Understanding a Long Conversation

Now you will hear a long conversation followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices. Audio Script:

W: Many people are having trouble with their sons and daughters. I was just reading a newspaper article on it this morning. There are 190,000 teenagers in our city. M: Does it say anything about the causes of teenage violence? My son has been hitting other students at school.

W: Yes. It says TV has a major influence. By 18, teenagers have often seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV. And people who have seen the most violence on TV tend to1 be the most violent.

M: My son doesn’t watch much TV, so it must be something else.

W: Maybe it’s music. Teenagers typically listen to four hours of music every day. Many of the songs have very violent messages.

M: Does the article say that violence in pop music leads to2 violent behavior? W: It isn’t quite clear. The article reports on two studies. One report says teenagers who listen to pop music are almost twice as likely to become violent, while the other one says there’s no significant connection between the two factors.

Questions:

1. How did the woman learn that people are having trouble with their kids? 2. What is the man’s concern about his son?

3. How many acts of violence may people have seen by the time they become adults? 4. Which of the following does the man’s son NOT do very often? 5. What do the studies say about music and violence?

注释：

1. tend to vt. 倾向于(有助于，易于，引起，造成，势必) eg:

It's probably not as bad as she says she does tend to pile it on. 大概不像她说的那麽糟－－她确实有意夸大事实。

His talks tended to a disaster. 他的谈话引起了一场灾祸。

2. lead to 导致 eg:

The Government's present course will only lead to disaster. 政府的现行方针後患无穷。

All roads lead to Rome. 条条大道通罗马。

Such a mistake would perhaps lead to disastrous consequences. 这样一种错误可能导致灾难性的后果。

Understanding a Passage

Now you will hear a passage followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.

Audio Script: It’s odd that parents are so worried about their teenagers smoking, especially since smoking isn’t a teenager’s biggest problem. Then what is? Shockingly, a teenager’s biggest problem is his own mother and father! Today’s teenagers know they should not smoke, but they don’t know when not to listen to their parents. They don’t know they should say no to their parents when their parents are being too generous. Therefore, as they receive more and more from their parents, the teenagers become greedy and selfish. Gradually, they have become spoiled1. Studies show that spoiled teenagers are much more likely to take drugs2 and do poorly in3 school. They may also develop poor manner and get pregnant at an earlier age. However, this is not what parents want to hear. They think they are being kind to their teenagers, and they have a tendency4 to ignore5 the damage they are really doing.

Questions:

1. According to the speaker, what seems strange?

2. What does the speaker think causes a teenager’s problems? 3. What does the speaker suggest that parents should NOT do? 4. What might teenagers do as a result of being spoiled? 5. What are parents likely to ignore?

注释：

1. spoil v. 宠坏，溺爱，破坏，腐坏make a mess of, destroy or ruin eg:

A fond mother may spoil her child. 溺爱的母亲可能会宠坏她的孩子。

The children kept quarreling and spoiled our holiday. 孩子们不断吵架，破坏了我们的假期。

2. take drugs 吸毒 eg:

I am surprised to learn that he is taking drug. 听说他在吸毒，我很吃惊。

3. do poorly in 成绩不好

4. tendency n. 趋势，倾向an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others eg:

There is a growing tendency for people to work at home instead of in offices. 人们在家里而不是在办公室里工作的趋势日益增长。

5. ignore vt. 不顾，不理，忽视 give little or no attention to eg:

The wisest course would be to ignore it. 上上策是不予理睬。

He's his own man, but he doesn't ignore advice. 他虽然自有主张，但并不轻视别人的意见。

Homework

Supplementary Listening Task 1

Now you will hear a long conversation followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.

Audio Script:

W: Please, leave me alone1. I just don’t’ feel like2 talking right now. May son has really upset3 me.

M: I know. But if you just thought a minute, you’d…

W: I gave him everything—literally4 everything he asked for. I gave him toys and an MP3 player. He had his own room and the best of food. I even did all of his geometry5 homework for him when he was in school.

M: I know. But you shouldn’t get so angry. Many children are the same these days. We can do our best and hope that they finally learn from our example.

W: Do our best? What have I done already? When he was caught by the police for using drugs, did I stand by him? Yes! I supported him and stood up for6 him. M: Please, calm down7. You’re crying.

W: Yes, I’m crying! And I’ll weep8 a great deal more! That boy should be more grateful9! I did so much for him, and what has come of it! Nothing, I tell you! A whole lot of nothing!

M: It was thoughtless of10 him to forget your birthday.

W: I would’ve been satisfied with a phone call! It isn’t as if I were expecting a present!

Questions:

1. What did the woman do for her son when he was a student? 2. What did the woman do when her son got caught using drugs?

3. What does the woman think that her son should do because of all that she did for him?

4. Why did the woman cry?

5. What did the woman want her son to do?

注释：

1. leave sb. alone 不干涉某人

2. feel like doing 想要 eg:

What do you feel like doing? 你想做什么?

She was so depressed she felt like doing herself in. 她心灰意冷想要自杀。

3. upset

1) adj. 心烦的，苦恼的，不安的afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief

2) v. 推翻，翻倒，扰乱，使心烦，颠覆disturb the balance or stability ofe eg:

The news quite upset him. 这消息使他心烦意乱。 He has an upset stomach. 他胃不舒服。

I'm always upset when I don't get any mail. 我接不到任何邮件时总是心烦意乱。

4. literally adv. 逐字地，按照字面上地，不夸张地 (intensifier before a figurative expression) without exaggeration eg:

The prediction was literally accomplished. 这个预言确实实现了。

Idioms usually cannot be translated literally in another language. 成语通常不能照字面译成另一种语言。

5. geometry n. 几何，几何学 eg: The higher division of the seven liberal arts in the Middle Ages, composed of geometry, astronomy, arithmetic, and music. 四门高级学科中世纪七个文科中较高的门类，由几何、天文、算术以及音乐组成

6. stand up for 坚持(拥护，支持) eg:

You must stand up for your rights. 你一定要维护自己的权利。

All your friends will stand up for you. 你所有的朋友都会支持你的。

7. calm down （使)平静，（使)安静become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation eg:

Calm down there's no need to get into a lather about it! 冷静些--没有必要为这件事动肝火！

His rage was soon calmed down by the rustic peace. 乡村的宁静很快就使他的怒气平静下来。