1、玄Unit1(BOOK4)Part B The Hospital WindowJack and Ben, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. Jack, whose bed was next to the rooms only window, was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. But Ben had to spend all day and night flat
2、 on his bed. To kill time the two men began to talk. They talked for hours about their wives, families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had been on vacation. As days went by, a deep friendship began to develop between them. Every afternoon when Jack
3、 could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to Ben all the things he could see outside the window. And Ben began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely
4、lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees beautified the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As Jack described all this in exq
5、uisite detail, Ben would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scenes.One warm afternoon Jack described a parade passing by. Although Ben couldnt hear the band - he could see it in his minds eye as Jack portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed. One morning the day nurse arrive
6、d to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of Jack, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.Ben was heart broken. Life without Jack was even more unbearable. How he longed to hear Jacks voice and his melodio
7、us descriptions of the outside world! As he looked at the window, an idea suddenly occurred to him. Perhaps he could see for himself what it was like outside. As soon as it seemed appropriate, Ben asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making
8、 sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself! He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall! What coul
9、d have compelled my roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this window? Ben asked the nurse when she returned. Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you to live on, she said. You know, he was blind and could not even see the wall. Questions:1. What does the story mainly tell us?2. Which of
10、 the following adjectives can best describe Jack?3. What did Jack describe to Ben according to the story?Part CAdditional ListeningShort ConversationsConversation 1:M: How do you like your roommate, Debby?W: Ever since we met on the first day of college, weve been inseparable.Q: What do you know abo
11、ut Debby and her roommate?Conversation 2:M: Have you heard from Linda lately? You two were so intimate in college.W: Well, honestly, I havent heard from her as much as I used to since she moved to the east coast two months ago. But Im sure the friendship between us is as strong as it was before.Q: W
12、hat can you infer from the womans response?Conversation 3:W: Do you keep in touch with your old friends back home now that you dont see them regularly?M: Frankly, after I moved to this city, Im out of touch with most of them except a few close ones.Q: What does the man mean?Conversation 4:W: Its pol
13、ite to call a friend before we visit, isnt it?M: Youre right. People usually dont like surprise visits. But close friends often drop in on each other. Q: What does the man mean?Conversation 5:M: Cathy, it seems that you and Sally do almost everything together. W: Thats true. You see, we were born on
14、 the same day. We both majored in fashion designing. And we even have the same love for using bright-colored material in our designs. Isnt it amazing!Q: What can we learn from the conversation?Part DThe Colors of FriendshipLegend has it that the colors of the world started to quarrel one day. All cl
15、aimed that they were the best, the most beautiful.Green said: “Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die.“Blue interrupted: “You only think about the earth, but have you ever considered the color of
16、 the sky and the sea?“Hearing this, Yellow chuckled: “You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety and warmth into the world. I am the color of the sun, the moon and all the stars. Without me there would be no fun.“Orange started next to blow her trumpet: “I am the color of health and strength.
17、I may be scarce, but I am precious, for I serve the needs of human life.“At this, Red could stand it no longer. He shouted: “I am the ruler of all of you. I am the color of blood - lifes blood! I am also the color of danger and bravery, of passion and love.“Purple rose up to his full height: “I am t
18、he color of royalty and power. I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey.“Finally Indigo spoke: “Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection.“And so the colors
19、 went on boasting. Their quarrelling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightning, followed by a roll of thunder. Rain started to pour down. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.Just then rain began to speak: “You foolish co
20、lors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Dont you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me.“Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.Then rain continued: “From now on, when it r
21、ains, each of you will stretch across the sky to form a great bow of colors as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow.“And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, a rainbow appears in the sky, to let us remember to appreciate one another.Unit 2Part B
22、Embarrassing Experiences (Part One)Interviewer: Rob, you went to Brazil, didnt you?Rob: Yes, I did. Interviewer: So, what happened?Rob: Well, I went into this meeting and there were about, er. seven or eight people in there and I just said Hello to everybody and sat down. Apparently, what I should h
23、ave done is to go round the room shaking hands with everyone individually. Well, you know, its silly of me because I found out later it upset everyone. I mean, I think they felt I was taking them for granted. Kate: Well, I know that because when I was in France the first time, I finished a meeting ,
24、 with Goodbye, everyone! to all the people in the room. There were about half a dozen people there but I was in a hurry to leave, so I just said that and left. Well, I later found out that what I should have done is shake hands with everyone in the group before leaving. Now, apparently, its the poli
25、te thing to do.Interviewer: Well, people shake hands in different ways, dont they?Rob: Oh, yes, thats right, they do. See, normally I shake hands quite gently when I meet someone. So when I went to the US for the first time, I think people there thought my weak handshake was a sign of weakness. Appa
26、rently, people there tend to shake hands quite firmly.Kate: Oh, gosh, you know, that reminds me: on my first trip to Germany, it was a long time ago, I was introduced to the boss in the company when he passed us in the corridor. Well, I wasnt prepared, and I mean, I had my left hand in my pocket. An
27、d when we shook hands I realized my left hand was still in my pocket. Well, that was, you know, very bad manners and I was quite embarrassed.Interviewer: And how about using first names? Have you made any mistakes there?Rob: Oh, yes, I have! When I first went to Italy I thought it was OK to use ever
28、yones first name so as to seem friendly. And I later discovered that in business you shouldnt use someones first name unless you are invited to. Oh, and you should always use their title as well. Kate: Hm, yeah, well, when I met people in Russia, you know, they seemed to be puzzled when I shook hand
29、s with them and said How do you do? Well, what they do when they greet a stranger is to say their own names, so I had that all wrong!Rob: Oh, yes, I agree with that. Remembering names is very important. Interviewer: Shall we take a break? When we come back well move on to our next topic.Kate they wi
30、ll drift around a room , stopping to talk wherever they like, introducing themselves and their companions. If this happens, you are expected to reply by giving your name and introducing the person with you; then at least the men generally shake hands. Sometimes the women do so as well, but often the
31、y merely nod and smile. A man usually shakes a womans hand only if she extends it. Otherwise he too just nods and greets her.Statements:1. We cant imagine that Americans do not like big parties and they prefer going around at parties. 2. At small parties they may sit down, but as more people come, t
32、hey would stand up and move about. 3. The reason why Americans like to stand is that they like the free atmosphere of the party. 4. The meaning of “self-starters“ is that Americans help themselves to drinks during the parties. 5. Americans are more open-minded than British people according to the pa
33、ssage. 6. If a woman doesnt extend her hand to a man at the party, he should not shakes hands with the woman. 7. The passage shows a unique aspect of American culture.Embarrassing Experiences (Part Two)Interviewer: Lets go on with our talk. What do you think of business cards, Rob?Rob: I found them
34、very useful when I was in Japan not so long ago. Each person can clearly see the others name and the job title on the card. And I found out that you have to treat business cards with respect. What youve got to do is hold them with both hands and then read them very carefully. What happened to me was
35、 the first time I just took a mans card with one hand and put it straight into my pocket.Interviewer: What other advice do you have, Kate?Kate: Well, one time I unintentionally caused some problems when I was in China. Well, I was trying to make a joke when I pretended to criticize my business assoc
36、iate for being late for a meeting. And he was embarrassed, I mean, he was really embarrassed instead of being amused. Now you shouldnt criticize people in China or embarrass them. I mean, you must avoid confrontation. Thats for sure!Rob: Oh, I must tell you about the first time I was in Mexico! I ha
37、ve to admit I found it a bit strange when business associates there touched me on the arm and the shoulder. Well, I tried to move away and, of course, they thought I was being very, very unfriendly. Apparently, its quite usual there for men to touch each other in, you know, in a friendly way. Oh . o
38、h, and another thing, the first time I went to Korea I thought it was polite not to look someone in the eye too much. The Koreans I met seemed to be staring at me when I spoke, which seemed, you know, a bit odd at first. In Korea, eye contact conveys sincerity and it shows youre paying attention to
39、the speaker.Kate: Oh, well, it seemed strange because you British dont look at each other so much when youre talking to each other. I mean, you look away, you know, most of the time. I found this hard to deal with when I first came to the UK, because people seemed to be embarrassed when I looked at
40、them while they were speaking to me.Interviewer: So whats the thing visitors to Britain should avoid most?Rob: Well, I dont think were all that sensitive, do you, Kate?Kate: Ohoo, well, Ill tell you, I made a big mistake when I was in Scotland. I found myself referring to the UK as “England“ and to
41、the British as “the English“. Now, I know that would be just as bad in Wales, I guess.Rob: Yes, it certainly would!Unit 3Part BBirthday Celebrations Around the WorldChairman: Welcome to this special birthday edition of One World. Yes, folks, weve been on the air for exactly one year now, and we thou
42、ght it would be a nice idea to have a special program dedicated to birthday celebrations around the world. With us in the studio tonight we have Shaheen Hag and Pat Cane, who have a weekly column on birthdays in the Toronto Daily Star.Shaheen: Good evening.Pat: Good evening.Chairman: Shaheen, perhap
43、s we could begin with you. How are birthdays celebrated in India?Shaheen: Well, perhaps were all assuming that everyone in the world celebrates their birthday. This just isnt the case. Low-income families in India, for instance, simply cant afford any festivities. And most Muslims dont celebrate the
44、ir birthdays.Pat: I think Shaheen has raised an interesting point here. The Christian church, too, was actively against celebrating birthdays, and in any case most people, until a couple of hundred years ago, couldnt even read and wouldnt have even been able to spot their birthday on a calendar anyw
45、ay.Shaheen: Of course some Muslims do celebrate their birthdays. In Egypt, Turkey and Indonesia, for example, the rich people invite friends and families around. But not in small villages.Chairman: Here in England your twenty-first used to be the big one. But now it seems to have moved to eighteen.
46、Is that true?Pat: Yes, in most parts of the West eighteen is now the most important birthday. In Finland, for example, eighteen is the age when you can vote, you know, or buy wines, drive a car and so on. But in Japan I think you have to wait till youre twenty before you can smoke or drink.Shaheen:
47、I know in Senegal, which is another Muslim country, girls get to vote at sixteen and boys at eighteen. And in Bangladesh, girls at eighteen and boys at twenty-one.Chairman: Thats interesting. I mean is it typical that around the world girls are considered to be more mature than boys?Shaheen: Yes, I
48、think so, and there are some countries, particularly in South America, which have a big party only for girls. In Mexico and Argentina, for example, they have enormous parties for 15-year-old girls.Pat: You know in Norway they have a great party for anyone whos not married by the time theyre thirty.
49、Its kind of embarrassing. I mean you get pepper thrown at you.Chairman: Pepper? Why pepper?Pat: Im not really sure.Shaheen: So does that mean that on your 29th birthday you can start thinking God I better get married?Pat: Well, Im not sure how seriously they take it.Chairman: In England we have quite big parties for your fortieth, fiftieth, sixtieth and so on.Pat: Well, in Japan your eighty-eighth is considered .Chairman: Eighty-eighth?Pat: . to be the luckiest birthday. Eight is a very lucky number in
