08专八听力原文
【听力理解】
TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS(2008)
—GRADE EIGHT—
TIME LIMIT: 195MIN
PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (35 MIN)
SECTION A MINI -LECTURE
In this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. You notes will not be market, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task for after the mini- lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on
ANSWER SHEET ONE.
Use the blank sheet for note- tanking.
SECTION B INTERVIEW
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your colored answer sheet.
Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions.
Now listen to the interview
1. Mary doesn't seem to favour the idea of a new airport because
A. the existing airports are to be wasted
B. more people will be encouraged to travel.
C. more oil will be consumed.
D. more airplanes will be purchased.
2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned by Mary as a potential disadvantage?
A. More people in the area.
B. Noise and motorways.
C. Waste of land.
D. Unnecessary travel.
3. Freddy has cited the following advantages for a new airport EXCEPT
A. more job opportunities.
B. vitality to the local economy.
C. road construction,
D. presence of aircrew in the area.
4. Mary thinks that people dont need to do much travel nowadays as a result of
A. less emphasis on personal contact.
B. advances in modern telecommunications.
C. recent changes in peoples concepts.
D. more potential damage to the area
5. We learn from the conversation that Freddy is Marys ideas,
A. strongly in favour of
B. mildly in favour of
C. strongly against
D. mildly against
SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.
Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.
6. What is the main idea of the news item?
A. A new government was formed after Sundays elections.
B. The new government intends to change the welfare system.
C. The Social Democratic Party founded the welfare system.
D. The Social Democratic Party was responsible for high unemployment.
Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.
7. The tapes of the Apollo-11 mission were first stored in
A. a U.S. government archives warehouse.
B. a NASA ground tracking station.
C. the Goddard Space Flight Centre.
D. none of the above places.
8. What does the news item say about Richard Nafzger?
A. He is assigned the task to look for the
B. He believes that the tapes are probably lost.
C. He works in a NASA ground receiving site.
D. He had asked for the tapes in the 1970s.
Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.
9. The example in the news item is cited mainly to show
A. that doctors are sometimes professionally incompetent
B. that in cases like that hospitals have to pay huge compensations.
C. that language barriers might lower the quality of treatment.
D. that language barriers can result in fatal consequences.
10. According to Dr. Flores, hospitals and clinics
A. have seen the need for hiring trained interpreters.
B. have realized the problems of language barriers.
C. have begun training their staff to be bilinguals.
D. have taken steps to provide accurate diagnosis.。
story telling专八听力原文
story telling专八听力原文Once upon a time, in the ancient world, there was a mysterious tale whispered in the ears of the wise and the curious. It was a story of a grand city, lost to the depths of time and the rolling waves of the ocean. This city was known as Atlantis.Legend had it that Atlantis was the jewel of the ancient world, a civilization so advanced that it rivaled even the gods. Its people were said to possess incredible knowledge, from the secrets of the universe to the mysteries of the human heart. Their architecture was grand and their technology, unparalleled.But Atlantis was not just a city of wonders. It was also a city of vice, where the lust for power and wealth corrupted even the noblest of hearts. The people of Atlantis grew arrogant, believing themselves to be superior to all others. They forgot the old ways, turned their backs on the gods, and worshipped only themselves and their own creations.The gods, seeing the decadence of Atlantis, decided to teach the city a lesson. They sent a great deluge, a catastrophe that would wash away the sins of the city and cleanse the world of its wickedness. The people of Atlantis tried to flee, but it was too late. The waters came, and with them, the end of an era.Atlantis sank into the ocean, never to be seen again. Its people, its knowledge, its grandeur, all gone in an instant. Only the legend remained, passed down through the generations, a cautionary tale of the dangers of hubris and the folly of forgetting one's roots.Centuries passed, and the legend of Atlantis faded into the mists of time.But some still believed, and they searched for clues that might lead them to the lost city. Many claimed to have found it, but none could prove their claims. Atlantis remained a mystery, a ghost story told to frighten children and intrigue adults.Until one day, a young adventurer named James stumbled upon an ancient scroll while exploring the ruins of an ancient library. The scroll, yellowed with age, contained a map and a set of cryptic instructions that seemed to lead to the lost city of Atlantis. James's heart raced as he realized the implications of his discovery. Could it be true? Had he finally found the key to unlocking the secrets of Atlantis?James gathered a team of experts and set out on a treacherous journey to find the lost city. They faced storms, shipwrecks, and even mutiny within their own ranks. But James never gave up. He was determined to uncover the truth behind the legend of Atlantis.After months of hardship and adventure, James and his team finally arrived at the coordinates marked on the ancient map. There, beneath the waves, they found a vast city, its ruins still grand and imposing even after all those centuries. It was Atlantis, risen from the depths of the sea to greet a new era of explorers.James and his team explored the ruins, uncovering incredible treasures and ancient knowledge long forgotten by the world. They learned the secrets of Atlantis, its rise to greatness, and its tragic fall. They also discovered that the legend of Atlantis was not just a cautionary tale, but a warning of what could happen when humanity loses sight of its values and forgets its connection to the natural world.As James and his team returned to the surface, they vowed to share theirdiscoveries with the world. They hoped that by revealing the secrets of Atlantis, they could inspire a new generation to cherish the knowledge of the past and build a better future for all. And so, the legend of Atlantis lived on, not just as a mystery or a ghost story, but as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come.。
2008-2012英语专八听力真命题文本
2012年SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE, using no more than three words in each gap. Make sure the word(s) you fill in is (are) both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may refer to your notes while completing the task. Use the blank sheet for note-taking. Now, listen to the mini-lecture.ObservationPeople do observation in daily life context for safety or for proper behaviour. However, there are differences in daily life observation and research observation. Differences---- daily life observation--casual--(1) ________--defendence on memory---- research observation-- (2) _________-- careful record keepingB. Ways to select samples in research---- time sampling-- systematic: e.g. fixed intervals every hour-- random: fixed intervals but (3) _______Systematic sampling and random sampling are often used in combination.---- (4) _______-- definition: selection of different locations-- reason: humans’or animals’behaviour (5) ______ across circumstances-- (6) ______: more objective observationsC. Ways to record behaviour (7) _______---- observation with intervention-- participant observation: researcher as observer and participant-- field experiment: research (8) ______ over conditions---- observation without intervention-- purpose: describing behaviour (9) ______-- (10) ______ : no intervention-- researcher: a passive recorderSECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer thequestions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10seconds to answer each of the foliowing five questions. Now listen to the interview.1. Which of the following statements about creativity is INCORRECT?A. Creativity stems from human beings' novel thinking.B. The duration of the creative process varies from person to person.C. Creative people focus on novel thinking rather than on solutions.D. The outcome of human creativity comes in varied forms.2. The interviewee cites the Bach family to show that creativityA. appears to be the result of the environment.B. seems to be attributable to genetic makeup.C. appears to be more associated with great people.D. comes from both environment and genetic makeup.3. How many types of the creative process does the interviewee describe?A. One.B. Two.C. Three.D. Four.4. Which of the following features of a creative personality is NOT mentioned in the interview?A. Unconventional.B. Original.C. Resolute.D. Critical.5. The interviewee's suggestion for a creativity workout supports the view thatA. brain exercising will not make people creative.B. most people have diversified interests and hobbies.C. the environment is significant in the creative process.D. creativity can only be found in great people.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO. Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.6. What is the news item mainly about?A. U.S. astronauts made three space walks.B. An international space station was set up.C. A problem in the cooling system was solved.D. A 350-kilogram ammonia pump was removed.Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.7. In which country would parents often threaten to punish children by leaving them outside?A. India.B. The Philippines.C. Egypt.D. Not mentioned.8. What is the main purpose of the study?A. T o reveal cultural differences and similarities.B. To expose cases of child abuse and punishment.C. T o analyze child behaviour across countries.D. T o investigate ways of physical punishment.Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.9. According to the news item, Japan's economic growth in the second quarter was ____ less than the first quarter.A. 0.6 percentB. 3.4 percentC. 4 percentD. 3 percent10. How many reasons does the news item cite for Japan's slow economic growth?A. 2.B. 3.C. 4.D. 5.2011年SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Some of the gaps may require a maximum of THREE words. Make sure the word(s) you fill in is (are) both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may refer to your notes while completing the task. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Now, listen to the mini-lecture.Classifications of CulturesAccording to Edward Hall, different cultures result in different ideas about the world. Hall is an anthropologist. He is interested in relations between cultures.I. High-context cultureA. feature- context: more important than the message- meaning: (1)__________i.e. more attention paid to (2) ___________ than to the message itselfB. examples- personal space- preference for (3)__________- less respect for privacy / personal space- attention to (4)___________- concept of time- belief in (5)____________ interpretation of time- no concern for punctuality- no control over timeII. Low-context cultureA. feature- message: separate from context- meaning: (6)___________B. examples- personal space- desire / respect for individuality / privacy- less attention to body language- more concern for (7)___________- attitude toward time- concept of time: (8)____________- dislike of (9)_____________- time seen as commodityIII. ConclusionAwareness of different cultural assumptions- relevance in work and lifee.g. business, negotiation, etc.- (10)_____________ in successful communicationSECTION B INTERVIEW/CONVERSATIONIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now, listen to the interview.1. According to Dr. Harley, what makes language learning more difficult after a certain age?A. Differences between two languages.B. Declining capacity to learn syntax.C. Lack of time available.D. Absence of motivation.2. What does the example of Czech speakers show?A. It's natural for language learners to make errors.B. Differences between languages cause difficulty.C. There exist differences between English and Czech.D. Difficulty stems from either difference or similarity.3. Which of the following methods does NOT advocate speaking?A. The traditional method.B. The audiolingual method.C. The immersion method.D. The direct method.4. Which hypothesis deals with the role of language knowledge in the learning process?A. The acquisition and learning distinction hypothesis.B. The comprehensible input hypothesis.C. The monitor hypothesis.D. The active filter hypothesis.5. Which of the following topics is NOT discussed during the interview?A. Causes of language learning difficulties.B. Differences between mother tongue and a second language.C. Theoretical conceptualization of second language learning.D. Pedagogical implementation of second language teaching.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the best answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.Now, listen to the news.6. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. Greyhound is Britain's largest bus and train operator.B. Currently Greyhound routes in Britain are limited.C. The coach starts from London every hour.D. Passengers are offered a variety of services.Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now, listen to the news.7. What does the news item say about the fires in Greece?A. Fires only occurred near the Greek capital.B. Fires near the capital caused casualties.C. Fires near the capital were the biggest.D. Fires near the capital were soon under control.8. According to the news, what measure did authorities take to fight the fires?A. Residents were asked to vacate their homes.B. Troops were brought in to help the firefighters.C. Air operations and water drops continued overnight.D. Another six fire engines joined the firefighting operation.Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now, listen to the news.9. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a cause of the current decline in the Mexican economy?A. Fewer job opportunities in Mexico.B. Strong ties with the U.S. economy.C. Decline in tourism.D. Decline in tax revenues.10. Drop in remittances from abroad is mainly due to _________.A. declining oil productionB. the outbreak of the H1N1 fluC. the declining GDP in MexicoD. the economic downturn in the U.S.2010年SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.SECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on ANSWER SHEET TWO.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the interview.1. According to Dr Johnson, diversity meansA. merging of different cultural identities.B. more emphasis on homogeneity.C. embracing of more ethnic differences.D. acceptance of more branches of Christianity.2. According to the interview, which of the following statements in CORRECT?A. Some places are more diverse than others.B. Towns are less diverse than large cities.C. Diversity can be seen everywhere.D. American is a truly diverse country.3. According to Dr Johnson, which place will witness a radical change in its racial makeup by 2025?A. MaineB. SelinsgroveC. PhiladelphiaD. California4. During the interview Dr Johnson indicates thatA. greater racial diversity exists among younger populations.B. both older and younger populations are racially diverse.C. age diversity could lead to pension problems.D. older populations are more racially diverse.5. According to the interview, religious diversityA. was most evident between 1990 and 2000.B. exists among Muslim immigrants.C. is restricted to certain places in the US.D. is spreading to more parts of the country.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.6. What is the main idea of the news item?A. Sony developed a computer chip for cell phones.B. Japan will market its wallet phone abroad.C. The wallet phone is one of the wireless innovations.D. Reader devices are available at stores and stations.Question 7 and 8 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.7. Which of the following is mentioned as the government’s measure to control inflation?A. Foreign investment.B. Donor support.C. Price control.D. Bank prediction.8. According to Kingdom Bank, what is the current inflation rate in Zimbabwe?A. 20 million percent.B. 2.2 million percent.C. 11.2 million percent.D. Over 11.2 million percent.Question 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.9. Which of the following is CORRECT?A. A big fire erupted on the Nile River.B. Helicopters were used to evacuate people.C. Five people were taken to hospital for burns.D. A big fire took place on two floors.10. The likely cause of the big fire isA. electrical short-cut.B. lack of fire-satefy measures.C. terrorism.D. not known.2009年SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY Whilelistening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will needthem to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will begiven two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-fillingtask on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Writing Experimental ReportsI.Content of an experimental report, e.g.--- study subject/ area--- study purpose--- ____1____II.Presentation of an experimental report--- providing details--- regarding readers as _____2_____III.Structure of an experimental report--- feature: highly structured and ____3____--- sections and their content:INTRODUCTION ____4____; why you did itMETHOD how you did itRESULT what you found out____5____ what you think it showsIV. Sense of readership--- ____6____: reader is the marker--- ____7____: reader is an idealized, hypothetical, intelligent person with little knowledge of your study--- tasks to fulfill in an experimental report:introduction to relevant areanecessary background informationdevelopment of clear argumentsdefinition of technical termsprecise description of data ____8____V. Demands and expectations in report writing--- early stage:understanding of study subject/area and its implicationsbasic grasp of the report’s format--- later stage:____9____ on research significance--- things to avoid in writing INTRODUCTION:inadequate material____10____ of research justification for the studySECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer thequestions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the interview.1. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. T oastmasters was originally set up to train speaking skills.B. Toastmasters only accepts prospective professional speakers.C. T oastmasters accepts members from the general public.D. T oastmasters is an exclusive club for professional speakers.2. The following are job benefits by joining Toastmasters EXCEPTA. becoming familiar with various means of communication.B. learning how to deliver messages in an organized way.C. becoming aware of audience expectations.D. learning how to get along with friends.3. T oastmasters' general approach to training can be summarized asA. practice plus overall training.B. practice plus lectures.C. practice plus voice training.D. practice plus speech writing.4. T oastmasters aims to train people to be all the following EXCEPTA. public speakers.B. grammar teachers.C. masters of ceremonies.D. evaluators.5. The interview mainly focuses onA. the background information.B. the description of training courses.C. the requirements of public speaking.D. the overall personal growth.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer thequestions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 6 and 7 are'based on the foUowing news. At the end of the news item, you will begiven 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.6. Which of the following is the main cause of global warming?A. Fossil fuel.B. Greenhouse gases.C. Increased dryness.D. Violent storm patterns.7. The news item implies that ______ in the last report.A. there were fewer studies doneB. there were fewer policy proposalsC. there was less agreementD. there were fewer objectivesQuestions 8 and 9 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will begiven 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.8. The cause of the Indian train accident wasA. terrorist sabotage.B. yet to be determined.C. lack of communications.D. bad weather.9. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?A. The accident occurred on a bridge.B. The accident occurred in New Delhi.C. There were about 600 casualties.D. Victims were rescued immediately.Question 10 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.10. What is the main message of the news item?A. Young people should seek careers advice.B. Careers service needs to be improved.C. Businesses are not getting talented people.D. Careers advice is not offered on the Intemet.2008年SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.The Popularity of EnglishI. Present status of EnglishA. English as a native/first languageB. English as a lingua franca: a language for communication among people whose (1)______ are different (1)_______C. Number of people speaking English as a first or a second language:—320-380 million native speakers—250- (2) _____ million speakers of English as a second language (2)_______II. Reasons for the popular use of EnglishA. (3) ____ reasons (3)_______—the Pilgrim Fathers brought the language to America;—British settlers brought the language to Australia;—English was used as a means of control in (4)_____ (4)_______B. Economic reasons—spread of (5) _____ (5)_______—language of communication iii the international business communityC. (6)______ in international travel (6)_______—use of English in travel and tourism—signs in airports—language of announcement—language of (7) ______ (7)_______D. Information exchange—use of English in the academic world—language of (8) _____ or journal articles (8)_______E. Popular culture—pop music on (9)______ (9)_______—films from the USAIII. Questions to think aboutA. status of English in the futureB. (10) ______ of distinct varieties of English (10)_______ SECTION B CONVERSATIONIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and thenanswer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on a conversation. At the end of the conversation you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the conversation.1. Mary doesn't seem to favour the idea of a new airport because ________.A. the existing airports are to be wastedB. more people will be encouraged to travelC. more oil will be consumedD. more airplanes will be purchased2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned by Mary as a potential disadvantage?A. More people in the area.B. Noise and motorways.C. Waste of land.D. Unnecessary travel.3. Freddy has cited the following advantages for a new airport EXCEPTA. more job opportunitiesB. vitality to the local economyC. road construction,D. presence of aircrew in the area4. Mary thinks that people don't need to do much travel nowadays as a result of ________.A. less emphasis on personal contactB. advances in modern telecommunicationsC. recent changes in people's conceptsD. more potential damage to the area5. We learn from the conversation that Freddy is Mary's ideas,A. strongly in favour ofB. mildly in favour ofC. strongly againstD. mildly againstSECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will begiven 10 seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.6. What is the main idea of the news item?A. A new government was formed after Sunday's elections.B. The new government intends to change the welfare system.C. The Social Democratic Party founded the welfare system.D. The Social Democratic Party was responsible for high unemployment.Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news.7. The tapes of the Apollo-11 mission were first stored in ________.A. a U.S. government archives warehouseB. a NASA ground tracking stationC. the Goddard Space Flight CentreD. none of the above places8. What does the news item say about Richard Nafzger?A. He is assigned the task to look for the tapes.B. He believes that the tapes are probably lost.C. He works in a NASA ground receiving site.D. He had asked for the tapes in the 1970s.Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.Now listen to the news..9. The example in the news item is cited mainly to show ________.A. that doctors are sometimes professionally incompetentB. that in cases like that hospitals have to pay huge compensationsC. that language barriers might lower the quality of treatmentD. that language barriers can result in fatal consequences10. According to Dr. Flores, hospitals and clinics ________.A. have seen the need for hiring trained interpretersB. have realized the problems of language barriersC. have begun training their staff to be bilingualsD. have taken steps to provide accurate diagnosis。
08上海听力原文
上海2008年高考英语听力录音原文Text 1M: Will Mrs. Johnson be here tomorrow for the meeting?W: Probably not. She called this afternoon to put off the meeting to next week. Q: When will the meeting be held?Text 2W: It seems Nancy never wants to do anything but play tennis.M: That’s what she likes to do most.Q: What can be inferred about Nancy?Text 3M: So how do you like this oil painting?W: If I had enough room in my apartment, I would buy it.Q: Where does the conversation probably take place?Text 4W: Peter, want to take a walk?M: No, I have to go down to the yard now, I’m building some bookshelves.Q: What will Peter probably do next?Text 5M: The driver is being outside of the taxi for ten minutes now. Shall we hurry up? W: That’s all right. We’re paying him anyway.Q: Who are the speakers talking about?Text 6M: The copying machine is broken again. I’ll call for the service.W: It’s only junk. Just remove the paper stuck in it. I’ll show you.Q: What will the woman do?Text 7M: It’s impossible to find a place to park before the class obtained.W: Yeah, we seem to make more parking areas here.Q: What can we learn from the conversation?Text 8M: Can we make later to work on our presentation?M: How about noon?Q: What does the woman mean?Text 9M: Would you tell me what time the dormitory doors will be locked.W: No problem. In face I can give a copy of the dormitory rules.Q: What does the man want to know?Text 10W: ...Look at this red painter on my dress. Might the park paint the chairs.M: That’s too bad. They might at least put up the sign there.Q: What does the man imply?Passage 1Joanna Lopes has invented a number of things over the years. One day she had an idea for a dish machine that worked without using water. She went to see several dish washer manufacturers about producing the machine. But none of them were interested. Joanna found investors to support her idea and founded her own production company. She spent millions of dollars on developing her dish washer. And it was put to the market three years later. From then on, sales were very good, better even than Joanna had hopped. But Glob Domestic, one of the companies that she has been to see made its own waterless dish washer. Joanna obtained one and found they use the technical ideas she had developed. She had obtained legal protection for these ideas. So that other companies could not use them. After a long legal process, Glob Domestic was forced to stop making its competing dish washer and to pay Joanna several million dollars. Now Joanna’s waterless dish washer has 40℅of the worldwide dish washer market, and this is increasing every year. Question 11: How did the manufacturers fee l Joanna’s idea for a d ish washer?Question 12: Why was Glob Domestic forced to pay Joanna much money?Question 13: What is the story mainly about?Passage 2Attention, please. In a moment, you’ll be starting your tour, but there are just a few things I’d like to warn through. The Glob Gist Islands National Park which has come up some rules which I’d like to read to you now. The most important rule is that no plants or animals or any other natural objects are to be removed from the park. Doing this could harm the balance of the park and it’s also illegal. Also, be careful not to transport any live material, such as seeds and insects to the islands or from one island to another. This two is against the law. All the islands have their own unique plants and animals and any introduced species could destroy the whole system. Please don’t take any food with you. If you drop as much as an orange seed, it could grow into a tree, and damage the existing system. Humans are only temporary visitors to these islands and we want to make sure the only things we leave behind is our foot prints. Now, moving to the wide life of the park, please don’t touch animal and any circumstances, because some animals are remarkably fearless. But they’ll quickly lose this fearlessness if they are reproached by humans. Don’tfeed the animals, don’t leave litter on the islands, or throw any off your boat. Carry along a bag of some sort if you need to put litter in.Question14: What can tourist leave behind?Question 15: What is the most important rule during the tour of the national park? Question 16: Why does the guide emphasize the park rules before the tour?Conversation 1M: Good morning, I’d like to send this package to India.W: I’ll need you to fill in a custom’s form, please.M: Sure. Contents in detail, erm… sweater, value, erm… 50 dollars. weight? Oh, I don’t know the weight.W: Put it on the scale.M: There you go.W: Ok, that’s one pound and a half.M: Really? How much is that in kilograms?W: Oh, over half a kilo. Now, is it in ordinary mail or air mail?M: Ordinary mail, please.W: That’s going to thirteen dollars seventy two.M: Thank you.Conversation 2M: My homework assignment is too hard.W: What is it?M: I’m doing all of the report on the outstanding woman. I choose Stuco Ogata. I have to present it to the class tomorrow.W: Do you know the material?M: I think so.W: Ok, let’s practice. I ask you some questions.M: Ok.W: All right, then. Just why is Stuco Ogata well-known?M: She worked for the United Nations as a high-ranking official on refugees. She worked on the job for ten years and supervised 2200 people.W: En… What are the refugees?M: Well, refuges are people who leave their countries to escape wars or other problems. W: Is the refuge issue a big problem?M: Yes, world wide, now there are about 17 million refugees.W: Wow, last question. Why did you choose Ms. Stuco to fill your report?M: She is successful, she moved to the United States and received a PHD from UC Brooklyn. As a Korea woman, she also got married and had two lovely children.。
专八(2008)听力部分注释
专八(2008)听力部分注释Section A1, lingua franca ['liŋgwə'fræŋkə]n. 通用语2, interlock [,intə'lɔk]v. 连结,连锁3, colonial [kə'ləunjəl]a. 殖民地的4, pilgrim ['pilgrim]朝圣者5, cove [kəuv]小海湾6, convict ['kɔnvikt]囚犯,罪犯7, guardian ['gɑ:djən]监护人8, unify ['ju:nifai]v. 统一,使成一体9, indigenous [in'didʒinəs]土著的10, problematic[prɔblə'mætik]问题的, 有疑问的11, imposition [,impə'ziʃən]强迫接受,施加12, colonizer 殖民者13, institutional [,insti'tju:ʃənəl] 惯例的,制度上的14, Jamaica [dʒə'meikə]牙买加15, Uganda [ju(:)'gændə, u:'gændə]n. 乌干达16, outlet ['autlet, -lit]批发商店,奥特莱斯17, discourse [dis'kɔ:s, 'diskɔ:s]演讲，谈话18, astronomy [ə'strɔnəmi]天文学19, child psychology 儿童心理学20, zoology [zəu'ɔlədʒi]动物学21.default language默认语言22.anywhere between--used for saying that a number or amount is within a particularrange, when you cannot give a single exact figure(数字)介于…之间mander Phillip --Admiral Arthur Phillip RN ( October 11, 1738(1738-10-11)- August 31, 1814 (aged 75) ) was a British naval Admiral and colonial administrator.阿瑟。
专八模拟题—听力原文
Model TestSection A Mini-LectureTeaching Methods for Effective Communication Good evening, everyone. A few months later, you will start to teach international students. Today, we will talk about the teaching methods for effective communication, which are generally helpful for your future teaching career.Teaching methods can help increase communication effectiveness. (1) Clearly organizing ideas and writing an outline on the chalkboard that lists the main points to be covered during the class helps students follow along with the organization of ideas.(2) It is also very helpful for students when teachers write technical terms or theoretical concepts on the board as they are mentioned. Students need and appreciate this effort.When a teacher is unsure about the pronunciation of certain words, those words should also be written on the board. The importance of writing words on the board is illustrated in the following experience of an undergraduate student.“I had a biology professor from Latin America. He gave a lecture on hung trees. I had never heard about that kind of tree before…After class a bunch of us students were talking about the hung trees. The American teacher heard us and asked us what we were talking about. It was really funny. He said the lecture was about young trees, not hung trees!”(3) This example of miscommunication points out the necessity for student participation in the international teacher’s classroom. (4) By setting aside class time for students to explain and discuss their understanding of the course material and the teacher’s lecture or explanations, many communication errors can be corrected before they interfere with student learning.Of course, some difficulties may be assumed to result from language problems when in fact the problem lies elsewhere.“For the foreign teacher, we have a problem with the language. (5) When students don’t understand, it could be a language problem, but it also could be that theteacher doesn’t have good teaching skills. So it’s important to communicate with students to find out what the problem is.”Using effective teaching methods does facilitate classroom communication. (6) As teachers with teaching experience in their native countries already know, when lecturing, it is important to clearly state each point before speaking about it, make the point and then summarize what has been said. (7) Before beginning another idea or point, it’s necessary to inform students of this change or transition.(8) Students are reluctant to continually ask teachers to repeat what they’ve said, even when they haven’t completely understood the teacher. Thus, it is important for teachers to frequently stop to ask if students have any questions. (9) An even better method is to ask questions of the students in order to check their understanding before going on to another topic. (10) Another method often uses by both international and American teachers is presenting the same idea in more than one way.One teacher from France says “As a foreigner and since I don’t speak the language as well as an American, I repeat very often the same thing in different ways. So they may pick it up the way they want during the many times I say it in different ways. It’s a technique I am spontaneously using. I guess it helps them to understand me as a foreigner speaking. And certainly it’s useful for understanding certain things that are very hard to understand…If you say it one time, it’s not enough, so repeating it several ways from different aspects—even making some language mistakes—will help them to pick up the idea.”When giving multiple explanations or examples of the same idea, the teacher should preface each explanation to indicate that the same idea is being explained, only in a different way. Common phrases used to indicate that a different explanation of the same idea is about to be given are:1)“Stated another way…”2)“A simpler explanation of the same idea is…”3)“Said another way…”4)“Let me present another way of understanding this…”5)“The same idea can be explained in this way…”6)“Another example of this is…”7)“I’ll repeat that in a different way…”Although teachers who have had extensive lecture experience in their home countries may already use the lecture techniques described here, it may be necessary to exaggerate these methods to ensure adequate communication.Many effective teachers learn to elicit the help of their students. (11) If the teacher and students have a friendly relationship, students usually are more willing to help facilitate communication in the classroom. In the following statement a teacher from Iran described how he uses certain teaching methods to be sure his students understand him.“I’ve been trying hard to be clear, to say the words separate so that students can understand. (12) Once in a while I stop and ask, ‘Do you follow?’ or ‘Am I clear?’ and pretty much make them feel that any time they can stop me. Anytime they want they can stop me and say, ‘I didn’t get that point’. Then I explain. You have to encourage their questions, say, ‘Good question’, ‘Interesting’, or ‘Who else has a question?’ You have to make them feel comfortable in the class…”(13) Getting students to participate in the class by being friendly and supportive of their comments, ideas, and questions can help both the teacher and the students feel more comfortable in the classroom. (14) When students feel comfortable enough to participate in class, they may be more tolerant of the teacher’s language difficulties and (15) be willing to cooperate with the teacher in solving communication problems.Today, we’ve talked about ways for you, future international teachers, to enhance communication in the classroom. The suggestions are offered as a starting point. By endeavoring to understand communication problems that can occur in the international teacher’s classroom, you can take action to minimize these problems. I hope you would have a good time.Section B ConversationMiriam (W) Frank (M)Now, listen to Part One of the conversation.W: Hello, Frank.M: Hello, Miriam. How nice to see you again. How’s everything going?W: Fine. Busy these days?M: Yeah. With lots of things to do. Would you like to join me for a drink?W: OK, thanks.M: Any news recently?W: Oh, well, yesterday I read the newspaper and got very shocking news. You know, (1/2-1) it’s not the federal government that sets the calendar for our public schools. Public school calendars are set by individual states and districts. (2-2) According to the news, instead of a long summer break, our local school decided to keep students in class year-round with shorter breaks throughout, offering about 20 additional school days.M:(2-3) The students must feel very sad when hearing this news.W: Yeah, I think so. (3) And this idea is gaining increasing popularity. It’s a strategy school districts across the country are experimenting with. Perhaps the most closely watched is in Massachusetts, which has extended class time for 26 of its low-performing schools. The idea has even won the endorsement of both President Obama and his education chief.M: Mm…, (4)I heard that the education chief said in an interview that our current school calendar was based upon the agrarian economy and the vast majority of the students in our country weren’t working the fields in the summers. So he—he thought it was really an outdated, outmoded model. It needed to be changed.W: I don’t agree with him.(5-1)Extending school year seems so completely short-sighted to me. More time is no silver bullet for reform. Take Miami-Dade County Schools in Florida for example, it used an extended day program for three years, but dropped it because they didn’t see improvement in test scores. (5-2) Besides, it—it disrupts family life.This is the end of Part One of the conversation.Question 1to 5 are based on what you have just heard.1.Who set(s) the public school calendars?2.Which of the following statements is NOT the change made to public schoolcalendars?3.Which state experimented with the new public school calendars has gainedthe closest attention?4.Why does the education chief support extending school year?5.According to Miriam, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?Now, listen to Part Two of the conversation.M: Well, surely you must have to admit that we have a significantly shorter school year. I’m worried—er—our students are at a competitive disadvantage with their peers in India and China. Students in those other countries are going to school 210, 220, 230 days a year. Our students are going to school 180 days a year, generally. And I think our students are absolutely smart, absolutely committed, can do extraordinary things. But we have to level the playing field. And if in a sports contest, one team is practicing three days a week and one team is practicing five days a week, the team that is practicing more is going to do better.W:(6) But simply extending school time in and of itself will not produce the desired results. Larry Cuban, a Stanford University professor of education, has argued that what matters most is not the quantity but the quality of time students and teachers spend together in the classroom.M: Well, yes. Mm…, but, extending school time does bring some advantages. (7-1) It gives the students learning experiences that they might not be able to get over the summertime.W: But you ask the teachers and students whether, whether they reckon that extending school time brings them advantages. I think goes without saying that no one wants to extend bad time. The teachers are fatigued at the end of the day, and the students are fatigued and unmotivated. The students need summer break to have a good rest.M: Yes, you are right. (7-2) But without those camps and other stimulating activities, something called summer learning loss occurs. (8)Researchers estimate thatlow-income students can lose two months of math and reading achievement owing to a lack of reinforcement during the summer break. It’s particularly true for low-income kids who don’t have the opportunities that other kids have during those big breaks. W: But have you considered this? Extending the school day is very very expensive. (9) The Miami-Dade program cost more than $100 million.M: Yes, you are right. Really it can result in increased cost because more teachers, specialists, paraprofessionals, and other staff are deployed. (10)But I think it can bring some—some benefits to students and teachers as well, for example, umm, it allows teachers to delve into subject matter in more depth; (7-3) it builds in time for more teacher-to-student interaction; and, it makes it possible for students to spend more time on task.This is the end of Part Two of the conversation.Question 6 to 10 are based on what you have just heard.6.What does Larry Cuban think of extending school year?7.Which of the following has not been cited as the advantage for extendingschool year by Frank?8.What effect may summer vacation have on poor students in researchers’estimation?9.How much does the Miami-Dade program cost?10.What’s Frank’s attitude towards Miriam’s ideas?。
2007-2008年专八（TEM8）真题、答案及听力原文（整理打印版）
TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2008)-GRADE EIGHT-TIME LIMIT: 195 MIN PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (35 MIN)SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Complete the gap-filling task, some of the gaps below may require a maximum of THREE words. Make sure the word(s) you fill in is (are) both grammatically and semantically acceptable. You may refer to your notes.The Popularity of EnglishI. Present status of EnglishA. English as a native/first languageB. English as a lingua franca: a language for communi cation among people whose (1)______ are different (1)_______C. Number of people speaking English as a first or a second language:— 320-380 million native speakers — 250- (2) _____ million speakers of English as a second language (2)_______ II. Reasons for the popular use of EnglishA. (3) ____ reasons (3)_______— the Pilgrim Fathers brought the language to America; — British settlers brought the language to Australia;— English was used as a means of control in (4)_____ (4)_______B. Economic reasons— spread of (5) _____ — language of communi cation iii the international business community (5)_______C. (6)______ in international travel (6)_______— use of English in travel and tourism — signs in airports— language of announcement — language of (7) ______ (7)_______D. Information exchange— use of English in the academic world — language of (8) _____ or journal arti cles (8)_______E. Popular culture— pop music on (9)______ — films from the USA (9)_______ III. Questions to think aboutA. status of English in the futureB. (10) ______ of distinct varieties of English (10)_______ SECTION B CONVERSATIONIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on a conversation. At the end of the conversation you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the conversation.1. Mary doesn't seem to favour the idea of a new airport because _________.A. the existing airports are to be wastedB. more people will be encouraged to travel.C. more oil will be consumed.D. more airplanes will be purchased.2.Which of the following is NOT mentioned by Mary as a potential disadvantage?A. More people in the area.B. Noise and motorways.C. Waste of land.D. Unnecessary travel.3.Freddy has cited the following advantages for a new airport EXCEPT _______.A. more job opportunities.B. vitality to the local economy.C. road construction.D. presence of aircrew in the area.4.Mary thinks that people don't need to do much travel nowadays as a result of _______.A. less emphasis on personal contact.B. advances in modern telecommunications.C. recent changes in people's concepts.D. more potential damage to the area5.We learn from the conversation that Freddy is Mary's ideas,_____.A. strongly in favour ofB. mildly in favour ofC. strongly againstD. mildly againstSECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question.Now listen to the news.6.What is the main idea of the news item?A. A new government was formed after Sunday's elections.B. The new government intends to change the welfare system.C. The Social Democrati c Party founded the welfare system.D. The Social Democratic Party was responsible for high unemployment.Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer thequestions. Now listen to the news.7. The tapes of the Apollo-11 mission were first stored in _______.A. a U.S. government archives warehouse.B. a NASA ground tracking station.C. the Goddard Space Flight Centre.D. none of the above places.8.What does the news item say about Richard Nafzger?A. He is assigned the task to look for the tapes.B. He believes that the tapes are probably lost.C. He works in a NASA ground receiving site.D. He had asked for the tapes in the 1970s.Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the news.9.The example in the news item is cited mainly to showA. that doctors are sometimes professionally incompetentB. that in cases like that hospitals have to pay huge compensations.C. that language barriers might lower the quality of treatment.D. that language barriers can result in fatal consequences.10. According to Dr. Flores, hospitals and clinicsA. have seen the need for hiring trained interpreters.B. have realized the problems of language barriers.C. have begun training their staff to be bilinguals.D. have taken steps to provide accurate diagnosis.PART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)In this section there are four reading passages followed by a total of 20 multiple-choice questions. Read the passages and then mark your answers on your coloured answer sheetTEXT AAt the age of 16, Lee Hyuk Joon's life is a living hell. The South Korean 10th grader gets up at 6 in the morning to go to sc hool, and studies most of the day until returning home at 6 p.m. After dinner, it's time to hit the books again—at one of Seoul's many so-called cram schools. Lee gets back home at 1 in the morning, sleeps less than five hours, then repeats the routine—five days a week. It's a grueling schedule, but Lee worries that it may not be good enough to get him into a top university. Some of hi s classmates study even harder.South Korea's education system has long been highly competitive. But for Lee and the other 700,000 high-school sophomores in the country, high-school studies have gotten even more intense. That's because South Korea has conceived a new college-entrance system, whi ch will be implemented in 2008. This year's 10th graders will be the first group evaluated by the new admissions standard, whi ch places more emphasis on grades in the three years of high school and less on nationwide SA T-style and other selection tests, whi ch have traditionally determined which students go to the elite colleges.The change was made mostly to reduce what the government says is a growing education gap in the country: wealthy students go to the best colleges and get the best jobs, keeping the children of poorer families on the social margins. The aim is to reduce the importance of costly tutors and cram schools, partly to help students enjoy a more normal high-school life. But the new system has had the opposite effect. Before, students didn't worry too much about their grade-point averages; the big challenge was beating the standardized tests as high-school seniors. Now students are competing against one another over a three-year period, and every midterm and final test is crucial. Fretful parents are relying even more heavily on tutors and cram schools to help their children succeed.Parents and kids have sent thousands of angry online letters to the Education Ministry complaining that the new admissions standard is setting students against each other. "One can succeed only when others fail,” as one parent said.Education experts say that South Korea's public secondary-school system is foundering, while private education is thriving. According to critics, the country's high schools are almost uniformly mediocre—the result of an egalitarian government education policy. With the number of elite schools stri ctly controlled by the government, even the brightest students typi cally have to settle for ordinary schools in their neighbourhoods, where the curriculum is centred on average students. To make up for the mediocrity, zealous parents send their kids to the expensive cram school s.Students in affluent southern Seoul neighbourhoods complain that the new system will hurt them the most. Nearly all Korean high schools will be weighted equally in the college-entrance process, and relatively weak students in provincial schools, who may not score well on standardized tests, often compile good grade-point averages.Some universities, particularly prestigious ones, openly complain that they cannot select the best students under the new system because it eliminates differences among high schools. They've asked for more discretion in picking students by gi ving more weight to such screening tools as essay writing or interviews.President Roh Moo Hyun doesn't like how some colleges are trying to circumvent the new system. He recently criticized "greedy" universities that focus more on finding the best students than faying to "nurture good students". But amid the crossfire between the government and universities, the country's 10th graders are feeling the stress. On online protest sites, some are calling themselves a “cursed generation”and “mice in a lab experiment”. It all seems a touch melodramatic, but that's the South Korean school system.11.According to the passage, the new college-entrance system is designed toA. require students to sit for more college-entrance tests.B. reduce the weight of college-entrance tests.C. select students on their high school grades only.D. reduce the number of prospective college applicants.12.What seems to be the effect of introducing the new system?A. The system has given equal opportunities to students.B. The system has reduced the number of cram schools.C. The system has intensified competition among schools.D. The system has increased students' study load.13.According to critics, the popularity of private education is mainly the result of ___.A. the government's egalitarian policy.B. insuffi cient number of schools:C. curriculums of average quality.D. low cost of private education.14.According to the passage, there seems to be disagreement over the adoption of the new system between the following groups EXCEPT ____.A. between universities and the government.B. between school experts and the government.C. between parents and schools.D. between parents and the government.15.Whi ch of the following adjectives best describes the author's treatment of the topic?A. Objective.B. Positive.C. Negative.D. Biased.TEXT BWilfred Emmanuel-Jones was a teenager before he saw his first cow in his first field. Born in Jamaica, the 47-year-old grew up in inner-city Birmingham before making a career as a television producer and launching his own marketing agency. But deep down he al ways nurtured every true Englishman's dream of a rustic life, a dream that his entrepreneurial wealth has allowed him to satisfy. These days he's the owner of a thriving 12-hectare farm in deepest Devon with cattle, sheep and pigs. His latest business venture: pushing his brand of Black Fanner gourmet sausages and barbecue sauces. “My background may be very urban,” says Emmanuel-J ones. “But it has given me a good idea of what other urbanites want.”And of how to sell it. Emmanuel-Jones joins a herd of wealthy fugitives from city life who are bringing a new commercial know-how to British farming. Britain's burgeoning farmers' markets -numbers have doubled to at least 500 in the last five years—swarm with specialty cheesemakers, beekeepers or organic smallholders who are redeploying the business skills they learned in the city. "Everyone in the rural community has to come to terms with the fact that things have changed." Says Emmanuel-Jones. "Y ou can produce the best food in the world, but if you don't know how to market it, you are wasting your time. We are helping the traditionalists to move on."The emergence of the new class of superpeasants reflects some old yearnings. If the British were the first nation to industrialize, they were also the first to head back to the land. "There is this romantic image of the countryside that is parti cularly English," says Alun Howkins of the University of Sussex, who reckons the population of rural England has been rising since 1911. Migration into rural areas is now running at about 100,000 a year, and the hunger for a taste of the rural life has kept land prices buoyant even as agricultural incomes tumble. About 40 percent of all farmland is now sold to "lifestyle buyers" rather than the dwindling number of traditional farmers, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.What's new about the latest returnees is their affluence and zeal for the business of producing quality foods, if only at a micro-level. A healthy economy and surging London house prices have helped to ease the escape of the would-be rustics. The media recognize and feed the fantasy. One of the big TV hits of recent years, the "River Cottage" series, chronicled the attempts of a London chef to run his own Dorset farm.Naturally, the newcomers can't hope to match their City salaries, but many are happy to trade any loss of income for the extr a job satisfaction. Who cares if there's no six-figure annual bonus when the land offers other incalculable compensations? Besides, the specialist producers can at least depend on a burgeoning market for their products. Today's eco-aware generation loves to seek out authenti c ingredients. "People like me may be making a difference in a small way," Jan McCourt, a onetime investment banker now running his own 40-hectare spread in the English Midlands stocked with rare breeds.Optimists see signs of far-reaching change: Britain isn't ca tching up with mainland Europe; it's leading the way. “Unlike most other countries, where artisanal food production is being eroded, here it is being recovered," says food writer Matthew Fort.“It may be the mark of the next stage of civilization that we rediscover the desirability of being a peasant.” And not an investment banker.16.Whi ch of the following details of Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones i s INCORRECT?A. He was born and brought up in Birmingham.B. He used to work in the television industry.C. He is wealthy, adventurous and aspiring.D. He is now selling his own quality foods.17.Most importantly, people like Wilfred have brought to traditional British farmingA. knowledge of farming.B. knowledge of brand names.C. knowledge of lifestyle.D. knowledge of marketing.18.Whi ch of the following does NOT contribute to the emergence of a new class of farmers?A. Strong desire for country life.B. Longing for greater wealth.C. Influence of TV productions.D. Enthusiasm for quality food business.19.What is seen as their additional source of new income?A. Modern tendency to buy natural foods.B. Increase in the value of land property.C. Raising and selling rare live stock. VD. Publicity as a result of media coverage.20.The sentence in t he last paragraph “...Britain isn't catching up with mainland Europe; it's leading the way" implies thatA. Britain has taken a different path to boost economy.B. more authentic foods are being produced in Britain.C. the British are heading back to the countryside.D. the Europeans are showing great interest in country life.TEXT CIn Barcelona the Catalonians call them castells, but these aren't stereotypi cal castles in Spain. These castles are made up of human beings, not stone. The people who perform this agile feat of acrobatics are called castellers, and to see their towers take shape is to observe a marvel of human cooperation.First the castellers form what looks like a giganti c rugby scrummage. They are the foundation blocks of the castle. Behind them, other people press together, forming outward-radiating ramparts of inward-pushing muscle: flying buttresses for the castle. Then sturdy but lighter castellers scramble over the backs of those at the bottom and stand, barefoot, on their shoulders—then still others, each time adding a higher "story".These human towers can rise higher than small apartment buildings: nine “stories”, 35 feet into the air. Then, just When it seems this tower of humanity can't defy gravity any longer, a little kid emerges from the crowd and climbs straight up to the top. Arms extended, the child grins while waving to the cheering crowd far below.Dressed in their traditional costumes, the castellers seem to epitomize an easier time, before Barcelona became a world metropolis arid the Mediterranean's most dynamic city. But when you observe-them tip close, in their street clothes, at practice, you see there's nothing easy about what the castellers do - and that they are not merely reenacting an ancient ritual.None of the castellers can-give a logical answer as to why they love doing this. But V ictor Luna, 16, touches me on the shoulder and says in English: "We do it because it's beautiful. We do it because we are Catalan."Barcelona’s mother tongue is Catalan, and to und erstand Barcelona, you must understand two words of Catalan: seny and rauxa. Seny pretty much translates as common sense, or the ability to make money, arrange things, and get things done. Rauxa is reminiscent of our words “raucous” and “ruckus”.What makes the castellers revealing of the city is that they embody rauxa and seny. The idea of a human castle is rauxa—it defies common sense—but to watch one going up is to see seny in action. Success is based on everyone working together to achieve a shared goal.The success of Carlos Tusquets' bank, Fibanc, shows seny at work in everyday life. The bank started as a family concern and now employs hundreds. Tusquets said it exemplifies how the economy in Barcelona is different.Entrepreneurial seny demonstrates why Barcelona and Catalonia—the ancient region of which Barcelona is the capital—are distinct from the rest of Spain yet essential to Spain's emergence, after centuries of repression, as a prosperous, democratic European country. Catalonia, with Barcelona as its dynamo, has turned into an economic powerhouse. Making up 6 percent of Spain’s territory, with a sixth of its people, it accounts for nearly a quarter of Spain's production—everything from textiles to computers—even though the rest of Spain has been enjoying its own economi c miracle.Hand in hand with seny goes rauxa, and there's no better place to see rauxa in action than on the Ramblas, the venerabl e, tree-shaded boulevard that, in gentle stages, leads you from the centre of Barcelona down to the port. There are two narrow l anes each way for cars and motorbikes, but it’s the wide centre walkway that makes the Ramblas a front-row seat for Barcel ona's longest running theatrical event. Plastic armchairs are set out on the sidewalk. Sit in one of them, and an attendant will come and charge you a small fee. Performance artists throng the Ramblas—stilt walkers, witches caked in charcoal dust, Elvis impersonators. But the real stars are the old women and happily playing children, millionaires on motorbikes, and pimps and women who, upon closer inspection, prove not to be.Aficionados (Fans) of Barcelona love to compare notes: “Last night there was a man standing on the balcony of his hotel room,” Mariana Bertagnolli, an Italian photographer, told me. "The bal c ony was on the second floor. He was naked, and he was talking into a cell phone."There you have it, Barcelona's essence. The man is naked (rauxa), but he is talking into a cell phone (seny).21. From the description in the passage, we learn thatA. all Catalonians can perform castells.B. castells require performers to stand on each other.C. people perform castells in different formations.D. in castells people have to push and pull each other.22. According to the passage, the4mplication of the performance is thatA. the Catalonians are insensible and noisy people.B. the Catalonians show more sense than is expected.C. the Catalonians display paradoxical characteristi cs.D. the Catalonians think highly of team work.23. The passage cites the following examples EXCEPT __________ to show seny at work.A.development of a bankB.dynami c role in economyC.contribution to national economyparison with other regions24. In the last but two paragraph, the Ramblas is described as “a fro nt-row seat for Barcelona’s longest running theatri cal event”. What does it mean?A. On the Ramblas people can see a greater variety of performances.B. The Ramblas provides many front seats for the performances.C. The Ramblas is preferred as an important venue for the events.D. Theatri cal performers like to perform on the Ramblas.25. What is the main impression of the scenes on the Ramblas?A. It is bizarre and Outlandish.B. It is of average quality.C. It is conventional and quiet.D. It is of professional standard. TEXT DThe law firm Patrick worked for before he died filed for bankruptcy protection a year after his funeral. After his death, the firm's letterhead properly included him: Patri ck S. Lanigan, 1954-1992. He was listed up in the right-hand corner, just above the paralegals. Then the rumors got started and wouldn't stop. Before long, everyone believed he had taken the money and disappeared. After three months, no one on the Gulf Coast believed that he was dead. His name came off the letterhead as the debts piled up.The remaining partners in the law firm were still together, attached unwillingly at the hip by the bondage of mortgages and the bank notes, back when they were rolling and on the verge of serious wealth. They had been joint defendants in several unwinnable lawsuits; thus the bankruptcy. Since Patri ck's departure, they had tried every possible way to divorce one another, but nothing would work. Two were raging alcoholics who drank at the office behind locked doors, but nevertogether. The other two were in recovery, still teetering on the brink of sobriety.He took their money. Their millions. Money they had already spent long before it arrived, as only lawyers can do. Money for their richly renovated offi ce building in downtown Biloxi. Money for new homes, yachts, condos in the Caribbean. The money was on the way, approved, the papers signed, orders entered; they could see it, almost touch it when their deadpartner—Patrick—snatched it at the last possible second.He was dead. They buried him on February 11, 1992. They had consoled the widow and put his rotten name on their handsome letterhead. Y et six weeks later, he somehow stole their money.They had brawled over who was to blame. Charles Bogan, the firm's senior partner and its iron hand, had insisted the money be wired from its source into a new account offshore, and this made sense after some discussion. It was ninety million bucks, a third of whi ch the firm would keep, and it would be impossible to hide that kind of money in Biloxi, population fifty thousand. Someone at the bank would talk. Soon everyone would know. All four vowed secrecy, even as they made plans to display as much of their new wealth as possible. There had even been talk of a firm jet, a six-seater.So Bogan took his share of the blame. At forty-nine, he was the oldest of the four, and, at the moment, the most stable. He was also responsible for hiring Patrick nine years earlier, and for this he had received no small amount of grief.Doug V itrano, the litigator, had made the fateful decision to recommend Patrick as the fifth partner. The other three had agreed, and when Patrick Lanigan was added to the firm name, he had access to virtually every file in the office. Bogan, Rapley, V itrano, Havarac, and Lanigan, Attorneys and Counselors-at-Law. A large ad in the yellow pages claimed "Specialists in Offshore Injuries." Specialists or not, like most firms they would take almost anything if the fees were lucrative. Lots of secretaries and paralegals. Big overhead, and the strongest political connections on the Coast.They were all in their mid- to late forties. Havarac had been raised by his father on a shrimp boat. His hands were still proudly calloused, and he dreamed of choking Patrick until his neck snapped. Rapley was severely depressed and seldom left his home, where he wrote briefs in a dark office in the attic.26. What happened to the four remaining lawyers after Patrick's disappearance?A. They all wanted to divorce their wives.B. They were all heavily involved in debts.C. They were all recovering from drinking.D. They had bought new homes, yachts, etc.27. Whi ch of the following statements contains a metaphor?A. His name came off the letterhead as the debts piled up.B. …they could see it, almost tou ch it when their dead partner...C. …, attached unwillingly at the hip by the bondage of mortgages...D. …, and for this he had received no small amount of grief.28. According to the passage, what is the main cause of Patrick stealing the money?A. Patrick was made a partner of the firm.B. The partners agreed to have the money transferred.C. Patri ck had access to all the files in the firm.D. Bogan decided to hire Patrick nine years earlier.29. The lawyers were described as being all the following EXCEPTA. greedy.B. extravagantC. quarrel some.D. bad-tempered.30. Whi ch of the following implies a contrast?A. …, and it would be impossible to hide that kind of money in Biloxi, population fifty thousand.B. They had been joint defendants in several unwinnable lawsuits; thus the bankruptcy.C. There had even been talk of a firm jet, a six-seater.D. His name came off the letterhead as the debts piled up.PART III GENERAL KNOWLEDGE (10 MIN)There are ten multiple-choice questions in this section. Choose the best answer to each question. Mark your answers on your coloured answer sheet.31. The largest city in Canada is____.A. V ancouver.B. Montreal.C. TorontoD. Ottawa.32. According to the United States Constitution, the legislative power is invested in ____.A. the Federal Government.B. the Supreme Court.C. the Cabinet.D. the Congress.33. Whi ch of the following is the oldest sport in the United States?A. Baseball.B. Tennis.C. Basketball.D. American football.34. The head of the executive branch in New Zealand is _____.A. the President.B. the Governor-General.C. the British monarch,D. the Prime Minister.35. The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, is an important poetic work by _____.A. William Langland.B. Geoffrey Chaucer.C. William Shakespeare.D. Alfred Tennyson.36. Who wrote The Ameri can?A. Herman Melville.B. Nathaniel Hawthorne.C. Henry James.D. Theodore Drei ser.37. All of the following are well-known female writers in 20th -century Britain EXCEPT _____.A. George Eliot.B. Iris Jean Murdoch.C. Doris Lessing.D. Muriel Spark.38. Whi ch of the following is NOT a design feature of human language?A. Arbitrariness.B. Di splacement.C. Duality.D. Diachronicity.39. What type of sentence is “Mark likes fiction, but Tim is interested in poetry.”?A. A simple sentence.B. A coordinate sentence.C. A complex sentence.D. None of the above.40. The phenomenon that words having different meanings have the same form is called ____.A. hyponymy.B. synonymy.C. polysemy.D. homonymy.PART IV PROOFREADING & ERROR CORRECTION (15 MIN)Proofread the given passage on ANSWER SHEET TWO as instructed.The passage contains TEN errors. Each indicated line contains a maximum of ONE error. In each case, only ONE wor d is。
08年高考英语湖南卷听力录音原文
2008年高考湖南卷英语听力录音原文例题：M: Excuse me, can you tell me how much the shirt is?W:Y e s,i t's 9. 15.(Text 1)M: How much do I need to pay?W: Let me see. Err. . . four dollars, and six dollars, and another six dollars. That's 16 dollars, sir.M: Ok, here is a 20-dollar bill.(Text 2)M: Hurry up, mom. The taxi's come and is waiting downstairs.W: Just a second, honey. I'll get some food in the kitchen. The meals on the train are terrible.(Text 3)M: Has the latest Time magazine arrived yet? Today'salready Wednesday.W: Sorry, it's late. Maybe it will come tomorrow.(Text 4)W: I suppose you have bought some gifts for your family.M: Well, I've bought a shirt for my father and two books for my sister. But for my mother, I haven't decided what to buy yet.(Text 5)W: Good morning, Cress.M: Good morning, Miss Simon.W: Running a bit late, aren't you? The bell's already gone.M: Bus was late, madam.(Text 6)W: Hi, Mr. Brown. Are you flying back to the United States this July?M: Oh, I've changed my plan of going back home. I'm going to Beijing to watch the Olympic Games. And I will probably stay there until late September or early October.W: Wow, how exciting. But I can only watch the Games on TV.(Text 7)W: Excuse me, sir. I'm a tourist here, which train will take me to the zoo, please? M: You need to get to platform 6, take the train on the first line and get off atRocky Hill. That's the third stop.W: Is that where the zoo is?M: You're nearly there. After getting off the train, turn right and you'll se e a hill in front of you. Walk up to the top of the hill and you'll see signs pointing to the zoo.W: Many thanks. One ticket to Rocky Hill, please.(Text 8)W: Are you finish ing packing?M: Almost. I'll just have to check my temp one last time.W: Ok, err, don't forget your camera. You need to take some pictures for your grandpa. M: Yes, I've put it in, mom.W: All right, then. Oh, what about shoes and clothes? You may need another pair of shoes and an overcoat.M: Mom, it's just a camping trip, not a travel abroad. I'll get back in no more than 24 hours.W: All right, then. I was just trying to be helpful. I'm sure you'll havea great time.(Text 9)W: I wish those people across the street would turn their music down. It's so loud. M: I know, darling. I just can't sleep. They are only allowed to play music up until 10:30 on week nights, and it's already 11:30.W: I’ll have a really important meeting tomorrow morning. And I'll have to go and see the doctor in the afternoon. If they don't-be quiet soon, I'll never get to sleep.M: We should go up to their house and ask them to turn it down.W: Well, I really don't want to talk to them. They are not very friendly people. M: Anyway, we can at least try. If they don't listen, we'll just pick up the phone and call the police.W: That sounds like a good idea. Let's get dressed.(Text 10)Welcome to Happy Go, your fantastic shopping heaven. Are you annoyed by the quality of your sleep? Do you count from one to one thousand, but still find yourself awake? Don't worry, try Dreamer. It can help you fall asleep fast and won't affect your memory. Just take one piece half an hour before going to bed, you'll get a good sleep at night and a sharp mind during the day. Also, you can ask your doctor if Dreameris right for you. For more information, please call 8008668877 or visit . If you call us within 24 hours, you can get Dreamer free for 7 nights. Don't wait, because your dreams miss you. Your Dream, Our Dreamer!。
08年英语专业八级全真试题（3）
TEXT B Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones was a teenager before he saw his first cow in his first field. Born in Jamaica, the 47-year-old grew up in inner-city Birmingham before making a career as a television producer and launching his own marketing agency. But deep down he always nurtured every true Englishmans dream of a rustic life, a dream that his entrepreneurial wealth has allowed him to satisfy. These days hes the owner of a thriving 12-hectare farm in deepest Devon with cattle, sheep and pigs. His latest business venture: pushing his brand of Black Fanner gourmet sausages and barbecue sauces. “My background may be very urban,” says Emmanuel-Jones. “But it has given me a good idea of what other urbanites want.” And of how to sell it. Emmanuel-Jones joins a herd of wealthy fugitives from city life who are bringing a new commercial know-how to British farming. Britains burgeoning farmers markets -numbers have doubled to at least 500 in the last five years —swarm with specialty cheesemakers, beekeepers or organic smallholders who are redeploying the business skills they learned in the city. "Everyone in the rural community has to come to terms with the fact that things have changed." Says Emmanuel-Jones. "You can produce the best food in the world, but if you dont know how to market it, you are wasting your time. We are helping the traditionalists to move on." The emergence of the new class of superpeasants reflects some old yearnings. If the British were the first nation to industrialize, they were also the first to head back to the land. "There is this romantic image of the countryside that is particularly English," says Alun Howkins of the University of Sussex, who reckons the population of rural England has been rising since 1911. Migration into rural areas is now running at about 100,000 a year, and the hunger for a taste of the rural life has kept land prices buoyant even as agricultural incomes tumble. About 40 percent of all farmland is now sold to "lifestyle buyers" rather than the dwindling number of traditional farmers, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Whats new about the latest returnees is their affluence and zeal for the business of producing quality foods, if only at a micro-level. A healthy economy and surging London house prices have helped to ease the escape of the would-be rustics. The media recognize and feed the fantasy. One of the big TV hits of recent years, the "River Cottage" series, chronicled the attempts of a London chef to run his own Dorset farm. Naturally, the newcomers cant hope to match their City salaries, but many are happy to trade any loss of income for the extra job satisfaction. Who cares if theres no six-figure annual bonus when the land offers other incalculable compensations? Besides, the specialist producers can at least depend on a burgeoning market for their products. Todays eco-aware generation loves to seek out authentic ingredients. "People like me may be making a difference in a small way," Jan McCourt, a onetime investment banker now running his own 40-hectare spread in the English Midlands stocked with rare breeds.Optimists see signs of far-reaching change: Britain isnt catching up with mainland Europe; its leading the way.“Unlike most other countries, where artisanal food production is being eroded, here it is being recovered," says food writer Matthew Fort. ”It may be the mark of the next stage of civilization that we rediscover the desirability of being a peasant.“ And not an investment banker. 16. Which of the following details of Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is INCORRECT? A. He was born and brought up in Birmingham. B. He used to work in the television industry. C. He is wealthy, adventurous and aspiring. D. He is now selling his own quality foods. 17. Most importantly, people like Wilfred have brought to traditional British farming A. knowledge of farming. B. knowledge of brand names. C. knowledge of lifestyle. D. knowledge of marketing, 18. Which of the following does NOT contribute to the emergence of a new class of farmers? A. Strong desire for country life. B. Longing for greater wealth, C. Influence of TV productions. D. Enthusiasm for quality food business. 19. What is seen as their additional source of new income? A. Modern tendency to buy natural foods. B. Increase in the value of land property. C. Raising and selling rare live stock. V D. Publicity as a result of media coverage. 20. The sentence in the last paragraph “……Britain isnt catching up with mainland Europe; its leading the way" implies that A. Britain has taken a different path to boost economy. B. more authentic foods are being produced in Britain. C. the British are heading back to the countryside. D. the Europeans are showing great interest in country life.。
专八听力原文
听力原文Part 1, Listening ComprehensionSection A, Mini-LectureI think as seniors, you are often required by your instructors to do some library research on this topic or that. And, in the end, you have to write a research paper, right? Then what is writing a research paper like? How are we going to write one? What are the steps in producing a research paper and what are the points we need to take care of? In today’s lecture, I’ll try to answer these questions.First of all, what is writing a research paper like? We may start by comparing it to an ordinary essay, a form of writing you are very familiar with. Writing a research paper is much like writing an essay. Both kinds of writing involve many of the same basic steps. That is, choosing a topic, asking questions to define and develop the topic, identifying the audience, getting raw material to work with, outlining the paper, writing it, and, finally, revising it. These are the steps shared between research paper writing and essay writing.Is there any difference, you may ask. Yes. What makes a research paper different is that much of your raw material comes not from your own head, but from printed sources: mainly books and periodicals in the library. Collecting raw material, that is reading books and taking notes, is very much like the process of brainstorming at the prewriting stage of an ordinary essay.Generally speaking, there are two basic types of research papers, and a paper may belong to either type. It may be a survey of facts and opinions available on a given topic or an analytical argument that uses those facts and opinions to prove a point. Your instructor may tell you which kind of paper you are expected to write. If not, you yourself should eventually choose between surveying and arguing. You will then have a definite way of managing your sources.Now, let’s take a look at how you are going to write a survey-type research paper or an argumentative research paper. In a survey-type research paper, you gather facts and a variety of opinions on a given topic. You make little attempt to interpret or evaluate what your sources say or to prove a particular point. Instead, through quotation, summary, and paraphrase, you try to provide a representative sampling of facts and opinions to give an objective report on your topic. You explain the pros and cons of various attitudes or opinions, but you don’t side definitely with any one of them.While in an argumentative research paper, you do considerably more. You do not simply quote, paraphrase, and summarize as you do in a survey-type paper. You interpret, question, compare, and judge the statements you cite. You explain why one opinion is sound and another is not; why one fact is relevant and another is not; why one writer is correct and another is mistaken. Wha t’s more, your purpose may vary with your topic. You may try to explain a situation to recommend a course of action, to reveal the solution to a problem, or to present and defend a particular interpretation of a historical event or a work of art. But whether the topic is space travel or trends in contemporary American literature, an argumentative research paper deals actively – I say it again,actively – with the statements it cites. It makes these statements work together in an argument that you create, that is, to an argument leading to a conclusion of your own.In the next part of the lecture, I’d like to talk about one of the basic steps in writing I mentioned earlier in the lecture. That is how to choose a topic. Choosing a topic for a research paper is in some ways like choosing a topic for an ordinary essay, but there are some differences. As you think about your topic, ask yourself these questions:Question number one: Do you really want to know more about this topic? This is the initial question you have to ask yourself, because research on any subject will keep you busy for weeks. You certainly do not wish to waste your time on something you have little interest in. You do it well only if you expect to learn something interesting or important in the process.Question number tw Are you likely to find many sources of information on this topic? You cannot write a research paper without consulting a variety of sources. If only one source or none at all is readily available, you should rethink your topic or choose another.Question number three: Can you cut the topic down to a manageable size? Be reasonable and realistic about what you can do in a short period, say, two to four weeks. If your topic is ―The American Revolution‖, you’ll scarcely have time to make a list of books on your subject, let alone read and analyze them. So try to find something specific, such as ―The Role of Thomas Jefferson in the American Revolution‖ or ―The Franco-American Alliance‖Question number four: What questions can you ask about the topic itself? Questions help you get the topic down to a manageable size, discover its possibilities, and find the goal of your research, that is, the specific problem you want to investigate. Suppose you want to write about the issue of financing a college education – A topic not only current, but also directly linked to the lives of most college students and their families. You could ask at least two or three pointed questions: How much does educational opportunity depend on financial status? Is financial aid going to the students who need it most? How much should universities and colleges charge their students? You can ask yourself these questions or more as you start work on the research paper.Okay. To sum up, in today’s lecture, we’ve looked at some of the issues in research paper writing, like the basic steps, types of research paper, and how to choose a topic. In our next lecture, we’ll concentrate on how to identify the audience, how to work out an outline, and how to edit the draft.Section B, InterviewM: Today, we’ve Professor McKay on our morning talk show. Good morning, Professor McKay.W: Good morning.M: I’ve heard that you and your team have just completed a report on old age. W: That’s right.M: Could you tell me what your report is about?W: Well, the report basically looks into the various beliefs that people hold about old age and tries to verify them.M: And what do you think your report can achieve?W: We hope that it will somehow help people to change their feelings about old age. The problem is that far too many of us believe that most old people are poor, lonely, and unhappy. As a result, we tend to find old people, as a group, unattractive. And this is very dangerous for our society.M: But surely we cannot escape the fact that many old people are lonely and many are sick.W: No, we can’t. But we must also remember that the proportion of such people is no greater among the 60-70 age group than among the 50-60 age group. M: In other words, there is no more mental illness, for example, among the 60s-70s than among the 50s-60s.W: Right! And why should there be? Why should we expect people to suddenly change when they reach their 60th or 60th birthday any more than they did when they reached their 21st?M: But one would expect there to be more physical illness among old people, surely.W: Why should one expect this? After all, those people who reach the age of 65 or 70 are the strong among us. The weak die mainly in childhood, then in their 40s and 50s. Furthermore, by the time people reach 60 or 65, they have learnedhow to look after themselves. They keep warm, sleep regular hours, and eat sensibly. Of course, some old people do suffer from physical illnesses, but these do not suddenly develop on their 65th birthday. People who are healthy in middle age tend to be healthy in old age, just as one would expect.M: Do you find that young people these days are not as concerned about their parents as their parents were about theirs?W: We have found nothing that suggests that family feeling is either dying or dead. There do not appear to be large numbers of young people who are trying, for example, to have their dear old mother locked up in a mental hospital. M: Don’t many more parents live apart from their married children then used to be the case?W: True, but this is because many more young families can afford to own their own homes these days than ever before. In other words, parents and their married children usually live in separate households because they prefer it that way, not because the children refuse to have mum and dad living with them. M: Is this a good thing, do you think?W: I think that it’s an excellent arrangement. We all like to keep part of our lives private, even from those we love dearly. I certainly don’t think that it’s a sign of the increased loneliness of old age.M: Are people’s mental abilities affected by old age?W: Certain changes do take place as we grow older, but this happens throughout life. These changes are very gradual and happen at different times with different people, but, in general, if you know a person well in his middle age and have seen how he deals with events and problems, you will easily recognize him in old age.M: So that someone who enjoys new experiences, travel, education, and so on in his middle years will usually continue to do so into old age?W: Exactly. We have carried out some very interesting experiments in which a group of people aged 60-70 and a group aged 30-40 had to learn the same things. The first thing we discovered was that the young group tends to be quicker at learning than the old group. However, although the old group took longer to learn, eventually, they performed as well as the young group. And when we tested the two groups several weeks later, there was again no difference between the two groups.M: That’s very interesting indeed. What else did your experiments show?W: Well, one group of old people agreed to attend evening classes for a year to study English and mathematics. In fact, most of this group became so interested in their studies that they continued them for another year. Anyway, we discovered that they did best in the English classes and that most of them steadily improved their ability to communicate in both the written and the spoken language.M: What about the group who studied mathematics?W: Well, that’s a different story. There seems to be no doubt that people find maths more difficult as they grow older. Though, why this is so, I cannot say. M: Perhaps pocket calculators will solve this problem.W: I think you’re right. In fact, I’m sure that you are.M: Okay. Time for a commercial. Stay tuned; we’ll be right back.Section C: News ItemsQuestion 6M: Scientists in Brazil claim they’ve come up with a new way of treating burns. That is, with frog skin. Researchers say it is cheap and effective. The frog skin has components that diminish the growth of bacteria, making the wound heal faster and reducing the amount of time that patient has to stay in hospital. Researchers said the method had already been successfully used in some hospitals in Brazil.Question 7W: Once a source of high-pitched business activity, Japan’s karaoke industry has slowed down. Japanese have less to sing about amid sustained economic problems. Karaoke firms are now striving to develop new ideas to attractcost-conscious karaoke singers. These include a new, high-tech machine that allows people to sing like famous singers and theme rooms on some of the Asian cartoon figures targeted at younger crowds. The new karaoke machine is being developed by a professor from the US Massachusetts Institute of Technology.The machine uses a technology called C-Sound that automatically adjusts the speed and tone of any song being played to match the tempo and key the singer is using. The tempo can be adjusted manually on conventional karaoke machines, but the new product is the first machine to do it automatically. Question 8M: The China Internet Network Information Center said this week that the nation’s online community is expanding at a rap id pace, with 8.9 million users added in the first half of the year, from January to June. China’s Internet population hit 68 million by the end of June, the world’s second-largest figure after the United States. The figure was 10 million at the end of 2000 and 1.5 million in 1997. ―Cyberspace is a force to be reckoned with in China,‖ said Chen Hua Lin, a senior Internet analyst at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Netizens between the ages of 18 and 30 are the driving force. They spend 13 hours every week surfing the Internet, on average. Their major purpose is obtaining information or having fun. At the same time, only 0.2 percent listed online shopping, e-business, and online learning as their main activity. As the number of China’s Internet users grows, s o does the junk mail. 8.3 e-mails out of 16 TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2005) -GRADE EIGHT-PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)SECTION A MINI-LECTUREIn this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after themini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.Writing a Research PaperI. Research Papers and Ordinary EssayA. Similarity in (1) __________:e.g. —choosing a topic—asking questions—identifying the audienceB. Difference mainly in terms of (2) ___________1. research papers: printed sources2. ordinary essay: ideas in one's (3) ___________II. Types and Characteristics of Research PapersA. Number of basic types: twoB. Characteristics:1. survey-type paper:—to gather (4) ___________—to quote—to (5) _____________The writer should be (6) ___________.2. argumentative (research) paper:a. The writer should do more, e.g.—to interpret—to question, etc.b. (7) _________varies with the topic, e.g.—to recommend an action, etc.III. How to Choose a Topic for a Research PaperIn choosing a topic, it is important to (8) __________.Question No. 1: your familiarity with the topicQuestion No. 2: Availability of relevant information on the chosen topic Question No. 3: Narrowing the topic down to (9) _________Question No. 4: Asking questions about (10) ___________The questions help us to work out way into the topic and discover its possibilities.SECTION B INTERVIEWIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions.Now listen to the interview.1. What is the purpose of Professor McKay's report?A. To look into the mental health of old people.B. To explain why people have negative views on old age.C. To help correct some false beliefs about old age.D. To identify the various problems of old age2. Which of the following is NOT Professor McKay's view?A. People change in old age a lot more than at the age of 21.B. There are as many sick people in old age as in middle age.C. We should not expect more physical illness among old people.D. We should not expect to find old people unattractive as a group.3. According to Professor McKay's report,A. family love is gradually disappearing.B. it is hard to comment on family feeling.C. more children are indifferent to their parents.D. family love remains as strong as ever.4. Professor McKay is ________ towards the tendency of more parents living apart from their children.A. negativeB. positiveC. ambiguousD. neutral5. The only popular belief that Professor McKay is unable to provide evidence against isA. old-age sickness.B. loose family ties.C. poor mental abilities.D. difficulities in maths.SECTION C NEWS BROADCASTIn this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.6. Scientists in Brazil have used frog skin toA. eliminate bacteria.B. treat burns.C. Speed up recovery.D. reduce treatment cost.Question 7 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.7. What is NOT a feature of the new karaoke machine?A. It is featured by high technology.B. It allows you to imitate famous singers.C. It can automatically alter the tempo and tone of a song.D. It can be placed in specially designed theme rooms.Question 8 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.8. China's Internet users had reached _________ by the end of June.A. 68 millionB. 8.9 millionC. 10 millionD. 1.5 millionQuestion 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.9. According to the WTO, Chinese exports rose _________ last year.A. 21%B. 10%C. 22%D. 4.7310. According to the news, which trading nation in the top 10 has reported a 5 per cent fall in exports?A. The UK.B. The US.C. Japan.D. Germany.PART II READING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)TEXT AI remember meeting him one evening with his pushcart. I had managed to sell all my papers and was coming home in the snow. It was that strange hour in downtown New York when the workers were pouring homeward in the twilight.I marched among thousands of tired men and women whom the factory whistleshad unyoked. They flowed in rivers through the clothing factory districts, then down along the avenues to the East Side.I met my father near Cooper Union. I recognized him, a hunched, frozen figure in an old overcoat standing by a banana cart. He looked so lonely, the tears came to my eyes. Then he saw me, and his face lit with his sad, beautiful smile -Charlie Chaplin's smile."Arch, it's Mikey," he said. "So you have sold your papers! Come and eat a banana."He offered me one. I refused it. I felt it crucial that my father sell his bananas, not give them away. He thought I was shy, and coaxed and joked with me, and made me eat the banana. It smelled of wet straw and snow."You haven't sold many bananas today, pop," I said anxiously.He shrugged his shoulders."What can I do? No one seems to want them."It was true. The work crowds pushed home morosely over the pavements. The rusty sky darkened over New York building, the tall street lamps were lit, innumerable trucks, street cars and elevated trains clattered by. Nobody and nothing in the great city stopped for my father's bananas."I ought to yell," said my father dolefully. "I ought to make a big noise like other peddlers, but it makes my throat sore. Anyway, I'm ashamed of yelling, it makes me feel like a fool. "I had eaten one of his bananas. My sick conscience told me that I ought to pay for it somehow. I must remain here and help my father."I'll yell for you, pop," I volunteered."Arch, no," he said, "go home; you have worked enough today. Just tell mommaI'll be late."But I yelled and yelled. My father, standing by, spoke occasional words of praise, and said I was a wonderful yeller. Nobody else paid attention. The workers drifted past us wearily, endlessly; a defeated army wrapped in dreams of home. Elevated trains crashed; the Cooper Union clock burned above us; the sky grew black, the wind poured, the slush burned through our shoes. There were thousands of strange, silent figures pouring over the sidewalks in snow. None of them stopped to buy bananas. I yelled and yelled, nobody listened.My father tried to stop me at last. "Nu," he said smiling to console me, "that was wonderful yelling. Mikey. But it's plain we are unlucky today! Let's go home."I was frantic, and almost in tears. I insisted on keeping up my desperate yells. But at last my father persuaded me to leave with him.11. "unyoked" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning toA. sent outB. releasedC. dispatchedD. removed12. Which of the following in the first paragraph does NOT indicated crowds of people?A.Thousands ofB. FlowedC. PouringD. Unyoked13. Which of the following is intended to be a pair of contrast in the passage?A. Huge crowds and lonely individuals.B. Weather conditions and street lamps.C. Clattering trains and peddlers' yells.D. Moving crowds and street traffic.14. Which of the following words is NOT suitable to describe the character of the son?A. CompassionateB. ResponsibleC. ShyD. Determined15. What is the theme of the story?A. The misery of the factory workers.B. How to survive in a harsh environment.C. Generation gap between the father and the son.D. Love between the father and the son.16. What is the author's attitude towards the father and the son?A. IndifferentB. SympatheticC. AppreciativeD. Difficult to tellTEXT BWhen former President Ronald Reagan fell and broke his hip two weeks ago, he joined a group of more than 350,000 elderly Americans who fracture their hips each year. At 89 and suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease, Reagan is in one of the highest-risk groups for this type of accident. The incidence of hip fractures not only increases after age 50 but doubles every five to six years as the risk of falling increases. Slipping and tumbling are not the only causes of hip fractures; weakened bones sometimes break spontaneously. But falling is the major cause, representing 90% of all hip fractures. These... ...17. The following are all specific measures to guard against injuries with the EXCEPTION ofA. removal of throw rugs.B. easy access to devicesC. installation of grab barsD. re-arrangement of furniture18. In which paragraph does the author state his purpose of writing?A. The third paragraphB. The first paragraphC. The last paragraphD. The last but one paragraph19. The main purpose of the passage is toA. offer advice on how to prevent hip fracturesB. emphasize the importance of health precautionsC. discuss the seriousness of hip fractures.D. identify the causes of hip fractures.TEXT C提示：原文同2003年专八英译汉翻译试题相同In his classic novel, "The Pioneers", James Fenimore Cooper has his hero, a land developer, take his cousin on a tour of the city he is building. He describes the broad streets, rows of houses, a teeming metropolis. But his cousin looks around bewildered. All she sees is a forest. "Where are the beauties and improvements which you were to show me?" she asks. He's astonished she can't see them. "Where! Everywhere," he replies. For though they are not yet built on earth, he has built them in his mind, and they as concrete to him as if they were already constructed and finished.Cooper was illustrating a distinctly American trait, future-mindedness: the ability to see the present from the vantage point of the future; the freedom to feel unencumbered by the past and more emotionally attached to things to come. As Albert Einstein once said, "Life for the American is always becoming, never being."... ...20. The third paragraph examines America's future-mindedness from the_________ perspective.A. futureB. realisticC. historicalD. present21. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT brought about by future-mindedness?A. Economic stagnationB. Environmental destructionC. High divorce ratesD. Neglect of history22. The word "pooh-pooh" in the sixth paragraph meansA. appreciateB. praiseC. shunD. ridicule23. According to the passage, people at present can forecast ________ of a new round of future-mindedness.A. the natureB. the locationC. the varietyD. the features24. The author predicts in the last paragraph that the study offuture-mindedness will focus onA. how it comes into beingB. how it functionsC. what it brings aboutD. what it is related to.TEXT D25. The phrase "men's sureness of their sex role" in the first paragraph suggests that theyA. are confident in their ability to charm women.B. take the initiative in courtship.C. have a clear idea of what is considered "manly".D. tend to be more immoral than women are.26. The third paragraph does NOT claim that menA. prevent women from taking up certain professions.B. secretly admire women's intellect and resolution.C. doubt whether women really mean to succeed in business.D. forbid women to join certain clubs and societies.27. The third paragraphA. generally agrees with the first paragraphB. has no connection with the first paragraphC. repeats the argument of the second paragraphD. contradicts the last paragraph28. At the end of the last paragraph the author uses humorous exaggeration in order toA. show that men are stronger than womenB. carry further the ideas of the earliest paragraphsC. support the first sentence of the same paragraphD. disown the ideas he is expressing29. The usual idea of the cave man in the last paragraphA. is based on the study of archaeologyB. illustrates how people expect men to behaveC. is dismissed by the author as an irrelevant jokeD. proves that the man, not woman, should be the wooer30. The opening quotation from Margaret Mead sums up a relationship between man and woman which the authorA. approves ofB. argues is naturalC. completely rejectsD. expects to go on changingPART III GENERAL KNOWLEDGE (10 MIN)31. ______ is the capital city of Canada.A. VancouverB. OttawaC. MontrealD. York32. U.S. presidents normally serves a (an) _________term.A. two-yearB. four-yearC. six-yearD. eight-year33. Which of the following cities is NOT located in the Northeast, U.S.?A. Huston.B. Boston.C. Baltimore.D. Philadelphia.34. ________ is the state church in England.A. The Roman Catholic Church.B. The Baptist ChurchC. The Protestant ChurchD. The Church of England注：The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion.35. The novel Emma is written byA. Mary Shelley.B. Charlotte Brontë.C. Elizabeth C. Gaskell.D. Jane Austen.36. Which of following is NOT a romantic poet?A. William Wordsworth.B. George Elliot.C. George G. Byron.D. Percy B. Shelley.37. William Sidney Porter, known as O. Henry, is most famous forA. his poems.B. his plays.C. his short stories.D. his novels注：O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 - June 5, 1910), He was famous for his short stories and a master of the surprise ending, O. Henry is remembered best for such enduring favorites as "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Ransom of Red Chief." The combination of humor and sentiment found in his stories is the basis of their universal appeal.38. Syntax is the study ofA. language functions.B. sentence structures.C. textual organization.D. word formation.注：Definition of Syntax:。
专八真题听力原文及答案解析
专八真题听力原文及答案解析听力是英语考试中的重要组成部分，对于提高听力能力以及提高考试得分有着至关重要的作用。
准备专八考试的考生不可忽视掌握的重要性。
本文将为大家提供一些专八真题听力原文及答案的解析，希望能够给大家带来帮助。
1. 学术演讲：原文：The speaker discusses the development of modern science and how it has changed our lives. He mentionsdifferent areas of scientific research and technological advancements that have had significant impacts on society. He highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaborationin solving complex problems and encourages young scientiststo pursue their passion for discovery.答案解析：这篇学术演讲讨论的是现代科学的发展以及它对我们生活的影响。
演讲者提到了不同的科学研究领域和技术进步对社会产生的重大影响。
他强调了跨学科的合作在解决复杂问题中的重要性，并鼓励年轻科学家追求他们对探索的热情。
2. 新闻报道：原文：The news report covers the recent increase in carbon emissions and its impact on global climate change. It discusses the various sources of carbon emissions, includingindustrial activities, transportation, and deforestation. The report also mentions the efforts being made by governments and organizations to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices.答案解析：这则新闻报道涵盖了最近碳排放量的增加以及它对全球气候变化的影响。