Receptionist: The morning aerobics—8:30 to 9:30—is advanced. All the others are at
the beginner to intermediate level. But let me give you a schedule.
Cathy: Thanks. And how much does it cost for a class?
Receptionist: You pay ￡1 entrance fee and then the classes are ￡2.50 each and ￡
3.50 for the jazz dancing. It's there on the sheet.
Cathy: Oh, yes, I see.
Receptionist: If you become a member, entrance is free and... Cathy: Oh, no, it's OK. I'm only in London for two weeks. Receptionist: Oh, right. That won’t work.
Cathy: And I guess you have showers and everything?
Receptionist: Yes, sure, and in the evening you can use the sauna free, too. Cathy: Oh, great. So the next class is at 5:30? Well, I'll see you then. Receptionist: Fine. See you later! Questions:
1. Where does the conversation most likely take place?
2. How many classes are there every day except on Sunday? 3. At what time does the last class end? 4. How much is the entrance fee?
5. Which class will Cathy most probably attend?
6. What can we learn about Cathy from the conversation?
Keys: 1. A 2.C 3.C 4. A 5. C 6. B
Listening 2
Woman: Why don't we go abroad for a change? I'd like to go to France, Spain, or
even Italy.
Man: Mm. I'm not all that keen on traveling really. I'd rather stay at home. Woman: Oh, come on, Steve. Think of the sun!
Man: Yes, but think of the cost! Going abroad is very expensive. Woman: Oh, it isn't, Steve. Not these days.
Man: Of course it is, Juliet. The best thing about having a holiday here in Britain
is that it's cheaper. And another thing, traveling in Britain would be easier. No boats, planes or anything.
Woman: Even so, we've been to many of the interesting places in Britain already.
What's the point in seeing them again? Anyway, we can travel round Britain whenever we like. There's no point in wasting our summer holiday here.
Man: Mm, I suppose you're right. Nevertheless, what I can't stand is all the bother
with foreign currency, changing money and all that when we go abroad. And, it's so confusing.
Woman: Oh, don't be silly, Steve.
Man: And, what's more, I can't speak any other languages—you know that. It's all
right for you. You can speak some foreign languages.
Woman: Exactly. You see, what I'd really like to do is practice my French and
Spanish. It would help me a lot at work.
Man: Mm, but that's no use to me.
Woman: But just think of the new places we'd see, the people we'd meet! Man: But look, if we stayed here, we wouldn't have to plan very much. Woman: I'm sorry, Steve, no. I don't fancy another cold English summer. Questions:
1. Where does Steve want to spend the summer holiday?
2. According to Steve, what is considered most important in planning a vacation? 3. What does Steve find confusing about traveling abroad? 4. What will help Juliet in her work?
5. What does Juliet think of summer in Britain?
Keys:
1. C 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. B 6 A
2. 1)keen on 2)The best thing about another thing 3)Nevertheless all the bother with confusing 4)fancy
Listening 3
The game of football may have started in Roman times. It seems that the Romans played a game very much like our modern rugby with a round ball.
English villagers played football in the 16th century and they often had almost 100 players on each side. It was a very common game, which was very rough and even dangerous until the early part of the 19th century. In the 18th century a Frenchman who had watched a rough game of football in a village wrote, \believe that those men were playing a game. If this is what Englishmen call playing, I would not like to see them fighting!\
From the mid-19th century, football was played in schools in England and soon spread all over Britain and Europe. Until 1850, it was not possible to have football matches between one school and another, because each school had different rules! So set rules had to be made. They were not improved though until, in 1863, those who preferred to play with hands as well as feet formed the Rugby Union while the others started the Football Association. It was only in 1863 that the first set of rules for all football clubs was agreed upon.
Nearly 150 years later, football has become by far the most popular sport in the entire world. Would that 18th century Frenchman have believed this possible? Questions:
1. According to the passage, when may the game of football have started?
2. How many team members were often involved in the game when the English began to play the game?
3. What did the speaker say about the earliest football game in England?
4. Why was it NOT possible to have football matches between two schools until 1850?
5. What happened to football in 1863?
Keys:
1. D 2. D 3. A 4. C 5. C
Listening 4
In one town, there were three longtime friends, Pat, Mike and Bob. Pat and Bob were quite bright, but Mike was rather dull.
One day as Pat and Mike were walking down the sidewalk together, Pat put his hand on a solid brick wall and said, \struck a hard blow, but Pat pulled his hand away from the wall just before Mike's fist hit it. Of course, it hurt Mike's hand very much when he hit the wall, but Pat said, \was a good joke I played on you, wasn't it?\Mike agreed, but was not too happy.
The following day Mike and Bob were walking in the town square when Mike decided to play the same joke on Bob. He looked around, and seeing no solid object about, he placed his hand over his face and said, \can.\hand away and was knocked to the ground, unconscious. After a few minutes Mike recovered, and saw Bob looking down at him very worried. Mike said, \good joke I played on you, wasn't it?\
Questions:
1. Who was NOT clever?
2. What did Pat ask Mike to do? 3. Who was hurt finally?
4. On whom was Mike going to try this joke?
5. Where did Mike put his hand when he asked Bob to hit him?
6. What happened to Mike after Bob struck a hard blow with his fist?
Keys:
1.1 A 2. C 3. A 4.B 5. C 6. B 2. √2 √5