剑桥英语中级听力原稿

1、unit 1 a time to rememberconversation 2ated:oh, im really sorry. are you ok?ana: im fine. but im not very good at this.ted: neither am i. say, are you from south america?ana: yes, i am, originally. i was born in argentina.ted: did you grow up there?ana: yes, i did, but my family moved here eight yea

2、rs ago, when i was in high school.ted: and where did you learn to rollerblade?ana:here in the park. this is only my second time.ted: well, its my first time. can you give me some lessons?ana: sure, just follow me.ted: by the way, my name is ted.ana: and im ana. nice to meet you.conversation 2bted: h

3、ey, that was fun. thanks for the lesson!ana: no problem. so, tell me a little about yourself. what do you do?ted: i work in a travel agency.ana: really! what do you do there?ted: im in charge of their computers.ana:oh, so youre a computer specialist.ted: well, sort of. yeah, i guess so.ana: thats gr

4、eat. then maybe you can give me some help with a computer course im taking.ted: oh, sure . . . but only if you promise to give me some more rollerblading lessons.ana: its a deal!listening 4yu honginterviewer: where are you from originally, yu hong?yu hong: im from china . . . from near shanghai.inte

5、rviewer: and when did you move here?yu hong: i came here after i graduated from college. that was in 1992.interviewer: and what do you do now?yu hong: im a transportation engineer.interviewer: i see. so youre an immigrant to the united states.yu hong: yes, thats right.interviewer: what are some of t

6、he difficulties of being an immigrant in the u.s.?yu hong: oh, thats not an easy question to answer. there are so many things, really. i guess one of the biggest difficulties is that i dont have any relatives here. i mean, i have a lot of friends, but thats not the same thing. in china, on holidays

7、or the weekend, we visit relatives. it isnt the same here.interviewer: and what do you miss the most from home?yu hong: oh, thats easy: my moms soup! she makes great soup. i really miss my mothers cooking.ajayinterviewer: where are you from, ajay?ajay: im from india.interviewer: and when did you mov

8、e to the u.s.?ajay:it was in 1991.interviewer: are you studying here at the moment?ajay: not now. i came here as a student and graduated two years ago. im working as a computer technician.interviewer: uh-huh. and what was it like when you first came here? was it difficult?ajay: yeah, it was at times

9、. the main difficulty i had was with the educational system. things are very different here. teaching methods, everything is very different from what i was used to in india.interviewer: and what do you miss the most from india?ajay: to tell you the truth, after youre here for a while, you dont miss

10、anything very much. hmmm, but i guess the weather and my family are the things i miss. and the quality of life. the quality of life is much nicer back home, frankly speaking.conversation 7ajeff: hey! are these pictures of you when you were a kid?kim: yeah, that me in front of my uncles beach house.

11、when i was a kid, we used to spend two weeks there every summer.jeff: wow, i bet that was fun!kim: yeah. we always had a great time. every day we used to get up early and walk along the beach .i had a great shell collection. in fact, i think its still up in the attic!jeff: hey, i used to collect she

12、lls, too, when i was a kid. but my parents threw them out!conversation 7bjeff:you know what i remember most about growing up?kim: what?jeff: visiting my grandparents house you know, on holidays and stuff. they lived way out in the country, and my granddad had a horse named blackie. he taught me how

13、to ride. i just loved that horse and she loved me, too! i used to really enjoy spending time at my grandparents house. and every time i came back, blackie remembered me.kim: ah, memories!unit 2 caught in the rushconversation 2alynn: why is there never a bus when you want one?sam: good question. ther

14、e arent enough buses on this route.lynn:sometimes i feel like writing a letter to the paper.sam: good idea. you should say that we need more subway lines, too.lynn: yeah. there should be more public transportation in general.sam:and fewer cars! theres too much traffic. lynn: say, is that our bus com

15、ing?sam:yes, it is. but look. its full!lynn: oh, no! lets go and get a cup of coffee. we can talk about this letter im going to write.conversation 2bsam: so, are you really going to write a letter to the paper?lynn: sure. im going to say something about the buses. theyre too old. we need more modern

16、 buses nice air-conditioned ones.sam: and they need to put more buses on the road.lynn: right. and there are too many cars downtown, and there isnt enough parking.sam: thats for sure. its impossible to find a parking space downtown these days.lynn: i think they should ban private cars downtown betwe

17、en nine and five.sam: oh, you mean they shouldnt allow any cars except taxis and buses during the regular workday. hmm that sounds like a really good idea.listening 4engineer: quite a number of things have been done to help solve traffic problems in singapore. for example, motorists must buy a speci

18、al pass if they want to drive into the downtown business district. they can go into the business district only if they have the pass displayed on their windshield.another thing singapore has done is to make it more difficult to buy cars. people have to apply for a certificate if they want to buy a c

19、ar. and the number of certificates is limited. not everyone can get one.there is also a high tax on cars, so it costs three or four times as much to buy a car in singapore as it does in, say, the united states or canada.the other thing singapore has done is to build an excellent public transportatio

20、n system. their subway system is one of the best in the world. and there is also a very good taxi and bus system.conversation 8 aerica:excuse me. could you tell me where the bank is?man: theres one upstairs, across from the duty-free shop.erica: oh, thanks. do you know what time it opens?man: it sho

21、uld be open now. it opens at 8:00 a.m.erica: good, and can you tell me how often the buses leave for the city?man: you need to check at the transportation counter. its right down the hall.erica:ok, and just one more thing. do you know where the nearest restroom is?man: right behind you. maam. see th

22、at sign?erica: oh. thanks a lot.conversation 8 berica:excuse me. its me again. im sorry. i need some more information if you dont mind.man: not at all.erica: thanks. do you know how much a taxi costs to the city?man: well, it depends on the traffic, of course. but it usually costs about forty dollar

23、s.erica: forty dollars? i guess ill take the bus. that means i have almost an hour till the next one. where could i find an inexpensive restaurant in the airport? maybe a fast-food place?man: go upstairs and turn right. youll see the snack bar on your left.erica: thanks very much. have a nice day.ma

24、n: you, too.unit 3 time for a change!conversation 2 a apartment huntingmr. dean: what do you think?mrs. dean:well，it has just as many bedrooms as the last apartment. and the living room is huge.jenny:but the bedrooms are too small. and there isnt enough closet space for my clothes.mr. dean:and its n

25、ot as cheap as the last apartment we saw. mrs. dean: but that apartment was dark and dingy. and it was in a dangerous neighborhood.mr. dean: lets see if the real estate agent has something else to show us.conversation 2b apartment hunting mr. dean: well, how do you like this place, then?jenny: oh, i

26、ts much better than that other one. the thing i like best is the bedrooms. they are huge!mrs. dean: yes, they are nice and big.jenny: and there two bathrooms! i could have my own bathroom!mrs. dean: yes, i guess you could.jenny: the only problem is the color of the living room. i really dont like th

27、ose dark green walls.mrs. dean: oh, im sure we can change the color if we want to.listening 51.man1: creative rentals. good morning.woman1:hello. im calling about the apartment you have for rent.man1: yes. what can i tell you about it?woman1: where is it, exactly?man1: its on king street, just off t

28、he freeway.woman1:oh, near the freeway. can you hear the traffic?man1: yes, im afraid you do hear some. but the apartment has lots of space. it has three bedrooms and a very large living room.woman: i see. and is it in a new building?man1: well, the building is about fifty years old.woman1: uh-huh.

29、well, ill think about it.man1: ok. thanks for calling.woman1:thank you. bye.2.woman2:hello?man2:hello. is the apartment youre advertising still available?woman2: yes, it is.man2: can you tell me a little about it?woman2:well, its a perfect apartment for one person. its one room with a kitchen at one

30、 end.man2:i see. and is it far away from the subway?woman2:theres a subway station just down the street. actually, the apartment is located right downtown, so you step out of the building and there are stores and restaurants everywhere. but its on a high floor, so you dont hear any street or traffic

31、 noise.man2: it sounds like just the kind of place im looking for. id like to come see it, please.woman2:sure. let me give you the address.3.man3: town and city rentals. how can i help you?woman3:hi. umm. is that apartment you advertised still available?man3: yes, it is.woman3:oh, good. umm.listen.

32、i, i cant pay too much, so the low price youre asking is, is really good for me.man3: great.woman3: how big is it?man3:its two rooms, plus the kitchen and bathroom. woman3: well, is it a safe place to live?man3: well, i can tell you ive lived here for five years and i never heard about anybody havin

33、g a problem.woman3:oh, thats good. uh. lets see. oh, yeah. does the apartment have a lot of windows?man3: windows? yes, there are plenty of windows. but unfortunately, there isnt much light, really. see, theres another building right next to ours.woman3:oh, thats ok. im never around in the day anywa

34、y. do you think its all right if i come and look at it?man3: anytime. when do you want to see it?conversation 7a making wishes brian:so where are you working now, terry?terry: oh, im still at the bank. i dont like it, though.brian: thats too bad .why not?terry: well, its boring, and it doesnt pay ve

35、ry well.brian: i know what you mean .i dont like my job either. i wish i could find a better job.terry:actually, i dont want to work at all anymore. i wish i had a lot of money so i could retire now.brian:hmm, how old are you, terry?terry:uh, twenty-six.conversation 7b making wishes brian:so how are

36、 things going with you and susie, terry?terry: oh, you didnt know? she and i broke up a couple of month ago. we decided we needed a break from each other for a while. but i miss her a lot. i wish we could get back together again.brian: im sure you will.terry: i really hope so. so what kind of job wo

37、uld like to look for?brian: im not sure, but id love something that would involve travel. and id really like to move to another city. im sick of this place. i need to live somewhere more exciting.terry: i know what you mean. it sure can get boring around here at times.listening 91.man1:yeah, i reall

38、y need a change. ive been doing the same thing for over five years now, and im just not learning anything new. its the same routine every day, and i am really sick of sitting in front of a computer. i think i need to try something totally different. i want to be in a profession that involves meeting

39、 people.2.woman1:i really need to join a club or sports team to give me something to do on weekends. i get really bored on the weekends, and if i joined a club, id probably get to meet people and make new friends.3.man2:i should take a typing course this summer. i really need it for my school work.

40、and people say that if you can type really well, its something youll find useful later in life.4.woman2:gosh, i really have to go on a diet. ive gained ten pounds since last year, and everyone tells me i look fat. and if i dont lose weight now, i wont be able to get into any of my summer clothes.uni

41、t 4 ive never heard of that!conversation 2akathy:hey, this sounds good-snails with garlic! have you ever eaten snails?john:no, i havent?kathy:oh, theyre delicious! i had them last time. like to try some?john: no, thanks. they sound strange.waitress:have you decided on an appetizer yet?kathy: yes, il

42、l have the snails, please.waitress: and you, sir?john: i think ill have the fried brains.kathy: fried brains? now that really sounds strange!conversation 2bkathy: oh, good! here comes the waitress now!waitress:here are your snails, madam. and for you, sir . the fried brains.john: thank you.kathy: mm

43、mm, these snails are delicious! how are the brains?john: well, i think theyre . yuck! oh, sorry, i guess brains are pretty strange after all. um, i think im going to order something else, if you dont mind.kathy: oh, sure. go ahead.john: miss! excuse me, miss!waitress: yes?john: uh, i really dont car

44、e for this appetizer. could you bring me something else?waitress: yes, of course. what would you like instead?kathy: try the snails.john: no, i dont think so. ill tell you what. just forget an appetizer for me, and bring me a nice, juicy hamburger. medium rare . with french fries and a large soda.li

45、stening 51.woman1: have you finished with this?man1: no, im still drinking it. thanks.2.man2: did you order this?woman2: yes, thats mine. mmm, it looks great and smells delicious!3.man3: dont you like it?woman3: i havent tasted it yet. im waiting for the waitress to bring me a fork.4.man1: did you e

46、njoy it?woman2: well, it was a little tough. i think it was cooked for too long.5.woman3: how is it?man3: great. just the way i like it: black and strong.6.man3: your turn or mine?man1: its my treat this time. you paid last time. remember?unit 5 going placesconversation 2 ajulia:im so excited! we ha

47、ve too weeks off! what are you going to do?nancy:im not sure. i guess ill just stay home. maybe ill catch up on my reading. what about you? any plans?julia: well, my parents have rented a condominium in florida. im going to take long walks along the beach every day and do lots of swimming.nancy: sou

48、nds great!julia: say, why dont you come with us? we have plenty of room.nancy: do you mean it? id love to!listening 51. judywoman:so, what are you planning to do for your vacation, judy?judy:oh, im doing something really exotic this year. you know, i went to hawaii last year, and just stayed on the

49、beach for two weeks. this year, im going white-water rafting!woman:ooh, that sounds great. but what is it, exactly?judy:oh, well, you know, its in colorado. they have all these trips down the rapids. the water gets really rough, but i think itll be really exciting. oh, im doing some rock climbing, t

50、oo.woman: and you call that a vacation?2. paulwoman:what are your plans for the summer, paul?paul:oh, id love to go and lie on a beach somewhere, but i need to save some money for school. i think ill stay home and get a job.woman: that doesnt sound like much fun.paul: oh, it wont be too bad. some of

51、 my friends are going to work this summer, too, so well do some partying on the weekends.3. brendaman:have you planned anything for the summer, brenda?brenda: yeah. im going to work the first month and save some money. then im going to go down to mexico for six weeks to stay with my sister. shes wor

52、king in guadalajara. she says its really interesting there, so i want to go and see what its like. it will also give me a chance to practice my spanish. im really looking forward to it.conversation 7 lucy: hey, mom .i want to backpack around europe this summer. what do you think?mom:backpack around

53、europe? thats sounds dangerous! you shouldnt go by yourself. you ought to go with someone. lucy: yes, ive thought of that.mom: and youd better talk to your father first.lucy:i already did. he thinks its a great idea. he wants to come with me!listening 11 tourist tipsinterviewer:what should people do

54、 to make their visit to new york city safe and pleasant?spokesperson:i think the biggest mistake many people make is trying to do too much in a short time. theres so much to see and do that you need to have a plan. its best to start planning before you get here, so you have information about hotels,

55、 restaurants, sightseeing, and so on. visitors can use our web site to get the information they need to start planning before they come here; or they can phone or fax us.interviewer: how safe is new york city for tourists?spokesperson:new york is a much safer place than many people think. in fact, i

56、ts the safest its been in thirty years!interviewer: oh, thats good to hear!spokesperson:yes, but that doesnt mean people dont have to be careful; tourists in new york ought to be careful, just like in any big city in the world. for students, i would say travel in groups. if you get lost, its easier as a group to find your way. you really shouldnt go off on your own if you can find someone to go with you.another thing to remember is: dont be afraid to ask for directions, even if your english isnt perfect. people o