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. I made a big mistake. You see, ever since my junior middle school I dreamed of becoming a businessman, working for a company, maybe even becoming the president of a corporation. It was all I thought about. And so I was never interested in studying classical（古典的） musical, art or literature（文学） in school. I was more interested in things like accounting（会计学）, subjects that would help me make big money. Well, after making my way through high school and university, I accomplished （实现）my dream. I became a businessman. In time, I may run my own company. But I’m not happy. Life is about more than work. I know this because my life is empty, and I have no understanding of the beautiful things in the world as I would have if I had studied art in school. I wish someone would’ve told me when I was young that there is more to life than just work.
1. What did the man want to become when he was a junior middle school student? B 2. Which of the following is a subject the man enjoyed studying in school? C 3. What does the man think will happen in the future? C 4. How does he feel about his life? A 5. What does the man wish he had done? B
Listening and Speaking Working people frequently（经常） ask retired（退休的） people what they do to make their days interesting. You might like to hear what I did last week. I went to the store the other day but I was only inside for about five minutes. When I came out there was a city cop （警察）writing out a parking ticket. I went up to him and said, “Come on, buddy, how about giving a guy a break?” He ignored （不理睬） me and continued writing the ticket. I called him a Nazi. He glared at（怒视） me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires（磨损了的轮胎）. So, I called him a rude name. He finished writing the second ticket and put it on the windshield （挡风玻璃）with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more I abused （辱骂）him, the more tickets he wrote. I didn’t care! My car was parked around the corner. I try to have a little fun each day. It’s important at my age.
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.
W: Mike, would you tell us something about higher education in the ., please? M: OK. Most American university students study for four years or more to get a college degree. During this time, they are called undergraduate students. When a student completes his course, he earns a bachelor’s degree （学士学位）that will help him
find a job. Many students postpone （推迟）finding jobs. They stay at university and work for a higher degree. Other students take a job for a few years, then they quit （停止）working, and they resume （回复）studying at the university. These students work to earn higher degrees—a master’s degree （硕士学位）or a doctorate（博士学位）. They are called graduate students.
Graduate students specialize in（专攻） a particular field of study. They study to become experts in their field and to learn about new advances while they earn an . or . They hope that when they get their graduate degrees they will succeed in finding interesting jobs with good salaries.
The life of a graduate student is often difficult. They are usually too busy studying. Often they have to pay high tuition fees（学费）. Some give up studying before they get their degrees. But most keep on working at their studies until they graduate. In today’s world, most graduate students don’t regret spending time on their studies. They are finding that things are changing very fast. New developments are occurring（发生） in all fields. For many, graduate study had become a necessity（必要）.
1. How many years do most American university students study for a bachelor’s degree? C
2. What are students who study at the university to earn higher degrees called? D
3. What kind of jobs do graduate students hope to find? D 4. What is the life of a graduate student like? D
5. In today’s world, what do most graduate students think about spending time on their studies? B
Task 2
Now you will hear a passage followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
For a long time Dr. Jackson had wanted to get a permanent（永远的） job in a certain big modern hospital, and at last he was successful. He was appointed to（被指派到） the position that he wanted, and he and his wife moved into a new house. The day after they moved in, however, some beautiful flowers were delivered （寄送）with note which said, “In deepest sympathy（同情）.” Naturally, Dr. Jackson was annoyed （生气）to receive such a note, and he telephoned the shop which had sent the flowers to find out what the note meant. When the owner of the shop heard what had happened, he apologized to Dr. Jackson for having made the mistake. “But what really worries me,” he added, “is that the flowers that should have gone to you were sent to a funeral (葬礼)with a card that said, `Congratulations on your new position. `”
1. What did Dr. Jackson succeed in doing? A
2. Why was he annoyed when he received the flowers? C 3. What did Dr. Jackson do after receiving the flowers? B
4. Who made the mistake? B
5. Where were Dr. Jackson’s flowers sent to? C
Unit 9 Warming Up
Greetings, folks and welcome to our program, “Only Losers （失败者）Quit（停止）”. In the early to mid 1970s, a man had a dream to make the greatest boxing（拳击） movie ever made. Everyone told him he couldn’t do it – but they were all wrong. His movie was made, came out, and remains one of the greatest movies of all time. Maybe you’ve guessed who we’re talking about. Or maybe you haven’t heard of him. Well, we have something special for you. Right here on this program, you’ll hear from this famous film-maker himself. In the interview, we’ll ask him about how he realized his dreams, why he didn’t give up, and the thrill （兴奋）of becoming successful. And he’ll tell you about the determination （决心）you need in order to succeed.
Understanding Short Conversations Now you will hear ten short conversations. A question will follow each conversation. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
1. M: Come on! Keep it up! You need to keep going until you’ve finished! Quitting is for losers!
W: Yeah, you’re right. I’ll try not to quit. But keeping going is really hard. Q: What does the woman consider difficult?
2. M: My mother always told me never to give up--- quitting is for losers and
winners never give up. W: My teacher always gold me the same thing. And I’ve always tried to follow his advice.
Q: What has the woman tried to do?
3. M: If I keep going, and don’t quit, can you guarantee（担保） that I’ll become successful in the end?
W: Of course not! But if you give up now, you won’t have the chance to become successful.
Q: What does the woman refuse to guarantee?
4. W: It has been six months since the official promised to end corruption（腐败） in the city.
M: He hasn’t been successful so far, but I hope he keeps trying. It’s very serious（严重）.
Q: What does the man hope the official will do?
5. M: I give up! I hate to admit this, but getting a job at a newspaper is just impossible.
W: No, it isn’t! You’ve wanted this your whole life. You can be a journalist（记者） if you just keep trying!
Q: What has the man always wanted to do?
6. W: When my uncle lost his leg, he was depressed（沮丧）, stayed at home and refused to go outside. M: I’ve heard stories like that before. Some people give up on life when they become disabled（残疾）, but they should try not to use it as an excuse. Q: What isn’t an excuse for giving up according to the man?
7. M: You are one of those abnormal（不正常的） people who refuse to give up when life gets difficult.
W: Thank you. But I think that most people are like me in not quitting. So I’m not really abnormal.
Q: What is common in people according to the woman?
8. W: I’ve never seen anyone as ambitious （雄心勃勃）as your brother. He has big dreams and works so hard to accomplish（实现） them.
M: He’s a special person. He’s been like that ever since he was in kindergarten. Q: How long has his brother been ambitious?
9. M: Immigrants（移民） coming into the city spend about $500 a month. They start with nothing, and often they become successful.
W: Twenty percent of the 150 richest people in the city are immigrants. They become rich by not resting until they reach their goals.
Q: How many of the richest people in the city are immigrants?
10. M: When you set your goals for life, you swore （发誓）you wouldn’t quit until you had reached them. W: What are you, my mother? Leave me alone, or I’ll tell Dad you didn’t go to school today.
Q: What is the relationship between the two speakers?
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. W: You look sad. What’s up?
M: I failed another English exam. I’m never going to learn this language well! W: Oh, come on. Don’t say that. In the past, my English was very poor. But now it’s pretty good.
M: I wish that would happen to me. How did you do it?
W: I read more, spoke more, listened more and wrote more. I took every chance to practice, such as going to English Corner, talking to foreigners, reading English aloud in the morning and even speaking to myself, from time to time.