六级听力模拟试题四

　　English Weekly CET-6 Listening Practice Test 4

　　Part III Listening Comprehension

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B), C) and D), and decide which is the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　11. W: So, how did Toms presentation go?

　　M: It wasnt bad. But the topic he chose last time was more interesting.

　　Q: What does the man mean?

　　12. M: Amy, see if you can give Dr. Smith a call and ask him if he can fix the appointment for Monday.

　　W: Yes, so Ill call him and tell him youre expecting him at 10:00 on Monday morning.

　　Q: What can we learn from the conversation?

　　13. W: What exactly do you mean by a friend?

　　M: Well, it should be someone you know you can rely on, someone who will help you anytime you need, who will listen to you when you talk about your problem.

　　Q: What are they talking about?

　　14. M: Is the boy who had the accident in serious condition?

　　W: Im afraid he is, but theyve kept the news from his mother.

　　Q: What can we learn from the conversation?

　　15. M: Next time you invite me to dinner, shall I bring a bottle of wine?

　　W: Thats all right with me, but you know in this country it isnt a custom to bring alcohol.

　　Q: What does the woman think about the mans offer?

　　16. W: There is an article in this magazine you may find interesting. It is about buying running shoes.

　　M: If it were not for chemistry and my final exam drawing near, I would read it now.

　　Q: What is the man probably doing?

　　17. W: John, are you doing research for professor Williams this semester?

　　M: Actually Im working as his teaching assistant.

　　Q: What does the man mean?

　　18. M: My reading of French is so slow that Ill never finish these stories before the test.

　　W: I read them when I took that course last year. So I can tell you about them in English right now and then youll pass the test.

　　Q: What can we learn from the conversation?

　　Now youll hear two long conversations.

　　Conversation One

　　W: Hey Henry, hows everything going, and whats with the flowers?

　　M: Theyre for my wife.

　　W: Oh, for a wedding anniversary or something?

　　M: To tell the truth, it couldnt be worse. You see, I have to pick my wife up from the airport this evening, but while she was gone, something unexpected happened.

　　W: Oh really? What was it?

　　M: Well, I had some of the guys over Friday night to watch a basketball game on TV, but one of them got all excited, and started walking around, waving his arms, and he accidentally knocked over my wifes 250 year old distinctively Chinese vase, given to her by her grandmother, and broke it beyond repair.

　　W: Oh, wow. Youre in hot water now.

　　M: If it had only been that.

　　W: Oh, theres more?

　　M: Yeah, you see, the water from the vase spilled all over the manuscript of a book my wife has been writing for the past two years. It blurred the ink over many of the pages. And so one of the guys had the bright idea of drying the pages by the fire while we watched the rest of the game, but a spark from the fire must have blown out and burned the manuscript to a crisp.

　　W: But what about an electronic file copy? She had one, didnt she?

　　M: No, she didnt.

　　W: Oh, you are really in trouble now. Youre going to have a hard time digging yourself out of this one. Ah, so I get it now. Youre buying the flowers for her as part of some kind of peace offering, right?

　　M: No, not at all. Theyre for my funeral.

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

　　19. How did the vase of the mans wife break?

　　20. What happened to the manuscript of the book the mans wife wrote?

　　21. What sort of reaction does the man expect from his wife about his misfortunes?

　　Conversation Two

　　M: Hi, Rose, how was your holiday?

　　W: Marvelous! I went to Thailand. I had been overseas before, so I felt somewhat at ease with the idea of traveling abroad, particularly since I lived in Asia for a number of years.

　　M: Was there anything impressive?

　　W: Well, I am impressed by different marketplaces there, where people bargain over the price before buying something. And even if you feel youre getting a good deal, you might try walking away from the merchant, and there is the chance that the shop owner will call you back and lower the price even more in an attempt to get you to purchase something.

　　M: Sounds interesting. What about the people in Thailand?

　　W: Thais are friendly. But when in Thailand, I noticed a number of people who just stared at me as I walked by, as if I were an alien from another planet. Although it felt somewhat disquieting at first, I realized that my presence was perhaps an oddity with so few foreigners in that area.

　　M: I guess they were just curious.

　　W: Thats right. In fact, I was even able to strike up a few conversations with some of the locals.

　　M: Have you ever noticed the Thai culture is different from ours?

　　W: Well, from this trip I discovered one important thing. That is, there are often more similarities than differences between cultures. Regardless of language and culture, all people have a desire for friendship that bridges any cultural boundaries. The people I met have been wonderful hosts and friends, and I will treasure every moment of the trip.

　　M: That sounds quite reasonable.

　　Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　22. What are the two speakers mainly talking about?

　　23. What surprises the woman in the marketplaces?

　　24. What is the reason why people stared at the woman during her visit?

　　25. What has the woman learned about cultures from her trip?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage one

　　In America, where labor costs are so high, do-it-yourself is a way of life. Many people repair their own cars, build their own garages, and even remodel their own houses. Soon they may also be writing their own books. In Hollywood there is a company that publishes childrens books with the aid of computers. Although other book companies also publish that way, this particular company is very unusual. It personalizes the books by having the computer make the reader the leading character in the story. Here is how they do it. Let us say your child is named Jenny. She lives on Oak Drive in St. Louis, has a dog named Spot, a cat named Tabby, and three playmates whose names are Betsy, Sandy, and Jody. The computer uses this information to fill out a story that has already been prepared and illustrated. The story is then printed with standard equipment as a hardcover book. The child who receives such a book might say, This book is about me, the company therefore calls itself the Me-Books Publishing Company.

　　Children like the Me-Books because they like to see in print their own names and the names of their friends and their pets. But more important, personalization has been found to be an important tool in developing enthusiasm for reading. Me-Books thus help a child to learn how to read, by appealing to the natural desire to see his or her own name in print.

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

　　26 In what way is the Me-Books Publishing Company different from other book companies?

　　27. What is the reason that children like the Me-Books?

　　28. What do the Me-Books help the children to learn?

　　Passage Two

　　Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated on March 4, 1801. He was the first President to take the oath of office in the nations permanent capital, Washington D. C.. Although Washington D. C. was a new city it was already familiar to President Jefferson. In fact Jefferson had helped plan the capitals streets and public buildings. Besides being a city planner and architect, the new President was a writer, a scientist, and the inventor of several gadgets and tools.

　　After his inauguration, Jefferson moved into the Presidential Palace. The Palace was more than a home; it contained offices for the president and some of his staff and advisors. It also included dining and reception rooms, where the President could entertain Congressmen. However, President Jefferson did not give many formal parties. This was partly because there was no First Lady; Jeffersons wife had died in 1782. But it was also because Jefferson liked to live in simple fashion. Once, he showed up for an important meeting wearing old clothes and down-at-the-heels slippers! Neither Washington nor Adams would ever have dressed so casually.

　　Jefferson was different from the first two Presidents in other ways, too. He disagreed with them about how the country should be run, and about what part a President should play in running it.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. Which one is implied about Washington D. C.?

　　30. What can be one reason why Jefferson didnt give formal parties?

　　31. What can be inferred from the passage?

　　Passage Three

　　What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show the strengths that you can use in your work. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work, so it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any special strong or weak subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs. But if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs. Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at mental work or cooking and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you have gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get along with older workers. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career by seeing it from the inside in a part-time job.

　　Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it, but recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.