Unit 1
Warming Up
W Did the doctor call? Did he say I’m pregnant?
M Yeah，I just talked to him.
W What did he say? Are we going to have a baby?
M You’re really excited about this，aren’t you?
W You know I am! It’s my dream to have a baby that I can teach how to be a loving person.
I thought you were excited too.
M Sure，I am . I’m excited for the same reason as you are. I think we can do what you said－we can teach this baby how to grow up and become a loving person.
W so … is there a baby? What did the doctor say?
M It’s exactly what we wanted. We’re going to have a baby! Let’s start off by calling our families and telling them the good news，I believe our parents are going to be as thrilled as we are.
Short Conversations
1. W: I don’t know what to say about your new girlfriend－she seems so cold，so distant.
M: Deep down，she’s a loving person .The problem is that she didn’t have a loving family like ours. So she doesn’t know how to express love.
Q: According to the man，what’s wrong with his new girlfriend?
2. W: You look at my father and see a tough man with a gun and blood on his hands. But I see him as a man who always provides for his family.
M: Whoa，wait a minute .I didn’t say anything of the sort. I admire your father a lot.
Q: What does the man think about the woman’ s father?
3. W: You know，I never understood why my parents kept giving second chances to my
brother. He never does right by them.
M: Then you don’t understand the nature of love .Love means never quitting on the
one you love.
Q: What does the woman NOT understand?
4. W: If only I had more money，I would buy my parents everything they wanted.
M: That’s a very nice thought，but it’s really not necessary. Visit them more. That should
be enough for them.
Q: What should the woman do for her parents?
5. W: Excuse me! Have you already started class? Or am I on time?
M: I‘ve already begun the lesson，We’re talking about the meaning of love .Please
take your seat·
Q: What is the topic for the class?
6. W: Some learn from their parents，some from their friends … but if a person has never
learned about love，his life is a waste.
M: I agree whole－heartedly. Thankfully，I learned about love from my parents at an early age.
Q: What are the speakers talking about?
7. W: It's 10 0’clock! You’re late again! I just don’t know what to say anymore.
M: Sweetheart, love, darling, you should know that my being late has nothing to do with my love for you .Try to understand me.
Q: What can we infer from the conversation?
8. W: Sometimes I’m glad our mother isn’t alive，I think if she could see the person I've become，she’d really be disappointed.
M: Mom had a lot of love for you .If she were here now，she wouldn’t judge you that way. She just would’ve been happy to see her kids and help them when she could.
Q: According to the man，what would their mother NOT have done if she were alive?
9. M: Pardon me。Um，why don’t you teach us anything about love in class?
W: Well，love is important，but it’s not a good topic for the classroom. You should learn about love from your parents or grandparents.
Q: What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
10. W: I’ve been thinking about how I could teach my children to be more loving.
M: Sounds like a job for you and your husband .How about I give you some vacation time? You could take a family trip and talk more with your kids.
Q: What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
Long Conversation
M: Sometimes I really don’t understand you. You are often rude to our children，you never play with them，and you rarely say you love them. This isn’t how parents are supposed to act .Where did you learn such behavior?
W: Hey! I don’t think I’ve treated them any differently than my parents treated me and my sisters!
M: So that’s where you learned it…from your parents?
W: My parents were good. They raised three children.
M: From what I can see，they didn’t teach you how to be a loving person. What is going to happen to our kids? If you keep treating them poorly，they’re going to grow up to be just like you.
W: Listen，there’s a lot that I can learn about being a good mother，but I still think I’m doing
a good job. Look at our kids. They’re already kind and loving people. And I don’t think you have any reason to worry.
Q: 1. What are the two speakers talking about?
2. According to the man, what is the wrong with the way the woman treats the children?
3. According to the man, what didn’t the woman’s parents teach her?
4. What does the woman think?
5. What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
Passage
All parents want to raise a happy, successful and loving child，but there is little agreement about how best to reach this goal. Over the years，parents have tried dramatically different ways. They have put their baby on a schedule, or they have fed on demand; they have let their baby cry himself to sleep，or they have picked him up as soon as he cried; they have given their child whatever he wants，or they have taught him to get everything through his own efforts. These contrasting parenting strategies arise from quite different views of the nature of children and childhood and the roles of parents. Some parents view their child as naturally social. To them，their job is to allow him the space to succeed. Others think that their child should be taught how to act. There are probably positives and negatives to each method. None of them guarantees that your child will become the loving individual you want him to be. But some things are certain－a child will be more likely to be loving if you show him love，more successful if you give him examples of success，and happier if you are happy.
Q: 1. What is this passage about?
2. What do parents NOT agree upon?
3. Why do parents have different methods for raising children?
4. How will a father raise his child if he believes his child is naturally social?
5. What can we be certain of?
Radio Program
Our “This I Believe” essay today comes from Corinne Colbert, a listener in Athens, Ohio. Colbert. Colbert is a mother of two. She writes the newsletter for a business organization，and she is president of a parent-teacher’s organization. Here’s Corinne Colbert with her essay for “This I Believe”.
My husband is not my best friend .He doesn’t complete me. In fact, he can be a self-absorbed jerk. We’re nearly polar opposites: He’s a lifetime member of the NRA who doesn’t care for journalists, and I’m a lifelong liberal with a journalism degree. On the other hand，he doesn’t beat or emotionally abuse me .He doesn’t drink or chase other women. He’s a good provider. So I’m sticking with him .Some people would call that “settling”, like it’s a bad thing. But I believe in settling.
Alas, to many of us, the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. From movies to magazines to commercials，we’re told that we should demand more from lives that are，for many of us，pretty good. We suppose to look better, eat better, find better jobs，be better lovers and parents and workers .A stable marriage isn’t enough. It’s supposed to be a fairy tale. Perfection is the goal.
Settling in my sense，is about acceptance . I’m a pretty happy person, in large part because I’m honest with myself about what I have.
Of course，some situations are worth improving. If your weight jeopardizes your health, exercise and change your eating habits; if your job makes you truly miserable, find a new one. If your marriage is toxic, end it. Chances are, though, you probably have what you need. If you’re unhappy, ask yourself: Am I unhappy because I really don’t have what I need，or because I just want more?
So, yes, I’m settling. I’m happy with my husband who，despite his flaws，is a caring father，capable of acts of stunning generosity and fiercely protective of his family. Thinking about him may not set me on fire as it used to, but after 17 years and two kids, our love is still warm. And I believe that’s good enough.
Listening and Speaking
Before the television was invented, families spent their spare time doing different activities together. Now，most families stay at home and watch TV. But there are a few reasons why watching television can be harmful.
The most important reason why watching TV is bad is it influences how much family members communicate. Parents, grandparents, and other family members have a lot of wisdom to share. This wisdom, however, is often ignored by young people who watch TV.
Furthermore，watching television is bad because it reduces children’s study time. Researchers have found that children who watch little or no television spend three hours a day on study more than frequent TV watchers.
Finally, TV programs can be a bad influence. Some shows，as we all know，include inappropriate language and too much violence. And while there is still a great amount of general discussion as to whether or not children will imitate the bad things they see on TV, many researchers say children do repeat what they see .Several studies link their behaviors to TV programs; for example, children are three times more likely to get into fights at school if they watch violent TV programs.
Supplementary Listening
1. M: Hello? Yes, Um，can I get some help over here?
W: Sure thing，handsome. What’ll it be?
M: A menu，please.
W: We don’t serve food－just the beers you see on the wall．
M: All right .What about that one? It’s German, right?
W: Yeah，It is. Is that what yon’d like?
M: That’ll do. But I’d like a cold one if you got one.
W: Sure thing, sweetie. That’ll be $6.25.
M: Say, you’re kinda friendly, wren’t you?
W: Suppose it comes with the job. It pays to be nice to people，don’t you think?
M: I suppose it does. That’s what my mother said to me anyway. Oh, wait. Wait a second. Oh no. I can’t believe this.
W: What’s wrong?
M: I think I left my wallet somewhere.
W: Quick, look around. It’s gotta be around here. Maybe on the floor.
M: No … it's not there. I don’t know where it could be. Any chance you can be nice and give
the beer for free?
W: No chance of that happening. No,if no one’s paying，I’m not nice.
Q: 1. What is the man doing in this conversation?
2. Where does this conversation take place?
3. What does the man want?
4. What did the man’s mother teach him?
5. When is the woman friendly?
2. It’s difficult to know what is truly happening inside a relationship. Though a woman might appear to be happy，she may be a victim of violence. And though a man may appear to be gentle, he might not actually be. Every year estimates range from 3.4 million acts of violence against a wife or girlfriend to 3 .9 million in this small country.
This is bad news. Unfortunately, there is more. Nearly one-third of women reported being beaten by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. Some of this violence resulted in injuries that required a doctor’s care. Thirty-seven percent of women who sought emergency room treatment for violence-related injuries in 2005 were injured by their own husbands or boyfriends. What’s more, twenty-six percent of all female murder victims in 2006 were killed by their partners.
What this means is that we as a society must look for the signs of violence. Do you know someone who often gives poor excuses for being hurt? Maybe you should talk with her about violence. Often a woman will stay in a violent relationship because she believes her husband or boyfriend loves her. But she should know that violence does not equal love.
Q: 1. According to the passage, what is difficult?
2. How many women are beaten by a husband or boyfriend per year?
3. What can we infer from this passage?
4. What percentage of female murder victims were killed by a partner in 2006?
5. Why does a woman often choose to stay in a violent relationship?
3. Who doesn’t love being in love? A true love listens to talk about work, lets you have that last 1)slice of pie, and (usually) remembers to take out the trash. He is ready to forget all kinds of 2)misunderstandings . And he always thinks you’re 3)beautiful , even without makeup.
Scientists have long been keen to prove that love gives us health 4)benefits too. Researchers can’t say for sure that a lover is more important than a loving family or warm friendship when it comes to 5)wellness . But they are learning more about how a romantic partner makes us stronger, with health gains that 6)range from faster healing and better control over illnesses to living longer.
The benefits of love are 7)explicit and measurable. A study last year from the University of Pittsburgh found that women in good marriages have a much lower risk of hear disease than those in high-stress relationship. The National Love and Health Study 8) has been tracking more than a million subjects since 1979 . The study shows that married people live longer, 9)have fewer heart attack and lower cancer rates , and even get pneumonia less frequently than singles. A new study from the University of Iowa also found that caner patients with 10)a strong sense of connection to others and in satisfying relationships were better able to fight off cancer. It seems that love helps people strengthen their immune systems.
Unit 2
Warming up
W thank you for agreeing to take this interview. I know you are quite a busy man.
M I am always happy to talk to people and answer questions from the audience.
W that is very nice to hear. People are calling you the world’s healthiest man. What do you think about that?
M what do I think? I think people are being very kind to me by saying so. I don’t think I am the healthiest man in the world, but I do take my health seriously. I exercise every day, running, swimming, and lifting weights.
W you certainly look great!
M thanks. Better than that, though, I feel great. Exercise makes me happy, keeps my stress level down, and gives me all sorts of energy for my work and family.
W do you have any special words for the audience?
M yes. Start exercising today, and start living a better life.
Listening
10 short conversations
1. W wow！ You look great! What have you been doing to look so good?
M I have been lifting weights. I really feel great. Strange, but it hardly took anytime at all before I started seeing improvements in my body.
2. M can you help me open this bottle? Someone put the cap on too tight.
W sure thing! Umm…there! Hey, that wasn’t tight at all! You really need to work out a little more and build up your strength!
3. M I just don’t know what I am going to do about my energy level! No matter what I do, I always feel tired!
W here’s an idea: since you have already been exercising a lot with no result, maybe you can change your diet.
4. M I’d really like to begin an exercise program, but I simply don’t know how to begin.
W I’ve spoken to a doctor about it. I will tell you what you told me: start off with a little bit of running and then do more and more every day.
5. M I’ve been feeling terrible lately. Do you think exercise could help me?
W I can’t say for sure. It probably wouldn’t hurt, but exercise can’t cure all of your problems.
6. W you always do so well in your classes!
M running gives me energy to stay up late into the night. This allows me to study more. Do the same and run with me tomorrow!
7. M there’s a strange limp in your walk. Did you pull a muscle or something?
W nah. I just feel a bit tired from all of the exercise I’ve been doing at the gym. I’ll return to normal in just a moment.
8. M have you seen how much weight Angela’s put on? Why do you think she stopped exercising and started eating such unhealthy foods?
W it is a sad story. Her parents got divorced, and now she is totally ignored her health.
9. W hello? Are you the person I talked to on the phone about checking in for an appointment?
M yes. Just sign your name on this piece of paper, and the doctor will see you as soon as he is free.
10. W I’ve been so very worried, and I don’t have a clue as to why I’ve been so sick.
M try not to worry too much. Do some running, see me in a week, and let me know if things change. I’ll run some tests on you if you are still not feeling well.
Understanding a long conversation
M hey! Hold up! Can you spare a minute?
W ugh, do you think you can make it quick?
M I’ll only need a minute, and then you can return to your run.
W fine, what’s up?
M Ma and Pa asked me to talk to you about all the exercising you’ve been doing. They told me I could find you here at the school track.
W so what of it?
M they think you’ve been doing a bit too much.
W you know what the doctor said---if I don’t get active, I could die of a heart attack.
M yeah, but I don’t think he meant for you to do so much. You should take it slowly. Maybe you could build an exercise program that becomes more and more difficult as time goes by.
W is that what your doctor said?
M no. it is just common sense. Everyone knows you shouldn’t overwork yourself when you start exercising.
W thanks for the concern. But tell Ma and Pa that I’ll be fine with what I’m doing.
Understanding a passage
It is very important to exercise. Many studies have shown that regular activity and exercise can improve overall health substantially. Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease by up to 35%, stroke by about 28%, certain cancers by 20% and more, and high blood pressure by an amazing 52%. Exercise can also help you to build healthy bones and muscles. Athletes must do physical training on a regular basis to increase their level of performance. Exercising includes walking, running, biking and plenty of other activities as well. My advice would be to pick something you enjoy doing and wouldn’t mind pursuing on a regular basis. Then, you must stick to a schedule. You can even pick a few different activities to mix things up and keep it interesting. Also, always stretch before physical activity! This is very important as you do not want to pull muscles. Most importantly, to keep a healthy body you must stay ACTIVE!
Understanding a radio program
Here at this Chicago High School and others, there has been so much emphasis on the quality of school menus, but this new study says that none of that really matters when fast food is just a short walk away.
How can a cafeteria ever hope to compete with this? A new Harvard study says more and more schools now have to. Eighty percent of schools in Chicago with a fast food restaurant less than half a mile away, raising concerns about how easy it is for kids to eat poorly, and whether fast food companies are moving into the neighborhood on purpose.
“ they take into account the demographics of neighborhoods, the roadways in neighborhoods, and where the access is to the consumer base.”
Doctor Bryn Austin is the study’s lead author and says on a typical day, nearly a third of American kids eat fast food. When they do, they consume more fat and calories, fewer vegetables and fruits than on days when they don’t.
Overall, nearly nine million children in the US are overweight or obese, more than one in every seven kids, a number that has tripled since 1980. McDonald’s criticized the Chicago study, saying most restaurants are in heavily trafficked areas. Schools said their spokesmen have nothing to do with it. But child health advocates like Doctor Matte Longjohn say the study shows how recent attempts to improve school menus, even remove soda vending machines, may not be enough to improve children’s eating habits.
Listening and speaking
People talk endlessly about the benefits of exercise. And when they aren’t talking about it, they’re reading about it in health magazines, watching programs about it on television, or listening to recordings about it. People can become so concerned about exercise that they begin to go insane with worry.
It is easy to understand why people attach great importance to exercise. Exercise can not only improve your health, but also enhance your mood and reduce depression and anxiety. People who do regular exercise often achieve an overall sense of well-being.
But this concern about exercise has gone too far. Some people are so obsessed with exercise that they give little time and attention to other aspects of their personal lives. I know a guy who spent all his spare time in the gym. Finally, he found himself estranged from his family. What’s more, if you do it in the wrong way, exercise can actually harm your body. Some people work out hard and pull their muscles; some even hurt a joint or break a bone.
Unit 3 ways to win
1 W: The president has decided that the current education system must be changed.
M: Yeah. But the question is what to change and how to change it. I’d like a leader who has real ideals for how things could be done!
Q : what can we infer from the conversation?
2 W: A new language school from England gas gotten a lot of attention because of it success in teaching students English.
M: I saw something on the news about it. I should ask my teacher what he thinks.
Q : How does the man know of the English language school?
3 W : My daughter’ college entrance exam is coming up, and I don’t think she’s ready.
M : You might want to send her to a test preparation school, modelled on the schools in Japan. Students there do quite well.
Q : why does the man recommend the test preparation school?
4 W: Our school has started offering classes in Chinese philosophy and religions.
M: I’ve actually taken some of these classes, as well as a Chinese cooking class. And now i want to visit China to see how the people live.
Q: What does the man want to learn about when he travels to china?
5 W: do you have any ideas for how i could improve my study skills?
M: there are a lot of special techniques and even classes on the subject of study skills, but I think you should forget about all of that. Just study more!
Q: what should the woman do?
6 W: I’ve been thinking a lot about how i could become happier. But i don’t know what to do.
M: Well, I think you should give up on the idea that money brings happiness. Try learning from poor, simple farmers. They always seem happy.
7 W: Well, I can’t see why you are travelling to Germany.
M: I know you want me to stay here, but my boss is sending me. I’ m supposed to have a look at a factory there and learn sth from it.
Q: Why is the man travelling to Germany?
8 W: When the meeting begins, I’d like you to introduce the method of negotiation you learned while you were in Japan.
M: OK. Do you have plans to discuss how these methods can be used, or can l do that?
Q: What are the speaker talking about?
9 W: While you’re away in Australia, I’d like you to learn all you can about Australian business, anything we can use to make our company better.
M: OK, I will. I’ll work hard and make the best of this opportunity
Q: What is the problem relationship between the two speaker?
10 W: After trying new education methods from Germany, Japan, and India, I’m still shocked to find that nothing is helping our students here improve.
M: Maybe the methods aren’t successful outside of their our countries and we should stick to our local British ways.
Q: where are the speakers?
1-5 DCBCC
6-10 BACBA
Understanding a long conversation::
M: Mandy has been working really hard to get into a good college. I wonder whether there’s anything we can do to help.
W: Well, we could send her a juku.
M: A what ? That sounds Japanese.
W: It is Japanese. A juku is a Japanese school that prepares students for the college entrance examination.
M: There are Japanese schools here in the United States?
W: Not quite. There are schools here that are in the style of the Japanese ones. And they are very successful in preparing students for big exams.
M: That sounds good, but i don’t think Mandy would want to leave the school she’s at now.
W: She wouldn’t leave. Juku are attended in addition to regular schools. She’d go there every day in the evening. And she’d also attend on weekends.
M: You think Mandy would do that? it’d take a lot of her free time away.
W: Our daughter is a good student, and she wouldn’t mind the extra work involved.
M: OK, maybe we can go and visit one first before we make any decisions. How about tomorrow?
Question for the dialogue above:
1 what are the speakers tailking about? B
2 what do juku schools prepare students for? C
3 what can we infer from the conversation? A
4 how does the woman feel about Mandy? B
5 what is the problem relationship between the two speakers? D
Understanding a passage:
Young people go to school to gather information, become respectable members of society, and prepare themselves either for university study offer employment. And it is a teacher’s job to help students accomplish these goals. But are public school teachers doing a good job?
A recent report has an answer-NO. And the details are disturbing. For one, researchers claim that 57% of all class time is wasted. During this time, no teaching or learning is actually taking place, as teacher has given this time to students to do whatever that wish. If students want to talk to friends or play computer games, that is what they do. Secondly, teaching are neglecting their classes by sometimes not even being in the room with their students. According to the report, teachers spend 33% of the time outside of the classroom where their students can’t see them. Thirdly, and probably most disturbing of all, 10% to 12% of teachers are drunk when they are giving their lessons.
It is clear that sth must change if public schools wish to help students accomplish their goals. And it seems that teachers should be supervised if improvements are to be made.
Questions for the passage above:
1what is the passage mainly about? A
2 according to the report, what happens during half of the class time? B
3 how much of class time do teachers spend out of the sight of their students? A
4 what does the speaker find most disturbing? C
What is the first step toward improving schools? A
Unit 4
Warming up
Welcome! Thank you for joining us on our tour of America about America already，but now you’re going to learn a whole lot. You probably know more! Maybe you’ve heard a lot
about some of America’s famous writers，like Jack Kerouac，from Americans you’ve met in
your own country. And maybe Americans traveling abroad have also filled you in on some
of our great artists，like Jackson Pollock. On this tour，once lived in .It could also be that you’ve learned about we’re going to visit the homes they great American musicians，like Louis, Armstrong，and symbols of America，like the Statue of Liberty，in your history classes。Well，you’11 be interested to know then that we’11 be visiting some different museums dedicated to these people .Once again，I’m glad you’ve chosen to travel with us.
Please call on me! I’m going to be your tour guide for the next few days If you need any help，
Understanding Short Conversations
1. W: It used to be that pictures of Uncle Sam were used just to encourage men to join the army. But now you can see his image in many other places as well.
M: Yeah .There are pictures of him all over the place，especially in advertisements.
Q: What are the speakers talking about?
2. W: The Statue of Liberty represents a welcoming spirit toward immigrants，right?
M: Well，mostly. But at first，it represented freedom from slavery. Then，it stood for the friendship between France and the US .And then even more。
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?
3. W: In the painting，American Gothic，a farmer is holding a weapon. Why? Is he going to war?
M: No! That’s not a weapon! He’s holding a tool for doing farm work!
Q: What mistake did the woman make?
4. W: I’ve traveled around the US，but I haven’t discovered anything that seems to represent it.
M: You haven’t been to Washington D .c. then .If you had，you would’ve seen a lot of buildings and statues that have comes to represent the US.
Q: Why should the woman travel to Washington D .c.?
5. W: What do you think comes to mind when foreigners think of the US?
M: I’m not sure. But I hope they think of our beautiful forests and natural wonders. After all，this is what I think of.
Q: What does the man wish for?
6. W: I had no idea that America was so famous for its painters.
M: Well，there have been more than a few great American painters。However, I don’t think the US values them as much as it should do.
Q: According to the man，what is wrong with the US?
7. W: I have to write a report on America’s greatest symbol，but I don't know what it is.
M: Well，you have a lot to choose from. There's the Golden Gate Bridge，the White House，the Statue of Liberty and so on. But if you asked me I think it's the painting American Gothic.
Q :According to the man，what is America's greatest symbol?
8. W: I don’t think America has a symbol that compares with either the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Great Wall of China
M: What are you talking about? There are many symbols in this country. .Take the Washington Monument for example，it holds a lot of importance for people here.
Q: What does the man think of the Washington Monument?
9. W: Let's see…so far we’ve been to Yosemite National Park，the Black Hills，and the Hoover Dam. What’s the next stop on this tour? I’m getting kinda tired of sitting.
M: I’m not exactly sure. Give me a moment and I’11 ask the bus driver.
Q: Where are the speakers?
10. M: I’m not sure why Mom and Dad took us on this tour of great American symbols.
W: Seeing these things up close is so much better than learning about them in school，I think they just wanted us to enjoy ourselves.
Q: What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
Understanding a Long Conversation
Audio Script
W: Please be careful as you board the ship .We’ve had a bit of rain today，and the deck is slippery. There，now as you settle into your seats，let me share some information about the Statue of Liberty，But first，does anyone have any questions?
M: I have some questions about the Statue.
W: Could you please speak up?
M:I said，I have some questions about the Statue!
W: Well then，let me hear them，
M: Well，you see，I’m writing a report for school，So I need some details，such as how big the Statue is，when it was built，and so on .Mostly，I just need general information.
W: OK .You know that the Statue was built in France，right?
M: Sure，
W: Well，the French originally wanted to complete the Statue by 1876，but they had trouble gathering funds for it. So，it wasn’t finished until 1884，It was then transported to the US，It’s worth mentioning that the Statue was sent in pieces，which were reassembled after arriving in New York.
M: When was that?
W: In 1885.
M: How tall is the Statue of Liberty?
W: Altogether, from the ground to the tip of the torch，the Statue is about 93 meters tall.
M: That’s a bit taller than I thought.
W: My number includes the base size .But subtracting the height of the base，the Statue is about 46 meters.
Understanding a Passage
I am not only a painter，but a student of art. Sometimes，I don’t quite understand why a piece of art is so popular，or why it means what it does to people .Such was the case when I first thought about American Gothic，Grant Wood’s famous painting of two farmers，
American Gothic was inspired by a trip that Wood made in 1930.He saw a house that was built in the 1870s or 1880s，and he was very attracted to its strong design. He then made a quick sketch，went back to his studio，and began his painting immediately. In addition to his sketch made that year，he used an 1890 photograph to help him.
The painting was strongly criticized by people who thought it made fun of simple farmers .I admit，I once thought the same thing，To me，great paintings are ones that try to understand people，not to laugh at them .And I didn’t like American Gothic. When I saw the painting in person，I recognized the strength in the faces of the farmers。I started to see that the artist was expressing the strength of simple American farmers .This is why so many people see the painting as a symbol of the US.
Understanding a Radio Program
On this week’s Fortune First，Coke or Pepsi.
It is the question that has fueled the rivalry known as the“cola wars”for decades，but the light is no longer just about the cola.
Americans are drinking less carbonated sodas and they want healthier things. Coca Cola launched Coke Zero，a calorie一free drink sweeter than Diet Coke and recently purchased vitamin Water. The company also created“Make Every Drop Count"，an interactive program which encourages coke drinkers to live healthy and active lifestyles .Pepsi is not missing a beat either.
They’ve been buying healthier brands，Naked Juice，Star Foods. One of their key divisions is Quicker Foods which of course makes a variety of healthier alternatives .They had a whole chain of fast food restaurants; they don’t own those any more .One of the things that they’ve done which is kind of innovative is they put together a theatre group. Basically it’ an alternative to the focus group.
These plays don’t promote Pepsi so much as healthy lifestyles to the audience of retail executives and Pepsi sales teams.
Coke and Pepsi are not the only companies struggling to meet consumer demands .Many fast food giants have added healthier options to their menus.
Rivalries are ultimately always a good thing for the consumer at least because they spur competitiveness.
Speaking Practice
More than the Statue of Liberty or any other symbol，Hollywood has come to represent America .Hollywood is at the heart of American cinema and at the heart of America itself, Hollywood films are known for their largeness一largeness in starts, largeness in action，largeness in emotion. Everything communicated by a Hollywood film is more exciting and more powerful than in real life. hat is more，in most Hollywood films，good people win over bad people, and the endings are generally happy. This Hollywood image of life follows the wishes of the American people to see the prosperous and successful lives they wish to have.
Listening and Speaking
The most popular sports in America got their starts either through the traditions of other countries or the efforts of people who were not American .But there is one sport that no other country wants to claim，a sport that many people don’t even want to call a sport .I’m speaking of professional wrestling.
Professional wrestling is a form of stage fighting that is done in front of large
audiences .It is also televised，and is enormously popular in the United States and in many
other countries，especially in Mexico and Japan.
Many people say that professional wrestling is not a sport because its outcomes are predetermined，The participants know who is going to win before they begin. In fact，they plan it this way. What is more，professional wrestlers don’t try to hurt each other. Unlike boxing，professional wrestling down’t aim for actual violence，just pretend violence.
But I think people who say this are missing a few important points. First，professional wrestling is very athletic. Participants are very strong and fast，and what they do is difficult. Second，professional wrestling is not the only sport with a predetermined end. Ice skating has a predetermined end as well .And third，not all sports are actually violent. Baseball，for one，is a sport that is not supposed to be violent，
Homework
One
W: You look like you’re hard at work. Do you have a test coming up?
M: No，I have a report that’s due next week. I have to write five pages on the Statue of Liberty. I’m still gathering information on it .What I’ve learned is really quite interesting.
W: It’ kind of embarrassing，but I don’t know much about it。
M: Mind if I educate you?
W: Mind? Heck，I’d appreciate it.
M:OK .so，here are some facts that I learned from my research .The Statue stands 46 meters high and weighs 225 tons。It was first constructed in France，To travel from Paris to New York Harbor，the Statue had to be disassembled into 300 pieces and shipped in more than200 wooden boxes.
W: When was it first displayed?
M: On October 28th，1886，President Grover Cleveland delivered an address at the Statue’s dedication ceremony, during which she was ultimately unveiled to the American people.
Two
Violent computer games might be teaching children to be violent。Adult movies may be teaching children to use unacceptable language。But what is being taught by Barbie dolls? Many people throughout the years have complained about Barbie dolls. Here are a couple of their complaints.
For one，people say that Barbie encourages an unrealistic image. The doll’s waist is too thin，her neck is too long，and her breasts are too big. Some parents and doctors are concerned about the ideas this gives to young girls. They say that young girls grow up with an idea of beauty that is simply impossible. Young girls will stop from eating，exercise too much，and still they cannot match up with Barbie.
Barbie also seems to be living in a mostly white world. Barbie is white and her boyfriend is white。Defenders of Barbie say this complaint is not fair, and they point to the many Babies of different races .In 1978，Mattel，the company that makes Barbie，came out with a Hawaiian Barbie. Then they followed this up with a Black Barbie in 1979，an Asian Barbie in 1981，and an Indian Barbie in 1982.
Unit 5
Short conversations
1. W: I’ll never forgive myself for not being there at Mom’s side when she died.
M: don’t beat yourself up about this. You were there with her during so much of her life, so you have noting to be ashamed of.
Q: Why shouldn’t the woman feel bad about not being there when her mother died?
2. W: Before his death, Grandpa said we should always be generous with each other?
M: That’s Grandpa, always telling others what to do. But I’m not so sure he followed his own advice. I, for one, never saw him share with anyone.
Q: According to the man, what kind of person was Grandpa?
3. W: Now that Dad has passed away, we need to prepare some words to say about his life.
M: We should tell others what he told us—to make the world a better place by being loving people, I’m sure the rest of the family would appreciate this.
Q: What does the man think that they should talk about?
4. W: My father keeps asking me to take him to a suicide doctor. He says he’s ready to die.
M: Since his illness is beyond cure, maybe you should respect his wishes. I know you don’t agree, but it’s his life and his choice.
Q: What does the man thing?
5. W: Though she didn’t say so, I think Mom would want me to have some of her money now that she has passed away.
M: You can have all of it! I don’t care about the money; I only care about honoring her memory.
Q: What does the man care about?
6. W: I don’t know why Grandma didn’t want us to be in the hospital with her when she passed away.
M: Well, you know, she was a nurse. So she saw a lot of death. It’s an ugly thing, and she didn’t want us to see it.
Q: Why did Grandma want the speakers to stay away from her when she passed away?
7. W: Do you ever wonder what will happen after death? I mean, is there a heaven, or…
M: Ah, don’t be silly! When you’re dead, you’re dead! And that’s all there is to it! Nothing can convince me otherwise!
Q: What are the speakers talking about?
8. W: I hear you perform assisted suicides for old people. Is that right? Maybe you can end my pain?
M: I’m afraid you have me confused with a different doctor. And if you’re thinking of killing yourself, you should talk to a family member, your husband perhaps.
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?
9. W: I feel terrible that I couldn’t make it to the hospital when Mom was dying.
M: You should. She kept asking where you were. Our mother was so good to you. You should’ve been there.
Q: What is the relationship between the two speakers?
10.W: When winter hits, old people die at a surprising rate here. Maybe 60 or 70 people will go in the first month.
M: Actually, the first month of last winter took 85 in our town. And with Dad being 86 now, I’m praying that he can survive the winter.
Q: How old is their father?
Long conversation
M: How’s your mother?
W: She didn’t pull through.
M: What?
W: Yeah, she passed away. It happened last night, at just after eleven o’clock. But I’d been expecting it for a long time.
M: Oh, I’m sorry.
W: Thanks. I’ll be OK. Mom left me with some wisdom just before she passed away.
M: What did she say?
W: Minutes before she went, she said that there were 20 good things in life. And if a person did at least 15 of these things, that person would be happy.
M: Would you mind telling me what these things are?
W: Sure. One was that a person should have children. Having children can teach you about sharing, love, and so much more. Mom said it was the best thing she had ever done.
M: And the others?
W: She said that a person should give money to charity, write a book, travel around the world, and make peace with one’s enemies.
M: That’s five things altogether. What about the others?
W: She closed her eyes then. And that was it.
M: That’s so sad!
W: Not really. I think I could guess the rest. Essentially, Mom was telling me to have an exciting and loving life, without hatred or anger.
1. what are the speakers talking about?
2. according to the woman’s mother, how many things should a person do at least in order to be happy?
3. what can one learn from having children?
4. what can we infer from the conversation?
5. why did the daughter feel all right even though her mother failed to list all of the good things?
Passage
Are you afraid to die? We asked over 57,000 adults this question and others in a poll. Before we conducted the poll, we had an idea of what sort of answers we would receive. We expected around 90 percent of the people to admit a great fear of death, and most of them, up to 70 percent, to say they were afraid of what comes after death. But it wasn’t the case, not at all.
A surprising 80 percent of people responding to the poll said they didn’t fear death at all. Twelve percent said they feared death only a little, and only eight percent reported great fear associated with death.
However, people are not without worries. The people we polled answered the other questions, saying, though they didn’t fear death, they feared the problems leading up to death. The biggest of theses problems had to do with close family members. Adults with children overwhelmingly said they worried about children who would have to watch them die. The process of watching someone die is incredibly difficult, and parents didn’t want their children to see them go through it. Interestingly enough, however, most of the people who said this also said they wanted to care for their own parents as their parents became elderly.
1. what is the speaker talking about?
2. what did researchers expect?
3. what percentage of people fear death only a little?
4. what is the biggest concern about death?
5. according to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
Understanding a radio program
I’ll give you some advice about life. Eat more roughage. Do more than others expect you to do and do it at pains. Remember what life tells you. Don’t take to heart everything you hear. Don’t spend all that you have. Don’t sleep as long as you want. Whenever you say “I love you”, please say it honestly. Whenever you say “I’m sorry”, please look into the other person’s eyes. Fall in love at first sight. Love deeply and ardently, even if there is pain, but this is the way to make your life complete. Find a way to settle, not to dispute. Never judge people by their appearance. Speak slowly, but think quickly. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and say, “why do you want to know?” remember that the man who can shoulder the most risk will gain the deepest love and the supreme accomplishment. Call your mother on the phone. If you can’t, you may think of her in your hear. When someone sneezes, say “god bless you.” If you fail, don’t forget to learn your lesson.
Listing and speaking
Death can be sudden or drawn out. And I suppose there are advantages to each. A sudden death is painless, so a person who dies quickly doesn’t suffer as much. In addition, a quick death is cheap. Family members don’t have to pay for large hospital bills for this kind of conclusion.
These are good reasons to wish for a quick death. However, I believe there are also good reasons to want a slower death. In my opinion, the benefits of a slow death are greater than the benefits of a faster one.
Most important to me, and first among my list of reasons, is that a slow death gives a person time to think about his or her life. What is life’s meaning? What was the best part? We spend all our lives thinking about these questions. It’s nice to have some time at the end to consider them and hopefully come to definitive answers.
Secondly, a slow death allows one to say goodbye to his or her family and friends. This maybe important to those left behind. It gives them a sense of closure and the opportunity to say things that may have been difficult at other times.
And thirdly, a slow death gives one time to arrange his or her financial affairs. A person can make out a will. This, of course, makes things easier for the family.
Unit 6
Warming Up
The word from scientists and politicians is to “get ready”. Get ready for earthquakes. Get ready for global warming. Get ready for nature, because nature is not your faithful friend. Changing climate patterns and natural disasters bring about real problems and challenges for every person on this planet. This has always been the case for mankind. However, these changes are occurring more rapidly than ever before, and the disasters are becoming more severe. In order to survive, people must work together to defend themselves. We must come up with new ideas for our preservation. We must also develop new technologies, such as pre-warning systems that can tell us when disasters are on their way. For more information on how you can protect yourself, visit your local library for books on the subject of survival or view the government website.
Understanding Short Conversations
1. W: we were stuck by an earthquake last week, storms this week, and reports show a tornado is on its way! What did we do to deserve this?
M: Deserve has nothing to do with it. It’s nature. We’ve just got to ready ourselves against it.
Q: How does the man feel?
2. W: I’m worried our home won’t stand up to an earthquake if one should come.
M: Perhaps not. But I built it to withstand a flood, and I think it should do that just fine. After all, floods are our concern in this region, not earthquakes.
Q: What was the man thinking about when he built his house?
3. W: Did you see the news? An earthquake hit Japan today.
M: oh, that’s terrible. Just a week ago, there were earthquake in the US and China. I hope we can learn to protect ourselves from them.
Q: What is the conversation about?
4. M: Many voters are concerned about the rising costs of fuel.
W: I think they’re being a little shortsighted. Rising fuel costs are good for the environment, because higher costs force people to consume less resources.
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?
5. W: Is it just my imagination, or are the winters not as cold as they used to be?
M: I don’t think you’re imagining it. Many other people are saying the same thing. And some are worried that it’s signaling something bad to come.
Q: What do some people expect?
6. M: If anyone knows a better energy source than oil, share your idea with the class.
W: I might have an answer. Wind power is renewable, clean and can be obtained in more places than oil.
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?
7. M: you’re too young to remember, but in the 1970s there was a terrible energy crisis.
W: I’ve read about it. And if we want to avoid another one, and protect what we have, I think we must learn how to conserve our resources.
Q: What has the woman read about?
8. W: you’ve been standing here all day. What are you doing?
M: I’m talking to people about our shrinking forests. It’s a very important issue. If forests aren’t protected, we won’t have any trees left.
Q: What is the man doing?
9. M: New regulations will require most factories to reduce waste output by 30—35%.
W: Some will only have to cut waste by only 2 or 3%. But we’re going to be hit hard by this new law. We’re
going to get it down by 50%.
Q: how much will the speakers’ factory have to cut waste by?
10. W: Can you go upstairs, gather the newspapers in your room, and bring them downstairs, honey? I’m going to make a run to the recycling plant.
M: Can I do it after school? I’m really in a hurry.
Q: Where are the speakers?
Understanding a long Conversation
W: today we’re very lucky to have with us a special guest. So I want you all to say hello to Official Mitchell.
M: Thank you, Ms.Lewis. I’m here to tell you about being safe during an earthquake. To start, does anybody have any questions? Anybody? Anyone at all? Would anyone like…
W: Official Mitchell, I think the students are a little shy. How about I ask you some questions/
M: Sure. That’d be fine.
W: What should I do in an earthquake?
M: you should find a secure location to wait it out, like under a heavy table of desk, or in an interior hallway where you can brace yourself between two walls. Doorways are the safest places to stand, thanks to the strong beams overhead. However, watch out for swinging doors. And stay away from windows.
W: What if I’m outside?
M: In that case, you should get into an open area, away form falling buildings, trees, and other things. And if you’re in a crowded public area, you should crouch low with your hands protecting your head and neck.
W: That sounds like good advice. But what if I’m driving?
M: Then pull over to the side of the road, stop, and wait until the quakes has ended. Remember, earthquakes, like so many other things in nature, are dangerous.
1 What are the speakers talking about? A
2 Where is the conversation taking place? C
3 Where is the best place to stay inside a building during an earthquake? B
4 Under what circumstance should a person get low and protect his or her head during an earthquake? B
5 Where should a person stop his or her car during an earthquake? D
Understanding a passage
How should we feel when told the earth is going to die? Should we feel responsible? Troubled? Upset? I don’t think so. I’ve come to realize that mankind is unable to “kill” the earth. Yes, we can change it. But he earth has been changed before, and has not died yet.
For example, during the past 1.65million years, there have been four major, and many minor, episodes of global cooling. These episodes resulted in the southward surge of huge fields of glacial ice in both North America and Eurasia. These episodes also caused great migrations of animals and plants. And yet, the earth remained.
The earth also survived greater changes, ones that caused mass extinctions of animals. During a six-to-eight-million-year time period around 380 million years ago, only 300 species groups were left in existence. And still, the earth remained. It would’ve survived if only 250 or 200 groups had lived, or even 100.
So what should we do when we are told that the earth will die? Well, we probably shouldn’t listen. The earth will survive. We, on the other hand, may not. And so, it is in our best interest to conserve resources and defend ourselves against natural disasters.
1. What is the speaker talking about?
2. What caused great migrations of animals and plants?
3. How many groups of species were left around 380 million years ago?
4. What should we worry about most?
5. What should we defend ourselves against?
Listening and Speaking
Since oil first started being used to generate a mass amount of energy, its problems have been obvious to people. And in recent years, oil’s problems have been increasingly troublesome. At this point, it’s clear that we need to be developing other methods for generating energy.
One major problem is that oil is very dirty. Oil burning leads to the release of gases that pollute the environment. Problems resulting from this include global warming and health concerns for people. Oil drilling also causes environmental problems, as oil coming up to the surface of the ground spills into the surrounding land.
A second major problem is that oil transportation is dangerous to wildlife. Oil spills, possible when we transport oil by ship, are extremely deadly to marine life.
And a third major problem is that oil is limited. Since oil takes millions of years to form, and since we are using a lot of it, we will eventually run out. When that day comes, the world will be in real trouble. Thus, it’s better to develop new methods for generating energy now.
