Part V:聽力與口語訓練
段落
In the US, children usually leave home once they graduate from high school, and find a job or go to college. This is true of both males and females. It is not uncommon, for example, for a young single woman to live alone in an apartment or to share one with one or more others. Many parents would prefer to have their children stay at home until they get married, but once they’ve grown up, young people often feel a need for independence from their parents and go to live apart from home.
對話
Jessie:Mrs. Lee, have you always lived in Nanjing?
Mrs. Lee:All my life. As a matter of fact, I was born in this house. That’s the way it used to be in the old days. People never used to move away from their hometown. You were born in a place, and you lived there until you died.
Jessie:Your first husband died ten years ago?
Mrs. Lee:Yes, at the age of 92. We had 70 wonderful years together. We were very much alike. Both of us loved to talk to others. People used to talk to each other in the old days. Now they watch TV.
Jessie:Mrs. Lee, you’ve already lived a 100 years and you look as if you might live another hundred years. What’s your secret?
Mrs. Lee:Well, I laugh a lot. That’s very important. And I keep busy. I get a lot of exercise too. I’ve always enjoyed sports. I went skiing and horseback riding regularly until I was 85. And I’ve always liked swimming. In fact, I still swim every day at the swimming pool, and I’ve started running a little with my second husband.
Jessie:When did you remarry?
Mrs. Lee:Six years ago. I was 94 and he was a young man of 80. A lot of people say I robbed the cradle!
Jessie:Mrs. Lee, you’re a hundred year old now. How do you feel?
Mrs. Lee:Great! Not a day over 90!
常用語句:
1.I usually watch TV for an hour in the evening.
2.Do you usually get up so late?
3.I graduated from college in 1988.
4.Animals need a lot of exercise to keep fit; this is also true of human beings.
5.It is not uncommon for me to work very late into night.
6.I prefer to have our dinner in the courtyard.
7.I feel a need for a new lap top. The old one doesn’t work well and runs too slowly.
8.Once children grow up, they feel a need for independence.
9.When I graduated from college, I got a job in Shanghai, and had to live apart from home.
10.I’ve got a job in Shanghai, so I’ll have to move away from home.
11.My wife and I are very much alike—we enjoy watching soap operas.
12.You look as if you were only 30 years old.
13.I always keep myself busy so that I can forget all about those unpleasant things.
單詞與短語:
usually adv.通常,一般情況下;once adv.一旦;graduate from 從﹍畢業;high school中學;be true of both males and females 對男、女來講都是一樣的;not uncommon 很正常的事;single adj.獨身的;live alone獨自生活;prefer vi.更喜歡,寧愿;have sb. stay at home讓某人留在家里;feel a need for感到有(某種)必要;independence n.自立;live apart from home離開家居住;move away from從某處搬走;be alike相似的;look as if看上去好像;secret n.秘密,秘訣;laugh vi.大笑;keep busy一直忙碌,一直閑不下來;get a lot of exercise很注意鍛煉;enjoy vt.喜歡,享受;sports n.體育運動;go horseback riding 騎馬;regularly adv.經常地,定期地;husband n.丈夫;remarry v.再婚;unpleasant adj.令人不愉快的;rob the cradle 字面意思:搶劫了搖籃,即:老牛吃嫩草
Part VI:快速閱讀
Learning to Speak English
Hello, how are you? When most people learn English as a second language, they learn formal(正式的) English. Unfortunately(不幸的是), learning it like this tends to(往往) make you feel distant(距離遠的) and bored(缺乏情趣的). The truth(真實情況) is, most people in English-speaking countries(英語為母語的國家) don’t speak to each other in such a formal way. They speak in a casual(隨便的) way to their friends and families. When speaking casually(隨意地), people tend to use a lot of informal(不正式的) or colloquial(口語化的) words, and also shorten(縮短) and connect(連接) their phrases(短語). They say things like “Hey, what’s up(還好嗎)?” or “Hey! Whatcha been doin’(最近還好嗎)?” These expressions(表述) are both common(普遍) and natural(自然) and make you seem like a native speaker(講母語的人). Using them may make people more interested in talking to you. This type of English is more like what you will hear in movies and TV shows(電視節目). Speaking this way makes native speakers feel more relaxed(放松的,自在的) and you will sound like(聽上去像) a friendly person who speaks English well. You got that, buddy(哥們兒)?