施心远主编《听力教程》3_(第2版)_Unit_10.docVIP

Unit 10Section One Tactics for ListeningPart 1 Spot Dictation Do You Risk Enough to Succeed?During the semi-finals of the 1990 Wimbledon(1) tennis tournament, 16-year-old Yugoslav Monica Seles faced American Zina Garriaon. As the match 2) proceeded, it became clear that Seless most formidable (3) opponent was not Garrison but herself.“The match was so close,” said a crestfallen* Seles afterward. “I was going for the (4) safe shots. Even on Zinas second serve I was (5) scared to hit the ball for winners.” When things get (6) tough, conventional wisdom tell us to (7) play it safe, to pull in your horns*.Consequently, rather than performing to (8) our potential, we concentrate on minimizing our losers. The results can be (9) catastrophic.If you find yourself shying away from (10) risks, these five tips will help you (10) tap into the adventurous spirit buried in us all.1.Take (11) dreams seriously.2.Take it in little steps . When starting something new, (12) figure out a first step and make it one you are reasonably sure of (13) accomplishing.3.Dont say “dont”, The Donts, a form of (14) negative goal setting, can be self-fulfilling because your mind (15) responds to pictures.4.Make your own (16) rules.5.Learn from your mistakes.By (17) embracing risk, you will accomplish more than you (18) ever thought you could. In the process you will (19) transform your life into an exciting adventure that will constantly challenge, reward and (20) rejuvenate you. Exercise Directions: Listen to the passage and fill in the blanks with what you hear.Part 2 listening for GistItll be a dull day, with outbreaks of rain. There may be some heavy showers in the south-west later, with perhaps the odd thunderstorm. The outlook for tomorrow: continuing dull, but there should be some breaks in the cloud by midday. Itll be quite warm, with a maximum temperature of about 16 to 17 degrees. Exercise Directions: Listen to the passage and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide. 1.This passage is about a weather forecast. The key words are rain. showers. thunderstorm. outlook. maximum temperature. Section Two Listening ComprehensionPart 1 DialogueAdulthoodInterviewer: OK, Bruce, Ur, why is the late twenties better than, say, earlier twenties?Bruce: Ur, I think that when youre in your, in the early twenties, youre just getting over, um, teenage adolescent tears, so now I think in the late twenties you kinda know a direction but, um, the early twenties are just too you just kinda remember too many things of the teenage years and youre still trying to get a plan. But in the twenties, late twenties, you kind of know what you wanna do and you kind of have an idea of, of how to get it. And you know how to settle down, too. You can see a plan for getting things and also settling down.Interviewer: Hmm, um, is there a time in your life that you think you would call the most difficult time? Bruce: Probably the teenage years, like fourteen, fifteen . Interviewer: Yeah? Bruce: Sixteen. Interviewer: The mid teens. Bruce: Yeah, I think the mid teens were the worst. Interviewer: So, Julie, why would you like to be a little girl again?Julie: Um, I think, uh, I think lately because the age Im at now, I feel, is kind of a stressful age. Interviewer: Huh. Julie: When youre, when youre younger, you dont have as many worries and responsibilities. Interviewer: Yeah. Julie: You dont have all the stresses of life as an adult. I think at the age Im at now, when you get out of college and you need to find a job. Interviewer: Uh-huh. Julie: And Im single and I cant depend on my parents anymore.Interviewer: Uh-huh.Julie: And I have new responsibilities - just trying to get used to having new responsibilities - and also figure out what I wanna do - theres lots of decisions. Interviewer: Uh-huh. Julie: I dont always know what the best thing to do is. Um, those are things that I need to learn. Interviewer: Yeah.Julie: Yeah.Interviewer: So, Ann, why was being in your thirties good? Ann: Because in your thirties you pretty much know what you like and what you dont like，and youre kind of settled into life. And, at least for me, that was a really good time. Actually, now that my sons are married and, and theyre independent. Interviewer: Uh-huh. Ann: When I come to, come to think about it, I probably do more interesting things now for myself than I did when I was in my thirties . Interviewer: Huh! For example.Ann: Well, now Im playing in an orchestra, which I would neverve had time to do when the boys were little and, urn, and I, ur, read a lot more than I did.Interviewer: Do you and your husband go out more? Ann: Ha! We do! We do. We go out to movies, and we go out to dinner, and we hope to be able to travel! Section Two Listening Comprehension Exercise Directions: Listen to the dialogue and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). l.T 2. T 3. T 4. T 5.T 6. F 7. T 8.T Social Security 1) Social Security is a logical place to start answering the question: Can we afford to continue this trend of retiring ever earlier and living longer? 2) It highlights the coming deficits in a system on which so many Americans depend for at least a part of their livelihood during retirement. 3) The Social Security system now covers workers, disabled persons, and the dependents of each, and the system also adjusts benefits for inflation annually. 4) In simple terms, if the number of those paying into the fund drops as the number of those drawing from it rises, an imbalance is sure to develop in the future. 5) Since none of these options is politically palatable, it remains to be seen which will be implemented - most likely some combination of the two. The Social Security system in the US is a major source of retirement income for many. Thus Social Security is a logical place to start answering the question: Can we afford to continue this trend of retiring ever earlier and living longer? The Social Security Administration projected income and expense for the Social Security fund from 2000 to 2050. The figures for both income-tax revenues and benefits paid out are sobering*. It highlights the coming deficits in a system on which so many Americans depend for at least a part of their livelihood during retirement. The gap between revenue and expense arises because of demographic shifts. The aging of the Baby Boomers and life-extending medical advances combine to create an imbalance in the Social Security system as designed. The system was established in 1935 and was intended as an insurance policy against a poverty-ridden old age, a not uncommon fate for the elderly during the first decades of the 20th century. The Social Security system has been expanded many times since its inception*. It now covers workers, disabled persons, and the dependents of each. The system also adjusts benefits for inflation annually. In the 1930s, life expectancy in the US was 59.7 years; many people never reached the age of retirement. In 2001, life expectancy was 77.6 years; most people today live for quite a while on Golden Pond*. Were living longer and drawing from the Social Security fund for more years with each passing generation. The declining age of retirement only exacerbates* this trend. In simple terms, if the number of those paying into the fund drops as the number of those drawing from it rises, an imbalance is sure to develop in the future. Barring any restructuring of the system beforehand, Social Security expenses will exceed revenues in the year 2015. At that point the system will begin to use reserves to meet its obligations. According to the Social Security Administration estimates, these reserves will carry the system through the mid-2030s. At that point, if not sooner, one of two things will need to be done: (1) The Social Security tax rate will need to be increased, or (2) Benefits paid out wij1 need to be reduced. The second solution may involve extending the retirement age to 70 or an even older age. Since none of these options is politically palatable (the elderly have the highest voting rate), it remains to be seen which will be implemented - most likely some combination of the two. Since 3 out of every 10 Americans aged 65 or older depend on Social Security payments for 90% or more of their income (and 3 out of 5 depend on Social Security for 50% or more of their income) we must ask an important question: Are those of us now in our 30s and 40s planning on an alternative or supplemental retirement income? Exercise A Pre-listening Question Actually, it is a government scheme that provides economic assistance to those people faced with sickness, unemployment, maternity and retirement, etc. In this case, the cost is paid entirely out of taxation. If the cost is met wholly or partly from contributions paid by employers to the state, the scheme is usually called national insurance. Exercise B Sentence Dictation Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times. (Refer to Tapescript) Exercise C Detailed Listening Directions: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences. l.B 2.A 3.D 4. A 5. D 6. B 7. D 8. BExercise D After-listening Discussion Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions. The gap between revenues and expenses arises because of demographic shifts. The aging of the Baby Boomers and life-extending medical advances combine to create an imbalance in the Social Security system as designed. Social Security expenses will exceed revenues in the year 2015. At that point the system will begin to use reserves to meet its obligations. According to the Social Security Administration estimates, these reserves will carry the system through the mid-2030s. 2. (Open) Section Three NewsAid to African Countries UNCTAD*s press release begins with these words: Doubling the current amount of aid to African countries could end their aid dependence within a decade. The report contends* that massive aid could spur* rapid and sustained economic growth that could yield the domestic savings and foreign investment that would gradually supplant* foreign assistance. One of the reports authors is University of Bologna (Italy) economist Jan Kregel. He says donor* countries have the choice, boost their aid budgets or face chronic humanitarian crises: The only way that you are going to escape from persistent and repeated cause for emergency and urgent aid transfers to these countries is by making a decision now to increase development assistance and in an amount which is sufficient to place these economies on a self-sustaining growth path. Exercise A Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary. This news item is about UNCTADs report that says the best way to revive economic growth in African countries is for donor countries to double their aid to the region. Exercise B Directions: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions. I. Massive aid could spur rapid and sustained economic growth. 2) Sustained economic growth could yield the domestic savings and foreign investment. 3) Yes, the domestic savings and foreign investment would gradually supplant foreign assistance. 4) Donor countries have the choice of either boosting their aid budgets or facing chronic humanitarian crises.5) A decision ought to be made now to increase development assistance and in an amount which is sufficient to place these economies on a self-sustaining growth path. News Item 2German Economy German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has proposed wide-ranging reforms in an effort to overcome his nations economic crisis. Germany has Europes biggest economy but has suffered from stagnant* growth, high unemployment, and large deficits. In a speech to parliament, the German leader proposed cuts in unemployment benefits, said he would ease firing rules and also threatened to limit the power of labor unions to establish industry-wide wage contracts. Mr Schroeder proposes shortening the time unemployed workers are entitled to full jobless benefits and he wants to reduce welfare payments. He also proposes allowing small businesses to hire short-term workers, without the safeguards that make it hard for German companies to fire employees in an economic slowdown. Analysts say the aim is to lower the cost of German labor, which is among the most expensive in the world and contributes to high unemployment. Exercise A Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary. This news item is about the wide-ranging reforms that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has proposed to overcome his nations economic crisis. Exercise B Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following passage. Mr. Schroeder proposes shortening the time unemployed workers are entitled to full jobless benefits and he wants to reduce welfare payments. He also proposes allowing small businesses to hire short-term workers, without the safeguards that make it hard for German companies to fire employees in an economic slowdown. Analysts say the aim is to lower the cost of German labor, which is among the most expensive in the world and contributes to high unemployment. News Item3Worries About European Environment Two international agencies are warning that significant improvements made to Europes environment during the past few years could be lost if economic growth continues to be based on traditional, environmentally damaging activities. The UN Economic Commission* for Europe and the European Environment Agency say much of the continents environmental improvement is due to measures to limit pollution or as a result of economic restructuring. A report by the European Environment Agency finds greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depleting substances, and heavy metal discharges to water have been reduced in recent years, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asian states. Agency head Gordon McInnes says while this is good news, these gains could be lost if economic growth does not become more eco-efficient. He says increases in traffic, energy consumption, and soil erosion threaten Europes environment. Mr. McInnes also says there are growing amounts of waste and hazardous material disposal. Exercise A Directions: Listen to the news item and complete the summary. This news item is about improvements made to the Continents environment. which could be lost if economic growth does not become more eco-efficient. Exercise B Directions: Listen to the news again and complete the following memo with the details you grab. A Report by the European Environment Agency 1) Name of the agency: The European Environment Agency2) Environmental improvement: Greenhouse gas emissions. ozone depleting substances. and heavy metal discharges to water have been reduced.3) Reasons for the improvement: Measures to limit pollution or economic restructuring4) Potential threats: Increases in traffic, energy consumption. soil erosion, growing amounts of waste and hazardous material disposalSection Four Supplementary ExercisesPart 1 Feature ReportUS UnemploymentThe number of US workers filing for* unemployment benefits has reached its highest level so far this year. The Labor Department reports that jobless claims went up to 430 thousand for the week ending March first, bringing the four-week average to its highest level this year as well. Economists had expected the claims to go down. As the US economy continues to struggle, people across the country are feeling the pinch*. The Bush Administration has offered proposals to jumpstart the economy . Democratic leaders have offered a counter plan. Congress is considering both. But for now, the more than 8 million Americans who are unemployed see little improvement on the horizon. Every Friday, as many Atlanta-area residents head to work, a group of unemployed people get together at a small restaurant north of the city for a networking and support meeting. Over the past year the crowd has grown substantially. Now it often draws more than 150 people. Those in the group come from a wide range of economic brackets. Some were making $30,000 a year in their last jobs. Others, like Holly Fields, were making more than $130,000. She lost her job as vice president of a software company a year ago: I have lost my job on several occasions to reductions in force, and the longest Ive gone is 6 months. This has been the worst economy Ive ever seen, and the highest demand for specific skill to fill a role. The last company she worked for couldnt stay in business after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. And things are particularly difficult in the technology sector, due to the collapse of many dot-com companies. Gary Hulsey lost a job doing technical support last November. He hasnt been able to find anything computer-related since then. So hes looking at other areas: Im looking at education, possibly teaching where a certificate is not required. Various things. And everything seems to be pretty tight. Mr Hulsey is among the many jobseekers willing to work for a fraction of their previous salaries. Even so, they remain unemployed. President Bush has called job growth the chief domestic concern and lawmakers in Congress are weighing plans to improve the economy. But some jobless Americans, like Burt Nagy, feel the government simply isnt doing enough: I think the focus in Washington is on the war in