星火英语专四听写50片篇文本.doc

1.What a Firefighters Job Is Like The damage that a fire can cause is obvious / and this is why the firefightersjobs are so important. / Firefighters are usually the first ones responding to any type of emergency and perform many tasks,/which include putting out burning buildings, / helping out with medical emergencies, vehicle accidents and many other incidents./ They must make sure their equipment is clean / and all the items they use are in proper working order. / Keeping their skills up to date is necessary. / Therefore, they will be continually trained with new equipment and techniques. / Because of the extreme conditions / and also the stress associated with the emergency situations that arise, / the firefighters definitely need to stay in shape for the work they must do. / They will stay in the fire station while on duty. / Unless they need to work on the trucks or respond to a call, / they can eat, sleep, shower and watch TV at the fire station, just like at home. (160 words) 2.Aliens For a long time, aliens have often been in the news. / They have always been surrounded by mystery / and interest of people all around the world. / People have claimed to have been abducted by aliens. / Some have claimed to have actually seen them. / But is there a sound proof that can prove aliens to be real? / Alien sightings have mostly been accompanied by sightings of lights in the night sky. / Some of them have also believed that / the lights came from the spaceships used by the aliens. / Disk-like objects traveling across the sky / have often been taken as aliens vehicles./ At times, people have found blood or hair at the locations / where aliens were sighted. / Researchers say alien sightings could have probably been a result of human imagination accompanied by fear, / and some of these sightings might have been a result of certain astronomical phenomena. ( 145 words) 3.Computer Eyeglasses As computers become a more and more vital part of todays lifestyle and practices,/ new medical conditions are developing as a result of their usage. / The most common to date is computer vision problems, / which include eye pain, tired and burning eyes, watering or dry eyes, eye strain. / One Would never imagine that such a useful and innovative tool could cause so much physical discomfort ! / As a result of these, science professionals seized the opportunity / to create computer eyeglasses to ease these common conditions / and make computer usage less painful and more comfortable. / The computer vision problems affect adults as well as children./ Although children normally have different requirements for near and distance vision glasses, / computer eyeglasses can be used universally for both groups. / Please note that near and distance vision glasses / should not be used as replacements for computer glasses. /They do not serve the same purpose, / and in some cases will cause more harm than good. (158 words) 4.Labor Day International Labor Day, also known as International Workers Day, / is scheduled for May 1st of each year. /It is a holiday in celebration of the eight-hour workday. / It evolved from efforts of the labor union movement / to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. / It is celebrated as a national holiday across many countries around the world. / The idea for a workers holiday began in Australia in 1856 / but was celebrated on May 1st in 1886 in Chicago. /In China, Labor Day was extended to three days during the 1990s. / The Chinese government made it a seven-day holiday / by moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these three days. / This holiday allowed millions of Chinese people to travel / or take other activities during this period. / However, China has reduced the Golden Week holiday down to one day in 2008, / while at the same time reviving some traditional holidays such as Mid-Autumn Festival. (158 words) 5.Negative Effects of Television Spending too many hours watching television wastes the precious time / that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities like exercise or reading. / It also uses up the time / that you can rather spend with your family and friends. / Chatting with your near ones, spending time with your close ones / is a better way of spending time than watching TV. / People watching television, especially children and youngsters,/ start identifying with what is shown on TV. / They relate to television shows and films to such an extent that / they get bored of living a normal and simple life. ! They are eager for fame and money; / they long for living the lives of their favorite IV characters. / This may lead to a high amount of dissatisfaction for the real world. / As real life is the contrast of the life shown on TV, / such TV addicts become hungry for power, money and status. (151 words) 6.Family Life in India Family life is equally varied in Indian states. /India is a country with many states / in which people are from different cultures, and so on. /The languages, clothing, customs, and traditions of people are influenced by the respective regions they live in. / Most of the families in India are extended ones, / in which every member has his or her own role, often influenced by age and gender. / Children are cherished and considered as gifts from God. !Children can look forward to continual family support throughout their lives. / However, they are expected to respect their elders and parents, their wishes and family relationships. / The family structure in India is typical, / in which there are many wedding customs, / which have to be strongly followed by people. / Religion, social status, traditional practices, and regional differences influence family structures. / Indians are more emotionally attached to the members of their family. / Husbands and wives are not allowed to openly display their affection for one another. ( 160 words) 7.Societys Influence on Education Society plays an important role in education, and influences it both positively and negatively. / Social inequalities and unhealthy educational practices are some of the negative influences of society on our lives. / Customs and traditions prevent certain sections of society from exercising their fundamental rights / and get in the way of the well-being of society, / shatter the basic ideas of education and social awareness. / Some social groups deny womens right to education, / while others force children to work, / depriving them from a healthy environment / which is good to their growth and development. / Education is one of the basic human rights. / If social norms come in the way of social welfare, / it defeats the purpose of education. /Society is an entity that cant be separated from us. / It is we who make up the society. / It is entirely in our hands whether to add value to our education or devalue it. (149 words) 8.Choosing the Perfect Hair Color Coloring your hair is one way to express your individuality. / Choosing the right hair color can be confusing / whether you want to cover gray hair or give yourself a new fresh look. / If you are clear about what you want exactly, / it can help while choosing the hair color that is right for you. / You can achieve the most flattering look, / if you consider your skin make-up and eye color. / Hair color that balances your complexion gives the best results. / For covering gray hair, you can select a shade close to your natural hair color. / Hair highlights are another way to improve your overall look. /Highlights can look fascinating and make an attractive impression. / They add depth and dimension to the base color or natural hair. /Different hair colors suit different complexions. /In order to choose a suitable hair color, / you need to identify the right combination. ( 148 words) 9.Traditional Brazilian Clothing Brazil is known internationally for its stylish and sophisticated clothing. /Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted and decorated with attractive laces. / Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by a combination of different races and immigrants from all over the world. / A true traditional Brazilian clothing can be seen in the countryside, / where mens clothing includes shirt, jeans and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. / In the south of Brazil, the cowboys wear a distinctive dress including loose-fitting trousers, / while in the northeast region they wear coat, hat and leather trousers. / In the urban areas of Brazil, most people prefer modern clothing. / Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. / Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. / Brazilian jeans are very common ! and they come in a wide variety of styles and textures. / Jeans made for women are tight-fitting and loose-fitting near the feet. / Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, / beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil. ( 156 words) 10.Sunday School Sunday School is a practice designed to help children, after church, / to adhere to the path of justice and truth. /However, today, the approach is very unlike the older one / which focused on the classroom-bound mode of interaction and reflection / on the values of Christianity and the Holy Word. / Now, children are being allowed to experiment with ideas / and develop a result-based resource base, / with the help of planned and directed effort. / Sunday School is now being held within and out of church. / The children and youth are allowed to interact with peers / outdoors, at picnics, workshops and camping. / This calls for a redress of security and safety equipment. / As a matter of fact, with activities such as these, / Sunday School security and safety is the concern of every parent. /And the safety and security of the children is the prime responsibility of the public. ( 146 words) 11.Spy Cell Phones A spy phone is a mobile phone or a spy device / that allows a user to monitorand hear or record conversations and other activities taking place over the phone. /Spy phones can function in different ways. / They can be used as listening devices/ whereby secretive conversations can be tracked. / They are popularly used by secret agencies to track criminal activities / that are carried out over networks. / They can be used for tracking periodic calls and recording the frequency of calls from certain suspicious numbers. / Also, they can be used for monitoring business and household activities / while the cell phone user is away. / Although spy cell phones have many positive sides, / they give rise to legal as well as moral concerns, / because spy cell phone software is easily available. / Cell phones are easily transferable to spy phones. / Their ready availability makes them subject to illegal use. (146 words) 12.Water Pollution Water pollution is an undesirable change in the state of water, / polluted with harmful substances. /It is the second most important environmental issue next to air pollution. / Any change in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water / will have a harmful effect on living things. / Water pollution affects all the major water bodies of the world / such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. / Polluted water is unfit for drinking and for other consumption processes. / It is also not suitable for agricultural and industrial use. / The effects of water pollution are harmful to human beings, plants, animals, fishes and birds. / Water problems in the future will become more intense and more complex. / Our increasing population will tremendously increase urban wastes, primarily sewage. / On the other hand, increasing demands for water / will decrease the amount of water available for dealing with wastes. /Due to water pollution, the entire ecosystem gets disturbed. (150 words) 13.Health Benefits of Red Wine We all know drinks containing alcohol are not good for health, / but when it comes to drinking red wine, / it is the other way around. / Recent studies have concluded that there are no negative effects on the body, / if red wine is not consumed excessively. / Certain compounds in red wine can play a very important role in protecting the heart. / It is a heart-healthy drink that can be enjoyed during evening meals. /If you think that red wine is only good for the heart, / then you are wrong. / Studies have revealed that the substance found in the skin of red grapes, / can restrict cancers development. /However, the ideal consumption is not 7 to 8 glasses of red wine. /Scientific studies on the potential benefits of red wine recommend that women should not have more than one drink per day; / whereas men can have 2 drinks per day. /The word moderate is the key to maximize health benefits of red wine. (160 words) 14.How to Gain Fluency in Another Language To gain fluency in another language, / many people will tell you the only solution is / to travel to a foreign country and immerse yourself completely. / This advice may be greatly appealing for some people. / But for the majority of people, this solution is both inconvenient and costly. / Thankfully, the Internet has brought us new and exciting options for communicating in another language. / To expand your vocabulary, try reading free articles and original books in another language. / To begin with, reading may be a slow and frustrating process / as you will have to stop to look up the meanings for many unfamiliar words. / Before you begin, find an online dictionary / that will offer you quick translations. / Hearing a language is the key to learn how to speak it. / Popular music downloading sites offer free audio files / that you can download and take with you wherever you go. / And most importantly, one must actually practice speaking the language. (155 words) 15.Benefits of Going to College One of the primary benefits of going to college / is being able to obtain a college degree. /A college degree helps you push your career in the right direction / and opens doors for good job opportunities. / The college years are filled with academic / as well as extra curricular activities. / The projects, the oral and practical exams and demonstrations that are parts of college education / help you build self-confidence and enhance your communication skills. / College education plays a vital role in the development of analytical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills. / These skills help you throughout life. / However, the most important benefit of going to college is / perhaps the environment it offers. /It gives you an opportunity to be a part of a huge group. / College education helps you develop skills of working in a team. / It gives you an opportunity to understand different points of view on different issues in life.( 150 words)16.Benefits of Becoming a Teacher Becoming a teacher gives you a chance to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. / With kids around, you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. / It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. / On becoming a teacher, / you get a chance to be with children laughing with them, / think their way and enjoy their innocently silly and healthily naughty behavior. / Apart from this, the nature of your job is such that / you do not work on weekends / and you get your share of holidays. / Becoming a teacher / entitles you for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships for teaching programs. / However, one of the most important benefits of becoming a teacher is that / teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations./ They make a difference to society / by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds. ( 146 words) 17.Organic Coffee Today many agricultural products are grown using organic methods / and coffee is no exception. / Organic products have a very minimal effect on the environment / because there is no use of pesticides and fertilizers. / M1 organic produces are certified to ensure that / their products are grown in such a way. / Organic coffee is a multimillion dollar industry / and each year the sales of this coffee are increasing. / Exports of organic coffee are up in most of Europe and North America. / Organic coffee is usually grown in many countries such as Africa, Asia and South America. / All over the world people have become organic coffee drinkers, / but Americans consume the majority of it./ AI1 organic coffee products in the USA are certified for quality. /The organic coffee is produced in a very specific way / and all operators are at random inspected to ensure that they meet US Department of Agriculture standards. ( 149 words) 18.The Rivers The rivers are formed when group of springs and streams, / which are known as headwaters/ and having their origin in the mountains, / flow down to form a largestream or springs. / The stream bed of a river lies between the banks of a river. / The large streams are called as rivers / while the smaller ones are called as creeks. / The rivers form the major component of the water cycle. / The water in a river is accumulated from gathering of ground water / and also through the release of stored water in natural reservoirs such as icebergs. / Rivers have been one of the sources of food, water and transport since prehistoric times. / The rivers aid the cultivation of crops by supplying water. / Historians claim that shipping dates back to a very long time ago. / Rivers of the world are the major source of fresh water / and they maintain their own food chain. ( 147 words) 19.Environmentally Friendly Cars Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be the vehicles of future generati