现代大学英语听力基础教程 听力文本 unit8

It says that there are more than 3 million people living in L.A. Of course, there are many more in New Y ork. The population is over 7 million.

But there must be far more than 7 million cars in L.A.

Are you starting on that again? Y ou know, Richard, L.A.doesn't have a huge subway system like New Y ork does. People here have to use the freeways. Stainless steel celebrity security

So what else does your book say?

Well, it says that Los Angeles is Spanish for "the angels". Isn't that beautiful?

Hmm.

It says here the city was settled by 11 Spanish families from Mexico.

Do you know that New Y ork is named after the Duke of Y ork in England? Of course. Many of the settlers on the East Coast came from England.

I bet you don't know which city has more land!

Bet I do! L.A.does!

Oh, you're so smart!

Unit 8

Task 1

Which do you prefer: driving a car yourself or being a passenger?

Well--that depends. I enjoy driving, esp on long empty roads where I can

go nice and far. But I'm not very fond of sitting in traffic jams waiting for lights to change, and things like that. I suppose I don't mind being a passenger, but only if I'm sure that the other person really can drive properly.

So you don't really like being in other people's cars, then?

Well, as I say, it's all right with a good driver. Then I can relax, sit back and enjoy the scenery. But yes, you're right--on the whole I certainly prefer driving to being a passenger.

Task 2

About a human zoo

Were animals

Looked contented

For life

In a voice

Y ou've good soft beds

Y ou used to fight, you used to kill

Ask for

Think of those animals in cages

Task 3

Why are you driving so slowly?

I’m going as fast as the speed limit.

Y ou can forget the speed limit. Nobody drives that slowly!

Well, I want to drive carefully. The roads are crowded.

But they were just as crowded this morning. Y ou drove a lot faster then! That's just it. I drove too fast.

What? Y ou mean sth happened after you left me?

It was in the center of the town. I was in a hurry, and ...

Y es? Go on! What happened?

A child ran out in front of me.

Y ou mean...you mean...

Wait! Listen! The child was a good distance away so I didn't slow down. Well, what's so terrible about that?

Just a second. There's more. The child fell down.

Fell down? Y ou mean you hit her?

No, but I almost did. I braked as hard as I could. I stopped, but only just in time.

Well, at least you didn't have an accident!

No, but that isn't the only reason I'm driving so carefully.

Oh, no! Did sth else happen?

No, but there's a police car behind us. I t's following us, so we can't forget the speed limit, can we?

Task 4

What day is it today, David?

Tuesday. Why?

No, I mean, what date is it?

Er... January 12th.

January 12th...it's your mother's birthday soon, isn't it?

Good heavens! Y es, you're right. It's next week, on January 18th. That's next Monday. Well, what shall we give her this year?

Oh, you decide. I want to watch a program on TV.

Oh, come on, David. She's your mother.

Oh, all right. Flowers?

Oh, not flowers! And not chocolates either. It's so boring. Anyway you don't give your mother flowers, not on her birthday. Let's think...what about a record?

No, not a record. She doesn't play records.

Perfume?

Mmm, no...no, I don' think she likes perfume. She's 65 anyway.

So? Oh well, you know her, I suppose. What about a book?

Y es...but what about? She doesn't read very much.

Well, what does she like?

She likes her garden and her flowers!

That's it! Let's give her a book about flowers!

Y es, yes, that's a good idea.

In fact, I saw a book the other day called English Gardens and Flowers--lots of pictures. I think it cost about four or five pounds.

That's sounds fine. Let's get her that.

Y ou say she's 65this year?

Y es.. Why?

Well, we must do sth; take her out somewhere or do sth.

Y es, you're right. What shall we do? Shall we have a party?

No, not a party. She gets tired easily. Perhaps the theater.

I'm not sure.

Well, look, let's invite her to supper on her birthday. Just her and your father.

But it's a Monday, after work. No, let's go out for a meal instead. Mmm, all right. Where?

What about the new Italian restaurant? They say it's very good.

Y es, all right. Let's try that. Good idea. Let's hope she likes Italian food!

We are all taking responsibility for our own safety. Others help us keep safe, too. These include traffic officers, drivers of automobiles and other vehicles. These people have a responsibility to obey the traffic laws and to drive safely. By doing so, they are meeting their responsibility for

keeping us safe.

Are you doing your part to help yourself safe? Take the following test to see how you rate yourself:

1.do you cross streets only at the corner, and then only after you are sure

that it is safe to do so?

2.do you look all ways before crossing streets and while crossing them?

3.do you follow the practice of never stepping into the street from

behind parked cars?

4.do you obey traffic signals?

5.do you take the safest route to and from school?

6.do you stay away from unguarded street or railroad crossings as much

as possible?

7.do you avoid walking across vacant lots that might contain rusty nails

or broken glass?

8.do you never walk on the freeways?

9.do you wear sth light-colored when walking at night?

10.d o you always cooperate fully with the traffic officers?

The answers to each of these questions should have been “yes”. Pay special attention to any that you answers with “no”. do sth to correct any faulty habits that you may have developed.

Task 6

A well-known man said recently that teaching one’s wife to drive a car was the worst job he could think of. It was, he said, a difficult job and would cause bad temper.

No one has troubled to point out that women cause fewer accidents (in proportion toto their numbers as drivers) than men do. In America, where half the drivers are women, there are five or six times as many accidents caused by men as by women.

We hear hundreds of suggestions for reducing the number of road accidents, but men are unwilling to admit that women drivers are more careful than men, and no one seriously considers the employment of more women drivers. If more women and fewer men were employed to drive commercial cars and vans, the number of deaths on road would soon go down.

Task 7

When I was a teenager, we lived out in the country. If we wanted to go to town, we had to walk.

Then I got my first car. I’ll never forget it. My father was away in Dallas at the time. I decided to surprise him and meet him with the car. I knew that he expected me to carry his luggage all the way home. My mother didn’t want me to drive to town. I had driven it only once before, and

wasn’t a very confident driver. Besides, she was afraid of what my father would say when he saw the new car. She wanted me to walk to station and tell him about the car later. But I wanted to show everybody my brand-new car—so off I went.

The train arrived at 3:20. Surprisingly enough, my father wasn’t angry when he saw the car. I told him I wasn’t a very good driver yet. He said he would be only too pleased to show me how to drive. That really surprised me. As far as I knew, my father had never driven a car before. By the time we got home, I wished I had walked to town. I’m sure my father did, too. The ride home was unbelievable. It was years before my father ever drove again! Whenever the subject was mentioned, he used to reply, “the motorcar will never replace the horse.”

Task 8

School is an important part of our environment. Are you having experiences there that help to build your personality? Test your attitudes toward school by answering these questions. Answer each question by "usually" Or "usually not".

1.Do you like school?

2.Do you like your teachers?

3.Do you find your schoolwork interesting?

4.Do you get along well with girls and boys in school?

5.Do you feel you are learning things that will be helpful to you when you grow up?

6.Do you remember what you have studied after you have finished studying?

7.Do you hand in your work on time?

8.Do you seek help from your teacher when you need it?

If you answer many questions by "usually nor", you are not getting all you could out of school. Y ou need to change your attitudes toward school, toward your teachers, and perhaps toward your fellow schoolmates. Most girls and boys are better at some things than at others. For example, mathematics may be your best subject. Or you may do your best work in English. Usu the subjects that interest you most are the ones you do best in.

Perhaps you are better at making things with your hands than learning things from books. There is nothing wrong in this. Making things with your hands can be very satisfying and can lead to many interesting kinds of creative work. But this does not mean that you cannot learn from books. Most boys and girls have the ability to learn in most every way.

Y ou need to develop all your abilities-- not just those that come most easily.

Perhaps you are spending too much time on the subjects you lke best, and too little on those you have trouble with. Perhaps you need to take a more

positive attitude. Don't tell yourself,"oh, that old mathematics. I'll never be able to do that problem." Instead, have confidence in your ability to do the work assigned to you. If you believe you can do it, and you try to do it, the chances are that you will be able to do it.

Don't let yourself become worried and upset about some aspects of your schoolwork. If you have a problem, talk it over with a teacher or with your parents. Usu you will find that they can help you improve your work.

Y ou should not allowed tests and quizzes to make you nervous. That is the way to do less than your best. Just do your work to the best of your ability each day. Then you will feel confident tha tyou can pass a test. Y ou will also be forming work habits that will help you all your life.

Y ou may find that you can work better if you plan your study time. Divide the time you have so that you can complete the work in every subject. Y our teacher will be glad to help you make a plan for your study periods.

Y ou can work best in school when you have good relationships with your teacher and with the girls and boys around you. As at home, you get along best when you have friendly attitudes toward others.

Remember that your teachers are there to help you, and that they want to do everything they can for you. If you have s friendly attitude towardthem, they will have a friendly attitude toward you. The same

thing is true of the girls and boys in your class. They will like you if you show the same friendly and unselfish attitudes that you should be practicing at home.

These school years are important ones for you. It is during these years that your personality is being formed. Are you doing your best to see that your experiences are helpful ones.

Task 9

Almost everyone has heard of seeing eye dogs. But did you know that some deaf people can "hear" Again, thanks to specially trained dogs? They're called "hearing dogs" And they are trained by the American Humane Association. The dogs are taught to listen to the sounds that deaf persons should be aware of.

Is the phone ringing? Is the doorbell chiming? Is the alarm clock buzzing? Is a fire alarm clanging? Is the baby crying?

Those are the kinds of sounds a hearing dos listens for. When he hears them, he makes contact with his deaf master.

The first hearing dog training program is being conducted in Denver, Colorado. Any kinds of dog can be used as a hearing dog.

How can you tell a hearing dog from a standard pet? The hearing dog is the one wearing the bright orange collar or leash!