懂你英语level6文档精校版.doc

Level 6Unit 11/4ListeningHarry bitchem works for a high-tech German company, based in Munich.Last month he was in an automobile accident.He was on his way to attend an important meeting in New York City.He had just arrived on a flight from London and was taking a taxi into the city.The purpose of his trip was to attend a meeting.The weather was terrible and the road was icy.He was in a hurry so he asked the taxi driver to get him into the city as soon as possible.The taxi driver agreed and sped up. But just as they left the airport, the car went out of control. It spun around and skidded into the path of an oncoming truck.Fortunately, the truck wasnt going too fast, so nobody was killed.But the taxi was severely damaged and both passangers were injured.The accident wouldnt have happened had the weather been better.Had the weather been better the accident wouldnt have happenedIf the weather hadnt been bad, the accident probably wouldnt have happened.The taxi driver survived with only a few injuries because he was wearing a seatbelt.The taxis airbag had also deployed, absorbing much of the impact. However, Harry, who is in the back seat, hadnt put on his seatbelt. As a result, he was severely injured and had to be rush to a hospital.Had he put on his seatbelt, he might not have been injured so badly.Now a month later Harry still cant remember much of what happened.When he first woke up in the hospital it was several hours after the accident and he was sure where he was. The bad news was that he couldnt move his legs.This was because his back had been broken in the accident.The doctors later told him that he might never regain the use of his legs.Some of the nerves in his spain and legs had been damaged but everything else was OK.He couldnt move his legs because his back had been broken in the accident.Now Harry is trying to figure out what to do.If he works hard and exercises every day there is still a chance that his legs will recover on their own. There are also some new treatments that might help his nerves regenerate.Still he should be prepared for the long recovery and the possibility that he might never walk again.Without the use of his legs he wouldnt be able to continue working in the same way.It wouldnt be possible to travel so he would have to find another way to attend meetings. Either that or he would have to look for another way to make a living.If he regains the use of his legs, hell be able to continue working in the same way.Harry has good disability insurance so money wont be a problem for a while.But sooner or later he wants to be able to earn a living again.Of course he isnt planning to give up on his legs.If he works hard he might still be able to regain their use and learn to walk again.Some of his nerves had been damaged but there is a chance that they will heal.The new drugs being developed might make it possible for the nerves to grow back.Still he has to face the possibility that nothing will work.If he wants to regain the use of his legs hell have to work hard.However happens Harry is determined to think positively.Even if he cant walk he can still attend meetings all over the world.With new technology he would be anywhere and there is much of that he could still do. Luckily he still has the use of his arms and hands and his brain is still functioning.With the right attitude he can find a way forward.There is no reason for despair or feeling sorry for oneself.That kind of thinking wont solve anything.He just hope that his company or another company will give him the chance to prove himself. He can still be a valuable asset for them, come with me.He has a positive attitude toward life and is determined to prove himself.DialogueW: Hey, what do you think? Do you like it?M: No, its too short. You cant wear that to the office. If you do, nobody will be able to concentrate.W: What about this one?M: Thats the right length, but I hate the color. I hate pink.W: OK, Ill see if they have it another color, but it isnt cheap.M: Its OK if you dont buy anything else for a while.W: Sure, this will last for a while.M: Well, Im glad you like your dress. It looks great on you.W: You should get some new clothes too. You never buy anything for yourself.M: I have an expensive girlfriend now, so I cant afford it. And besides I dont the time to go shopping.W: What are you doing? Are you staring at that woman?M: What? No, of course not.W: Yes, you were. You were staring at her. How do you think it makes me feel?M: I was just looking in that direction.W: No, you were staring at her for several seconds.M: Im sorry but I couldnt help it.W: Ive told you many time to stop that. And if you are going to stare, you shouldnt do it like that, so obvious and rude.M: OK. Whats the best way to stare?W: dont stare for 4 or 5 seconds. Just take a quick looks, 2 seconds long. Then it isnt so obvious.M: Sorry, My eyes just went there. Im program like that.W: Thats no excuse.W: And dont ever tell me you dont like pink again. She is wearing pink. Why is it that pink is so bad on me when you cant help staring at someone who is wearing pink?M: I didnt notice that she is wearing pink.W: Ah, so the clothes dont matter. She is more attractive than I am. Why dont you go sit with her?M: Hey, come on, lets not get into a fight.W: I thought you were getting better. But you never change. You just had to runling the evening.M: Hey, come on, Im sorry.W: No, dont say anything, I dont want to hear it.In this exchange, we see a lovers quarrel.He cant afford to buy new clothes for himself because he spends a lot on his girlfriend.ReadingThe Boy Who Cried WolfOnce upon a time there was a mischievous young boy who was given the task of tending a herd of sheep on a hillside near a village. The boy grew tired and board while watching the sheep, so he found ways to amuse himself, such as climbing trees or chasing sheep. One day he came up with what he thought was a brilliant idea. He climbed to the top of a tree and shouted toward the village: “Wolf! Wolf! Help me please!”When the villagers heard his cries for help, they rushed up the hill to rescue him and chase the wolf away. Of course, when they got there, there was no wolf to be seen, and the boy, who was still in the tree, was laughing. The sheep were grazing peacefully. Annoyed, the villagers returned to the village and back to their normal activities.A few days later, the boy grew bored again and played the same trick on the villagers. This time the villagers were furious at the boy. That night he was punished by his mother for his bad behavior.For a while after that, life went on as normal and the boy behaved. He didnt want to be punished again. Then, one afternoon while he was tending the sheep, he noticed that she sheep were bleating and nervous. He didnt know what was causing their strange behavior, so he climbed a tree to see if he could determine what was going on. What he saw from the tree was a frightening sight, a big, hairy wolf chasing after the sheep. Terrified, he screamed for help: “Wolf, Wolf! Theres a wolf chasing the sheep!”This time, when the villagers heard his cries for help, they were convinced that it was another one of his pranks. Nobody believed that there was really a wolf, so they ignored his frantic calls for help. The wolf, having nothing to fear, feasted on several of the sheep and then slipped back into the forest.The villagers were annoyed when the boy fooled them the first time.He learned that lying to others can have serious consequences.Survival in the OutbackWhat would you do if you ever found yourself lost in the wild? To find out, you can join a weekend survival course in Australias Outback Desert. This vast area is famous for its harsh desert climate. To survive, your first task will beto find water, a rare commodity in the desert. Animals such as ants and seed-eating birds are strong indicators of water. You can also cut and suck moisture from the roots and leaves of plants. Trees like the desert oak have roots near the surface. But be careful. The branches of gum trees are a rich source of water, but the leaves are poisonous, so dont eat them. The best place to build a shelter is in an area with a least around of sunlight, like between sand dunes or in a trench. To make a trench, dig a hole big enough to lie down in and use the extra sand to create a barrier or wall on each side. This can help to shield you from the glare and scorching heat of the sun.Nights can be cold, so knowing how to make a fire is essential. One way to build a fire is to use the hand drill method. This is one of the oldest and simplest ways to start a fire. It involves rolling a stick between your hands while pressing it onto a notched piece of wood with dry tinder below. The idea is to use friction to create enough heat to ignite the tinder. This can be a lot of work,As for food, youll have to be open-minded. Some forms of life can be ugly to look at but can provide you with enough protein to survive. They may even taste good, like scrambled eggs!If you are lost in the desert, your first task will be to find water.2/4ListeningNow that you studying English at a high level, you need to be able to talk about the language itself.One of the biggest areas of confusion for students is the difference between the past tense and the present perfect.The past tense is indicated by use of past tense smarker, represented here by V sub d. Here are some examples of regular verbs and their past tense forms.So, as you can see, for regular verbs, the past tense form is indicated by addition of an “ed” at the end of the verb.However, some of the most common verbs in English are irregular, so its important to learn them. Here are some examples.Altogether, there are over 200 regular verbs in normal use.Many people think that the past tense form only indicates past time. However, that is only one of the possible meanings.The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speakers point of view.Here is an example: “He wishes he had a car.”The fact is that he doesnt have a car, so the use of “had” indicates that it isnt real, its imaginary.If he had a car, he could drive us to school.Again, he doesnt have a car, so he cant drive us to school. This condition expresses something that isnt a fact.Its a counter-factual condition, which means it goes against where we know or believe.Look at these two sentences.If she waits another week, she can save moneyIf she waited for another week, she could save money because theres going to be a sale.Both sentences are correct, but theres difference in meaning.In the top sentence the condition that she waits is more likely from the speakers point of view. In the bottom sentence the speaker thinks its less likely that she is going to wait.If that flight left a few minutes later, we could take the next shuttle bus. If that flight leaves on time, we are going to miss it, so lets run.If that flight leaves on time, the next shuttle bus may not get us to the airport on time.If that flight left an hour later, we wouldnt have to get to the airport so early tomorrow morning. He wishes he had a car, but he doesnt have enough money to buy one.There was a big sale last week, so we all went shopping.I wish we didnt have to run, but if we dont hurry, well miss the next bus.Theres going to be a sale next week, so I hope she doesnt go shopping tomorrow.When we talk about experience or results, we use past perfect form. This form uses “have” followed by the participle.For regular verbs, these participle are identical to the past tense form. For irregular verbs, these participle are often different.When we use the perfect form, the primary focus on the subject of the sentence, not the verb. It emphasizes condition, experience or result, rather than actions or events.In these two examples we see the contrast.She has already left hotel.She left the hotel a few minutes ago.The top sentence gives the condition or state of the subject, and the bottom sentence expresses an event.The top sentence describes the condition of the subject of the sentence “she” rather than the event.The fact that she has left the hotel is now part of her experience or state of being.The bottom sentence expresses the action or event, she left, which is something she did.In general, the past tense form expresses events or acts, and the perfect form expresses experience or conditions. When we use the perfect form of the verb, we focus on the state of the subject, and not an action or event.He enjoyed his studies and graduated a few months ago. Now that he had graduated, hes ready to get a job.Note that the past form expresses the events that are persific points or periods of time, such as the last year or past five years.He worked at several companies. (in the past)He finished the project last week. (in the past, last week)These events are distance from the speakers point of view.The perfect form expresses something from the speakers point of view, not distance in time.He has worked at several companies. (his experience now) He has finished the project. (his experience now)These two sentences are incorrect and confusing because they give two different points of view.He has worked at the company until last week. (incorrect)He has finished the project last week. (incorrect and confusing)Here are some sentences that use the perfect form.He has finished practicing.He has been practicing.She may have eaten.Her computer may have been stolen.Some are simple, such as the first one, and some are complex, like the last one.The last one is complex because it combines many verb forms, including the passive.He must have taken her computer with him.He have practiced hard, so he should do well in the competition.He took his computer with him because he wants to work at home.He may have taken his computer with him, but Im not sure if he did or not.He may have been travelling when he got sick.It might have been broken by the accident.He may have been arrested by the police.The fire might have been started by someone.He may have been injurDialogueReadingWinter in Antarctica: Staying Sane at the Bottom of the WorldOn Antarctica, the worlds coldest continent, the average high temperature is -49 degrees Celsius. In the summer, the sun never sets, and in the winter, it never rises. Keeping sane there is its own special challenge.The McMurdo Station is a research base perched on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, the worlds largest body of floating ice. The station is administered by the United States and is the largest community in Antarctica. Capable of supporting more than 1200 residents, the population of the station drops to 150 brave (perhaps foolish) people when winter begins in March. Their task is to maintain the station during the months of total night. The biologists, astronomers, geologists, and climate scientists who were there before, have gone, as any research is impossible in the brutal winter.Every day the remaining staff of maintenance personnel perform their routine tasks and make repairs when needed. Sometimes they peer through the darkness toward their friends from New Zealand, at Scott Base, about two miles away. Though most of the time theyre just voices on the radio, its so nice to have neighbors not too far away. Together, they share a power grid and one coast of a dark forbidding continent.Though the days are dark and freezing cold in the depths of winter, the moon will rest above the horizon for weeks at a time. Its pale light illuminates the cold, craggy landscape as if acknowledging a companion and reaffirming the bonds of life. So even for those who live in the darkest part of the Earth, theres light.Its about the importance of connection.Something is routine if its normal and respected.A power grid is needed to supply electricity.The writer shares what it feels like to live and work in Antarctica.Most of the researchers leave because its impossible to do research during the winter.To acknowledge something means to recognize or admit its existence.Chernobyl: Lessons from NatureOn April 26, 1986, Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in northern Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union, was shut down for an unauthorized safety test. When the nuclear fuel rods hit the cooling water, the fission reaction accelerated out of control due to a sudden power surge. This caused the reactor to overheat and build up pressure until its structure failed and it blew up, releasing large amounts of radiation. It took officials a whole day to comprehend the scale of the disaster and to order an evacuation of the surrounding area. Some 50,000 people had to leave, not knowing that they would never return. In the following months, massive efforts were made to decontaminate the area while increased radiation levels were detected across much of Europe. Fallout from the disaster continues to this day, decades later, and long-term effects such as cancers are still being investigated. Estimates of the number of deaths that will eventually result from the accident vary enormously.The forest area near the reactor site is one of