英语专业四级考试历年听写原文

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2023年6月英语专四听写原文

2023年6月英语专四听写原文

2023年6月英语专四听写原文[注意:以下是2023年6月英语专四听写原文,请仔细阅读并准确听写。

]Passage 1:Good morning, everyone. Today, I would like to talk about the importance of time management in our daily lives. Time management refers to the ability to plan and control how we spend our time effectively. It is a crucial skill that can greatly impact our productivity and overall well-being.Firstly, effective time management allows us to prioritize tasks and allocate our time wisely. By setting clear goals and deadlines, we can focus on the most important and urgent tasks, ensuring that we make progress towards our objectives. This helps us avoid procrastination and ensures that we complete our tasks in a timely manner.Secondly, time management helps reduce stress and improve work-life balance. When we manage our time effectively, we can allocate sufficient time for work, leisure, and personal activities. This allows us to maintain a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives, leading to increased satisfaction and overall well-being.Furthermore, effective time management enhances our efficiency and productivity. By organizing our tasks and creating a schedule, we can eliminate distractions and stay focused on the task at hand. This enables us to complete tasks more efficiently and achieve better results in a shorter amount of time.In addition, time management enables us to make better decisions. When we have a clear understanding of how we spend our time, we can identify areas where we may be wasting time or engaging in unproductive activities. This awareness allows us to make adjustments and prioritize activities that align with our goals and values.To conclude, time management plays a crucial role in our daily lives. It helps us prioritize tasks, reduce stress, improve work-life balance, enhance efficiency, and make better decisions. By developing effective time management skills, we can maximize our productivity and overall well-being. Thank you.Passage 2:Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I would like to discuss the impact of social media on society. Social media has become an integral part of our lives, revolutionizing the way we communicate, share information, and interact with others. However, it also brings about various challenges and concerns that need to be addressed.Firstly, social media has greatly facilitated communication and connectivity. It allows us to stay connected with friends and family, regardless of geographical barriers. We can easily share updates, photos, and videos, and engage in real-time conversations. This has undoubtedly enriched our social lives and expanded our networks.Secondly, social media has become a powerful platform for information dissemination. News and events can be shared instantly, reaching a wide audience within seconds. This has democratized the flow of information andempowered individuals to voice their opinions and raise awareness about important issues.However, social media also poses certain challenges. One major concern is the spread of misinformation and fake news. With the ease of sharing information, it becomes difficult to distinguish between reliable sources and false information. This can lead to the spread of rumors and the distortion of facts, which can have serious consequences on individuals and society as a whole.Another challenge is the impact of social media on mental health. The constant exposure to carefully curated and idealized versions of others' lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Moreover, the addictive nature of social media can result in excessive screen time and a decrease in real-life social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness.In conclusion, social media has revolutionized the way we communicate and share information. It has brought numerous benefits, such as enhanced connectivity and information dissemination. However, it also poses challenges, including the spread of misinformation and negative effects on mental health. It is important for individuals and society to be aware of these challenges and find ways to mitigate their impact. Thank you.。

英专四级听写50篇原文(绝对完整)

英专四级听写50篇原文(绝对完整)

CONTENTSPassage 1 Town and Country life in England Passage 2 A Change in Women's LifePassage 3 A Popular Pastime of the English People Passage 4 British and American Police Officers Passage 5 living SpacePassage 6 The United NationsPassage 7 PlasticPassage 8 Display of GoodsPassage 9 Albert EinsteinPassage 10 Private CarsPassage 11 A Henpecked Husband and His Wife Passage 12 A Young Man's PromisePassage 13 A Kind NeighborPassage 14 That Isn't Our FaultPassage 15 A Guide's AnswerPassage 16 A Qualified PilotPassage 17 Living Tilings ReactPdssage 18 Flowering PlantsPassage 19 Finding the Direction and Location Passage 20 WavesPassage 21 SoilsPassage22 CrisisPassage 23 America's Worst SurprisePassage 24 Great Depression in the U.S. Passage 25 A Place of Our OwnPassage 26 Travel for WorkPassage 27 IntelligencePassage 28 A Free Dress Every WeekPassage 29 TimePassage 30 CartoonistsPassage 31 Water PoUutionPassage 32 Making a ComplaintPassage 33 Where Do the British LivePassage 34 Will Computers Replace Human Beings Passage 35 SoccerPassage 36 ArtistsPassage 37 Professional Sports in the U.S. Passage38 "Howto" BooksPassage 39 Don'tGive UpPassage 40 How High Can You JumpPassage 41 Apology HelpsPassage 42 SleepPassage 43 Our ConcernPassage 44 Gardening in AmericaPassage 45 The Influence of LifePassage 46 AutomobilesPassage 47 House and HomePassage 48 Population GrowthPassage49 Natural ResourcesPassage50 Reading附录1:练习评分标准附录2:自我评估表1自我评估表2自我评估表3附录3:《四级考试大纲》的相关规定附录4:听写备考的技巧听写Listen to the following passages. Each passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be read at normal speed ,listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 12 seconds. The last reading will be read at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more.Passage 1Town and Country Life in EnglandThere is a big difference between town life and country life in England. In the country, everybody knows everybody else. They know what time you get up, what time you go to bed and what you have for dinner. If you want help, you will always get it and you will be glad to help others.In a large town like London, however, it can sometimes happen that you have never seen yournext door neighbor and you do not know his name or anything about him. People in London are often very lonely. This is because people go to different places in the evenings and at weekends. If you walk through the streets in the centre of London on Sunday, it is like a town without people. One is sorry for old people living on their own .They could die in their homes and would not be discovered for weeks or even months. (154 words)Useful Words and Expressions:next door n. n.隔壁the neighbors next他door隔壁邻居lonely adj .孤独的,寂寞的,偏僻的,人迹罕至的lonely life孤单的生活a lonely old man一位孤独的老人a lonely sand一个孤岛the loneliest night最孤独的夜晚on (one's) own独自;独立地;通过自己的努力She lives on her own.她一个人过。

专四听力练习原文[新版]

专四听力练习原文[新版]

专四听力训练原文专业四级标准听写二十篇TEM 4 Dictation PracticesPassage 1 SaltWe do not know when man first began to use salt, / but we do know that it has been used in many different ways throughout history. / Historical evidence shows, for example, that people who lived over 3,000 years ago ate slated fish. / Thousands of years ago in Egypt, salt was used to preserve the dead. /Stealing salt was considered a major crime during some periods of history. / In 18th century, for instance, / if a person was caught stealing salt, he can be put in jail. / History records that about ten thousand people were put in jail during that century for stealing salt. / About 150 years before, in the year 1553, / taking more salt that one was allowed to was punishable as a crime. / The offender’s ear was cut off.Salt was an important item on the table of royalty. / It was traditionally placed in front of the king when he sat down to eat. / Important guests at the king’s table were seated near the salt. / Less important guests were given seats farther away from it. / (175 words)Passage 2 PerceptionsAsk three people to look out of the same window at a busy street and tell you what they see. / Probably you will receive three different answers. / Each person sees the same scene, but each perceives something different about it. /Perceiving goes in our minds. / Of the three people who look out of the window / one may say that he sees a policeman giving a driver a ticket. / Another may say that he sees a rush –hour traffic jam at the street corner. / The third may tell you that he sees a woman trying to cross the street with four children. / For perception is the mind’s interpretation / of what the senses – in this case our eyes – tell us. /Many psychologists today are working to try to explain / just how a person experiences or perceive the world around him. / Using a scientific method these psychologists set up experiments: / they are trying to find out what makes different people / perceive totally different things about the same scene. / (164 words)Passage 3 BalloonsBalloons have been used for sport for about one hundred years. / There are two kinds of sport balloons: gas and hot air. / Hot air balloons are safer than gas balloons, / which may catch fire. / Hot air balloons are preferred by most balloonists in theUnited States because of their safety. / They are also cheaper and easier to manager than gas balloons. / Despite the ease of operating a balloon, / pilots must watch the weather carefully. / Sport balloon flights are best early in the morning / or late in the afternoon, when the wind is light. / Over the years, balloonists have tried unsuccessfully to cross the Atlantic. / It wasn't until 1978 that three American balloonists succeeded. / It took them just six days to make the trip / from their homes in the United States to Paris, France. / Their voyage captured the imagination of the whole world. / (143 words)Passage 4 You Found a Job, Now How do You Save Money?Saving your hard earned money can be difficult, / as most of us enjoy spending rather than saving, / I certainly had a tough time holding onto my money every payday. / When I got my first few paychecks, / right away I spent the cold, hard cash I’d earned by hard work. /But I quickly realized that this sort of spending wouldn’t really help me get the things I wanted. / So I made a pact with myself. I promise that before I did anything with the money, / I would deposit at least 50% of the money into my saving account. / That way, I eliminated the temptation to spend that money. /After I got used to saving my money, / it was much easier for me not to be tempted to buy things when I saw them. / WhenI saw a CD or video game that looked appealing, / I learned to ask myself, “Do I really need this?” / Asking this question helped me appreciate my money and not let it slip out of my wallet quite so fast. / (173 words)Passage 5 Online Health ForumThere are many aspects to health, illness and healing. / Among all the teachings there is one theme that is universal to them all / and that is the unquestionable benefit achieved by communicating with others about health and its related issues. / It is with this single philosophy in mind / that we have developed this site as a forum for communication. / Dealing with a medical concern is often difficult. / Connecting with others who are going through the same thing / can make a world of difference. / Our mission is to develop online communities to help you make those connections. / You can post questions, comments and respond to messages from others. / We’ve got various topics, and we’re adding more all the time. / If you don’t see the topic you are looking for, / just let us know and we will consider a message board for it. / We hope you decide to become a regular participant / and help to make this a great resource. / (158 words)Passage 6 WordsHow men first learn to invent words is unknown, / in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. / All we really knowthat is men, unlike animals, / somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, / actions and things, so that they can communicate with each other; / and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, / which could be represent those sounds, and which could be written down. / Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, wer call words. / The power of words, then lies in their associations, / that is, the things they bring up before our minds. / Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; / and the longer wer live, the more we reminded of the glad and sad events / of our past by certain words wer read and learn, / the more the number of the words / that means something to us increase. / (149 words)Passage 7 Teacher-student RelationshipThe relationship between a teacher and a student can be either good or bad, helpful or harmful. / Either way, the relationship can affect the student for the rest of his life. / A good teacher-student relationship will make the teacher’s job worthwhile. / A bad relationship can discourage the student from learning / and make teaching an unpleasant task. /In order to have a good teacher-student relationship, / respect between teacher and student is very important. / If the teacher is too strict, he frightens the student. / If the teacher is too friendly, the student may become lazy and stop lear ning hard. / The teacher’s attitude and approach shouldbe in between those two extremes. / As for the student, his proper respect to the teacher must be shown all the time. / He should be eager to learn and willing to work hard. /In conclusion, a good teacher-student relationship can be beneficial to both. / The student absorbs knowledge eagerly and enjoyable, / and the teacher gains satisfaction from his work. / (163 words)Passage 8 NearsightednessWeak eyesight is a term that is generally used to refer to nearsighted eyes. / People who are nearsighted can see well at a short range, / but anything very far away is likely to be unclear. / The term “weak eyesight” is misleading, / for in nearsighted eyes the lens of the eye is actually too strong. / The nearsighted lens is so powerful that it focuses the light coming onto the eye so quickly. / Nearsightedness is common, and its growth may be graded; / often the unclearness of distant object is so slight at first / that a person may not recognize the condition. /Nearsightedness is frequently discovered first at school. / It is here that a student first realizes the difficulty of seeing words on the blackboard, / whereas others in the class have no trouble reading the blackboard at all. / After discovery, nearsightedness can easily be corrected. / You just needs a pair of glasses / which can decrease the power of the lens of theeye. / (161 words)Passage 9 Rice CookingRice is very much under appreciated in the United States. / With the exception of Asian cooking, / rice is usually a side dish or combined with other ingredients. / Rice is very nutritious, low cost and easy-to prepare food. / There are different types of rice available and the cooking time varies by type of rice. / Follow the package instructions for the amount of liquid necessary and the cooking times. / Both vary for each type of rice. / Regular white rice has been milled / to remove the hull comes in long, medium and short grains. / Long grained rice is the best for all-purpose use. / Brown rice has a pleasant nutty flavor and a firmer texture. / While white rice is cooked in about 15 minutes, / brown rice takes 45 to 50 minutes to cook. / When cooking rice do not be concerned if you have cooked rice left over. / There are some excellent recipes, which use cooked rice. / (151 words)Passage 10 First Sign of AIDSThe virus causing AIDS enters the blood and quickly penetrates certain white cells in the body. / At first there is often little or no trace of the virus at all. / This situation usually lasts for six to twelve weeks. / During this time the person is free of symptoms / and antibody tests are negative. / The first thing that happens after infection / is that many people develop a flue-like illness. / This may be severe enoughto look like glandular fever / with swollen glands in the neck and armpits, / tiredness, fever and night sweats. / Some of those white cells are dying, / virus is being released, / and for the first time the body is working hard to make correct antibodies. / At this stage the blood test will usually become positive. / Most people do not realize what is happening, / although when they later develop AIDS they look back / and remember it clearly. / Most people have produce antibodies in about twelve weeks. / (156 words)Passage 11 The Library of CongressThe Library of Congress is the national library of the United States. / It was founded in 1800 to serve the needs of the congressmen. / Today, it contains books, articles and documents on every subject imaginable. / Besides senators, congressmen and other government officials, / it serves libraries, researchers, artists and scientists throughout the country and the world. /The Library is one of the largest libraries in the world. / It has a collection of 74 million items which are housed in three buildings. / The bookshelves stretch for 350 miles. / Of the 18 million books, more than half are in languages other than English. /The main reading room is a great hall of marble pillars. / It is the center of activity in the library. / There is a computer catalog center with six terminals for quick access toinformation. / For greater speed and efficiency, / the library has installed an electric book –carrying system / that carries books from one building to another in only a few seconds. / (160 words)Passage 12 A Car Soccer RaceAmerican football is different from the European football / and some people think that it is better. / Now there’s a new kind of football or soccer which is played in America. / It’s called car soccer. / The players drive small cars, which are called Beetles. / The players try to catch the ball in their cars. / The cars are protected all since they often crash into each other. / The ball is larger than the usual one and the players are protected, too. / In 1985, the First European car soccer match took place in West Germany. / Teams from some countries in European played in the match. / The Beetles raced around the ground madly / while the spectators shouted “The ball is behind you”. / When the match ended, three cars had been crashed into pieces. / And the players as well as many of the spectators were badly hurt and had to be taken to hospital. / Will this car soccer become as popular as football? I doubt. / (160 words)Passage 13 Changes of Family LifeThe concept of family life has changed considerably over the years. / In earliest times, several generations lived togetherin clans, / which consisted of all living descendents and their husbands or wives. / These clans were almost totallyself-sufficient, / every member contributing in some way toward the survival of the group. / The men hunted and fished for food or sometimes maintained flocks of sheep or goats. / The women baked bread and roasted the meat their men provided. / Special members of the community were selected to make products like pottery, baskets and home weapons. / But with the development of greater varieties of food, clothing and shelter, / a single clan could no longer develop all the individual skills the group required. / Clans merged into larger societies and at the same time broke into smaller units consisting of married couples and their children. / Later the Industrial Revolution brought about even more important changes in family life. / New inventions brought shorter working hours for men and easier housekeeping routines for women. / Today a productive family life suggests not the group’s cooperative efforts of working together, / but the pleasant and meaningful sharing of its leisure. / (185 words)Passage 14 VitaminsIt was not until the beginning of this century that it was recognized / that certain substances were essential in the diet to prevent or cure some diseases. / These substances are now known as vitamins. / They are vital for growth, good health, / and maintenance of the normal functions of the body. / A well-balanced diet should provide all the vitamins we normally require. / Those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to buy sufficient food / should not suffer from vitamin deficiency./ However, for various reasons, / some people do not maintain a balanced diet. / People often lose their appetite because of illness. / People living alone may not bother to eat proper meals, / and people on a diet may not eat sufficient quantities of necessary foods. / Moreover, modern methods of preserving, freezing, and long-term storage of food, / together with overcooking, can destroy many of the vitamins. / (145 words)Passage 15 CometsIn recent years scientists’ investigation of comets has increased / because of growing interest in the origin of the sun and planets. / Scientists want to learn how comets are formed. / They think that such information will help explain the origin of the solar system. / The word “comet” comes from Greek and means “hairy object”. / In history comets have a special place. / People believed that they brought news of death, destruction or military victories. / The tails of comets provide viewers with spectacular sights at night. / Comet tails are millions of kilometers long. / The tails frequently reach lengths of 250 million kilometers and more. / The most famous comet of history is called Halley’s Comet, which appears every 76 years. / It was named for Edward Halley, a British astronomer. / He predicted the appearance of the comet in 1758, 16 years after his deat h. / Halley’s Comet is extremely bright and has two tails. / In the 20th century it returned in 1910 and 1986. / (159 words)Passage 16 Mobile Phone EtiquetteThe mobile phone has created a new way of life. / It gives us the opportunity to reach people when and wherever we like. / But when mobile phones become as commonplace as wristwatches, / it seems they are creating embarrassing situations. / People let their phones ring in restaurants, theaters or business meetings. / People loudly discuss very personal issues over their phones while strangers are around them. / People spend all their time in the presence of friends / paying more attention to those at the other end of their mobile phones. / By now, everyone knows that mobile phone etiquette is a real problem. / These are tips for being a good mobile citizen. / Firstly, remember to check your phone is off at activities. / Secondly, respect the people around you when you make or take calls in public. / Thirdly, don’t answer your c ell phone while talking with another person / unless that phone call is more important than the person you are with. / Follow these rules and you’ll be a responsible mobile phone user by being considerate to others.Passage 17 Reduce, Reuse and RecycleIn recent years there has been an increase awareness of the importance of recycling. / The three Rs to keep in mind / for a cleaner environment are: reduce, reuse, and recycle. / Reducing is the best way to protect the environment. / However, if you can’t reduce something, reuse it and if you can’t reuse it, recycle it. / Reducing waste means shopping with the environment in mind. / Consider the environmental impact ofeach product before you buy it. / Make a list of what you need before you go shopping; / this will reduce impulse buying. / Avoid buying things that can’t be recycled. / Learning to reuse is easy after a little practice. / For example, you can reuse shopping bags. / Buy durable, high quality goods for a longer life outside the landfill. / Although durable goods may cost a little more at first, / they will save your money and help save the environment in the long run. / Before throwing anything away, think about how each item can be reused. / (162 words)Passage 18 Mercy KillingSome people hold that for patients with painful and terminal disease mercy killing is a solution, / for it will allow them to die a peaceful death and it seems to benefit everybody: / the patients themselves, their relatives, the medical staff, / and the patients who are waiting for hospital beds. / But mercy killing is still a controversial issue. / Those who are strongly against it hold / that the possibility of abuse will expose sick people to all kinds of danger. / At present, many societies and organization have been formed in the world to promote mercy killing / but in no country has it been legalized. / However, in the Netherlands the society and the courts tend to tolerate doctor-assisted suicide / if strict criteria are met. / In 1995 about 2.3% of all Dutch deaths, or 3118 cases, / were attributed to mercy killing by government studies. / A few cases of mercy killing are also reported in the U.S. / although the majority of the public are against it. / (161 words)Passage 19 WorryWorry is like blood pressure. / You need a certain level to live, but too much can kill you. / People who worry too much suffer. / For all their hard work, for all their humor and willingness to laugh at themselves, / for all theirself-awareness, worries just cannot achieve peace of mind. / Worry is amazingly common. / At least one in four of us –about 65 million Americans / –will meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder at some point in our lifetime. / Even those individuals whose lives are going well / may worry excessively on occasion. / And yet, worry is a very treatable condition. / Most people today are not aware of all that we have learned about worry in the last 50 years. / We’ve come to understand different types of worry and the underlying triggers. / Worry may accompany simple shyness, depression of generalized anxiety disorder. / Each kind of worry responds to specific and powerful techniques. / (151 words)Passage 20 The Attitude of GratitudeThanksgiving Day is a day for giving thanks to family and friends in the United States. / Some people think Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year / because they believe the two most important words in the English are “thank you”. / For business success, a “thank you” tells a prospect or partner / that you are appreciative of what he has just done. / And that means you have an interest in that person / and the business relationship as well. / For social interaction,expressing gratitude is equally important to show / how you value the other person and the social relationship you have with him. / Therefore, “thank you” is a bonding phrase. / Additionally, giving thanks is most important for out own pursuit of happiness. / Whatever you have, you can either appreciate of not. / If you appreciate it and really notice that you have it, it will bring you happiness. / However, if you take it for granted, and focus on things you don’t have, / what you do have won’t bring you hap piness. / (169 words)。

历年专四真题听写原文经典珍藏版(93-13二十年)

历年专四真题听写原文经典珍藏版(93-13二十年)

Package Holidays (1993) •Package holidays, covering a two weeks' stay in an attractive place, are increasingly popular. Once you get to the airport, it is up to the tour operator to see that you get safely to your destination.Everything is laid on foryou.There is, in fact, no reason for you to bother toarrange anything yourselves.You make friends and havea good time. But there is very little chance that you willreally get to know the local people.This is even less likely on a coach tour, when you spend almost your entire time traveling.Of course, there are carefully planned stops for you to visit historic buildings and monuments. You mayvisit the beautiful, the historic, the ancient. But time isalways short.There is also the added disadvantage of being obliged to spend you holiday with a group of people you have never met before.The American Family (1994) •The American family unit is changing. There used to be mainly two types of families, the extended and the nuclear.The former included mother, father, children, and someother relatives such as grandparents, living in the same house or nearby. Then as the economy progressed from agricultural to industrial, people began moving to different parts of the country in order to search for job opportunities.These moves split up the extended family. The nuclearfamily consisting of only parents and children hastherefore become far more wide spread. Today’s family, however, can be composed of diverse combinations. With the divorce rate nearly one in two, there's an increase in single-parent homes—a father or mother living with one or more children. Blended families occur when divorced men and women remarry and combine the children from former marriages into a new family. On the other hand, there is an increase in childless couples while one in rive Americans lives alone.Unidentified Flying Objects (1995)•There are many explanations for why UFOs visit the Earth. / The most popular one is that they maybe visitors from other planets./ To fly such aircraft, their builders must develop different forms of aviation,/because they seem to fly much faster than normal aircraft./ The UFOs, it isbelieved, must contain scientists/ from other planets who are studying life on earth./ It is even believed that several such aircraft may have landed on earth/ and the space visitors may be living amongst us./ But there are also less fantastic explanations available./ Although some sightings of UFOs are difficult to explain, most can be explainedquite easily./ In many cases the observers might havemade a mistake./ They might have seen a weatherballoon or an aircraft./ Or the light they saw in the skymight have been light from the ground,/ reflected on to the clouds./ However, the exact cause of many sightings still remained a mystery.The Indian Medicine Man (1996)•Among the Indians of North America, the medicine man was a very important person. He could cure illness and he could speak to the spirits. The spirits were thesupernatural forces that controlled the world. The Indians believed that bad spirits made people ill. So when people were ill, the medicine man tried to help them by usingmagic. He spoke to the good spirits and asked for their help. Many people were cured, because they thought the spirits were helping them, but really these people cured themselves. Sometimes your own mind is the best doctor for you. The medicine men were often successful foranother reason, too. They knew about plants that really can cure illness. A lot of medicines are made from theplants that were used by medicine men hundred of years ago.Legal Age for Marriage (1997)•①Throughout the United States, the legal age for marriageshows some difference. / ②The most common age without parents’consent is 18 for both females and males. / ③However, persons who are under age in their home state can get married in another state, / and then return to the homestate legally married. / ④Each state issues its own marriage license. / ⑤Both residents and non-residents are qualified for such a license. / ⑥The fees and ceremonies vary greatly from state to state. / ⑦Most states, for instance, have a blood test requirement, / but a few do not. / ⑧Most states permit either a civil or religious ceremony, / but a few require the ceremony to be religious. / ⑨In most states a waiting period is requiredbefore the license is issued. / ⑩This period is from one to five days depending on the state. / (11)A three-day-wait is themost common. / (12)In some states there is no requiredwaiting period (150words)The Railways in Britain (1998)•The success of early railways, such as the lines between big cities,/ led to a great increase in railwaybuilding in Victorian times. / Between 1835 and 1865about 25000 kilometers of track were built,/ and over 100 railway companies were created. /•Railway travel transformed people's lives. / Trains were first designed to carry goods. / However, a law in the 19th century forced railway companies to run onecheap train a day / which stopped at every station and cost only a penny a mile. / Soon working classpassengers found they could afford to travel by rail. /Cheap day excursion trains became popular and seaside resorts grew rapidly. / The railways also providedthousands of new jobs:/ building carriages, running the railways and repairing the tracks. / Railways evenchanged the time. / The need to run the railways on time meant that local time was abolished/ and clocks showed the same time all over the country.United Nations Day(1999)•The 24th of October is celebrated as United Nations Day. h is a day that belongs to everyone. And it iscelebrated in most countries of the world. Some countries celebrate for a week instead of a day. In many parts of the world, schools have special programs for the day. Boys and girls in some communities decorate a UN tree. Inother communities, young people put on plays about the UN. Some libraries exhibit children’s art works fromaround the world. Schools celebrate with the songs and dances of other countries or give parties where foods of other countries are served. No matter how the day iscelebrated, the purpose of these celebrations is to help everyone understand the UN, and the important roles it plays in world affairs. The UN encourages people to learn about other lands and their customs. In this way, people can gain a better understanding and appreciation ofpeoples all over the world.What We Know About Language (2000年真题)•Many things about language are a mystery and will remain so. / However, we now do know something about it. / First, we know that all human beings have a language of somesort. / No human race anywhere on earth is so backward that it has no language of its own at all. / Second , there is no such thing as a primitive language. / There are manypeople whose cultures are undeveloped but the languages they speak are by no means primitive. / In all the languages existing in the world today, / there are complexities that must have been developed for years. / Third, we know that alllanguages are perfectly adequate. / Each is a perfect means of expressing its culture. / And finally, we know that language changes over time, / which is natural and normal if alanguage is to survive. / The language which remainsunchanged is nothing but dead.(145words)Characteristics of A Good Reader(2001)•To improve your reading habits, / you must understand the characteristics of a good reader. / First, the good reader usually reads rapidly. / Of course, he does not read every piece of material at the same rate. / But whether he isreading a newspaper or a chapter in a physics text, / hisreading rate is relatively fast. / He has learned to read for ideas / rather than words one at a time. / Next, the goodreader can recognize and understand general ideas andspecific details. / Thus he is able to comprehend thematerial with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest./ Finally, the good reader has in his command severalspecial skills,/ which he can apply to reading problems as they occur. / For the college student, the most helpful ofthese skills include / making use of the various aids tounderstanding that most text books provide / and skim-reading for a general survey.(151words)Disappearing Forests(2002)•The world’s forests are disappearing. / As much as 1/3of the total tree cover has been lost / since agriculturebegan some 10,000 years ago. / The remaining forests are home to half of the world’s species, / thus becoming the chief resource for their survival. / Tropical rain forests once covered 12% of the land of the planet, / as well assupporting at least half of the world’s species of plants and animals. / These rain forests are home to millions of people./ But there are other demands on them. / For example,much has been cut for timber. / An increasing amount offorest land has been used for industrial purposes / or foragricultural development such as crop-growing. / By the1990’s less than half of the earth’s original rain forests remained, / and they continued to disappear at an alarming rate every year. / As a result the world’s forests are now facing gradual extinction.(150words)Salmon(03真题)•Every year, millions of salmon swim from the ocean into the mouths of rivers and then steadily up the rivers. Passing through waters, around rocks and waterfalls, the fish finally reach their original streams or lakes. They dig out nests in the riverbed and lay their eggs. Then, exhausted by theirjourney, the parent salmon die. They have finished the task that nature has given them. Months, or years later, the young fish start their trip to the ocean. They live in the salt water from 2-7 years, until they, too are ready to swim back toreproduce. Their life cycle helps man provide himself with a basic food-fish. When the adult salmon gather at the river mouths for the annual trip up the rivers, they are in the best possible condition, and nearly every harbor has its salmon fishing fleet ready to catch thousands for markets.•Money (04真题)•Money Money is accepted across the world as payment for goods or services. / People use money to buy food,clothes,and hundreds of other things. / In the past, manydifferent things were used as money. / People on Pacificislands once exchanged shells for goods. / The Chineseused cloth and knives. / In Africa, elephant tusks or saltwere used. / Even today, some people in Africa are still paid in salt. / Coins were first invented by the Chinese. /Originally, they were round pieces of metal with a hole inthe center, / so that a piece of string could keep themtogether. / This made doing business much easier, / butpeople still found coins inconvenient to carry when theywanted to buy something expensive. / To solve this problem, the Chinese again came up with the solution. / They began to use paper money for coins. / Now paper notes are used throughout the world.(147words)The Wrist watch (05真题)•It is generally believed that wrist watches are an exception / to the normal sequence in the evolution ofmen's jewelry. / Reversing the usual order, they were first worn by women / and then adopted by men. / In the olddays, queens included wrist watches among their crown jewelry. / Later they were worn by Swiss workers andfarmers. / Until World War I, Americans associated thewatch with fortune hunters. / Then army officers discovered that the wrist watch was most practical for active combat. / Race car drivers also loved to wear wrist watches / andpilots found them most useful while flying. / Soon mendared to wear wrist watches without feeling self-conscious./ By 1924 some 30% of men's watches were worn on the wrist. / Today the figure is 90% / and they are now worn by both men and women / for practical purposes rather than for decoration.(158words)The Internet(06年)•The Internet is the most significant progress in the field of communications. / Imagine a book that never ends, a library with a million floors, / or imagine a research project withthousands of scientists / working around the clock forever. / This is the magic of the Internet. / Yet the Internet has the potential for good and bad. / One can find well-organized, information-rich websites. / At the same time, one can also find wasteful websites. / Most websites are known asdifferent Internet applications. / These include online games, chat rooms and so on. / These applications have greatpower too. / Sometimes the power can be so great / thatyoung people may easily become victims to their attraction. / So we need to recognize the seriousness of the problem. / We must work together to use its power for better ends.(147words)Advertising(07年)•Advertising has already become a very specialized activity in modem times. / In today's business world, supply is usually greater than demand. / There is great competition between manufacturers of the same kind of product / because theywant to persuade customers to buy their particular brand. / They always have to remind their customers / of the name and qualities of their products by advertising. / Themanufacturer advertises in newspapers and on the radio. / He sometimes employs sales-girls to distribute samples of his product. / He sometimes advertises on the Internet as well. / In addition, he always has advertisements put into television programmes that will accept them. / Manufacturers oftenspend huge sums of money on advertisements. / We buy a particular product because we think that is the best. / Weusually think so because the advertisements say so. / People often don't ask themselves if the advertisements are telling the truth / when they buy advertised products from shops.Choosing A Career(08年)•When students graduate from college,/ many of them do not know how they want to spend their working lives, / and they sometimes move from job to job,/ until they findsomething that suits them / and of equal importance towhich they are suited. / Others never find a job in which they are really happy. / They remain all their lives square pegs in round holes. / When we choose our careers, we need to ask ourselves two questions. / First, what do we think we would like to be? / Second, what kind of people are we? / The idea, for example, of being a painter or a musician may seem very attractive, / but unless we have great talent and are willing to work very hard, / we arecertain to fail in these occupations, / and failure will lead to unhappiness in life. / So, it is important to assess oursuitability for a certain career in job search.New Year's Eve(09年)•For many people in the West, New Year's Eve is the biggest party of the year. / It's a time to get together with friends or family / andwelcome in the coming year. / New Year parties can take place in different places. / Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties; / while some just go for a few drinks with their friends./ Big cities have large and spectacular fireworks displays. / There is one thing that all New Year's Eve parties have in common-/ thecountdown to midnight. / When the clock strikes 12, people give a loud cheer and sing songs. / It's also popular to make a promise in the New Year. / This is called a New Year's resolution./Typicalresolutions include giving up smoking and keeping fit. / However, the promise is often broken quite quickly / and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.Freshmen's Week(10年)•Britain has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to this system, it can sometimes be confusing.October is usually the busiest month in the academic calendar.Universities have something called freshmen’s week for theirnewcomers. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life. However, having just left thecomfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect of meeting strangers in classrooms and dormitory can be worrying. Where do you start? And who should you make friends with? Which clubs and society should you join? Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you. They worry about starting their universitysocial life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years.British holiday habits(11年)••in the late 1970s, air travel became affordable/for the average family in the UK,/and more people started travelling abroad for their summer holidays./After all, the British weather wasn’t very good, even in summer,/so a lot of people left the country for avacation./•In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in the UK became wealthier on average./As a result, they started to go abroad ingroups,/to places such as Spain and Greece./Once they arrived at their destination,/they met with other groups of young people and had one long party./•British holidaying habits have begun to change, however./Climate change means that the UK now has a hotter climate,/so people do not need to go overseas to find good weather./Also, going abroad is more expensive./As a result, more British people are choosing to spend their summer holidays in the UK./Eco-tourism(12年)•Nowadays, many of us try to live in a way that will damage the environment as little as possible. We recycle our newspapers and bottles, we take public transport to get to work, we try to buy locally produced fruit and vegetables,and we want to take these attitudes on holiday with us. This is why alternative forms of tourism arebecoming popular in the world. There are a lot of names for these new forms of tourism: responsible tourism, nature tourism,adventure tourism, educational tourism and more.•Although everyone may have a different definition, most people agree that these new forms of tourism should do the following: first, they should conserve the wildlife and culture of the area; second, they should benefit the local people; third, they should make a profit without destroying natural resources; and finally they should provide an experience that tourists want to pay for.What is a dream for?(13年)•One theory is that we dream to release the deep secret desires.We don't express these desires in real life because of the rules of polite society. Another theory is that dreams allow us to solveproblems that we can't solve in real life. We go to sleep with theproblem and wake up with the solution. This maybe a way to use our dreams rather than a purpose of dreaming. If you believe that your dreams are important, then analyzing them may help you to focus on the problem and help you to find the solution. The modern image is that the dreams are the brains' wave of cleaning up thecomputer's hard disk. Dreams organize the events of the day into folders and delete what is not needed. But we all know that very little of what we dream is concerned with what happened to us that day.。

英语专业四级听写50篇练习原文

英语专业四级听写50篇练习原文

50ReadingNowadays few of us read books after we leave school.This is rather disturbing, for one should know that books are no less necessary to one’s mental life than fresh air is to one’s physical life. From good reading we can derive companionship, experience and instruction. A good book is our faithful friend. It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy, and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely. Books can also offer us a wide range of experience. Few of us can travel far from home or live long over 100, but all of us can live many lives through the pages of books. What’s more, reading books can increase our intellectual ability, broaden our minds and make us wise.With the coming of TV, books are no longer read as widely as they once were. However, nothing can replace the role that books play in our lives.Useful words and expressions:1. leave school 离校,中学毕业2. disturbing 烦扰的3. mental 精神的4. derive 得到5. companionship 伴侣6. intellectual 智力的49Natural ResourcesThrough the changes in the ways of making a living in a family over several generations, the cartoon aims at sounding a warning against ma n’s wasteful use of natural resources and emphasizing the urgent need to preserve these resources.Ever since man appeared on the earth, man’s survival has been heavily dependent on nature. Almost everything we use in our everyday life comes from nature, ranging from the food we eat, the water we drink, to the wood which is turned into furniture. With the development of technology and population growth, the amount and range of materials used has increased at an alarming rate.However, natural resources are not inexhaustible. Some reserves are already on the brink of exhaustion and there is no hope of replacing them. The widespread water shortage is an example in point. If man continued to squander natural resources with no thought for the future, the whole world would be in a mess.Useful Words and Expressions:1. make a living 谋生2. aim at 瞄准3. aim high 胸怀大志4. alarming使人惊动的5. inexhaustible 无穷无尽的6. squander 浪费7. be in a mess 乱七八糟48Population GrowthIt is well-known that there has been a drastic increase in world population. But it is probably les well-known that the extinction rate of wildlife species is experiencing a parallel trend.Take the United States for instance. In 1990, U.S. population reached an unprecedented level of 250 million, which is approximately 250 times of that of 1800. On the other hand, wildlife species are disappearing from the country at an alarming rate. By 1990, about 70 wildlife species would never be seen in U.S. We are fully justified in declaring that the explosive population growth has had an adverse effect on the survival of wildlife species and will be a constant threat to the wildlife resources if no immediate actions are taken.Nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world. It has been demolishing the environment we are living in.Useful words and expressions:1. drastic 激烈的2. parallel 平行的3. trend 倾向4. unprecedented 空前的5. magnitude 大小,数量6. alter 改变7. demolish 毁坏47House and Home“House” and “home” are two words that have similar meanings.“House” and “home” both refer to places where people live. However, there is a difference between them. “Home” is often referred to as the place that we live in with our families. Sadly, in our society, people can hardly distinguish a home from a house because they often see nodifference between them. This confusion can be traced back to the indifference between family members. Therefore, we can say that love is an important factor in a home. A home is a shelter, not only for our bodies but also for our minds. Whenever we are depressed, we can go home for comfort. Everyone in the family will do his best to take care of each other and share their happiness as well as sorrow. Without love, a home is merely a house where loneliness is all that can be found. And a house can never be a home unless there is love.Useful words and expressions:1. refer to 提到2. distinguish区别,辨别3. confusion 混乱,混淆4. trace back 追溯到5. indifference 不关心6. depressed 沮丧的46AutomobilesIt is impossible to say that any one man invented the automobile. Many individuals living and working in different countries and at different times contributed to its development. Many of the discoveries that went into the creation of the automobile were small in themselves. But together they were important. Here are two examples.“Carriage is running at a speed of 8 to 9 miles an hour.” It was almost unheard of in those days. According to automobile historians, this was the first practical use of mechanical power to move a vehicle. After its first run, the machine reportedly burned up while the inventor and his friends were celebrating its success at a pub.Henry Ford is considered the father of modern automobiles mass production. His famous Model-T car, because of its low price, made it possible to produce cars on a large scale and his efforts made it accessible to ordinary people.Useful words and expressions:1. reportedly 据传说,据传闻2. mass production大规模生产3. on a large scale 大规模地4. accessible 易接近的,可到达的accessible to 与……接近45.The Influence of LifeIn the early times when human beings hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as the other lower animals did. When they learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel, they cut down trees. They also burned clearings in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that human beings fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as setting up families, forming societies and founding cities.Useful words and Expressions:1. interact with 与……组合2. clearing 空旷地3. grazing 放牧,牧草4. domestication 驯养,驯服5. previously 先前,以前6. inedible 不能吃的,不适于食用的7. pursuit 追击8. set up 设立44Gardening in AmericaBelieve or not, 43,000,000 Americans are gardening. That is about one in six. Gardeners, of course, come in many varieties. Not surprisingly, most of them are people who live in the suburbs, and enjoy planting flowers, or maybe a small vegetables garden.The average age of gardeners in America is about 45 years old; they usually fall somewhere in the middle class. But the fastest growing groups are city dwellers. Urban residents are finding ways of gardening even in their crowded areas. Many go to large public gardens, as a place designed by the city for garden, and you can actually ranch your own plot.Still other people use their balconies or roof tops, wherever they can find the space to plant small patches of green.Useful Words and Expressions:1. suburb 郊区2. dweller 居民3. ranch 经营牧场4. balcony 阳台5. patch小块地43Our ConcernThe history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings. To a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Only in the present century has one species of man acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.The rapidity of change follows the pace of man rather than the pace of nature. Radiation is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals are the creations of man’s inventive mind, having no counterparts in nature.We have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals into the hands of persons largely ignorant of their potentials for harm. We have subjected enormous numbers of people to contact with these enormous numbers of people to contact with these poisons, without their consent and often without their knowledge. We have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or no advance investigation of their effect. Future generations are unlikely to forgive our lack of concern.Useful Words and Expressions:1. interaction 交互作用,交感2. vegetation 植被3. mold 塑造,浇铸4. species 种类5. unnatural 不自然的6. temper with 损害,影响7. counterpart 配对物8. poisonous 有毒的9. potent 有力的,有效的10. consent 同意,赞成42SleepWhy is it so difficult to fall asleep when you are overtired? There is no one answer that applies to every individual. It is possible to feel “tired” physically and still be unable to fall asleep, because while your body may be exhausted, you do n ot feel sleepy. It is not so easy to simply “turn off”. Lack of sleep complicates matters even more. Experts say adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to function properly. When you get less sleep than that on consecutive three nights, you begin to accrue four “sleep debt”. As sleep debt increases your body experiences a stress response. Now a vicious cycle has been created: Y ou experience the feeling of being more and more tired, but your body is increasingly stimulated. “Power sleeping” for more hours on weekends is only a temporary solution. There is no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.Useful Words and Expressions:1. overtire 使过度疲劳2. apply to 将……应用于3. consecutive 连续的,连贯的4. accrue 自然增加,产生5. vicious恶的vicious cycle 恶性循环6. stimulate 刺激,激励7. substitute for 代替……,替换……41Apology HelpsIt is never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you have judged roughly, you said unkind things, and pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the occasions when you indicated clearly and truly that you were so sorry. A bit f rightening, isn’t it? It is frightening, isn’t it? It is frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is disturbed; and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and regret expressed.A heartfelt apology can not only heal a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or judged too roughly, or just neglected, do something about it right now.Useful Words and Expressions:1. push ahead 捉紧进行2. at the expense of 在损害……的情况下3. mysterious神秘的4. moral 道德的5. disturbed 扰乱的6. stay out of 不参与……,置身于……之外7. heartfelt 衷心的,真心真意的8. roughly粗糙地,概略地40.How High Can Y ou Jump?Fleas trainers have observed a strange habit of fleas while training them.Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the cardboard box over and over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box. They will not jump out because they cannot jump out. Why? The reason is simple. They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high. Once they have conditioned themselves to jump just so high, that is all they can do! Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing al they can do.Useful Words and Expressions:1. cardboard 纸板2. lid 盖子3. conditioned 有条件的,习惯于……的4. restrict 限制,约束be restricted within narrow limits 限于狭窄的范围内be restricted in one’s movements 行动受限制39.Don’t give upIf we would ever accomplish anything in life, let us not forget that we must persevere. If we would learn our lessons in school, we must be diligent and not give up whenever we come to anything difficult. We shall find many of our lessons very hard, but let us consider that the harder they are the better they will do to us if we will preserve and learn them thoroughly.But there are some among us who are ready to give up when they come to a hard example inmathematics, and say, “I can’t do this.” They never will if they feel so. “I can’t” never does anything worthwhile, but “I’ll try” accomplishes wonders.Let us remember that we shall meet with difficulties all through life. They are in the pathway of everyone. If we will only try and keep trying, we shall be sure to conquer and overcome very difficulty we meet.38“How to” BooksBooks which give instructions on how to do things are popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “how to” books are available. In fact, there are about for thousand books with titles that begin with the words “how to’.Many “how to” books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. Many of these books help people to use their free time better. Some people want book which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies and travel. Other people us e their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to repair things like plumbing and electrical wiring or on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.Why have “how to” books become so popular? Probably because life has become more complex. Today people have far more free to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve, “how to” books help people to deal with modern life.Useful words and Expressions:1. step-by-step 按部就班的2. redecorate 重新装饰,再装饰3. complex 复杂的,综合的37.Professioanl Sports in the U.S.Professional sports are not only very popular in the United States, but also a big business. The most popular sports are baseball, football and basketball. Each sport has its own season and individual teams have millions of supporters. Professional teams are named for the cities where they are located. For example, the Lakers are in Los Angeles. The strongest supporters of the Lakers are residents of Los Angeles and Southern California. When the Lakers play, many people in Los Angeles enthusiastically follow the game. When we mention “NBA”, almost every one knows it ahs some relationship with U.S. professional basketball. However, what does it reallystand for? N.B.A is gaining new fans and supporters around the world. Basketball has been called the “national pastime”. However, football is the most popular professional sport in the U.S.. American football is different from international football, which Americans call “soccer”.Both games require strength and specialized skills.Useful Words and Expressions:1. be named for 被指定为2. be short for 是……的简称3. stand for代表36.ArtistsEvery artist knows in his heart that he is saying something to the public. Not only does he want to say it well, but he wants it to be something which has not been said before.What visual artists, like painters, want to say is easy to make out but difficult to explain, because painters translate their experiences into shapes and colors, not words. They seem to feel that a certain selection of shapes and colors, out of the countless billions of possible, is exceptionally interesting for them and worth showing to us.Most artists take their shapes and colors from the world of nature and from human bodies in motion and response; their choices indicate that these aspects of the world are worth looking at, that they contain beautiful sights. Contemporary artists might say that they merely choose subjects that provide an interesting pattern, that there is nothing more in it. Y et even they do not choose entirely without reference to the character of their subjects.Useful words and Expressions:1. visual artist 视觉艺术家2. selection 挑选,选择3. exceptional 例外的,异常的4. motion 运动,动作5. indicate显示,象征6. contemporary 当代的,同时代的7. without reference to 不论,与……无关34Will Computers Replace Human Beings?We are in the computer age today. The computers are working all kinds of wonders now. They are very useful in automatic control and data processing. At the same time, computers are finding their way into the home. They seem to be so clever and can solve such complicated problems that some people think sooner or later they will replace us.But I do not think that there is such a possibility. My reason is very simple: computers are machines, not humans. And our tasks are far too various and complicated for any one single kind of machine to perform.Probably the greatest difference between man and computer is that the former can do things of his own while the latter can do nothing without being programmed. In my opinion, computers will remain nothing but an extension of our human brains, no matter how clever and complicated they may become.33.Where Do the British LiveNearly everyone in Britain would like to own their own home and, whether they do or not, they are prepared to put time and money into decorating and furnishing it or even making structural alterations to it. Because of the climate and because of the expense involved in going out for the evening, the British spend a lot of time at home and a large part of their social life takes place there.Y oung people tend to stay with their families longer these days as accommodation is expensive but, when they move away to a job or college, there are various options open to them. They can get lodgings with a landlady. This means that they rent a room in someone’s house and have breakfast with the family. They can also get a bed-sitting room, that is to say one self-contained room in which they can cook, live and sleep. Alternatively, they can share a rented flat or house with a group of young people, perhaps the most popular option of all.Useful Words and Expressions:1. lodging 寄宿处2. bedsit 卧室兼起居室3. bed-sitting 卧室兼起居室的4. self-contained 设备齐全的32.Making a ComplaintComplaining about faulty goods or bad services is never easy. But if something you have brought is faulty or does not do what was claimed for it, you are not asking for a favor to get it put right. Complaints should be made to a responsible person. Go back to the shop where you bought the goods, taking with you any receipt you may have. In a small store the assistant may also be the owner so you can complain direct. In a chain store, ask the manager. If you telephone, ask the name of the person who handles your enquiry, otherwise you may never find out who dealt with the complaint later. If you do not want to do it in person, write a letter. Stick to the facts and keep a copy of what you write. At this stage you should give any receipt numbers, but you should not need to give receipts or other papers to prove you bought the article.31.Water PollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time.Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrial wasters into rivers every day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water is becoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has also happened to our seas and oceans. So, the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide. Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps one day the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean water. That day, we believe, is not very far off.30.CartoonistsIn a good cartoon, the artist can tell in a few lines as much as a writer can tell in half a dozen paragraphs. The cartoonist not only tells a story but he also tries to persuade the reader to his way of thinking. He has great influence on public opinion. In a political campaign, he plays an important part. Controversial issues in Congress or at meetings of the United Nations may keep the cartoonist well-supplied with current materials.A clever cartoonist may cause laughter because he often uses humor in his drawings. If he is sketching a famous person, he takes a prominent feature and exaggerates it. Cartoonists, for instance, like to lengthen an already long nose and to widen an already broad grin. Thisexaggeration of a person’s characteristics is called caricature. The artist uses such exaggeration to put his message across.Useful Words and Expressions:1. cartoonist 漫画家2. campaign 活动3. controversial 争论的,争议的4. sketch 素描5. prominent 卓越的6. exaggerate 夸张7. lengthen 延长8. grin 露齿笑29TimeTime is tangible. One can gain time, spend time, waste time, save time, or even kill time. Common questions in Amer ican English reveal this concrete quality as though time were a possession. “Do you have any time?”, “Can you get some time for this?”, “How much free time do you have?” The treatment of time as a possession influences the way that time is carefully divided.Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. In businesses, the careful scheduling of time and the separation of activities are common practices. Appointment calendars are printed with 15-,30-, and 60-minute time slots. The idea that “there is a time and place for everything” extends to American social life. Visitors who drop by without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone befor e visiting them is generally preferred to visitors’ dropping by.Useful words and expressions:1. tangible 切实的2. kill time 消磨时间3. reveal 显示,揭示4. scheduling 行程安排5. slot 缝隙6. drop by 随便访问7. preferred 首选的28A Free Dress Every WeekThe temptation to steal is greater than ever before especially in large shops and people are not sohonest as they once were.A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible. The woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the shop assistant was her daughter. Believe it or not, the girl “gave” her mother a free dress every week!27IntelligenceAre some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience?Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the limits of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence.26Travel for WorkY ou can see them in every airport in the world. They are businessmen and women who have to travel for their work.When they first applied for the job, they may have thought of good food and hotels, huge expense accounts and fashionable cities. Now they have to sit in airport lounges, tired and uncomfortable in their smart clothes, listening to the loudspeaker announce “The fight of Tokyo, or Berlin, or New Y ork is delayed for another two hou rs.” Some people say to me, “How lucky you are to be able to travel abroad in your work! Y ou can go sightseeing without paying any money byyourself!” They think that my job is like a continual holiday. It is not.There are advantages, of course, and I do thin I am lucky, but only because I can go to places I would never visit if I was a tourist.25A Place of Our OwnWe are all usually very careful when we buy something for the house. Why? Because we have to live with it for a long time. We paint a room to make it brighter, so we choose the colors carefully.We buy new curtains in order to match the newly decorated room, so they must be the right color. We move the furniture round so as to make more space—or we buy new furniture—and so on. It is an endless business.Rich or poor, we take time to furnish a room. Perhaps some people buy furniture in order to impress their friends. But most of us just want to enjoy our surroundings. We want to live as comfortably as we can afford to. We spend a large part of our lives at home. We want to make a small corner in the world which we can recognize as our own.24.Great Depression in the U.S.In 1929, the bills started to come in. American industry had produced too many goods. Americans could not afford to buy all of them. So factories had to cut down on their production. Many workers lost their jobs. Investors tried to get their money back. But businesses did not have enough money to pay them. Banks tried to get their money back from investors. But the investors could not pay, either. Too many people owed money. And few of them could pay their bills. During the next few years, business got worse and worse. By 1932, banks all over the country were closing.People without money could not buy goods. So more businesses closed. More and more people lost their jobs. By 1932, more than 12 million Americans were jobless. Millions more were earning barely enough to live on. The country was in a great depression they had never experienced before.Useful Words and Expressions:1. bill 帐单,票据foot the bill付账,负责2. cut down on 减少3. depression 沮丧,萧条Great Depression大萧条23America’s Worst SurpriseDecember 7, 1941 was one of the worst days in American history. Nearly all Americans who are old enough to remember that day can still remember what they were doing at the moment they heard “the news”. The news was that America had been attacked!Shortly before 2:00 P.M., a radio dispatch came into Washington from Honolulu, Hawaii. “Air Raid, Pearl Harbor—This is no d rill.” Japanese planes had begun an attack on the largest American military base in the Pacific. They first destroyed planes on the ground. Then they bombed the ships in the harbor.No one had expected the attack. So no one was prepared for it. And it did not take long for Japanese to do their damage. When the smoke cleared, the Navy counted its losses. Eighteen ships had been sunk or badly damaged. Nearly 150 planes had been destroyed. More than 2,400 Americans had been killed and more than 1,200 wounded.Useful Words and Expressions:1. dispatch 派遣,急件2. air raid 空袭3. drill 军事训练,操练4. Pearl Harbor 珍珠港22.CrisisLife is a contest! Who will win? A bluebird and sparrow both compete for space to build their nests. A fast-growing maple tree and slower-growing dogwood compete for the sunlight they both need. Oil competes with coal and nuclear power as an energy source for electric power plants! There is a problem. There is a limited amount of space for birds, sunlight for trees, and energy for people! If we do not cut back on our uses of some of our resources, someday they will be gone! How can we use energy today and know we will have enough to go around in the future? We can choose alternate, or replacement, energy resources. It takes the earth millions of years to create coal, oil, and gas. They are nonrenewable resources.Solar energy, wind energy and water energy are renewable resources. It takes the earth millions of years to create coal, oil, and gas. They are nonrenewable resources.。

专业四级听写

专业四级听写

Passage 1 A change in women’s lifeThe important change in women’s life-pattern has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago, most girls left school at the first opportunity, and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today, the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. V ery many more afterwards return to full-time or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.Passage2 Display of GoodsAre supermarkets designed to persuade us to buy more? Fresh fruit and vegetables are displayed near supermarket entrances. This gives the impression that only healthy food is sold in the shop. Basic foods that everyone buys, like sugar and tea, are not put near each other. They are kept in different aisles, so customers are taken past other attractive foods before they find what they want. In this way, shoppers are encouraged to buy products that they do not really need. Sweets are often placed at children’s eye level at the checkout. While parents are waiting to pay, c hildren reach for the sweets and put them in the trolley. More is bought from a 15-foot display of one type of product than from a 10-food one. Customers also buy more when shelves are full than when they are half empty. They do not like to buy from shelves with few products on them because they feel there is something wrong with those products that are there.passage 3 Private carswith the increase in the general standard of living, some ordinary Chinese families begin to afford a car. Y et opinions of the development of a private car vary from person to person. It gives a much greater degree of comfort and mobility. The owner of a car s no longer forced to rely on public transport, and hence no irritation caused by waiting for buses or taxis. However, others strongly object to developing private cars. They maintain that as more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volume of poisonous gas will be given off, polluting the atmosphere and causing actual harm to the health of people. Whether private cars should be developed in China is a difficult question to answer, yet the desire for the comfort and independence a private car can bring will not be eliminated.Passage 4 Living things reactY ou and all organisms live in an environment. An environment is made up of everything that surrounds an organism. It can include air, the water, the soil, and even other organisms. An organism responds to changes in its environment. When an organism responds to a change, it reacts in certain ways. All living things respond in some way. Have you ever noticed how plants and insects respond to light? Plants bed toward light. Insects fly toward light. Living things also respond in other way. The leaves on some trees respond to a change in season. In autumn, they change colors and then fall off the branches. Animals also respond to a change in season. Squirrels save nuts for the winter. Bears sleep through the winter in a cave. Y ou respond to yourenvironment in many ways, too. Y ou may shiver if you are cold. What other ways do you respond to changes in your environment?Passage 5 IntelligenceAre some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent, our intelligence is given us at birth, and no amount of special education can made a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than on who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus, the limits of a person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, held by most experts now, can be supported in a number of ways. As is easy to show that intelligence is, to some extent, something we are born with: the closer the blood relationship between people is, the closer they are likely to be in intelligencePassage 6 A free dress every weekThe temptation to steal is greater than ever before especially in large shops, and people are not so honest as they once were. A detective recently watched a well-dressed woman who always went into a large store on Monday mornings. One Monday, there were fewer people in the shop than usual when the woman came in, so it was easier for the detective to watch her. The woman first bought a few small articles. After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible. The woman simply took the parcel and walked out of the shop without paying. When she was arrested, the detective found out that the shop assistant was her daughter. Believe it or not, the girl gave her mother a free dress every week.Passage 7 CartoonistsIn a good cartoon, the artist can tell in a few lines as much as a writer can tell in half a dozen paragraphs. The cartoonist not only tells a story but he also tries to persuade the reader to his way of thinking. He has great influence on public opinion. In a political campaign, he plays an important part. Controversial issues in Congress or at meetings of the United Nations may keep the cartoonist well-supplied with current materials. A clever cartoonist may cause laughter because he often uses humour in his drawings. If he is sketching a famous person, he takes a prominent feature and exaggerates it. Cartoonists, for instance, like to lengthen an already long nose and to wide an already broad grin. This exaggeration of a person’s ch aracteristics is called caricature. The artist uses such exaggeration to put his message across.Passage 8 Water pollutionWater is very important to us. Factories and plants need water for industrial uses, and large pieces of farmland need it for irrigation. Without water to drink, people die in a short time. Today most water sources are so dirty that people must purify water before drinking. Water becomes dirty in many ways: industrial pollution is one of them. With the development of industry, plants and factories pour tons of industrial wastes into rivers very day. The rivers have become seriously polluted, and the water is becoming unfit for drinking or irrigation. The same thing has alsohappened to our seas and oceans. So the problem of water pollution is almost worldwide. Scientists of many countries have done a lot of work to stop pollution. The polluted water in some places has become clean and drinkable again. Perhaps one day, the people in all towns and cities will be drinking clean water. That day, we believe, is not very far off.。

英语专业四级考试历年听写原文

英语专业四级考试历年听写原文

Unidentified Flying Objects (1995)
There are many explanations for why UFOs visit the Earth. / The most popular one is that they maybe visitors from other planets./ To fly such aircraft, their builders must develop different forms of aviation,/because they seem to fly much faster than normal aircraft./ The UFOs, it is believed, must contain scientists/ from other planets who are studying life on earth./ It is even believed that several such aircraft may have landed on earth/ and the space visitors may be living amongst us./ But there are also less fantastic explanations available./ Although some sightings of UFOs are difficult to explain, most can be explained quite easily./ In many cases the observers might have made a mistake./ They might have seen a weather balloon or an aircraft./ Or the light they saw in the sky might have been light from the ground,/ reflected on to the clouds./ However, the exact cause of many sightings still remained a mystery.

英语专业四级短文听写50篇文本

英语专业四级短文听写50篇文本
英语专业四级听写50篇文本(Oct. 22, 2011)
Passage 1Professor Bumble
Professor Bumble is not only absent-minded but short-sighted as well. His mind is always busy with learned thoughts and he seldom notices what is going on around him.
Passage3Mistakes Are Good Teachers
After the birth of my second child,I got a job at a restaurant. ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱaving worked with an experienced waitress for a few days,I was allowed to wait on tables on my own. When Saturday night came,I was luckily given the tables not far from the kitchen. However,I still felt a little hard to carry the heavy trays. So I moved slowly, minding every step. I remembered how happy I was when I saw a tray standingnext to the tables. It looked different from the one I was trained on,and it had nice handles which made it easier to move around. I was pleased with everything and began to believe I was natural at this job. Then, an old man came to me and said that was his wife's walker. I stood frozen as ice,but my face was on fire. Since then, I have learned to be more careful and not to be too sure of myself. (164 words)
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专业四级考试听写评分标准1. 听写共分15小节,每节1分,扣分一律写在试卷右边的空白处。

大错误下面画线。

小错误用圆圈表示,重复错误用三角记号表示。

2. 每节最多扣1分。

3. 重复错误,仅扣一次分。

4.错误共分两类:小错误(minor mistakes)和大错误(major mistakes),分不扣0.25分和0.5分。

A. 小错误:1)单词拼写错一到两个字母。

例:steadily → staedily; harbor → habor两个字母以下的词、次序颠倒算小错。

2)标点符号错误(含大小写)。

例:World War I → world war one, and then adopted → . And then adopted3) 冠词、单复数错误。

例:until the beginning → until beginning; parent → parents4)小错误扣分标准:小错误在一节中出现一次,留作总计;出现两次:扣0.5分;出现三次:扣0.5分后留作总计;出现四次:扣1分。

5)未扣分小错误的扣分标准:累计2 ~ 4 个:扣0.5分累计5 ~ 8 个:扣1分B. 大错误:漏写、加词、造词、换词(冠词作小错计)、大移位、时态错误,每个错误扣0.5分。

例:loved → love;task — test; trip — trap; flee — flea;have finis hed — finsh(ed)5. 一些特例的扣分标准:下列情况不扣分:World War I → World War Onerace car → racecarwell-balanced → well balanced90 percent → 90%6. 总分只有0.5分时,以1分计算;其余总分中如含小数点的,小数舍去,保留整数,如12.5 → 12;7.5 → 77. 空白卷一律打0分。

英语专业四级考试历年听写原文(1993年——2006年)Package Holidays (1993)Package holidays, covering a two weeks' stay in an attractive place, are increasingly popular. Once you get to the airport, it is up to the tour operator to see that you get safely to your destination.Everythin g is laid on for you.There is, in fact, no reason for you to bother to arrange anything yourselves.You make friends and have a good time. But there is very little chance that you will really get to know the local people.This is even less likely on a coach tour, when you spend almost your entire time traveling.Of course, there are carefully planned stops for you to visit historic buildings and monuments. You may visit the b eautiful, the historic, the ancient. But time is always short.There is also the added disadvantage of being obliged to spend you holiday with a group of people you have never met before.The American Family (1994)The American family unit is changing. There used to be mainly two t ypes of families, the extended and the nuclear. The former included mot her, father, children, and some other relatives such as grandparents, l iving in the same house or nearby. Then as the economy progressed fromagricultural to industrial, people began moving to different parts of t he country in order to search for job opportunities. These moves split up the extended family. The nuclear family consisting of only parents a nd children has therefore b ecome far more wide spread. Today’s family, however, can be composed of diverse combinations. With the divorce rate nearly one in two, there's an increase in single-parent homes—a fathe r or mother living with one or more children. Blended families occur wh en divorced men and women remarry and combine the children from former marriages into a new family. On the other hand, there is an increase in childless couples while one in rive Americans lives alone.Unidentified Flying Objects (1995)There are many explanations for why UFOs visit the Earth. / The mos t popular one is that they maybe visitors from other planets./ To fly s uch aircraft, their builders must develop different forms of aviation,/ because they seem to fly much faster than normal aircraft./ The UFOs, i t is believed, must contain scientists/ from other planets who are stud ying life on earth./ It is even believed that several such aircraft may have landed on earth/ and the space visitors may be living amongst us. / But there are also less fantastic explanations available./ Although s ome sightings of UFOs are difficult to explain, most can be explained q uite easily./ In many cases the observers might have made a mistake./ They might have seen a weather balloon or an aircraft./ Or the light the y saw in the sky might have been light from the ground,/ reflected on t o the clouds./ However, the exact cause of many sightings still remaine d a mystery.The Indian Medicine Man (1996)Among the Indians of North America, the medicine man was a very imp ortant person. He could cure illness and he could speak to the spirits. The spirits were the supernatural forces that controlled the world. Th e Indians believed that bad spirits made people ill. So when people wer e ill, the medicine man tried to help them by using magic. He spoke to the good spirits and asked for their help. Many people were cured, beca use they thought the spirits were helping them, but really these people cured themselves. Sometimes your own mind is the best doctor for you. The medicine men were often successful for another reason, too. They kn ew about plants that really can cure illness. A lot of medicines are ma de from the plants that were used by medicine men hundred of years ago.Legal Age for Marriage (1997)Throughout the United States, the legal age for marriage shows some difference. The most common age without parents’ consent is 18 for both females and males. However, persons who are under age in their home s tate can get married in another state, and then return to the home stat e legally married. Each state issues its own marriage license. Both res idents and non-residents are qualified for such a license. The fees and ceremonies vary greatly from state to state. Most states, for instance, have a blood test requirement, but a few do not. Most states permit ei ther a civil or religious ceremony, but a few require the ceremony to b e religious. In most states a waiting period is required before the lic ense is issued. This period is from one to five days depending on the s tate. A three-day-wait is the most common. In some states there is no r equired waiting period.The Railways in Britain (1998)The success of early railways, such as the lines between big cities, / led to a great increase in railway building in Victorian times. / Bet ween 1835 and 1865 about 25000 kilometers of track were built,/ and ove r 100 railway companies were created. /Railway travel transformed people's lives. / Trains were first desi gned to carry goods. / However, a law in the 19th century forced railwa y companies to run one cheap train a day / which stopped at every stati on and cost only a penny a mile. / Soon working class passengers found they could afford to travel by rail. / Cheap day excursion trains became popular and seaside resorts grew rapidly. / The railways also provide d thousands of new jobs:/ building carriages, running the railways and repairing the tracks. / Railways even changed the time. / The need to r un the railways on time meant that local time was abolished/ and clocks showed the same time all over the country. /United Nations Day(1999)The 24th of October is celebrated as United Nations Day. h is a day that belongs to everyone. And it is celebrated in most countries of th e world. Some countries celebrate for a week instead of a day. In many parts of the world, schools have special programs for the day. Boys and girls in some communities decorate a UN tree. In other communities, yo ung people put on plays about the UN. Some libraries exhibit children’s art works from around the world. Schools celebrate with the songs and dances of other countries or give parties where foods of other countrie s are served. No matter how the day is celebrated, the purpose of these celebrations is to help everyone understand the UN, and the important roles it plays in world affairs. The UN encourages people to learn about other lands and their customs. In this way, people can gain a better understanding and appreciation of peoples all over the world.What We Know About Language(2000)Many things about language are a mystery and will remain so. Howev er, we now do know something about it. First, we know that all human be ings have a language of some sort. No human race anywhere on earth is s o backward that it has no language of its own at all. Second, there is no such thing as a primitive language. There are many peoples whose cul tures are undeveloped but the languages they speak are by no means prim itive. In all the languages existing in the world today, there are comp lexities that must have been developed for years. Third, we know that a ll languages are perfectly adequate. Each is a perfect means of express ing its culture. And finally, we know that language changes over time, which is natural and normal if a language is to survive. The language w hich remains unchanged is nothing but dead.Characteristics of A Good Reader(2001)To improve your reading habits, you must understand the characteri stics of a good reader. First, the good reader usually reads rapidly. Of course, he does not read every piece of material at the same rate. Bu t whether he is reading a newspaper or a chapter in a physics text, his reading rate is relatively fast. He has learned to read for ideas rath er than words one at a time. Next, the good reader can recognize and un derstand general ideas and specific details. Thus he is able to compreh end the material with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest. Fi nally, the good reader has in his command several special skills, which he can apply to reading problems as they occur. For the college studen t, the most helpful of these skills include making use of the various a ids to understanding that most text books provide and skim-reading for a general survey.Disappearing Forests(2002)The world’s forests are disappearing. As much as 1/3 of the total tree cover has been lost since agriculture began some 10,000 years ago. The remaining forests are home to half of the world’s species, thus be coming the chief resource for their survival. Tropical rain forests onc e covered 12% of the land of the planet, as well as supporting at leasthalf of the world’s species of plants and animals. These rain forests are home to millions of people. But there are other demands on them. Fo r example, much has been cut for timber. An increasing amount of forest land has been used for industrial purposes or for agricultural develop ment such as crop-growing. By the 1990’s less than half of the earth’s original rain forests remained, and they continued to disappear at an alarming rate every year. As a result the world’s forests are now facin g gradual extinction.Salmon (2003)Every year, millions of salmon swim from the ocean into the mouths of rivers and then steadily up the rivers. Passing through waters, arou nd rocks and waterfalls, the fish finally reach their original streams or lakes. They dig out nests in the riverbed and lay their eggs. Then, exhausted by their journey, the parent salmon die. They have finished t he task that nature has given them. Months, or years later, the young f ish start their trip to the ocean. They live in the salt water from 2-7 years, until they, too are ready to swim back to reproduce. Their life cycle helps man provide himself with a basic food-fish. When the adult salmon gather at the river mouths for the annual trip up the rivers, t hey are in the best possible condition, and nearly every harbor has its salmon fishing fleet ready to catch thousands for markets.Money (2004)Money is accepted across the world as payment for goods or services. People use money to buy food, clothes and hundreds of other things. In the past, many different things were used as money. People on Pacific islands once exchanged shells for goods. The Chinese used cloth and kni ves. In Africa, elephant tusks or salt were used. Even today, some peop le in Africa are still paid in salt. Coins were first invented by the C hinese. Originally, they were round pieces of metal with a hole in the center, so that a piece of string could keep them together. This made d oing business much easier, but people still found coins inconvenient to carry when they wanted to buy something expensive. To solve this probl em, the Chinese again came up with the solution. They began to use pape r money for coins. Now paper notes are used throughout the world.The Wrist Watch (2005)It is generally believed that wrist watches are an exception / to t he normal sequence in the evolution of man's jewelry. / Reversing the u sual order, they were first worn by women, / and then adopted by men. / In the old days, queens included wrist watches among their crown jewel ry. / Later, they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers. / Until World War I, Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters. / Then arm y officers discovered that the wrist watch was most practical for activ e combat. / Race car drivers also loved to wear wrist watches, / and pi lots found them most useful while flying. / Soon men dared to wear wris t watches without feeling self-conscious. / By 1924, some 30 percent of man's watches were worn on the wrist. / Today, the figure is 90 percen t. / And they are now worn by both men and women / for practical purpos es rather than for decoration.The Internet (2006)The Internet is the most significant progress in the field of commu nications. / Imagine a book that never ends, a library with a million f loors, / or imagine a research project with thousands of scientists / w orking around the clock forever. / This is the magic of the Internet. / Yet the Internet has the potential for good and bad. / One can find we。

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