第8期Practice听说训练录音材料
Part A：Reading Aloud
When you walk in the countryside, you will hear birds singing to each other, which means they communicate with each other. The best season to sing is spring and early summer.
If you want to know different kinds of birds, you should know their songs. But not all birds sing their own songs. Some imitate the songs of other birds. A mockingbird may sing 1,000 different songs. But how does a bird know what to sing? Scientists think that some birds are born to sing and others learn to sing. When a young bird hears an adult bird singing, it may begin to sing the same song.
Part B：Role Play
M: Excuse me. Would you please help me?
W: Certainly. What can I do for you?
M: I am a newcomer here and I just arrived this morning. I would like to have a look at this beautiful city, so I came out of my hotel. The city is so wonderful that I have been wandering for an hour and then I find myself lost now.
W: Oh, don’t worry. Do you still remember the name of the hotel?
M: Oh no. I don’t remember it now. It sounds quite strange.
W: Do you remember any signs of the hotel? For instance, what is next to the hotel or is there a bus station?
M: Oh, yes, I remember there are many department stores nearby. Nothing else.
W: There are many hotels with stores around in this city. Ur ... You’d better go to the police station over there for help. I’m busy going to the railway station. My train is leaving in fifteen minutes.
M: That’s good. Thank you.
Part C： Story Retelling
Long time ago, there was an emperor who told his horseman that he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he liked, and the emperor would give him the area of land he had covered. Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much area of land as he could. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible. He came to a point when he had covered a large area and was exhausted and dying. Then he asked himself, “Why did I push myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself.”
The above story is similar with the journey of our life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to gain power and recognition. We neglect our health, to spend time with our family, to appreciate the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we love.
One day when we look back, we realise that we don’t really need that much, but then we can’t turn back time for what we have missed.
Take it easy. Do what you want to do and appreciate nature. Life is fragile and short. Do not take it for granted. Live a balanced lifestyle and enjoy every moment of life. Remember happiness is the real purpose of life.