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Unit 4

II. Basic Listening Practice

1. Script

M: Amy, sit down, we need to talk. Your mother and I are going to separate.

W: What? Are you crazy? You can?t do that! What will my friends say? I just want to have a normal family. Q: What does the girl say?

C) She doesn?t want the family to break up.

2. Script

M: Good evening, Mrs. Jones. The manager sends you these roses and his best wishes. Happy anniversary!

W: Thank you. We like the room and the service here, and we especially appreciate the manager?s consideration.

Q: What can we learn from the dialog?

A) The manager sends flowers to celebrate the couple?s anniversary.

3. Script

W: While I?m scrambling the eggs, could you put the flour into the bowl? M: You bet, darling. I?ll also turn the oven on so that it can preheat. Q: Where does this dialog take place? B) In a chicken.

4. Script

W: I have a very important meeting tonight, and I?m afraid I can?t miss it.

M: But this evening is the parents-teacher conference at school, and I am expecting you?d come. OK, I?ll phone Dad. Maybe he and his girlfriend will come. Q: What can be inferred from the dialog? C) The boy?s parents have divorced

5. Script

W1: So you?re still single? If you?d listened to me and used the Internet, you?d have a

husband by now.

W2: I did use the Internet. I posted an ad that read, “Husband Wanted”. There were dozens of e-mail responses. But they all said pretty much the same thing: You can have mine.

Q: What can we infer from the dialog?

D) Many women would be happy to be rid of their husbands.

III. Listening In

Task 1: Nuclear Family Living Patterns

Script and key

A nuclear family is (S1) typical in high-industrialized societies. Beginning in the early 20th century, the two-parent family (S2) known as the nuclear family was the predominant American family type. (S3)Generally children live with their parents until they go away to a college or university, or until they (S4) find their jobs and acquire an (S5) apartment or home of their own.

In the early mid-20th century, the father typically the (S6) sole wage-earner, and the mother was the children?s (S7) principle caregiver. Today, often both parents hold jobs. (S8)Dual-earner families are the predominant type for families with children in the United States. Increasingly, one of the parents has a non-standard shift; that is, a shift that does not start in the morning and end in later afternoon. In these families, one of the parents manages the children while the other works.

Prior to school, (S9) adequate day care of children is necessary for dual-earner families. In recent years, many private companies and home-based day care centers have sprung up fulfill this need. Increasingly, (10) companies are getting involved in the arrangement of day care. Governments are providing assistance to parents that require day care as well.

Task3: Views on filial piety see change.

Script

With fast economic development in Hong Kong, young people are less likely to cherish the traditional notion of filial piety. Instead, they are gradually taking a new approach to a welfare society, according to a three-year conducted by the City University of Hong Kong.

As many as 85 percent of the respondents expect the government to take up the responsibility for supporting the elderly, and 77 percent agree with idea that the burden should fall on society as a whole rather than on individual families.

Researcher Richard Wong, who took charge of the study, is sad about the eroding of traditional family bonds. He said that while most people still respect their parents and grandparents, they tend to equate economic assistance with love. When asked about how they would show their love for their old parents, many simply said they would send them to old people?s homes. Others said they would give money, and only two percent of the respondents said they would be ready to take care of the psychological health of their parents.

According to the study, middle-aged people who have children of their own take their filial duties more seriously. Also, married women know better than men the need for

this kind of loving care.

Researcher Wong questioned the wisdom of adopting the new concept of government welfare. He said, “A welfare society is founded on high tax rates, but here in Hong Kong the personal tax rate is only 15 percent. How can you expect the government to take care of all the elderly?”

He further pointed out that even when a social security network can support all senior citizens, it cannot replace the love that only family members can give.

Question and key:

1. According to most of the respondents, who should take up the responsibility for supporting the elderly? A) The government.

2. Which of the following is a way for most respondents to show respect and love for their old parents?

A) Providing them with economic assistance.

3. Which of the following types of people have more loving care for their old parents?

A) Middle-aged people and married women.

4. According to Researcher Wong, why is a welfare society not realistic in Hong Kong?

D) The personal tax rate is not high enough. 5. What is the passage mainly about?

C) It is a sad thing that most people prefer to shift the responsibility for

supporting the elderly onto the society.

IV. Speaking Out

MODEL 1 Is youth wasted on the young?

Amy: I?d like to talk to you, so stop what you?re doing for a minute.

Bill: What is it, Amy? (1) I?m having a hectic time working on this report for

tomorrow?s meeting.

Amy: Well, you?re always pretty busy, and (2) it?s been more five years, almost six, since we were married.

Bill: Yes. (3) Time has gone so fast, but they?ve been good years. Amy: I know, but I want to have a baby—I want us to have a baby.

Bill: I know you do. But remember, we said we?d wait until we could afford it. Amy: But five years is a long time to wait. Anyway, it?s long enough. Bill: (4) I?m this close to getting a promotion.

Amy: (5) What has that got to do with it? We could wait forever if we waited for the

“perfect” moment. Soon we?ll be too old to enjoying having a baby.

Bill: You know, (6) you have a good point. This report can wait. I?ll do it tomorrow

morning. Let?s open a bottle of wine and enjoy ourselves.