1、Unit OneTrack 4-1-OL-lA. Jay and Elise are talking about an accident. Listen and check the correct picture.Jay: Come in here, Elise. You should see this show!Elise: What is it?Jay: Its called “The Titanic of the Sky.“ Its about the Hindenburg, a great engineering feat.Elise: The Hindenburg .Jay: You
2、 know, that giant zeppelin that crashed in 1934. Thirty-five people died.Elise: Oh yeah, I remember now. It was flying from Germany to the United States. It crashed as it was landing.Jay: Right. Its so funny looking, dont you think? It doesnt look anything like the airplanes as have today.Elise: Tha
3、ts true. Why would people ride in a zeppelin anyway? It seems so dangerous.Jay: Well, some people called the Hindenburg “mans greatest achievement in flight.“ They thought it was safe, I guess. Elise: Who rode in it anyway? Jay: Mostly wealthy people. It accommodated between 30 and 40 passengers and
4、 crew. One person said it was like a “flying hotel.“ Eise: It sounds pretty great.Jay: Yeah, and it was fast. Thats why people rode it. They wanted to get to their destination faster. Elise: Why didnt they just take a jet plane? Jay: Elise! You know they didnt have jets back then. Look, in 1934 it t
5、ook five days to travel from Germany to the U.S. by ship. The zeppelin could do it in half that time. It was speedy. Elise: Well, maybe Ill sit down and watch a little bit. Maybe Ill learn something .Track 4-1-OL-2B. Listen again. How was the zeppelin described? Check your answers.Track 4-1-OL-3A. L
6、isten to the conversation and check the correct picture.Jack: I think we should buy a bigger car. Big cars are safer.Kayla: Yes, but on the other hand, they consume more oil.Jack: They also look really cool.Kayla: Thats true, but there are some SUVs which are not big but also very beautiful.Jack: An
7、d 1 think big cars are more fun to drive.Kayla: But then again, its very expensive.Jack: Well, lets get more information about several kinds of cars, okay?Track 4-1-OL-4Listen to another person talking about famous buildings in his country and fill in the blanks with information you hear.My country
8、has two very famous buildings called the Petronas Towers. The buildings are made of glass, steel, and concrete. They were designed by an American architect, but he used a Malaysian style. They were finished in 1998, and they were the tallest buildings in the world at that time. Each tower has 88 flo
9、ors, and is 452 meters high. I really like the Petronas Towers. They show both the modern and the traditional side of my country.Track 4-1-OL-5A. Listen to a talk on controversies about modern buildings. Then fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.Modern buildings: We love them, We hate themTh
10、e world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris is almost 500 years old, and it faced a very modern problem: There simply wasnt enough space for six million visitors each year. In 1989, American architect I.M. Pei designed a striking glass pyramid in the buildings center to be a visitor entrance and shopping
11、arcade. But he also started an angry debate. Some people felt his glass building was a piece of art, like the ones inside the museum. Others said it was just an ugly, modern mistake.Kyoto, Japan, is the countrys ancient capital, and the heart of its culture. Its railroad station was too small for th
12、e millions of visitors. In 1997, the city completed a new station in a huge shopping center, right in the oldest part of the city. Designed by Hiroshi Hara, the building also contains a hotel and department store. Before it was built, critics said that the high, wide, modern building would destroy t
13、he citys traditional look. On the other hand, supporters said it would bring new life into the city center.Track 4-1-OL-6B. Now listen again and complete the chart with the information you hear.Track 4-1-OL-7B. Listen to the interview with Erika Van Beek, an engineer. According to Erika, what should
14、 be done about overcrowding in cities?The future building boom?Interviewer: What do you think is the biggest problem facing our cities?Erika: I think its overcrowding. Talk to anyone living in a major metropolitan area and they will say the same thing: Theres no space. Even the suburbs are getting c
15、rowded.Interviewer: Well, in some places there simply isnt any land left for building, right?Erika: Yes, thats true, but you have to think creatively. You cant give up so easily.Interviewer: Think creatively? What do you suggest?E r i k a: What Im saying is that we can build more structures undergro
16、und. We can add parking lots, malls, hotels, and even apartment buildings. Theres plenty of space.Interviewer: Isnt it expensive?E r i k a: Yes, it can be. In the past building underground has been very expensive. However, we have new technology that will bring the cost down. It involves using robot
17、s. You dont have to pay robots a salary!Interviewer: Isnt “building down“ more dangerous than other kind of construction?E r ika: Actually, I think its safer than building skyscrapers, for example. Remember, we already do it. We have subways and underground shopping malls. Im just suggesting we inve
18、st in a variety of bigger projects and that we dig deeper.Interviewer: What would you say to people who doubt your idea?Erika: I can understand their feelings. Whenever theres a new idea, it can cause controversy. But “building down“ is not some kind of impractical idea. It makes sense. There is so
19、much space underground: It can accommodate a lot of traffic, storage, and people. With the new technology we have, wed be crazy not to consider the idea its the wave of the future!Track 4-1-OL-8C. Listen again. Check the statements you think Erika would agree.Unit 2 Track 4-2-OL-1Pam: Well, Lynn, I
20、must be going. It was great to see you Lynn: By, Pam.Pam: Whats that?Lynn: Oh thats Ollie.Pam: Ollie: I didnt know you had a dog!Lynn: Well, we dont really.Pam: What do you mean?Lynn: Come here.Pam: Oh my goodness. Its a robot!Lynn: Thats right. Its a dog robot. They call it a “dogbot.”Pam: How inte
21、resting! But its a little strange, dont you think?Lynn: Well, I wanted to get an interactive toy for the kids. They love it. So Im happy.Pam: How much did it cost?Lynn: Dont ask. It wasnt very affordable. Its cheaper than having a real dog, though. We dont ever have to buy dog food! And the batterie
22、s are rechargeable.Juliana: Hey, Henrik. Look.Henrik: What is it, Juliana?Juliana: Whats that guy doing over there?Henrik: Which guy?Juliana: The one over there. Wearing a suit. Hs punching so many buttons on his cell phone.Henrik: Oh, him. Hes probably playing a game.Juliana: Really?Henrik: A lot o
23、f people have games on their cell phones. Its really popular here in Finland. They play them everywhere.Juliana: Do you play them, too?Henrik: Yes, I do.Juliana: I only use my phone to make telephone calls. I guess Im old-fashioned.Henrik: I heard that some people play games even at work. They can p
24、lay quietly during business meetings. No one knows about it.Juliana: Id like to try it.Henrik: Here, use mine!Track 4-2-OL-3Penny: Hello. Your Computer World sales department.Ted: Hi, Penny. Its Ted.Penny: Oh, hi, Ted. Whats up?Ted: well, my computer has crashed again.Penny: Oh no!Ted: Oh, yes. That
25、s why Im calling. You know, its five years old. And I need to speak to Scott about getting a new one.Penny: well, youve called at a good time. We have some attractive new models.Ted: Great! Im looking for something affordable. And I want to get something portable this time.Penny: Im sure Scott can h
26、elp you with that Lets see, he is in a meeting until 3:30. Ill ask him to call you.Ted: No, thats OK. Ill call him after 3:30. Please give him the message.E-mail is my favourite way to communicate. I think it is as fast as a fax machine, and it is as easy as a cell phone. Of course, e-mail has some
27、problems, too. It isnt as affordable as ordinary mail, because you need a computer and Internet service. And I dont think it is as reliable as a fax machine. Sometimes e-mail messages get lost. But in my opinion, e-mail is as convenient as a cell phone. I can send a message from my home or office, a
28、nd my friends can read it when they have time.Track 4-2-OL-5In todays report, we look at a new technology called pervasive computing.Pervasive computing means putting tiny computers into everyday electronic appliances, such as toasters and microwaves. With pervasive computing, appliances can communi
29、cate with their users and with other appliances!Some companies now sell pervasive computing products like a “smart” toaster. It remembers your favourite kind of toast: light or dark. Companies are designing a “smart” coffee maker and a “smart” clock. The coffee maker can measure the water and coffee
30、. It can even put milk in your breakfast coffee and make black coffee in the afternoon. The clock will check the time on other clocks in your house, and give information about other appliances. For example, it can tell you, “Your coffee maker needs more water.”And thats only the beginning. One compa
31、ny is now advertising “Save time phone your washing machine!” engineers are making a “smart” house. In this house, the lights, heater, and air conditioner change automatically when family members come home. This makes the home comfortable, and it saves a lot of energy. Pervasive computing could chan
32、ge many parts of our daily lives.But do people really want pervasive computing? Do they really need technology everywhere? One company asked people about their opinions on “smart” appliances. There were surprises. A “smart” refrigerator can buy more food on the internet, but people didnt want it, be
33、cause it might make mistakes.“Pervasive computing is as important as a telephone,” says Rebecca Blair, president of InnoTech Corporation. But some of these products are not useful, or even practical. Companies should learn more about the technology that people really want.Track 4-2-OL-7Local girl re
34、scuedShe may have a broken leg, but she cant be happier. Morgan Bailey, 11, is happy to be alive.Tuesday was like any other day for Morgan. She was at school. It was fourth period, and she was the first student to arrive in the gymnasium for her physical education class.Suddenly there was a loud noi
35、se.“There was a sharp cracking noise and then a loud boom. After that, I dont remember anything,” said Morgan.The roof of the gymnasium had collapsed under the heavy snow. Morgan was trapped underneath. She couldnt escape.“I woke up and there was a big piece of wood on my leg. I couldnt move it. I w
36、as starting to get cold.”Fortunately, help was nearby. A new program using “rescue robots” was tried for the first time.“We were nervous about using the robot,” said Derrick Sneed, the man in charge of the program. “But in the end, the robot gave us reliable information. It went extremely well.”The
37、rescue robot was able to go into the gym and locate Morgans exact position.“We send in robots first because it may not be safe for humans,” said Mr. Sneed. “Human beings are not as useful as robots in some situations. A gas leak, for example, could kill you or me but wouldnt hurt a robot.”Although i
38、t didnt happen in Morgans case, some rescue robots can bring fresh air or water to people who are trapped.Rescue robots go into rough, dangerous places. They work in life or death situations. They have to be durable.Doctors say that Morgan is doing well. She should be going home in two or three days
39、. What is the first thing she wants to do after she gets out of the hospital?“I want to meet my hero,” laughs Morgan. “That little robot that saved my life!”Track 4-2-OL-9The first word processorMrs. Morgan: Good. So change the first part and make those corrections and your paper will be great.Tara:
40、 OK. Thanks for all your help, Professor Morgan. Ill e-mail my paper to you later today.Mrs. Morgan: You know, technology is amazing. In high school I used to write my term papers on a typewriter.Tara: It must have taken a long time to write a paper on a typewriter.Mrs. Morgan: Well, I was pretty fa
41、st, but I made some mistakes. Actually, the typewriters werent that bad. Now, as for the first computers oh my gosh!Tara: What do you mean?Mrs. Morgan: The first computers were so unreliable. They used to crash all the time. And they were not as affordable or as fast as they are now.Tara: Mines pret
42、ty fast, but not as fast as some of the newer, more expensive ones.Mrs. Morgan: I know! And nowadays, almost everyone has a computer. In those days, nobody had their own computer. We used to use the ones at the university.Tara: In the computer lab?Mrs. Morgan: Yeah, thats all we had. Ill never forge
43、t, one spring, during final exams. Everybody was working on their term papers, and the electricity went out!Tara: So? No big deal laptops have batteries Mrs. Morgan: Yes, but remember, in those days we didnt have laptops. If your computer crashed, you lost everything.Tara: Everything?Mrs. Morgan: Ev
44、erything. We used to lose information all the time, but that time it was terrible. Everybody lost their papers that afternoon including me.Tara: What did you do?Mrs. Morgan: I went back to the good, old-fashioned way.Tara: You mean typewriters?Mrs. Morgan: Nope. I used something more affordable, por
45、table, reliable, disposable, something that always worked.Tara: What was that?Mrs. Morgan: (holds up pencil and paper) The first word processor.Unit 3Track4-3-OL-1/Track4-3-OL-2Joe: What are you reading, Maria?Maria: The Daily News.Joe: The News? Ugh! Thats a terrible paper.Maria: Oh, Joe, its not s
46、o bad.Joe: Not so bad? Look at that headline on the front page! Its so sensational.Maria: Well, theyve got great comics. I cant live without my comics.Joe: I know. But the news coverage is so poor, . especially the international news. Its a joke, really.Maria: Im not so interested in the internation
47、al news. Besides, they have so many other good features.Joe: Like what?Maria: Like the daily horoscope, for example. I love it.Joe: Thats not a good reason to buy a newspaper for the horoscope!Maria: Look, the newspaper only costs 50 cents. What so you expect?Joe: Good point.Maria: Besides the horos
48、cope, I also like the entertainment news. I like to read about the stars and their love affairs.Joe: Well, you can keep The Daily News. Im going to stick with The Times. Track 4-3-OL-3Amy: John, Ive never notice this old photo of your family before.John: My mother just found it in the attic. She dec
49、ided to hang it up.Amy: Its a nice picture of your family.John:I think its embarrassing. And I look stupid.Amy: Well, you couldve combed your hair its a nice shot, though. Look at how young you are! How old were you in the photo?John: Eight no wait, Id just turned nine.Amy: I guess these two people are your parents.John: Yep. They were married when that picture was taken. Now theyre divorced.Amy: Oh. What do they do?John: My fathers re