers.

Interviewer: And the results?

Sociologist: Well, they are striking, especially for engineers who came out much worse than one might expect. About 90 percent of the children thought that engineering was a "dirty job", of "low status", and the engineer was more likely to take orders than to give them. The only other person they thought more likely to lose his job was the sales representative. But, there were good points too. Engineering was seen to be "interesting, well-paid work".

Interviewer: Hmm, not a rosy picture.

Sociologist: No, but it got better when children were asked what they thought of the engineer as a person. Most of them chose positive comments, but most thought the engineer was likely to be badly dressed. Interviewer: What about other professions? What were the most popular?

Sociologist: Oh, the lawyers by far. Next came accountants and scientists as well as economists. The engineers and sales representatives were the least popular.

Interviewer: Sounds like a sign of the times.

Sociologist: Yes, but I think the most serious implication was the children's apparent ignorance of the importance of the engineer's role in society.

P55

(Here's a dialog between a woman whose job is to help people find jobs and a man looking for a job.) Woman: Look. Here's a job that might interest you.

Man: What is it? Are you sure? The last job interview you sent me off to was a disaster.

Woman: Well, look. It says they want a sales manager, and it looks like it's a big international company. That'd be good. You might get to travel.

Man: What kind of company is it, though?

Woman: Um, let's see. Yes, it's a textile company that seems to import from abroad. They say the salary is really good. They operate a system of paying you a basic salary and then offering you a sales commission on top of that. They say it is high. And oh, look! They give you a car to travel round in. That's not bad, is it?

Man: Um, do they say anything about experience?

Woman: Um, let's see. No, they want someone young with ambition and enthusiasm. Oh yes, they want graduates, so that's OK. You've been to university. Now what else? Let's see.

Man: There must be some catch.

Woman: No, the only thing is you have to travel, but then that's what the company car's for. Oh, and you have to be able to get on well with other people because it says you have to be good on a team. Man: Um, perhaps I'll have a closer look at that one.

P57

Womack: Now what do you want to see me about, Janet?

Janet: Well, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you, Mr. Womack. Can you give me some information about secretarial jobs?

Womack: Yes, of course. First, let me get your file out. Now you're 16, aren't you?

Janet: That's right.

Womack: Well, what would you like to know?

Janet: About the opportunities in general and the basic training, and things like typing speed and shorthand speed.

Womack: Before we go any further, Janet, when you said secretarial work, did you only mean typing or more general things?

Janet: Well, I suppose I'd have to start as a word processor operator, wouldn't I?

Womack: If you left school at sixteen, yes. But if you wanted to have a better chance of getting a more interesting secretarial job more quickly, it would be better if you stayed on and took A levels. According to your file, your English is good, and you've done French and economics, haven't you?

Janet: Yes, they're my best subjects. If I stayed, what A levels would I need to be a secretary? Womack: That depends, but those three subjects are all very suitable.

Janet: And then I suppose I'd have to do a secretarial course, wouldn't I? Um, what sort of speed do they expect?

Womack: I've got the typing speed here, I think. Oh, yes, it should be 65 words per minute.

Janet: And would I have to learn shorthand?

Womack: Yes, you would. You'd need a speed of 90 to 100 words a minute.

Janet: Oh, it sounds a lot, doesn't it? Would I have a chance to use my French?

Womack: Oh, yes, if you were a secretary with languages.

Janet: What sort of work would I have to do?

Womack: Well, you'd have to translate letters, of course, but you'd also have to answer the phone to foreign callers and interpret if foreign visitors came to the firm. It would be useful if you learned a second foreign language. That would help a lot.

Janet: I think I'd like a job like that. But I'd better go away and think about it. You see, well, after all, two more years at school is a long time, isn't it?

Womack: I'm sure it seems so at your age. If you need any more help, please come back and we'll talk about it again.

Janet: Thanks, Mr. Womack.

Questions:

1. Who is Janet?

2. When will Janet be qualified for a more interesting secretarial job?

3. What subjects has Janet taken?

4. What is Janet's decision finally?

5. What can you infer from the dialog?

P58

David: Hi! You're listening to Radio Southwest, the best in the southwest for music and up-to-the-minute news. Sue's here. Hello, Sue.

Sue: Hello, David.

David: And we've got the Jobspot for you today. So, if you're looking for a new job, this could be the spot for you. So, let's have a look, and see what we've got today.

Sue: Well, the first one we've got is a cook. That's in a large, busy restaurant, so it's very useful to have had experience in cooking. Must be a high school graduate and the pay is $12 an hour. So that's not bad, is it? The hours are good too. That's Monday to Friday, 3:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m.

David: Great. Thanks, Sue. So that's a cook. Now, how do you fancy working out of doors? How do you fancy being a gardener? So as long as you're fit and strong, and at least 16 years old, that'll suit you. The pay is $8 an hour. And the hours, Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., you have to work on Sunday once a month, but on Monday the Garden Center's closed. Now, the sort of work you'd be doing is potting, watering, things like that. So, how about applying for that? Pay, $8 an hour. Sue, what else have you got?

Sue: Right, Dave. Well, from outdoors to indoors. We've got a word processor operator job here. This job might suit a woman with school-age children, because the hours are only 15 hours a week. It's a small, friendly office, and they require a high school graduate with two years' experience operating a computer. Pay is $9 per hour. So, there you go. That's a nice job in an office. If you fancy any of those jobs, give us a ring here on Jobspot at Radio Southwest. And now back to the music.

P59

Interviewer: Do you think anybody can be trained to be a teacher?

Interviewee: Well, I think there are probably some people that can be teachers but I think it's a gift that you have. And not many people have that internal kind of thing.

Interviewer: Can you define any of that?

Interviewee: Oh...

Interviewer: What sort of specific uh...are there certain personality...

Interviewee: Well, I think that the best teachers are people that are fairly sensitive, and, er, extroverted, okay?

Interviewer: Uh-huh...

Interviewee: The best teachers I know are kind of extroverted people, and they really like kids... Interviewer: Uh-huh.

Interviewee: But, by the same token, I know some teachers who really care about doing a good job and want those kids to like them and want to do well.

Interviewer: Right...

Interviewee: But for some teachers, they just don't have it. And it's...it's sad when you see that happening, because there're some teachers who don't care, you know—they're just in it now because they've been in it so long and it's too late to move out...and...

Interviewer: Well, aren't there some very definable management skills involved in teaching that often are neglected in teacher training, maybe? I mean...

Interviewee: I don't know how you train somebody to do that. To be a good teacher, I think you have to have a high tolerance level for confusion—I think you have...

Interviewer: Um...

Interviewee: To have that when you've got thirty kids... You have to have that. You have to be a very patient person, and I know it just sounds totally inadequate, but I don't know how to put my...my finger on it. It just...

Interviewer: But you do believe it is uh...there is a gift of some sort, or there is something... Interviewee: Yeah, I do.

P60

There are at least 100 million workers in the Unites States. Most of them are on the job 35 to 40 hours a week. Their typical day includes seven to eight hours of work. Usually, they have a 15-minute coffee break in the morning and in the afternoon. But work schedules vary from job to job.

White-collar workers—office workers and many professionals—usually have "nine to five" jobs. They begin at 9:00 a.m. and finish at 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Blue-collar workers—mechanics, electricians, and laborers—often work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In many factories, blue-collar workers come to work in eight-hour shifts. Typically, these shifts start at 8:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m., and midnight. Finally, sales people and managers in retail stores work on Monday and Thursday nights, when the stores are open. Many retail workers also work on Saturdays, and some work on Sundays.

These are the normal schedules for most American workers. However, many businesses now use a new system called "flex-time scheduling". Under this system, the employees choose their own working hours. Some people work from 8:00 to 4:00 five days a week. Some work from 9:00 to 5:00. Other people work 10 or 12 hours a day four days a week. Employees and managers are both happy with the system. The employees like the freedom of choice, so they work hard. The managers, of course, like the hard-working employees. What, then, is a typical work schedule? It depends on the job—and on the workers.

P61

Man: How long have you worked for AM-ADMEL, Gill?

Woman: Only for a year. It's May now, isn't it? Yes, I joined last August in fact.

Man: August in 1996.

Woman: Yes.

Man: What did you do before that?

Woman: I used to work for a travel agency in London.

Man: It was interesting, wasn't it?

Woman: Not really. It was just secretarial work, rather like this job. And it wasn't too well-paid. But I took a secretarial course when I left school and I couldn't think what else to do.

Man: So you went straight from school into a secretarial course, didn't you?

Woman: Well, not quite. I left school when I was 16, in 1989, I think it was. And then I went to work in a hotel in Austria for a year, to learn some German.

Man: Austria? Why Austria?

Woman: I don't know really. Well, we used to go there on holiday quite often when we were younger, and, well, I like Austria actually. Anyway then I went back and did the secretarial course. That was a year's course.

Man: And then you got the job at the travel agency I suppose.

Woman: Yeah, that's right. That was in 1991.

Man: So you were there for five years!

Woman: Yes, it's awful, isn't it? Actually, I'm thinking of giving it all up to become a nurse. Man: Really?

Woman: Well, I worked in a hospital in Twickenham during my last year at school. Just cleaning and helping to make beds and so on. It was part of our Practical Careers training.

Man: And you liked it?

Woman: Yes, it was interesting.

P62

Man: Well, now then, one thing I'd like to ask is, er, exactly why you applied for the job. I mean, just looking at your application form, you're actually over-qualified...

Woman: Yes, I thought you might ask that. Um, the thing is, in my present job, although I'm actually in charge of a small team and I have a lot of responsibility, it's largely a desk job with a lot of paperwork...

Man: And you're not too keen on being stuck in an office all day?

Woman: To be honest, no, I'm not. I much prefer being out on site where I can supervise things, and deal with problems as they occur. And this job should give me the kind of contact with other engineers, architects, builders and so on.