Unit 8

b. Interests that will help her work better.

c. Interests that will bring her friends like herself. d. Interests that will be different from work.

4) a. To have a date. b. To have another dream. c. To do more typing. d. To read more books. 5) a. He’s her next love.

b. He’s an exciting guy. c. He has a boring life. d. He’s important to her.

Conversation 2:

1) a. For two years. b. For three years. c. For four years. d. For five years. 2) a. Undergraduate students.

b. Field students. c. Research students. d. Graduate students.

3) a. Jobs that they won’t later regret.

b. Jobs that are important. c. Jobs that change often.

d. Jobs that are interesting and pay well.

4) a. Interesting. b. Boring. c. Easy. d. Difficult. 5) a. It does not bring them shame.

b. It is not something they regret. c. It is not necessary. d. It is not rewarding.

Passages Passage 1:

1) a. A great artist. b. A businessman. c. A famous writer. d. The country’s president. 2) a. Art. b. Language. c. Accounting. d. Music. 3) a. He will become a happy man.

b. He will learn money-making subjects. c. He will have his own company.

d. He will make contributions to accounting. 4) a. It’s empty and he is not happy.

b. It’s much too busy.

c. It’s full of beautiful things. d. It’s meaningful.

5) a. Having studied art and become an artist.

b. Having understood the meaning of life much earlier. c. Having entered a business school when he was young. d. Having enjoyed life when he was young.

Passage 2:

1) a. Getting a permanent job in a big, modern hospital.

b. Getting a temporary job in a big, modern hospital.

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Unit 8

c. Getting a permanent job in a small hospital.

d. Getting a temporary job in a big, modern factory. a. Because they came without a note. b. Because they were cheap flowers.

c. Because they came with a note saying “In deepest sympathy.” d. Because they came with a note he couldn’t read. a. He changed his job.

b. He called the flower shop. c. He moved to a new home. d. He went to a funeral.

a. Dr. Jackson. b. The flower shop owner. c. The hospital president. d. Jackson’s wife. a. His new house. b. His old house. c. A funeral. d. A hospital.

2)

3)

4) 5)

Compound dictation

Economics Report

Many companies provide earnings guidance. They tell their shareholders 1)_______________ in the future. Often companies report expected earnings for each three-month period.

Earnings are usually measured in terms of earnings-per-share. That is, the amount of earnings divided by the number of shares in a company. Companies usually have millions, even thousands of millions, of shares. So even earnings-per-share of one cent can add up to a lot of money.

But not everyone supports the idea of earnings guidance. First of all, some day the pressure to report earnings growth can lead to 2)___________________. One example they point to is the case of the failed energy-trading company Enron.

Its two former leaders, Kenneth Lay and Jeffery Skilling, are currently on trial in Houston, Texas. They 3)_______________ letting company officers make false business deals to give the appearance of earnings growth. They deny any wrongdoing.

Companies are 4)____________________ to report growth. It can increase the price of their shares. Stock price largely show how much investors are willing to pay for growth over time. But another reason many experts dismiss quarterly earnings guidance is that companies are often wrong.

In fact, most official statements from companies 5)________________ that it might be a “forward-looking statement”. In other words, a statement about the future. It means the company 6)_______________ if the statement is wrong because something unexpected happens.

At the end of 2002, the Coca-Cola Company announced a decision to stop giving quarterly or even yearly earnings guidance. The investor Warren Buffet is believed to 7)__________________. Since then, a number of large companies have moved away at least from quarterly guidance. They include AT&T, McDonald’s Ford and Motorola.

Some experts see 8)___________________. They say the pressure for growth will remain because stock marker analysts will continue to 9)______________ for large companies. They say investors would have less information about smaller ones.

Critics say earnings guidance supports short-term business thinking. But others say ending it could give the appearance that a company is trying 10)_________________.

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Test Compound dictation: More and more

people

rush

into

cities,

especially

big

cities.

1） , for information about the latest development in science and technology, and for better medical care.

2) . Fast public transport, a wide variety of goods to choose from, plenty of public places for enjoyment, and 3) All these make you live in great comfort.

However, big cities are confronted with many problems. 4) . It has resulted in crowed buses, traffic jams and poor housing conditions. Noise and pollution, most from factories and cars, 5) .

Passage 1

1. A. Say thanks all the time.

B. Wait to be served and do not help yourself with food.

C. Do not ask for another helping of some food even if you want it D. Eat up everything on the plate.

2. A. There are drinks before the meal. B. snacks are served after drinks.

C. The last course of the meal is usually soup. D. Coffee is served together with dessert. 3. A. Arrive a bit early. B. Bring some flowers, chocolates and wine as gifts. C. Say how much you like the things in your hosts room and ask about their prices. D. Write or call your host and hostess to thank them for a wonderful evening you had. Passage 2:

1. A. The opportunity that moving offers. B. The problems that moving causes.

C. The Americans’ new life. D. The advantages and disadvantages of moving. 2. A. To think about the nest move. B. To start making new friends. C. To miss your life in the past. D. To start a new life.

Passage 3:

1. A. She lost her necklace. B. She found her necklace missing. C. She was attacked. D. She was robbed. 2. A. Gold. B. Silver. C. Plastic. D. Pearl.

3. A. Clever and adventurous. B. wise and courageous. C. Strong and brave. D. Quick and energetic.

Passage 4:

1. A. losing weight is not really difficult as long as you have patience.. B. losing weight is both expensive and painstaking.

C. America is the country where people are aware of the danger of being overweight. D. Many Americans are overweight because of their easy lifestyle. 2. A. Being overweight is the main cause for ill health.

B. Americans are more concerned with their physical appearances than people elsewhere. C. The fastest way to lose weight is to read diet books. D. Diet books are popular in America.

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