2005_06--2012_6_六级听力原文

2005_06--2012_6_六级听力原文 2006年6月英语六级真题听力原文 Section A 1. M: Mary, could you please tell Thomas to contact me? I was hoping he would be able to help me out with the freshmen orientation program next week. W: I would certainly tell him if I saw him, but I haven't seen him around for quite a few days. Q: What does the woman mean? 2. M: Susan, I am going to change the light bulb above the dining room table. Will you hold the ladder for me? W: No problem. But be careful while you're up there. Q: What does the man want the woman to do? 3. W: It's freezing cold. Let me make some coffee to warm us up. Do you want a piece of pie as well? M: Coffee sounds great. But I'm going to have dinner with some friends in a while, so I'd better skip the pie. Q: What does the man mean? 4. W: How come Jim lost his job? M: I didn't say he had lost it. All I said was if he didn't get out and start selling a few cars instead of idling around all day, he might find himself looking for a new job. Q: What does the man say about Jim? 5. M: Hello, Mary. This is Paul at the bank. Is Tony home? W: Not yet. Paul. I don't think you can reach him at the office now, either. He phoned me five minutes ago to say he was stopping for a hair-cut on his way home. Q: Who do you think the woman probably is? 6. W: Oh! Boy! I don't understand how you got a ticket today. I always thought you were slow even driving on the less crowded fast lane. M: I'm usually careful. But this time I thought I could get through the intersection before the light turned. Q: What do we learn about the man? 7. W: Your dog certainly seems to know you are his master. Did you have to punish him very often when you trained him? M: I found it's much better to praise him when he obeys and not to be so fussy when he makes mistakes. Q: What does the man say about training dogs? 8. M: I am afraid there won't be time to do another tooth today. Make sure you don't eat anything like stakes for the next few hours, and we'll fill the other cavity tomorrow. W: All right. Actually, I must hurry to the library to return some books. Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place? 9. W: I am worried about Jenny going to college. College students are so wild nowadays. M: Actually, only a few are like that. Most students are too busy studying to have time to cause trouble. Q: What does the man imply? 10. W: You didn't seem to be terribly enthusiastic about the performance. M: You must be kidding. I couldn't have clapped any harder. My hands are still hurting. Q: What does the man think of the performance? Section B Passage 1 Born and raised in central Ohio, I'm a country girl through and through. I'm currently studying to become a physical therapist, a career path that marks a great achievement for me. At Ohio State University, admission into the physical therapy program is intensely competitive. I made it pass the first cut the first year I applied, but was turned down for admission. I was crushed, because for years I have been determined to become a physical therapist. I received advice from friends and relatives about changing my major and finding another course for my life. I just couldn't do it. I knew I could not be as happy in another profession. So I stilled myself, began to work seriously for another year and reapplied. Happily I received notice of my admission. Later, I found out that less than 15% of the applicant had been offered positions that year. Now in the first two years of professional training, I couldn't be happier with my decision not to give up on my dream. My father told me that if I wanted it badly enough, I would get in. Well, Daddy, I wanted it. So there. After graduation, I would like to travel to another country, possibly a Latin American country and work in a children's hospital for a year or two. So many of the children there are physically handicapped but most hospitals don't have the funding to hire trained staff to care for them properly. I would like to change that somehow. 11. What is the speaker's field of study? 12. According to the speaker, what contributed to her admission to Ohio State University? 13. Why does the speaker want to go to a Latin American country? Passage 2 Gabriela Mistral was once an ordinary teacher in a small village school in Northern Chile. Towering mountains separate her village from the world outside. Gabriela Mistral was only fifteen when she began teaching, but she was a good teacher. She helped the minds of her students' scale the mountain walls and reached out to the world beyond. For eighteen years, Gabriela devoted her life to the poor farm children of Chile's Northern valleys. During part of this time, she was director of schools in all of Chile. Before long, many countries recognized her as a great friend of children and the leader in education. In 1922, she was invited to Mexico to help organize the rural school system. Two years later, Gabriela Mistral came to the United States where she served as a visiting professor in several colleges. In New York City, a group of teachers helped to finance the publication of her first book of poetry. Some of her books have been translated into six different languages. She gave the income from some of her books to help poor and neglected children. Beginning in the 1920's, her interests reached out to broader fields. Statesmen asked her advice on international problems. She tried to break through the national barriers that hindered the exchange of ideas among the Spanish speaking peoples of South America. She tried to develop a better understanding between the United States and countries of Latin America. In 1945, she gained worldwide recognition by winning the Nobel Prize in literature, the first Southern American to win the prize. 14. Where did Gabriela Mistral start her teaching career? 15. How did Gabriela Mistral help the poor children of her hometown? 16. Why did many countries think highly of Gabriela Mistral? 17. How did Gabriela Mistral become famous all over the world? Passage 3 Over time animals have developed many ways to stay away from predators. A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals. Hiding is one of the best ways to stay alive. Some animals hide by looking like the places where they live. To see how this works, let's look at the sea dragon. It is a master of disguise. The sea dragon is covered with skin that looks like leaves. The skin helps the dragon look like a piece of seaweed. A hungry meat eater would stay away from anything that looks like seaweed. Other animals stay safe by showing their colors. They want other animals to see them. Scientists call these bright colors--warning colors. You have probably seen animals that have warning colors. Some grasshoppers show off their own bright colors. Those colors don't just look attractive; they tell their enemies to stay away. Of course, hungry predators sometimes ignore the warning. They still go after the grasshopper. If that happens, the grasshopper has a backup defense. It makes lots of foam. The foam tastes so bad that the predator won't do it again. Color doesn't offer enough protection for some other animals. They have different defenses that help them survive in the wild. Many fish live in groups or schools. That's because there is safety in numbers. At the first sign of trouble, schooling fish swim as close together as they can get. Then the school of fish makes lots of twists and turns. All that movement makes it hard for predators to see individuals in a large group. 18. What is the speaker mainly talking about? 19. What protects the sea dragon from the meat eater's attack? 20. According to the passage, why do many fish stay in groups? 2006年12月英语六级真题听力原 Section A 1.W: Do you know why Mary has such a long face today? M: I don‘t have the foggiest idea! She should be happy especially since she got a promotion yesterday. Q: What did the speakers mean? 2.M: Hi, Johanna! Are you interested in going to an Art Exhibition on Sunday? A friend of mine is showing some of her paintings there. It‘s the opening night. Free drinks and food! W: Well, actually, I don‘t have anything planned. It sounds kind of fun! Q: What did the man invite the woman to do on Sunday? 3.M: You did an excellent job in school! You were indeed a great student! Where did your drive come from? W: Academic achievements were important to my parents as immigrants. Education is where it all begins. My mother in particular tries to get me interested in school. Q: what do we learn about the woman from the conversation? 4.M: I hear the Sunflower Health Club on Third Street is good! W: Not right now! I used to go there. I thought it was great because it was real cheap. But the problem was it was always crowded. Sometimes, I had to wait to use the machines. Q: What does the woman say about the Sunflower health club? 5.W: Tom is very excited! Just yesterday he received his doctoral degree and in a few minutes he‘ll be putting the ring on Sarah?s finger. M: He‘s really such a luck dog! Sarah is a lovely bride and tonight they are going to Hawaii on their honeymoon! Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 6.W: Your chemistry examination is over, isn‘t it? Why do you still look so worried? M: I don‘t know. It wasn‘t that the questions were too hard, or they were too many of them. But I‘m still feeling uneasy because the exam didn‘t seem to have much to do with the course material. Q: What does the man mean? 7.W: Your wife told me that you eat out four or five times a week, I really envy you! M: Don‘t envy me! It‘s for business. In fact, I‘m sick and tired of restaurant food! Sometimes, I just prefer a home-cooked meal. Q: Why does the man say he often eats out? 8.W: I was amazed when I heard Tony played piano so expertly! From the way he talked, I thought he was just starting his lessons. M: Oh, no! That‘s the way he always talks! Q: What can we infer about Tony from the conversation? 9.M: What do you think of people suing McDonalds for making them fat? W: Well. Its food doesn‘t make you fat. But eating too much of it does! How about chocolate and ice cream? Are they all responsible? It‘s silly! Q: What does the woman think of the lawsuit against McDonalds? 10.M: I‘m terribly sorry ma‘am, but your flight has been cancelled. I won‘t be able to put you on another one until tomorrow morning. W: Well, I certainly hope the airline‘s going to put me up somewhere tonight. Q: What did the woman request the airline do? Passage one You have probably heard of the DuPont company, which was founded by a family of the same name. But do you know about the museum that one of the family members began? Henry Francis Du Pont was an heir to Delaware‘s DuPont Company fortune. He was one of the first serious collectors of American decorative art objects: furniture, textiles, paintings and other objects made in United States between 1640 and 1840. American furniture and household objects had been considered inferior to those from Europe. But Du Pont helped develope a new appreciation for American decorative arts. He created a legendary show plays for these objects on his family estate just outside Wilmington, Delaware. In 1951, it was open to the public as the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum. The museum assembled objects from Du Pont‘s collection into 175 period rooms, each with examples of American antiques and decorative arts that followed a certain theme of period in early American history. For example, the Du Pont dining room has furniture dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. And because this was the time when the United States became a new nation, there‘s a patriotic theme in the room. Another example is the Chinese parlor, which has furnishings that would reflect American‘s fascination with Asian culture during the 18th century. In these period rooms, Du Pont believed he could tell the story of the early United States through furniture and other decorative arts. 11. What is Henry Francis Du Pont noted for? 12. What was the purpose of Du Pont‘s efforts? 13. How were the objects on display arranged? Passage two According to David Grattle, a British language expert, the idea that English will become the world language is outdated. And people are more likely to switch between two or more languages for routine communication in the future. The share of the world‘s population that speaks English as a native language is falling. Instead, English will play a growing role as a second language. A population speaking more than one language is already the case in much of the world and is becoming more common in the United States. Indeed, the census bureau reported last year that nearly one American in five speaks a language other than English at home, with Spanish taking the lead, followed by Chinese. Grattle works for British consulting and publishing business. He anticipates a world with the share of people who are native English speakers slips from 9% in the mid 1990s to 5% in 2050. Grattle says, ―Up until 1995, English was the second most common native tongue in the world, trailing only Chinese. By 2050, Chinese will continue its predominance with Hindi Woodoo of India and Arabic climbing past English and Spanish nearly equal to it.‖ In contrast, an American language expert, David Harrison noted that the global share of English is much larger if you count second language speakers, and will continue to rise even as the proportion of native speakers declines. Harrison disputed listing Arabic in top three languages because varieties of Arabic spoken in such countries as Egypt and Morocco are mutually incomprehensible. 14. What does David Grattle say about the use of languages for daily communication in the future? 15. Why doesn‘t David Harrison include Arabic as one of the top three languages? 16. What can we infer from the passage? Passage three There are about 1 million blind people in the United States. The largest and most influential organization of blind people in this country is the National Federation of the Blind. Its officials say the nation doesn‘t have any colleges or universities that serve only blind students. They say the reason for this is that blind people must learn to live among people who can see. American colleges and universities do accept blind and visually impaired students, and they provide services to help these students succeed. For example, colleges find people who write down what the professor say in class and they provide technology that can help blind students with their work. However, experts say colleges can best help blind students by making it clear that the students should learn to help themselves. One blind American student named T recently made news because he graduated from medical school from the University of Wisconsin. He said technology was one of the reasons he succeeded. He used a computer that read into his earphone what he was typing. He also used a small printer that permitted him to write notes about his patients in the hospital. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. National Federation of the Blind officials say blind students from other nations do come to the United States to attend college. Some can even get financial aid. The Federation awards about 30 scholarships each year that have no citizenship requirement. 17. According to officials of the National Federation of the Blind, why are there no special colleges for blind students only? 18. According to experts how can colleges best help blind students? 19. What is one of the reasons given by T as a blind student for his success? 20. What can blind students from overseas do to study in America according to the National Federation of the Blind? 2007年6月英语六级真题听力原文 11、 W: Jim, you are on the net again! We are going to get off. It s time for the talk show! M: Just a minute dear! I m looking at a new jewelry site. I want to make sure I get the right gift for mom s birthday. Q: What is the man doing right now? 12(W: I ve never seen you have such confidence before in the exam! M: It s more than confidence! Right now I felt that if I got less than an A, it will be the fault of the exam itself. Q: What does the man mean? 13(W: Just look at this newspaper! Nothing but murder, death and war! Do you still believe people are basically good? M: Of course I do! But newspapers hardly ever report stories about peace and generosity. They are not news! Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 14(M: Tom must be joking when he said he plans to sell his shop and go to medical school. W: You are quite right! He s just kidding! He s also told me time and time again he wished to study for some profession instead of going into business. Q: What will Tom probably do according to the conversation? 15(W: I hear your boss has a real good impression of you, and he is thinking about giving you two more days off each month. M: I hope not. I d rather get more work hours I can get enough bucks to help out my two kids at college. Q: What does the man truly want? 16(M: I heard you took a trip to Mexico last month. How did you like it? W: Oh, I got sick and tired of the hotel and hotel food! So now I understand the thing: East, west, home s best! Q: What does the woman mean? 17(W: I m worried about Anna. She s really been depressed lately. All she does is staying in her room all day. M: That sounds serious! She d better see a psychiatrist at the counseling centre. Q: What does the man suggest Anna do? 18(M: I could hardly recognize Sam after we got that new job! He s always in a suit and tie now. W: Yeah. He was never liked that in college. Back then, he went around in old T-shirts and jeans. Q: What does the speaker say about Sam? Conversation 1 M: Hi, Anna! Welcome back! How‘s your trip to the States? W: Very busy. I had a lot of meetings, so, of course, I didn‘t have much time to see New York. M: What a pity! Actually, I have a trip there myself next week. W: Do you? Then take my advice, do the well-being in the air program. It really works. M: Oh, I read about that in a magazine. You say it works? W: Yes, I did the program on the flight to the States, and when I arrived at New York, I didn‘t have any problem, no jet lag at all. On the way back, I didn‘t do it, and I felt terrible. M: You‘re joking! W: Not at all, it really meant a lot of difference. M: En. So what did you do? W: Well, I didn‘t drink an alcohol or coffee, and I didn‘t eat any meat or rich food. I drink a lot of water, and fresh juice, and I ate the noodles on the well-being menu. They‘re lighter. They have fish, vegetables, and noodles, for example, and I did some of the exercises of the program. M: Exercises? On a plane? W: Yes. I didn‘t do many, of course, there isn‘t much space on a plane. M: How many passengers do the exercises? W: Not many. M: Then how much champagne did they drink? W: A lot! It was more popular than mineral water. M: So, basically, it‘s a choice. Mineral water and exercises, or champagne and jet lag. W: That‘s right! It‘s a difficult choice. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you‘ve just heard. 19. Why did the woman go to New York? 20. What does the woman say about the well-being in the air program? 21. What did the woman do to follow the well-being menu? 22. What did the woman say about other passengers? Conversation Two: W: Morning. Can I help you? M: Well, I‘m not rally sure. I‘m just looking. W: I see. Well, there‘s plenty to look at it again this year. I‘m sure you have to walk miles to see each stand. M: That‘s true. W: Er…, would you like a coffee? Come and sit down for a minute, no obligation. M: Well, that‘s very kind of you, but… W: Now, please. Is this the first year you‘ve been to the fair, Mr…. M: Yes, Johnson, James Johnson. W: My name‘s Susan Carter. Are you looking for anything in particular, or are you interested in computers in general? M: Well, actually, I have some specific jobs in mind. I owe a small company, we‘ve grown quite dramatically over the past 12 months, and we really need some technological help to enable us to keep on top of everything. W: What‘s your line of business, Mr. Johnson? M: We‘re a training consultancy. W: I see. And what do you mean ―to keep on top‖? M: The first thing is correspondence. We have a lot of standard letters and forms. So I suppose we need some kind of word processor. W: Right. Well, that‘s no problem. But it may be possible for you to get a system that does a lot of other things in addition to word processing. What might suit you is the MR5000. That‘s it over there! It‘s IBM compatible. M: What about the price? W: Well, the MR5000 costs 1,050 pounds. Software comes free with the hardware. M: Well, I‘ll think about it. Thank you. W: Here‘s my card. Please feel free to contact me. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you‘ve just heard: 23. Where did the conversation take place? 24. What are the speakers talking about? 25. What is the man‘s line of business? Passage P1 The new year always brings with the cultural tradition of new possibilities. We see it as a chance for renewal. We begin to dream of new possible selves. We design our ideal self or an image that is quite different from what we are now. For some of us, we roll at dreamy film in our heads just because it‘s the beginning of a new year. But we aren‘t serious about making changes. We just make some half-hearted resolution and it evaporates after a week or two. The experience makes us feel less successful and leads us to discount our ability to change in the future. It‘ not the change is impossible but that it would lose(?) unless our resolutions are supported with plans for implementation. We have to make our intentions manageable by detailing the specific steps that will carry us to our goal. Say your goal is to lose weight by dieting and cutting off sweets. But one night you just have to have a cookie. And you know there‘s a bag of your favorites in the cupboard. You want one, you eat two, you check the bag and find out you‘ve just shot 132 calories. You say to yourself, ―What the hell!‖ and polish off the whole bag. Then you begin to draw all kinds of unpleasant conclusions about yourself. To protect your sense of self, you begin to discount the goal. You may think – ―Well, dieting wasn‘t that important to me and I won‘t make it anyhow.‖ So you abandon the goal and return to your bad habits. 26 What do people usually wish to do at the beginning of a new year? 27 How can people turn their new year‘s resolutions into reality? 28 Why does the speaker mention the example of sweets and cookies? P2 25 years ago, Ray Anderson, a single parent with a one-year-old son witnessed a terrible accident which took place when the driver of a truck ran a red light and collided with the car of Sandra D. The impact of the collision killed Sandra instantly. But her three-month-old daughter was left trapped in the burning car. While others looked on in horror, Andersen jumped out of his vehicle and crawled into the car through the shadowed rear window to try to free the infant. Seconds later, the car was enclosed in flames. But to everyone‘s amazement, Andersen was able to pull the baby to safety. While the baby was all right, Andersen was seriously injured. Two days later he died. But his heroic act was published widely in the media. His son was soon adopted by relatives. The most remarkable part of the story unfolded only last week. Karen and her boyfriend Michael were looking through some old boxes when they came across some old newspaper clippings. ―This is me when I was a new born baby. I was rescued from a burning car. But my mother died in the accident,‖ explained Karen. Although Michael knew Karen‘s mother had died years earlier, he never fully understood the circumstances until he skimmed over the newspaper article. To Karen‘s surprise, Michael was absorbed in the details of the accident. And he began to cry uncontrollably. Then he revealed that the man that pulled Karen from the flames was the father he never knew. The two embraced and shed many tears, recounting stories told to them about their parents. 29 What happened twenty-five years ago? 30 What does the speaker say about Michael‘s father? 31 Why did Michael cry uncontrollably when he skimmed over the newspaper article? P3 Americans suffer from an overdose of work. Regardless of who they are or what they do. Americans spend more time at work than that any time since World War II. In 1950, the US had fewer working hours than any other industrialized country. Today, it exceeds every country but Japan where industrialized employees load 2155 hours a year compared with 1951 in the US and 1603 in the former West Germany. Between 1969 and 1989, employed Americans add an average of 138 hours to their yearly work schedules. The workweek has remained above 40 hours. But people are working more weeks each year. Specifically pay time off holidays, vacations, sick leave shrink by 50% in the 1980s. As corporations have experienced stiff competitions and slow in growth of productivity, they have pressed employees to work longer. Cost-cutting lay-offs in the 1980s reduce the professional and managerial runs, leaving fewer people to get the job done. In lower paid occupations where wages have been reduced, workers have added hours in overtime or extra jobs to preserve their living standards. The government estimates that more than 7 million people hold a second job. For the first time, large numbers of people say they want to cut back on working hours even it means earning less money. But most employers are unwilling to let them do so. The government which has stepped back from its traditional role as a regulator of work time should take steps to make shorter hours possible. Question 32-35 are based on the passage you‘ve just heard 32. In which country do industrial employees work the longest hours? 33. How do employed Americans manage to work more hours? 34. Why do corporations press their employees to work longer hours according to the speaker? 35. What does the speaker say many Americans prefer to do? Compound dictation Nursing, as a typically female profession, must deal constantly with the false impression that nurses are there to wait on the physician. As nurses, we are licensed to provide nursing care only. We do not have any legal or moral obligation to any physician. We provide health teaching, assess physical as well as emotional problems, coordinate patient related services, and make all our nursing decision based upon what is best or suitable for the patient. If in any circumstance we feel that a physician‘s order is inappropriate or unsafe, we have a legal responsibility to question that order, or refuse to carry it out. Nursing is not a nine-to-five job with every weekend off. All nurses are aware of that before they enter the profession. The emotional and physical stress, however, that occurs due to odd working hours is a prime reason for a large of the career dissatisfaction. It is sometimes required that we work overtime, and that we change shifts four or five times a month. That disturbs our personal lives, destruct our sleeping and eating habits, and isolates us from everything except job related friends and activities. The quality of nursing care is being affected dramatically by these situations. Most hospitals are now staffed by new graduates, as experienced nurses finally give up trying to change the system. Consumers of medically related services have evidently not been affected enough yet to demand changes in our medical system. But if trends continue as predicted, they will find that most critical hospital care will be provided by new, inexperienced, and sometimes inadequately trained nurses. 2007年12月英语六级真题听力原文 Section A 11. M: The biological project is now in trouble, you know, my colleague and I have completely different ideas about how to proceed. W: Why don‘t you compromise (让步，妥协),Try to make it a win-win situation (双赢) for you both. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 12. M: How does Nancy like the new dress she bought in Rome? W: She said she would never have bought an Italian style dress if she had known Mary Had already got such a dress. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 13. M: You are not going to do all those dishes before we leave, are you? If we don‘t pick up(开车接) George and Martha in 25 minutes, we‘ll never get to the theater on time. W: Oh, didn‘t I tell you Martha called to say her daughter was ill and they could not got tonight? Q: What is the woman probably going to do first? 14. M: You‘ve been hanging on to the phone (打电话不挂断) for quite a while. Who were you talking with? W: Oh, it was Sally. You know, she always has the latest news in town and can‘t wait to talk it over with me. Q: What to we learn about Sally from the conversation? 15. W: It‘s always been hard to get this car into first gear (挂一挡)，and now the clutch seems to be slipping. M: If you leave the car with me, I will fix it for you this afternoon. Q: Who is the woman probably speaking to? 16. M: Kate, why does the downtown area look deserted now? W: Well, there used to be some really good stores, but lots of them moved out to the mall.‘ Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 17. W: I find the lounge such a cozy place to study in. I really like the feeling of sitting on the sofa and doing the reading. M: Well, for me the hardest part about studying here is staying awake . Q: What does the man mean? 18. W: There mosquito bites are killing me. I can‘t help scratching. M: Next time you go camping, take some precaution, say, wearing long sleeves . Q: Why does the man suggest the woman wear long sleeves? Conversation One M: Hello, and welcome to our program, ―Working Abroad‖. Our guest this evening is a Londoner, who lives and works in Italy, Her name‘s Susan Hill. Susan, welcome to the program (19). You live in Florence, how long have you been living there? W: Since 1982. But when I went there in 1982, I planned to stay for only 6 months(20). M: Why did you change your mind? W: Well, I‘m a designer, I design leather goods, mainly shoes and handbags, Soon after I arrived in Florence, I got a job with one of Italy‘s top fashion houses, Ferregamo. So, I decided to stay. M: How lucky! Do you still work for Ferregamo? W: No, I‘ve been a freelance designer for quite a long time now, since 1988, in fact. (21) M: So does that mean you design for several different companies now? W: Yes, that‘s right. I‘ve designed many fashion items for a number of Italian companies, and in the last four years, I‘ve also been designing for the British company, Burberrys. (21) M: What have you been designing for them? W: Mostly handbags and small leather goods. M: How‘s the fashion industry in Italy changed since 1982? W: oh, yes. It‘s become a lot more competitive (22). Because the quality of products from other countries has improved a lot. But Italian quality and design is still world-famous. M: And do you ever think of returning to live in England? W: No, not really. Working in Italy is more interesting. I also love the Mediterranean sun and the Italian life style. M: Well, thank you for talking to us, Susan. W: It was a pleasure. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. Where does this talk most probably take place? 20. What was the woman‘ s original plan when she went to Florence? 21. What has the woman been doing for a living since 1988? 22. What do we learn about the change in Italy‘s fashion industry? Conversation Two M: So, Claire, you‘re into drama? W: Yes, I have a master‘s degree in Drama and Theatre. At the moment, I‘m hoping to get onto a Ph.D. Program. M: What excites you about drama? W: Well, I find it‘s a communicative way to study people and you learn how to read people in drama. So usually I can understand what people are saying, even though they might be lying. (23) M: That would be useful. W: Yeah, it‘s very useful for me as well. I‘m an English lecturer, so use a lot for drama in my classes, such as role plays. And I ask my students to create mini-dramas. They really respond well. (24) At the moment, I‘m hoping to get onto a Ph. D. course. I would like to concentrate on Asian drama and try to bring Asian theatre to the world‘s attention. I don‘t know how successful I would be, but, here‘s hoping. M: Oh, I‘m sure you‘ll be successful. Now, Claire , what do you do for stage fright? W: Ah, stage fright! Well, many actors have that problem. Get stage fright every time I‘m going to teach a new class. The night before, I usually can‘t sleep. M: What? For teaching? W: Yes. I get really bad stage fright. But the minute I step into the classroom or get onto the stage, it just all falls into place. Then I just feel like: Yeah, this is what I mean to do. And I‘m fine (25). M: Wow, that‘s cool! Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 23. Why does the woman find study in drama and theatre useful? 24. How did the woman‘s students respond to her way of teaching Englsih? 25. What does the woman say about her stage fright? Section B Passage One In January 1989, the Community of European Railways presented their proposal for a high speed pan-European train network, extending from Sweden to Sicily, and from Portugal to Poland by the year 2020. (26) If their proposal becomes a reality, it will revolutionize train travel in Europe. Journeys between major cities will take half the time they take today. (27) Brussels will be only one and a half hours from Paris. The quickest way to get from Paris to Frankfurt, from Barcelona to Madrid will be by train, not plane. When the network is compete, it will integrate three types of railway line: totally new high-speed lines with trains operating at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour, upgraded lines which allow for speeds up to 200 to 225 kilometers per hour, and existing lines for local connections and distribution of freight. If business people can choose between a 3-hour train journey from city-center to city-center and 1-hour flight, they‘ll choose the train (28), says an executive travel consultant. They won‘t go by plane any more. If you calculate flight time, check-in and travel to-and-from the airport, you‘ll find almost no difference. And if your plane arrives late due to bad weather or air traffic jams or strikes, then the train passengers will arrive at their destination first. (28) Since France introduced the first 260-kilometer per hour high speed train service between Paris and Lyon in 1981 (29), the trains have achieved higher and higher speeds. On many routes, airlines have lost up to 90% of their passengers to high speed trains. If people accept the Community of European Railways‘ Railways‘ Plan, the 21st century will be new age of the trains. Question 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. What is the proposal presented by the Community of European Railways? 27. What will happen when the proposal becomes a reality? 28. Why will business people prefer a 3-hour train journey to a 1-hour flight? 29. When did France introduce the first high speed train service? Passage Two Western doctors are beginning to understand what traditional healers have always known that the body and the mind are inseparable. (30) Until recently, modern urban physicians heal the body, psychiatrist the mind, and priests the soul. However, the medical world is now paying more attention to holistic medicine, which is an approach based on the belief that people‘s state of mind can make them sick or speed their recovery from sickness. Several studies show that the effectiveness of a certain drug often depends on the patients‘ expectations of it. For example, in one recent study, psychiatrists at a major hospital tried to see how patients could be made calm. (31) They divided them into two groups. One group was given a drug while the other group received a harmless substance instead of medicine without their knowledge. Surprisingly, more patients in the second group showed the desired effect than those in the first group. In study after study, there‘s a positive reaction in almost one-third of the patients taking harmless substances. How was this possible? How can such a substance have an effect on the body? Evidence from a 1997 study at the University of California shows that several patients who received such substances were able to produce their own natural drug, that is, as they took the substance their brains released natural chemicals that act like a drug. (32) Scientists theorized that the amount of these chemicals released by a person‘s brain quite possibly indicates how much faith the person has in his or her doctor. Question 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 30. According to the speaker, what are western doctors beginning to understand? 31. What does the recent study at a major hospital seem to prove? 32. What evidence does the 1997 study at the University of California produce? Passage Three So we‘ve already talked a bit about the growth of extreme sports like rock-climbing. As psychologists, we need to ask ourselves (35): Why is this person doing this? Why do people take these risks and put themselves in danger when they don‘t have to? One common trait among risk-takers is that they enjoy strong feelings or sensations. (33) We call this trait sensation-seeking. A sensation-seeker is someone who‘s always looking for new sensations. What else do we know about sensation-seekers? Well, as I said, sensation-seekers like strong emotions. You can see this trait in many parts of a person‘s life, not just in extreme sports. For example, many sensation-seekers enjoy hard rock music. They like the loud sound and strong emotion of the songs. Similarly, sensation-seekers enjoy frightening horror movies. They like the feeling of being scared and horrified while watching the movie. This feeling is even stronger for extreme sports where the person faces real danger. Sensation-seekers feel the danger is very exciting. In addition, sensation-seekers like new experiences that force them to push their personal limits. For them, repeating the same things everyday is boring.(34) Many sensation-seekers choose jobs that involve risk, such as starting a new business or being an emergency room doctor. These jobs are different everyday, so they never know what will happen. That‘s why many sensation-seekers also like extreme sports. When you do rock-climbing, you never know what will happen. The activity is always new and different. Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 33. According to the speaker, what is a common trait among risk-takers? 34. What do sensation-seekers find boring? 35. What is the speaker‘s profession? Section C If you are like most people, you‘ve indulged in fake listening many times. You go to history class, sit in the third row, and look squarely (36) at the instructor as she speaks. But your mind is far away, floating (37) in the clouds of pleasant daydreams. Occasionally (38) you come back to earth: the instructor writes an important term on the chalkboard, and you dutifully (39) copy it in your notebook. Every once in a while the instructor makes a witty (40) remark, causing others in the class to laugh. You smile politely, pretending that you‘ve heard the remark and found it mildly humorous (41). You have a vague sense of guilt (42) that you aren‘t paying close attention, but you tell yourself that any material (43) you miss can be picked up from a friend‘s notes. Besides, the instructor is talking about road construction in ancient Rome and nothing could be more boring (44). So back you go into your private little world. Only later do you realize you‘ve missed important information for a test. Fake listening may be easily exposed, since many speakers are sensitive to facial cues and can tell if you‘re merely pretending to listen. Your blank expression and the faraway look in your eyes are the cues that betray you inattentiveness (45). Even if you‘re not exposed, there‘s another reason to avoid fakery: it‘s easy for this behavior to become a habit. For some people, the habit is so deeply rooted that they automatically start daydreaming when a speaker begins talking on something complex or uninteresting (46). As a result, they miss lots of valuable information. 2008年6月英语六级真题听力原文 Section A 11. M: Good news, I‘m not going to have surgery after all. The doctor says I can start working out again soon and maybe play football like before in a few weeks. W: That‘s terrific. It would be great if you could get back in shape in time for the World Cup. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 12. M: I really need to make some extra money. You know I‘ve practically spent my entire budget for this semester. W: Why not check out the new cafeteria at Market Street? I think there are still a few openings suitable for seniors like you. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 13. M: I hear John left his cat in your care while he‘s on vacation abroad. How are you getting along with it? W: Well, it never comes when I call it. It spills its food and sheds all over the place. I can‘t wait till John gets back. Q: How does the woman find the cat? 14. W: Hello, Professor White, I got my grade in the mail this morning, but I think there might be a mistake in my mark. M: Yeah, I‘ve got several calls just like yours. There must be a problem with the computing system. It should be straightened out in a couple of hours. Q: What does the man mean? 15. M: Professor Johnson, last night when I was putting the finishing touches on my paper, a computer failure completely wiped out my files, do you think I can have another day to retype it? W: I‘m sorry, Rod. I‘m leaving for a conference tomorrow and I‘ll be away two weeks. I suppose you could send me an E-copy. Q: Why does the man say he can‘t submit his assignment on time? 16. W: I just called the travel agency, it‘s all set. On June l st, we are heading for the mountains and will be camping there for a whole week. M: Have you checked the academic calendar? My classes aren‘t over until the 8th. Q: What does the man imply? 17. W: I thought there was still time for me to apply for a student loan. But someone just told me that the closing date was last Tuesday. M: Are you sure? I thought we still had another month. Wait, I‘ve got a brochure right here. Last Tuesday was the opening date. Q: What does the man imply? 18. W: Look at all the pollutants going into the air from those factories. Do you think they‘ll ever get that under control? M: Now with the new laws in effect and social awareness increasing, we are sure to turn things around. Q: What does the man mean? Conversation One W: Tell me, Peter, what makes Harrods so famous? M: Well, it‘s the biggest department store in the UK. And its food hall and the Egyptian hall are very famous. People come to Harrods just to see them. W: What is special about the food hall? M: It sells many different kinds of food. For example, it has 250 kinds of cheese from all over the world and more than 180 kinds of bread. Customers also love all the different kinds of chocolate. They buy a hundred tons every year. W: That‘s amazing! And why is the Egyptian hall so famous? M: Well, when people see it, they feel they are in another world. It looks like in Egyptian building from 4,000 years ago. And it sells beautiful objects. They are not 4,000 years old, of course. W: Is it true that Harrods produces its own electricity? M: Yes, it does.70%, enough for a small town. To light the outside of the building, we use 11,500 light bulbs. W: Really? Tell me, how many customers do you have on an average day? And how much do they spend? M: About 30,000 people come on an average day. But during the sales, the number increases to 300,000 customers a day. How much do they spent? Well, on average, customers spend about 1.5 million pounds a day. The record for one day is nine million pounds. W: Nine million pounds in one day? M: Yes, on the first day of the January sales. W: Harrods says it sells everything to everybody, everywhere. Is that really true? M: Oh, yes. of course! Absolutely everything! 19. What is the food hall of Harrods noted for? 20. What does the Egyptian hall seem like to the customers? 21. What may customers find surprising about Harrods? 22. About how many customers come to Harrods on an average day? Conversation Two W: Hi Kevin! M: Hi Laura, long time no see! What have you been up to lately? W: Not much. I can assure you. And you? M: Much the same except I do have some big news. W: Come on. This suspense is killing me. M: No, really, what have you been doing these past few weeks? The last time I saw you, you were looking for a new job. W: Well, that‘s not exactly true. I was thinking about changing jobs. Luckily, they offered me a new position in the accounting department. M: A step up in the big business world. W: I wouldn‘t exaggerate, but I am pleased. I had been hoping to get a promotion for a while. So when it finally came through, I was relieved. Actually, that‘s why I was looking for a new job. I just didn‘t want to work there anymore if they weren‘t going to recognize my efforts. M: Right, sometimes you can do your best and it seems like the others don‘t know you exist. I hope the money‘s better. W: I got a reasonable raise, now enough about me. I‘m dying to hear your news. M: I am getting married. W: No, you said you‘d never get married. M: That was then and this is now. You‘ve got to meet Andrea, she‘s great! W: This is all news to me. I didn‘t even know you were dating. M: We weren‘t. We‘ve just been dating for two weeks now. W: And you getting married? M: I know. I can‘t help it. I just know she‘s the one. W: Well, congratulations! That‘s fantastic! M: Thanks, I‘m glad to hear you feel way. 23. What was the woman doing when the man last saw her? 24. Why does the woman say she was relieved? 25. Why is the woman surprised at the man‘s news? Section B Passage One Water scooters are water vehicles that look very much like motorcycles. Nowadays, speedy, colorful water scooters are gaining in popularity. They can travel anywhere a small boat can and particularly popular with young people. The rising popularity of the craft has raised the question of water scooter regulation. In this case, the argument for strict regulation is compelling. Water scooters are a particularly deadly form of water recreation. For example, two women were vacationing in Longboat Key while they were floating on the rubber boat along the shore, a water scooter crashed into them and kill them. Also water scooter operators have been killed or seriously injured in collisions with other water craft. Others have been stranded at the sea when their scooters either failed or sank far from shore. Many water scooter operators are inexperienced and ignorant of navigational rules, which increase the potential for accidents. The increasing popularity of the scooter has aggravated the problem, providing more water vehicles to compete for the same space. Crowded water waves are simply an open invitation to disaster. In addition to the inherent operational hazards of water scooters, they are proving to be an environmental nuisance. Beach residents complain of the noise of the scooters. The Pacific Whale Foundation on the west coast expressed concern that the scooters are frightening away an endangered species of whale that migrates to Hawaii for breeding. Regulations such as minimum operating age, restricted operating areas and compulsory classes in water safety are essential. Without such regulations, tragedies involving water scooters are sure to multiply, which makes many beaches unsafe for recreation. 26. What does the speaker say about water scooters? 27. What is mentioned as one of the causes of water accidents? 28. In what way are water scooters said to be an environmental nuisance? 29. What does the speaker propose to ensure the safety of beaches for recreation? Passage Two It seems to me that neighbors are going out of style in America. The friend nest door from whom you borrowed for eggs or a ladder has moved and the people in there now are strangers. Some of the traditional stories of neighborliness are impractical or silly and maybe just as well that our relations with our neighbors are changing. The saying in the Bible ―Love thy neighbor‖ was probably a poor translation of what must have originally been, ―respect thy neighbor‖. Love can be called up on order. Fewer than half the people in the United States live in the same house they lived in five years ago. So there is no reason to love the people who live next door to you, just because they happen to wander into a real estate office that listed the place next door to yours. The only thing neighbors have in common, to begin with, is proximity and unless something more develops that isn‘t reason enough to be best friends. It sometimes happens naturally, but the chances are very small that your neighbors will be your choices friends or that you will be theirs, either. The best relationship with neighbors is one of friendly distance. You say ―hello‖, use small talk if you see them in the yard, you discuss problems as they arise and you help each other in an emergency. The drive way or the fence between you is not really a cold shoulder but a clear boundary. We all like clearly-defined boundaries for ourselves. 30. What does the speaker say about the relations among neighbors nowadays? 31. Why does speaker say it may be difficult for people to love their neighbors? 32. What should neighbors do in the speaker‘s opinion? Passage Three Articles in magazines and newspapers and special reports on radio and television reflect the concern of many Americans about the increasing drop-out rate in our junior and senior high schools. Coupled with this fact is the warning that soon we will no longer have a work force to fill the many jobs that require properly educated personnel. The high student drop-out rate is not a recent development. Ten years ago, many urban schools were reporting drop-out rates between 35 and 50 percent. Some administrators maintain that drop-outs remain the single greatest problem in their schools. Consequently, much effort has been spent on identifying students with problems in order to give them more attention before they become failures. Since the drop-out problem doesn‘t start in senior high school, special programs in junior high school focus on students who that is staying away from show promise but have a record of truancy— school without permission. Under the guidance of counselors, these students are placed in classes with teachers who have had success in working with similar young people. Strategies to motivate students in a high school include rewarding academic excellence by designating scholars of the month, or by issuing articles of clothing, such as school letter jackets formerly given only to athletes. No one working with these students claims to know how to keep all students in school. Counselors, teachers and administrators are in the frontlines of what seems at times to be a losing battle. Actually, this problem should be everyone‘s concern since uneducated, unemployed citizens affect us all. 33. Why are many Americans concerned with the increasing drop-out rate in school? 34. What do we learn about the student drop-out problem in America? 35. What is mentioned as one of the strategies used to motivate students? Section C I‘m interested in the criminal justice system of our country. It seems to me that something has to be done, if we‘re to survive as a country. I certainly don‘t know what the answers to our problems are. Things certainly get complicated in a hurry when you get into them, but I wonder if something couldn‘t be done to deal with some of these problems. One thing I‘m concerned about is our practice of putting offenders in jail who haven‘t harmed anyone. Why not work out some system whereby they can pay back the debts they owe society instead of incurring another debt by going to prison and, of course, coming under the influence of course, coming under the influence of hardened criminals. I‘m also concerned about he short prison sentences people are serving for serious crimes. Of course one alternative to this is to restore capital pu8nishment, but I‘m not sure I would be for that. I‘m not sure it‘s right to take an eye . The alternative to capital punishment is longer sentences but they would certainly cost the tax-payers much money. I also think we must do something about the insanity plea. In my opinion, anyone who takes another person‘s life intentionally is insane; however, that does not mean that the person isn‘t guilty of the crime or that he shouldn‘t pay society the debt he owes. It‘s sad, of course, that a person may have to spend the rest of his life, or a large part of it in prison for acts that he committed while not in full control of his mind. 2008年12月英语六级真题听力原文 Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes) Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Now let’s begin with the eight short conversations: 11. M: I‘m asked to pick up the guest speaker Bob Russel at the airport this afternoon, do you know what he looks like? W: Well, he‘s in his sixties, he stands out, he‘s bald, tall and thin and has a beard. Q: What do we conclude from the woman‘s remarks about Bob Russel? 12. M: I am considering dropping my dancing class. I am not making any progress. W: If I were you, I stick with it. It‘s definitely worth time and effort. Q: What does the man suggest the woman do? 13. W: You see I still have this pain in my back, this medicine the doctor gave me was supposed to make me feel better by now. M: Maybe you should‘ve taken it three times a day as you were told. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 14. M: Frankly, when I sat the back of the classroom, I can‘t see the words on the board clearly. W: Well, you‘ve been wearing those same glasses as long as I‘ve known you. Why not get a new pair? It wouldn‘t cost you too much. Q: What does the woman imply about the man‘s glasses? 15. W: How come the floor is so wet? I almost slipped, what happened? M: Oh, sorry! The phone rang the moment I got into the shower, anyway, I‘ll wipe it up right now. Q: Why was the floor wet according to the man? 16. M: The instructions on the package say that you need to some assembly yourself. I‘ve spent all afternoon trying in vain to put this bookcase together. W: I know what you mean, last time I tried to assemble a toy train for my son and I almost gave up. Q: What does the man find difficult? 17. M: I‘m getting worried about Jenny‘s school work. All she talks about these days is volleyball games and all she does is practice, training and things like that. W: Her grades on the coming exams will fall for sure. It‘s high time we talk(ed) some sense to her. Q: What are the speakers probably going to do? 18. W: Do you understand why the local people are opposed to the new dam up the river? M: They are worried about the potential danger if the dam should break. The river is very wide above the proposed site. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? Now you’ll hear the two long conversations: Conversation One W: Mr. White, what changes have you seen in the champagne market in the last ten to fifteen years? M: Well the biggest change has been the decrease in sales since the great boom years of the 1980s when champagne production and sales reached record levels. W: Which was the best year? M: Well the record was in 1989 when 249 million bottles of champagne was sold. The highest production level was reached in 1990 with a total of 293 million bottles. Of course since those boom years sales have fallen. W: Has the market been badly hit by the recession? M: Oh certainly, the economic problems in champagnes‘ export markets that‘s Europe, the United States, Japan, and of course the domestic market in France, the economic problems have certainly been one reason for the decrease in champagne sales. W: And the other reasons? M: Another important factor has been price. In the early 90s, champagne was very overpriced, so many people stop buying it. Instead they bought sparkling wines from other countries, in particular from Australia and Spain. And then there was another problem for champagne in the early 90s. W: What was that? M: There was a lot of rather bad champagne on the market. This meant the popularity of good sparkling wines increased even more. People was surprised by their quality and of course they were a lot cheaper than champagne. W: Do you think the champagne market will recover in the future? M: Oh, I‘m sure it will. When the economic situation improves, I believe the market will recover. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. What does the man say about champagne in the 1980s? 20. Why did sparkling wines become more popular than champagne in the early 90s? 21. What does the man think of the champagne market in the future? Conversation Two W: Right, well, in the studio this morning, for our interview spot is Peter Wilson. Peter works for Green Peace. So, Peter, welcome. M: Thanks a lot. It‘s good to be here. W: Great! Now, Peter, perhaps you can tell us something about Green Peace and your job there. M: Sure. Well, I‘ll start by telling you roughly what Green Peace is all about. I actually work in London for the Green Peace organization. We‘ve been going for a few decades and we‘re a non-violent, non-political organization. We‘re involved in anti-nuclear activity, conservation and protection of animals and protection and support of our eco-system. I‘m the action organizer and arrange any protests. W: Right! A pretty important role, Peter. What sort of protest would you organize? M: Well, recently we‘ve been involved in anti-nuclear campaigns. I, personally arranged for the demonstration against radioactive waste dumping in the Atlantic Ocean. We‘ve got a few small Green Peace boats that we harass the dumping ship with. W: Say? Hold on, Peter. I thought you said your organization was non-violent. What do you mean by "harass"? M: Well, we circle round and round the ships and get in the way when they try to dump the drums of nuclear waste in the sea. We talk to the men and try to change, you know, yell at them to stop. We generally make ourselves as much of a nuisance as possible. M: Well, people may think differently of your methods, but there‘s no doubt you‘re doing a great job. Keep it up and good luck. And thanks for talking with us. Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversations you have just heard. 22. What is the man‘s chief responsibility in the Green Peace organization? 23. What has Green Peace been involved in recently? 24. How does Green Peace try to stop people from dumping nuclear waste? 25. What is the woman‘s attitude towards the Green Peace‘s campaigns? Section B Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage One To find out what the weather is going to be, most people go straight to the radio, television, or newspaper to get an expert weather forecast. But if you know what to look for, you can use your own senses to make weather predictions. There are many signs that can help you. For example, in fair weather the air pressure is generally high, the air is still and often full of dust, and far away objects may look vague. But when the storm is brewing, the pressure drops, and you are often able to see things more clearly. Sailors took note of this long ago, and came up with the saying, ―The farther the sight, the nearer the rain.‖ Your sense of smell can also help you detect the weather changes. Just before it rains, odors become stronger, this is because odors are repressed in a fair high pressure center. When a bad weather low moves in, air pressure lessens and odors are released. You can also hear an approaching storm. Sounds bounce off heavy storm clouds and return to earth with increased force. An old saying describes it this way, ―Sounds traveling far and wide a stormy day will be tied‖. And don‘t laugh at your grandmother if she says she can feel a storm coming. It is commonly known that many people feel pains in their bones or joints while the humidity rises, the pressure drops, and bad weather is on the way. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard: 26. Why does the speaker say we can see far away objects more clearly as a storm is approaching? 27. What does the speaker want to show by quoting a couple of old sayings? 28. What does the passage mainly talk about? Passage Two Many days seem to bring numerous tasks and responsibilities. All of which apparently must be tackled right away. You spend a day putting out files, but by the end of the day, you haven‘t accomplished any of the really important things you set out to do. In desperation, you draft a ―to-do‖ list, but most days, you can make little progress with it. When you look at the list each morning, a big fat cloud of doom is right at the top. Those difficult, complex, important tasks, that are so crucial to get done, and so easy to avoid. Plenty of us create a ―to-do‖ list to address feelings of being overwhelmed, but we rarely use these tools to their best effect. They wind out being guilt-provoking reminders of the fact that will over-committed and losing control of our priorities. According to Timothy Pikle, a professor of psychology at Carlton University in Ottawa, people often draw up a ―to-do‖ list, and then that‘s it. The list itself becomes the day‘s achievement, allowing us to feel we‘ve done something useful without taking on any real work. In fact, drawing up the list becomes a way of avoiding the work itself. Too often, the list is seen as the accomplishment for the day, reducing the immediate guilt of not working on the tasks at hand by investing energy in the list, says Pikle. When a list is used like this, it‘s simply another way in which we lie to ourselves. Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have heard. 29. What is the problem that troubles many people nowadays according to the speaker? 30. According to the speaker, what too many people do to cope with their daily tasks? 31. According to psychologist Timothy Pikle, what do people find by the end of the day? Passage Three In many stressful situations, the body‘s responses can improve our performance. We become more energetic, more alert, better able to take effective action. But when stress is encountered continually, the body‘s reactions are more likely to be harmful than helpful to us. The continual speeding up of bodily reactions and production of stress related hormones seem to make people more susceptible to heart disease. And stress reactions can reduce the disease fighting effectiveness of the body‘s immune system, thereby increasing susceptibility to illnesses ranging from colds to cancer. Stress may also contribute to disease in less direct ways by influencing moods and behavior. People under stress may become anxious or depressed, and as a result may eat too much or too little, have sleep difficulties or fail to exercise. These behavioral changes may in turn be harmful to the health. In addition, people are more likely to pay attention to certain bodily sensations such as aches and pains when they are under stress and to think that they‘re sick. If the person were not under stress, the same bodily sensations might not be perceived as symptoms and the person might continue to feel well. Some researchers have suggested that assuming the role of a sick person is one way in which certain people try to cope with stress. Instead of dealing with the stressful situation directly, these people fall sick. After all, it is often more acceptably in our society to be sick and to seek medical help than it is to admit that one can not cope with the stresses of life. Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32. What does the speaker say about people who encounter stress once in a while? 33. What does the speaker say frequent stress reactions may lead to? 34. What are people more likely to do when they are under stress? 35. What does the passage mainly talk about? Section C Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written. Now listen to the passage: One of the most common images of an advanced, Western-style culture is that of a busy, traffic-filled city. Since their first(36)appearance on American roadways, automobiles have become a(37)symbol of progress, a source of thousands of jobs and an almost inalienable right for citizens‘ personal freedom of movement. In recent(38)decades, our ―love affair‖ with the car is being(39)exported directly to the developing world, and it is increasingly(40)apparent that this transfer is leading to disaster. American‘s almost complete dependence on automobiles has been a terrible mistake. As late as the 1950s, a large(41)percentage of the American public used mass transit. A(42)combination of public policy decisions and corporate scheming saw to it that countless(43)convenient and efficient urban streetcar and intra-city rail systems were dismantled (拆除).(44)Our air quality now suffers from the effects of pollutants emitted directly from our cars. Our lives have been planned along a road homes far from work, shopping far from everything, with ugly grid — stretches of concrete and blacktop in between. Developing countries are copying Western-style transportation systems down to the last detail.(45)The problems caused by motorized vehicles in the West are often magnified in developing nations. Pollution control measures are either not strict or nonexistent, leading to choking clouds of smog. Gasoline still contains lead, which is extremely poisonous to humans.(46)Movement in some cities comes to a virtual standstill as motorized traffic competes with bicycles and pedestrians. In addition to pollution and traffic jams, auto safety is a critical issue in developing nations. 2009年6月英语六级真题听力原文 Short Conversations 11. W: There were more than a hundred people at Kate's birthday party. How come she's got so many friends? M: It's really no surprise. You know she was popular even when she was a child Q: What does the man imply about Kate? 12. M: They say there'll be a snow-storm tonight, and the cold weather will last quite a few days. W: Oh! We're so lucky, we'll be getting away for a while, and having a holiday in Florida. But let's call right now to confirm our flight. Q: What do we learn about the two speakers? 13. W: Tony was awarded a medal for rescuing several families from the forest fire. M: I really admire his courage. Q: What do we learn about Tony from the conversation? 14. M: My washing machine is more than fifteen years old and it has worked just fine until last night. W: You‘ll never be able to get parts for it, even from Japan. So it might be time to invest a more recent model. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 15. W: I heard about your promotion, you must be thrilled. M: Not really, the new office is huge, but the word load has doubled. Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation? 16. W: I can‘t decide what to do about the party tomorrow. M: You don‘t have to go if you don‘t want to, but I‘ll be glad to give you a ride if you do. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 17. M: Now if you have any questions about the contract. I‘ll be happy to answer them. W: Nothing comes to mind right now, but I‘d like to go over all the articles of the contract once more before signing it. Q: What are the speakers doing right now? 18. M: We are out of paper for the printer. Can you please order some? W: I completed the order form online yesterday and it will be here by noon. I‘ll let you know when it comes in. Q: What did the woman do? Long Conversation Conversation One W: Bob, do you know who I saw the other day? Old Jake, looking terribly depressed. Did he get pensioned off at last? M: Yes. They made him retire after 50 years at sea. He is pretty upset about it, but what can you do? He really is pasted. W: He is all alone, isn‘t he? M: Yes, his wife has been dead for years. They had one daughter, Dories. But she went off to town as soon as she left school. And he hasn‘t heard from her since. I hear she is making good money as a model. W: Maybe someone could get in touch with her. Get her to come back for a while to help? M: I don‘t suppose she come. She never got on with her father. He is bit of a tough character and she is rather selfish. Oh, I expect old Jake will get by. He is healthy at least, comes into a clinic for a check regularly. W: Are you his doctor? M: No, my partner doctor Johnson is. W: That bad-tempered old thing? M: Oh, he isn‘t bad-tempered. He just looks it. He is an excellent doctor, taught me a lot, and he has a very nice family. His wife invites me over there to supper every week. Very pleasant. W: yes. I teach their daughter Pen at school. She is a bit careless and lazy about her school work, but a bright little thing and very popular with her age group. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you‘ve just heard. 19. Why does old Jake look terribly depressed? 20. What do we learn about Jake‘s wife? 21. What does the man say about Jake‘s daughter? 22. What does the man say about Jake‘s doctor? Conversation Two W: Hello, Mr. Summerfield. How are you today? M: Very well. Thank you, Ms. Green. W: What can I do for you? M: Well, unfortunately, there is a problem with the order we received from you yesterday. It seems we haven‘t seen the right quantity of manuals to support the telephone system. W: Oh, dear, that‘s bad news. I‘m very sorry to hear that, and you don‘t know how many packs are without manuals? M: No, because we haven‘t opened every pack. But in several of those that have been opened there are none, no manuals. W: I‘m very sorry about this inconvenience, Mr. Summerfield. We‘ll send out the manuals this afternoon by express mail entirely at our cost, and the manuals should arrive tomorrow or the day after at the latest. M: All of them, right? W: Yes. It maybe that some have them already, but we cannot be sure. So the best thing is to send out the manual for every pack. M: Yes. Yes, I see. That would be great. W: Please accept our apologies for this mix-up. I assure you we will do everything possible to find out why the mistake happened M: Right. Thanks for your swift action. W: Not at all. Thank you and goodbye for now. Do call if there is anything else. M: All right. Thank you. Goodbye, Ms Green. W: Goodbye. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you‘ve just heard. 23. What problems are the speakers discussing? 24. What does the woman promise to do? 25. What does the man think of the solution? Passage Passage 1 Attracting and feeding wild birds are entertaining activities that have long been enjoyed by people all over the world. Feeding birds has become so popular that prepared feed mixtures are readily available. We feed birds for many reasons. Many pleasant hours can come from watching birds. A hobby often develops into a serious study of their habits. Accurate identification of birds is usually the first goal. But observations that an amateur bird-watcher can make are really limitless. There is, however, responsibility associated with bird feeding, including a disease hazard. Attracting numbers of birds continually to the same spot can be harmful to them, particularly species that pick food from the ground contaminated by the droppings of other birds. In winter feeding efforts are most satisfying to people and are of greatest benefit to birds. During this time when fewer natural foods are available and air temperatures are lower, extra feeding can keep a bird warm and well. Once begun, feeding should never stop during these lean months. If you start a local increase of birds, be prepared to do what may be required to eliminate hazards to those you want to befriend. A constant supply of food should be given until the cold is over and spring has come. If feeding is stopped during severe weather, birds used to relying upon the feeders must starve. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you‘ve just heard. Q26 What does the speaker say about bird watching? Q27 What does the speaker say about birds fed continually on the same spot? Q28 What does the speaker suggest we do in feeding birds in winter? Passage 2 My friend Leo makes up weak and poor excuses whenever there is something he doesn‘t want to do. Just two weeks ago, he was at my house when he decided he didn‘t want to go into work. He called his boss and said he had to get a new set of tires put on his truck. Then he sat down and watched TV with me. Not only had he lied but his excuse wasn‘t a very convincing one. Another time, he cancelled a date with his girlfriend at the last minute telling her he had to get a new battery for his truck. She was angry and refused to go out with him again until he apologized. Last weekend, Leo offered the poorest excuse yet. He‘d promised he‘d help me move some furniture, from my parents‘ house to my new apartment. He was supposed to bring his truck over about 8 o‘clock Saturday morning. I waited, and then called and left a message on his machine. About 11:30, he called and said he was sorry but he‘d been getting a new set of tires put on his truck. I guess he‘d forgotten he used the same excuse when he called his boss from my house. I think I need a new set of friends. I‘m beginning to get tired of Leo‘s excuses. Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you‘ve just heard. Q29 What does the speaker tell us about her friend Leo? Q30 What did his girlfriend do when Leo canceled a date with her at the last minute? Q31 What favor did the speaker ask Leo to do last weekend? Passage 3 In Hollywood, everybody wants to be rich, famous and beautiful. Nobody wants to be old, unknown and poor. For Hollywood kids, life can be difficult because they grow up such an unreal atmosphere. Their parents are ambitious and the children are part of the parents‘ ambitions. Parents pay for wasteful grand parties, expensive cars and designer clothes. When every dream can come true, kids don‘t learn the value of anything because they have everything. A thirteen-year-old boy, Trent Maguire, has a driver, credit cards and unlimited cash to do what he wants when he wants to. ―One day, I‘ll earn more than my dad!‖ he boasts. Parents buy care and attention for their children because they have no time to give it themselves. Amender‘s mother employs a personal trainer, a bodyguard, a singing coach and a councilor to look after all her fifteen-year-old daughter‘s needs. Often, there is no parent at home most days, so children decide whether to make their own meals or go out to restaurants, when to watch television or do homework. They organize their social life. They play no childhood games. They become adults before they‘re ready. Hollywood has always been the city of dreams. The kids there live unreal lives where money, beauty and pleasure are the only gods. Will children around the world soon start to think the same? Or do they already? Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you‘ve just heard. Q32 Why is life said to be difficult for Hollywood kids? Q33 What does the speaker say about Trent Maguire, a thirteen-year-old boy? Q34 Why does Amender‘s mother employ other people to look after her needs? Q35 What will probably have negative effects on the lives of Hollywood kids? Compound Dictation Around 120 years ago, Ebbinghaus began his study of memory. He concentrated on studying how quickly the human mind can remember information. One result of his research is known as the total time hypothesis, which simply mean the amount you learn depends on the time you spend trying to learn it. This can be taken as our first rule of learning. Although it is usually true that studying for 4 hours is better than studying for 1, there is still the question of how to use the 4 hours. For example, is it better to study for 4 hours straight or to study for 1 hour a day for 4 days in a row? The answer, as you may have suspected, is that it is better to spread out the study times. This phenomenon through which we can learn more efficiently by dividing our practice time is known as the distribution of practice effect. Thus, our second rule of learning is this. It‘s better to study fairly briefly but often. But we are not finished yet. We haven‘t considered how we should study over very short periods of time. Let‘s say you are trying to learn some new and rather difficult English vocabulary using a stack of cards. Should you look at the same word in rapid succession or look at the word and then have some delay before you look at it again? The answer is it is better to space up the presentations of the word you are to learn 2009年12月英语六级真题听力原文 11. W: Did you use credit cards on your vacation last month in Europe? M: Sure I did. They certainly beat going around with a wallet full of big bills. But carrying lots of cash is still very common among some older people traveling abroad. Q: What does the man say about some elderly people? 12. W: Rod must be in a bad mood today. What‘s wrong with him? M: He was passed over in the selection process for the dean of the admissions office. He‘d been hoping for the position for a long time. Q: What does the man mean? 13. M: What a great singer Justin is! His concert is just awesome. And you‘ll never regret the money you paid for the ticket. W: Yeah. Judging by the amount of the applause, everyone was enjoying it. Q: What does the woman mean? 14. W: I received an email yesterday from Henry. Do you remember? He was one of the chairpersons of our students union. M: Yes, but I haven‘t heard from him for ages. Actually I‘ve been out of touch with him since our first reunion after graduation. Q: What do we learn about the speakers? 15. M: Driving at night always makes me tired. Let‘s stop for dinner. W: Fine. And let‘s find a motel, so that we can get an early start tomorrow. Q: What will the speakers probably do? 16. W: Let‘s look at the survey on consumer confidence we conducted last week. How reliable are these figures? M: They have a 5% margin of error Q: What are the speakers talking about? 17. W: Look at this catalogue, John. I think I want to get this red blouse. M: Err, I think you‘ve already one like this in blue. Do you need every color in the rainbow? Q: What does the man mean? 18. W: This notice says that all the introductory marketing classes are closed. M: That can‘t be true. There‘s supposed to be 13 of them this semester. Q: What does the man mean? Conversation One M: I see on your resume that you worked as a manager of a store called ―Computer Country‖. Could you tell me a little more about your responsibilities there? W: Sure. I was responsible for overseeing about 30 employees. I did all of the ordering for the store, and I kept track of the inventory. M: What was the most difficult part of your job? W: Probably handling angry customers. We didn‘t have them very often, but when we did, I needed to make sure they were well taken care of. After all, the customer is always right. M: That‘s how we feel here too. How long did you work there? W: I was there for three and a half years. I left the company last month. M: And why did you leave? W: My husband has been transferred to Boston. And I understand your company has an opening there too. M: Yes, that‘s right. We do. But the position won‘t start until early next month. Would that be a problem for you? W: No, not at all. My husband‘s new job doesn‘t begin for a few weeks. So we thought we would spend some time driving to Boston and stop to see my parents. M: That sounds nice. So tell me, why are you interested in this particular position? W: I know that your company has a great reputation, and a wonderful product. I‘ve thought many times that I would like to be a part of it. When I heard about the opening in Boston, I jumped to the opportunity. M: Well I‘m glad you did. 19. What was the woman‘s previous job? 20. What does the woman say was the most difficult part of her job? 21. Why is the woman looking for a job in Boston? 22. When can the woman start to work if she gets the job? Conversation Two W: Today in the studio we have Alberto Cortez, the well-known Brazilian advocate of the anti-global movement. He‘s here to talk about the recent report, stating that by 2050 Brazil will be the one ot the word‘s wealthiest and most successful countries. Alberto, what do you say to the report? M: You know this isn‘t the first time that people are saying Brazil will be a great economic power. The same thing was said over a hundred year ago. But it didn‘t happen. W: Yes, but you must admit the world‘s a very different place now. M: Of course. In fact I believe there‘s maybe some truth in the prediction this time around. First of all, though, we must remember the problems facing Brazil at the moment. W: Such as…? M: There‘s an enormous gap between the rich and the poor in this country. In Sal Paulo, you can see shopping malls full of designer goods right next door to the slam areas without proper water and electricity supplies. A lot of work needs to be done to help people in those areas improve their lives. W: What needs to be done? M: Education, for example. For Brazil to be successful, we need to offer education to all Brazilians. Successful countries like South Korea and Singapore have excellent education systems. Brazil needs to learn from these countries. W: So you are hopeful for the future. M: As I said earlier, I‘m hopeful. This isn‘t an easy job. We need to make sure that these important opportunities for Brazil aren‘t wasted, as they were in the past. 23. What does the recent report say about Brazil? 24. What problem does Alberto say Brazil faces now? 25. What does Alberto say about economically successful countries? Section B Passage One Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana. As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic substances in the environment, often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed high, sometimes deadly, levels of chemicals and other toxic substances, but she was not allowed to make her information public. Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company, and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change. Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up, and one chemical industry spokesperson calls her ―a top gun for the environmental movement.‖ How has Wilma Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training, partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. ―Public speaking,‖ she says, ―is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people.‖ If you had asked Subra before 1981, ―Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?‖ She would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than 100 presentations a year. Along the way she has lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan. 26. What did Wilma Subra do as part of her job while working at Gulf South Research Institute? 27. What did Wilma Subra leave her job in 1981? 28. What results have Wilma Subra‘s efforts had in the part two decades? 29. What does the speaker say has contributed to Wilma Subra‘s success? Passage 2 One of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today is the rapid advance of globalization. The market place is no longer national or regional, but extends to all corners of the world. And this requires a global ready workforce. Universities have a large part to play in preparing students for the 21st century labor market by promoting international educational experiences. The most obvious way universities can help develop global workforce is by encouraging students to study abroad as part of their course. Students who have experienced another culture first hand are more likely to be global ready when they graduate. Global workforce development doesn‘t always have to involve travel abroad however. If students learn another language and study other cultures, they will be more global ready when they graduate. It is important to point out that students also need to have a deep understanding of their own culture before they can begin to observe, analyze and evaluate other cultures. In multi-cultural societies, people can study each other‘s cultures, to develop intercultural competencies, such as critical and reflective thinking, and intellectual flexibility. This can be done both through the curriculum and through activities on campus, outside of the classroom, such as art exhibitions, and lectures from international experts. Many universities are already embracing this challenge, and providing opportunities for students to become global citizens. Students themselves, however, may not realize that when they graduate, they will be competing in a global labor market, and universities need to raise awareness of these issues amongst undergraduates. Questions 30-32 Q30: What is one of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today? Q31: What should students do first before they can really understand other cultures? Q32: What should college students realize according to the speaker? Passage 3 To see if hair color affects a person‘s chances of getting a job, researchers at California State University asked 136 college students to review the resume and photograph of a female applicant for a job as an accountant. Each student was given the same resume. But the applicant‘s picture was altered, so that in some photos her hair was golden, in some red and in some brown. The result? With brown hair, the woman was rated more capable, and she was offered a higher salary than when she had golden or red hair. Other studies have found similar results. Many respondents rate women with golden hair with less intelligent than other people, and red heads as more temperamental. Women with red or golden hair are victims of the common practice of stereotyping. A stereotype is a simplistic or exaggerated image that humans carrying in their minds about groups of people. For example, lawyers are shrewd and dishonest is a popular stereotype. Stereotyping can occur in public speaking classes. When trying to choose a speech topic, some males think that women are uninterested in how to repair cars, while some females think that men are uninterested in creative hobbies, such as knitting and needle point. We should reject stereotypes, because they force all people in a group into the same simple pattern. They fail to account for individual differences, and the wide range of characteristics among members of any group. Some lawyers are dishonest, yes! But many are not. Some women are uninterested in repairing cars, yes! But some are enthusiastic mechanics. Questions 33-35 Q33: What did researchers at California State University find? Q34: What is the popular stereotype of lawyers? Q35: Why does the speaker say we should reject stereotypes? Section C The ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called mnemonics. The name is derived from their Goddess of memory "Mnemosyne". In the ancient world, a trained memory was an immense asset, particularly in public life. There were no convenient devices for taking notes, and early Greek orators delivered long speeches with great accuracy because they learned the speeches using mnemonic systems. The Greeks discovered that human memory is largely an associative process that it works by linking things together. For example, think of an apple. The instant your brain registers the word "apple", it recalls the shape, color, taste, smell and texture of that fruit. All these things are associated in your memory with the word "apple". This means that any thought about a certain subject will often bring up more memories that are related to it. An example could be when you think about a lecture you have had. This could trigger a memory about what you're talking about through that lecture, which can then trigger another memory. Associations do not have to be logical. They just have to make a good link. An example given on a website I was looking at follows, "Do you remember the shape of Austria? Canada? Belgium? Or Germany? Probably not. What about Italy though? If you remember the shape of Italy, it is because you have been told at some time that Italy is shaped like a boot. You made an association with something already known, the shape of a boot. And Italy shape could not be forgotten once you had made the association. 2010年6月六级听力原文 Section A Short Conversation 11. M: Oh, I'm so sorry I forgot to bring along the book you borrowed from the library. W: What a terrible memory you have! Anyway, I won't need it until Friday night. As long as I can get it by then, OK? Q: What do we learn from this conversation? 12. W: Doctor, I haven't been able to get enough sleep lately, and I'm too tired to concentrate in class. M: Well, you know, spending too much time indoors with all that artificial lighting can do that to you. Your body loses track of whether it's day or night. Q: What does the man imply? 13. M: I think I'll get one of those new T-shirts, you know, with the school's logo on both the front and back. W: You'll regret it. They are expensive, and I've heard the printing fades easily when you wash them. Q: What does the woman mean? 14. W: I think your article in the school newspaper is right on target, and your viewpoints have certainly convinced me. M: Thanks, but in view of the general responses, you and I are definitely in the minority. Q: What does the man mean? 15. M: Daisy was furious yesterday because I lost her notebook. Should I go see her and apologize to her again? W: Well, if I were you, I'd let her cool off a few days before I approach her. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 16. M: Would you please tell me where I can get batteries for this brand of camera? W: Let me have a look. Oh, yes, go down this aisle, pass the garden tools, you'll find them on the shelf next to the light bulbs. Q: What is the man looking for? 17. M: Our basketball team is playing in the finals but I don't have a ticket. I guess I'll just watch it on TV. Do you want to come over? W: Actually I have a ticket. But I'm not feeling well. You can have it for what it cost me. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 18. M: Honey, I'll be going straight to the theatre from work this evening. Could you bring my suit and tie along? W: Sure, it's the first performance of the State Symphony Orchestra in our city, so suit and tie is a must. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? Long Conversations Conversation 1 M: I got two letters this morning with job offers, one from the Polytechnic, and the other from the Language School in Pistoia, Italy. W: So you are not sure which to go for? M: That's it. Of course, the conditions of work are very different: The Polytechnic is offering two-year contract which could be renewed, but the language school is only offering a year's contract, and that's a different minus. It could be renewed, but you never know. W: I see. So it's much less secure. But you don't need to think too much about steady jobs when you are only 23. M: That's true. W: What about the salaries? M: Well, the Pistoia job pays much better in the short term. I'll be getting the equivalent of about ,22,000 a year there, but only ,20,000 at the Polytechnic. But then the hours are different. At the Polytechnic I'd have to do 35 hours a week, 20 teaching and 15 administration, whereas the Pistoia school is only asking for 30 hours teaching. W: Mmm… M: Then the type of teaching is so different. The Polytechnic is all adults and mostly preparation for exams like the Cambridge certificates. The Language School wants me to do a bit of exam preparation, but also quite a lot of work in companies and factories, and a couple of children's classes. Oh, and a bit of literature teaching. W: Well, that sounds much more varied and interesting. And I'd imagine you would be doing quire a lot of teaching outside the school, and moving around quite a bit. M: Yes, whereas with the Polytechnic position, I'd be stuck in the school all day. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard: Q19. What do we learn about the man from the conversation? Q20. What do we learn about the students at the Polytechnic? Q21. What does the woman think of the job at the Language School? Conversation 2 W: Good evening and welcome to tonight's edition of Legendary Lives. Our subject this evening is James Dean, actor and hero for the young people of his time. Edward Murray is the author of a new biography of Dean. Good evening, Edward. M: Hello Tina. W: Edward, tell us what you know about Dean's early life. M: He was born in Indiana in 1931, but his parents moved to California when he was five. He wasn't there long though because his mother passed away just four years later. Jimmy's father sent him back to Indiana after that to live with his aunt. W: So how did he get into acting? M: Well, first he acted in plays at high school, then he went to college in California where he got seriously into acting. In 1951 he moved to New York to do more stage acting. W: Then when did his movie career really start? M: 1955. His first starring role was in East of Eden. It was fabulous. Dean became a huge success. But the movie that really made him famous was his second one, Rebel Without a Cause, that was about teenagers who felt like they didn't fit into society. W: So how many more movies did he make? M: Just one more, then he died in that car crash in California in 1955. W: What a tragedy! He only made three movies! So what made him the legend he still is today? M: Well I guess his looks, his acting ability, his short life, and maybe the type of character he played in his movies. Many young people saw him as a symbol of American youths. Q22 What is the woman doing? Q23 Why did James Dean move back to Indiana when he was young? Q24 What does the man say James Dean did at college in California? Q25 What do we know about James Dean from the conversation? Section B Passage 1 The time is 9 o'clock and this is Marian Snow with the news. The German authorities are sending investigators to discover the cause of the plane crash late yesterday on the island of Tenerife. The plane, a Boeing 737, taking German holiday makers to the island crashed into a hillside as it circled while preparing to land. The plane was carrying 180 passengers. It's thought there are no survivors. Rescue workers were at the scene. The British industrialist James Louis, held by kidnappers in Central Africa for the past 8 months, was released unharmed yesterday. The kidnappers had been demanding 1 million pounds for the release of Mr. Louis. The London Bank and their agents who had been negotiating with the kidnappers have not said whether any amount of money has been paid. The 500 UK motors workers who had been on strike in High Town for the past 3 three weeks went back to work this morning. This follows successful talks between management and union representatives, which resulted in a new agreement on working hours and conditions. A spokesman for the management said that they'd hope they could now get back to producing cars, and that they lost lot of money and orders over this dispute. And finally the weather. After a cold start, most of the country should be warm and sunny. But towards late afternoon, rain will spread from Scotland to cover most parts by midnight. Questions 26 – 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26 What does the news say about the Boeing 737 plane? 27 What happened to British industrialist James Louis? 28 How did the 3-week strike in High Town end? 29 What kind of weather will be expected by midnight in most parts of the country? Passage 2 Juan Louis, a junior geology major, decided to give an informative speech about how earthquakes occur. From his audience and analysis he learned that only 2 or 3 of his classmates knew much of anything about geology. Juan realized then that he must present his speech at an elementary level and with a minimum of scientific language. As he prepared the speech, Juan kept asking himself, ―How can I make this clear and meaningful to someone who knows nothing about earthquakes or geological principles?‖ Since he was speaking in the Midwest, he decided to begin by noting that the most severe earthquake in American history took place not in California or Alaska but at New Madrid, Missouri in 1811. If such an earthquake happened today, it would be felt from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and would flatten most of the cities in the Mississippi valley. That, he figured, should get his classmates' attention. Throughout the body of the speech, Juan dealt only with the basic mechanics of the earthquakes and carefully avoid technical terms. He also prepared visual aids, diagramming photo line, so his classmates wouldn't get confused. To be absolutely safe, Juan asked his roommate, who was not a geology major, to listen to the speech. ―Stop me,‖ he said, ―any time I say something you don't understand.‖ Juan's roommate stopped him four times. And at each spot, Juan worked out a way to make his point more clearly. Finally, he had a speech that was interesting and perfectly understandable to his audience. 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. Questions 30 – Q30 What did Juan Louis learn from the analysis of his audience? Q31 How did Juan Louis start his speech? Q32 What did Juan ask his roommate to do when he was making his trial speech? Passage 3 Esperanto is an artificial language, designed to serve internationally as an auxiliary means of communication among speakers of different languages. It was created by Ludwig Lazar Zamenhof, a Polish Jewish doctor specialized in eye diseases. Esperanto was first presented in 1887. An international movement was launched to promote its use. Despite arguments and disagreements, the movement has continued to flourish and has members in more than 80 countries. Esperanto is used internationally across language boundaries by at least 1 million people, particularly in specialized fields. It is used in personal context, on radio broadcasts and in a number of publications as well as in translations of both modern works and classics. Its popularity has spread form Europe, both east and west, to such countries as Brazil and Japan. It is, however, in China that Esperanto has had its greatest impact. It is taught in universities and used in many translations, often in scientific or technological works. EL POPOLA CHINIO, which means from people's China, it's a monthly magazine in Esperanto and it is read worldwide. Radio Beijing's Esperanto program is the most popular program in Esperanto in the world. Esperanto's vocabulary is drawn primarily from Latin, the Roman's languages, English and German. Spelling is completely regular. A simple and consistent set of endings indicates grammatical functions of words. Thus, for example, every noun ends in―o‖, every adjective in―a‖, and basic form of every verb in―i‖. Esperanto also has a highly productive system of constructing new words from old ones. Questions 33 – 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q33 What does the speaker tell us about Esperanto? Q34 What is said about the international movement to promote the use of Esperanto? Q35 What does the speaker say about Esperanto in China? Section C George Herbert Mead said that humans are talked into humanity. He meant that we gain personal identity as we communicate with others. In the earliest years of our lives, our parents tell us who we are. "You're intelligent." "You're so strong." We first see ourselves through the eyes of others, so their messages form important foundations of our self-concepts. Later we interact with teachers, friends, romantic partners, and coworkers who communicate their views of us. Thus, how we see ourselves reflects the views of us that others communicate. The profound connection between identity and communication is dramatically evident in children who are deprived of human contact. Case studies of children who were isolated from others reveal that they lack a firm self-concept, and their mental and psychological development is severely hindered by lack of language. Communications with others not only affects our sense of identity but also directly influences our physical and emotional well-being. Consistently, research shows that communicating with others promotes health, whereas social isolation is linked to stress, disease, and early death. People who lack close friends have greater levels of anxiety and depression than people who are close to others. A group of researchers reveal scores of studies that trace the relationship between health and interaction with others. The conclusion was that social isolation is statistically as dangerous as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity. Many doctors and researchers believe that loneliness harms the immune system, making us more vulnerable to a range of miner and major illnesses. 2010年12月大学英语六级考试听力原文 11. W: This is one of our best and least expensive two-bedroom listings. It‘s located in a quiet building and it‘s close to bus lines. M: That maybe true. But look at it, it‘s awful, the paint has peeled off and carpet is worn and the stove is ancient. Q: What can we infer from the conversation? 12. M: The pictures we took at the botanical garden should be ready tomorrow. W: I can‘t wait to see them, I‘m wondering if the shots I took are as good as I thought. Q: What is the woman eager to know? 13. W: The handle of the suitcase is broken. Can you have it fixed by next Tuesday? M: Let me see, I need to find a handle that matches but that shouldn‘t take too long. Q: What does the man mean? 14. M: This truck looks like what I need but I‘m worried about maintenance. For us it‘ll have to operate for long periods of time in very cold temperatures. W: We have several models that are especially adaptive for extreme conditions. Would you like to see them? Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation? 15M: I think your boss would be very upset when he gets your letter of resignation. W: That may be so. But in the letter, I just told him frankly I could no longer live with his poor management and stupid decisions. Q: What do we learn about the woman? 16W I‘d like to exchange the shirt. I‘ve learned that the person bought it for allergic to wool. M Maybe we can find something in cotton or silk. Please come this way. Q;What does the women want to do? 17M: Excuse me, Miss,Did anyone happen to turn in a new handbag? You know, it‘s a birthday gift for my wife. W: Let me see. Oh, we‘ve got quite a lot of women‘s bags here. Can you give me more detailed information, such as the color, the size and the trademark? Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place? 18M: What are you going to do with the old house you are in heritage from your grandfather? W :I once intended to sell it, but now, I‘m thinking of turning it into a guest house, because it's still a solid structure. Q: What does the man plan to do with his old house? 长对话1: W:When you write a novel , you know where you are going ,Dr,James ? M :Yes ,you must really if you are writing a classical detective story .Because it must be so carefully. plotted and so carefully clued I have schemes,I have charts I have diagrams .It doesn‘t mean to say I always get it right ,but I do plan before I begin writing ,but what is so fascinating is how a book changes during the process of writing .It seems to me that creative writing is a process of revelation really rather than of creativity in the ordinary sense W :When are you planning the basic structure ,do you like to go away to be sure that you are by yourself …?. M: I need to be by myself certainly ,absolutely , I can‘t even bear anybody else in the house .I don‘t mind much where I am as long as I have got enough space to write ,but I need to be completely alone W: Is that very important to you? M : Oh ,yes ,I ‘ve never been lonely in all my life M : How extraordinary ! never ? M : No ,never W: You are very lucky Some one once said that there is a bit of ice at the the heart of a writer M:Yes ,I think this is true ,the writer can stand aside from the experience and look at it ,watch it happening .This is the detachment ;and I realize that there are obviously experiences which would overwhelm everyone ,but very often a writer can appear to stand aside and this detachment makes people feel there is a bit of ice in the heart Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19,What is the key to writing a good classical detective story according to the man ? 20,what is the man mainly need when working on a work ? 21what does the man say about writers ? 长对话2: W: there is an element there about the competitioner, isn‘t there? Because British railways are a nationalized industry, there isn‘t any one railway system in the country. If you don‘t like a particular kind of big beans, you can go on by another; but if you don‘t like the particular railway, you can‘t go on using another M: some people who write to me say this. They say that if you did not have a monopoly, you would not be able to do the things you do. Well, I don‘t think we do anything deliberately to upset our customers, we have particular problems. Since 1946, when the Transport Act came in, we were nationalized. W: Do you think that is a good thing? Has it been a good thing for the railways, do you think, to be nationalized? M: Oh, I think so, yes, because in general, mosts of the transports are all around. Let‘s face the fact, the car are arrived the cars are here to stay. There is no question about that W: So what‘s your saying then? Is it if the railways haven‘t been nationalized, they would simply have disappeared? M: Oh, I think they would have. They are disappearing fast in America. The French railways lose 1 billion pounds a year, the German railways, 2 billion a year. But you see those governments are preparing to pour the money into the transport system to keep it going W: So, In a sense, you call between two extremes. On the one hand, they are trying not to lose too much money, and on the other hand, you‘ve got to provide the best service. M: Yes, you are right Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you‘ve just heard 22. What does the woman say about the British railways? 23. What do some people who write to the man complain about? 24. What does the man say threatens the existence of the railways? 25. What does the man say about the railways in other countries? Passage 1 Among global warming‘s most frightening threats is the prediction that the polar ice caps will melt, raising sea level so much, that coastal cities from New York, to Los Angeles, to Shanghai will be flooded. Scientists agree that they key player in this scenario is the West Antarctic ice sheet. A Brazil size mass frozen water that as much as 7,000 feet thick, unlike floating ice shelves which have little impact on sea level when they break up, the ice sheet is anchored to bedrock will blow the sea surface. Surrounded by an open ocean, it is also vulnerable. But Antarctic experts disagree strongly on just how unstable it is. Now new evidence reveals that all are most of the West Antarctic ice sheet collapsed at least once during the past 1.3 million years-- a period when global temperatures probably will not significantly higher than they are today. And the ice sheet was assumed to have been stable. In geologic time, a million years is recent history. The proof which was published last week in Science comes from a team of scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden and Californian Institute of Technology who drill deep holes near the edge of the ice sheet. Within samples collected from the solid substance lying beneath the ice, they found fossils of microscope marine plants which suggests the region was once an open ocean, not solid ice. As Herman Ankleherd, a co-author from Californian Institute of Technology says, ―The West Antarctic ice sheet disappeared once and can disappear again.‖ Questions 26 to question 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. Question 26: What is one of the most frightening threats of global warming according to the passage? Question 27: What did scientists disagree on? Question 28: What does the latest information reveal about West Antarctic ice sheet? Question 29: What does scientists‘ latest finding suggest? Passage 2 It's always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself. Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL link to the picture is and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will. Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request. Why do "deleted" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service at the same time. But because changes aren't reflected across the content delivery networks immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks. In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually "after a short period of time", though obviously that time can vary considerably. 30 What does the speaker ask us to try out? 31 What accounts for the failure of some websites to remove photos immediately? 32 When will the unwanted data eventually disappear from Facebook according to the company? Passage 3 Enjoy an iced coffee, better skip dinner or hit the gym afterwards. With the Cancer Charity warning that some iced coffees contain as many calories as a hot dinner, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) conducted a survey of iced coffee sold by some popular chains in Britain including Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Costa Coffee to give the calories as studies increasingly link obesity with cancer. The worst offender, a coffee from Starbucks had 561 calories, other iced coffees contained more than 450 calories, and the majority had an excess of 200. Health experts advise that the average women should consume about 2000 calories a day and a man about 2500 calories to maintain a healthy weight. Dieters in for 1000 to 1500 calories a day. The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman‘s daily calories allowance is alarming. Doctor Rachel Thompson, science programmer manager at London-based WCRF, said in a widely reported statement, this is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal, not in a drink. The WCRF has estimated that 19 thousand cancers a year in Britain could be prevented if people lost their excess weight, with growing evidence that excess body fat increases various cancers. If you are having these types of coffee regularly. Then they will increase chances of you becoming overweight, with in turn increases your risk of developing cancer as well as other diseases such as heart disease, she added. Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q33: What warning does some health experts give? Q34: What does the author suggest people do after an iced coffee? Q35: What could British people expect if they maintain the normal body weight according to the WCRF? Section C Psychologists are finding that hope plays a surprisingly vital role in giving people a measurable advantage in rounds as diverse as academic achievement, bearing up in tough jobs, and coping with tragic illness. And, by contrast, the loss of hope, is turning out to be a stronger sign that a person may commit suicide than other factors long thought to be more likely risks. ?Hope has proven a powerful predictor of outcome in every study we've done so far,‘ said Doctor Charles R. Snyder, a psychologist, who has devised a scale to assess how much hope a person has. For example, in research with 3920 college students, Doctor Snyder and his colleagues found that the level of hope among freshmen at the beginning of their first semester was a more accurate predictor of their college grades, than were their SAT scores or their grade point averages in high school, the two measures most commonly used to predict college performance. ?Students with high hope set themselves higher goals and know how to work to attain them,‘ Doctor Snyder said. ?When you compare students of equivalent intelligence and past academic achievements, what sets them apart is hope.‘ In devising a way to assess hope scientifically, Doctor Snyder went beyond the simple notion that hope is merely the sense that everything will turn out all right. ?That notion is not concrete enough and it blurs two key components of hope,‘ Doctor Snyder said, ?Having hope means believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be.‘ 2011年6月听力原文 Section A 11.M :I left 20 pages here to copy ,here‘s the receipt W : I‘ m sorry ,sir ,but we are a little behind ,could you come back in a few minutes ? Q: what does the woman mean ? 12.W: I hope you are not to put out with me for the delay ,I had to stop for the Fred‘s home to pick up a book on my way here M : well , that‘s not a big deal ,but you might at least phone if you know you will keep someone waiting Q : what do we learn about the women ? 13.W : Mark is the best candidate for chairman of the student‘s union , isn‘t he ? M :well ,that guy won‘t be able to win the election unless he got the majority vote from women students ,and I am not sure about it ? Q :what does the man mean ? 14.M : sorry to have kept you waiting ,Madam , I‘ve located your luggage, it was left behind in Paris and won‘t arrive until later this evening W : oh ,I can‘t believe this ,have it been to delivered to my hotel then ,I guess Q :what happened to the woman‘s luggage ? 15.W:I don‘t think we have enough information for our presentation. But we have to give it tomorrow. That doesn‘t seem to be much we can do about it. M: Yeah, at this point, we‘ll have to make do with what we‘ve got. Q: what does the man suggest they do? 16.M: I‘m taking this great course psychology of language. It‘s really interesting. Since you‘re psychology major, you should sign up for it. W: Actually, I tried to do that. But they told me I have to take language studies first. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 17.W: Can you believe the way Larry was talking to his roommate? No wonder they don‘t get along. M: Well, maybe Larry was just reacting to something his roommate said. There are two sides to every story you know. Q: What does the man imply about Larry and his roommate? 18.M: We don‘t have the resources to stop those people from buying us out. Unless a miracle happens, this may be the end of us. W: I still have hope we can get help from the bank. After all, we don‘t need that much money. Q: What do we learn about the speakers from the conversation? Conversation One Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. W: You know I've often wondered why people laugh at the picture of a big belly businessman slipping on a banana skin and falling on his bottom. We are to feel sorry for them. M: Actually, Laura, I think we laugh because we are glad it didn't happen to us. But of course there is also a kind of humorous satisfaction in seeing somebody self-important making a fool of themselves. W: Yes, and there are a lot of jokes about people who are too fat or physically handicapped, you know, deaf, or short-sighted things like that. After all, it's not really funny to be like that. M: Oh, I think that's because we're embarrassed. We don't know how to cope with the situation. Perhaps we are even a bit frightened we may get like that, so we laugh. M: What about the custard pie routine? W: What do you mean 'custard pie routine'? M: You know, all those old films where someone gets so outraged with his boss, He picks up a custard pie and plasters it all over the other person's face. W: That never makes me laugh much, because you can guess what's going to happen. But a lot of people still find it laughable. It must because of the sort of the thing we'd all love to do once in a while and never quiet have the courage to. M: I had an old aunt who used to throw cups of tea at people when she was particularly irritated. She said it relieved her feelings. W: It must have come a bit expensive. M: Not really. She took care never to throw her best china. 19. Why does the man say we laughed when we see some self-important people making fool of themselves? 20. Why do some people joke about those who are fat or handicapped according to the man? 21. Why do many people find it funny to see someone throwing a custard pie on their boss's face? 22. Why do the man say she would drop cups of tea at people occasionally? Conversation Two W:Your name Sanjay Kumar is that correct? M:Yes, madam. W:You claim you are traveling on a scholarship from Delhi University. M:That's right. W:Now it seems that a hand gun was found in your luggage. Do you admit that? M:Yes, but… W:According to the statement you made, you had never seen the hand gun before it was found in your bag. Do you still maintain that? M:But it's true. I swear it. W:Mmm, you do realize Mr. Kumar that to bring a hand gun into Hong Kong without proper authorization is a serious offense. M:But I didn't bring it. I … I mean I didn't know anything about it. It wasn't there when I left Delhi. My bags were searched. It was part of the airport security check. W:Maybe so, but someone managed to get that hand gun onto the aircraft or it couldn't have been there. M:Someone but not me. W:Tell me , where was your personal bag during the flight? M:I had it down by my feet between me and the man in the next seat. M: He was the only person who could have opened my bag while I was asleep. It must have been him. W: I see. Have you any idea who this man was? M: He told me his name, Alfred Foster. He was very friendly, after I woke up that is. He hadn't spoken before. W: Alfred Foster, we can check that on the passenger list. M: He said he had a car coming to meet him. He offered me a lift. W: Oh, Why should he do that? M: So he can get his handgun back, that's why. Please find him, Madam. Questions 23-25 are based on the conversation you have just heard 23. What is Sanjay Kumar suspected of? 24. What do we know about Alfred Foster ? 25. What does Sanjay Kumar ask the woman to do finally? Section B Passage One Everyone is looking for a good investment these days. And with stocks, currencies and companies all crashing, some are finding that taking the trip of a lifetime is actually a smart move right now. Prices are good, crowds are fewer and the dividends like expanded worldview, lifelong memories, the satisfaction of boosting the global economy—can't be easily snatched away. Sylvia and Paul Custerson, a retired couple from Cambridge, England, recently took a 16-day vacation to Namibia, where they went on bird-watching excursions. Later this year, they are planning a trip to Patagonia. "We're using our capital now," says Sylvia, "And why not? We're not getting any interest in the bank. If it's a place we really want to go, then we will go. We may as well travel while we're fit and healthy. " Some travel agents are thriving in spite of the economy. "We've had more people booking in the first quarter of this year than last," says Hubert Moineau, founder of Tselana Travel, which is planning to introduce a new program of longer adventure trips, including polar expeditions and cruises in the Galápagos. "We're hearing things like, 'We don't know what the situation will be in six months so let's travel now' ", Ashley Toft, managing director of the U. K. tour operator Explore has been surprised to see an increase in last-minute bookings of high-priced trips to such places as India, Bhutan and Nepal. "It seems people would rather give up something else than the big trip," he says. Travel has become a necessity. It's just how we travel that is changing. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. According to the speaker, why are some people willing to spend their money on travel these days? 27. What is Tselana Travel planning to do, according to its founder? 28. According to Ashley Toft, managing director of Explore, what is changing now with regard to travels? Passage Two Somehow the old male and female stereotypes no longer fit. Men and women in this country haven‘t been fulfilling their traditional roles for some time now. And there seem to be fewer and fewer differences between the sexes. For instance, even though more women than men are still homemakers without paying jobs, women have been taking over more responsibility in the business world, earning higher salaries than ever before and entering fields of work that used to be exclusively male areas. At office meetings and in group discussions, they might speak up more often, express strong opinions and come up with more creative and practical ideas than their male colleagues. Several days ago, my 23-year-old daughter came to me with some important news. Not only had she found the highest paying job of her career, but she‘d also accepted a date with the most charming men she‘d ever met. ―Really?‖, I responded,‖ tell me about them.‖ ―Receptionist in an attorney‘s office and a welder at a construction site.‖ She answered in a matter-of-fact way. The interesting thing is my daughter‘s date is the receptionist and my daughter is the welder. The old stereotypes of men‘s and women‘s work have been changing more quickly than ever before, except perhaps in my own marriage. ―Who's going to mow the lawn? ‖ I asked my husband this morning. ―Oh, I will,‖ he answered politely. ‖That's men's work. ‖ ―What?‖ Irritated, I raised my voice. ―That's a ridiculous stereotype. I'll show you who can do the best job on the lawn.‖ The work took 3 hours and I did it all myself. Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 29. What is the speaker mainly talking about? 30. What might women do at office meetings nowadays according to the speaker? 31. Why did the speaker mow the lawn herself that morning? Passage Three Florence Hayes is a journalist for the Green Ville Journal, the daily newspaper in town. Specifically she covers crime in the Green Ville area. This responsibility takes her to many different places every week——the police station, the court and the hospital. Most of the crimes that she writes about fall into two groups: violent crimes and crimes against property. There isn‘t much violent crime in a small town like Green Ville, or at least not as much as in the large urban areas. But assaults often occur on Friday and Saturday nights, near the bars downtown. There‘re also one or two rapes on campus every semester. Florence is very interested in this type of crime and tries to write a long article about each one. She expects that this will make women more careful when they walk around Green Ville alone at night Fortunately, there were usually no murders in Green Ville. Crimes against property make up most of Miss Heyes‘ reporting. They range from minor cases of deliberate damaging of things to much more serious offenses, such as car accidents involving drunk drivers or bank robberies but Florence has to report all of these violations from the thief who took typewriters from every unlock room in the dormitory to the thief who stole one million dollars worth of art work from the university museum. Miss Hayes enjoys working for a newspaper but she sometimes gets unhappy about all the crime she has to report. She would prefer to start writing about something more interesting and less unpleasant such as local news or politics, maybe next year Florence Hayes Green Ville Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32 What is Florence Hayes‘ main responsibility as a journalist? 33 What does the speaker say about security in Green Ville? 34 What do we learn about crimes against property in the Green Ville area? 35 What would Florence Hayes prefer to do? Section C Compound Dictation In America, people are faced with more and more decisions every day, whether it‘s picking one of thirty-one ice cream flavors, or deciding whether and when to get married. That sounds like a great thing, but as a recent study has shown, too many choices can make us confused, unhappy, even paralyzed with indecision. ?That‘s particularly true when it comes to the work place‘, says Barry Schwartz, an author of six books about human behavior. Students are graduating with a variety of skills and interests, but often find themselves overwhelmed when it comes to choosing an ultimate career goal. In a study, Schwartz observed decision-making among college students during their senior year. Based on answers to questions regarding their job hunting strategies and career decisions, he divided the students into two groups:maximizers, who consider every possible option, and satisficers, who look until they find an option that is good enough. You might expect that the student who had undertaken the most exhausted search would be the most satisfied with their final decision, but it turns out that‘s not true. Schwartz found that while maximizers ended up with better-paying jobs than satisficers on average, they weren‘t as happy with their decision. The reason why these people feel less satisfied is that a world of possibilities may also be a world of missed opportunities. When you look at every possible option, you tend to focus more on what was given up than what was gained. After surveying every option, a person is more acutely aware of the opportunities they had to turn down to pursue just one career. 2011年12月听力考试原文 Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. 11. M: I don‘t know what to do. I have to drive to Chicago next Friday for my cousin‘s wedding, but I have got a Psychology test to prepare for. W: Why don‘t you record your notes so you can study on the way? Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? 12. M: Professor Wright, you may have to find another student to play this role, the lines are so long and I simply can‘t remember them all. W: Look, Tony. It is still a long time before the first show. I don‘t expect you to know all the lines yet. Just keep practicing. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 13. M: Hello, this is Dr. Martin from the Emergency Department. I have a male patient with a fractured ankle. W: Oh, we have one bed available in ward 3, send him here and I will take care of him. Q: What are the speakers talking about? 14. W: Since Simon will graduate this May, the school paper needs a new editor. So if you are interested, I will be happy to nominate you. M: Thanks for considering me. But the baseball team is starting up a new season. And I‘m afraid I have a lot on my hands. Q: What does the man mean? 15. W: Have you heard the news that Jame Smeil has resigned his post as prime minister? M: Well, I got it from the headlines this morning. It‘s reported that he made public at this decision at the last cabinet meeting. Q: what do we learn about Jame Smeil? 16. W: The morning paper says the space shuttle is taking off at 10 a.m. tomorrow. M: Yeah, it‘s just another one of this year‘s routine missions. The first mission was undertaken a decade ago and broadcast live then worldwide. Q: what can we infer from this conversation? 17. M: We do a lot of camping in the mountains. What would you recommend for two people? W: You‘d probably be better off with the four real drive vehicle. We have several off-road trucks in stock, both new and used. Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place? 18. W: I hear you did some serious shopping this past weekend. M: Yeah, the speakers of my old stereo finally gave out and there was no way to repair them. Q: What did the man do over the weekend? Conversation One W: Now, could you tell me where the idea for the business first came from? M: Well, the original shop was opened by a retired printer by the name of Gruby. Mr Gruby being left-handed himself, thought of the idea to try to promote a few products for left-handers. W: And how did he then go about actually setting up the business? M: Well, he looked for any left-handed products that might already be on the market which were very few. And then contacted the manufactures with the idea of having products produced for him, mainly in the scissors range to start with. W: Right. So you do commission some part of your stock. M: Yes, very much so. About 75 percent of our stock is specially made for us. W: And the rest of it? M: Hmm, the rest of it now, some 25, 30 years after Mr. Gruby‘s initial efforts, there are more left-handed product actually on the market. Manufactures are now beginning to see that there is a market for left-handed products. W: And what‘s the range of your stock? M: The range consists of a variety of scissors from children scissors to scissors for tailors, hairdressers etc. We also have a large range of kitchen ware. W: What‘s the competition like? Do you have quite a lot of competition? M: There are other people in the business now in specialists, but only as mail-order outlets. But we have a shop here in central London plus a mail-order outlet. And we are without any doubt the largest supplier of the left-handed items. Q19: What kind of business does the man engaged in? Q20: What does the man say about his stock of products? Q21: What does the man say about other people in his line of business? Conversation Two M: Can we make you an offer? We would like to run the campaign for four extra weeks. W: well, can we summarize the problem from my point of view? First of all, the campaign was late. It missed two important trade affairs. The ads also did not appear into key magazines. As a result, the campaign failed. Do you accept that summary of what happened? M: well, the delay wasn‘t entirely our fault. You did in fact make late changes to the specifications of the advertisements. W: Uh, actually, you were late with the initial proposals so you have very little time and in fact, we only asked for small changes. M: Well whatever, can we repeat our offer to run the campaign for 4 extra weeks? W: That‘s not really the point. The campaign missed two key trade affairs. Because of this, we are asking you either to repeat the campaign next year for free, or we only pay 50% of the fee for this year. M: Could we suggest a 20% reduction to the fee together with the four week sustention to the campaign. W: We are not happy. We lost business. M: I think we both made mistakes. The responsibility is on both sides. W: Ok, let‘s suggest a new solution. How about a 40% cut in fee, or a free repeat campaign? M: Well, let‘s take a break, we‘re not getting very far. Perhaps we should think about this. 22: What do we learn about the man‘s company? 23: Why was the campaign delayed according to the man? 24: What does the woman propose as a solution to the problem? 25: What does the man suggest they do at the end of the conversation? Section B Passage One The University of Tennessee‘s Walters Life Sciences building, is a model animal facility, spotlessly clean, careful in obtaining prior approval for experiments from an animal care committee. Of the 15,000 mice house there in a typical year, most give their lives for humanity. These are good mice and as such won the protection of the animal care committee. At any given time however some mice escape and run free. These mice are pests. They can disrupt experiments with the bacteria organisms they carry. They are bad mice and must be captured and destroyed. Usually, this is accomplished by means of sticky traps, a kind of fly paper on which they become increasingly stuck. But the real point of the cautionary tale, says animal behaviorist Herzau, is that the labels we put on things can affect our moral responses to them. Using stick traps or the more deadly snap traps would be deemed unacceptable for good mice. Yet the killing of bad mice requires no prior approval. Once the research animal hits the floor and becomes an escapee, says Herza, its moral standard is instantly diminished. In Herzau‘s own home, there was more ironic example when his young son‘s pet mouse Willy died recently, it was accorded a tearful ceremonial burial in garden. Yet even as they mourned Willy, says Herzau, he and his wife were setting snap traps to kill the pest mice in their kitchen with the bare change in labels from pet to pest, the kitchen mice obtained totally different moral standards Questions: 26, What does the passage say about most of the mice used for experiments? 27, Why did the so-called bad mice have to be captured and destroyed? 28, When are mice killed without prior approval? 29, Why does the speaker say what the Herzau‘s did at home is ironical? Passage Two There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is swallowed up by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three trembling cities the greatest is the last, the city of final destination, the city that has a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York's high-strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from Italy to set up a small grocery store in a slum, or a young girl arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh eyes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company. Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 30. What does the speaker say about the natives of New York? 31. What does the speaker say commuters give to New York? 32. What do we learn about the settlers of New York? Passage Three “If you asked me television is unhealthy‖, I said to my roommate Walter, as I walked into the living room.―While you are sitting passively in front of the TV set, your muscles are turning to fat, your complexion is fading, and your eyesight is being ruined.‖ “Shh~‖Walter put his finger to his lips, ―This is an intriguing murder mystery.‖ “Really?‖ I replied. “But you know, the brain is destroyed by TV viewing. Creativity is killed by that box. And people are kept from communicating with one another. From my point of view, TV is the cause of the declining interest in school and the failure of our entire educational system.‖ “Ah ha, I can‘t see your point.‖ Walter said softly. ―But see? The woman on the witness stand in this story is being questioned about the murder that was committed one hundred years ago.‖ Ignoring his enthusiastic description of the plot, I went on with my argument. “As I see it,‖ I explained, ―not only are most TV programs badly written and produced, but viewers are also manipulated by the mass media. As far as I am concerned, TV watchers are cut off from reality from nature, from the other people, from life itself! I was confident in my ability to persuade. After a short silence, my roommate said, ―Anyway, I‘ve been planning to watch the football game. I am going to change the channel.‖ “Don‘t touch that dial!‖ I shouted, ―I wanted to find out how the mystery turns out!‖ I am not sure I got my point to cross. Questions 33- 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 33. As the speaker walked into the living room, what was being shown on TV? 34. What does the speaker say about watching television? 35. What can we say about the speaker? Section C Compound Dictation In the past, one of the biggest disadvantages of machines has been their inability to work on a micro scale. For example, doctors did not have devices allowing them to go inside the human body to detect health problems or to perform delicate surgery. Repair crews did not have a way of identifying broken pipes located deep within a high-rise apartment building. However, that‘s about to change. Advances in computers and biophysics have started a micro miniature revolution that allows scientists to envision and in some cases actually build microscopic machines. These devices promise to dramatically change the way we live and work. Micromachines already are making an impact. At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, research scientists have designed a 4-inch silicon chip that holds 700 tiny primitive motors. At Lucas Nova Sensor in Fremont, California, scientists have perfected the world‘s first microscopic blood-pressure sensor. Threaded through a person‘s blood vessels, the sensor can provide blood pressure readings at the valve of the heart itself. Although simple versions of miniature devices have had an impact, advanced versions are still several years away. Auto manufacturers, for example, are trying to use tiny devices that can sense when to release an airbag and how to keep engines and breaks operating efficiently. Some futurists envision nanotechnology also being used to explore the deep sea in small submarine, or even to launch finger-sized rockets packed with micro miniature instruments. “There is an explosion of new ideas and applications,‖ So, when scientists now think about future machines doing large and complex tasks, they‘re thinking smaller than ever before. 2012年6月听力考试原文 Part III Listening Comprehension Section A Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. 11.W: Did you hear that Anna needs to stay in bed for 4 weeks? M: Yeah. She injured her spine in a fall and a doctor told her to lie flat on her back for a month so it can mend. Q: What can we learn from the conversation? 12.M: A famous Russian ballet is coming to town next weekend. But I can‘t find a ticket anywhere. W: Don‘t be upset. My sister just happened to have one and she can‘t go since she has got some sort of conflict in her schedule. Q: What does the woman mean? 13.W: Hello, my bathroom drain is blocked and I‘m giving a party tonight. Do you think you could come and fix it for me? M: Sorry, ma‘am. I‘m pretty busy right now. But I can put you on my list. Q: What does the man mean? 14.W: We‘re taking up a collection to buy a gift for Jemma. She‘ll have been with the company 25 years next week. M: Well, count me in. But I‘m a bit short on cash now. When do you need it? Q: What is the man going to do? 15.W: Tony‘s mother has invited me to dinner. Do you think I should tell her in advance that I‘m a vegetarian? M: Of course. I think she‘d appreciate it. Imaging how you both feel if she fixed the turkey dinner or something. Q: What does the man suggest the woman do? 16.M: Just look at this newspaper, nothing but robbery, suicide and murder. Do you still believe people are basically good? W: Of course. But many papers lack interest in reporting something positive like peace, love and generosity. Q: What are the speakers talking about? 17.M: I can‘t believe so many people want to sign up for the Korea Development Conference.We will have to limit the registration. W: Yeah, otherwise we won‘t have room for the more. Q: What are the speakers going to do? 18.W: Hi, I‘m calling about the ad for the one bedroom apartment. M: Perfect timing! The person who was supposed to rent it just backed town to take a room on campus. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? Conversation 1 W: One of the most interesting experiments with dolphins must be one done by Doctor Jarvis Bastian. What he tried to do was to teach a male dolphin called Bass and a female called Doris to communicate with each other across a solid barrier. M: So how did he do it exactly? W: Well, first of all, he kept the two dolphins together in the same tank and taught them to press levers whenever they saw a light. The levers were fitted to the side of the tank next to each other. If the light flashed on and off several times, the dolphins were supposed to press the left-hand lever followed by the right-hand one. If the light was kept steady, the dolphins were supposed to press the levers in reverse order. Whenever they responded correctly, they were rewarded with fish. M: Sounds terribly complicated. W: Well, that was the first stage. In the second stage, Doctor Bastian separated the dolphins into two tanks. They could still hear one another, but they couldn‘t actually see each other. The levers and light were set up in exactly the same way except that this time it was only Doris who could see the light indicating which lever to press first. But in order to get their fish, both dolphins had to press the levers in the correct order. This meant of course that Doris had to tell Bass whether it was a flashing light or whether it was a steady light. M: So did it work? W: Well, amazingly enough, the dolphins achieved a 100 % success rate. Questions 19-21 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Q19. What is the purpose of Doctor Jarvis Bastian‘s experiment? Q20. What were the dolphins supposed to do when they saw a steady light? Q21. How did the second stage of the experiment differ from the first stage? Conversation 2 W: This week‘s program Up Your Street takes you to Harrogate, a small town in Yorkshire. Harrogate became a fashionable resort during Victorian times, when people came to take a bath in the mineral waters. Today, few people come to visit the town for its mineral waters. Instead, Harrogate has become a popular town for people to retire to. Its clean air, attractive parks, and the absence of any industry, make this an ideal spot for people looking for a quiet life. Now, to tell us more about Harrogate, I have with me Tom Percival, President of the Chamber of Commerce. Tom, one of the things visitor notices about Harrogate is the large area of open park land right down into the middle of the town. Can you tell us more about it? M: Yes, certainly. The area is called the Stray. W: Why the Stray? M: It‘s called that because in the old days, people let their cattles stray on the area, which was common land. W: Oh, I see. M: Then, we‘ve changes in farming and in land ownership. The Stray became part of the land owned by Harrogate. W: And is it protected? M: Oh, yes, indeed. As a special law, no one can build anything on the stray. It‘s protected forever. W: So it will always be park land? M: That‘s right. As you can see, some of the Stray is used for sports fields. W: I believe it looks lovely in the spring. M: Yes, it does. There‘re spring flowers on the old trees, and people visit the town just to see the flowers. Question 22-25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. Q22. Where does this conversation most probably take place? Q23. What do we learn about modern Harrogate? Q24. What does the man say about the area called the Stray? Q25. What attracts people most in the Stray during the spring time? About 700,000 children in Mexico dropped out of school last year as recession-stricken families pushed kids to work, and a weak economic recovery will allow only slight improvement in the drop-out rate in 2010, a top education official said. Mexico's economy suffered more than any other in Latin America last year, shrinking an estimated 7 percent due to a plunge in U.S. demand for Mexican exports such as cars. The decline led to a 4 percent increase in the number of kids who left primary or middle school in 2009, said Juan de Dios Castro, who heads the nation's adult education program and keeps a close watch on drop-out rates. "Poverty rose and that is a factor that makes our job more difficult," Castro told Reuters in an interview earlier this month. Hindered by higher taxes and weak demand for its exports, Mexico's economy is seen only partially recovering this year. As a result, drop-out rates will not improve much, Castro said. "There will be some improvement, but not significant," Castro said. Mexicohas historically had high drop-out rates as poor families pull kids out of school to help put food on the table, and children often sell candy and crafts in the streets or work in restaurants. The nation's drop-out problem is just the latest bad news for the long-term competitiveness of the Mexican economy. Mexico's politicians have resisted mending the country's tax, energy and labor laws for decades, leaving its economy behind countries such as Brazil and Chile. Passage One Russell Fazio, an Ohio State psychology professor who has studied interracial roommates there and at Indiana University, discovered an intriguing academic effect. In a study analyzing data on thousands of Ohio State freshmen who lived in dorms, he found that black freshmen who came to college with high standardized test scores earned better grades if they had a white roommate — even if the roommate‘s test scores were low. The roommate‘s race had no effect on the grades of white students or low-scoring black students. Perhaps, the study speculated, having a white roommate helps academically prepared black students adjust to a predominantly white university. That same study found that randomly assigned interracial roommates at Ohio State broke up before the end of the quarter about twice as often as same-race roommates. Because interracial roommate relationships are often problematic, Dr. Fazio said, many students would like to move out, but university housing policies may make it hard to leave. “At Indiana University, where housing was not so tight, more interracial roommates split up,‖ he said. ―Here at Ohio State, where housing was tight, they were told to work it out. The most interesting thing we found was that if the relationship managed to continue for just 10 weeks, we could see an improvement in racial attitudes.‖ Dr. Fazio‘s Indiana study found that three times as many randomly assigned interracial roommates were no longer living together at the end of the semester, compared with white roommates. The interracial roommates spent less time together, and had fewer joint activities than the white pairs. Question 26-29 26. What do we know about Russell Fazio ? 27. Who benefited from living with a white roommate according to Fazio‘s study? 28. What did the study find about randomly assigned interracial roommates at Ohio State University? 29. What did Dr. Fazio find interesting about interracial roommates who had lived together for 10 weeks? Passage Two In a small liboratory at the Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Vladimir Mironov has been working for a decade to grow meat. A developmental biologist and tissue engineer, Dr. Mironov, is one of only a few scientists worldwide involved in bioengineering 'cultured' meat. It's a product he believes could help solve future global food crises resulting from shrinking amounts of land available for growing meat the old-fashioned way. “Growth of cultured meat is also under way in the Netherlands‖, Mironov told Reuters in an interview, ―but in the United States, it is science in search of funding and demand.‖ The new National Institute of Food and Agriculture won't fund it, the National Institutes of Health won't fund it, and the NASA funded it only briefly, Mironov said. "It's classic disruptive technology," Mironov said. "Bringing any new technology on the market, on average, costs $1 billion. We don't even have $1 million." Director of the Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Center in the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology at the medical university, Mironov now primarily conducts research on tissue engineering, or growing, of human organs. "There's an unpleasant factor when people find out meat is grown in a lab. They don't like to associate technology with food," said Nicholas Genovese, a visiting scholar in cancer cell biology. "But there are a lot of products that we eat today that are considered natural that are produced in a similar manner," Genovese said. 30. What does Dr. Mironov think of bioengineering cultured meat? 31. What does Dr. Mironov say about the funding for their research? 32. What does Nicholas Genovese say about a lot of products we eat today? Passage Three Bernard Jackson is a free man today, but he has many bitter memories. Jackson spent five years in prison after a jury wrongly convicted him of raping two women. At Jackson's trial, although two witnesses testified that Jackson was with them in another location at the times of the crimes, he was convicted anyway. Why? The jury believed the testimony of the two victims, who positively identified Jackson as the man who has attacked them. The court eventually freed Jackson after the police found the man who had really committed the crimes. Jackson was similar in appearance to the guilty man. The two women has made a mistake in identity. As a result, Jackson has lost five years of his life. The two women in this case were eyewitnesses. They clearly saw the man who attacked them, yet they mistakenly identified an innocent person. Similar incidents have occurred before. Eyewitnesses to other crimes have identified the wrong person in a police lineup or in photographs. Many factors influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. For instance, witnesses sometimes see photographs of several suspects before they try to identify the person they saw in a lineup of people. They can become confused by seeing many photographs or similar faces. The number of people in the lineup, and whether it is a live lineup or a photograph, may also affect a witness's decision. People sometimes have difficulty identifying people of other races. The questions the police ask witnesses also have an effect on them. Question 33: What do we learn about Bernard Jackson? Question 34: What led directly to Jackson‘s sentence? Question 35: What lesson do we learn from Jackson‘s case?