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2003年9月中口聽力原文
Part A: Spot Dictation
The Internet is regarded by many as the flagship of global English. According to a survey conducted by the International English Language Association, English is the medium for more than 80% of the information stored in the world’s computers. In many countries, computers have become extensively networked and the networks themselves linked into the globe structure of the Internet. The electronic to media, such as the Internet, that binds the world together need a common standard to insure speed and proficiency. So the English language becomes the operating standard for global communication. But is it true that the Internet will remain a major driver of the English language? At present, the language most widely used is English. But this only reflects the fact in the last century, i.e. 90% of the world’s computers connected to the internet fire based in English-speaking countries. We may well predict that, in the 21st, the overall shift in Internet use will be similar to that outlined for the economy and the number of computer hosts in Asia will eventually outstrip those in English-speaking countries. Furthermore, the Internet, which used to be a tool for international communication between a global scientific and academic elite, has been increasingly serving local, cultural, commercial educational purposes. And as the Internet becomes more and more widely used, it is natural to expect that wide range languages will be employed.
Nowadays, Internet users may have a choice of “language preference” information when they contact a website. If a website page is available in that language it can be re retrieved preference one in English. This means, for example, that the Web will appear to be in Spanish to Spanish speaker and in Chinese to a Chinese speaker, provided, of course, the hosts contacted can maintain pages in these languages.
Part B: Listening Comprehension
1. Betty said she was hoping to be promoted to assistant manager of the company, but when she had the chance, she turned it down.
2. As far as I know, Ellen’s father was not happy when she decided to quit her job and study abroad.
3. At the end of the two-day meeting, the chairman of the committee declared that the motion was carried by a majority of 6 to 1.
4. Sorry, I can’t talk to you about your investment scheme, I’m having a meeting in a few minutes. What about tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock?
5. This type of video camera that used to cost 700 dollars in 1999 now costs 350 dollars or less on Christmas when it is on sale.
6. I think we should put everyone in our office overtime or we have to rearrange the schedule to make up the lost time.
7. Since so many people want to use the terminals and only twenty computers are available, we are limiting everybody to a maximum of 5 hours per week.
8. The expansion of trade has widened the gap between the rich who live on the cutting edge of the economy and the poor who live on the knives edge of survivors.
9. We will try our best to reach the target set by the top management, come what may, we will double our sales figure this year.
10. Because airliners often sell too many tickets for flight and are routinely overbooked, some unlucky passengers are bumped and asked to reschedule on a later flight.
2. Talks and conversations
Question 11~14
M: I’m nearly ready for Christmas now, I’ve sent off all my Christmas cards except one and I bought all my presents apart from yours. Have you sent out the invitations to our party yet?
W: Not yet, I’ll sent them out tomorrow, just look at the list again to make sure we haven’t forgotten anyone.
M: We are inviting just about everybody in the neighborhood except for Mr. Joan’s and his wife. It seems a bit rude, but to tell the truth, I can’t stand that woman.
W: Well, she is so ill mannered. Last time she came here, she left without saying a word and apart from that she tells such a lies about hers. She never stops running us down to neighbors.
M: Let’s settled then, we won’t invite them. By the way, I met Pete O’Dow last night, he told me he’d be leaving for island for weeks. He said he was sorry he would miss our party, but he might see us at the Rushton’s New Year Party.
W: What a pity, he is so lively at the party. Oh, I saw some gorgeous Christmas tree on sale in the High Street, but I didn’t have time to ask how much they were.
