听力套题原文

Test one

Section A

1. W: How did your interview go? M: I couldn‟t feel better about it.

Q: What is the man‟s attitude towards the interview?

2. M: What would you like for dessert? I think I'll have apple pie and ice cream.

W: The chocolate cake looks great, but I have to watch my weight. You go ahead and get

yours.

Q: What would the woman most probably do?

3. W: Alice looks worried. She has not heard from her family for a long time. M: Why didn‟t she call her parents? Overseas mail is often slow.

Q: What does the man mean?

4. M: Professor Smith asked me to go to his office after class. So it‟s impossible for me to make

it to the bar at ten.

Section B

M: Oh, hi, Maria, long time no see! How have you been? W: Oh, not bad. And you?

M: Oh. I‟m doing okay, but school has been really hard these days, and I haven‟t had time to

relax.

W: By the way, what‟s your major anyway? M: Hotel management.

W: Well, what do you want to do after you graduate?

M: Uh... I haven‟t decided for sure, but I think I‟d like to work for a hotel or travel agency in this

area. How about you? W: Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French, but I realized I might have a

hard time finding a job using the language, so I changed to computer science. With the right

skills, landing a job in the computer industry shouldn‟t be as difficult. M: So do you have a part-time job to support yourself through school?

W: Well, fortunately for me, I‟ve received a four-year academic scholarship that pays for all of

my tuition and books. M: Wow, that‟s great.

W: Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school? M: Yeah. I work three times a week all at a restaurant near campus.

W: Then it seems that we‟ll have to meet an hour later at the library. Q: What will the man do first after class? W: The main actor is caught in a traffic jam. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

5. M: The play should have begun ten minutes ago. What‟s holding things up?

W: Oh. What do you do there? M: I‟m a cook.

W: How do you like your job?

M: It‟s okay. The other workers are friendly, and the pay isn‟t bad. 6. What does the man want to do after he graduates? 7. Why did the woman change her major? 8. How does the woman pay for college?

9. What can be learnt about the man‟s part-time job? 10. What is the relationship of the man and woman? Section C

There are many reasons why family life in Britain has changed so much in the last fifty years. The liberation of women in the early part of the twentieth century and the social and economic effects of World War II had a great impact on traditional family life. Women became essential to industry and the professions. During the war they had worked in factories and proved their worth; now, with the loss of millions of men, their services were indispensable to the nation.

More recently, great advances in scientific knowledge, and particularly in medicine, have had enormous social consequences. Children are better cared for and are far healthier. Infant death rate is low. Above all, parents can now plan the size of their family if they wish through more effective means of birth control.

Different attitudes to religion, authority and tradition generally have also greatly contributed to changes in family life. But these developments have affected all aspects of society. It is particularly interesting to note that the concept of “the family” as a social unit has survived all these challenges.

11. What is this passage mainly about?

12. When did the liberation of British women take place?

13. Why did British women become indispensable to industry after World War II?

14. According to the passage, what contributed to the sharp reduction of infant death rate? 15. What remained unchanged in spite of all the challenges to family life?

Section D

Some scientists have predicted that healthy adults and children may one day take drugs to improve their intelligence and intellectual performance. A research group has suggested that such drugs might become as common as coffee or tea within the next couple of decades.

To counter this, students taking exams might have to take drugs tests like athletes. There are already drugs that are known to improve mental performance, like Ritalin, which is given to children with problems of concentrating. A drug given to people with troubles of sleeping also helps people remember numbers.

These drugs raise serious legal and moral questions, but people already take vitamins to help them remember things better, so it will not be a simple problem to solve. It will probably be very difficult to decide at what point a food supplement becomes an unfair drug in an examination.

Test two Section A

1. W: Do you know that Mark turned down that job offered by a travel agency?

M: Yeah, the hours were convenient, but he wouldn‟t have been able to make ends meet.

Q: Why did Mark refuse to take the job?

2. W: Can‟t we eat somewhere else? Very few small restaurants like this serve good food.

M: I know, but there isn‟t anywhere else in this town. Look, the waiter is coming over for our

order.

Q: What do they think about the restaurant?

3. W: Mary is fluent in English and she‟s just started to learn Japanese. M: I hear she also knows a few words in Chinese and French. Q: Which language does Mary speak well?

4. W: John must have been joking when he said that he was going to live in Boston.

M: Don‟t be so sure. He told me that he was looking for an agent to sell his house. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

5. W: Excuse me, I wonder if the bus will come at all. It‟s already a quarter to eleven. M: Oh, I am afraid you have just missed the last one, which left five minutes ago.

Q: When should the woman have arrived ?

feeling now?

M: They must have confused me with my brother Jack. Anyway, he‟s feeling better now. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

6. W: Hi, John. Haven‟t seen you for quite a few days. I heard you‟ve been sick. How are you

7. W: At the rate it is being used, the photo copier is not going to make it through the rest of the

year. M: The year?! It is supposed to be good for four! Q: What does the tone of the man sound like?

8. W: Look at all those cars and trucks lined up for the ferry. There must be at least 40 ahead of

ours.

M: True. I think it will take quite a while for us to be on board.

Q: Where are the two speakers?

Now you‟ll hear two long conversations. Conversation One

W: James, can I give you a hand with one of those grocery bags?

M: Sure, Nanny. Could you take this one please? I didn‟t realize how heavy these bags would be. W: Why did you buy so much stuff when you have to walk back home from the store?

M: Well, I didn‟t intend to buy a lot. But I‟m having some people over and I guess I needed more than I expected. W: What‟s the occasion?

M: Now the people I live with, the Smiths, have been on vacation for a month and I thought I‟d surprise them. I‟m inviting some of their friends and families for a welcome home dinner. W: Oh, that‟s really thoughtful of you.

M: I figure it‟s the least I can do for them. They‟ve been letting me stay with them rent free while

I‟m in school.

W: Really? That‟s pretty generous of them.

M: Well, they understand how difficult it is to make ends meet when you‟re a student. They‟ve been such a big help to me. I thought that this might be a small way to thank them for the generosity. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. What‟s James trying to do?

10. Why did James think he wouldn‟t have a problem?

11. Why is James appreciative of the Smiths?

Conversation Two

W: Did you know that astronauts have made commercial products in space? M: No, I wasn‟t aware of that. What kind of products?

W: Tiny plastic beads with a little hole through it.

M: Tiny balls? Do you mean to tell me that astronauts have nothing better to do than make jewelry beads in space? It seems to me they could make more useful things out there.

W: Oh, but these little balls aren‟t for jewelry. They can be used for scientific purposes to conduct cancer research.

M: That sounds better, but why make such objects in space rather than on earth?

W: Because earth gravitational pull affects the beads. The ones produced on earth are distorted,

not exactly round. The ones made in space are precisely round. M: Sounds reasonable.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12. What are the speakers mainly discussing?

13. According to the conversation, what is the likely use for the beads? 14. According to the woman, why did astronauts make the beads in space? 15. What material were the beads made of?

Section B

Passage One

In the United States, people appear to be constantly on the move. Think for a moment. How often do you see moving vans on the road? They seem to be everywhere. Are so many people actually changing their addresses? Yes, people in the United States are indeed on the move. Within any five year period, about one third of the population change their place of residence. Every person who moves has his or her own personal reasons for making such a decision. Some people may decide to move because of employment opportunities. Some may wish to live in a warmer or a colder climate. And some have many other reasons. Regardless of the specific causes, the amount of movement in this country is substantial.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16. According to the passage, what do Americans often do?

17. How frequently one in every three Americans will change their place of residence? 18. What do some of Americans move for?

Passage Two

I am living in a small village in the country. My wife and I run a village shop. We have a very peaceful life, boring life as some might say. But we love it. We know all the people in the village. They have plenty of time to stop and chat. I have plenty of time for my hobbies too--gardening, fishing, walking in the countryside. I love the outdoor life. It wasn‟t always like this though. I used to have a really stressful job, working so late in the office every evening. I often bring work home at the weekends. The advertising world is very competitive. And when I look back, I can't imagine how I stood it. I have no private life at all. No time for the really important things in life. Because of the pressure of the job, I used to smoke and drink too much. The crisis came when my wife left me. She complained that she never saw me and I had no time for family life. This made me realize what is really important to me. I talked things through with her and decided to get back together and started a new and better life together. I gave up tobacco and alcohol and searched for new hobbies. Now I am afraid of looking back since the past life seemed like a horrible dream. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard. 19. What did the speaker do for a living?

20. What do we know about the speaker‟s life in the past? 21. What made the speaker change his life style?

Passage Three

In the local newspaper of my community recently, there was a story about a man named Virgil Spears. He lived in a small town about 40 miles from my home. He had served five years in a New York prison for robbing a restaurant. When he returned to his family, Mr. Spears couldn‟t find a job. Everyone knew he had been in prison and nobody trusted him. Finally, in desperation, he calmly walked into a local barbershop where he was well known, pulled out a gun, and took all the money the barber had. Up to this point it had been a fairly routine crime, but then something unusual happened. Mr. Spears didn‟t try to get away. He got into his car, drove slowly out of town, and waited for the police. When they caught him, he made only one request. He turned to the arresting policemen and said: “Would you please ask the court to put my family on welfare just as soon as possible?”

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 22. What made it difficult for Virgil Spears to find a job? 23. Why did Virgil Spears rob the local barbershop? 24. What did Mr. Spears do after he robbed the barbershop? 25. What can we infer from the passage?

Section C

Americans like immigrants as individuals --- the (26)decent, hardworking Korean grocer

on the corner, the Russian computer (27)programmer who lives down the street or the Filipino nurse who works at the (28)local hospital. But as a nation we don‟t seem to think much of immigration in (29)general.

In a 1994 Newsweek (30)survey, for example, half the public agreed that “immigrants are

a (31)burden because they take our jobs, housing and health care.” (32)Passions run high. “We

are flooding areas of the country with millions of uneducated immigrants,” complained one Wall Street Journal reader. They “take over, impose their (33)culture and don‟t even try to assimilate.”

(34) Everyone agrees that we must police our borders against illegal immigrants. But

some, including Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, want to declare a moratorium on all immigration. Sen. Alan Simpson (R., Wyo.) has sponsored a bill that would reduce the number of legally admitted non-refugee immigrants from 675,000 annually to 540,000.

Yet in sharp contrast to the prevailing rhetoric that feeds on the misinformation, (35)the evidence shows that the problems attributed to immigration are false or greatly exaggerated. In reality, today‟s immigrants contribute positively, in much the same way our own ancestors did. (36)We would only hurt ourselves by shutting the door in their faces. It‟s time to debunk the myths that are clouding our public debate and policy.

Test three

Section A

1. W: Hello, this is Ms Sunshine. How can I help you?

M: Hello, my name is Kenneth Beare and I‟m calling to enquire about the position advertised

in Sunday‟s Times.

W: Yes, the position is still open. Could I have your name and number please? M: Certainly, My name is Kenneth Beare…

Q: What is Kenneth Beare calling for?

2. M: Jim, I don‟t know what to say to comfort you, but cheer up! There‟s plenty of fish in the

sea and you‟ll find your soul mate, your perfect match!

M: Yeah, but it‟s hard to forget her at the moment. You know, Helen and I, we were together

for almost five years. It‟s really hard....

Q: What might possibly happen between Jim and Helen?

3. W: Terry, are you sure you read the directions correctly? We‟ve been waiting for more than

30 minutes!

M: Do you think I made a mistake?! I‟m sure he said Joe‟s Bar and Grill.

Q: What have the man and the woman been doing?

4. W: Hi, Victor, do you think it‟s possible for us to have a talk sometime today?

M: I‟d love to, but I‟ve got a pretty tight schedule today. I‟ve got to finish a report by

ten. Then I have to drive to the airport to pick up a client of mine at eleven. After that, I‟ll

have a meeting with him over lunch. I guess I won‟t have a break until two o‟clock. But then from three until five, I have to attend a senior staff meeting.

Q: What will the man do at noon?

5. W: What have you been doing these past few weeks? The last time I saw you you were

looking for a new job.

M: Well, that‟s not exactly true. I was thinking about changing jobs. Luckily, that was all taken care of when they offered me a new position in the accounts department.

Q: What had the man been thinking about during the past weeks? 6. W: Good morning. Can I have your ticket, please?

M: Here you are.

W: Thank you. Would you like smoking or non-smoking? M: Non-smoking, please.

W: Would you like a window or an aisle seat? M: An aisle seat, please.

W: Do you have any baggage?

M: Yes, this suitcase and this carry-on bag.

W: Here‟s your boarding pass. Have a nice flight. M: Thank you.

Q: Where does the conversation possibly take place?

7. M: (looking at the menu) What are the specials this evening?

W: There‟s pan seared tuna steak, sweet and sour shrimp, tip of sirloin with your choice of

pepper corn sauce or sautéed mushrooms. We also have a vegetarian entrée.

Q: What is not included in the evening’ specials?

Section B

Passage One

Being a new student in school can be a little scary. Being a new student in a new country can be even scarier.

A college or university‟s international student office is a good place to start getting to know the school and the country.

Our example is the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. U.S.C. has had the most international students of any American college or university for the past seven years. So says the Institution of International Education in New York.

U.S.C.‟s Office of International Services says the number of students this year is about seven thousand five hundred. The University of Southern California has more than thirty-five thousand students total.

The Office of International Services helps explain student life at the university. It also organizes programs to help foreign students feel more at ease in their new surroundings. For example, there are trips to explore the Los Angeles area.

Most American colleges and universities have a similar office that helps international students. These offices look for ways to get students involved in school life and make American friends. Their job is not always easy. International students often want to spend their free time with friends from their own country or group.

India, China, South Korea, Japan and Canada sent the most students to the United States during the last school year. Next came Mexico, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The office at U.S.C. also assists family members who come to the United States with international students. The family members can take English classes and go on trips to places like museums.

The Office of International Services also organizes other activities. For example, a State of the World Seminar takes place each semester. A group of international students and a professor discuss current social and political issues and take questions from the audience. The most recent seminar, held earlier this month, dealt with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Questions 8 to 10 are based on the passage you have just heard.

8. According to what has U.S.C. had the most international students of any American college or university for the past seven years?

9. Why is it not always easy for the offices helping international students to get them involved in school life?

10. Which is NOT the job for U.S.C.‟s Office of International Services mentioned in the passage?

PassageTwo

It‟s nice to see old couples walking holding hands, and seeing in their eyes that they have a great marriage despite 50 or 60 years of togetherness. This sight is a living proof that you can stay in love with the same person regardless of how many thousand days you woke up and saw his/her face at your first sight.

Staying truly in love with only one person despite knowing that there are more than 6 billion existing people in the world, is indeed a wonder. It‟s also a choice, which takes a lot of hard work, and needs a lot of effort to be achieved. Grandma and Grandpa chose to still be in love, worked hard, and exerted efforts to stay in love with each other. How could they do that?

Most probably, they know the importance of communication to keep the love alive. Being open to your partner by sharing your thoughts on matters concerning you and your marriage is a must. Although you‟ve been together for ages, and already know each other that much, your partner does not always know what‟s on your mind.

You have to say it out loud for the other to know what to do and for both of you to reflect on what‟s really happening. Keeping things from your partner especially resentments is one way of diminishing the chance to have a great marriage. Communicating is not just speaking, it‟s also about listening. You can‟t always do all the talking. You sometimes need to be the ear, because it‟s always not about you, it‟s about you two.

Questions 11 to 14 are based on the passage you have just heard. 11. Why is it nice to see old couples walking hand in hand?

12. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true? 13. What should be done to keep the love alive?

14. What may make it less possible to have a great marriage?

Section C

There‟s a reason that the Beijing Olympics are (15)scheduled to begin at exactly 8:08:08 PM on 8/8/08. The number 8 is considered lucky in China, and thus the games will (16)supposedly be off to an especially (17)auspicious start. While many people consider the date especially powerful or significant because it contains many eights. There are (18)scientific ways to see if certain numbers truly are lucky. It would be fairly easy, for example, to do a study to find out if significantly fewer people than average die at the ages of 8 or 88. Or if most people born on certain significant dates (say, 8/8/1988) are healthier or richer than their counterparts. (19)These superstitions are very easy to test against the real world, and they consistently fail. If the number 8 was lucky (not only in people‟s imaginations but in the real world), everyone would be using them!

Though superstition and magical thinking have little to do with reality, they will always be with us. Our brains are (20)hard-wired to search for meaning, and often people see patterns and special significance where they don‟t exist. If you think that the Chinese (21)numerology is silly, remember that such superstitions are all around us. (22)Many office and apartment buildings in America, for example, are missing a 13th floor, and some airplanes don‟t have a 13th row.

Test four

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.

11. W: Has the latest Beijing Review magazine arrived yet? It‟s already Tuesday today.

M: Sorry, it‟s late. But probably it will not arrive till the day after tomorrow.

Q: On which day of the week will the magazine arrive?

12. W: Poor Tom! To be so close to finishing and then not graduate!

M: If you had known how he had dealt with his school work, you wouldn‟t feel like that.

Q: What can be inferred about Tom?

13. M: The play should have begun ten minutes ago. What‟s holding things up? W: The main actor is caught in a traffic jam. Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 14. W: How did your interview go?

M: I couldn‟t feel better about it.

Q: What is the man‟s attitude towards the interview?

15. W: What do you plan to do on vacation?

M: This year I‟m just going to be lazy at home. I‟ll probably do some gardening, watch TV,

and work on my stamp collection.

Q: Where is the man going to spend his vacation?

16. W: Can you make a cabinet four feet high and three feet wide?

M: Sure. How many shelves do you need?

Q: What most probably is the man‟s occupation?

17. M: Mary doesn‟t take a part-time job this semester. W: No. Her grades enabled her to earn a scholarship. Q: What is implied about Mary?

18. M: Do you want to go dancing this Friday night?

W: I‟ve had a long week. Can we do something quiet please?

Q: What would the woman most probably like to do this Friday night?

Now you‟ll hear two long conversations. Conversation One

W: I haven‟t seen you for ages, Bob.

M: Yeah, Long time no see. How are you? W: I‟m fine, thanks. And you?

M: Not too bad. But I do seem to have problems.

W: What‟s eating you?

M: I can‟t get on with some of my classmates. They leave me in the cold. W: Sorry to hear that. But why do they give you a cold shoulder?

M: I don‟t know. They‟re not interested in me.

W: Maybe you have little in common with them.

M: They are so fond of joking and playing tricks, but I am not.

W: That‟s where the problem lies, I think. By the way, what are you keen on? M: I‟m keen on reading and learning new things. W: What does the teacher say about that?

M: When we have some friction, teacher is always on their side. W: Have you ever had a heart-to-heart talk with her?

M: Yes, I have. But she blamed me for not being able to get on with them. W: Well, do you like to keep yourself to yourself?

M: I don‟t know. We just can‟t seem to get on well with each other.

W: I tell you what. Try to have a heart-to-heart talk with them and do things with them. They may begin to have some interest in you. M: I hope so. I‟ll see what I can do.

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. What seems to be Bob‟s problem?

20. What is the meaning of the sentence “What‟s eating you”? 21. What is Bob keen on?

22. What is the woman‟s suggestion to help Bob solve his problem?

Conversation Two

W: Come in, Dr. Smith. I‟m glad to see you. M: I‟m sorry to be late.

W: Oh, don‟t worry about it. We‟re delighted you could come. Now dinner is ready. Just sit down at the table. M: Thanks a lot.

W: Try some Beef Sauteed with Chinese Broccoli and Fried Celery with Shredded Meat. Oh, please help yourself to Crispy Duck. It is my favorite dish. M: It‟s very delicious.

W: Let‟s try some Chinese Maotai wine. It‟s a very famous brand. M: Yes. Thank you. But I couldn‟t have much of it. W: How about some pieces of apple pie? M: OK, just a piece, please.

W: How do you like it?

M: It‟s very unusual, but to be honest, I‟m almost full. Well, I‟m afraid that I have to go now. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

W: You‟re welcome. Many thanks for coming here. I‟m just making some coffee for you.

M: Oh, no. I really have no room for any more coffee. Thank you very much indeed. I really enjoyed myself tonight. I‟m so glad you‟ve invited me to come.

W: Don‟t mention it. OK, I won‟t keep you then. See you in my office tomorrow. Goodbye. M: Thanks again. Bye.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

23. What are the two speakers doing?

24. What is the woman‟s favorite dish?

25. What is the possible relationship between the man and the woman?

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).

Passage One

A motorist saw two men walking along a lonely country road. They were carrying heavy bags, so he at once informed the police. That morning the police had broadcast a message on the radio asking for information which might lead to the arrest of two thieves who had stopped a train and stolen mail-bags containing a lot of money. The police soon arrived on the scene. They questioned both men but neither of them could speak English. The men tried hard to resist arrest and kept shouting loudly at the police all the way to the station. When they arrive there, both men refused to say anything and simply pointed at their bags. The police opened them at once and then realized that they had made a terrible mistake. The men were French onion-sellers and their bags were full of onions! Apologizing for their mistake, the police set the men free immediately. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. Why did the motorist telephone the police?

27. Why couldn‟t the two men explain to the police? 28. How did the police find they were innocent?

Passage Two

Many thousands of years ago, people lived only in hot countries. They did not live in cold countries because they could not keep warm. And they did not know how to make fire either. Sometimes lightning hit a forest and started a fire. Then people took some of this fire to make a fire near their homes. A fire was important for three reasons. It kept them warm. It frightened wild animals because they did not attack people when they saw a fire. And if they cooked food, it tasted much better!

But men still did not know how to make fire. When they had a fire, they did not let it stop burning. If it went out, they could not start it again. They had to wait for lightning to start another fire! Sometimes they had to wait for years.

Later, they found how to make fire. If you rub two pieces of wood together, they become hot and burn. Of course you have to rub very fast! One way of doing it is to make a little hole in a piece of wood, pieces of wood or dry leaves are put into the hole, then you put the end of a stick into the hole. You rub the sticks between the hands. This makes it turn quickly. The end of the stick in the hole becomes very hot. The small pieces of wood and dry leaves begin to burn. Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

29. Why didn‟t early people live in cold countries?

30. Which of the following wasn‟t the reason for the importance of fire to early people?

31. How did people make fire later?

Passage Three

The state of Kansas is called the “Bread Basket of America” because it ranks first in wheat growing and flour milling. In addition, there are hundreds of cattle ranches in western Kansas, some of which cover 50,000 acres. The state is larger than most states, but rather sparsely populated.

In pioneer days, many settlers passed through Kansas seeking rich land and gold farther west. Looking upon Kansas as a “useless waste of land,” they refused to settle there. However, when Kansas joined the Union in 1861 as a free state opposed to slave labor, the population began to increase. Finally, the railroads helped to attract settlers by selling them inexpensive land. Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32. What is the chief occupation of most people in Kansas? 33. How can Kansas be best described?

34. What did the early pioneers think about Kansas?

35. What is the probable reason why the population in Kansas began to grow?

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. His palms were (36) sweating. He needed a towel to dry his grip. The sun was as hot as the (37) competition he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The pole was set at 17 feet. That was three inches higher than his (38) personal best. Michael Stone (39) confronted the most challenging day of his pole-vaulting career.

The (40) stands were still filled with about 20,000 people, even though the final race had ended an hour earlier. The pole vault is truly the (41) highlight of any track and field competition. It (42) combines the grace of a gymnast with the strength of a body builder. It also has the element of flying, and the thought of flying as high as a two-story building is a mere (43) fantasy to anyone watching such an event.

As long as Michael could remember he had always dreamed of flying. (44) Michael‟s mother read him numerous stories about flying when he was growing up. Her stories were always ones that described the land from a bird‟s-eye view. Her excitement and passion for details made Michael‟s dreams full of color and beauty.

(45) Michael had this one recurring dream. He would be running down a country road. As he raced between golden wheat fields, he would always outrun the locomotives passing by. It was at the exact moment he took a deep breath that he began to lift off the ground. He would begin soaring like an eagle.

Where he flew would always coincide with his mother‟s stories. (46) Wherever he flew was with a keen eye for detail and the free spirit of his mother‟s love.

Test five

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.

11. W: Would you hurry up? The movie starts at 8 o‟clock. M: Well, we still have 25 minutes to get there.

Q: What time is it now? 12. W: How many books are required for the class?

M: Only three, but the instructor has suggested a lot of supplementary materials. Q: What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?

13. W: Would you drop me off at the Grand Hotel and wait a while? I‟ll go and pick up my

luggage and be back in a minute.

M: All right but I‟ll keep the meter running.

Q: Who are the speakers? 14. W: Are you going to replace the light switch by yourself?

M: Why should I call an electrician?

Q: What does the man imply?

15. W: I always have patients who really don‟t have anything wrong with them. They just come in

and complain. M: That‟s it—anxiety and tension. This may be just what you‟re looking for to help them. Q: What‟s wrong with those who just come in and complain? 16. W: I wonder if a problem like this can be solved by Linda. M: Well, if she can‟t solve it, no one can.

Q: What can be concluded from the conversation?

17. W: Could you keep that noise down. Lily? I‟m trying to listen to the recording. M: Sorry, it‟s not me. There is a party downstairs.

Q: What does the man imply?

18. W: I‟m having trouble making ends meet. It looks like I have to make another phone call to my parents.

M: I don‟t think it would be a problem if you cut down on the clothes you buy. Q: What does the man mean?

Now you‟ll hear two long conversations. Conversation One

W: Hello, Mike. I‟m from the local newspaper the “Daily post” and I‟d like to ask you a few

questions about the marathon race that you‟ve just finished. M: That‟s all right. What would you like to know?

W: Firstly, for the benefit of our readers, exactly how long is the marathon?

M: It‟s 26 miles 385 yards, or if you‟d like it in metric, it‟s 42. 195 kilometres. W: Thanks. Now how many runners were there altogether? M: More than ever. This year—there were 18,254.

W: My goodness, that‟s a lot! What position did you finish in the race, Mike? M: Well, I‟m quite pleased with my performance. I came 1, 539th. W: That‟s better than last year, isn‟t it?

M: Yes, I finished 2,625th then, but it was my first effort.

W: And how long did you take?

M: Three hours and three quarters, but I know I can do better. Did you know that the record is 2

hours10 minutes?

W: I didn‟t know. That‟s fantastic! And how long the slowest runner took? M: Oh, he hasn‟t finished yet!

Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 19. How long is the marathon race? 20. What position did Mike finish in the race? 21. How long did it take Mike to finish the race?

22. Which of the following statements is true according to the conversation?

Conversation Two

W: What do you think about human cloning? M: Human cloning? That‟s quite an issue!

W: Absolutely.

M: But I actually have some pretty strong viewpoints regarding it. Are you interested in hearing them? W: Sure.

M: Well, in my opinion, human cloning is our best hope for the future.

W: I wish I could agree, but don‟t you think it poses a threat to the development of human society?

M: Don‟t jump to conclusions. As I see it, human cloning is a rapid and safe source of human

development. W: I can‟t agree. People don‟t realize how dangerous it can be.

M: The thing to keep in mind is that we need more great people. And furthermore.

W: Wait. Let me say something. M: Okay.

W: I‟d like to point out that if too many men or women are cloned, human society would lose

balance in its development. M: I don‟t believe that. You know, we could probably go on talking about this forever and never

come to an agreement. W: That‟s right. I guess we just don‟t see “eye to eye” when it comes to human cloning. M: I guess not.

Question 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 23. Which of the following statements about the woman is correct?

24. What does the woman think about human cloning? 25. What does the man think of their discussion on human cloning?

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).

Passage One

The traditional American Thanksgiving Day celebration goes back to 1621. In that year a special feast was prepared in Massachusetts. The colonists who had settled there had left England because they felt denied of religious freedom. They came to the new land and faced difficulties in coming across the ocean. The ship which carried them was called the Mayflower. The North Atlantic was difficult to travel. There were bad storms. They were assisted in learning to live in the new land by the Indians who inhabited the region. The Puritans, as they were called, had much to be thankful for. Their religious practices were no longer a source of criticism by the government. They learned to adjust their farming habits to the climate and soil. When they selected the fourth Thursday of November for their Thanksgiving celebration, they invited their neighbours, the Indians, to join them in dinner and a prayer of gratitude for the new life. They recalled the group of 102 men, women and children who left England. They remembered their dead who did not live to see the shores of Massachusetts. They reflected on the 65 days‟ journey, which tested their strength.

Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26. Why had they left England?

27. What‟s the climate and soil in Massachusetts like in comparison to England? 28. Why did they invite the Indians to dinner?

Passage Two

Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

Yesterday we discussed the problem of rising prices, or in the economist‟s terms, inflation. We noted that, during periods of inflation, all prices and incomes do not rise at the same rate. Some incomes rise more slowly than he cost of living, and a few do not rise at all. Other incomes rise more rapidly than the cost of living.

We concluded that persons with fixed incomes, for example, the elderly who depend upon pensions, and persons with slow-rising incomes, for example, an employee with a salary agreed to in a long-term contract, will be most seriously affected by inflation. Please recall that while their dollar incomes stay the same, the cost of goods and services rises, and in effect, real income decreases, that is, they are able to purchase less with the same amount of money.

We also talked about the fact that stockholders and persons with business interests and investments would probably benefit most from inflation, since high prices would increase sales receipts, and profits would likely rise faster than the living cost.

And now, before we begin today‟s lecture, are there any questions about the term inflation or any of the examples in our discussion so far?

29. What is the passage?

30. What persons will not be most seriously affected by inflation? 31. Who do you think will probably benefit most from inflation?

Passage Three

China Daily Website held a press conference to formally announce an activity named “Use Accurate English to Welcome the Olympics-—Public Bilingual Sign Standardization Drive” in major Chinese cities, beginning from Beijing, Shanghai. Xi‟an, and Guangzhou.

The activity aims to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by creating a better language learning environment, and more importantly, enhancing the nation‟s international image. Organized by China Daily Website, the activity is supported by the Cultural and Education Section of the British Council and the Public Affairs Section of the Canadian Embassy. China‟s famous universities will participate as well, such as the University of International Business and Economics, Shanghai International Studies University, Xi‟an International Studies University, and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

Reportedly, students of a Beijing junior high school found 91 mistakes on bilingual signposts in the Wangfujing and Xidan areas (two of Beijing‟s most prosperous areas) last year.

Such errors in English usage as these happen because there are no uniform criterions for bilingual use.

Through this activity, we hope when athletes from all over the world arrive in Beijing in 2008, they will find that all the English signposts have clear and Standard English, whether signs at tourist sites or highway signs.

Also, China Daily Website hopes the entire society will pay more attention to this problem, find the mistakes, and correct them. Questions 32 to 34 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32. Where will the activity be carried on?

33. What is the aim of the activity?

34. How many mistakes have been found in the Wangfujing and Xidan areas last year by the students? 35. According to the passage why such kind of mistakes in English Usage will occur?

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. Good manners and etiquette are not complicated. Anyone can 36) demonstrate courtesy and consideration for others—the 37) stuff of which good manners are made—without knowing the specific rules of etiquette. No one is born knowing these rules. They are learned 38) gradually at home, in school, at work, and in everyday contact with both friends and strangers. To 39) expand

their knowledge of good conduct, many people continue to read etiquette books as adults. There are a number of reasons why people want to learn good manners and the rules of 40) etiquette. Good manners help win friends. Naturally people who treat other people with kindness and 41) sympathy are most likely to become popular because they are considered good companions. Good manners also help please members of the family, special friends, teachers, 42) employers, and strangers, salespeople and law officers. Good 43) manners help put people at ease; 44) make them cooperative and just plain happy.

People 45) who practice good manners and understand the rules of etiquette also make themselves happy. Knowing how to 46) behave properly, in familiar as well as in strange situations, builds self-confidence. Meeting new people and visiting new places become pleasurable instead of frightening experiences. Test six 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 center.

1. M: Hi! Jane. So glad to see you again.

W: Likewise. I remember the last time we met was five months ago at Mike‟s birthday party. How are you doing?

Q: What do we know about the speakers? 2. M: How did you like yesterday‟s play?

W: Generally speaking, it was quite good. The part of secretary was played wonderfully, but I think the man who played the boss was too dramatic to be realistic.

Q: How does the woman feel about the man?

3. W: You don‟t know how to set up the printer? Try reading the manual, why don‟t you? M: I did, and I‟m still in the dark.

Q: What is the man‟s problem?

4. M: I understand you intend to become a research biologist.

W: My dream is that someday, I‟ll discover something as important as penicillin. Q: What does the woman want to do?

5. W: I just walked by Professor Dixon‟s classroom, and there was no one there. M: That‟s because he always takes his class outside when the weather is nice. Q: What can be inferred from this conversation? 6. W: What did you think of the opera you saw Saturday night? M: Frankly speaking, I don‟t have much to compare it with. Q: What does the man imply?

7. W: Here is the tape, some scissors, and some brown paper. M: Thanks. I just need to find Richard‟s address.

Q: What is the man probably going to do?

8. M: It‟s surprising that Tom came out of the accident alive.

W: That‟s true. The car crashed into the wall and was completely damaged. Q: What was the consequence of the accident?

Now you will hear two long conversations. Conversation One

W: Good afternoon. Melrose Apart?ments. May I help you?

M: Yes, I‟m interested in renting a one-bed?room apartment. Do you have any available? W: No, I‟m sorry. None are available at this time, but I expect a vacancy in about three weeks. Could I interest you in a two-bedroom?

M: Well, I‟m a student and I have to cut corners. How much more would a two-bedroom apartment cost me?

W: The one-bed room rents for $250 a month and the two-bedroom is only $35 more.

M: Is the two-bedroom a great deal larger than the one-bedroom?

W: Yes, it is. Also, I might tell you that the one-bedroom doesn‟t have a dishwasher. All of our two-bedroom apartments do. M: What about signing a lease?

W: We do require a six-month lease on all our apartments, and there is a deposit of $100 in case any damage is done to the apartment. M: Is there a pool?

W: No, I‟m sorry, there isn‟t. We do have a recreation area and a sauna. Also, there are tennis courts adjacent to our building.

M: When could I see an apartment?

W: How about later this afternoon? Let‟s see. I have an appointment at three-thirty and another one at four. How about five o‟clock this afternoon?

M: That would be fine. I‟ll pick my wife up from work, and we‟ll come right over. W: I‟ll be looking forward to seeing you then. M: Thank you. Good-bye. W: Good-bye.

Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

9. If the student decides to rent an apartment from the woman, what will his deposit be? 10. Why is a deposit required at Melrose Apartments?

11. How long will the student have to wait for a one-bedroom apartment?

Conversation Two

W: Professor Jones, May I see you a moment?

M: Of course, Alice. Come in and have a seat. I have about a half hour before my faculty meeting. Let me move this chair closer to my desk.

W: Thanks. I‟ve come to talk to you about my grade on my last economics project. I want to know why I was given an “F.”

M: Well, Alice, your approach was so similar to that of another student in the class that I seriously doubted that you‟d done the calculations yourself.

W: I did work closely with my roommate Betty, but let me explain why. A week before the project was due, I was too sick to do my research. Betty agreed to help me with the project the night before it was due. We stayed up all night in order to finish it on time. The calculations were really my own.

M: Well, you‟d been given a month to work on the project. Wouldn‟t it have been better to get a head start rather than to wait until the last minute? Each student was supposed to prepare this project individually. I‟m afraid that my decision remains the same. However, next week we will be studying the govern?ment‟s role in running the economy. If you‟re willing to make an oral presentation about the subject, I‟ll give you extra credit.

W: Thank you, Professor Jones. I‟ll have my oral report ready for class on Friday.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

12. Where does this conversation most likely occur? ? 13. How long had the student been given to complete the project? 14. Why has the professor given the student a failing grade on his project? 15. What must the student do to receive credit? 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 center.

Passage One

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology in college and zoology at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master‟s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.

Carson‟s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year, she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean‟s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her non-technical readers.

In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy. It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed

how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was confirmed by a 1963 report of the President‟s Science Advisory Committee.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. From what aspect of her life does the passage mainly discuss Rachel Carson‟s work? 17. What can be inferred about her book Under the Sea Wind published in 1952? 18. What can be inferred about her book Silent Spring published in 1962?

Passage Two

This library is an English language teaching and learning library. Unfortunately our resources are limited and so not everybody can join. Teachers of English, university students, and professionals who are in the medical, engineering, and management fields can all join the library. Those from other professions are welcome to apply, but your application will not necessarily be approved.

You must fill in a library application form and put it in the box on the librarian‟s desk. Because of the high number of applications we receive each week, you must wait one week. Please bring your student or work card to pick up your library cards. Library application forms which are not picked up within 2 months will be discarded and you will have to reapply.

You may borrow one video at a time. The video must be returned in one week. If you cannot return it on time, please call, otherwise your video library card will be canceled. You may borrow 3 items at one time, i.e. 3 books or 3 cassettes. Items must be returned within one month. You can telephone the library to renew items for another month.

Question 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. Why can‟t the library issue library cards to everyone who applies?

20. What will the library do if a reader fails to renew the video when it is due? 21. For how long can a reader keep the book before he renews it?

Passage Three

In the local newspaper of my community recently, there was a story about a man named Virgil Spears. He lived in a small town about 40 miles from my home. He had served five years in a New York prison for robbing a restaurant. When he returned to his family, Mr. Spears couldn‟t find a job. Everyone knew he had been in prison and nobody trusted him. Finally, in desperation, he calmly walked into a local barbershop where he was well known, pulled out a gun, and took all the money the barber had. Up to this point it had been a fairly routine crime, but then something unusual happened. Mr. Spears didn‟t try to get away. He got into his car, drove slowly out of town, and waited for the police. When they caught him, he made only one request. He turned to the

arresting policemen and said: “Would you please ask the court to put my family on welfare just as soon as possible?”

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. What made it difficult for Virgil Spears to find a job? 23. Why did Virgil Spears rob the local barbershop? 24. What did Mr. Spears do after he robbed the barbershop? 25. What can we infer from the passage?

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 for its general idea. Then listen to the passage again. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 26 to 33 with the exact words you have just heard. For the blanks numbered from 34 to 36 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.

At least five people have been killed in Haiti in flooding caused by Hurricane Dennis. The storm is a dangerous Category Four hurricane, on a (26) scale of one to five, with winds higher than 200 kilometers an hour. Dennis is now (27) bringing heavy rains and high winds to Cuba, and is expected to (28) hit the U.S. state of Florida on Saturday or Sunday.

Cuban civil defense officials say they evacuated more than 200,000 people from southern (29) coastal areas as Dennis approached. Cuban President Fidel Castro warned Cubans to expect major damage from the storm.

Dennis caused heavy flooding in Jamaica, but (30) spared the island a direct hit. Many areas of Jamaica are (31) without power, and remain cut off from authorities trying to determine (32) what damage the storm caused. Flooding in (33) heavily deforested Haiti swept away roads and bridges, cutting off towns and cities in the southern part of the country.

(34) Hurricane Dennis is one of the strongest storms to form this early in the hurricane season. The Atlantic and Caribbean hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends November 30.

In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush (35) has declared a state of emergency, and ordered the evacuation of all non-residents of the Florida Keys. (36) Florida was hit by four hurricanes last year, and Dennis is on track to strike the northern part of the state by Sunday.

Test seven Section A

1. W: They‟ve decided to build the airport at Lanchester.

M: But can't they see how it's going to ruin the countryside and what's going to happen to all

the farmers?

Q: What was the man‟s reaction to the building of the airport? 2. W: Is there anything I can do for you?

M: Well, I' d like to buy some socks and a shirt, a white one with long sleeves, please.

Q: What's the most probable relationship between these two persons?

3. W: Can you stay for supper?

M: I'd like to, but I have to go and buy some meat and vegetables before my brother comes

home from his office.

Q: Where's the man going now?

4. W: This room rents for $ 16 a week. This includes a weekly change of lines. You must provide

the towels.

M: I' 11 take it. May I move in next week? Q: Who do you think the woman is?

M: Yes. When Tong left Paris ten years ago, Jane was already fifteen. Q: How old is Jane now?

5. W: Ms. Jane must be over twenty now.

6. W: Do you think you could have this dress ready by Tuesday morning?

M: I'm sorry. Thursday afternoon would be the earliest that you could have it? Q: When will the dress be ready?

7. W: I bought this $ 200 camera at a 25% discount.

M: It's a good camera. You are lucky.

Q: How much did the woman pay for the camera?

8. W: Good morning. I' m Linda, Jack Brown. My father asked me to come over and see you

about a vacation job.

M: 0h, come in. Linda, I haven't seen you for ages. I hear you‟re at the university now. Q: What does Linda want?

Now you‟ll hear two long conversations. Conversation One

W: Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! We hear so much about it these days, yet even the experts can‟t agree on which exercises are best. Now some doctors are strongly encouraging arm exercises. M: Arm exercises? Is that because our arms are too fat or too soft?

W: Actually that‟s not the main reason. They say that arm exercises are an ideal way to become physically fit. M: But don‟t arm exercises raise your blood pressure?

W: That they do. But the article I read mentioned the ways to compensate for that by adding leg exercises, so that the arms don‟t do all the work. Arm exercises alone aren‟t enough to increase metabolism before fatigue sets in. The more of the body that‟s involved in the exercise, the better.

M: And in turn I‟m sure that there‟s greater chance of losing weight. W: Sounds right to me.

M: So what exercises do the experts recommend?

W: They mentioned quite a few, but some of more popular ones are cycling with special bicycles that make you use both your arms and legs, and walking vigorously while you wear arm weights.

M: I must try that. I like to walk a lot.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. According to the conversation, what is one problem with arm exercises?

10. How did the woman obtain the information about arm exercises? 11. According to the conversation, what are the experts now recommending? 12. Which of the following exercises is suggested?

Conversation Two

W: Hello, Bill. You look very sad. What happened?

M: Don't mention it. Our baseball team was beaten by Australia last night.

W: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I know baseball is a traditional pastime in US. But you should not expect your team to win every time. M: Sure, I know. But it was a matter of pride for the US baseball team to win in the 1996 Olympic Games. How I wish they could win this time!

W: I also watched the live broadcast yesterday. It was a close game. They gave their best but luck was not on their side.

M: You are right. How about baseball in China? Is it also very popular?

W: I think it‟s getting more and more popular now.

M: Yeah, when I first came to China a few years ago, I couldn't find anything about the game on newspapers or in sport reports on TV.

W: I agree. I am a big baseball fan too, and I often go to the Internet to find out who has won and who has lost. M: Right, as far as media coverage is concerned. I have seen a lot of changes in recent years in China.

W: Baseball in China is becoming an important sport now. I still remember several years ago when I went to the stadium to watch a game, there were only a few dozen spectators. But now at least thousands of fans show every game.

M: Watching a baseball game in China now is almost like that in the US.

W: Well, even so, I believe baseball in China is not quite up to the level as other “advanced countries.” M: Given some time for good training, I think Chinese baseball teams will reach world-class. W: Did the Chinese baseball team go to play at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games?

M: No, unfortunately the Chinese team lost in the Asian Championships, and therefore failed to be qualified for the Athens Games.

W: That's too bad. But I am sure with intensive training in the next few years; the Chinese team no doubt will be qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 13. What are the two speakers mainly talking about? 14. What do we know about baseball games in China? 15. What can be inferred about the Chinese baseball team?

Section B Passage One

Weak eyesight is a term that generally is used to refer to nearsighted eyes. People who are nearsighted can see well at a short range, but anything very far away at all is likely to be a dull blur. The term weak eyesight is misleading. For in nearsighted eyes the lens of the eye is actually too strong. The nearsighted lens is so powerful that it focuses the light coming into the eye too

quickly. The image is formed in front of the retina, which contains the optical nerves. Nearsightedness is common, and its growth may be gradual; often the blurring of distant objects is so slight at first that a person may not recognize the condition. Nearsightedness is frequently discovered first at school. It is there that a student first realizes the difficulty of seeing words on the blackboard, whereas others in the class have no trouble reading the board at all. After discovered, nearsightedness can easily be corrected. A curved lens called a “minus” lens can help because it decreases the power of the lens of the eye itself.

Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16. What is the passage mainly about?

17. Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage? 18. What can we conclude from the passage?

Passage Two

Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a language barrier, communication is accomplished through sign language in which motions stand for letters, words, or ideas. Tourists, the deaf, and the mute have had to resort to this form of expression. Many of these symbols of whole words are very picturesque and exact and can be used internationally; spelling, however, cannot.

Body language transmits ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either intentionally or unintentionally. A wink can be a way of flirting or indicating that the party is only joking. A nod signifies approval, while shaking the head indicates a negative reaction. Other forms of nonlinguistic language can be found in Braille, signal flags, Morse code and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide, warn, or instruct people.

While verbalization is the most common form of language, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

19. Which of the following is not the way body language uses to transmit ideas? 20. Which of the following would be most commonly used among blind people? 21. According to what you‟ve heard, which of the following is not true?

Passage Three

The world‟s first completely automatic railway was built under the busy streets of London. The railway is called the Victoria Line, and it is part of the complete London underground railway.

The new Victoria Line was opened in 1969. This new line was very different from the others. The stations on the other lines need a lot of workers to sell tickets, and to check and to collect them when people leave the trains. This is all different of the Victoria Line. Here a machine checks and collects the tickets, and there are no workers on the platforms.

On the train, there is only one worker. If necessary, this man can drive the train. But usually he just starts it; it runs and stops by itself. The trains are controlled by electrical signals which are sent by the so-called “command spots”. The command spots are the same distance apart. Each sends a certain signal. The train always moves at the speed that the command spots allow. If the

command spots send no signal, the train will stop.

Most of the control work is done by computers. The computers also fix the train‟s speeds, and send the signals to the command spots.

Other machines make sure that the trains are always a safe distance apart. One train may stay too long at a station, the other trains will then automatically move slower. So there is no danger of accidents on the line.

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

22. What happened to the London underground railway about four decades ago? 23. On the Victoria Line, who does all the checking and collecting of tickets? 24. What is the task of the one worker on the Victoria Line train?

25. If no signal is sent from the command spots, what will happen to the train?

Section C

There is a time when job (26) seekers simply wrote letters of application. \"Just put down your name, (27) address, age and whether you have passed any (28) examinations\was about the average level of advice offered to young people (29) applying for their first jobs when I left school. The letter was really just for openers, it was explained, everything else could and should be saved for the (30)interview. And in those days of full employment the (31) technique worked. The letter proved that you could write and were (32) available for work. Your eager face and (33) intelligent replies did the rest.

Later, as you moved up the ladder, something slightly more sophisticated was called for. (34)The advice then was to put something in the letter which would distinguish you from the rest. It might be called the aggressive approach. (35) Your search is over and I am the person you' ve been waiting for. Or it might be some special feature specially designed for the job in view.

There is no doubt, however, that (36) it is the increasing number of applicants with university education at all points in the process of engaging staff that has led to the greater importance of the resume.

Test eight Section A

1. M: I‟m afraid we‟re going to change our party from Friday to Sunday. W: Fine. It‟s all the same to me. Q: What does the woman mean?

2. W: Andy, I hear you're meeting your new boss for the first time.

M: Yes, the day after tomorrow. Fortunately he also loves playing golf so we'll have something

to talk about.

Q: What can be inferred about Andy? 3. M: How great you won the first place! W: It's almost too good to be true. Q: What does the woman mean?

4. W: So, what do you think of this cell phone?

M: Well, it's a little bit expensive. But it has many new functions and I'm tired of looking. Q: What will the man probably do next?

5. M: Have you tried on your new overcoat yet?

W: That reminds me. I've been planning to exchange it to a smaller size. Q: What does the woman imply about the overcoat?

Section B

M: Good evening, Miss Hanks. Won‟t you sit down? W: Good evening, thank you.

M: Now I notice you left the Chinese restaurant this September. Was that a large restaurant? W: Medium size, about 40 tables.

M: Well, I see. You‟d find it rather different here. Ours is much smaller—we have only 12 tables.

W: That must be very cozy.

M: We try to create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Well, as to the job, you would be expected to look after four tables normally. W: I see.

M: I am the Head Waiter, so you‟d be working directly under me. You‟d be responsible for bringing the dishes from the kitchen, serving the drinks, and looking after the bills. So you‟d be kept pretty busy.

W: I am used to that. Well, the usual question—what sort of salary were you thinking of paying?

M: We pay our waiters $100 a week. W: I see.

M: Now you may have wondered why I asked you here so late in the day. The fact is I would like to see you in action. Would you be willing to act as a waitress here this evening for half an hour?

W: OK, I am free this evening anyway.

M: Good. And in return perhaps you‟ll have dinner with us? Now let me show you around. This way, please.

6. Where does this conversation take place?

7. What‟s the relationship between the two speakers? 8. What does the man do?

9. Why has the man asked the woman to come late in the day? 10. Where is the woman going to have her dinner?

Section C

The American Cancer Society says the United States is making progress against several of its deadliest and most common cancers.

The group says death rates from colon, breast and prostate cancer continue to decrease. This is also true for lung cancer in men. Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death, but fewer Americans smoke these days.

In women, the death rate from lung cancer has stayed about the same for the first time. This is good news after years of increase.

Almost one-fourth of all deaths in the United States are from cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death after heart disease. Death rates for both diseases are falling. But researchers say the rate for heart disease is falling faster. As a result, an American Cancer Society report

shows that cancer now kills more Americans under the age of eighty-five than any other cause. In recent years, cancer rates in the United States have dropped about one percent per year. Lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer make up more than half of all the cases. For men, prostate cancer is the most common. For women, it is breast cancer. Rates of both have continued to increase, but more slowly than in the past.

11. Which cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death?

12. How much do deaths caused by cancer take up in total deaths in the United States? 13. What do researchers say about heart disease?

14. In recent years, how much have the cancer rates dropped per year? 15. Which cancer is the most common for women?

Section D

Thomas Edison had a great effect on the lives of people around the world. He is remembered most for the electric light, his phonograph and his work with motion pictures. Thomas Edison's major inventions were designed and built in the last years of the eighteen hundreds. However, most of them had their greatest influences in the twentieth century. His inventions made possible the progress of technology.

It is extremely difficult to find anyone living today who has not been affected in some way by Thomas Edison. Most people on Earth have watched some kind of motion pictures or heard some kind of sound recordings. And almost everyone has at least seen an electric light.

These are only three of the many devices Thomas Edison invented or helped to improve. People living in this century have had easier and more enjoyable lives because of his inventions.

Edison is also respected for making changes in the invention process. He moved from the Nineteenth Century method of an individual doing the inventing to the Twentieth Century method using a team of researchers. In 1913, a popular magazine at the time called Thomas Edison the most useful man in America. In 1928, he received a special medal of honor from the Congress of the United States.

Test nine Section A

1. M: Why were you late for class this morning?

W: I overslept and missed the bus.

Q: Why was the woman late? (A) 2. W: How did you like the President's speech tonight?

M: Unfortunately I got home too late tonight to watch it.

Q: What are the two speakers talking about? (A) 3. M: Let's see if the basket ball game has started yet?

W: Started? It must be clear who is winning by now.

Q: What does the woman mean? (D) 4. W: Do you like to play chess?

M: I like the game and I play often, but I never learned to play well.

Q: What conclusion can be drawn from the man's reply? (B) 5. M: Have you bought Jim's birthday gift yet?

W: I've found the baseball shoes, a shirt and a game, but not the bicycle.

Q: Which of the following item has the woman not bought? (C) 6. W: In the shop, I thought this coat was green, but out here in the sunlight I see it's really blue.

M: Yes, the bright yellow display lights in the shop make things look a little different, don't they?

Q: What color is the coat? (B) 7. M: I heard you caught a cold. How are you doing today?

W: I can't complain. At least I'm out of bed.

Q: How is the woman today? (A) 8. W: Why are you giving me a ticket for speeding, officer?

M: Can't you read? You drove 40 miles per hour, 10 over the limit.

Q: What is the speed limit in this area? (C) 9. M: There's a limit of three books per person. W: Fine, I'll be certain to return them on time.

Q: Where does this conversation probably take place? (D) 10.W: What are you going to major in?

M: I think it'll either be mechanical engineering or civil engineering. My father wants me to be a lawyer, but I'd rather build bridges or things like that. Q: What does the man want to be?

Section B Passage One

There is a strange area in the Atlantic Ocean called the Bermuda triangle. People have been fascinated by the Bermuda triangle for years, because of the mysterious disappearance of many ships and planes in the area. There is hardly any agreement about the cause of these disappearances, in fact, it is difficult to find any agreement about the boundaries of the area. Whereas most people argue that the triangle's northernmost point is Bermuda, its westernmost point is Florida, and its eastern point is the Coast of Africa, a few researchers prefer the northern point to be in the Boston area.

Questions 11 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

11. What does the speaker say has been lost in the Bermuda triangle? (B) 12. Where is the Bermuda triangle? (D)

Passage Two

Okay, everybody. Can we start the meeting now? I am Mike Johnson, the chairperson of the graduation committee for this year. You've all been selected as representatives to plan the graduation ceremonies. I am sending around the sheet of paper for you to fill in your name and telephone number. Also, please write down what part of the ceremonies you would like to work on. Remember, as a representative, you will have a lot of responsibilities. So, only sign up if you feel you have the time to participate. When everyone has finished writing down the information, please return the paper to me. At our next meeting, one week from today, we'll start to discuss the details of the ceremonies.

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.

13. Who is the speaker? (C) 14. What is the purpose of the meeting? (D) 15. When is the next meeting? (B) Section C

Electricity is such a part of our everyday lives and (1) so much taken for granted nowadays that we rarely think twice when we (2) switch on the light or turn on the radio. At night, (3) roads are brightly lit, enabling people and traffic to move freely. Neon lighting (4) used in advertising has become part of (5)the character of every modern city. In the home, many devices (6) are powered by electricity. Even when we turn off the bedside lamp and (7) are fast asleep, electricity is working for us, driving our refrigerators or (8) keeping our rooms air-conditioned. Every day, trains and buses take us (9) to and from work. We rarely bother to consider why or how they run (10) until something goes wrong.

Test ten

Section A

1. W: Do you ever think of changing your major to art? M: Every once in a while.

Q: What does the man mean? (A)

2. W: It's hard to believe that half the class couldn't do all the exercises, isn't it? Charley.

M: I'm afraid that says something about our physical fitness. Q: What does the man mean ? (C)

3. M: Do you think we should urge Bob to study Spanish? W: We'll have to leave that decision up to Bob. Q: What does the woman mean? (B)

4. M: I was shocked when I heard you'd finished your research project a whole month earlier.

W: How I managed to do it is a mystery to me. Q: What does the woman mean? (A) 5. M: This course wasn't supposed to be hard. W: But it surely turned out to be, didn't it?

Q: What does the woman think of the course? (D) 6. W: Would you like to go mountain climbing with us?

M: That's the last thing in the world that I ever want to do. Q: What does the man mean? (D)

7. M: I think I'm going to give up playing table tennis. I lost again today. W: Is that enough reason to quit ?

Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? (C)

8. M: How would you like the way I've arranged the furniture in my living-room? W: Fine. But I think a few paintings on the wall could be added. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? (A)

9. M: My project is in trouble because my partner and I have different ideas about it.

W: You should try to meet each other half way.

Q: What does the woman suggest the man do? (B)

10.W: Eggs are supposed to be one of the most healthful foods. M: Next to potatoes.

Q: What does the man mean? (A) Section B

Passage One

Some men spend much of their time under water. They are called divers. If anything goes wrong with a ship below the waterline, a diver puts on his suit and goes down with his tools to repair the damage. He wears a special kind of suit made of rubber and canvas which keeps out the water.It covers his body from feet to neck but leaves his hands free. His sleeves end in watertight cuffs at the wrist. He put a heavy helmet connected with a tube which brings air from above the surface of the water. The helmet has windows and fastens to the neck of his suit. In order that the diver may sink, his suit is \"padded\" back and front with plates of lead and his shoes are filled with metal. His clothes weigh about 150 pounds. Would you like to be a diver, and perhaps go down to the bottom of the ocean to save the lives of men in a damaged submarine?

Questions 11 to 13 are based on the passage you have just heard. 11. Where do divers spend much of their time? (D) 12. What does the lecture say about the diver‟s hands? (B)

13. How much do a diver's clothes weigh? (C)

Passage Two

One day in early 1920's a crowd was gathered to watch the airplanes. As one airplane was rolled out, a grandmotherly old woman asked if she could have a ride in it. Leaning on her cane, the thin old lady dressed in black made her way to the airplane. She was helped into the cockpit and then carefully strapped into the seat. The pilot went up to the nose of the plane and gave the propeller a turn. As she did so, her feet slipped and she fell flat. Before she could get up, with no one in it except Grandma, the plane went bouncing down the field, sailed into the air, and headed for a row of trees. Men gasped in horror.Woman screamed. The plane climbed above the trees and started for the stars, but rolled over on its back and fell toward the field. In the last few seconds it righted itself, ran across the field, and stopped. The little old lady was really a young woman who later became the famous commander of the Flying Tigers.

Questions 14 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard. 14. What can we learn about the lady? (A) 15. What can be said about this story? (D) Section C

The bicycle is the most popular means of transportation in China. It (1)plays an active part in Chinese people's daily life. (2)Most Chinese go to work or school by bicycle on the country roads it is not rare to (3)find bicycles with heavy loads.

Compared with the car, (4)the bicycle has several advantages. First, it doesn't need any fuels, thus (5)it would neither pollute the air nor cost too much to maintain. Second, its price is (6)what the Chinese can afford, for it is much cheaper than a car. And it (7)may be beneficial to our health. However, too many bicycles (8)may also cause some problems. In China most traffic accidents are related to bicycles. (9)In rush hours, the riders often disobey the rules and (10)cause traffic jams.

Test eleven Section A

1. W: I certainly hope the library will be open this Saturday.

M: This sign says library hours! Week days 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Saturday 9 to 5, closed Sunday.

Q: When will the library be open on Saturday? (C)

2. W: I have been waiting here for two hours. Why did you take so long to park the car?

M: I'm sorry dear. I had driven two blocks before I spotted a place to park. Q: What can we learn from the conversation? (B)

3. W: Look at the monkeys and zebras running around on the rocks together.

M: Yes, their environment seems to suit them very well. Let's go over and see the bears

now.

Q: Where are the man and the woman? (A)

4. W: Jane is really disappointed. She was expecting Bob provided four fresh fish for tonight's dinner.

M: Too bad, but the waves were so high that Bob didn't even try to go out on the lake. Q: What had Bob intended to do? (A)

5. M: I don't think it's a mistake to have a big party. I like big parties. And we should pay back all our friends who invited us to their parties.

W: But big parties are so impersonal, I think we should have several small ones instead. Q: How does the woman feel about parties? (C)

6. W: Remember to act naturally when you're on camera. M: How can I be natural in front of 10 million viewers? Q: What kind of camera are they talking about? (B)

7. M: Why didn't you pack your umbrella in your suitcase? Now we'll have to carry it on the airplane with us.

W: I should have. The suitcase isn't too full, but I meant to keep it out as long as possible thinking it might rain on the way to the airport? Q: Why isn't the umbrella in the woman's suitcase? (B) 8. M: I want to borrow the book \"Gone with the Wind\".

W: Ask Mary. She has almost everything.

Q: What does the woman want the man to think about Mary? (C) 9. M: Isn't this classroom for English 471?

W: This is History 625. English 471 is next door.

Q: Which classroom is the man trying to find? (C)

10.W: This copy of Roots costs $4.95, but that one is only $3.00. Why is it less expensive?

M: The one for 3.00 was printed in England.

Q: Which copy was most probably printed in the United States? (D)

Section B Passage One

Earthquakes are something that most people fear. There are some places that have few or no earthquakes. Most places in the world, however, have them regularly. Some places, like Iran and Guatemala, have them frequently. Countries that have a lot of earthquakes are usually mountainous.

The most talked about earthquake in the United States was the one in San Francisco in 19. It happened in Alaska.

One of the worst earthquakes ever in China was in 1976. It killed over 655,000 people. The worst earthquake ever reported was also in China.

Earthquakes are not the only acts of nature which people fear. Flood and tidal waves also cause people to be afraid. So do bad storms like typhoons and cyclones. Sometimes these things cause lots of deaths. In 1970 a cyclone and tidal wave killed over 200,000 in Pakistan.

Questions 11 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard. 11. How often do most places have earthquakes? (A)

12. Which of the following is true about the 1976 earthquake ? (C)

Passage Two

Australia is a big country. It lies southeast of Asia and is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It measures 4,000 kilometres from west to east, 3,680 kilometres from north to south and covers an area of 8,000,000 square kilometres.

The climate in Australia varies greatly. A small part of the northeast coast has a tropical climate with heavy rainfall and somewhat hot temperatures.Some parts have definite dry and wet seasons. Large desert areas with very little rainfall occupy central and western Australia. Of course, there are other types of climates in other areas of the continent Australia which is made up of six states and two territories. Canberra is the capital of the whole Australia.

Questions 13 to 14 are based on the passage you have just heard. 13. What is the size of Australia? (A)

14. Which of the following is not true ? (B) 15. What is the weather like in Australia? (B) Section C

In recent years India finds itself facing (1)a severe energy shortage on its homemarket. (2)There are many reasons behind this. First, low efficiency in energy consumption has (3)wasted much of its valuable energy, thus contributing to the shortage. (4)Next, its population has risen dramatically (5)over the past decade. As a result, there is an (6)increased demand for more energy. Finally, low rate of (7)investment in energy production fails to (8)turn out enough to meet the increasing need. Hence the shortage is never properly made up for. (9)Without an adequate solution to the current problems, the energy crisis is here to stay with India (10)for a long time to come.

Test twelve Section A

1. M: What's a pretty thing like you doing at such a dull party ? W: Well, I don't think that's very funny. I'm the hostess. Q: What's the woman's reaction? (C)

2. M: Don't push. No need to hurry. There're seats for everyone.

W: But Sir, I've been waiting for a long time and my arms are tired with all these packages. I want to sit down on my way home.

Q: Where does this conversation take place? (A)

3. W: I was amazed when I heard William played the piano. From the way he talked I thought he is just starting his lessons.

M: No, that's the way he always talks.

Q: What do we learn about William from this conversation? (A) 4. M: Madam, What's the trouble?

W: My...My daughter's disappeared. She was standing there and...and put luggage down over there and then I came back and she's gone and...and anywhere. I've been absolutely everywhere!

Q: What's the woman's trouble ? (B)

5. W: Didn't Uncle Tom get elected?

M: Don't be silly, he never ran.He wouldn't let his name stand. Q: Why wasn't Uncle Tom elected? (C)

6. M: Do you think we can get an extension on our term project?

W: It's out of the question. The professor is going for a vacation as soon as the term's finished.

Q: What does the woman mean? (B)

7. M: She wants to apply for the job, but she is really not qualified, I think. W: That's a pity. She seems so bright. Don't you think we could train her? Q: Why might the applicant receive training? (D)

8. W: We don't seem to have a reservation for you, Sir. I'm sorry.

M: But my secretary said that she had made reservation for me here. I phoned her from the airport this morning.

Q: Where did the conversation most probably take place? (B)

9. W: What terrible heat we are having now!

M: June and July were bad enough, and I don't think the heat will be relieved before September.

Q: During what month are they talking ? (C)

10.M: Don't worry about the meter, madam. It's broken. I'll charge you a flat two dollars for a ride.

W: If the traffic is this bad everyday, it's worth twice as much. Q: What's the man's occupation? (A) Section B

Passage One

Arizona has been attracting health seekers for decades. It has many climates, which vary from the low, hot, dry desert country of Yuma County in the southwest to the high, cold, heavily timbered region of the Kaibab Forest, a difference of ten thousand feet or so in elevation. In the first, the temperature goes as high as 125 in the summer and in the second, as low as 25 below in winter. In one, the rainfall is as little as two to five inches and in the other, as high as thirty inches. But sunshine covers the whole state, 90 percent in the sunniest places to 73 percent in the cloudiest, and nearly everywhere humidity is low. While people sunbathe in the south, others are skiing in the north which in some years gets snowfalls as heavy as seventy inches.

Questions 11 to 12 are based on the passage you have just heard.

11. According to this passage what has been attracting people to Arizona? (D) 12. What is the temperature in the summer in southwest Arizona? (B)

Passage Two

How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we realize is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds,whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.

Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more words that mean something to us increase. Good writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appear powerfully to our minds and emotions.

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard. 13. What is the origin of language ? (C)

14. What is the reason for men to invent certain sounds to express thoughts and actions? (C) 15. What is true about the words? (C)

Section C

The one-child-family policy has caused a new problem:\" Little Emperors\" (1)grow out of those families who make their children the centre of attention and (2)please them for no reason. Such children are badly spoilt. They (3)demand everything they happen to like. They even wear more expensive clothes than (4)their parents do. The parents have to toil and moil (5)to satisfy their material needs. These \"suns\" do not (6)promise us a bright future. In order to (7)prevent this bad trend, the society should be aware of the danger of it and (8)take measures to stop the situation going from bad to worse. (9)Children have to be taught to behave well, to be normal beings ready to (10)build their own ways of life.

Test thirteen

1. M: Well, it‟s just that I can‟t stay here all my life, can I?

W: No, of course you can‟t. Nobody ever suggested anything of the sort. When have I ever tried to keep you at home? Haven‟t I just said that you must lead your own life?

Q: What does the woman mean?

2. W: These books are three weeks overdue. How much is the fine for late returns? M: You are in luck. We‟re trying to encourage returns so there‟s no fine this week. Q: What does the man mean?

3. W: I want to go to the concert tonight, but it starts at seven, and I have to work until six. M: I‟ve got an idea. I‟ll pick you up after work and we‟ll eat downtown. That‟ll give us plenty

of time to get to the concert. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

4. W: Did you and Tommy go shopping this afternoon together?

M: Yes, he seemed to have bought a store home, but all I got was a sore foot. I don‟t know, and perhaps it was not my day.

Q: What does the man mean?

5. W: Professor Smith caught some students cheating on the final exam and failed them right then and there.

M: Serves them right. I don‟t sympathize with anyone trying to pass that way. Q: What does the man mean?

6. W: Friday‟s speaker is supposed to be wonderful. Are you going to attend the seminar on that day？

M: Yes, but I haven‟t been able to get the ticket yet. Since the lecture is open to the public, I imagine that the tickets may have already been sold out.

Q: Why is the man afraid he won‟t be able to attend the seminar？

7. M: This TV set is getting worse and worse. Now it doesn‟t work at all.

W: Here‟s an advertisement on the newspaper about a big TV sale. Usually a big sale like this would have some good bargains. What would you say?

Q: What does the woman suggest?

8. W: Remember to bring everything with you: the pencil, ID card, everything. After the exam

your father and I will take you to the beach for relaxation.

M: I know, as this is really an important physics examination for me. Q: What is the man going to do now?

Now you will hear the two long conversations.

Conversation One

W: Good evening and welcome to tonight‟s program. Our guest is the world-renowned Dr.Charles Adams, who has sparked a great deal of attention over the past several years for his research in the area of language learning. His new book, Learning a Language over Eggs and Toast, has been on the best seller list for the past six weeks. Welcome to our program.

M: Ah, it‟s a pleasure to be here.

W: Now, Dr.Adams, tell us about the title of your book, Learning a Language over Eggs and Toast.

M: Well, one of the most important keys to learning another language is to establish a regular study program, like planning a few minutes every morning around breakfast time. W: So what are some of the basic keys you are suggesting in the book？

M: Well, as I just mentioned, people need to plan out their study by setting realistic and attainable

goals from the beginning. And small steps, little by little, are the key.

W: Now you mentioned something about maximizing your learning potential by learning about your own individual learning styles. Can you elaborate on that？ M: Sure. People often have different ways of learning and approach learning tasks differently.

Some people are visual learners who prefer to see models of the patterns they are expected to

learn; others are auditory learners who favor hearing instructions, for example, over reading them.

W: Well, Dr. Adams, what is your learning style？ M: Well, I‟m a very tactile learner.

W: You mean one who learns through hands-on experience？

M: Exactly.

W: Okay. We have just heard from Dr. Charles Adams, author of the book, Learning Languages over Eggs and Toast. Thanks for joining us. M: My pleasure.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. What are the two speakers mainly talking about?

10. According to the man, what is the important point in learning a foreign language? 11. What does the man suggest in his book?

12. What do we learn at the end of the conversation?

Conversation Two

M: Hurry up, Kate. We‟ll be late.

W: I am hurrying. I can‟t move any faster.

M: It‟s always the same. We can never get anywhere on time.

W: Right! I‟m ready. Really, David, if you gave me some help around the house, we‟d never have to hurry like this. I can‟t do everything, you know. M: Well, we‟d better be off. We‟re late already.

W: Oh, no! It‟s absolutely pouring. We can‟t go out in that. We‟ll be soaked. M: Nonsense! Come on. It‟s only a shower. It won‟t last long.

W: A shower? That! It‟s set in for the night. I‟m not going out in that.

M: Well, you‟ve got your umbrella, haven‟t you? Use that. And anyway, it‟s only five minutes to the Johnsons‟ house. W: It might just as well be five miles in that rain. And I haven‟t got my umbrella. I left it in the office.

M: That wasn‟t very clever of you, was it?

W: Well, we could use your umbrella, I suppose. M: We can‟t. I left it on the train six weeks ago.

W: Oh, David. Really, you are impossible.

M: Well, we can‟t stand here all night. We‟re late enough as it is. Let‟s go. W: I‟m not going out in that. And that‟s final. M: I‟d better ring for a taxi then.

W: Yes. You‟d better, hadn‟t you?

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 13. Why does Kate refuse to leave the house then?

14. What are Kate and David going to do? 15. What happened to David‟s umbrella?

Section B

Passage One

There was a story many years ago of a school teacher — Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn‟t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.

Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother‟s perfume.

Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy‟s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.

Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D..

The story doesn‟t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson‟s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn‟t know how to teach until I met you.” Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16. What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school? 17. What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy? 18. In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?

19. Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding? Passage Two

A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWest that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, are particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts than any before.

University tuition fees are currently capped at 3,000 pounds annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.

In the research, the teenagers were presented with the terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average 31,000 pounds by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just 17,800.The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than 10,000 pounds. Average debts for graduates are 12,363 pounds.

Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said, “The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they are to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively.”

Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweather, aged 15, from St. Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money. Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. Which can be found from the five-year research project? 21. What should students do according to Stephen Moir? 22. What can we learn from the passage?

Passage Three

Celebrity has become one of the most important representatives of popular culture. Fans used to be crazy about specific film, but now the public tends to base its consumption on the interest of celebrity attached to any given product. Besides, fashion magazines have almost abandoned the practice of putting models on the cover because they don‟t sell nearly as well as famous faces. As a result, celebrities have realized their unbelievably powerful market potential, moving from advertising for others‟ products to developing their own.

Celebrity clothing lines aren‟t a completely new phenomenon, but in the past they were typically aimed at the ordinary consumers, and limited to a few TV actresses. Today they‟re started by first-class stars whose products enjoy equal fame with some world-top brands. The most successful start-ups have been those by celebrities with specific personal style. As celebrities become more and more experienced at the market, they expand their production scale rapidly, covering almost all the products of daily life.

However, for every success story, there‟s a related warning tale of a celebrity who overvalued his consumer appeal. No matter how famous the product‟s origin is, if it fails to impress consumers with its own qualities it begins to resemble an exercise in self-promotional marketing. And once the initial attention dies down, consumer interest might fade, loyalty returning to tried-and-true labels.

Today, celebrities face even more severe embarrassment. The pop-cultural circle might be bigger than ever, but its rate of turnover has speeded up as well. Each misstep threatens to reduce a celebrity‟s shelf life, and the same newspaper or magazine that once brought him fame has no problem picking him to pieces when the opportunity appears. Still, the ego‟s potential for expansion is limitless. Having already achieved great wealth and public recognition, many celebrities see fashion as the next frontier to be conquered. As the saying goes, success and failure always go hand in hand. Their success as designers might last only a short time, but fashion-like celebrity — has always been temporary.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. What do we know about fashion magazines today?

24. What is a change in the consumer market that can be found today? 25. What is the passage mainly about?

Section C

Ninety percent of Americans know that most of their compatriots are overweight, but just 40 percent believe themselves to be too fat. Government (26) statistics show that more than 60 percent of the U.S. population is overweight, and half is (27) obese, meaning they are at serious risk of health effects from their weight. But the Pew Research Center telephone (28) survey of more than 2,000 adults finds that many people overestimate how tall they are and (29) underestimate how much they weigh — and thus do not rate themselves as overweight, even when they are. The survey finds that most Americans, (30) including those who say they are overweight, agree that personal behavior — rather than (31) genetic disposition or marketing by food companies — is the main reason people are overweight. In particular, the public says that a failure to get enough exercise is the most important reason, (32) followed by a lack of willpower about what to eat. About half of the public also says that the kinds of foods marketed at restaurants and grocery stores are a very important cause, and roughly a third says the same about the effects of genetics and (33) heredity. (34) And at least some people appear to have given up on dieting to control their weight. One in four respondents in the survey say they are currently dieting, and 52 percent say they have dieted at some point in their lives. (35) In a poll taken 15 years ago, the percentage of adults reported having ever dieted was slightly higher. Those surveyed agree that maintaining a healthy weight is important. (36) Virtually everyone agrees that a person‟s weight has an impact on the chances for a long and healthy life.

Test fourteen Section A

1. M: Miss Hanson, thank you for sending me this note. I‟m sorry to hear Mario is being a problem.

W: I‟m not sure what‟s happening to Mario. He‟s usually an excellent student. He completes

all his work and he‟s quiet in class. Then, last month, he just changed. Q: What can we learn from the conversation?

2. M: Can you believe I just had to pay 20 pounds for a hair cut in Steward?

W: You should try the salon where I go. It‟s only 10.But it takes a while to get an appointment. Q: What do we know about the woman?

3. W: Dr. Weinstein, should parents let their children watch television or read about the war? M: If parents are going to let their kids read or watch television coverage of the war, it‟s

important for them to read along and help their kids interpret what they‟re reading or seeing.

Q: What should parents do if their children watch television or read about the war?

4. W: Thank heavens! You‟re back safe and sound. Everyone was worried on hearing about the air

crash. And I had so many sleepless nights! M: Yes, I know your feeling, dear! Even I myself don‟t know how I escaped it. I was the only lucky guy.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

5. W: What‟s this I hear about your appearing on the six o‟clock news?

M: Oh that. Some people were filming something on campus and I just happened to pass in front of the camera.

Q: What does the man mean?

6. W: I tried to catch the bus but still couldn‟t make it. Did the boss say anything about my not

being here at nine?

M: Well, he looked angry. He said if he were you, he‟d make a habit of being on time. Q: What does the man say about the boss?

7. M: I don‟t know whether to ask Joe or Cora to draw the posters. W: What difference does it make? They‟re both excellent artists. Q: What does the woman imply about Joe and Core?

8. W: Many people prefer taking public buses or even taxis, because parking is getting to be a real headache in some parts of the city.

M: That doesn‟t surprise me.

Q: What do we learn from this conversation? Now you will hear the two long conversations. Conversation One

M: I see you and your friends have been decorating the dormitory.

W: The walls looked so dull; we decided to cover them with prints and posters.

M: I like this one. Did you buy it on campus?

W: No, I bought it at the Museum of Modem Art in New York City. The Art History Department recently sponsored a special museum tour there.

M: Is this a reproduction of something in the museum‟s collection?

W: Yes, it‟s a print of a painting by Georgia O‟keffe called Lake George Window. M: It looks more like a photograph. The details are so accurate and realistic.

W: I thought the same thing when I first saw the painting hanging in the museum. But the art history teacher pointed out how the painting is in fact very stylized. M: What do you mean?

W: First, by choosing a front view of the window, O‟keffe was able to present a symmetrical image and eliminate any hint of three dimensionality. M: It does look almost flat. The open shutters seem to have no depth at all.

W: To emphasize that two dimensional look, O‟keffe also eliminated details of texture. The shutters, for example.

M: Yes, their surface looks as flat as the glass of the window pane.

W: So even though she created a realistic painting of a window, O‟keffe stylized and simplified the shapes to resemble an abstract design.

M: It sounds as though you learned a lot on that trip. Is the Art History Department planning another museum tour?

W: Yes, the next one is to a special exhibit of European painters at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston next week.

M: I think I will sign up for that one.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. What has the woman been doing?

10. What is the characteristic of Georgia O‟keffe‟s work? 11. How did the woman benefit from the museum tour? 12. What might the man do next week?

Conversation Two

M: Where are you going, Catherine? Today is Saturday.

W: Saturday isn‟t a holiday for me anymore. I have to tutor for three hours every Saturday

afternoon.

M: That‟s great. I wish I could find a part-time job to make a little pocket money. How did you find this job?

W: I saw a “Tutor Wanted” notice stuck on a light pole near the bus stop. I phoned the number and I got the job. It‟s not too hard to find a part-time job these days. But Richard, studying should always come first. Do you think that you have enough time to handle a part-time job? M: It‟s hard to say. If I can get a job, I will try very hard to make good use of my time.

W: We do spend too much time hanging around and doing nothing. Richard, your English is

perfect. Why don‟t you find a job teaching English? M: But I don‟t have any teaching experience. Speaking and teaching are two different things. W: I don‟t have any experience either. We‟re just students. People know this. But we are young and energetic, and the most important thing is that we don‟t ask for as much pay as professional teachers do. M: OK! Where should I start?

W: You can post some notices on the community bulletin board and some other places. But

remember: don‟t post them on the wire poles because you‟ll probably be fined for it. M: Thank you for your advice, Catherine. W: My pleasure. Good luck.

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 13. What does the woman do on Saturday afternoons? 14. How did the woman find the part-time job?

15. What does the woman suggest the man do when starting to find a job?

Section B Passage One

Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.

“I would never have said to my mom, „Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?‟ ” says Ballmer. “There was just a complete gap in taste.”

Music was not the only gulf. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits.

Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent-child activities from shopping to sports, involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue into adulthood.

No wonder greeting cards today carry the message: “To my mother, my best friend.” But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents.

“There‟s still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening,” says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College. “In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents.”

Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more

democratic process that encourages everyone to have a say.

“My parents were on the „before‟ side of that change, but today‟s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the „after‟ side,” explains Mr. Ballmer. “It‟s not something easily accomplished by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”

Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard. 11. Which shows that the generation gap is disappearing?

12. What is the change in today‟s parent-child relationship?

13. What does the author mean by saying “today‟s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the

„after‟ side”?

14. What is the purpose of the passage? Passage Two

Mail carriers will be delivering some good news and some bad news this week.

The bad news: Stamp prices are expected to rise 2 cents in May to 41 cents, the Postal Regulatory Commission announced yesterday. The good news: With the introduction of a “forever stamp,” it may be the last time Americans have to use annoying 2- or 3-cent stamps to make up postage differences.

Beginning in May, people would be able to purchase the stamps in booklets of 20 at the regular rate of a first-class stamp.

As the name implies, “forever stamps” will keep their first-class mailing value forever, even when the postage rate goes up.

The new “forever stamp” is the United States Postal Service‟s (USPS) answer to the complaints about frequent rate increases. The May increases will be the fifth in a decade. Postal rates have risen because of inflation, competition from online bill paying, and the rising costs of employee benefits, including health care, says Mark Saunders, a spokesman for USPS.

The USPS expects some financial gain from sales of the “forever stamp” and the savings from not printing as many 2- or 3-cent stamps. “It‟s not your grandfather‟s stamp,” says Mr. Saunders. “It could be your great grandchildren‟s stamp.”

Other countries, including Canada, England, and Finland use similar stamps.

Don Schilling, who has collected stamps for 50 years, says he‟s interested in the public‟s reaction. “This is an entirely new class of stamps.” Mr. Schilling says. He adds that he‟ll buy the stamps because he will be able to use them for a long period of time, not because they could make him rich — the volume printed will be too large for collectors. “We won‟t be able to send our kids to college on these,” he says, laughing.

The USPS board of governors has yet to accept the Postal Regulatory Commission‟s decision, but tends to follow its recommendations. No plans have been announced yet for the design of the stamps.

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. What is the main purpose of introducing a “forever stamp”? 21. Which is true according to the passage? 22. What can be concluded from the passage?

Passage Three

Jim suffered heart problems. In conversation he expressed little joy and it seemed that his life was drawing to a close.

When his heart problems led to operation, Jim went through it successfully, and a full recovery was expected. Within days, however, his heart was not beating properly. Jim was rushed back to the operation, but nothing was found to explain the cause of his illness. He died on the operating table on the day before his 48th birthday.

Dr. Bruce Smoller, a psychologist, had had many conversations with him, and the more he learned, the stranger he realized Jim‟s case was. When Jim was a child, his father, a teacher, suffered a heart attack and stayed home to recover. One morning Jim asked his father to look over his homework, promising to come home from school at noon to pick it up. His father agreed, but when Jim returned his father had died. Jim‟s father was 48.

“I think all his life Jim believed he killed his father,” Dr.Smoller says. “He felt that if he had not asked him to look at his homework, his father would have lived. Jim had been troubled by the idea. The operation was the trial he had expected for forty years.” Smoller believes that Jim willed himself not to live to the age of 48.

Jim‟s case shows the powerful role that attitude plays in physical health, and that childhood experiences produce far-reaching effect on the health of grown-ups. Although most cases are less direct than Jim‟s, studies show that childhood events, besides genes, may well cause such midlife diseases as cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. Why was Jim sent back to operation?

24. What made Dr. Smoller feel strange about Jim‟s case? 25. What can we infer from Smoller‟s words?

Section C

During the traditional wedding ceremony, the bridal couple promise each other lifelong devotion. Yet, about one out of four American marriages ends in (26) divorce. Since 1940, the divorce rate has more than (27) doubled, and experts predict that, of all marriages that occurred in the 1970s, about 50%will end in divorce. The U.S. A has one of the highest divorce rates in the world, perhaps (28) even the highest. The fact that divorce is so common in the United States does not mean that Americans consider marriage an unimportant, (29) casual relationship. Americans expect a great deal from marriage. They seek physical, emotional, and (30) intellectual compatibility. They want to be deeply loved and understood. They (31) prefer no marriage at all to a marriage without love and (32) understanding. With typical American (33) optimism, they end one marriage in hope that the next will be happier. With no-fault divorce laws in many states, it is easier than ever to get a divorce. (34) Some American women stay in unhappy marriages because they don‟t have the education or job experience to support themselves and their children. But most American women believe that, if necessary, they can make it alone without a husband. All things considered, Americans have little reason to continue an unhappy marriage. no-fault divorce laws in many states, it is easier than ever to get a divorce. (35) If a divorcing couple has children, the court must determine which parent the children will live with and who will provide for their support. In most cases, the children live with the mother. However, no-fault divorce laws in many states, it is easier than ever to get a divorce. (36) It is not uncommon for a farther to be the guardian of his children when this arrangement seems to be in the children‟s best interest.

Test fifteen

Section A

1. W: Let‟s talk about the preparations for the party.

M: Right, I think we really need to plan better and get things done in advance this time. Still

remember what a mess it was at the last party? Q: What do we know about the last party from the conversation?

2. M: I‟ve never understood what this Woman‟s Lib business is all about. I can understand women

in some countries struggling for their rights. But it strikes me that here in Britain women have already got as much freedom as they could possibly want.

W: You are fooling.

Q: What does the woman mean?

3. M: By the way, Jane, did you talk to the consultant about our health program? W: I contacted his office, but his secretary said he would be out for lunch until two. Q: What does the woman mean?

4. M: Have you seen Tom at all this semester? I used to see him everywhere! But now, he‟s never around.

W: Well, he‟s got a really heavy course load and he is on the tennis team now! Q: What does the woman say about Tom?

5. W: Oh, this is a beautiful city. I‟m really glad I‟ve brought my camera.

M: Yes, there are lots of things to take pictures of here. But I hope you will not plan to spend

all of your time snapping. I have some friends who would like to meet you.

Q: What does the man want the woman to do?

6. W: You are late again! We‟ve been expecting you for an hour. For what reason this time?

M: I‟m terribly sorry. I couldn‟t start my car, and then I had to send for my mechanic to fix it. I

really don‟t know things would turn out to be like this. Q: What can we infer from the conversation? 7. M: How are you doing with your plan?

W: No one knows how to do the work correctly, so we have to learn how to do it by a process

of trial and error. But I think things are getting better and better.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation about the woman?

8. W: Hi, Peter. I was surprised to see you in the class in children‟s literature yesterday. Are you

also majoring in elementary education? M: No, I‟m not. But as a psychology major I can use this to fulfill the requirement in developmental psychology.

Q: What do you learn from the conversation? Now you will hear the two long conversations. Conversation One

W: Welcome to our program, Mr. Smith. M: Thank you.

W: Mr. Smith, how long have you been a police officer? M: I‟ve been a police officer for thirty years.

W: Thirty years. And you‟ve had different types of assignments on the police force, I guess.

M: Yeah, I‟ve done everything from patrol to undercover work to detective work, and now I‟m supervising investigations.

W: Mr. Smith, I think most people would say that being a police officer is a very stressful job. Would you agree?

M: Yes, it‟s definitely a stressful job. But it depends on your assignment. W: So, what‟s probably the most stressful job you can have? M: I‟d say patrol is the most stressful assignment. W: That‟s interesting! In what way?

M: Well, I guess the biggest part of the stress is the fear factor, the fear of the unknown.

W: What do you mean, Mr. Smith?

M: Well, in patrol work, you don‟t know from moment to moment who you are talking to or what their reaction is going to be to justify your presence. Let‟s say, for example, a patrol officer stops someone for a traffic violation. It seems as though that would be a very low-stress situation.

W: Yes, it is a very low-stress situation.

M: But the truth is, there are more police officers injured during a routine stop.

W: Really?

M: Really! That‟s why all police officers are taught from the very beginning to be aware of their surroundings: people back over policemen, people shoot policemen, people jump out at policemen — different kinds of things. So that‟s probably the most stressful time. W: I see. Let‟s take a break and then we‟ll move on to our next topic. M: All right.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

9. What‟s the relationship between the two speakers?

10. What do we know about Mr. Smith from the conversation? 11. What assignment does Mr. Smith believe is the most stressful?

12. Why are all police officers taught to be aware of their surroundings from the very beginning?

Conversation Two

W: Good morning. This is Housing Office. How can I help you?

M: Hi. I‟m calling about the new subsidized low-cost housing for graduate students.

W: Are you aware that it‟s only available to married graduate students and their families? M: Yes. I think my wife and I may qualify since she‟s still in graduate school. But I was wondering whether there were any other requirements. W: Well, unless you have more than one child, you have to have a combined annual income that‟s less than 5,000 dollars. M: I‟m working as a part-time research assistant so that‟s no problem. But right now we‟re living with my wife‟s parents. Does that mean we have to include their income too? W: Not necessarily. Why don‟t you stop by our office so I can give you some forms to fill out and explain everything in more detail?

M: That sounds like a good idea. Would tomorrow morning be all right?

W: I think the afternoon might be better. You know it can be pretty crazy around here on a Friday morning.

M: All right then. I‟ll try to make it in the afternoon. Is there anyone special I should ask for?

W: You can ask for me, Susan Davidson, or my assistant Bill Brown. We‟ll be glad to give you any help you need.

M: OK. Thanks a lot. See you then.

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 13. Where does the man live?

14. Why does the man believe he‟s eligible for low-cost housing?

15. Why does the woman suggest that the man visit her office in the afternoon?

Section B

Passage One

Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertiser, hoping to sell their products.

Endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people‟s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.

It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with case into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety. Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. What do we learn from the passage?

17. Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

18. What does the author want to prove by using computers as an example? 19. What is this passage mainly about? Passage Two

A teacher of English as a second language is the 2004 Teacher of the Year in the United States. Kathy Mellor of Rhode Island will spend the next year as an international spokeswoman for education. President Bush and his wife, Laura, honored her during a ceremony at the White House last week.

For the past nineteen years, Kathy Mellor has taught English as a second language at Davisville Middle School in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in the northeastern United States. She redesigned the program for E.S.L.students at her school to provide each student with one to three periods per day in classes for English learners. How much instruction the students get depends on their level of skill in listening, speaking, reading and writing. The amount of time they spend in these classes is reduced as their level of English increases.

A teacher describes this as the most successful E.S.L. program in North Kingstown. She also praises Kathy Mellor for providing help to students and their families by forming a local parents

group for speakers of other languages. This improved their ability to help their children.

Kathy Mellor earned a master‟s degree in education from Rhode Island College. She studied teaching English as a second language.

She was chosen for the national honor of Teacher of the Year from among top teachers in each of the fifty states. As Teacher of the Year, Kathy Mellor will travel around the United States and to other countries. She will talk about the importance of education and the work of teachers. Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. What is the passage mainly about?

21. What does “E.S.L.” in the passage stand for? 22. What can we learn from the passage?

Passage Three

Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. “The door to his room is always shut,” Joanna noted.

Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. “She used to cuddle up with me on the sofa and talk,” said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which.”

Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what‟s on their minds. “In fact, parents are first on the list,” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years,” Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”

Parents who know what‟s going on in their teenagers‟ lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. What troubles Tina and Mark most?

24. Which statement best explains “the wall of silence” in the passage? 25. What can be learned from the passage?

Section C

Ironically, in the United States, a country of immigrants, prejudice and discrimination continue to be serious problems. There was often tension between each established group of immigrants and each (26) succeeding group. As each group became more (27) financially successful, and more powerful, they excluded newcomers from full participation in the society. Prejudice and discrimination are part of American history; however, this prejudicial treatment of different groups is nowhere more (28) unjust than with black Americans.

Blacks had (29) distinct disadvantages. For the most part, they came to the land of opportunity as slaves and they were not free to keep their heritage and cultural (30) traditions. Unlike most European immigrants, blacks did not have the protection of a support group. They could not mix easily with the (31) established society either because of their skin color. It was

difficult for them to adapt to the American culture. Even after they became free people, they still (32) experienced discrimination in employment, housing and education. Until the twentieth century, the (33) majority of the black population lived in the southern part of the United States. Then there was a population shift to the large cities in the North. Prejudice against blacks is often associated with the South. (34) In the 1950s and 1960s, blacks fought to gain fair treatment, and they now have legal protection in housing, education and employment. Because their neighborhoods are segregated, many blacks feel that educational opportunities are not adequate for their children. (35) Busing children from one neighborhood to another is one solution to inequality in education. Naturally, all parents want the best possible education for their children. (36) The situation of blacks is better today than it was in the 1950s, but racial tension persists. Time will be the real solution to the problem of race.

答案文档

Test one Section A 1. A Section B 6. B

2. C 7. D

3. D 8. A

4. C

9. C

5. C 10. C

Section C 11. D

12. C

13. A

14. B

15. A

Section D

16. healthy 20. performance

17. improve 21. children

18. coffee or tea 22. troubles of sleeping

19. exams

23. drugs raise serious legal and moral questions 24. it will not be a simple problem to solve

in an examination

25. probably be very difficult to decide at what point a food supplement becomes an unfair drug

Test two Section A 1. B 2. B 6. A 7. A 11. D Section B 16. C 21. B Section C 26. decent 30. survey

12. B 17. B 22. D

3. D 8. B 13. A 18. A 23. A

4. C 9. D 14. D 19. C 24. C

5. B 10. A 15. C 20. A 25. D 28. local 32. Passions

29. general 33. culture

27. programmer 31. burden

34. Everyone agrees that we must police our borders against illegal immigrants.

35. the evidence shows that the problems attributed to immigration are false or greatly exaggerated.

36. We would only hurt ourselves by shutting the door in their faces.

Test three Section A

1. A 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. A 6. D 7. A Section B

8. D 9. B 10. A 11. B 12. D 13. A 14. B

Section C

15. scheduled 16. supposedly 17. auspicious 18. scientific 19. These superstitions are very easy to test against the real world, and they consistently fail. 20. hard-wired 21. numerology

22. Many office and apartment buildings in America, for example, are missing a 13th floor, and some airplanes don‟t have a 13th row. Test four Section A 11. C 16. B 21. A

12. A 17. C 22. D

13. C 18. C 23. C

14. A 19.B 24. D

15. D 20. D 25. A

Section B 26. C 31. D

Section C 40. stands

27. D 32. C

28. B 33. B

29. B 34. D

30. C 35. A

36. sweating 37. competition 41. highlight

38. personal 42. combines

39. confronted 43. fantasy

44. Michael‟s mother read him numerous stories about flying when he was growing up. 45. Michael had this one recurring dream. He would be running down a country road. 46. Wherever he flew was with a keen eye for detail and the free spirit of his mother‟s love.

Test five

Section A

11. B 16. A 21. D

12. B 17. C 22. A

13. B 18. D 23. D

14. A 19. C 24. B

15. D 20. D 25. B

Section B

26. A 31. D

27. A 32. B

28. B 33. D

29. A 34. C

30. D 35. A

Section C

36. demonstrate 41. sympathy

37. stuff

42. employers

38. gradually 43. manners

39. expand

40. etiquette

44. make them cooperative and just plain happy

45. who practice good manners and understand the rules of etiquette also make themselves happy. 46. behave properly, in familiar as well as in strange situations, builds self-confidence Test six

1—5 DDBAC 6—10 ADACD 11—15 CCBAD 16—20 DBCBC 21—25 ABACD

26. scale 27. bringing 28. hit 29. coastal 30. spared 31. without

32. what 33. heavily

34. Hurricane Dennis is one of the strongest storms to form this early in the hurricane season. 35. has declared a state of emergency, and ordered the evacuation of all non-residents of the Florida Keys

36. Florida was hit by four hurricanes last year, and Dennis is on track to strike the northern part of the state by Sunday Test seven Section A 1. B 6. A 11. A

Section B 16. B

17. D

18. B

19. D

20. B

2. B 7. A 12. C

3. D 8. A 13. C

4. B 9. D 14. B

5. A 10. B 15.B

21. C 22. B 23. D 24. B 25. A

Section C 26. seekers 30. interview

27. address 31. technique 28. examinations 32. available 29. applying 33. intelligent

34. The advice then was to put something in the letter which would distinguish you from the rest. 35. Your search is over and I am the person you‟ve been waiting for.

36. it is the increasing number of applicants with university education at all points in the process of engaging staff that has led to the greater importance of the resume.

Test eight Section A 1. C 2.D 3. B 4. D 5. A Section B 6. C 7. D 8. B 9. A 10. C Section C 11. C 12. B 13. A 14. B 15. D Section D 16. effect 17. around 18. remembered 19. major 20. designed 21. influences 22. possible

23. It is extremely difficult to find anyone living today who has not been affected in some way by

Thomas Edison.

24. People living in this century have had easier and more enjoyable lives because of his

inventions.

25. In 1913, a popular magazine at the time called Thomas Edison the most useful man in

America.

Test nine Section A 1. A 2.A 3. D 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. A 8. C 9. D 10. D Section B 11. B 12. D 13. C 14. D 15. B Section C

16. so much taken for granted 17. switch on the light 18. roads are brightly lit 19. used in advertising 20. the character of every modern city 21. are powered by electricity. 22. are fast asleep 23. keeping our rooms air-conditioned 24. to and from work 25. until something goes wrong.

Test ten Section A 1. A 2.C 3. B 4. A 5. D 6. D 7. C 8. A 9. B 10. A

Section B 11. D 12. B 13. C 14. A 15. D Section C

16. plays an active part 17. Most Chinese go to work 18. find bicycles with heavy loads 19. the bicycle has several advantages. 20. it would neither pollute the air 21. what the Chinese can afford, 22. may be beneficial to our health. 23. may also cause some problems. 24. In rush hours, 25. cause traffic jams.

Test eleven Section A 1. C 2.B 3. A 4. A 5. C 6. B 7. B 8. C 9. C 10. D Section B 11. A 12. C 13. A 14. B 15. B Section C

16. a severe energy shortage 17. There are many reasons 18. wasted much of its valuable energy 19. Next, 20. over the past decade. 21. increased demand for more energy

22. nvestment in energy production 23. turn out enough to meet the increasing need 24. Without an adequate solution 25. for a long time to come.

Test twelve Section A 1. C 2.A 3. A 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. D 8. B 9. C 10. A Section B 11. D 12. B 13. C 14. C 15. C Section C

16. grow out of those families 17. please them for no reason. 18. demand everything they happen to like 19. their parents do

20. to satisfy their material needs 21. promise us a bright future. 22. prevent this bad trend 23. take measures to stop the situation 24. Children have to be taught 25. build their own ways of life.

Test thirteen

Section A 1. B 2.C 3. C 4.A 5.A 6. D 7. D 8.C 9.A 10.D 11. A 12. D 13.D 14.B 15.C Section B

16. D 17. C 18.D 19.B 20.C 21.A 22.D 23.A 24.D 25.C Section C

16. statistics 17. obese.

18. survey. 19.underestimate

20. including 21. genetic, 22.followed. 23. heredity 24.And at least some people appear to have given up on dieting to control their weight.

25. In a poll taken 15 years ago, the percentage of adults reported having ever dieted was slightly higher.

26. Virtually everyone agrees that a person‟s weight has an impact on the chances for a long and healthy life.

Test fourteen Section A 1. D 2.C 3. C 4.A 5.D 6. D 7. C 8.B 9.C 10.A 11. B 12. C 13.A 14.C 15.A Section B

16. A 17. C 18.B 19.B 20.C 21.C 22.D 23.A 24.D 25.C Section C

16. divorce 17. doubled 18. even 19.casual 20. intellectual 21. prefer 22.understanding 23. optimism

24. Some American women stay in unhappy marriages because they don‟t have the education or job experience to support themselves and their children.

25. If a divorcing couple has children, the court must determine which parent the children will live with and who will provide for their support. 26. It is not uncommon for a farther to be the guardian of his children when this arrangement seems to be in the children‟s best interest.

Test fifteen

Section A 1. B 2.D 3. A 4.D 5.D 6. D 7.B 8.D 9.D 10.B 11.C 12.D 13.B 14.C 15.A Section B

16.B 17.B 18.C 19.A 20.C 21.D 22.B 23.B 24.C 25.D Section C

16. succeeding 17. financially 18. unjust 19.distinct 20.traditions 21. established 22.experienced 23. majority 24. In the 1950s and 1960s, blacks fought to gain fair treatment, and they now have legal protection in housing, education and employment. 25. Busing children from one neighborhood to another is one solution to inequality in education. 26. The situation of blacks is better today than it was in the 1950s, but racial tension persists.