■ Script
News Item One
Questions 1 and 2 will be based on the following news item.
Americans are angry and growing more frustrated, but the reasons are mixed. At shopping day sales, they fight over who gets the biggest television. At their children’s soccer games, they attack the coach if their team is not winning. And in the extreme, some become so angry over issues of religion, politics and power that they commit mass murder on strangers, or threaten people with religions they do not like.
But Americans are also angry and divided about continued economic struggles. Also fueling the anger are divisions over such issues as immigration, same-sex marriage, abortion, gun control, police treatment of African-Americans and climate change.
The reasons people say they are unhappy include: a shrinking middle class, young people worried about debt and job prospects, a growing concern about terrorism and a belief that the political system favors the wealthy. Questions:
1. What do we know about Americans from the news report?
2. Which of the following is not the reason why Americans are unhappy?
News Item Two
Questions 1 and 2 will be based on the following news item.
Some immigrants in the northeastern state of Maine are learning to lose their accents.
Some of the immigrants speak English fluently, but have a difficult time being understood because they have heavy accents, reported the Portland Press-Herald newspaper.
Assouma Nyirabahizi says she left her home and job in Rwanda two years ago, coming to America on a green card “in hopes of a brighter future”.
Nyirabahizi has a master’s degree in computer science and speaks English fluently. She says all of her classes in Rwanda were taught in English, “but here I have to learn again because of my accent”.
She attends a free class to reduce her accent with seven other students. Marta Greenlaw is the teacher. She says immigrants who reduce their accent have better success at work. And they can communicate more easily with store workers, teachers, doctors and neighbors. Questions:
1. What’s the news mainly about?
2. What do we know about Assouma Nyirabahizi from the news report?
News Item Three
Questions 1 to 3 will be based on the following news item.
Indians who like alcohol, usually choose whiskey as their drink. But slowly, wine is growing more popular in the country. India’s first vineyard is named Sula. It began operations 15 years ago.
Sula Vineyards is India’s largest wine maker. About 200,000 people visit it every year. It is especially busy on weekends. Visitors explore the vineyards. Then, they learn how to taste wine, to best enjoy the blend of flavors.
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Indian tradition has not been approving of alcoholic drinks. And until now whiskey is the kind of alcohol that the general public has accepted.
There are several reasons for this. One is that more women have joined the workforce in the last ten years, and have independent incomes. In big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, women buying wine or having a drink is no longer considered unacceptable. Questions:
1. When did Sula, India’s first vineyard, begin operation?
2. What do we know about Sula Vineyards from the news report?
3. Which of the following is not mentioned as the reason why alcoholic drinks were not approved of in India?
Task 2 Understanding Long Conversations
Conversation One
1. B 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. C Conversation Two
1. A 2. B 3. D 4. C
■ Script
Conversation One
W: John, have you chosen physical education class yet for this semester? M: No. Why?
W: You’ve got to take rock-climbing. We just had the first class and it looks like it’s gonna be great.
M: You think I should take rock-climbing? You’ve got to be kidding. Besides, how can they teach rock-climbing when it’s completely flat around here?
W: That’s not important. You can’t just start climbing without any training. You had to get in shape, learn how to use the ropes, the belts and the buckles. There’s a lot of preparation first. M: You don’t think it’s just a little bit dangerous?
W: Not if you know how to use the safe equipment, which is, by the way, pretty hi-tech. The ropes are made of elastic fabrics that stretch a little. The shoes have special rubber soles and the helmets are made of some kinds of special plastic. You have to learn how to use all these before you do any real climbing.
M: Well, what’s the appeal? We’ll spend the whole semester studying something we don’t actually get to do.
W: We will take a climbing trip during spring break. But that’s not the point. Climbing is not the only goal. In preparation to climb you learn patience, mental discipline and you gain fantastic physical strength, especially in your hands. For the first few weeks we can concentrate entirely on hand and upper-body exercises.
M: All that in one sport? Maybe you are right. Since it’s not too late to join the class, maybe I will. Questions 1 to 5 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 1. What’s the woman trying to do?
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2. What does the man imply about rock-climbing at their college? 3. Why is the woman interested in rock-climbing?
4. What will the first few classes of rock-climbing focus on? 5. What will the man probably do?
Conversation Two
M: What do you think about all the different diets that people go on?
W: I don’t think dieting is good. It’s much better to eat a balanced diet and to never get overweight to begin with!
M: But what do you think about people who are obese? What should they do to lose weight?
W: They need to eat healthy foods, but they also have to increase the amount of exercise they do every day. Besides, they don’t have to cut out fattening foods altogether, though. M: So you think it is OK for people who are on a diet to eat chocolate?
W: Of course, they can eat some chocolate! As long as they are taking regular exercise and eating healthy foods mostly, there’s nothing wrong with having a small dessert. M: How about drinking soda?
W: Many people gain weight by drinking far too much soda. Soda should be a treat because there’s simply no nutritional value in it after all. If you want to lose weight and you can’t stop drinking soda, try some diet coke.
M: That’s good advice. By the way, have you ever tried taking vitamins?
W: My mother used to make me take vitamins every day, but I don’t take them anymore. Vitamins are good as a supplement, but they don’t do much good if you don’t have a well-balanced diet to start.
M: How do you know so much about food and dieting?
W: You might not believe this, but I used to be twice the size as I am now! Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 1. What should obese people do to lose weight according to the woman? 2. What does the woman think of drinking soda?
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the conversation?
4. Why does the woman know so much about dieting according to the conversation?
Task 3 Understanding Passages Passage One
Listening for general information
1. The passage is about the benefits of eating apples. 2. Four.
Listening for specific information 1. D 2. B 3. B 4. D 5. C
■ Script
Listening for general information
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But why? Do you really know what makes an
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apple so special? Why is it that we never hear an orange or a banana a day keeps the doctor away? Apples have properties that no other fruits have and its benefits have been proven over time. You will be able to get the benefits of these properties individually with other fruits, but an apple combines everything and makes it simpler.
First, apples contain Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps greatly your immune system. Second, apples are low in calories. A regular size apple has between 70-100 calories. Eating an apple when wanting candy or chocolate can make the desire disappear since apple in itself contains sugar, but gives you only 1/4 of the calories. Third, apples prevent tooth decay. The juice of the apples has properties that can kill up to 80% of bacteria. So there you have it, an apple a day also keeps the dentist away! Finally, apples can protect your brain from brain disease. This is something many people don’t know.
On average, Americans consume around 20 pounds of apples a year, which comes to around one apple a week. Unfortunately, while an apple a week is better than nothing, it is nowhere close to being able to extract all the advantages apples have to offer. Eating apples is part of balanced and healthy diet that will increase your longevity, so why limit yourself to only one per week? Listening for specific information
1. What does the sentence “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” indicate? 2. Compared with other fruits, what’s the advantage of apples? 3. How many calories does a regular size apple have? 4. Why can apples prevent tooth decay?
5. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
Passage Two
Listening for general information
1. The passage is about some tips about eating to increase physical performance. 2. Four.
Listening for specific information 1. D 2. A 3. C 4 C 5. B
■ Script
Listening for general information
Many professional sports teams have recently added a new member to their organization—a nutritionist. That’s because athletes have become aware that food affects performance. You don’t have to be an athlete to notice this effect. If you’ve ever skipped breakfast and then tried to clean the house, you know that you need food for energy. Here are some tips about eating to increase your physical performance.
First, eat enough food. Your body needs a certain number of calories each day. If you’re too thin, you’ll often feel tired and you’ll be more likely to get sick.
Second, read the labels on food products. This information will tell you how nutritious the foods are.
Third, avoid eating foods that are high in simple carbohydrates, that is, sugars. A chocolate bar will first give you energy, but then it will leave you feeling even more tired.
Fourth, eat a balanced diet, one that includes complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Use the
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