Short Conversations
11. W: There were more than a hundred people at Kates birthday party. How come shes got so many friends?
M: Its really no surprise. You know she was popular even when she was a child
Q: What does the man imply about Kate?
12. M: They say therell be a snow-storm tonight, and the cold weather will last quite a few days.
W: Oh! Were so lucky, well be getting away for a while, and having a holiday in Florida. But lets call right now to confirm our flight.
Q: What do we learn about the two speakers?
13. W: Tony was awarded a medal for rescuing several families from the forest fire.
M: I really admire his courage.
Q: What do we learn about Tony from the conversation?
14. M: My washing machine is more than fifteen years old and it has worked just fine until last night.
W: Youll never be able to get parts for it, even from Japan. So it might be time to invest a more recent model.
Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?
15. W: I heard about your promotion, you must be thrilled.
M: Not really, the new office is huge, but the word load has doubled.
Q: What do we learn about the man from the conversation?
16. W: I cant decide what to do about the party tomorrow.
M: You dont have to go if you dont want to, but Ill be glad to give you a ride if you do.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
17. M: Now if you have any questions about the contract. Ill be happy to answer them.
W: Nothing comes to mind right now, but Id like to go over all the articles of the contract once more before signing it.
Q: What are the speakers doing right now?
18. M: We are out of paper for the printer. Can you please order some?
W: I completed the order form online yesterday and it will be here by noon. Ill let you know when it comes in.
Q: What did the woman do?
Long Conversation
Conversation One
W: Bob, do you know who I saw the other day? Old Jake, looking terribly depressed. Did he get pensioned off at last?
M: Yes. They made him retire after 50 years at sea. He is pretty upset about it, but what can you do? He really is pasted.
W: He is all alone, isnt he?
M: Yes, his wife has been dead for years. They had one daughter, Dories. But she went off to town as soon as she left school. And he hasnt heard from her since. I hear she is making good money as a model.
W: Maybe someone could get in touch with her. Get her to come back for a while to help?
M: I dont suppose she come. She never got on with her father. He is bit of a tough character and she is rather selfish. Oh, I expect old Jake will get by. He is healthy at least, comes into a clinic for a check regularly.
W: Are you his doctor?
M: No, my partner doctor Johnson is.
W: That bad-tempered old thing?
M: Oh, he isnt bad-tempered. He just looks it. He is an excellent doctor, taught me a lot, and he has a very nice family. His wife invites me over there to supper every week. Very pleasant.
W: yes. I teach their daughter Pen at school. She is a bit careless and lazy about her school work, but a bright little thing and very popular with her age group.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation youve just heard.
19. Why does old Jake look terribly depressed?
20. What do we learn about Jakes wife?
21. What does the man say about Jakes daughter?
22. What does the man say about Jakes doctor?
Conversation Two
W: Hello, Mr. Summerfield. How are you today?
M: Very well. Thank you, Ms. Green.
W: What can I do for you?
M: Well, unfortunately, there is a problem with the order we received from you yesterday. It seems we havent seen the right quantity of manuals to support the telephone system.
W: Oh, dear, thats bad news. Im very sorry to hear that, and you dont know how many packs are without manuals?
M: No, because we havent opened every pack. But in several of those that have been opened there are none, no manuals.
W: Im very sorry about this inconvenience, Mr. Summerfield. Well send out the manuals this afternoon by express mail entirely at our cost, and the manuals should arrive tomorrow or the day after at the latest.
M: All of them, right?
W: Yes. It maybe that some have them already, but we cannot be sure. So the best thing is to send out the manual for every pack.
M: Yes. Yes, I see. That would be great.
W: Please accept our apologies for this mix-up. I assure you we will do everything possible to find out why the mistake happened
M: Right. Thanks for your swift action.
W: Not at all. Thank you and goodbye for now. Do call if there is anything else.
M: All right. Thank you. Goodbye, Ms Green.
W: Goodbye.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation youve just heard.
23. What problems are the speakers discussing?
24. What does the woman promise to do?
25. What does the man think of the solution?
Passage
Passage 1
Attracting and feeding wild birds are entertaining activities that have long been enjoyed by people all over the world. Feeding birds has become so popular that prepared feed mixtures are readily available. We feed birds for many reasons. Many pleasant hours can come from watching birds. A hobby often develops into a serious study of their habits. Accurate identification of birds is usually the first goal. But observations that an amateur bird-watcher can make are really limitless. There is, however, responsibility associated with bird feeding, including a disease hazard. Attracting numbers of birds continually to the same spot can be harmful to them, particularly species that pick food from the ground contaminated by the droppings of other birds. In winter feeding efforts are most satisfying to people and are of greatest benefit to birds. During this time when fewer natural foods are available and air temperatures are lower, extra feeding can keep a bird warm and well. Once begun, feeding should never stop during these lean months. If you start a local increase of birds, be prepared to do what may be required to eliminate hazards to those you want to befriend. A constant supply of food should be given until the cold is over and spring has come. If feeding is stopped during severe weather, birds used to relying upon the feeders must starve.
Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage youve just heard.
Q26 What does the speaker say about bird watching?
Q27 What does the speaker say about birds fed continually on the same spot?
Q28 What does the speaker suggest we do in feeding birds in winter?
Passage 2
My friend Leo makes up weak and poor excuses whenever there is something he doesnt want to do. Just two weeks ago, he was at my house when he decided he didnt want to go into work. He called his boss and said he had to get a new set of tires put on his truck. Then he sat down and watched TV with me. Not only had he lied but his excuse wasnt a very convincing one. Another time, he cancelled a date with his girlfriend at the last minute telling her he had to get a new battery for his truck. She was angry and refused to go out with him again until he apologized. Last weekend, Leo offered the poorest excuse yet. Hed promised hed help me move some furniture, from my parents house to my new apartment. He was supposed to bring his truck over about 8 oclock Saturday morning. I waited, and then called and left a message on his machine. About 11:30, he called and said he was sorry but hed been getting a new set of tires put on his truck. I guess hed forgotten he used the same excuse when he called his boss from my house. I think I need a new set of friends. Im beginning to get tired of Leos excuses.
Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage youve just heard.
Q29 What does the speaker tell us about her friend Leo?
Q30 What did his girlfriend do when Leo canceled a date with her at the last minute?
Q31 What favor did the speaker ask Leo to do last weekend?
Passage 3
In Hollywood, everybody wants to be rich, famous and beautiful. Nobody wants to be old, unknown and poor. For Hollywood kids, life can be difficult because they grow up such an unreal atmosphere. Their parents are ambitious and the children are part of the parents ambitions. Parents pay for wasteful grand parties, expensive cars and designer clothes. When every dream can come true, kids dont learn the value of anything because they have everything. A thirteen-year-old boy, Trent Maguire, has a driver, credit cards and unlimited cash to do what he wants when he wants to. One day, Ill earn more than my dad! he boasts. Parents buy care and attention for their children because they have no time to give it themselves. Amenders mother employs a personal trainer, a bodyguard, a singing coach and a councilor to look after all her fifteen-year-old daughters needs. Often, there is no parent at home most days, so children decide whether to make their own meals or go out to restaurants, when to watch television or do homework. They organize their social life. They play no childhood games. They become adults before theyre ready. Hollywood has always been the city of dreams. The kids there live unreal lives where money, beauty and pleasure are the only gods. Will children around the world soon start to think the same? Or do they already?
Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage youve just heard.
Q32 Why is life said to be difficult for Hollywood kids?
Q33 What does the speaker say about Trent Maguire, a thirteen-year-old boy?
Q34 Why does Amenders mother employ other people to look after her needs?
Q35 What will probably have negative effects on the lives of Hollywood kids?
Compound Dictation
Around 120 years ago, Ebbinghaus began his study of memory. He concentrated on studying how quickly the human mind can remember information. One result of his research is known as the total time hypothesis, which simply mean the amount you learn depends on the time you spend trying to learn it. This can be taken as our first rule of learning. Although it is usually true that studying for 4 hours is better than studying for 1, there is still the question of how to use the 4 hours. For example, is it better to study for 4 hours straight or to study for 1 hour a day for 4 days in a row? The answer, as you may have suspected, is that it is better to spread out the study times. This phenomenon through which we can learn more efficiently by dividing our practice time is known as the distribution of practice effect. Thus, our second rule of learning is this. Its better to study fairly briefly but often. But we are not finished yet. We havent considered how we should study over very short periods of time. Lets say you are trying to learn some new and rather difficult English vocabulary using a stack of cards. Should you look at the same word in rapid succession or look at the word and then have some delay before you look at it again? The answer is it is better to space up the presentations of the word you are to learn.
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