2014年12月英语六级听力原文共三套

听力短对话

1. M: Before we play again, I’m going to buy a good tennis racket. W: Your shoes aren’t in a very good shape, either. Q: What does the woman mean?

2. M: Barbara, I’m glad you could assist me in the lab demonstration. But aren’t you supposed to go to Dr. Smith’s lecture today? W: I asked Kathy to take notes for me. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

3. W: Steve invited me to the dinner party on Sunday evening. Have you received your invitation yet?

M: Yes, he phoned me this morning and told me he wanted all his old classmates to come to the reunion.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation? 4. W: I’m afraid I’m a little bit seasick. I feel dizzy.

M: Close your eyes and relax. You’ll be all right as soon as we come on shore. Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

5. W: I wonder what’s happened to our train. It should have been here 20 minutes ago according to the timetable. But it’s already 9:30.

M: There’s no need to get nervous. The announcement says it’s 40 minutes late. Q: When is the train arriving?

6. M: John is handsome and wealthy. Believe it or not, he is still a bachelor. W: He is a notorious guy in many girls’eyes. I’m sick of hearing his name. Q: What does the woman mean?

7. M: Cars had lined up bumper to bumper. And I’ve been held up on the expressway for an entire hour.

W: Really? It must be a pain in the neck. But be patient, anyway, you can do nothing but wait.

Q: What do we learn about the man?

8. W: Yesterday I was surprised to see Mary using that washing machine you were going to throw away.

M: Yes, it’s quite old and in very poor condition. Frankly speaking, that she got it working amazes me a lot.

Q: What does the man imply about Mary?

听力长对话原文1 Conversation One

M: A recent case I heard was of a man accused and found guilty of breaking into a house and stealing some money. W: Well, was he really guilty, judge?

M: He admitted that he’d done it, and there were several witnesses saying that he had indeed done it. So I can only assume that he was guilty. W: Why did he do it?

M: Well, the reasons were a little muddied. Probably at least it seemed in a trial that he did it to get some money to feed his family. You see, he’d been out of work for some time.

W: Well, he’d been out of work and he chose to break into a house to get money for his family and apparently in front of people that, er... could see him do it. M: His attorney presented testimony that he had indeed applied for jobs and was listed with several employment agencies, including the State Employment Agency, but there weren’t any jobs. W: And he had no luck!

M: He had no luck and it’d been some time. He had two children and both of them were needing food and clothing.

W: So he was in desperate circumstances. Did you sentence him? M: Yes.

W: But what good does it do to put the man into jail when he’s obviously in such need?

M: This particular fellow has been in prison before. W: For the same thing?

M: No, for a different sort of crime. W: Huh?

M: But he did know about crime, so I suppose there are folks that just have to go back to prison several times.

Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. What did the judge say about the case he recently heard? 10. What do we learn about the man at the time of the crime? 11. What did the judge say about the accused?

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听力长对话原文2 Conversation Two

M: Ah, how do you do, Miss Wenzmore? W: How do you do? M: Do sit down. W: Thank you.

M: I’m glad you’re interested in our job. Now, let me explain it. We plan to increase our advertising considerably. At present, an advertising agency handles our account, but we haven’t been too pleased with the results lately and we may give our account to another agency. W: What would my work entail?

M: You’d be responsible to me for all advertising and to Mr. Grunt for public relations. You’d brief the agency whoever it is on the kind of advertising campaign we want. You would also be responsible for getting our leaflets, brochures and catalogs designed.

W: I presume you advertise in the national press as well as the trade press. M: Yes, we do.

W: Have you thought about advertising on television?

M: We don’t think it’s a suitable medium for us. And it’s much too expensive. W: I can just imagine a scene with a typist sitting on an old-fashioned typing chair, her back aching, exhausted. Then we show her in one of your chairs, Her back properly supported, feeling full of energy, typing twice as quickly.

M: Before you get carried away with your little scene, Miss Wenzmore, I regret to have to tell you again that we are not planning to go into television.

W: That’s a shame. I’ve been doing a lot of television work lately and it interests me enormously.

M: Then I really don’t think that this is quite the right job for you here, Miss Wenzmore.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12. What does the man think of their present advertising agency? 13. What would the woman be responsible for to Mr. Grunt? 14. What is the woman most interested in doing? 15. What does the man think of the woman applicant

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听力短文原文 PassageOne

Many foreign students are attracted not only to the academic programs at a particular US college but also to the larger community, which affords the chance to soak up the surrounding culture. Few foreign universities put much emphasis on the cozy communal life that characterizes American campuses from clubs and sports teams to student publications and drama societies. “The campus and the American university have become identical in people’s minds,” says Brown University president Vartan Gregorian.“In America, it is assumed that a student’s daily life is as important as his learning experience.” Foreign students also come in search of choices. America’s menu of options—research universities, state institutions, private liberal-arts schools, community colleges, religious institutions, military academies—is unrivaled. “In Europe,” says history

professor Jonathan Steinberg, who has taught at both Harvard and Cambridge, “there’s one system, and that is it.” While students overseas usually must demonstrate expertise in a specific field, whether law or philosophy or chemistry, most American universities insist that students sample natural and social sciences, languages and literature before choosing a field of concentration. Such opposing philosophies grow out of different traditions and power structures. In Europe and Japan, universities are answerable only to a Ministry of Education, which sets academic standards and distributes money. While centralization ensures that all students are equipped with roughly the same resources and perform at roughly the same level, it also discourages experimentation. “When they make mistakes, they make big ones,” says Robert Rosenzweig, president of the Association of American Universities. “They set a system in wrong directions, and it’s like steering a supertanker.”

Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16. What does the speaker say characterizes American campuses?

17. What does Brown University president Vartan Gregorian say about students' daily life?

18. In what way is the United States unrivaled according to the speaker? 19. What does the speaker say about universities in Europe and Japan?

PassageTwo

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Hello, ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard your sea-link ferry from

Folkestone to Boulogne and wish you a pleasant trip with us. We are due to leave Folkestone in about five minutes and a journey to Boulogne will take approximately two hours. We are getting good reports of the weather in the Channel and in France, so we should have a calm crossing. Sun and

temperatures of 30 degree Celsius are reported on the French coast. For your convenience on the journey, we'd like to point out that there are a number of facilities available on board. There's a snack bar serving sandwiches and hot and cold refreshments situated in the front of A deck. There’s also a restaurant serving hot meals situated on B deck. If you need to change money or cash travellers' checks, we have a bank on board. You can find a bank on C deck. Between the ship's office and the duty-free shop, toilets are situated on B deck at the rear of the ship and on A deck next to the snack bar. For the children, there's a games room on C deck next to the duty-free shop. Here children can find a variety of electronic games. Passengers are reminded that the lounge on B deck is for the sole use of passengers travelling with cars and that there is another lounge on C deck at the front of the ship for passengers travelling without cars. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to wish you a pleasant journey and hope that you'll travel with us again in the near future.

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. What does the speaker say about the sea-link ferry? 21. Where is the snack bar situated?

22. What does the speaker say about the lounge on B deck?

PassageThree

On Christmas Eve in 1994, humans entered a cave in the mountains of southeastern France for what was probably the first time in 20 000 years. The vivid images of more than 300 animals that Jean-Marie Chauvet and his assistants found on the cave walls were like none that they had seen before. Unusual in the Grotte Chauvet, as the cave is now called in honor of its discoverer, are paintings of many flat sheeting animals. Other known caves from the same geographical area and time period contain only paintings of Plantitus. The paintings in this cave refute the old theory that Cro-Magnon people painted animals that they hunted and then ate. Now many specialists believe that cave paintings were not part of a ritual to bring good luck to hunters. They point out that while deer made up a major part of their diet, there are no drawings of deer.

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They believe that the animals painted were those central to the symbolic and spiritual life of the times, animals that represented something deep and spiritual to the people. Scientists are hopeful that Grotte Chauvet will yield new

information about the art and lifestyle of Cro-Magnon people. They readily admit, however, that little is understood yet as to the reasons why ice age artists created their interesting and detailed paintings. Scientists also wonder why some paintings were done in areas that are so difficult to get to, in caves, for example, that are 2 400 feet underground, and accessible only by crawling through narrow passageways.

Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. How did the cave get its name?

24. What is the old theory about the paintings in the cave? 25. What do scientists readily admit according to the speaker?

听力填空

If you are attending a local college, especially one without residence halls, you'll probably live at home and commute to classes This arrangement has a lot of advantages. It's cheaper. It provides a comfortable and familiar setting, and it means you'll get the kind of home cooking you're used to instead of the monotony that characterizes even the best institutional food. However,

commuting students need to go out of their way to become involved in the life of their college and to take special steps to meet their fellow students. Often, this means a certain amount of initiative on your part in seeking out and talking to people in your classes whom you think you might like. One problem that commuting students sometimes face is their parents' unwillingness to recognize that they're adults. The transition from high school to college is a big one, and if you live at home you need to develop the same kind of independence you'd have if you were living away. Home rules that might have been appropriate when you were in high school don't apply. If your parents are reluctant to renegotiate, you can speed the process along by letting your behavior show that you have the responsibility that goes with maturity. Parents are more willing to acknowledge their children as adults when they behave like adults. If, however, there's so much friction at home that it interferes with your academic work, you might want to consider sharing an apartment with one or more friends. Sometimes this is a happy solution when family tensions make everyone miserable.

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2014年12月英语六级听力原文第2套

听力短对话

1. W: Oh, here’s a piece of cake and a small coffee for you, sir. The total is 35 yuan. For here or to go?

M: To go. I’d like to have them in my car. Thank you. Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place?

2. W: Oh, I must have been sitting in the same position too long. My legs have fallen asleep.

M: Shake them a little before you get up. Q: What does the man suggest the woman do?

3. W: It’s hard to believe that half the class couldn’t complete the three-thousand-meter race, isn’t it?

M: I’m afraid that says something about the students’ physical fitness. Q: What does the man mean?

4. W: Have Lisa and Eric started a family yet? They’ve been married for two years now.

M: Eric told me that they postponed having children until he gets his doctoral degree.

Q: What do we learn about Lisa and Eric?

5. W: Hi, John. Haven’t seen you for quite a few days. I heard from guys at the gym you’ve been sick. How are you feeling now?

M: They must have confused me with my brother Jack. Anyway, he’s feeling better now.

Q: What does the man mean?

6. W: Excuse me. Will it take me long to get to the museum that opened to the public recently?

M: No, it’s no distance at all. In fact, I’m going in the same direction. Come and I’ll show you the way when we get to the crossroads. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

7. M: See that guy over there in the corner. He comes in every Friday night around six and he just sits there for hours.

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W: It’s odd. But there is not much we can do as long as he orders something to drink.

Q: What does the woman mean?

8. W: You certainly have a lot of clocks. There seems to be one in every room. M: My family gave them to me because I have trouble keeping track of time. Q: What does the man’s family want him to do?

听力长对话原文1 Conversation One M: Watch it, Mary. W: What’s the matter?

M: This is the end of the road. There’s a river just beyond those trees. W: Another river? I’ve never seen so many rivers anywhere in my life. Let’s go take a look.

M: This river is wide and deep.

W: Yeah, you’re sure right about that. We aren’t going to be able to put any ordinary bridge across this one.

M: Do we have to get the trucks over to the other side? W: That’s what they told me. M: What about a ferry?

W: That’s what we’ll have to do if I can’t think of anything else, but it’ll really slow down the operation.

M: What about flying the equipment over in a helicopter?

W: We’d have to take the big trucks apart and then put them back together again, slower than a ferry and a lot more expensive. M: What’re you going to do then?

W: Well, I’m beginning to get an idea. Have you ever heard of a pontoon bridge? M: No. What’s that?

W: It’s a bridge that’s supported on boats. The boats are anchored at regular distances and they carry the weight of the bridge.

M: I guess that might work if you have enough boats, but won’t it take a long time to build them?

W: Maybe we can buy them. M: Buy them?

W: From some of the native villagers. I’ve seen some fairly big rowing boats. M: I don’t know about that? Most of those boats are pretty light.

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W: Yeah, but if we tied up a bunch of them together, they might support a road. Let’s find out anyhow.

M: OK. Questions 9 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 9. What do the speakers say about the river beyond the trees? 10. What were the speakers told to do? 11. What do the speakers decide to do finally?

听力长对话原文2 Conversation Two

W: Did your father encourage you to climb Mt.Qomolangma？

M: No. I did ask him to pull some strings so that I could climb with an Indian expedition and he flapped this at “No”. He climbed so that we wouldn’t have to. W: Did you climb any mountains with him when you were a kid? M: Mt.Biciroy, a training peak. W: What did he say at the top?

M: He didn’t talk much, but from his smile, I could see he was proud. W: The Sherpa view of climbing is different from the western view. M: We Sherpas believe that mountains are places where the gods live, especially Mt. Qomolangma. Before we climb, we perform religious ceremonies to ask god for permission and a safe passage. Sherpas don’t have any interest in climbing mountains. Mostly they climb as a necessity to make money, but the western world looks on Mt. Qomolangma as another rock and says, “Wow, this is the highest mountain. Let’s go conquer it.” You don’t conquer Mt. Qomolangma. You go on Mt.Qomolangma, just as if you are crawling into your mother’s lap. W: Let’s talk about the day you reached the summit of Mt. Qomolangma. M: My desire to climb Mt. Qomolangma grew even more after my father died in 1986. I wanted to climb to understand him. Throughout the whole climb, I thought about it. On the final day, I felt my father was pulling or pushing me, because I didn’t know where this energy came from. When I finally got to the top, I cried. I could see my dad there with a big smile.

Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 12. What did the man ask his father to do?

13. What do we learn about the man’s father from the conversation? 14. How do westerners view mountains according to the man?

15. What does the man say about his climb to the summit of Mt. Qomolangma?

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听力短文原文 PassageOne

There are a few differences in the organization of memorandums and letters. Memorandums and letters differ somewhat in appearance. “To” and “From” replace a letter’s inside address and signature block, for example. Further, letters are usually sent outside the organization, while memorandums are usually internal messages. As internal messages, memorandums tend to be more informal and more direct than their letter counterparts. One survey of 800 business people showed they spent from 21 to 38 percent of their time writing memorandums. There must be a lot of executives overwhelmed by the number of memorandums they received. As a result, competition for the reader’s time places importance on directness and clarity in memorandums. So perhaps even more so than with letters, memorandum should start with the statement of the purpose early in the message. Memorandums also need special visual treatment: keep paragraph short, much like newspaper articles. Computers increasingly aid mid and upper level managers who prepare their own memorandums without secretarial help. If you prepare your own correspondence, realize the importance of dating your messages. Knowing precisely when you recommended, ordered, signed or asked about something often is crucial. Computers often can date information for you easily. Another characteristic that can set memorandums apart from letters is the inclusion of humor. When the internal message is lighthearted and relatively unimportant, humor in a memorandum can distinguish its author as a person with personality and depth. As long as the humor is on target, does not embarrass others, is not overdone and is not too frequent, it can reflect positively on its author.

Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard. 16. How does the speaker start his talk?

17. What did the survey of 800 business people show?

18. What does the speaker say is most important in memorandum writing? 19. What characteristic of a memorandum can make readers think highly of its writer?

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PassageTwo

At school and at work, I have noticed that people have different kinds of work habits. Some people are collaborators, who like to work in groups. They find that doing a project with someone else makes the job more pleasant and the load lighter. Collaborators never work alone unless they are forced to. A second category I had noticed is the advice-seeker. An advice-seeker does the bulk of her work alone, but frequently looks to others for advice. When this worker has raised a crucial point in her project, she may show it to a classmate or co-worker just to get another opinion. Getting the advice of others makes this worker feel secure about her project as it takes shape. Another type of worker I have noticed is the slacker. A slacker tries to avoid work whenever possible. If he seems to be busy at the computer, he is probably playing a game online. And if he is writing busily, he’s probably making his grocery list. Slackers will do anything except the work they are paid to do. The final type of worker is the loner. This type of worker prefers working alone. This type of worker has confidence in his ability, and is likely to feel that collaboration is a waste of time. Loners work with others only when they are forced to. Collaborators, advice-seekers, slackers and loners have different work styles, but each knows the work habits that help him or her to get the job done.

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. What do collaborators and loners have in common?

21. In what aspect does an advice-seeker differ greatly from a loner? 22. What do we learn about slackers?

PassageThree

Before the Civil War, if you were black and born a free man, you could still be forced into slavery. That’s what happened to Solomon Northup. Northup was born a free man in Minerva, New York in 1808. He was a carpenter and talented drummer. In 1834, he and his wife moved to Saratoga Springs, New York, where they had three children. In 1841, Northup met two men who claimed to be from a circus. Because he needed the money, Northup agreed to join them as a drummer in Washington D.C. Once they reached Washington, however, the men drugged, chained, robbed, and sold him to a slave trader. Northup was shipped south to New Orleans along with other slaves, where he was sold in a slave market. He spent the next twelve years as a slave working for three masters.

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Northup worked hard and endured much cruelty, but he was always looking for the chance to escape or contact his family and friends in New York. Finally in 1852 Northup befriended Samuel Bass, a Canadian carpenter. With his help, Northup sent a letter to his friends in New York. Through the help of his friends, he regained his freedom in 1853. Northup returned to New York, where he was finally reunited with his family. Northup has many descendants, who gathered together in Saratoga Springs on July 24,1999, for a tribute to their ancestor. The town of Saratoga Springs declared July 24 Solomon Northup Day to remember the suffering of Northup and other African Americans who lived as slaves. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. What happened to Solomon Northup in 1841? 24. Who helped Northup regain contact with his friends? 25. What did the town of Saratoga Springs do?

听力填空

Intolerance is the art of ignoring any views that differ from your own. It manifests itself in hatred, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Once it intensifies in people, intolerance is nearly impossible to overcome. But why would anyone want to be labeled intolerant? Why would people want to be uninformed about the world around them? Why would one want to be part of the problem in America, instead of the solution? There are many explanations for intolerant attitudes, some dating back to childhood. It is likely that intolerant folks grew up imitating intolerant parents and the cycle of prejudice has simply continued for generations. Perhaps intolerant people are so set in their ways that they find it easier to ignore anything that might not conform to their limited view of life. Or maybe intolerant students have simply never been exposed to anyone different from themselves. But none of these reasons is an excuse for allowing the intolerance to continue. Intolerance should not be confused with

disagreement. It is, of course, possible to disagree with an opinion without being intolerant of it. If you understand a belief but still don’t believe in that specific belief, that’s fine. You are entitled to your opinion. As a matter of fact, knowledgeable dissenters are important for any belief. If we all believed the same things, we would never grow, and we would never learn about the world around us. Intolerance does not stem from disagreement. It stems from fear. And fear stems from ignorance.

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2014年12月英语六级听力原文第3套

听力短对话

1. M: The biological project is now in trouble.You know my colleague and I have completely different ideas about how to proceed.

W: Why don't you compromise? Try to make it a win-win situation for you both. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?

2. M: How does Nancy like the new dress she bought in Rome?

W: She said she would never have bought an Italian style dress if she had known Mary had already got such a dress. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

3. M: You are not going to do all those dishes before we leave, are you? If we don't pick up George and Martha in 25 minutes we'll never get to the theatre on time.

W: Oh, didn't I tell you Martha called to say her daughter was ill and they could not go tonight.

Q: What is the woman probably going to do first?

4. M: You've been hanging on to the phone for quite a while. Who were you talking with?

W: Oh, it was Sally. You know, she always has the latest news in town and can't wait to talk it over with me.

Q: What do we learn about Sally from the conversation?

5. W: It's always been hard to get this car into first gear, and now the clutch seems to be slipping.

M: If you leave the car with me,I will fix it for you this afternoon. Q: Who is the woman probably speaking to?

6. M: Kate, why does the downtown area look deserted now?

W: Well, there used to be some really good stores,but lots of them moved out to the mall.

Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

7. W: I find the lounge such a cozy place to study in. I really like the feeling of sitting on the sofa and doing the reading.

M: Well, for me the hardest part about studying here is staying awake. Q: What does the man mean?

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8. W: These mosquito bites are killing me. I can't help scratching.

M: Next time you go camping,take some precaution,say, wearing long sleeves. Q: Why does the man suggest the woman wear long sleeves?Now you will hear the two long conversations.

听力长对话原文1 Conversation One

M: Hello, and welcome to our program “Working Abroad.” Our guest this evening is a Londoner,who lives and works in Italy. Her name's Susan Hill. Susan, welcome to the program. You live in Florence. How long have you been living there?

W: Since 1982. But when I went there in 1982,I planned to stay for only six months.

M: Why did you change your mind?

W: Well, I'm a designer. I design leather goods,mainly shoes and handbags. Soon after I arrived in Florence,I got a job with one of Italy's top fashion houses, Ferragamo. So, I decided to stay.

M: How lucky! Do you still work for Ferragamo?

W: No, I've been a freelance designer for quite a long time now. Since 1988, in fact.

M: So does that mean you design for several different companies now? W: Yes, that's right. I've designed many fashion items for a number of Italian companies,and in the last four years,I've also been designing for the British company, Burberrys.

M: What have you been designing for them? W: Mostly handbags and small leather goods.

M: Has the fashion industry in Italy changed since 1982?

W: Oh, yes. It's become a lot more competitive. Because the quality of products from other countries has improved a lot. But Italian quality and design is still world-famous.

M: And do you ever think of returning to live in England?

W: No, not really. Working in Italy is more interesting. I also love the Mediterranean sun and the Italian lifestyle. M: Well, thank you for talking to us, Susan. W: It was a pleasure.

Questions 9 to 12 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

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9. Where does this talk most probably take place?

10. What was the woman's original plan when she went to Florence? 11. What has the woman been doing for a living since 1988? 12. What do we learn about the change in Italy's fashion industry?

听力长对话原文2 Conversation Two

M: So, Claire, you're into drama!

W: Yes, I've a master's degree in drama and theatre. At the moment,I'm hoping to get onto a PhD program.

M: What excites you about drama?

W: Well, I find it's a communicative way to study people and you learn how to read people in drama. So usually I can understand what people are saying even though they might be lying. M: That would be useful.

W: Yeah, it's very useful for me as well. I'm an English lecturer,so use a lot of drama in my classes such as role-plays. And I ask my students to create mini-dramas. They really respond well. At the moment,I'm hoping to get onto a PhD course. I would like to concentrate on Asian drama and try to bring Asian theatre to the world's attention. I don't know how successful I would be but, here's hoping.

M: Oh, I'm sure you'll be successful. Now, Claire, what do you do for stage fright?

W: Ah, stage fright! Well,many actors have that problem. I get stage fright every time I'm going to teach a new class. The night before,I usually can't sleep. M: What? For teaching?

W: Yes. I get really bad stage fright. But the minute I step into the classroom or get onto the stage,it just all falls into place. Then I just feel like:Yeah, this is what I mean to do. And I'm fine. M: Wow, that's cool!

Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard. 13. Why does the woman find study in drama and theatre useful?

14. How did the woman's students respond to her way of teaching English? 15. What does the woman say about her stage fright?

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听力短文原文 PassageOne

In January 19,the Community of European Railways presented their proposal for a high speed pan-European train network extending from Sweden to Sicily,and from Portugal to Poland by the year 2020. If their proposal becomes a reality,it will revolutionize train travel in Europe. Journeys between major cities will take half the time they take today. Brussels will be only one and a half hours from Paris. The quickest way to get from Paris to Frankfurt,from Barcelona to Madrid will be by train, not plane. When the network is complete,it will integrate three types of railway line: totally new high speed lines with trains operating at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour,upgraded lines which allow for speeds up to 200 to 225 kilometers per hour,and existing lines for local connections and distribution of freight. “If business people can choose between a three-hour train journey from city-centre to city-centre and a one-hour flight they'll choose the train,”says an executive travel consultant. “They won't go by plane any more. If you calculate flight time,check-in and travel to and from the airport,you'll find almost no difference. And if your plane arrives late due to bad weather or air traffic jams or strikes,then the train passengers will arrive at their destination first.”Since France introduced the first 260-kilometer-per-hour high speed train service between Paris and Lyons in 1981,the trains have achieved higher and higher speeds. On many routes,airlines have lost up to 90% of their passengers to high speed trains. If people accept the Community of European Railways' plan,the 21st century will be the new age of the train.

Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.

16. What is the proposal presented by the Community of European Railways? 17. What will happen when the proposal becomes a reality?

18. Why will business people prefer a three-hour train journey to a one-hour flight?

19. When did France introduce the first high speed train service?

PassageTwo

Western doctors are beginning to understand what traditional healers have always known that the body and the mind are inseparable. Until recently, modern urban physicians heal the body,psychiatrist the mind,and priest the soul.However, the medical world is now paying more attention to holistic

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medicine which is an approach based on the belief that people's state of mind can make them sick or speed their recovery from sickness. Several studies show that the effectiveness of a certain drug often depends on the patients' expectations of it.For example, in one recent study,psychiatrists at a major hospital tried to see how patients could be made calm.They divided them into two groups.One group was given a drug while the other group received a harmless substance instead of medicine without their knowledge.Surprisingly, more patients in the second group showed the desired effect than those in the first group. In study after study,there's a positive reaction in almost one-third of the patients taking harmless substances. How was this possible? How can such a substance have an effect on the body? Evidence from a 1997 study at the University of California shows that several patients who received such substances were able to produce their own natural drug,that is, as they took the substance their brains released natural chemicals that act like a drug.Scientists theorized that the amount of these chemicals released by a person's brain quite possibly indicates how much faith the person has in his or her doctor.

Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard. 20. According to the speaker,what are western doctors beginning to understand?

21. What does the recent study at a major hospital seem to prove?

22. What evidence does the 1997 study at the University of California produce?

PassageThree

So we've already talked a bit about the growth of extreme sports like

rock-climbing. As psychologists, we need to ask ourselves: Why is this person doing this? Why do people take these risks and put themselves in danger when they don't have to? One common trait among risk-takers is that they enjoy strong feelings or sensations.We call this trait sensation-seeking.A

sensation-seeker is someone who's always looking for new sensations. What else do we know about sensation-seekers? Well, as I said,sensation-seekers like strong emotions.You can see this trait in many parts of a person's life,not just in extreme sports. For example, many sensation-seekers enjoy hard rock music. They like the loud sound and strong emotion of the songs.Similarly,

sensation-seekers enjoy frightening horror movies. They like the feeling of being scared and horrified while watching the movie. This feeling is even stronger for extreme sports where the person faces real danger.Sensation-seekers feel the

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danger is very exciting. In addition, sensation-seekers like new experiences that force them to push their personal limits. For them, repeating the same things every day is boring.Many sensation-seekers choose jobs that involve risk,such as starting a new business or being an emergency room doctor. These jobs are different every day,so they never know what will happen.That's why many sensation-seekers also like extreme sports.When you do rock-climbing, you never know what will happen.The activity is always new and different. Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard. 23. According to the speaker what is a common trait among risk-takers? 24. What do sensation-seekers find boring? 25. What is the speaker's profession? 听力填空

If you're like most people,you've indulged in fake listening many times. You go to history class,sit in the third row,and look squarely at the instructor as she speaks. But your mind is far away floating in the clouds of pleasant daydreams. Occasionally you come back to earth: The instructor writes an important term on the chalkboard, and you dutifully copy it in your notebook. Every once in a while the instructor makes a witty remark,causing others in the class to laugh.You smile politely,pretending that you've heard the remark and found it mildly humorous. You have a vague sense of guilt that you aren't paying close attention, but you tell yourself that any material you miss can be picked up from a friend's notes. Besides, the instructor's talking about road construction in ancient Rome, and nothing could be more boring. So back you go into your private little world. Only later do you realize you've missed important information for a test.Fake listening may be easily exposed,since many speakers are sensitive to facial cues and can tell if you're merely pretending to listen. Your blank expression and the faraway look in your eyes are the cues that betray your inattentiveness Even if you're not exposed,there's another reason to avoid fakery: It's easy for this behavior to become a habit. For some people, the habit is so deeply rooted that they automatically start daydreaming when a speaker begins talking on something complex or uninteresting. As a result, they miss lots of valuable information.

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