UNIT 1

Section One Part 1

Spot Dictation

Houses in the Future

Well, I think houses in the future will probably be (1) quite small but I should think they'll be (2) well-insulated so that you don't need so much (3) heating and (4) cooling as you do now, so perhaps very economical (5) to run. Perhaps they will use (6) solar heating, although I don't know, in this country, perhaps we (7) won't be able to do that so much. Yes, I think they'll be full of (8) electronic gadgets: things like very advanced televisions, videos, perhaps

videos which take up ... the screen (9) takes up the whole wall. I should think. Yes, you'll have things like (10) garage doors which open automatically when you (11) drive up, perhaps electronic (12) sensors which will (13) recognize you when you, when you come to the front door even. Perhaps (14) architects and designers will be a bit more (15) imaginative about how houses are designed and perhaps with the (16) shortage of space people will think of putting gardens (17) on the roof and, and maybe rooms can be (18) expanded and, and (19) contracted depending on what you use them for, so perhaps there'll be a bit more (20) flexibility about that.

Part 2

Listening for Gist

Exercise. Directions: Listen to the dialogue and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide. 1.This dialogue is about making an appointment.

2.The key words are Tuesday.

Thursday. two fifteen. three fifteen. Mondaymorning. nine o'clock.

Section Two Listening comprehension

Part 1 Dialogue

I'm terribly sorry I'm late

Woman: Listen! I'm terribly sorry I'm late.

Man: Oh, that's all right. It doesn't really matter, does it? I haven't got anything better to do, have I?

Woman: Just let me explain, will you? Man: I've only been waiting for over an hour. That's all.

Woman: Yes. I know, and I would have ...

Man: After all, my time isn't really that important, is it? Woman: Please don't be like that. Just let me explain.

(Silence. Man says nothing.)

Woman: I ... I tried to get here in time but just after I left home, the car broke down.

Man: The car broke down?

Woman: Yes, and ... well ... luckily ... there was a garage near me. And ... and it took them a while to repair it.

Man: Why didn't you at least phone? Woman: I would have! But I didn't know the number of the restaurant. Man: You could have looked it up in

the telephone book!

Woman: Yes, but ... you'll never believe

this ... I couldn't remember the name of the restaurant. I knew where it was, but forgot the name. Man: I see. Well, at least it was lucky you found a garage to repair your car. Woman: Yes. It was something I couldn't do myself. It didn't take too long, but that's why I'm late, you see. Man: Uh-huh. Which garage, by the way?

Woman: Pardon?

Man: Which garage did you take it to?

Woman: Uh ... the one near my flat. You know. Lewis Brothers.

Man: Yes, I know that garage. It's the

only one near your flat.

Woman: Hmm, well now, let's have something to eat. Uh, what about some ...

Man: I know the garage very well! Woman: Yes. Let's see now. Yes, I think I'll have some ... Man: A pity it's Sunday. Woman: Pardon?

Man: A pity it's Sunday. That garage is closed on Sunday!

Exercise

Directions: Listen to the dialogue and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide.

1.They are possibly boyfriend and girlfriend. 2.In a restaurant.

3.\haven't got anything better to do, have I?\ \waiting for over an hour. That's all\

\isn't really that important, is it?\

\a garage to repair your car.\ 4.Because she wants to stop the conversation like this.

5.Because he knows the girl is lying.

Part 2 Passage

The Oscar Statuette

1 Industry insiders and members of the press called the award \statuette\statue of merit\stuck.

2. No hard evidence exists to support that tale, but in any case, by the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934, a

Hollywood columnist used the name in his column.

3. Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes on behalf of his animated feature Snow

White and the Seven Dwarfs. 4. If the statuettes don't meet strict quality control standards, they are immediately cut in half and melted down.

5.The large boxes are shipped to the Academy offices via air express, with no identifiable markings.

The Oscar statuette, designed by MGM's* chief art director Cedric Gibbons, depicts a knight holding a crusader's* sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes, signifying the original branches of the Academy: Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, and Technicians.

Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named \Industry insiders and members of the press called the award \Academy statuette\statue of merit\The entertainment trade paper, Weekly Variety, even attempted to popularize \iron man\

A popular story has been that an Academy librarian and eventual executive director, Margaret Herrick, thought the statuette resembled her uncle Oscar and said so, and that as a result the Academy staff began referring to it as Oscar.

No hard evidence exists to support

that tale, but in any case, by the sixth Awards Presentation in 1934, Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used the name in his column in reference to Katharine Hepburn's first Best Actress win. The Academy itself didn't use the nickname officially until 1939.

Since its conception, the Oscar statuette has met exacting uniform standards - with a few notable exceptions. In the 1930s, juvenile players received miniature replicas* of the statuette; a ventriloquist* Edgar Bergen was presented with a wooden statuette with a moveable mouth; and Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes on behalf of

his animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Between 1942 and 1944, in support of the war effort, Oscars were made of plaster. After the War, winners turned in the temporary awards for golden Oscar statuettes. The traditional Oscar statuette, however, hasn't changed since the 1940s, when the base was made higher. In 1945, the base was changed from marble to metal and in 1949, Academy Award statuettes began to be numbered, starting with No. 501.

Approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago by the manufacturer, R. S. Owens. If they don't meet strict quality control standards, the statuettes are

immediately cut in half and melted down.

Each award is individually packed into a Styrofoam container slightly larger

than a shoebox.

Eight of these are then packed into a larger cardboard box, and the large boxes are shipped to the Academy offices in Beverly Hills via air express, with no identifiable markings.

On March 10, 2000, 55 Academy Awards mysteriously vanished en route from the Windy City* to the City of Angels. Nine days later, 52 of stolen statuettes were discovered next to a Dumpster* in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles by Willie Fulgear, who

was later invited by the Academy to attend the Oscar 2000 ceremonies as a special guest.

For eight decades, the Oscars have survived war, weathered earthquakes, and even managed to escape unscathed* from common thieves. Since 1995, however, R. S. Owens has repaired more than 160 statuettes. \somebody used chemicals on them to polish them and the chemicals rubbed right through the lacquer* and into the gold,\explains the company president. \maybe people stored them someplace where they corroded.\Although he stresses that the statuette is made to endure, Siegel offers this sage advice to all Oscar winners: \

gets dusty, simply wipe it with a soft dry cloth.\

Exercise A Pre-listening Question

Every January, the attention of the entertainment community and of film fans around the world turns to the upcoming Academy Awards, the highest honor in filmmaking. The annual presentation of the Oscars has become the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' most famous activity. The Oscar Statuette is a knight holding a crusader's sword, standing on a reel of film with five spokes.

Exercise B Sentence Dictation Directions: Listening to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.

Exercise C Detailed Listening Directions: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following

statements are true (T) or false (F). Discuss with your classmates why you think the statement is true or false.

T 1. There were five original branches of the Academy.

(Because the five spokes on the reel of film signify the original branches of the Academy:

Actors, Writers, Directors,

Producers, and Technicians.) F 2. The Academy Award of Merit was officially named \

(Born in 1928, years would pass before the Academy Award of Merit was officially named \ T 3. The Academy staff began

referring to the Academy statuette as Oscar because Margaret

Herrick said the statuette was like her uncle Oscar.

(An Academy librarian and eventual executive director, Margaret Herrick, thought the statuette resembled her uncle Oscar and said so, and as a result the Academy staff began referring

to it as Oscar.)

F 4. Since its conception, the Oscar statuette has met exacting uniform standards.

(There were a few notable exceptions. In 1930s, juvenile players received miniature replicas of the statuette and a ventriloquist Edgar Bergen gained a wooden statuette with a moveable mouth. Walt Disney was honored with one full-size and seven miniature statuettes. )

T 5. Oscars were made of plaster in the 1940s because of the War.

(Between 1942 and 1944, in support of the war effort, Oscars were made of plaster.)

T 6. The manufacturer, R. S. Owens

makes about 50 Oscars each year in Chicago. (Approximately 50 Oscars are made each year in Chicago by the manufacturer, R. S. Owens.)

F 7. 55 Academy Awards were stolen by a mysterious person en route from the Windy City to the City of Angels on March 10, 2000.

(On March 10,2000,55 Academy Awards just mysteriously vanished en route from the Windy City to the City of Angels, but how and by whom was unknown.)

F 8. For eighty years, the Oscars have survived war, weathered earthquakes, managed to escape unscathed from common thieves and even chemical corrosion.

(Since 1995, however, R. S. Owens has repaired more than 160 statuettes. \somebody used chemicals on them to polish them and the chemicals rubbed right through the lacquer and into the gold.\

Exercise D After-listening Discussion Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions. 1.The traditional Oscar statuette hasn't changed since the 1940s, when the base was made higher.

In 1945, the base was changed from marble to metal and in 1949,

Academy Award statuettes began to

be numbered, starting with No.501. 2.(Open)

Section Three

News News Item1

New item 2

News item 3

Section Four Supplementary

Exercises

Part 1 Feature report

Part 2 Passage

Rise and Fall of Egypt 1.The Nile River was a kind friend but occasionally a hard taskmaster of the people who lived along its banks. 2.In due course of time, one man who grew more powerful than most of his neighbors became their King.

3.Provided he was not obliged to pay more taxes to his King than he

thought just, he accepted the rule of pharaoh as accepted the rule of Mighty Osiris.

4.It was different however when a foreign invader came and robbed him of his possessions.

5.Egypt regained a semblance of independence when one of

Alexander's generals set himself up as king of a new Egyptian state.

The Nile River* was a kind friend but occasionally it was a hard taskmaster*. It taught the people who lived along its banks the noble art of

\They depended upon each other to build their irrigation trenches and keep their dikes in repair. In this way they learned how to get along with their neighbors and their mutual-benefit-association quite easily developed into an organized state. Then one man grew more powerful than most of his neighbors and he became the leader of the community and their commander-in-chief when the envious neighbors of western Asia invaded the prosperous valley. In due course of time he became their King and ruled all the land from the Mediterranean to the mountains of the west.

But these political adventures of the

old pharaohs* (the word meant \Man who lived in the Big House\rarely interested the patient and toiling peasant of the grain fields. Provided he was not obliged to pay more taxes to his King than he thought lust, he accepted the rule of pharaoh as accepted the rule of Mighty Osiris *. It was different however when a foreign invader came and robbed him of his possessions.

After twenty centuries of independent life, a savage Arab tribe of shepherds, called the Hyksos, attacked Egypt and for five hundred years they were the masters of the valley of the Nile. They were highly unpopular and great hate was also felt for the Hebrews who came

to the land of Goshen* to find a shelter after their long wandering through the desert and who helped the foreign usurper* by acting as his tax-gatherers and his civil servants.

But shortly after the year 1700 B.C., the people of Thebes began a

revolution and after a long struggle the Hyksos were driven out of the country and Egypt was free once more.

A thousand years later, when Assyria* conquered all of western Asia, Egypt became part of the empire of Sardanapalus*. In the seventh century B.C., it became once more an independent state

Exercise A Pre-listening

Question

,It is the Great Pyramid of Giza probably. The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20-year period. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks

which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.

1.Exercise B Sentence Dictation Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear Exercise B Sentence Dictation each sentence three times.

Exercise C Detailed listening Directions: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

1. C 2.B 3.B 4.A 5.A

6.B 7.D 8.C

Exercise D After-listening Discussion Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.

1.The last Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, tried her best to save the country when the Romans came in the year 39 B. C. Her beauty and charm were more dangerous to the Roman generals than half a dozen Egyptian army corps. She was successful twice in her attacks upon the hearts of her Roman conquerors. In the year 30 B.c., Augustus landed in Alexandria and

destroyed her armies. She killed herself by taking poison. 2(Open)