Unit 1 Sports
Part A
Listening Strategy
Identifying Numbers
Numbers appear very often in every kind of listening material. The ability to catch the exact numbers spoken in English is an important but difficult skill for a Chinese learner. A good way is to practice over and over again the pronunciation of the numbers, particularly the different ways to say thirteen and thirty, fourteen and forty, etc. It also helps to practice writing down the numbers you hear quickly in numerical forms, without translating them into Chinese.
You’re going to hear a passage about Michael Jordan, a retired American professional basketball player. Listen carefully and fill in the blanks with the missing numbers.
Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. He was born on Feb. 1) 17, 2) 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He is 3) 1.98 meters tall and weighs 4) 216 pounds. Jordan joined the Chicago Bulls team for the 5) 1984 season. In the 6) 1986 season he shot 7) 3041 points, the 8) third highest score ever. He was named NBA Slam Dunk Champion (扣篮冠军) in 9) 1987 and won the Most Valuable Player Award in 10) 1988, an honor repeated 11) four times in the next 12) ten years to 13) 1998. Jordan guided his team to win 14) six NBA championships during the 15) 1990s, scoring 16) 45 points during the 17) sixth and last game of the 18) 1998 NBA finals. In 19) 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century.
Jordan left the NBA at the beginning of the 1993-1994 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball. Since his baseball game wasn’t quite as good as his basketball games, he finally gave it up to rejoin the Bulls in 1995. Yet, after playing for 20) five more years, he once again announced his retirement in 21) 1999. But he returned for two more NBA games in 22) 2001 as a member of the Washington Wizards. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about sports. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. Do you like sports? What is your favorite sport? 2. What sports do most young people go in for? 3. What sports are suitable for old people? 4. Do you like jogging? Why or why not? 5. Why do people need to play sports? Demo:
2. What sports do most young people go in for?
Well, people in different parts of the world may prefer different kinds of sports. For example, many Chinese people play ping-pong or table tennis, and it is considered to be our national sport. Chinese ping-pong players have won numerous championships in world competitions, which boosts the enthusiasm for the game among young people in China. However, in North America, many young people like playing American football and basketball. Almost every teenager has his or her own idol in these games. For example, Michael Jordan has a lot of fans in the US.
Additional Question for Discussion What do you know about the Olympic Games? Demo:
The Olympic Games are one of the most important international events in the world today. The modern Olympic Games are named for athletic contests held in ancient Greece for almost 12 centuries. They were banned in AD 394 but were revived and made international in 1896. The Winter Games were added in 1924. World War I and World War II forced cancellation of the Olympics in 1916, 1940, and 1944, but they resumed in 1948 and are held every four years. After 1992 the Winter and Summer Games were no longer held within the same calendar year. Winter Games were scheduled for 1994, after only a two-year interval, and every four years thereafter. The Summer Games were scheduled for 1996, and every four years thereafter. Beijing successfully hosted the 2008 Olympics.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
I like sports a lot / very much.
I enjoy / am keen on / am fond of playing sports. I like swimming / jogging / fishing / tennis, etc.
My favorite sport is basketball / volleyball / football, etc.
Young people go in for such sports as running / playing basketball / tennis / football, etc. Jogging / Walking / Fishing is good for old people.
Jogging is considered a healthy sport for both the young and the old / people of all ages.
Many people begin jogging because they believe it is a very good form of exercise / can make their hearts stronger / can help them lose weight.
Listening Tasks
Why Don’t You Join Me at the Gym Sometime?
Word Bank
gym n. a special hall or room with equipment for doing physical exercise 体育馆 head
Jogging against the cold wind is also a test of one’s will power. Playing sports can help us to relax.
Sitting in a chair all day has made me very lazy. I can get my figure back if I play a sport. I can make new friends when I play sports.
People play sports because they want to keep fit / live an active life. Playing a sport we like is an essential part of our life.
v. to go to 到……去
cycle v. to ride a bicycle 骑自行车 stay in shape to keep a good figure 保持体形
work out to exercise to improve physical fitness 进行健身锻炼
guest pass a card or permit giving authorization for the holder’s friend (a guest) to enter or have access
to a place 贵宾卡
Script:
Peter: Hi Laura. Where are you heading with that big bag?
Laura: Hi, Peter. I’m off to the gym. I’ve got to stay in shape, you know. I try to go three times a week, but
I’m busy so I can’t always make it.
Peter: I know more women who work out than men. What’s the main reason you work out? For your health, or to look
good?
Laura: To be honest, for both. With women, good looks are always a very important consideration.
Peter: If they were honest, most men who work out would admit that they also do it to look better, and not merely
for health reasons.
Laura: How about you? Do you get any regular exercise?
Peter: I do a lot of walking, for exercise and enjoyment — sometimes ten to twenty kilometers at a time — but I
never go to the gym like you do.
Laura: Well, walking is good exercise. How about sports?
Peter: Not since my school days. I used to love playing baseball, but it’s impossible to get enough people together
for a game now. Mostly I just watch sports on TV.
Laura: I play tennis fairly regularly with my friends, and sometimes go swimming and cycling by myself. Peter: Oh, I forgot about that. I go cycling sometimes too. And I often go swimming on vacation, but only recreational
swimming.
Laura: Why don’t you join me at the gym sometime? I can get you a guest pass. Peter: Well, maybe someday, but I’m pretty lazy about things like that.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
Nowadays many people work in offices, spending most of their time indoors. In the evening they usually sit watching TV or reading newspapers. Their daily activities do not provide them with the exercise needed to keep them fit and healthy. Therefore, many of them devote part of their spare time to doing regular physical exercises and playing some sports. Some people go to the gym for a workout three times a week in the evening. The exercises they do there can help them stay in shape and feel relaxed. 2. I’m off to the gym. I’m going to the gym. 3. I can’t always make it Sometimes I can’t go to the gym for exercise (probably because I have no time). 4. recreational swimming
swimming for exercise rather than for competition 5. guest pass
You need to pay for a membership pass to go and work out in a gym. But sometimes the gym will allow you to invite a friend to go with you. A free guest pass will be issued for your friend.
Exercise 1
Listen to the conversation and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What do you know about Peter?
a. He is an active sportsman. b. He is a keen cyclist. c. He enjoys playing baseball. d. He exercises regularly. 2. Where might the two speakers be having this conversation?
a. In Peter’s home. c. In the gym.
Exercise 2
b. In the street.
d. On their way to the gym.
Listen again and write down answers to the following questions. 1. Why is Laura so keen on sports?
Because she wants to enjoy good health. She also wants to stay in shape and look good. 2. What sports do Peter and Laura go in for?
Both Peter and Laura like cycling and swimming. Laura also plays tennis regularly.
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Inquiring About Future Activities Inquiring About Future Activities What are you doing this weekend? Responding to Inquiries About Future Activities I’m thinking of going to the gym. / I haven’t decided yet, but I think I’ll go and play tennis with my roommate. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Not really. I’ll probably just stay home and watch some sports programs on TV. Are you doing anything special this evening? What’s your plan for this weekend? No. Why do you ask? I’m going to do some cycling. / I’d like to go to the volleyball match at the big stadium, but I can’t get a ticket. I wonder if you’re going to the gym after class. Is it your intention to join the school football team? Are you going to watch the Olympic Games on TV? Would you care for a game of tennis? If I feel like it, I’ll go. Yes. Football is my favorite sport and I’ve always wanted to play in the school team. Sure. I can’t wait to watch them. Well, I’d like to, but you have to teach me how to play it first. Are you planning to enter for the annual cycling competition? Do you plan to be a professional athlete one day?
Additional Vocabulary Ball Games Track and Field Others Of course. I always do. What about you? / No. I’m no good at cycling. No, I don’t think so. I don’t think I have what it takes to be a professional athlete.
football / soccer (AmE) basketball volleyball tennis table tennis badminton (羽毛球) rugby (橄榄球) baseball softball golf running jogging discus (铁饼) throwing high jump long jump pole jump relay (接力赛跑) javelin (标枪) throwing skating boxing bowling swimming skiing mountain climbing rock climbing diving surfing (冲浪) fishing boating cricket (板球)
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
A: What’s your plan for this evening?
B: Well, there’s a good game at the stadium but I haven’t got a ticket yet.
A: I’m going to the gym. Would you like to come along? I can get a guest pass for you. B: That’s wonderful. I’d always wanted to work out in the new gym. Thank you very much.
Conversation 2
A: Hi, Xiao Wang. Fancy meeting you here! How are you doing?
B: Can’t complain. I’m busy with my experiments in the lab. But after work I often play some sports. A: Like what?
B: Like swimming, running and sometimes tennis.
A: Tennis? That’s my favorite game. Say, what’re you doing this weekend? B: Nothing particular. I guess I’ll probably just work in the lab. A: Come on. You need to relax. What about a game of tennis? B: OK.
Conversation 3
A: Are you doing anything special tomorrow, Bob? B: Not really. Why do you ask?
A: Some of us are going motorcycling. Would you like to join us? B: Motorcycling? I’ve never done that. Isn’t it a bit dangerous? A: Maybe, but it’s really exciting. B: I enjoy jogging. It’s more relaxing.
A: That’s a good form of exercise. It can help you stay in shape. B: Yes, it’s also safer.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. 1. Ask your friend about his/her plans for the weekend. Then suggest playing a certain kind of sport.
2. Ask your partner whether he/she intends to go to the basketball game in the city stadium. Say that you’ve got an extra ticket. Part C
Test Your Listening
Short Conversations
You’re going to hear five short conversations. Listen carefully and choose the right answers to the questions you hear. 1. a. Basketball. c. Table tennis.
b. Volleyball. d. Tennis.
2. a. Boxing is one of his favorite sports. b. Boxing is the only kind of sport he likes. c. He doesn’t like boxing at all. d. He doesn’t like boxing very much. 3. a. He finds it too long.
b. He thinks it could be more exciting. c. He doesn’t like it at all. d. He likes it, but not very much. 4. a. He doesn’t know how to play chess. b. He doesn’t like playing chess very much. c. He can’t play chess well. d. He’s a good chess player.
5. a. He was a good football player in high school.
b. He kept track of the football players and games when he was in high school. c. He shows no interest in football now.
d. He’s busy playing golf as well as football now. Script:
1. W: I like playing basketball, volleyball and table tennis. What about you? M: Well, tennis is my favorite sport. Q: Which sport does the man like?
2. W: You don’t like boxing very much, do you? M: It’s far from being my kind of sport. Q: What does the man mean?
3. W: I think yesterday’s football game was quite exciting. What about you, John? M: You said it. But it was a bit long.
Q: What does the man think about the football game? 4. W: Do you like to play chess?
M: I like the game, but I don’t play it often enough. I’m afraid I’m not a very good chess player. Q: What does the man mean?
5. M: I knew the names of all the football players and the dates of all the games in my high school days. But recently
I have failed to keep up with football.
W: Now you’re busy with your golf games.
Q: What do you know about the man from the conversation?
Unit 2 Food and Drinks
Part A
Listening Strategy
Listening “Between the Lines”
People do not always say directly what they mean. Very often, we have to listen “between the lines”. The English language offers many ways for people to imply, rather than directly state, their meaning. To find out what a speaker really means, we can rely on such things as the context, the meaning of an idiom, and the intonation used. For example, if someone says “I have an essay to write” in answer to an invitation to go somewhere, we can infer from the context that he cannot accept the invitation. And if someone says “Andrew passed with flying colors” in reply to an inquiry about how Andrew did on a test, we can infer from the meaning of the idiom “to pass with flying colors” that Andrew did very well on the test. Often, intonation also helps to reveal the real meaning of a message. For example, “He is very clever” said with an ironic tone means just the opposite.
You are going to hear eight short conversations between two speakers. Listen carefully and write down “Yes” or “No” to each of the following questions.
1. Q: Does the woman enjoy the food in that restaurant? Yes 2. Q: Is the man satisfied with the restaurant’s service? 3. Q: Do the children like the cake? 4. Q: Does the man like chicken best? 5. Q: Does the woman like the wine? 6. Q: Does John want a soda? 7. Q: Does the man like the fish?
Yes No Yes No No No
No
8. Q: Will Sue eat out with the man tonight? Script:
1. M: Have you ever been to that big restaurant opposite the school gate?
W: Yes, many times. Whenever my friends come to visit me, I’ll take them there to eat. 2. W: Is there something wrong, sir?
M: My wife and I have been kept waiting for nearly an hour for our meal. 3. W: Where is the cake I made this morning?
M: We ate it, mom. Can you make another one for us? 4. W: I hear you like chicken very much. M: Next to beef.
5. M: Have you tried this wine before?
W: No, never. It’s my first time, but it’s really to my taste. 6. M: John, do you want a soda?
W: Soda? I think it tastes like medicine. 7. W: Why, the fish is left almost untouched. M: Well, it would be good if it were less salty.
8. M: Hi, Sue, would you like to eat out tonight?
W: Oh, I’d really like to, but my sister may come to visit me this evening. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about food and drinks. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. Where do you usually have your meals? What do you think of the food there? 2. What do you usually have for breakfast, lunch and supper?
3. Do you sometimes eat out? What kind of place do you like to go to? 4. What is your favorite food / dish / drink? 5. How do you like health food? Demo:
4. What is your favorite food? (Why do you like it?)
I am not picky about food and it is hard for me to decide which food I like most. Meat, bread, vegetables, fruit, fish …, I like them all. It can be said that my favorites change with the season. For example, in spring, my favorite food includes vegetables and fruit. I like them because they are tasty, nutritious and easy to digest.
Additional Question for Discussion
Are there any differences or similarities between Chinese table manners and Western table manners? Demo:
Chinese table manners are different from Western table manners in several aspects. One example is that, to show kindness and hospitality (好客), many Chinese would put food with their own chopsticks (筷子) onto their guests’ bowls or plates even though the guests indicate they do not want the food or so much of it. However, very few Westerners would do this. They would ask their guests to help themselves to the food they like.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
I usually have meals at the school canteen. The food there is not expensive / good / delicious / not bad. There is always a variety of things to choose from / little choice. I sometimes eat out at a fast food restaurant / snack bar for a change. Hamburgers and French fries are my favorites.
I don’t like fast food. It’s junk food and has little body-building nutrition. I like fast food a lot. I know it’s not very nutritious but it tastes good. I prefer health food, which is rich in vitamins and minerals and low in calories. I’d prefer to go to a restaurant where the food is good, even though it costs more.
I like / fancy / crave for / can’t stand / hate hot and spicy food / sweet and sour dishes． This dish is delicious / tasteless / too salty / awful.
For breakfast, I usually have meat stuffed buns (肉包) and soybean milk (豆奶) / milk and two slices of whole-wheat bread / porridge and pancakes / instant noodles.
For lunch, I have rice with one meat dish and one vegetable dish or vegetable soup.
I occasionally have dumplings / noodles / fried rice for lunch / supper.
I’m a vegetarian (素食者) and I like many kinds of vegetables, especially greens and mushrooms.
Listening Tasks
What about Dining Out?
Word Bank
heavy a. (of food) rather solid and difficult to digest 难以消化的 skip
v. to intentionally miss 故意略去；有意不去
sushi n. a Japanese dish consisting of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavored cold rice served with a garnish
of vegetables, egg, or raw seafood 寿司（做成丸状或卷状的冷米饭，拌有醋，常配以蔬菜、鸡蛋、生海鲜等菜肴）
Script:
Peter: Hi, Kate.
Kate: Hi, Peter. How have you been? Peter: Oh, OK, I guess. And you?
Kate: Not too bad. We haven’t seen each other for a while, have we?
Peter: No, we haven’t. So that makes me ask. Do you have any plan for this Saturday? Kate: No, not yet, I don’t think so. Why?
Peter: What do you think about getting together and going out to dinner this weekend? Kate: That would be great. Do you have any particular place in mind?
Peter: Well, I think I’d like to eat something that’s not too heavy. I’ve been eating a little too much lately. Kate: Me too.
Peter: I love Italian food, but maybe we should skip that this time. They always seem to serve so much food in
Italian restaurants, and you end up eating more than you wanted to.
Kate: Chinese food would be good.
Peter: Yes, or maybe some Japanese sushi. That style uses a lot of natural flavors, and not much oil or cream or
heavy sauces.
Kate: Yes, either of those choices would be good. Let’s just meet on Saturday night, and decide then where to
eat.
Peter: That’s fine by me.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
In large cities such as New York and London, you can always find different styles of cuisine. And you have a variety of choices as to what to eat, from French food, Italian food, Chinese food, Japanese food, and Mexican food, to Malaysian or Thai food. Italian cuisine uses a lot of tomato sauce, cheese, and cream, and its food is more on the heavy side. Pizza and pasta (for example, spaghetti and macaroni) are popular with diners. Our own Chinese cuisine is noted for its combination of color, flavor and smell, and Sichuan-style spicy food and Chinese snacks are much favored by foreigners for their delicious taste. Japanese cuisine lays great emphasis on artistic presentation of its dishes. Compared to Italian and Chinese cuisine, the Japanese style of cooking is probably lighter. It uses a lot of raw food, especially raw fish, all kinds of seafood, and soy sauce with less oil and fat. 2. for a while
for quite some time
3. Do you have any particular place in mind?
Do you want to go to any particular restaurant to eat? “Do you have any particular … in mind?” can be used for various situations. For example, “Do you have any particular place / movie / idea / plan / book, etc. in mind?”
4. natural flavors
the original tastes of food, without being altered by sauces or seasonings 5. That’s fine by me.
This is an informal way to show agreement to some suggestion, meaning “I like that” or “I have no objection to that”. Exercise 1
Listen to the conversation and complete the following sentences. 1. Peter and Kate haven’t seen each other for a while. 2. Kate doesn’t have any plans for this Saturday.
3. Peter suggests to Kate that they have dinner together during the weekend.
4. Peter loves Italian food, but he thinks they serve too much food in Italian restaurants. 5. Both Peter and Kate like Chinese food and Japanese food.
Exercise 2
Listen to the conversation again and write down answers to the following questions. 1. What does Peter say about Japanese food?
It uses natural flavors, not much oil or cream or heavy sauces. 2. When and where will Peter and Kate have dinner together?
They will have dinner on Saturday either at a Chinese or a Japanese restaurant.
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Ordering a Meal at a Restaurant Inquiries Waiter / Waitress Would you like to order now? May I take your order? Are you ready to order? How would you like it cooked? Rare, medium or well done? Medium, please. Would you care for a drink before dinner? Would you like something to drink? Anything to drink? Customer Can you bring us the menu? Can we see the menu? Do you have any recommendations? What are your specials? A glass of red wine, please. Pepsi, please. A large Coke, please. Waiter / Waitress Yes, I’ll be right with you. Yes, here you are. Yes. Today’s specials are … Responses Customer Yes. I’d like / I’ll have …
Communicative Function: Buying a Meal at a School Canteen or a Fast Food Restaurant Counter Hand Can I help you? What do you want? What are you going to have? What can I get you? Customer I’d like a cheeseburger, an order of fries and a chocolate shake. I’ll have poached eggs and pancakes. I’ll try a chicken sandwich. A bowl of dumplings. To eat here or to go? For here or to go? Do you want something to drink? Anything else? That’ll be 16.50. Here’s your change.
Additional Vocabulary shrimp and fresh mushroom (蘑菇虾仁) home-style bean curd (家常豆腐) sliced pork with green pepper (青椒肉片) scrambled eggs with tomato (番茄炒蛋) deep fried beef steak (炸牛排) Beijing duck (北京烤鸭) mixed fried noodles (什锦炒面) spring rolls (春卷) shrimp dumplings (虾仁饺子) beef noodles (牛肉面) rice noodles (米粉) rice served with meat and vegetables (盖浇饭) (chicken / beef) hamburger (strawberry / chocolate / vanilla) ice cream milk shake (奶昔) I’ll eat here. To go. A small Coke / Orange juice, please. That’s all. How much is that? Here’s 20 yuan. Thank you.
fruit sundae (水果圣代冰淇淋) French fries (法式炸土豆条) mashed potato (土豆泥) salad apple pie chicken nuggets (鸡块) chicken wing chicken leg fruit juice Coca-Cola (black / green / iced) tea coffee Pepsi (百事可乐) 7 Up (七喜) Sprite (雪碧)
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
(At the school canteen) A: What a crowd!
B: This is the worst time. The morning classes are just over. Everybody is hungry and rushes here to have lunch. A: That’s true. I’m starving and I can’t wait. I’d rather not stand in a long line. B: Why don’t we have some fried noodles?
A: Noodles are sold at No. 2 Box. No queue there, you see. B: That’s great.
(At No. 2 Box) Counter hand: What can I get you? A: B:
One plate of fried noodles, please. Make it two.
Counter hand: OK. Two plates of fried noodles. Anything else? A:
How much is the tomato soup?
Counter hand: It’s free. It goes with the noodles. A: B:
I see. (To B) Do you want any soup? Yes.
A: (To Counter hand) Two bowls of soup, please.
Conversation 2
(At a fast food restaurant) Counter hand: What can I do for you?
Customer: I’ll have one order of chicken nuggets and a chicken sandwich. Counter hand: Anything to drink?
Customer: A small Sprite. No ice, please. Counter hand: Okay. For here or to go?
Customer: For here.
Conversation 3
(At a Chinese restaurant) Waitress: Are you ready to order?
A: Do you have any recommendations?
Waitress: Yes. The Sichuan-style crispy whole fish is very good. It’s today’s special. A: B:
Mary, would you like to try that? I hear it’s very good.
Why not? And I’d like shrimp in black bean sauce, too. It’s my favorite.
Waitress: Okay. Anything else?
A: What about some vegetables, Mary? B: Yes. How about spinach? A:
Spinach is fine with me.
Waitress: Anything to drink? A: B:
Yes. I’d like one Bud Light, please. What’ll you have, Mary? Orange juice, please.
Waitress: One Bud Light and one orange juice. Is that right? A:
Exercise
Right.
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. 1. It is noontime. You are at the school canteen. Practice buying and selling a meal at the canteen with your partner. 2. You and your friend are at a Chinese restaurant / an American fast food restaurant. Practice ordering / getting a meal. One will be the waiter / waitress and the other the customer. Part C
Test Your Listening
A Conversation
Listen to the conversation and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What is the relationship between the two speakers? a. Classmates. b. Co-workers. c. Waiter and diner. d. Strangers.
2. Where does the conversation take place? a. At McDonald’s.
b. At Kentucky Fried Chicken. c. At an Italian restaurant. d. At Pizza Hut. 3. What will they order?
a. Pizza, salad and iced water. b. Soup, hamburger and coffee.
c. Sandwich, spaghetti and red wine.
d. Spaghetti, salad, coffee, Coke and iced water. Script:
A: Well, here we are, not too crowded.
B: Great! Let’s order quickly so we can chat a little. A: OK. What are you in the mood for?
B: Something light. I had a huge breakfast and I’m still full. A: There are three salads. Or you could have soup and a sandwich. B: What are you having? A hamburger, I suppose.
A: No, actually I ate out last night. We had pizza at Pizza Hut, then a late snack at Kentucky Fried Chicken. B: Oh, dear. Well, maybe you should have a salad.
A: Yes, I think so. Look, the daily special is spaghetti. That sounds good. B: Oh, the prices are great too. I’ll have that as well. A: Now let’s decide on drinks.
B: I’ll just have coffee and a glass of iced water. A: Italian food needs red wine, you know. B: But we have to go back to work. A: OK, a Coke for me then.
B: Here comes the waitress. Let me order first.
Unit 3 Weather
Part A
Listening Strategy
Listening for Important Details
Besides understanding the main idea of a listening text, we often find it necessary to grasp the important details as well. What counts as important details depends on the kind of information we want. Generally speaking, if we are listening to the narration of an event, we need to sharpen our ears not only for what happened, but also when and where, how and why it happened. In listening to a weather report, on the other hand, the important details we should watch out for are the current weather conditions, temperature, and weather outlook.
You’re going to hear two short passages about weather. While listening, pay attention to such details as the weather conditions, temperature, weather outlook, damage caused by bad weather and so on, and write them down in note form. Then complete the exercises in your book.
1. a. General weather conditions for today: Fine and pleasant. b. Temperature: High: 18 °C (64 °F) c. Weather outlook:
Mostly cloudy with heavy showers moving in from the west. 2. a. When did the storm start and how long did it last?
It started around 8 p.m. and lasted for about three hours. b. How damaging was the storm?
It caused four deaths and serious damage including a widespread power failure. Script:
1. The weather today: a fine day is in store nearly everywhere, with the best of the sunshine in southern and central areas of Britain. A pleasant day, then, with long sunny periods developing. There will be light winds with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Look at the outlook for the next few days: it will become mostly cloudy with heavy showers moving in from the west.
2. A storm in Changchun, capital of Northeast China’s Jilin Province, claimed four lives on Sunday. The storm lasted about three hours from around 8 p.m. The winds reached speeds of over a hundred miles an hour, causing serious damage and a widespread power failure. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about weather and weather forecasts. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. What’s the weather like now?
2. What’s the weather forecast for today? 3. How do you get weather information?
4. What kind of climate do you like or dislike? 5. Which season do you like best? Why? Demo:
4. What kind of climate do you like or dislike?
I like the climate of Shenyang City in the northern part of China. In spring it’s neither too hot nor too cold, with the temperature between 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer there is cool and pleasant. In the fall the leaves change colors with the temperature around 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Perhaps the winter there is the best time, for the scenery is gorgeous. The snow is like powder covering the ground everywhere and that makes it an amazing place for skiing and snowboarding.
Additional Question for Discussion
Do you think it is possible or impossible to give accurate weather forecasts? Demo:
I think it is too much to ask for accurate weather forecasts at present. There are still quite a few things about the weather that we just don’t understand. We have to further develop meteorological (气象的) science and related technologies. There is a long way to go before we can hope to have very accurate weather forecasts.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
It’s fine / sunny / warm / rainy / cloudy / snowy / windy / freezing / foggy / dry / chilly today. The air is close / oppressive.
A storm is coming up / building up / in the making. It’s raining off and on / cats and dogs. The rain / snow has stopped / let up. It’s going to cloud over.
It’s going to be a cold day with damaging northwesterly winds / hot and humid day with a high of 36 degrees Centigrade.
It seems to be clearing up.
The weather forecast says it’s going to be clear and sunny / muggy and humid / cold and wet. The high will be … and the low will be …
The temperature will reach a high of ... in the afternoon / drop to a low of … at night. I often tune in to the radio or TV / read newspapers /go online to check on weather conditions. I like mild / warm / cool / dry climate.
I dislike / cannot stand hot / humid / wet / very dry / bitterly cold climate.
I like spring best. In spring the weather is mild and pleasant, and nature is at its loveliest.
Summer is my favorite season because I like swimming / enjoy watching the glorious sunrise and sunset on a summer day.
I like autumn very much because I love watching the change of color in leaves / the weather is just right, neither cold nor hot / it is the season of harvest.
Winter is the season of snow and ice. In snowy weather I can go skiing in the mountains / like to play throwing snowballs with my friends.
Listening Tasks
Did You Hear the Weather Forecast?
Word Bank
annual a. once a year 年度的
shade n. shelter from direct sunlight 荫 participate in to take part in 参加
doze off to have a short sleep, esp. during the day 打瞌睡 cool ... off to cause ... to become less hot 使……凉下来 Script: Alan:
Oh, look at the sky, Michelle! It’s starting to get cloudy.
Michelle: I see it. I hope it doesn’t rain. I thought it was going to be a fine day today.
Alan: That’s certainly what the department was hoping for when they chose today as the date for the annual
picnic.
Michelle: You can’t have a picnic without good weather. You need sunshine for all the eating and games and
entertainment.
Alan: Yeah, sunshine — but not too much! Do you remember last year?
Michelle: I sure do. It was so hot all we did was look for shade, look for ways to escape from the sun. Alan: And no one wanted to participate in any of the planned activities. All we wanted was cold drinks. And
then we dozed off.
Michelle: If there had just been the tiniest breeze to cool us off.
Alan: But there wasn’t. Just that burning sun, without a cloud in the sky, and the temperature just seemed
to climb higher and higher.
Michelle: Well, we don’t have that problem this year, apparently. Alan, did you hear the weather forecast? Is
it supposed to rain?
Alan: I don’t know. I didn’t catch the weather report. But maybe if it rains, it will only be a short shower
which cools things off a little. That might not be bad.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information Weather affects our life in many ways. It can influence our moods. Good weather makes us happy and high-spirited, while bad weather often makes us feel depressed. More importantly, weather plays a crucial role in agriculture, in air and sea travel, and in many other aspects of our life. Failing to make an accurate forecast of weather conditions, especially in the case of an approaching storm, can result in great loss of life and property. In order to provide weather information as accurately and far in advance as possible, governments spend huge sums of money to introduce new technology into their weather services. Satellites and powerful computers are used to collect data for meteorologists, who make weather forecasts based on careful analysis of the data. However, meteorologists often find that the weather is not as predictable as they had hoped due to the complexity of weather systems. 2. I sure do.
I certainly do (remember that). 3. Is it supposed to rain? Is it likely to rain?
Exercise 1
Listen to the conversation and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What are Alan and Michelle mainly doing?
a. They are planning a picnic for the department.
b. They are wondering what the weather will be like at the annual picnic. c. They are discussing how to escape from the sun.
d. They are having cold drinks and talking about the weather. 2. What do you know about Alan?
a. He thinks the department has misjudged the weather situation for the day. b. He dismisses the idea of having an annual picnic as silly.
c. He dislikes pre-arranged activities and would rather go somewhere on his own. d. He prefers a short little sleep after drinking. 3. What can you infer from the conversation?
a. Alan is expecting a gentle breeze to cool things off. b. They haven’t had much sunshine recently.
c. Much to their delight, the weather turns out to be just fine for the picnic. d. The annual department picnic is usually held on a summer day.
Exercise 2
Listen to the conversation again. Then write down answers to the following questions.
1. What happened to Alan and Michelle last year?
They went to the department picnic but their fun was spoiled by the hot weather. 2. Why won’t Alan worry even if it rains?
Because he thinks it’ll only be a short shower that cools things off a little.
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Expressing Hope I’m hoping for a cool / breezy / pleasant summer. Let’s just hope it will keep fine / it doesn’t get cold again / the worst of the bad weather is over / the cold spell will be over soon. I do hope the snow will let up / the wind will drop / the rain won’t last long / the clouds will break / the fog will soon lift / the weather will be favorable. It will be cooler tomorrow, I hope. A: It seems to be clearing up. B: I hope so. A: We are going to have a cold spell. B: I hope not. Maybe the weather will grow milder. Hopefully, we’ll have a starry night. How I long for the cool breeze, clear air and a bit of greenery! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the weather will stay warm / tomorrow will be a sunny day.
Additional Vocabulary mild stormy pleasant frosty (严寒的) bright freezing cloudless gloomy (阴暗的) humid (潮湿的) close / stuffy (闷热的) sultry (闷热的；酷热的) oppressive (闷热得难以忍受的) downpour heavy frost (厚霜) thunderstorm cold spell (寒冷期) cold / warm front (寒/热锋) heat wave (热浪) suffocating (闷热得令人感到呼吸困难的) dull (阴沉的) chilly (寒气袭人的) to stay warm / cool, etc. to let up (停止) to clear up to be in for a thunderstorm / heavy rain / snow, etc.
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
A: What lovely weather we’re having! Nice and cool. B: Yeah, I really like this kind of weather. A: What’s the temperature today?
B: The high is 26 and the low is 20. The weather forecast says the good weather is likely to last, too.
A: I hope so.
Conversation 2
A: It seems to be clearing up. All the dark clouds are gone and the sun is coming out. B: Yes. Let’s just hope it stays this way. I hate rainy days.
A: I think it will continue to be fine for the next few days. Anyhow, that’s what the weatherman says. B: That’s great. Let’s go for a walk, shall we? A: All right.
Conversation 3
A: It’s hot and humid, isn’t it? I can hardly breathe. B: Yeah. I feel suffocating too.
A: Are summers always this hot here? It’s almost like in the desert. B: Yes, especially in July and August. A: Well, what did the weatherman say? B: He said another heat wave is on the way. A: Oh no! I hope not.
B: How about going out to the beach to cool off?
A: Good idea. Maybe it’s the only place for this sort of weather.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. 1. Ask your friend about today’s weather forecast. Then say something about what kind of weather you like. 2. Tell your friend that you hope the good weather will last. Then suggest going somewhere to enjoy yourselves. Part C
Test Your Listening
Short Conversations
You’re going to hear five short conversations. Listen carefully and choose the right answers to the questions you hear. 1. a. Snowy and windy. b. Cold and rainy. c. Snowy and icy. d. Windy and rainy.
2. a. It will get warmer soon. b. It may get even colder.
c. This is the coldest winter ever.
d. The weather has never been so bad before. 3. a. The man is sure the weather will be fine soon.
b. According to the forecast the weather will be fine soon.
c. If it keeps raining, they will cancel what they have planned to do. d. If it rains hard, they will postpone what they have planned to do.
4. a. It’s cold in New York now. b. It’s very hot in New York now.
c. The woman thinks New York and Beijing have similar weather. d. The man is going to visit New York.
5. a. They’d better change their mind about playing tennis tomorrow. b. They shouldn’t change their plan. c. They can play tennis in the morning. d. They won’t play tennis long. Script:
1. W: It’s been freezing for the last few days.
M: Yes. And the forecast says there will be more snow next week, accompanied by strong winds. Q: What will the weather be like next week?
2. M: We haven’t had such a severe winter for a long time, have we? W: No, and the forecast says it’s going to get worse before it warms up. Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
3. W: What if it rains hard? What are we going to do?
M: I think it will clear up soon. But if it keeps raining, the whole thing will have to be cancelled. Q: What can we learn from the conversation? 4. M: How was the weather when you left New York?
W: It was very much like the weather in Beijing. You don’t have to take a lot of clothes. Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
5. W: If it is this hot tomorrow, we may have to give up the idea of playing tennis in the afternoon. M: The weather forecast says it will cloud over by noon. Q: What does the man mean?
Unit 4 Music
Part A
Listening Strategy
Listening for Signal Words
The ability to identify signal words can help us follow the thread of the speaker’s thought. People often use signal words or phrases like “but”, “yet”, “on the contrary”, “however”, “because”, “therefore” and “as a result” to add a comment that contrasts with what has just been said or to signal what they are about to say is the result or cause of their previous remarks. Similarly, words and phrases like “for example”, “most importantly”, “first”, “second”, “finally” and “then” usually signal that the speaker is going to provide an illustration or emphasize a certain point or discuss several aspects of a certain topic. So we should pay attention to signal words in listening as they will prepare us for what is going to be said.
You’re going to hear four short passages. Listen carefully and write down the signal word(s) in each passage. Then choose a, b, c or d to indicate the function of the signal word(s) used in each of the passages.
The signal words in the passages you have heard may perform the following functions: a. leading towards a statement that is a contrast or an opposite to what has been said
b. summarizing what has been said c. setting out the stages of the talk d. suggesting cause and effect 1. However; a 3. Firstly, then, finally; c Script:
1. Most people like music. In fact, we are surrounded by it. It’s on the radio and television and can be heard in stores and restaurants. However, not everyone likes the same kind of music.
2. The manager of the music shop was called Brian Epstein. Because so many people had asked for a record by The Sun, Epstein decided to go and listen to the group himself.
3. Firstly I would like to talk about classical music and its representative composers, then I will move on to jazz music, and finally I will focus on pop music in the last century.
4. We listen to exciting music and our hearts beat faster, our blood pressure rises, and our blood flows more quickly. In short, we’re stimulated. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
2. Because; d 4. In short; b
You are going to talk about music. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. Do you like music? What type of music do you like best? Traditional Chinese music or Western music? Classical or popular?
2. Who is your favorite singer / composer?
3. Do you play any musical instrument? If you do, what is it? How long have you played it? If not, what instrument would you like to learn to play?
4. What do you think is the value of music? Demo:
4. What do you think is the value of music?
In my opinion, the value of music lies in its healing power. There are at least two reasons for people to listen to music. One is for pleasure and recreation. A piece of good music or a song can bring the listener a pleasant feeling and a good mood. The other reason is for health. People nowadays are becoming more and more conscious of their diet. The benefits of the healthy food and exercise are well known. However, there is one more fact that people may not be aware of. It is the positive impact of music on health. For both young and old people, music is an effective means of managing stress and hence can be an important and effective tool to facilitate healthy existence. Thus, music can play an important role throughout our lives.
Additional Question for Discussion
Do you listen to music while studying? Do you think it is a good habit? Demo:
I sometimes listen to music while studying even though I think it might not be a good habit. Music plays a very important role in my life. It entertains me and makes me feel relaxed after a day’s work. But the bad thing about
listening to music while studying is that it would make it hard for me to concentrate on my work. Sometimes the music or songs would divert my attention. This is especially true when I have to do some serious thinking.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
Listening Tasks
Background Music
Word Bank
intend soothing boost receipts spot overall
I enjoy rock / country / jazz / light music. I prefer chamber music to electronic music. I like classical music best.
My tastes in music are quite varied, from Italian operas to pop songs. I don’t usually like pop songs, but there’re always some exceptions. My favorite composer is … His / Her works are full of life.
I find his / her music rhythmic / melodious / sweet / moving / soothing / stimulating / harmonious / exciting. Classical / light music is soothing / calming. I play drums / the guitar / the violin / the piano. I can play a little piano / trumpet / flute.
I love to listen to the violin / the piano, but I’ve never learned to play it.
How I envy those who can play the piano very well / can sing melodiously / have a beautiful voice! How I wish I could sing well!
Music can affect our physical, mental and emotional states of being. We can express ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, through music.
Music can express not only love, longing, happiness, unity, but also sadness, sorrow and anger. Music can make us laugh, cry, feel happy / strong.
Music is the universal language. Sometimes, it communicates more clearly than words.
v. to plan 打算使……（成为）
a. calming and comforting 宜人的，使心旷神怡的 v. to increase; to raise 增加；提高
n. (pl.) amount of money received by a business during a particular period 进款，收入
v. to pick out with the eye 找出 a. total 总的
indigestion n. illness or pain caused by the stomach being unable to deal with the food which has been
eaten 消化不良
find its way into to spread into 传入
increase by as much as to add as much as ... to the total of ... 增长多达…… have an effect on to affect 影响
slow down to become slower 慢下来，减速 Script:
Background music may seem harmless, but it can have a powerful effect on those who hear it. Recorded background music first found its way into factories, shops and restaurants in the USA. Very soon it spread to other parts of the world. Now it is becoming difficult to go shopping or eat a meal without listening to music.
To begin with, background music was intended simply to create a soothing atmosphere. Recently, however, it’s becoming a big business. An American marketing expert has shown that music can boost sales or increase factory production by as much as a third.
But it has to be the light music. Lively music has no effect at all on sales. Slow music can increase receipts by 34%. This is probably because shoppers slow down and have more opportunity to spot items they would like to buy. Yet, slow music isn’t always the answer. The expert found that in restaurants slow music meant customers took longer to eat their meals, which reduced overall sales. So restaurant owners might be well advised to play faster music to keep the customers moving — unless, of course, the resulting indigestion leads to complaints.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
Different types of music can have different effects on us. When we listen to exciting music with fast rhythms, our hearts beat fast, and we feel greatly stimulated. Light music, on the other hand, has a soothing effect. We feel relaxed when we are exposed to beautiful melodies. The changes in our bodies caused by different kinds of music will in turn affect our behavior. This explains why slow music played in shops can increase sales and why the speaker suggests in a playful way that faster music be played in restaurants to keep the flow of diners at a desirable rate.
2. Yet, slow music isn’t always the answer. But playing slow music is not always effective. 3. to keep the customers moving
to make the diners finish their meals quickly so that more customers can be served 4. unless, of course, the resulting indigestion leads to complaints
unless customers complain that faster music makes them eat so quickly that they suffer from indigestion
Exercise 1
Listen to the passage. As you listen, read the signal words in your book and put a tick (√) in the brackets after the ones you have heard. 1. for instance ( ) 3. in addition ( ) 5. very soon (√) 7. despite ( )
2. but (√) 4. first (√)
6. in consequence ( ) 8. on the contrary ( )
9. admittedly ( ) 10. to begin with (√) 11. firstly ( ) 13. because (√)
12. however (√) 14. on one hand ( ) 16. yet (√) 18. hopefully ( )
15. on the other hand ( ) 17. so (√)
Exercise 2
Listen to the passage again and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. Where was recorded background music first used? a. In factories, shops and offices in Europe.
b. In factories, shops and restaurants in the USA. c. In factories, shops and snack bars in the USA. d. In factories, shops and restaurants in Japan. 2. What was the original purpose of background music? a. To boost sales.
b. To increase factory production. c. To make sure that diners eat quickly. d. To produce a pleasant atmosphere.
3. What kind of music can have a powerful effect on customers in shops? a. Rock music. b. Lively music. c. Light music. d. Traditional music.
4. Why doesn’t the same kind of music work in restaurants according to the passage? a. It may slow down the flow of customers. b. It may result in indigestion.
c. It may interrupt diners’ conversations. d. It may spoil diners’ appetite.
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Talking About Preferences Do you like / enjoy …? Do you care for …? They’re / It’s all right, but I prefer … to … / like … better.
Does … interest / stimulate / appeal to / affect you? Yes, I like … better than any other … In fact I’m crazy about … Which do you prefer, … or …? Which appeals to you more, … or …? Do you find … or … more to your taste? I must say I have stronger preference for … than … I find … more to my taste. … appeals to / affects me more emotionally / physically / mentally. What’s your favorite kind of music / music piece / pop It’s hard to say / decide. song / English song / folk song / musical instrument? Who’s your favorite singer / composer? I’d say … is my favorite. I have a passion for … I can listen to … forever.
Additional Vocabulary Music Instrument Musical Composition Effect
classical country Jazz Rock rap (说唱乐) heavy metal (重金属摇滚乐) piano violin cello (大提琴) harp (竖琴) guitar accordion (手风琴) flute oboe (双簧管) saxophone (萨克斯管) trumpet (小号) erhu fiddle (二胡) pipa (琵琶) symphony (交响乐) sonata (奏鸣曲) serenade (小夜曲) overture (前奏曲) concerto (协奏曲) march (进行曲) opera musical (音乐剧) heavy loud noisy pleasing exciting soothing soft quiet romantic rhythmic healing relaxing powerful
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
A: Do you like English songs? B: I’m crazy about them. A: What’s your favorite song?
B: It’s hard to say. There are so many beautiful songs. A: Who’s your favorite singer then?
B: Sarah Brightman, undoubtedly. I do admire her, you know. I love all her songs. A: I like her, too, but not that much.
Conversation 2
A: Do you care for opera? B: Yes, I do, very much.
A: Which do you like better, opera or musical? B: Opera.
A: Do you just listen to it or go to performances?
B: I prefer going to a performance. It has everything, color and spectacle and great music. A: Why don’t we go and see Aida together? It’s being performed at the Grand Theater. B: I’ve seen it already. It’s excellent. A: Oh, lucky you!
Conversation 3
A: Do you enjoy listening to music?
B: Yes, very much. I enjoy listening to music more than any other pastime. A: What’s your favorite music?
B: It depends. When I am in a good mood, I’d prefer something exciting, with a fast rhythm. But if I feel low,
I can only listen to something soft and quiet. A: Mm, me too.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations. Use the structures and expressions above where appropriate. Your conversations should include the following points. 1. The type of music / song / singer / composer / instrument you like. 2. The reason why you like it. Part C
Test Your Listening
A Compound Dictation
Listen to the passage three times and supply the missing information. Celine Dion is the youngest of 14 children in a working-class family in Quebec, Canada. Her parents, who both loved music, 1) encouraged her to develop her musical 2) talent. At 12, Celine had 3) composed the song “It Was Only a Dream”. Her mother and brother helped her to make a recording of that song and sent it off to an address they found on an album of a popular French singer. The address was that of Rene Angelil, who became her first 4) conquest, but there would be millions more.
Celine’s rise from a teenage singer to a pop superstar has been 5) steady, but not without difficulties. Record companies were at first less 6) enthusiastic about 7) investing in a teenager than Angelil, who mortgaged his own home to pay for her first album. But her first two albums won a great success. And by 1983 she became the first Canadian ever to have a gold record in France.
In 1990, Celine made her first English language record with Unison but 8) her real breakthrough in America came when she was selected by Disney to sing the theme song of Beauty and the Beast. The song went to No.1 on the chart and won both a Grammy and an Academy award. 9) In 1996 she performed at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and in 1997 she recorded the theme song for Titanic, and her name became synonymous with the enormously successful film.
Celine Dion’s favorite theme is love.10) She sings the depth and the power of love in a great many of her hits such as “Love Can Move Mountains”, “Because You Loved Me”, “The Power of Love” and, of course, the theme song of Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On”.
Unit 5 Health
Part A
Listening Strategy
Identifying the Relationship Between the Speakers in a Conversation
Identifying the relationship between the speakers in a conversation is an important skill in listening comprehension. Although sometimes the conversation itself does not contain words that say exactly what the relationship is, we can rely on contextual clues to find it out. Such clues include the degree of intimacy (e.g., how intimately the speakers address each other, what endearments are used), the degree of politeness (strangers tend to be more polite towards each other than friends or family members), and the particular situation (at a doctor’s consulting room, at a shop, etc.).
Listen to the following conversations and choose the right answers to the questions that follow the conversations. 1. a. Roommates. b. Co-workers.
c. Doctor and patient. d. Husband and wife. 2. a. Doctor and patient. b. Roommates. c. Co-workers. d. Husband and wife. Script:
1. M: What’s the trouble?
W: I feel dizzy and my whole body aches. M: How long have you been sick? W: Two or three days now. M: How’s your appetite?
W: I’ve got no appetite. The sight of food simply turns my stomach. What’s wrong with me? M: You seem to be generally run-down.
Q: What is the most probable relationship between the two speakers? 2. W: What’s the matter, Jack? You look pale. M: Oh, I feel terrible. W: Why? What’s the matter?
M: I have a splitting headache and a sore throat. W: Why didn’t you tell me?
M: I thought they might go away, but I feel worse this morning. I’m aching all over.
W: Hmm. You feel warm, too. You must have got a fever. There’s a pretty bad flu going around, you know. Q: What is the most probable relationship between the two speakers? Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about health. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. How are you feeling today? 2. Do you sleep well?
3. Do you have problems in digestion? How long have you had this problem?
4. Have you gained / lost weight recently? If yes, what are you going to do about it? 5. Do you get much exercise?
6. What do you think we can do to keep fit? Demo:
6. What do you think we can do to keep fit?
Well, there are many things we can do to keep fit. First of all, we should maintain a good mood and a good living habit. Avoid acquiring unhealthy habits, such as drinking and smoking. Secondly, we should take regular exercise, such as jogging, swimming, basketball and table tennis, etc. Thirdly, we should have a healthy diet. It is scientifically proven that vegetables and meat with rich proteins will be essential for our brain and body development.
Lastly, we should keep a proper balance between work and rest. A good sleep will help you stay energetic throughout the day.
Additional Question for Discussion
Do you think health is more important than good grades or a successful career? Why or why not? Demo:
For me, health is more important than good grades and a successful career because good health is essential to a good life. Without a healthy body, you will not be able to enjoy life to the full. Besides, you can always try to get good grades or achieve success in your career as long as you maintain good health, but if you have a poor physical status, you will most likely lose your chance to achieve your goals in life. In short, it’s simply a bad deal to trade health for the so-called good grades or a successful career.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
I’m feeling very well / fine / extremely well. I couldn’t feel better. I’m not feeling very well．
I feel unwell / awful / terrible / under the weather. I’m aching all over / tired all the time. I sleep soundly / like a log.
I fall sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
I’m having trouble sleeping / getting to sleep / falling asleep. I am suffering from insomnia / having nightmares in my sleep.
I often wake up in the middle of the night / in the early hours of the morning. I sometimes need sleeping pills to help me go to sleep.
I have a poor / weak digestion. It’s been rather a long time now. I’ve gained / lost some weight this past month / these past two months. My weight fell from … kilos to … kilos. I must go on a diet to lose weight. I’m dieting / slimming.
I exercise every morning / seldom exercise / don’t exercise much.
It is very important to our health that we exercise regularly / maintain a healthy diet / have a simple lifestyle / stay away from drinking and smoking.
Listening Tasks
Going to See the Doctor
Word Bank medication
Taking a hot bath or shower / Taking a walk / Going swimming helps relieve stress / is very relaxing.
n. medicine 药物
stress n. worry and pressure caused by difficulties in life and too much work 压力 symptom insomnia
n. an outward or noticeable sign of illness 症状 n. habitual inability to sleep 失眠（症）
n. an illness 疾病
complaint Script:
D: So what’s your trouble?
P: Well, doctor, I haven’t been feeling well lately. My biggest problem is that I’m having trouble sleeping. D: Have you tried any of the sleeping medications available? P: I’ve tried one or two, but they don’t seem to help. D: How long have you had this problem?
P: Three or four months — it’s been rather a long time now.
D: Are you suffering from an unusual level of stress in your life lately? P: Not more than usual. My biggest worry is the fact I can’t sleep. D: Well, some people don’t need as much sleep as others. P: But I feel tired all day, so it is a problem for me. D: Have you been experiencing any other symptoms? P: I’ve also had a lot of indigestion lately. D: Well, you are a little overweight, aren’t you?
P: Yes. And I’ve gained about seven kilograms this past year.
D: You really should try to lose at least that extra weight. Do you get much exercise? P: No, not very much.
D: Physical activity is very important. P: So what do you recommend, doctor?
D: I will give you some medications for your insomnia and your indigestion. But I also recommend that you begin
a regular exercise program.
P: But I have neither the time nor the money to go to a gym.
D: You don’t need to go to a gym. A simple walking program would be very beneficial for you. I think you’ll find
that diet and exercise will be very helpful in taking care of your recent complaints.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
Nowadays many people complain of insomnia, indigestion and overweight. Too much fat and lack of physical activities often result in indigestion and overweight, which can happen in all age groups. Stress from intense competition in life and work is one of the main causes of insomnia. A recent survey shows that 35% of our population is suffering from trouble sleeping, while in America, 70 million people are troubled by over 80 types of sleeping problems. Medications for insomnia, indigestion and overweight are numerous but none seems to work wonders with everyone. Fortunately more and more people have come to realize how important regular physical exercises and a healthy diet are to our health. People are more health-conscious now than ever before. 2. an unusual level of stress in life greater stress than is normally experienced 3. a lot of indigestion
a lot of difficulties in digesting what has been eaten. People with digestion problems often suffer from stomachache or diarrhea.
4. that extra weight
referring to the seven kilograms the woman has gained
5. But I have neither the time nor the money to go to a gym.
Health-conscious people like to go to a gym to exercise after work, where all kinds of exercise facilities are provided. White-collar workers, in particular, are enthusiastic about it since they often have to spend all day sitting indoors. Some of them go as often as three or more times a week. However, going to the gym can be both time-consuming and costly. The monthly charge may run into several hundred dollars if you go to a very good gym. This sentence shows that the patient is busy but not well-to-do. 6. your recent complaints
some diseases you are suffering from recently
Exercise 1
Listen to the conversation and choose the right answers to complete the statements. 1. The main cause of the patient’s insomnia is probably her . a. taking improper sleeping medications b. having unusual stress lately c. having a poor digestion
d. having insufficient physical activities
2. According to the doctor, is probably the best way for the woman to keep fit. a. going regularly to a gym b. taking the right medicine
c. keeping a close watch on her weight d. taking walks regularly
3. The doctor’s advice is that the patient should . a. go in for vigorous exercise to lose extra weight b. sign up at a gym to help her sleep better
c. get more exercise and a healthy diet to ease her complaints d. deal with the unusual stress in her life
4. From the conversation we can infer that_____________. a. the patient has no stress in her life
b. the patient worries too much about her health
c. the patient is very busy and does not have enough time for sleep d. the patient does not make a lot of money.
Exercise 2
Listen to the conversation again and write down answers to the following questions. 1. What are the patient’s complaints?
She has suffered from insomnia for several months and lately has had a lot of indigestion. 2. What did the doctor do?
He gave the patient some medicine for insomnia and indigestion. He also advised the patient to have a proper diet and begin a regular exercise program.
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Seeing the Doctor Questions What’s wrong with you? Answers I have a pain in my neck / left leg.
What’s your trouble? I have a temperature / headache. What seems to be the problem? I’ve got a bad cold. How are you feeling? Are you feeling well / all right? How’s your appetite? How about your appetite? What’s your appetite like? I feel dizzy / weak / sick. I’m afraid not. I keep feeling dizzy. Good. / Fair. / Poor. I seem to have lost appetite in everything. I have no stomach for food. I’ve got no appetite. I don’t have much appetite. I don’t feel like eating anything. How long have you been ill like this? How long have you had this problem? What should I do, doctor? What do you think I should do, doctor? What do you recommend， doctor? It’s been this way for a few days. For quite a while. Let me examine you first. I’ll administer a(n) blood / urine / stool test / an X-ray for you first. Let’s wait until the results come. Take one pill / capsule three times a day after / before / with a meal / food. Drink plenty of water and stay in bed for the next few days.
Additional Vocabulary Parts of the Body back chest heart kidney rib hip breast spine lung liver joint limb knee elbow Symptoms to feel bad / weak / sick / poorly / nervous / depressed to be out of breath to be short of breath to have a sharp pain in the chest to cough badly to suffer from insomnia to have a high / low / slight fever to suffer nausea (恶心) to throw up to vomit to suffer from shock (休克) Illnesses a bad cold a sore throat the flu stomachache diarrhea migraine (偏头痛) hepatitis (肝炎) anemia (贫血症) high blood pressure diabetes heart attack stroke sunstroke (中暑) kidney stone (肾结石) leukemia (白血病) lung cancer arthritis (关节炎) rheumatic arthritis (风湿性关节炎) pneumonia (肺炎) tonsillitis (扁桃体炎) pimple (丘疹) chilblain (冻疮) fracture (骨折) sprain (扭伤) scald (烫伤) burn SARS / bird flu
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
D: What’s wrong with you?
P: I have a burning stomachache. And I feel like vomiting, too. D: How long has it been like this? P: Since yesterday.
D: What did you eat yesterday? Did you eat seafood?
P: Yes. I had some crabs at lunch and then I just felt terrible. D: Yours seems to be a minor case of food poisoning. P: What do you think I should do, doctor?
D: I’ll give you some medications for your stomachache and indigestion. And don’t eat any seafood for the next
week or so.
P: I won’t, doctor. Thank you.
Conversation 2
D: What seems to be the problem?
P: I hurt my left foot yesterday. I missed one step while coming down the stairs.
D: (after examining the foot) You have a sprained ankle. It’s slightly swollen. How does it feel? P: Rather painful there. What should I do, doctor?
D: I’ll give you an X-ray to see if there is anything wrong with the bone.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. 1. One of your roommates has a bad cough. Ask him / her what the matter is. Discuss the symptoms with him / her and then offer your advice.
2. Suppose you are a doctor and your partner is a patient, who has felt tired and weak for a month. Ask your patient about his / her symptoms and prescribe medications and offer some advice. Part C
Test Your Listening
Short Conversations
You’re going to hear five short conversations. Listen carefully and choose the right answers to the questions you hear. 1. a. She feels better today. b. She’ll be OK soon.
c. She’s going to see the doctor today. d. She’s not well.
2. a. Jack will come back in three weeks. b. Jack is very sick.
c. Both the man and the woman miss Jack a lot.
d. Both the man and the woman are concerned about Jack’s health. 3. a. Eating dinner at very late hours. b. Eating wrong kinds of food. c. Eating too much. d. Eating too little.
4. a. He will go to school in a couple of days. b. He is quite all right today. c. He is being treated in hospital. d. He has been ill for a couple of days.
5. a. He had an operation last week.
b. He needs further treatment in hospital. c. He has had a checkup recently. d. He is going to see the doctor again.
Script:
1. W: Jane kept coughing and couldn’t go to sleep all night. M: She must be sick. I hope she’s better today. Q: What do you know about Jane? 2. M: I haven’t seen Jack for ages.
W: Neither have I. But I heard he had been in hospital for three weeks. Q: What do you learn from the conversation?
3. W: Doctor, I’ve been suffering from a stomachache for quite a long time.
M: Tell me what you usually eat. You know eating properly is very important for health. Q: What does the doctor say about the possible cause of the woman’s illness? 4. M: How is your son Peter feeling today?
W: Much better than yesterday. But he still needs to rest for a couple of days before going to school. Q: What does the woman say about Peter? 5. M: How is your husband after the operation?
W: He’s getting better. But he still needs to go to the hospital for a checkup in a week. Q: What does the woman say about her husband?
Unit 6 Business
Part A
Listening Strategy
Identifying the Major Events in a Conversation
The ability to identify the major event of a conversation is an important aspect of training in listening comprehension. Here we are concerned with what the speakers are doing. Are they engaged in small talk to promote friendship, or discussing something serious to bring about an action? Questions like the following can give us a clue as to what is actually happening in a conversation: Who are the speakers? What is the relationship between them? What are they talking about?
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions that follow. 1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? They are probably business partners. 2. What are they doing?
One is showing the other the building where her company has offices. 3. On which floors are the offices of the company?
Accounting Office Personnel Department Manager’s Office Sales Office 2nd floor 8th floor 9th floor 1st floor
Listen to the passage and fill in the missing information. What is the speaker doing?
He is giving a brief introduction to visitors of his company’s history, line of business, and markets at home and abroad. Script:
1. W: Here we are, Mr. Wang. This is a newly-built building. M: What a fine building! How many floors are there?
W: Forty. Our company has offices on four floors in the building. M: Yours is really a big company.
W: Yes, it is. The sales office is on the first floor. The marketing and accounting offices are on the second
floor. And we have many other departments: personnel, research, etc. They are all on the 8th floor. M: Where’s the manager’s office?
W: It’s on the 9th floor. Let me show you around. M: Thank you.
2. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our company. Our company was established in 1999. It is a joint-venture company specializing in sportswear. Most of our products are for young students; some are for adults. All our products sell well both at home and abroad. In recent years, we have expanded our markets from China to Southeast Asia, East Africa, North America, and South America. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about business. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. Do you have friends or relatives that work in a business company?
2. Have you had any experience working in such a company? If yes, what is it like to work there? 3. Would you like to work in a business company after you graduate? Why or why not? 4. What qualities would an employer like to see in an employee? 5. What qualities are needed for promotion?
6. What factors does a company usually take into consideration when they want to choose a team leader? Demo:
4. What qualities would an employer like to see in an employee?
When you are looking for a job or thinking of getting a promotion, it would help if you could see yourself from the employer’s point of view. All employers look for certain qualities or personal attributes in addition to the skills that you are required to possess for that particular job. Personally, I believe employers usually prefer employees who are honest, loyal, competent and hard-working. Of course, different jobs may require different qualities. For example, loyalty and industry may not be enough for a management position which also requires insights and leadership.
Additional Question for Discussion
What do you think is more important in getting a job, educational background or experience?
Demo:
It depends on what type of job one is looking for. For an entry-level job, that means an ordinary job with low requirements, I would say most employers would first look at the applicant’s educational background. But if someone wants a middle management job or something higher, say, a manager’s position in a big company, experience would certainly play a more important role in the job hunting.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
Two of my friends are working at Intel, the international corporation. I have worked in a business company briefly.
I worked in a big company during the summer vacation as a volunteer / an intern / a part-timer.
I like / dislike working in a big business company / multinational company. It’s interesting / challenging / related to my field of study / too demanding / stressful.
I’d rather work in a smaller company where I’d have more opportunities to develop my talent. Most job advertisements say that experience is needed or preferred. Those with experience are more likely to be hired.
Experience and skills are often more valued than educational background. Graduates from prestigious universities are more likely to get good jobs.
I wish more and more companies would start summer internship programs and offer us opportunities to gain experience.
I guess a boss likes those employees who are honest / reliable / loyal / hard-working / obedient. A successful employee has good communication skills / is willing to learn new skills. Promotion is related not only to experience but also to personality and ability. The position of a leader requires more than honesty, loyalty, and industry.
An employee is likely to be promoted if he or she is hard-working and loyal / is well-experienced in his or her job / is creative and innovative / is quick at decision-making / has presence of mind at a crisis / knows how to deal with a difficult situation / is good at teamwork.
In my opinion, a sense of responsibility / creativity / daring / far-sightedness / sound judgment / an enterprising spirit / PR skills is / are the most important thing(s) in a leader at top levels of a company.
In my view, a business leader should be able to invest wisely / know how and when to invest and when to stop. A top-level leader of a business company must have good interpersonal relationships with his or her employees and clients.
Listening Tasks
Who Is to Be Promoted?
Word Bank
personnel chairperson
n. the people who work for an organization 员工 n. a person who is in charge of a meeting 会议主持人
sentimental a. showing much tender feeling rather than reasonable or practical judgment; emotional 感
情用事的
dynamic a. full of energy, new ideas, the will to succeed, etc.; forceful, energetic 充满活力的；有
魄力的
know the ropes (informal) to know how to do a particular job 掌握诀窍 (the ropes: the rules one needs to
know to get sth. done)
in case as an action against sth. happening or being true 以防 put one’s name forward to apply for a position that is open 毛遂自荐 Jeffrey （姓） Clive （男子名） Rita （女子名） Hayden
（姓）
Palmer （姓） Script:
(The Personnel Department is having a meeting. Joan Black is the chairperson of the meeting.)
Joan: I think John Jeffrey’s already been with the company for 20 years. Surely he’s not still expecting promotion.
Do you agree, Peter?
Peter: Well, in my opinion, John’s always shown great loyalty to the company. It’s time this was rewarded. What
do you think, Clive?
Clive: It’s not just a question of loyalty. Would he be any good at the job? He would need to manage a small team
— he’s got no experience of that yet.
Peter: He never will have any experience unless we give him a chance!
Joan: We can’t afford to be sentimental. I don’t think he’s the man for the job. He’s always been a follower,
not a leader. Let’s move on to the other candidates. Rita Hayden has already shown great personnel management skill, I feel, even if she’s …
Peter: Oh, come on, Joan! Rita’s still learning her trade! We can’t afford to take a risk with someone so
inexperienced.
Clive: I agree with Peter. I favor Susan Palmer. She’s got a lot of experience. She’s already worked in the
department on other occasions so she knows the ropes and she’s …
Joan: But Susan’s always struck me as a bit cautious. We need someone dynamic for this job.
Peter: I’d agree with Clive. I think Susan Palmer would do a good job. Maybe she’s a bit cautious but she’s
solid, reliable …We need those qualities too.
Joan: Well, if you’re both so sure, I suppose I’ll have to agree. Still, we’ll wait a week before confirming
it just in case any other applicants put their names forward.
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
Competition between businesses for market share can be very aggressive. However, the competition between modern enterprises, in the final analysis, consists in the competition for talented personnel. It is already an indisputable fact in the world of business. Wise employers consider their employees as their company’s greatest assets. A company needs every employee’s loyalty of service and sustained reliability. What’s more, it needs good leaders at various levels, who are expected to have professional expertise and a dynamic personality. Besides, they must not only be able to do their own work well but be good at teamwork.
People working in a company all dream of promotion. It usually takes two or three years for an entry-level clerk to get promoted to a junior-level position. But one may have to wait much longer (sometimes as long as 10 years or more or never) for a promotion to a middle management position. When a position is open, employees
who think themselves qualified for the job can put their names forward as candidates. The management will then discuss their strengths and weaknesses to make a decision as to whom to promote. 2. We can’t afford to be sentimental.
We can’t consider only our feelings. It will be harmful to the interests of our company. 3. We can’t afford to take a risk with someone so inexperienced.
If we promote such an inexperienced person we might face serious consequences. 4. she knows the ropes she knows how to do her job well
5. But Susan’s always struck me as a bit cautious.
I am under the impression that Susan is a little too careful.
Exercise 1
Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below. 1. What are the speakers doing?
They are discussing which candidate is more suitable for a vacant position in the company. 2. What position is vacant in this company? Leader of a small group.
3. What is the most important quality this position requires, according to Joan? Being dynamic.
4. Why won’t John Jeffrey be promoted? Because he has no experience in leadership. 5. Why couldn’t the company give John a chance? Because he has always been a follower, not a leader.
Exercise 2
Listen to the conversation again and complete the table below. Name of candidate John Jeffrey Strength Loyal; has been with the company for twenty years Rita Hayden Has personnel management skill Susan Palmer Experienced, solid and reliable
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Talking About One’s Occupation Inquiring About Someone’s Occupation Responding to Inquiries About Someone’s Occupation A bit too cautious, not dynamic enough Peter and Clive; Joan (agrees with reservation) No experience in being a leader Lacks experience Joan Peter and Clive Joan (at first) Weakness Those who support his／her promotion Peter Those who are against his／her promotion Joan and Clive
What’s your job / occupation? What sort of work do you do? What do you do for a living? I’m a clerk / computer programmer / manager / consultant. I work at a bank / college / hospital. I’m in personnel / sales / marketing / engineering / designing. I have a job as secretary to the president of my company / vice-president / general manager of a company. How many hours do you have to work? How many hours a day do you work? What are your working hours? We go on shift / start working at eight in the morning and go off shift / finish at five in the afternoon. We have a lunch break from 12:00 to1:00. I work eight hours a day, from nine to five. I have flexible working hours. Does the job pay well? What’s the pay like? Do you get a good salary? Quite well. Not too well. Just so- so. Just about enough to keep me going. I have a high / low income. I make quite a lot here. My job pays quite well. I get a monthly salary of … yuan. How do you like your job / occupation? I like it very much. It’s hard to say. I find my job interesting. I find my job boring. Is your new job difficult? It’s demanding / challenging / challenging but interesting. It’s hard but stimulating. How about employee benefits? We have very good benefits. We have a very good benefit policy. It does not cover everything but it does cover the most important things — health insurance and retirement plan.
Additional Vocabulary Workplace import and export company accounting firm utility company (公用事业公司) bank joint venture company (合资公司) stock exchange (股票交易所) securities company (证券公司) real estate company (房地产公司) media / PR / advertising firms / agency / company (传媒/公共关系/广告公司) airline company Occupation sales representative accountant computer programmer database management engineer consultant lawyer HR manager (人事经理) public relations manager marketing manager trader (货币或股票交易人) analyst (分析师) broker (经纪人) Position CEO (首席执行官) CFO (财务总监) controller (财务主管) executive director assistant director president (总裁) senior vice-president vice-president assistant vice-president general manager manager
travel service / agency (旅行社) restaurant five-star hotel department store drug store convenience store supermarket financial engineer real estate agent pilot air host / hostess tourist guide (head) chef / cook captain / waiter / waitress / hostess / busboy salesperson / salesman / saleswoman / salesgirl full-timer / part-timer weekend / temporary worker cashier senior administrator administrator supervisor
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
W: Hi, Ross. How do you like your new job?
M: Very much. Ours is a very good company to work for. Working there is fun. W: That’s great. What sort of work do you do? M: I’m in sales.
W: How many hours do you have to work?
M: I have flexible working hours. But on average I work about 10 hours a day. W: Do you get a good salary?
M: Quite good. The company pays its employees well, I should say. Most of us in sales earn about 3,000 yuan a month. W: What about bonus?
M: We usually get 5,000 yuan as bonus at year-end. You know, we’re rewarded for our accomplishments and
contributions.
W: Sounds like a good job.
Conversation 2
W: What does your father do, Phil?
M: He works in the marketing department in a joint venture company. He’s the manager. W: Does he like his job?
M: He’s proud of it. Their products are exported to over 20 different countries. The company made a profit of
ten million dollars last year. W: Your father must be working very hard.
M: Sure. He often has to work overtime. He seems never home for dinner. W: And he still loves his job?
M: Well, the work is rewarding. Besides, the benefits are good. W: Like what?
M: Well, the usual things, life insurance, health care, retirement plan, plus a 2-week paid holiday. W: Mm. Not bad, not bad at all.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. One of you should begin the conversations with “What does your father / mother / friend / uncle do?” And the other responds with the information below. A.
Position: accountant in a hotel Working hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Salary: 2,000 yuan a month Benefits: daily free breakfast and lunch, health insurance, retirement plan B.
Position: vice-president of an import and export corporation Working hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Salary: $72,000 a year Bonus: $10,000 at year-end Benefits: use of company car, 4-week paid holiday a year, life and health insurance, retirement plan Part C
Test Your Listening
A Passage
Listen to the story and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What did Mr. Stevenson’s store sell?
a. Family furniture. b. Sports apparatus. c. General appliances. d. Things for newly-weds.
2. Why did many newly-weds usually walk away at the end of their inquiry? a. They knew they could buy better-quality appliances elsewhere. b. They were bored with the owner’s long speech. c. They wanted to compare prices at other stores. d. They didn’t think the store could meet their needs.
3. Which of the following best describes Mr. Stevenson’s attitude towards his customers? a. Polite and patient. c. Generous and kind.
b. Polite but inflexible.
d. Snobbish and rude.
4. What was Mr. Stevenson’s response to the young couple’s refusal? a. He was not disappointed at all because he was accustomed to it. b. He couldn’t hide his disappointment.
c. He felt disappointed but smiled and then moved aside.
d. He didn’t show his disappointment and tried his best to win their trust. 5. Why did the young couple finally decide to place an order? a. They were touched by the owner’s hospitality.
b. They wanted to help the owner with his family business. c. They thought the owner was honest and sincere.
d. They realized how important after-sales services were.
Script:
Mr. Stevenson was the owner of a general appliance store. He had seen many newly-weds coming into his store to shop for their first refrigerator, washer and dryer, and air-conditioner. Pen and pencil in hand, they would ask him a lot of questions about price, features and after-sales services, but they would usually walk away at the end of their inquiry.
The other day a young couple came into his store. They asked him all the usual questions and he answered all of them patiently. But when he suggested an order at the end, they replied firmly, “We’ll have to look around places first.”
Although feeling a bit disappointed, Mr. Stevenson did not show it. Instead, he smiled, moved closer and said, “I know you will go to Discount Dan to look at the price tags. That’s perfectly understandable. I do the same. In fact, they sell the same stuff as we do. But if you buy things there, there is something you will not get, and that is me. I come with everything I sell. I’ve been in the business for thirty years and in a few years’ time I’m going to give my store to my daughter and son-in-law. I hope they will carry on the family business. I stand behind everything I sell and I will make sure that you will never regret buying things from me.”
After this short speech Mr. Stevenson offered the young couple some ice cream to thank them for their interest. Impressed by his honesty and sincerity, the young couple decided to place an order.
Unit 7 Fashion
Part A
Listening Strategy
Summarizing (1)
In listening to a conversation, a talk or a lecture, it is not necessary to remember every word. The important thing is to be able to grasp the main points. Summarizing, as the skill is known, is useful in helping us to get to the core of what is being said.
Listen to the conversation and make a summary of its main points. Complete the following summary.
A man is at a store. He wants to buy a medium-sized white T-shirt with a slogan on the front. He is helped by a shop assistant in getting what he wants. Script:
M: Excuse me. Do you have a T-shirt of this kind in a larger size? W: What size do you want? M: Medium. W: Pardon?
M: I want a medium.
W: Here’s a medium in black. Do you like it?
M: Well, I like the picture on the front, but I’d prefer a white one with a slogan on the front. W: Here’s a white one in medium. And it’s 100% cotton. M: Perfect. I’ll take it. Part B
Pre-listening Task
Questions for Discussion
You are going to talk about fashion. Read the following questions and discuss them with your partner. 1. Which is most important to you in deciding what to buy, brand name, quality, or price? 2. Do you spend much money on fashion? 3. What kind of clothes do you like to wear?
4. Do you find it important to follow the latest fashion? Why or why not? Demo:
4. Do you find it important to follow the latest fashion? Why or why not?
I don’t think it is important to follow the latest fashion. For me, fashion is not essential but optional. More often than not, I’d rather spend more time figuring out a solution to a problem at work than deciding which handbag to go with my dress or shoes. Fashion changes fast with time and it is just not that wise to follow its every step. One doesn’t need modish outfits to look really smart. It is actually cooler to create one’s own dressing style and have one’s own opinion about what is really worth striving for.
Additional Question for Discussion
Do you believe in the saying “Clothes make the man”? Why or why not? Demo:
A: Yes, I do. There is truth in the saying. Clothes can create an image for the person who wears them. They send a message about a person’s taste, values, personality, status, and so on. That’s why people say “you are what you wear.” On a more practical level, clothes may help make a person look better and feel better.
B: No, I don’t. The function of clothes is to cover the human body and keep the body warm, and nothing more. I find those people snobbish (势利的) or stupid who judge others only by the clothes they wear. I hope people will treat me for what I am, not for what I wear. I will do the same to other people.
Language Focus
Here are some sentences and structures that you might find useful in discussing the above questions.
Price is most important to me when I buy clothes or other things. Quality matters more to me than price.
It’s a waste of money to buy things of bad quality because they won’t last long. I have no interest in going after brand names.
I enjoy going to fashion shows / reading fashion magazines a lot. Shopping for clothes / cosmetics seems to be some girls’ major pastime. Fashion changes when people’s ideas change.
I don’t spend much money on fashion because it changes quickly. I can’t afford name brand clothes. They’re terribly expensive. I’m not a fashion follower.
Following fashion needs a lot of money and energy.
I follow fashion to make myself look more handsome / smart / attractive / beautiful, etc. I don’t go blindly after fashion because I like to create my own image / style. I hate to wear clothes or shoes that are out of fashion.
I like to wear casual / cotton clothes /suits / T-shirts, etc. This brand is very fashionable / popular these days.
Shoes of this brand are comfortable / inexpensive / long-wearing / easy to care for. These shirts are 100% cotton and machine-washable.
Listening Tasks
Word Bank
fashion n. the style of clothing, hair, makeup, etc. that is popular at a particular time and changes
quickly as people’s ideas and tastes change 流行式样，时尚
image convince sporty outlook physically routine mood brighten
Fashion — Image or Reality?
n. a picture formed in the mind 形象
v. to make sb. believe that sth. is true 使……信服 a. (informal) keen on playing sports 喜爱运动的 n. one’s general point of view 观点，看法 ad. with regard to the body 身体上 a. ordinary, uninteresting 平凡的；平淡的 n. the way one is feeling about sth. 情绪 v. to become or make sb. happy （使）高兴
in other words to put it in another way 换言之
psychological effect effect on one’s mind and thoughts 心理上的影响 Calvin Klein （人名；品牌名） Wrangler （人名；品牌名）
Levi （人名；品牌名为Levi’s） Script:
Why do people spend so much money on fashion? Do they want to create an image or make sure they are not old-fashioned? Do people really judge each other by the clothes they wear? The billion-dollar fashion industry certainly tries to convince consumers that such judgements are made.
Unfortunately, they may be right. A recent study using elementary school students was interesting. They said that people wearing Calvin Klein designer jeans were more handsome and successful than those wearing Wranglers. Levi’s-wearers were seen as sporty, fashionable and fun!
Obviously we learn early that “Clothes make the man.” In other words, clothes show age, outlook, status and income. However, clothes that look great on professional models may look terrible on the average buyer.
Although beautiful clothes don’t help physically, they are important for social and psychological effects. Expensive clothes can make the wearer feel like part of the high status group that sets taste and style. So you are buying an image of success. You may really live a routine life, waking up in the morning feeling dull and ordinary. But when you dress in these expensive clothes, your mood brightens. You feel good, ready to face another day with energy. Sound crazy? People who love clothes say it’s true.
Of course, a lot of people don’t like high fashion. They’d rather spend their money on something practical. Which would you prefer — the image or the reality?
Language and Culture Notes 1. Background information
Fashion, in most cases, refers to the styles of clothing, hairstyles, etc. that are popular at a particular time. Fashion changes quickly. For example, mini-skirts were all the fashion in the 1960s but they were out of fashion in the 1980s. Many people, especially women and the young, like to follow the fashion, which is usually set by famous film stars, pop singers, and models. People’s attitudes towards fashion differ greatly. Some people think going after the fashion is nothing but a waste of money. Others think changing fashions can make the world more colorful and beautiful. Wearing well-designed clothes can make one feel good and can reflect one’s personality. 2. Calvin Klein an American brand name of clothing and accessories, developed by the American designer of the same name, who was born in New York City in 1942. He established Calvin Klein Ltd. in 1968 to produce clothes and accessories bearing his typical style of spare designs with simple, elegant lines and luxury materials such as linen, silk and cashmere. Calvin Klein jeans, underwear and fragrances are particularly well-known. 3. Wrangler a brand name of jeans, shorts, shirts, and other accessories produced by Blue Bell Company in America. The company started using Wrangler as its brand name in 1943 and in 1947 introduced its authentic Western jeans to the American consumer. Since then it has specialized in producing jeans, shirts, pants, and shorts, especially suitable for outdoor wear. 4. Levi’s a brand name of blue jeans produced by Levi Strauss & Co., which developed from a small dry-goods business into one of the most prosperous clothing companies in the world. Levi Strauss & Co. has influenced five generations of American culture. In 2003 it celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding and the 130th anniversary of the invention of blue jeans by its founder, Levi Strauss and his partner Jacob Davis. 5. Clothes make the man.
(人要衣装。) This is a saying which means good clothes make people look handsome, successful, and respectable. 6. models
A model is usually a beautiful young woman employed to sell products, whether it be the latest fashion or a new car, by trying to make the product exciting and appealing so that the public will buy it.
Exercise 1
Listen to the passage and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What is the main reason why people spend much money on fashion according to the speaker? a. They want to look good and healthy.
b. They want to create a new image for themselves. c. They want to look like models. d. They want to be more successful.
2. What does “Clothes make the man” mean in the passage? a. People should wear fashionable clothes.
b. People judge each other by the clothes they wear.
c. Clothes can show one’s social status, and make one feel good. d. Clothes can tell one’s personality.
3. What’s the speaker’s attitude towards fashion? a. Positive. c. Doubtful.
b. Negative. d. Neutral.
Exercise 2
Listen to the passage again and complete the following sentences with key words from the listening text. 1. A recent study using elementary students was interesting. They said that people wearing Calvin Klein designs were more handsome and successful than those wearing Wranglers. Levi’s-wearers were seen as sporty, fashionable and fun！
2. Clothes that look great on professional models may look terrible on average buyers.
3. Expensive clothes can make the wearer feel like part of the high status group that sets taste and style. So you are buying an image of success.
4. When you dress in expensive clothes, your mood brightens. You feel good, ready to face another day with energy. 5. Of course, a lot of people don’t like high fashion. They’d rather spend their money on something practical. Which would you prefer — the image or the reality?
Speaking Tasks
Communicative Function: Giving Compliments Giving Compliments You look smart / pretty / terrific / fantastic, etc Thank you. You flatter me. What a wonderful dress you’re wearing! You look really wonderful in that red skirt. You look smart in your new jacket. You look elegant in white. Your tie and your suit are a good match. Your tie goes well with your shirt. I’m glad you like it Thank you for saying so. How kind of you to say so. Very nice of you to say so. So pleased to hear that. How sweet of you to say that. Responding to Compliments That’s a beautiful necklace / ring / bracelet you’re Thanks, it’s now my favorite shirt. wearing. How nice you look in blue! You look good in pink. It suits you. Is that a new shirt? It matches your trousers nicely. I like your hairstyle very much. Your hair looks great! Oh, thanks. I just got a haircut at that new salon down the street. You really think so? I’m so glad.
Additional Vocabulary blouse shirt suit jacket dress sweatshirt T-shirt polo shirt sweater cardigan pants jeans shorts pyjamas evening dress platform shoes sandals sneakers high-heeled shoes necklace pearl necklace ring diamond ring gold band bracelet earrings elegant tasteful stylish fashionable modern fantastic cute in fashion all the rage in good taste out of fashion in bad taste too noisy too shiny
Listen to the following conversations and repeat after the recording. Then role-play them with your partner. Conversation 1
W: I see you’re wearing a new tie today, John. Where did you buy it? M: I bought it at the new store on the corner. Do you like it? W: It looks very smart on you. M: Thank you very much.
W: I think I’ll buy one just like that for my dad. His birthday is coming soon. M: I’m sure he’ll like it.
Conversation 2
M: What a nice apartment you have, Susan! W: Thank you. I’m glad you could come.
M: You’ve decorated your rooms very nicely. They look beautiful. W: Do you really think so? I did put in a lot of thought about that. M: You have very good taste, I think. W: You flatter me. But thanks so much.
Conversation 3
W1: I like your new hairstyle very much. W2: How nice of you to say so. W1: Did you style it yourself?
W2: No. I had it done at a hairdresser’s in town. W1: Was it very expensive?
W2: Not really, but not cheap either.
W1: I’m going to cut my hair short one of these days. W2: Are you? But I think long hair suits you. W1: I don’t know. But thanks for saying so.
Exercise
Now make similar conversations according to the given situations. Use the structures and expressions above in your conversations where appropriate. 1. Your friend Jack has a new jacket on. It is in good taste. Give your compliments to him.
2. Your friend is wearing something he or she received as a birthday gift. It is in fashion. Say how good it looks on him or her. (For a young woman: necklace / bracelet / skirt, etc. For a young man: tie / scarf / shirt, etc.) Part C
Test Your Listening
A Compound Dictation
Listen to the passage three times and supply the missing information. Vera Wang has become a 1) significant figure in the American fashion industry in a 2) relatively short period of time. She has no formal design training because her father wouldn’t let her go to art school and wanted her to 3) concentrate on more “practical subjects”. After earning a degree in 4) liberal arts, Vera worked as an 5) editor at Vogue for 17 years and as a design director of Ralph Lauren for two years. In 1990 she opened her first boutique on Madison Avenue in New York, in a less expensive line of 6) ready-to-wear bridal and evening dresses. She chose bridal wear for she wanted to build a fashion company starting with one market and then 7) expand into
others. She became a household name in 1994 when she designed stylish costumes for figure skater Nancy Kerrigan to wear in the Winter Olympics.
8) Vera Wang herself is a very good skater and she had Olympic dreams too. But that dream was crushed when she did not win at the National Figure Skating Championships in 1968. 9) However her love for the sport never ceased. “I wanted to make an artistic contribution to the sport,” she said. 10) “I don’t know if designing costumes for Nancy has been good in terms of actual sales, but it has been tremendous for name recognition.”
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