6级听力

2009年12月六级听力原文 Section A

Q: What does the man say about some elderly people?

12.W: Rod must be in a bad mood today. What‟s wrong with him?

M: He was passed over in the selection process for the dean of the admissions office. He‟d been hoping for the position for a long time. Q: What does the man mean?

13.M: What a great singer Justin is! His concert is just awesome. And you‟ll never

regret the money you paid for the ticket. W: Yeah. Judging by the amount of the applause, everyone was enjoying it. Q: What does the woman mean?

14.W: I received an email yesterday from Henry. Do you remember? He was one of

the chairpersons of our students union. M: Yes, but I haven‟t heard from him for ages. Actually I‟ve been out of touch with him since our first reunion after graduation. Q: What do we learn about the speakers?

15.M: Driving at night always makes me tired. Let‟s stop for dinner. W: Fine. And let‟s find a motel, so that we can get an early start tomorrow. Q: What will the speakers probably do?

16.W: Let‟s look at the survey on consumer confidence we conducted last week. How

reliable are these figures? M: They have a 5% margin of error Q: What are the speakers talking about?

17.W: Look at this catalogue, John. I think I want to get this red blouse.

M: Err, I think you‟ve already one like this in blue. Do you need every color in the rainbow? Q: What does the man mean?

18.W: This notice says that all the introductory marketing classes are closed. M: That can‟t be true. There‟s supposed to be 13 of them this semester. Q: What does the man mean?

Conversation One

M: I see on your resume that you worked as a manager of a store called “Computer Country”. Could you tell me a little more about your responsibilities there? W: Sure. I was responsible for overseeing about 30 employees. I did all of the ordering for the store, and I kept track of the inventory.

M: What was the most difficult part of your job?

W: Probably handling angry customers. We didn‟t have them very often, but when we did, I needed to make sure they were well taken care of. After all, the customer is always right. M: That‟s how we feel here too. How long did you work there? W: I was there for three and a half years. I left the company last month. M: And why did you leave?

W: My husband has been transferred to Boston. And I understand your company has an opening there too. M: Yes, that‟s right. We do. But the position won‟t start until early next month. Would that be a problem for you? W: No, not at all. My husband‟s new job doesn‟t begin for a few weeks. So we

thought we would spend some time driving to Boston and stop to see my parents. M: That sounds nice. So tell me, why are you interested in this particular position? W: I know that your company has a great reputation, and a wonderful product. I‟ve thought many times that I would like to be a part of it. When I heard about the opening in Boston, I jumped to the opportunity. M: Well I‟m glad you did.

19. What was the woman‟s previous job?

20. What does the woman say was the most difficult part of her job? 21. Why is the woman looking for a job in Boston? 22. When can the woman start to work if she gets the job?

Conversation Two

W: Today in the studio we have Alberto Cortez, the well-known Brazilian advocate of the anti-global movement. He‟s here to talk about the recent report, stating that by 2050 Brazil will be the one ot the word‟s wealthiest and most successful countries. Alberto, what do you say to the report? M: You know this isn‟t the first time that people are saying Brazil will be a great economic power. The same thing was said over a hundred year ago. But it didn‟t happen. W: Yes, but you must admit the world‟s a very different place now.

M: Of course. In fact I believe there‟s maybe some truth in the prediction this time around. First of all, though, we must remember the problems facing Brazil at the moment. W: Such as?

M: There‟s an enormous gap between the rich and the poor in this country. In Sal Paulo, you can see shopping malls full of designer goods right next door to the

slam areas without proper water and electricity supplies. A lot of work needs to be done to help people in those areas improve their lives. W: What needs to be done?

M: Education, for example. For Brazil to be successful, we need to offer education to all Brazilians. Successful countries like South Korea and Singapore have excellent education systems. Brazil needs to learn from these countries. W: So you are hopeful for the future.

M: As I said earlier, I‟m hopeful. This isn‟t an easy job. We need to make sure that these important opportunities for Brazil aren‟t wasted, as they were in the past. 23. What does the recent report say about Brazil? 24. What problem does Alberto say Brazil faces now?

25. What does Alberto say about economically successful countries?

Section B Passage One

Wilma Subra had no intention of becoming a public speaker. After graduating from college with degrees in chemistry and microbiology, she went to work at Gulf South Research Institute in Louisiana. As part of her job, she conducted field research on toxic substances in the environment, often in minority communities located near large industrial polluters. She found many families were being exposed high, sometimes deadly, levels of chemicals and other toxic substances, but she was not allowed to make her information public.

Frustrated by these restrictions, Subra left her job in 1981, created her own company, and has devoted the past two decades to helping people fight back against giant industrial polluters. She works with families and community groups to conduct environmental tests, interpret test results, and organize for change. Because of her efforts, dozens of toxic sites across the country have been cleaned up, and one chemical industry spokesperson calls her “a top gun” for the environmental movement.

How has Subra achieved all this? Partly through her scientific training, partly through her commitment to environmental justice. But just as important is her ability to communicate with people through public speaking. “Public speaking,” she says, “is the primary vehicle I use for reaching people.”

If you had asked Subra before 1981, “Do you see yourself as a major public speaker?” She would have laughed at the idea. Yet today she gives more than 100 presentations a year. Along the way she has lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, and addressed audiences in 40 states, as well as in Mexico, Canada, and Japan.

26. What did Wilma Subra do as part of her job while working at Gulf South Research Institute?

27. What did Wilma Subra leave her job in 1981?

28. What results have Wilma Subra‟s efforts had in the part two decades? 29. What does the speaker say has contributed to Wilma Subra‟s success? Passage Two

One of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today is the rapid advance of globalization. The market place is no longer national or regional, but extends to all corners of the world. And this requires a global ready workforce. Universities have a large part to play in preparing students for the 21st century labor market by promoting international educational experiences. The most obvious way universities can help develop global workforce is by encouraging students to study abroad as part of their course. Students who have experienced another culture first hand are more likely to be global ready when they graduate.Global workforce development doesn‟t always have to involve travel abroad however. If students learn another language and study other cultures, they will be more global ready when they graduate. It is important to point out that students also need to have a deep understanding of their own culture before they can begin to observe, analyze and evaluate other cultures. In multi-cultural societies, people can study each other‟s cultures, to develop intercultural competencies, such as critical and reflective thinking, and intellectual flexibility. This can be done both through the curriculum and through activities on campus, outside of the classroom, such as art exhibitions, and lectures from international experts. Many universities are already embracing this challenge, and providing opportunities for students to become global citizens. Students themselves, however, may not realize that when they graduate, they will be competing in a global labor market, and universities need to raise awareness of these issues amongst undergraduates. Questions 30-32

Q30: What is one of the biggest challenges facing employers and educators today? Q31: What should students do first before they can really understand other cultures? Q32: What should college students realize according to the speaker?

Passage three

To see if hair color affects a person‟s chances of getting a job, researchers at California State University asked 136 college students to review the resume and photograph of a female applicant for a job as an accountant. Each student was given the same resume. But the applicant‟s picture was altered, so that in some photos her hair was golden, in some red and in some brown. The result? With brown hair, the woman was rated more capable, and she was offered a higher salary than when she had golden or red hair. Other studies have found similar results. Many respondents rate women with golden hair with less intelligent than other people, and red heads as more temperamental. Women with red or golden hair are victims of the common practice of stereotyping.

A stereotype is a simplistic or exaggerated image that humans carrying in their minds about groups of people. For example, lawyers are shrewd and dishonest is a popular stereotype. Stereotyping can occur in public speaking classes. When trying to choose a speech topic, some males think that women are uninterested in how to repair cars, while some females think that men are uninterested in creative hobbies, such as knitting and needle point. We should reject stereotypes, because they force all people in a group into the same simple pattern. They fail to account for individual differences, and the wide range of characteristics among members of any group. Some lawyers are dishonest, yes! But many are not. Some women are uninterested in repairing cars, yes! But some are enthusiastic mechanics. Questions 33-35

33: What did researchers at California State University find? 34: What is the popular stereotype of lawyers?

35: Why does the speaker say we should reject stereotypes? Section C

The ancient Greeks developed basic memory systems called mnemonics. The name is derived from their Goddess of memory \"Mnemosyne\". In the ancient world, a trained memory was an immense asset, particularly in public life. There were no convenient devices for taking notes, and early Greek orators delivered long speeches with great accuracy because they learned the speeches using mnemonic systems. The Greeks discovered that human memory is largely an associative process that it works by linking things together. For example, think of an apple. The instant your brain registers the word \"applehat fruit. All these things are associated in your memory with the word \"apple\". This means that any thought about a certain subject will often bring up more memories that are related to it. An example could be when you think about a lecture you have had. This could trigger a memory about what you're talking about through that lecture, which can then trigger another memory. Associations do not have to be logical. They just have to make a good link. An example given on a website I was looking at follows, \"Do you remember the shape of Austria? Canada? Belgium? Or Germany? Probably not. What about Italy though? If you remember the shape of Italy, it is because you have been told at some time that Italy is shaped like a boot. You made an association with something already known, the shape of a boot. And Italy shape could not be forgotten once you had made the association. 2010年6月六级听力原文 Section A

Short Conversation

11.M: Oh, I'm so sorry I forgot to bring along the book you borrowed from the library. W: What a terrible memory you have! Anyway, I won't need it until Friday night. As long as I can get it by then, OK?

Q: What do we learn from this conversation?

12.W: Doctor, I haven't been able to get enough sleep lately, and I'm too tired to

concentrate in class. M: Well, you know, spending too much time indoors with all that artificial lighting can do that to you. Your body loses track of whether it's day or night. Q: What does the man imply?

13.M: I think I'll get one of those new T-shirts, you know, with the school's logo on

both the front and back. W: You'll regret it. They are expensive, and I've heard the printing fades easily when you wash them. Q: What does the woman mean?

14. W: I think your article in the school newspaper is right on target, and your

viewpoints have certainly convinced me. M: Thanks, but in view of the general responses, you and I are definitely in the minority. Q: What does the man mean?

15. M: Daisy was furious yesterday because I lost her notebook. Should I go see her

and apologize to her again? W: Well, if I were you, I'd let her cool off a few days before I approach her. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?

16. M: Would you please tell me where I can get batteries for this brand of camera? W: Let me have a look. Oh, yes, go down this aisle, pass the garden tools, you'll find them on the shelf next to the light bulbs. Q: What is the man looking for?

17. M: Our basketball team is playing in the finals but I don't have a ticket. I guess I'll just watch it on TV. Do you want to come over? W: Actually I have a ticket. But I'm not feeling well. You can have it for what it cost me. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

18. M: Honey, I'll be going straight to the theatre from work this evening. Could you

bring my suit and tie along?

W: Sure, it's the first performance of the State Symphony Orchestra in our city, so

suit and tie is a must. Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

Long Conversations Conversation 1

M: I got two letters this morning with job offers, one from the Polytechnic, and the other from the Language School in Pistoia, Italy. W: So you are not sure which to go for?

M: That's it. Of course, the conditions of work are very different: The Polytechnic is offering two-year contract which could be renewed, but the language school is only offering a year's contract, and that's a different minus. It could be renewed, but you never know. W: I see. So it's much less secure. But you don't need to think too much about steady jobs when you are only 23. M: That's true.

W: What about the salaries?

M: Well, the Pistoia job pays much better in the short term. I'll be getting the equivalent of about ￡22,000 a year there, but only ￡20,000 at the Polytechnic. But then the hours are different. At the Polytechnic I'd have to do 35 hours a week, 20 teaching and 15 administration, whereas the Pistoia school is only asking for 30 hours teaching. W: Mmm…

M: Then the type of teaching is so different. The Polytechnic is all adults and mostly preparation for exams like the Cambridge certificates. The Language School wants me to do a bit of exam preparation, but also quite a lot of work in companies and factories, and a couple of children's classes. Oh, and a bit of literature teaching. W: Well, that sounds much more varied and interesting. And I'd imagine you would be doing quire a lot of teaching outside the school, and moving around quite a bit. M: Yes, whereas with the Polytechnic position, I'd be stuck in the school all day. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard: 19. What do we learn about the man from the conversation? 20. What do we learn about the students at the Polytechnic? 21. What does the woman think of the job at the Language School?

Conversation 2

W: Good evening and welcome to tonight's edition of Legendary Lives. Our subject this evening is James Dean, actor and hero for the young people of his time. Edward Murray is the author of a new biography of Dean. Good evening, Edward. M: Hello Tina.

W: Edward, tell us what you know about Dean's early life.

M: He was born in Indiana in 1931, but his parents moved to California when he was five. He wasn't there long though because his mother passed away just four years

later. Jimmy's father sent him back to Indiana after that to live with his aunt. W: So how did he get into acting?

M: Well, first he acted in plays at high school, then he went to college in California where he got seriously into acting. In 1951 he moved to New York to do more stage acting. W: Then when did his movie career really start?

M: 1955. His first starring role was in East of Eden. It was fabulous. Dean became a huge success. But the movie that really made him famous was his second one, Rebel Without a Cause, that was about teenagers who felt like they didn't fit into society. W: So how many more movies did he make?

M: Just one more, then he died in that car crash in California in 1955.

W: What a tragedy! He only made three movies! So what made him the legend he still is today? M: Well I guess his looks, his acting ability, his short life, and maybe the type of character he played in his movies. Many young people saw him as a symbol of American youths. Q22 What is the woman doing?

Q23 Why did James Dean move back to Indiana when he was young? Q24 What does the man say James Dean did at college in California? Q25 What do we know about James Dean from the conversation?

Section B Passage 1

The time is 9 o'clock and this is Marian Snow with the news.

The German authorities are sending investigators to discover the cause of the plane crash late yesterday on the island of Tenerife. The plane, a Boeing 737, taking German holiday makers to the island crashed into a hillside as it circled while preparing to land. The plane was carrying 180 passengers. It's thought there are no survivors. Rescue workers were at the scene.

The British industrialist James Louis, held by kidnappers in Central Africa for the past 8 months, was released unharmed yesterday. The kidnappers had been demanding 1 million pounds for the release of Mr. Louis. The London Bank and their agents who had been negotiating with the kidnappers have not said whether any amount of money has been paid.

The 500 UK motors workers who had been on strike in High Town for the past 3 three weeks went back to work this morning. This follows successful talks between management and union representatives, which resulted in a new agreement on working hours and conditions. A spokesman for the management said that they'd hope

they could now get back to producing cars, and that they lost lot of money and orders over this dispute.

And finally the weather. After a cold start, most of the country should be warm and sunny. But towards late afternoon, rain will spread from Scotland to cover most parts by midnight.

Questions 26 – 29 are based on the passage you have just heard. 26 What does the news say about the Boeing 737 plane? 27 What happened to British industrialist James Louis? 28 How did the 3-week strike in High Town end?

29 What kind of weather will be expected by midnight in most parts of the country?

Passage 2

Juan Louis, a junior geology major, decided to give an informative speech about how earthquakes occur. From his audience and analysis he learned that only 2 or 3 of his classmates knew much of anything about geology. Juan realized then that he must present his speech at an elementary level and with a minimum of scientific language. As he prepared the speech, Juan kept asking himself, “How can I make this clear and meaningful to someone who knows nothing about earthquakes or geological principles?” Since he was speaking in the Midwest, he decided to begin by noting that the most severe earthquake in American history took place not in California or Alaska but at New Madrid, Missouri in 1811. If such an earthquake happened today, it would be felt from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and would flatten most of the cities in the Mississippi valley. That, he figured, should get his classmates' attention. Throughout the body of the speech, Juan dealt only with the basic mechanics of the earthquakes and carefully avoid technical terms. He also prepared visual aids, diagramming photo line, so his classmates wouldn't get confused. To be absolutely safe, Juan asked his roommate, who was not a geology major, to listen to the speech. “Stop me,” he said, “any time I say something you don't understand.” Juan's roommate stopped him four times. And at each spot, Juan worked out a way to make his point more clearly. Finally, he had a speech that was interesting and perfectly understandable to his audience.

Questions 30 – 32 are based on the passage you have just heard. 30 What did Juan Louis learn from the analysis of his audience? 31 How did Juan Louis start his speech?

32 What did Juan ask his roommate to do when he was making his trial speech?

Passage 3

Esperanto is an artificial language, designed to serve internationally as an auxiliary means of communication among speakers of different languages. It was created by Ludwig Lazar Zamenhof, a Polish Jewish doctor specialized in eye

diseases. Esperanto was first presented in 1887. An international movement was launched to promote its use. Despite arguments and disagreements, the movement has continued to flourish and has members in more than 80 countries. Esperanto is used internationally across language boundaries by at least 1 million people, particularly in specialized fields. It is used in personal context, on radio broadcasts and in a number of publications as well as in translations of both modern works and classics. Its popularity has spread form Europe, both east and west, to such countries as Brazil and Japan. It is, however, in China that Esperanto has had its greatest impact. It is taught in universities and used in many translations, often in scientific or technological works. EL POPOLA CHINIO, which means from people's China, it's a monthly magazine in Esperanto and it is read worldwide. Radio Beijing's Esperanto program is the most popular program in Esperanto in the world. Esperanto's vocabulary is drawn primarily from Latin, the Roman's languages, English and German. Spelling is completely regular. A simple and consistent set of endings indicates grammatical functions of words. Thus, for example, every noun ends in“o”, every adjective in“a”, and basic form of every verb in“i”. Esperanto also has a highly productive system of constructing new words from old ones.

Questions 33 – 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q33 What does the speaker tell us about Esperanto?

Q34 What is said about the international movement to promote the use of Esperanto? Q35 What does the speaker say about Esperanto in China?

Section C

George Herbert Mead said that humans are talked into humanity. He meant that we gain personal identity as we communicate with others. In the earliest years of our lives, our parents tell us who we are. \"You're intelligent.\" \"You're so strong.\" We first see ourselves through the eyes of others, so their messages form important foundations of our self-concepts. Later we interact with teachers, friends, romantic partners, and coworkers who communicate their views of us. Thus, how we see ourselves reflects the views of us that others communicate.

The profound connection between identity and communication is dramatically evident in children who are deprived of human contact. Case studies of children who were isolated from others reveal that they lack a firm self-concept, and their mental and psychological development is severely hindered by lack of language.

Communications with others not only affects our sense of identity but also directly influences our physical and emotional well-being. Consistently, research shows that communicating with others promotes health, whereas social isolation is linked to stress, disease, and early death.

People who lack close friends have greater levels of anxiety and depression than people who are close to others. A group of researchers reveal scores of studies that trace the relationship between health and interaction with others.

The conclusion was that social isolation is statistically as dangerous as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity. Many doctors and researchers believe that loneliness harms the immune system, making us more vulnerable to a range of miner and major illnesses.

2010年12月六级听力原文 Section A

11.W: This is one of our best and least expensive two-bedroom listings. It‟s located in

a quiet building and it‟s close to bus lines.

M: That maybe true. But look at it, it‟s awful, the paint has peeled off and carpet is worn and the stove is ancient.

Q: What can we infer from the conversation?

12. M: The pictures we took at the botanical garden should be ready tomorrow. W: I can‟t wait to see them, I‟m wondering if the shots I took are as good as I thought.

Q: What is the woman eager to know?

13. W: The handle of the suitcase is broken. Can you have it fixed by next Tuesday? M: Let me see, I need to find a handle that matches but that shouldn‟t take too long.

Q: What does the man mean?

14. M: This truck looks like what I need but I‟m worried about maintenance. For us

it‟ll have to operate for long periods of time in very cold temperatures. W: We have several models that are especially adaptive for extreme conditions. Would you like to see them?

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

15.M: I think your boss would be very upset when he gets your letter of resignation. W: That may be so. But in the letter, I just told him frankly I could no longer live with his poor management and stupid decisions. Q: What do we learn about the woman?

16.W: I‟d like to exchange the shirt. I‟ve learned that the person bought it for allergic to wool.

M: Maybe we can find something in cotton or silk. Please come this way. Q:What does the women want to do?

17.M: Excuse me, Miss？Did anyone happen to turn in a new handbag? You know,

it‟s a birthday gift for my wife.

W: Let me see. Oh, we‟ve got quite a lot of women‟s bags here. Can you give me more detailed information, such as the color, the size and the trademark? Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place?

18.M: What are you going to do with the old house you are in heritage from your

grandfather?

W: once intended to sell it, but now, I‟m thinking of turning it into a guest house, because it's still a solid structure.

Q: What does the man plan to do with his old house?

Conversation One

W: When you write a novel , you know where you are going ,Dr,James ?

M: Yes ,you must really if you are writing a classical detective story .Because it must be so carefully. plotted and so carefully clued I have schemes,I have charts I have diagrams .It doesn‟t mean to say I always get it right ,but I do plan before I begin writing ,but what is so fascinating is how a book changes during the process of writing .It seems to me that creative writing is a process of revelation really rather than of creativity in the ordinary sense

W: When are you planning the basic structure ,do you like to go away to be sure that you are by yourself …?.

M: I need to be by myself certainly ,absolutely , I can‟t even bear anybody else in the house .I don‟t mind much where I am as long as I have got enough space to write ,but I need to be completely alone W: Is that very important to you?

M : Oh ,yes ,I ‟ve never been lonely in all my life M : How extraordinary ! never ? M : No ,never

W: You are very lucky Some one once said that there is a bit of ice at the the heart of a writer

M:Yes ,I think this is true ,the writer can stand aside from the experience and look at it ,watch it happening .This is the detachment ;and I realize that there are obviously experiences which would overwhelm everyone ,but very often a writer can appear to stand aside and this detachment makes people feel there is a bit of ice in the heart

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

19,What is the key to writing a good classical detective story according to the man ? 20,what is the man mainly need when working on a work ? 21what does the man say about writers ?

Conversation Two

W: there is an element there about the competition, isn‟t there? Because British railways are a nationalized industry, there isn‟t any one railway system in the

country. If you don‟t like a particular kind of big beans, you can go on by another; but if you don‟t like the particular railway, you can‟t go on using another

M: some people who write to me say this. They say that if you did not have a monopoly, you would not be able to do the things you do. Well, I don‟t think we do anything deliberately to upset our customers, we have particular problems. Since 1946, when the Transport Act came in, we were nationalized.

W: Do you think that is a good thing? Has it been a good thing for the railways, do you think, to be nationalized?

M: Oh, I think so, yes, because in general, mosts of the transports are all around. Let‟s face the fact, the car are arrived the cars are here to stay. There is no question about that

W: So what‟s your saying then? Is it if the railways haven‟t been nationalized, they would simply have disappeared?

M: Oh, I think they would have. They are disappearing fast in America. The French railways lose 1 billion pounds a year, the German railways, 2 billion a year. But you see those governments are preparing to pour the money into the transport system to keep it going

W: So, In a sense, you call between two extremes. On the one hand, they are trying not to lose too much money, and on the other hand, you‟ve got to provide the best service.

M: Yes, you are right

Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you‟ve just heard 22. What does the woman say about the British railways? 23. What do some people who write to the man complain about? 24. What does the man say threatens the existence of the railways? 25. What does the man say about the railways in other countries?

Section B Passage 1

Among global warming‟s most frightening threats is the prediction that the polar ice caps will melt, raising sea level so much, that coastal cities from New York, to Los Angeles, to Shanghai will be flooded. Scientists agree that they key player in this scenario is the West Antarctic ice sheet. A Brazil size mass frozen water that as much

as 7,000 feet thick, unlike floating ice shelves which have little impact on sea level when they break up, the ice sheet is anchored to bedrock will blow the sea surface. Surrounded by an open ocean, it is also vulnerable. But Antarctic experts disagree strongly on just how unstable it is. Now new evidence reveals that all are most of the West Antarctic ice sheet collapsed at least once during the past 1.3 million years-- a period when global temperatures probably will not significantly higher than they are today. And the ice sheet was assumed to have been stable. In geologic time, a million years is recent history. The proof which was published last week in Science comes from a team of scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden and Californian Institute of Technology who drill deep holes near the edge of the ice sheet. Within samples collected from the solid substance lying beneath the ice, they found fossils of microscope marine plants which suggests the region was once an open ocean, not solid ice. As Herman Ankleherd, a co-author from Californian Institute of Technology says, “The West Antarctic ice sheet disappeared once and can disappear again.” Questions 26 to question 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.

26: What is one of the most frightening threats of global warming according to the passage?

27: What did scientists disagree on?

28: What does the latest information reveal about West Antarctic ice sheet? 29: What does scientists‟ latest finding suggest?

Passage 2

It's always fun to write about research that you can actually try out for yourself. Try this: Take a photo and upload it to Facebook, then after a day or so, note what the URL link to the picture is and then delete it. Come back a month later and see if the link works. Chances are: It will.

Facebook isn't alone here. Researchers at Cambridge University have found that nearly half of the social networking sites don't immediately delete pictures when a user requests they be removed. In general, photo-centric websites like Flickr were found to be better at quickly removing deleted photos upon request.

Why do \"deleted\" photos stick around so long? The problem relates to the way data is stored on large websites: While your personal computer only keeps one copy of a file, large-scale services like Facebook rely on what are called content delivery networks to manage data and distribution. It's a complex system wherein data is

copied to multiple intermediate devices, usually to speed up access to files when millions of people are trying to access the service at the same time. But because changes aren't reflected across the content delivery networks immediately, ghost copies of files tend to linger for days or weeks.

In the case of Facebook, the company says data may hang around until the URL in question is reused, which is usually \"after a short period of timehat time can vary considerably.

30 What does the speaker ask us to try out?

31 What accounts for the failure of some websites to remove photos immediately? 32 When will the unwanted data eventually disappear from Facebook according to the company?

Passage 3

Enjoy an iced coffee, better skip dinner or hit the gym afterwards. With the Cancer Charity warning that some iced coffees contain as many calories as a hot dinner.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) conducted a survey of iced coffee sold by some popular chains in Britain including Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Costa Coffee to give the calories as studies increasingly link obesity with cancer.

The worst offender, a coffee from Starbucks had 561 calories, other iced coffees contained more than 450 calories, and the majority had an excess of 200.

Health experts advise that the average women should consume about 2000 calories a day and a man about 2500 calories to maintain a healthy weight. Dieters aim for 1000 to 1500 calories a day.

“The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman‟s daily calories allowance is alarming.” Doctor Rachel Thompson, science programmer manager at London-based WCRF, said in a widely reported statement,

“This is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal, not in a drink.”

The WCRF has estimated that 19 thousand cancers a year in Britain could be prevented if people lost their excess weight, with growing evidence that excess body fat increases various cancers.

“If you are having these types of coffee regularly then they will increase chances of you becoming overweight, with in turn increases your risk of developing cancer as well as other diseases such as heart disease,” she added. Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. Q33: What warning does some health experts give?

Q34: What does the author suggest people do after an iced coffee?

Q35: What could British people expect if they maintain the normal body weight according to the WCRF?

Section C

Psychologists are finding that hope plays a surprisingly vital role in giving people a measurable advantage in rounds as diverse as academic achievement, bearing up in tough jobs, and coping with tragic illness. And, by contrast, the loss of hope, is turning out to be a stronger sign that a person may commit suicide than other factors long thought to be more likely risks. „Hope has proven a powerful predictor of outcome in every study we've done so far,‟ said Doctor Charles R. Snyder, a psychologist, who has devised a scale to assess how much hope a person has. For example, in research with 3920 college students, Doctor Snyder and his colleagues found that the level of hope among freshmen at the beginning of their first semester was a more accurate predictor of their college grades, than were their SAT scores or their grade point averages in high school, the two measures most commonly used to predict college performance. „Students with high hope set themselves higher goals and know how to work to attain them,‟ Doctor Snyder said. „When you compare students of equivalent intelligence and past academic achievements, what sets them apart is hope.‟ In devising a way to assess hope scientifically, Doctor Snyder went beyond the simple notion that hope is merely the sense that everything will turn out all right. „That notion is not concrete enough and it blurs two key components of hope,‟ Doctor Snyder said, „Having hope means believing you have both the will and the way to accomplish your goals, whatever they may be.‟

2009年6月六级听力原文 Section A

11. W: I forgot to tell you that Fred called last night to borrow your sleeping bag. M: Oh, I saw him at the gym this morning, but he didn‟t say anything. So he must have asked somebody else. Q: What does the man imply?

12.W: These summer days are getting to be more than I can take. It was even too hot

to go to the pool yesterday. M: Hang in there. According to the weather report we should have some relief by the end of the week. Q: What does the man mean?

13.W: Well, tonight we have Professor Brown in our studio to talk about the famous

oil painting of Queen Victoria. Good evening, professor. M: Good evening, madam, my pleasure to be here tonight. Q: What is the woman doing?

14.M: The plants next to the window always look brown. You wouldn‟t know by

looking at them that I water them every week. W: Maybe they don‟t like direct sunlight. I had the same problem with some of my plants. And a little shade helps them immensely. Q: What does the woman imply?

15.M: I‟m really exhausted, Mary. But I don‟t want to miss the Hollywood movie that

comes on at 11. W: If I were you, I‟d skip it. We both have to get up early tomorrow. And anyway I‟ve heard it‟s not as exciting as advertised. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?

16. M: Those modern sculptures over there are really weird. Don‟t you think so? W: Well, I couldn‟t stand them either at first. But now I‟ve come to like modern art, particularly those sculptures carved by Italian artists. Q: What does the woman mean?

17. M: I‟m really glad our club decided to raise money for the children‟s hospital. And

most of the people we phoned seemed happy to contribute. W: Yeah! I agree. Now that we‟ve gone through all the numbers on our list, I guess we can call it a day. Q: What do we learn about the speakers?

18.M: Have you heard of Professor Smith? I‟m thinking of taking an advanced

engineering course with him. What do you think? W: Yeah! You really should. He‟s published dozens of books so far, once been recommended as a textbook for postgraduates. Q: What does the woman imply?

Conversation one

W: You‟re the editor of Public Eye. What kind of topics does your program cover?

M: Well, there are essentially domestic stories. We don‟t cover international stories. We don‟t cover party politics or economics. We do issues of general social concern to our British audience. They can be anything from the future of the health service to the way the environment is going downhill. W: How do you choose the topic? Do you choose one because it‟s what the public wants to know about or because it‟s what you feel the public ought to know about? M: I think it‟s a mixture of both. Sometimes you have a strong feeling that something is important and you want to see it examined and you want to contribute to a public debate. Sometimes people come to you with things they are worried about and they can be quite small things. They can be a story about corruption in local government, something they cannot quite understand, why it doesn‟t seem to be working out properly, like they are not having their litter collected properly or the dustbins emptied. W: How do you know that you‟ve got a really successful program? One that is just right for the time? M: I think you get a sense about it after working in it in a number of years. You know which stories are going to get the attention. They are going to be published just the point when the public are concerned about that. Q19-21

19. What kind of topics does Public Eye cover? 20. How does Public Eye choose its topics?

21. What factor plays an important role in running a successful program?

Long conversation Two

W: Hi, Professor Smith. I hear you‟ve written a book titled Visions. M: Yes. It explains how science will revolutionize the 21st century. W: Could I ask you some questions concerning the book? M: Sure.

W: Are you optimistic about the future?

M: Generally, yeah. If we go back to the year of 1900, most Americans didn‟t live beyond the age of 50. Since then, we‟ve had improvements in health care and technology. There is no reason why these won‟t continue far into the 21st century. W: Are we ready for the changes that will come?

M: Changes are already happening. The future is here now. We have DNA,

microchips, the internet. Some people‟s reaction is to say, we are too old; we don‟t understand new technology. My reaction is to say, we must educate people to use new technology now. W: Is world population going to be a big problem?

M: Yes, and no. I think that world population will stop increasing as we all get richer. If you are a part of the middle class, you don‟t want or need 12 children. W: Will there be a world government?

M: Very probably. We will have to manage the world and its resources on a global level because countries alone are too small. W: Will we have control of everything?

M: I think we‟ll learn to control the weather, volcanoes and earthquakes. Illness won‟t exist. We‟ll grow new livers, kidneys, hearts, and lungs like spare parts for a car. People will live to about 130 or 150. For 2000 years, we have tried to understand our environment. Now we‟ll begin to control it. Q22-25 are based on the conversation you just heard.

22. What does Professor Smith say about most Americans around the year of 1900? 23. What does Professor Smith advice we do?

24. When will the world population stop growing according to Professor Smith? 25. What does Professor Smith think human beings will be able to do?

Section B Passage 1

Getting behind the wheel of a car can be an exciting new step in a teen‟s life. But along with that excitement comes a new responsibility---understanding the need for common sense and maturity to avoid accidents. In an effort to spread awareness to teens across the nation, the Allstate Foundation sponsored a Keep-The-Drive Summit at Sunset Station on January 23rd. Students from Kennedy and Alamo Heights High schools participated in the summit which was held here for the first time. The goal of the year-long effort is to educate teens on the rules of safe driving and the severe consequences that can result if those rules are not followed, and then have them communicate that information to their peers. The students watched videos that told them about the numbers of teenage driving injuries and deaths. They listen to the videos as students from other cities share their stories of how their reckless driving affected not only their lives but also those of their passengers. “We are trying to create awareness in high schools across the countries,” said Westerman, an Allstate representative, “we focus on changing how teens think behind the wheel.” According to the presentation, more teens die in automobile crashes in the United States each year than from drugs, violence, smoking and suicide. An average of 16 teens die every day in motor vehicle crashes and nearly forty percent of those are caused by speeding. Texas is the state with the most teen driving deaths according to the presentation. Students agreed that the statistics were amazing and made them think twice about how they drive.

Questions 26 to 28 are based on the question you have just heard.

26. For what purpose did the Allstate Foundation sponsor the Keep-The-Drive Summit?

27.What causes the greatest number of deaths among American teens according to the presentation? 28. What can we conclude about the Keep-The-Drive Summit? Passage 2

Dr. Allen Hersh designs smells for businesses. He says that it doesn‟t take a whole lot of smell to affect you. Store owners can lure you to the candy aisle, even if you don‟t realize your are smelling candy. This idea scares a lot of people. Groups that protect the rights of shoppers are upset. They say the stores are using a kind of brainwashing which they call “smell-washing”. “It‟s pretty dishonest,” says Mark Silbergeld. He runs an organization that checks out products for consumers. The scientists hired to design the scents disagree. “There‟s soft background music. There‟s special lighting. There‟re all sorts of bells being used,” says Dr. Hersh, “why not smells?”

“One reason why not,” says Silbergeld, “is that some people are allergic to certain scents pumped into products or stores.” But there is a whole other side to this debate, “do the smells really work?” So far, there is little proof one way or the other. But Dr. Hersh has run some interesting experiments. In one of Hersh‟s experiments, 31 volunteers were led into a shoe store that smells slightly like flowers. Later, another group shopped in the same store, but with no flower odor. Dr. Hersh found that 84% of the shoppers were more likely to buy the shoes in the flower-scented room, but Hersh found out something even stranger. “Whether the volunteers like the flower scent or not didn‟t matter,” Hersh says, “Some reported that they hated the smell, but they still were more likely to buy the shoes in the scented room.” Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you‟ve just heard. 29. Why are some people against the use of smells to attract customers? 30. What is Dr. Hersh‟s attitude to the use of smells for business? 31. What did Hersh‟s experiment show? Passage 3

This is Ray McCarthy with the news. Reports are coming in of a major train crash in Japan. A passenger train carrying hundreds of workers home from the center of Tokyo is reported to have hit an oncoming goods train. Both were traveling at high speed. Figures are not yet available but it is believed that the death toll could be as high as 300, with hundreds more injured. Emergency and rescue services rushed to the scene. But our reporter says it will take days to clear the track and to establish the numbers of the dead and injured. There was a similar accident on the same stretch of track four years ago.

There was another bomb scare in a large London store last night during late night shopping. Following a telephone call to the police from an anonymous caller, hundreds of shoppers were shepherded out of the store while roads in the area were

sealed off. Police dogs spent hours searching the store for a bag which the caller claimed contained 50 pounds of explosives. Nothing was found and the store was given the all-clear by opening time this morning. A police spokesman said that this was the third bomb scare within a week and that we should all be on our guard. And finally, the motoring organizations have issued a warning to drivers following the recent falls of snow in many parts of the country. Although the falls may be slight, they say extra care is needed.

Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. 32: What accident happened recently in Japan?

33: What do the reports say about the recent accident in Japan? 34: Why did people have to leave the London store last night? 35: What did motoring organizations advise drivers to do?

Section C

English is the leading international language. In different countries around the globe English is acquired as the mother tongue; in others it is used as a second language. Some nations use English as their official language, performing the function of administration; in others it is used as an international language for business, commerce and industry.

What factors and forces have led to the spread of English? Why is English now considered to be so prestigious that, across the globe, individuals and societies feel disadvantaged if they do not have competence in this language? How has English changed through 1,500 years? These are some of the questions that you investigate when you study English.

You also examine the immense variability of English and come to understand how it is used as a symbol of both individual identity and social connection. You develop in-depth knowledge of the intricate structure of the language. Why do some non-native speakers of English claim that it is a difficult language to learn, while infants born into English-speaking communities acquire their language before they learn to use forks and knives? At the university of Sussex, you are introduced to the nature and grammar of English in all its aspects. This involves the study of sound structures, the formation of words, the sequencing of words and the construction of meaning, as well as examination of the theories explaining these aspects of English usage. You are encouraged to develop your own individual responses to various practical and theoretical issues, which are raised by studying how speakers and writers employ English for a wide variety of purposes.