30篇短文听写原文

Passage 1 Digital Cameras [00:45.70]① According to a standard definition, / [00:48.34]a digital camera is a camera that produces digital images / [00:53.63]that can be stored in a computer, displayed on a screen and printed. / [01:00.17]② Years ago people used to possess two different devices / [01:04.47] in order to take pictures and make videos. / [01:08.42]③ The creation of digital cameras was motivated mainly by two factors. / [01:14.04]④ First, need to spare space. / [01:17.78]⑤ Second, make it more comfortable for people [01:21.07]to do both things with higher quality results. / [01:25.49]⑥ The multi-functionalism of digital cameras [01:28.62]and the combination of several devices in one / [01:32.12]make it a popular choice for a modern man. / [01:35.99]⑦ For years a digital camera has been unaffordable for many families. / [01:41.39]⑧ However, the variety of digital cameras and various prices nowadays / [01:47.06]make it possible for almost every single family to buy a digital camera. / [01:52.92]⑨ With increasingly fierce competition, / [01:55.51] the digital camera manufacturers satisfy customers [02:00.35]with lower prices but best quality standards. Passage 2 The Migration of Birds [00:48.91]① The most obvious feature of birds is that they can fly. / [00:52.81]② This facility gives them great mobility and control over their movements. / [00:58.39]③ Many species can travel quickly and economically over long distances— / [01:04.28]up to thousands of kilometers, / [01:07.14]if necessary, crossing seas, deserts or other inhospitable areas. / [01:13.46]④ They also have great orientation and navigational skills, / [01:18.14]and are able to remember and re-find [01:21.42]remote places they have previously visited. / [01:24.61]⑤ Birds can thereby occupy widely separated areas at different seasons, / [01:30.80]returning repeatedly to the same localities from year to year. / [01:35.76]⑥ Although migration is evident in other animal groups, / [01:40.09]including insects, mammals, and fish, / [01:43.49]in none is it as widely and well developed as in birds. / [01:48.22]⑦ The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire planet. / [01:53.69]⑧ As a result of migration, bird distributions are continually changing— / [02:00.05]on regular seasonal patterns, and on local, regional or global scales. Passage 3 Benefits of Becoming a Teacher [00:48.55]① Becoming a teacher gives you a chance / [00:50.69]to spend a major portion of your day with children or youngsters. / [00:55.26]② With kids around, [00:56.63]you are a part of their world of innocence and purity. / [01:01.01]③ It indeed creates a healthy work environment for you. / [01:05.14]④ On becoming a teacher, / [01:07.19]you get a chance to be with children, [01:09.38]laugh with them, think their way / [01:12.00]and enjoy their innocently silly and healthily naughty behavior. / [01:18.17]⑤ Apart from this, the nature of your job is that / [01:22.11]you do not work on weekends and you get your share of holidays. / [01:28.07]⑥ Becoming a teacher entitles you / [01:31.03]for receiving private scholarships and sponsorships [01:35.23]for teaching programs. / [01:37.10]⑦ However, one of the most important benefits [01:40.69]of becoming a teacher is that / [01:43.17]teachers contribute to the shaping of the future generations. / [01:48.39]⑧ They make a difference to society / [01:51.09]by playing a vital role in nurturing young minds. Passage 4 Computer [00:47.10]① With the development of computer technology, / [00:51.02]computers are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. / [00:55.78]② The computer is being used in many fields. / [00:59.64]③ In industry, business, education, medicine, [01:04.59]nearly all walks of life, / [01:06.99]computers have made their appearance, [01:09.32]providing great speed and accuracy for our work. / [01:13.85]④ Computers have been used in the home, offices, [01:17.45]laboratories and research institutions, / [01:21.25]acting as the most efficient and multifunctional instruments / [01:25.94]for calculating, sorting, filing, recording and distributing. / [01:32.70]⑤ And they have also become a window [01:35.23]through which we can understand the world better. / [01:39.17]⑥ During the past fifty years, [01:41.61]the computer has been rapidly advanced. / [01:45.21]⑦ Ever since the computer came into being, [01:48.42]it has experienced the development of several generations. / [01:53.74]⑧ The earliest computers were of great size, / [01:57.04]and had no match for the latest electronic computers [02:00.93]in speed and accuracy. / [02:03.60]⑨ Now efforts are being made [02:05.83]not only to bring the hardware to perfection, / [02:08.84]but also to improve the quality of the software. Passage 5 Computer Addiction [00:45.84]① Nowadays, computer users have started developing [00:49.94]some bad habits regarding using computers, / [00:53.41]which have led to significant problems in their lives. / [00:57.32]② The negative consequences from computer addiction / [01:01.30]are similar to those of many other known addictive disorders / [01:05.62]that cause mental and physical disturbances. / [01:09.00]③ As a result, the term “computer or Internet addiction” [01:14.39] has come into use. / [01:16.39]④ It is also known as cyberspace addiction [01:19.55]and Internet addiction disorder. / [01:22.47]⑤ It's not an easy task [01:24.59]to identify which type of computer addiction [01:27.40]is responsible for most computer addicts, / [01:30.81]as there are many types of computer addictions, / [01:34.24]such as online games, chat, e-mail, online shopping, [01:39.50]online gambling and so on. / [01:42.11]⑥ No one knows in the future, / [01:44.40]which technology would attract more people [01:47.31]to become computer addicts. / [01:49.29]⑦ However, there are various organizations / [01:52.55]that specifically deal with computer addiction / [01:55.50]and have helped many thousands of people [01:57.95]to get rid of this damaging addiction. Passage 6 Listening Skills [00:47.69]① Communication with others involves learning listening skills. / [00:52.92]② It's a good feeling when someone listens to you / [00:56.64]when you're talking to them. / [00:58.54]③ It makes you feel like they care about you [01:01.04]and what you're saying. / [01:02.92]④ The same respect should be given to people [01:05.33]that are speaking to you. / [01:07.03]⑤ Controlling the conversation or interrupting constantly [01:11.74]with your views or suggestions / [01:14.30]is not listening to the other person. / [01:17.39]⑥ Listening closely and then responding at the appropriate time [01:22.06]makes a good conversation. / [01:24.64]⑦ Making comments at the correct time [01:27.10]lets the speaker know you're interested / [01:29.94]and can help you stay centered on the conversation. / [01:34.24]⑧ Asking good questions about the subject [01:37.00]will show you want to know more about it. / [01:40.44]⑨ Try not to ask too many questions with the word “why”. / [01:44.71]⑩ People might not know the answer [01:47.12]and won't be able to respond to the question. / [01:50.65]⑪ Always, let people finish what they're saying / [01:54.03]before you talk about something else. Passage 7 Book Review [00:48.11]① The determination of the book review [00:50.69]is to communicate to the readers’ mind / [00:53.49]the ideas and sensations book reviewer experienced / [00:58.35] while researching the content. / [01:00.76]② Professional book reviews are important in all professions. / [01:06.17]③ But they are especially important in the sciences, / [01:10.22]which define the specialization of the book reviewer. / [01:15.11]④ That is because the basic unit of scientific communication, [01:20.64]the primary research paper, / [01:23.12]is typically five to eight printed pages in most fields, / [01:28.58]which is short and narrowly specific. / [01:32.50]⑤ Therefore, to provide a general overview [01:36.16]of a significant slice of science, / [01:39.15]professional writers of scientific books have to [01:43.03]organize and join the reported knowledge in a field / [01:46.85]into a much larger, more meaningful package. / [01:51.26]⑥ In other words, new scientific knowledge is made meaningful / [01:56.99]by sorting the bits and pieces into book reviews [02:00.81]to provide a larger picture. / [02:03.49]⑦ Thus, the individual plants and flowers, [02:07.18]and even the weeds, become a landscape. Passage 8 Television Advertisements [00:46.76]① A television advertisement or television commercial [00:51.00]is a span of television programming / [00:54.43]produced and paid for by an organization [00:58.32]that conveys a message. / [01:00.88]② Advertisement revenue provides [01:02.71]a significant portion of the funding / [01:06.23]for most privately owned television networks. / [01:10.14]③ The vast majority of television advertisements today [01:14.33]consist of brief advertising spots, / [01:18.17]ranging in length from a few seconds to several minutes. / [01:23.45]④ Advertisements of this sort have been used to [01:26.96]sell every product imaginable over the years, / [01:31.32]from household products to goods and services, [01:35.12]to political campaigns. / [01:37.79]⑤ The effect of television advertisements upon the viewing public / [01:42.84]has been greatly successful and pervasive. / [01:46.97]⑥ In some countries, like the United States, / [01:49.96]it is considered impossible for a politician [01:53.77]to wage a successful election campaign / [01:57.20]without the purchase of television advertising. / [02:00.97]⑦ In other countries, such as France, [02:03.98]political advertising is strictly limited on television. / [02:08.76]⑧ Some countries, like Norway, even completely ban it. Passage 9 Waste [00:46.63]① Waste is sometimes a subjective concept, / [00:50.53]because items that some people discard may have value to others. / [00:56.78]② It is widely recognized that waste materials [01:00.77]are a valuable resource, / [01:03.41]while there is debate as to how this value is best realized. / [01:09.99]③ Governments need to define what waste is / [01:14.04]in order that it can be safely and legally managed. / [01:18.65]④ Different definitions need to be combined / [01:22.48]in order to ensure the safe and legal disposal of the waste. / [01:27.89]⑤ The European Union has started a discussion / [01:31.60]that will end in an End-of-Waste directive. / [01:36.44]⑥ It will clarify the distinction between waste [01:39.29]that shall be treated for disposal / [01:42.04]and raw materials that can be reused for other purposes. / [01:47.58]⑦ All over the world, America generates more waste [01:51.36]than any other nation in the world, / [01:54.17]with 4. 5 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day, / [02:01.38]55 percent of which is contributed as residential garbage. Passage 10 Getting Paid to Shop [00:48.71]① Advertising in our days has joined our lives quite well. / [00:53.16]② Getting paid to shop is another form of advertising. / [00:57.61]③ A contractor evaluates products and services [01:01.87]offered by various companies / [01:04.55]in order to become known to the public / [01:07.12]with the main purpose to increase their sales. / [01:12.56]④ Getting paid to shop, [01:14.67]users have the opportunity to shop favorite products / [01:19.40]like jewelry, handbags, clothes, shoes and other things, / [01:26.26]and create an income [01:28.28] that might later lead them to financial freedom. / [01:31.74]⑤ To be more clear and specific, / [01:34.34] anyone who joins a getting paid to shop program / [01:37.97]will have the opportunity to shop things that you wish for free / [01:42.50]while at the end of the campaign [01:44.63]might those things become yours. / [01:47.14]⑥ In addition, those companies that offer such opportunity [01:51.63]will pay their members to do that. / [01:54.39]⑦ Getting paid to shop is certainly the ideal solution / [01:58.19]that fits perfectly with most women [02:00.59]who like to shop often or see shopping as a hobby. Passage 11 Negative Effects of Television [00:49.82]① Spending too many hours watching television [00:53.23]wastes the precious time / [00:55.67]that can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy activities [01:00.37]like exercise or reading. / [01:03.27]② It also uses up the time / [01:05.63]that you can rather spend with your family and friends. / [01:09.99]③ Chatting with your near ones, [01:12.88]spending time with your close ones / [01:15.27]is a better way of spending time than watching TV. / [01:19.01]④ People watching television, [01:21.51]especially children and youngsters, / [01:24.24]start identifying with what is shown on TV. / [01:28.06]⑤ They relate to television shows and films to such an extent / [01:33.15]that they get bored of living a normal and simple life. / [01:37.70]⑥ They are eager for fame and money; / [01:40.33]they long for living the lives of their favorite TV characters. / [01:44.94]⑦ This may lead to a high amount of dissatisfaction [01:49.08]for the real world. / [01:51.11]⑧ As real life is the contrast of the life shown on TV, / [01:56.08]such TV addicts become hungry for power, money and status. Passage 12 Culture Shock [00:47.96]① Culture shock isn’t a clinical term or medical condition. / [00:51.89]② It’s simply a common way to describe [00:54.48]the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have / [00:57.87]after leaving a familiar culture [00:59.88]to live in a new and different culture. / [01:02.73]③ When you move to a new place, / [01:05.25]you’re bound to face a lot of changes. / [01:07.72]④ That can be exciting and stimulating, / [01:10.45]but it can also be overwhelming. / [01:13.33]⑤ You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated, and want to go home. / [01:18.69]⑥ It’s natural to have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. / [01:22.76]⑦ People from other cultures may have grown up [01:25.69]with values and beliefs that differ from yours. / [01:28.96]⑧ Because of these differences, / [01:30.97]the things they talk about, the ways they express themselves, / [01:34.53]and the importance of various ideas / [01:37.10]may be very different from what you are used to. / [01:40.88]⑨ But the good news is that culture shock is usually temporary. Passage 13 Environmentally Friendly Cars [00:48.54]① Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be [00:52.42]the vehicles of future generations. / [00:55.93]② Nevertheless, such cars exist now / [00:59.29]and are becoming more popular in the modern car market [01:03.28]than traditional vehicles / [01:05.47]which work on fossil fuels. / [01:07.96]③ The advantages of such cars [01:10.27]are not only in their lower harmfulness [01:13.39]for the environment and people’ s health / [01:16.29]but also in the lower fuel costs. / [01:19.28]④ However, their production is rather expensive, / [01:23.14]so it is still a controversial point / [01:26.01]both for the customers and the automobile manufacturers. / [01:30.31]⑤ Although they are more expensive to buy, / [01:32.95]they pay for themselves in a period of about 5 years / [01:37.47]because they consume less expensive fuels. / [01:41.31]⑥ The common types of environmentally friendly cars [01:44.95]include electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars, [01:49.79]crossbreed cars and solar cars. / [01:53.47]⑦ And environmentally friendly cars [01:56.46]have become the choice of many people / [01:59.20]who decided to reduce the influence [02:01.90]of burning fossil fuels on the nature. Passage 14 The Earth Day [00:47.84]① Our Planet Earth has so much to give us. / [00:50.71]② From the beautiful natural surroundings [00:53.64]to the rich types of creatures, / [00:56.16]Planet Earth has loads of things to offer / [00:59.74]that only make the life more beautiful. / [01:02.76]③ However, have you given a thought to [01:05.94]how many individuals actually respect this planet? / [01:11.20]④ April 22nd is known the world over as Earth Day. / [01:16.60]⑤ It is celebrated to create more awareness about our planet / [01:21.81]and situations that we need to take care of / [01:24.83]to ensure our Planet Earth is well loved and cared for. / [01:29.64]⑥ As things are, we need to celebrate it on one day / [01:33.84]to remind us of the responsibilities [01:36.33]we need to handle in the coming years. / [01:39.47]⑦ The importance of Planet Earth is something / [01:42.44]that should be taught to children in their early years, [01:46.24]at home and in the school. / [01:49.22]⑧ Only then will the young and old alike, [01:52.39]understand the issues / [01:54.37]such as global warming, energy conservation [01:59.30]and the importance of recycling. Passage 15 Differences Between Chinese and Western Eating Habits [00:50.52]① There are great differences [00:52.18]between Chinese and Western eating habits. / [00:55.74]② Unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, / [01:00.16]in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. / [01:05.46]③ If you are being treated by a Chinese host, / [01:09.13]be prepared for a ton of food. / [01:12.45]④ Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine / [01:16.07]and will do their best to show their hospitality. / [01:19.90]⑤ And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks [01:23.70]to put food in your bowl or plate. / [01:26.99]⑥ This is a sign of politeness. / [01:30.07]⑦ The appropriate thing to do would be to eat whatever-it-is / [01:34.80]and say how tasty it is. / [01:37.63]⑧ If you feel uncomfortable with this, / [01:40.04]you can just say a polite thank-you and leave the food there. / [01:44.95]⑨ And you should never tap on your bowl with your chopsticks, / [01:48.79]which can be very insulting to the host. Passage 16 Artificial Intelligence [00:48.81]① Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence of machines [00:52.45]and the branch of computer science [00:54.47]which aims to create it. / [00:56.92]② Textbooks define it [00:58.55]as the study and design of intelligent agents, / [01:01.90]where an intelligent agent is a system [01:04.96]that perceives its environment / [01:07.03]and takes actions which maximize its chances of success. / [01:12.23]③ The field was founded on the claim that [01:15.23]human intelligence can be so precisely described / [01:18.89]that it can be simulated by a machine. / [01:22.32]④ The discipline of Artificial Intelligence was born [01:25.92]in the summer of 1956. / [01:29.16]⑤ Half of a century has passed, / [01:31.51]and Artificial Intelligence has come a long way [01:34.86]since its beginning. / [01:37.29]⑥ It has turned into an important field, / [01:39.59]whose influence on our daily lives [01:42.71]can hardly be underestimated. / [01:45.64]⑦ Many specialized Artificial Intelligence systems [01:49.30]exist that are at work in our cars, / [01:51.87]in our laptop computers, [01:54.28]and in our personal and commercial technologies. / [01:57.71]⑧ There is no doubt that the impact of Artificial Intelligence [02:01.96]on our lives in the future / [02:03.85]will become even more general and universal. Passage 17 Idioms [00:46.45]① An idiom is defined as a group of words / [00:49.47]whose meaning must be known as a whole, / [00:53.14]because it cannot be learned from the meaning [00:56.00]of the same words used separately. / [00:58.98]② Obviously, there is a problem / [01:01.12]when you cannot look up individual words in a dictionary [01:04.96]and find the meaning, / [01:06.87]the usual strategy we all employ [01:09.60]when we come across a word or words that are unfamiliar. / [01:14.10]③ With idioms, however, we must learn the group of words. / [01:18.69]④ In everyday English, idioms are in common use. / [01:23.16]⑤ In fact, idioms are so common / [01:26.13]that most native speakers do not even realize [01:30.02]that they are using idioms. / [01:32.62]⑥ It is particularly important to recognize idioms / [01:36.83]when you hear them or read them. / [01:38.92]⑦ When you are able to use them comfortably [01:41.39]in your own speech and writing, / [01:43.46]then you have achieved a higher level of mastery / [01:47.43]and fluency in the language. Passage 18 Children’s Health [00:49.40]① It seems we have developed [00:50.95]such a fast paced society of convenience / [00:55.01]that kids today don’t play outside much anymore. / [00:59.08]② They would rather stay inside and have things done for them. / [01:04.04]③ They spend too much time inside on the sofa / [01:07.87]and neglect any kind of physical activity, / [01:11.46]which causes a state of being inactive and unhealthy. / [01:16.94]④ Inactive kids have a higher risk of becoming obese, / [01:21.56]having high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease. / [01:26.12]⑤ Along with being inactive, / [01:29.62]kids today don’t get enough personal interaction with other kids, / [01:35.16]causing them to have a lack of interpersonal skills. / [01:39.31]⑥ Besides, their parents and grandparents [01:42.77]allow children to have everything they want. / [01:45.99]⑦ Parents’ spoiling only makes for an attitude of selfishness. / [01:51.93]⑧ To avoid this situation, parents should encourage their kids [01:56.53]to spend more time out of the house, / [01:59.86]such as playing basketball in a community basketball team. Passage 19 Customer Service [00:49.90]① Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. / [00:55.65]② You can offer promotions and slash prices [00:59.30]to bring in as many new customers as you want. / [01:02.92]③ But unless you can get some of those customers to come back, / [01:07.49]your business won’ t be profitable for long. / [01:11.34]④ Good customer service is all about bringing customers back / [01:16.45]and about sending them away happy, / [01:19.00]happy enough to pass positive feedback [01:21.91]about your business along to others, / [01:24.55]who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves / [01:29.77]and in their turn become repeat customers. / [01:33.80]⑤ If you’ re a good salesperson, / [01:36.72]you can sell anything to anyone once. / [01:40.66]⑥ But it will be your approach to customer service that determines / [01:45.55]whether or not you’ ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. / [01:51.24]⑦ The essence of good customer service [01:54.20]is forming a relationship with customers, / [01:57.60]a relationship that the individual customer feels [02:01.37]that he would like to pursue. Passage 20 AIDS [00:48.48]① When AIDS first emerged, / [00:50.77]no one could have predicted [00:52.80]how the epidemic would spread across the world / [00:56.01]and how many millions of lives it would change. / [00:59.75]② There was no real idea what caused it / [01:03.08]and consequently no real idea how to protect against it. / [01:08.42]③ Now we know from bitter experience / [01:11.33]that AIDS is caused by the virus HIV, / [01:15.61]and that it can destroy families, [01:17.75]communities and whole continents. / [01:20.98]④ However, experience has also shown us [01:24.56]that the right approaches can [01:26.78]and do result in lower national HIV infection rates / [01:32.48]and less suffering for those affected by the epidemic. / [01:36.98]⑤ Already, more than twenty-five million people [01:39.93]around the world have died of AIDS-related diseases. / [01:45.02]⑥ 33 million people around the world are now living with HIV, / [01:50.86]and most of these are likely to die over the next decade or so. / [01:56.84]⑦ It is disappointing that the global numbers of people [02:00.43]infected with HIV continue to rise, / [02:04.22]despite the fact that effective prevention strategies already exist. Passage 21 [00:44.73]Homeschooling [00:46.67]① More and more parents are feeling / [00:48.95]that the schools are not up to a suitable standard [00:52.36]required to meet their children’s needs. / [00:55.51]② Therefore, homeschooling becomes [00:58.32]an appealing prospect for parents / [01:00.78]who want to remain in control of their children’s learning. / [01:04.82]③ There are both benefits and drawbacks [01:07.78]to homeschooling a child, / [01:09.94]but the positives seem to outweigh the negatives [01:13.67]in the minds of parents. / [01:15.55]④ In UK homeschooling has increased in recent years [01:20.36]as the gap between the best- [01:22.33]and worst-performing schools has grown. / [01:25.67]⑤ Parents increasingly feel excluded from [01:29.24]their children’s education, / [01:31.02]for schools have turned into examination factories. / [01:35.06]⑥ In schools, teaching to the test is the norm, / [01:39.40]instead of allowing children to explore their own creativity. / [01:43.72]⑦ Schools need to achieve good examination results [01:47.88]in order to have their higher status recognized, / [01:51.94]which obviously has implications [01:54.17]for the level of funding they receive. / [01:57.42]⑧ Hence, it would almost seem that [01:59.62]students are seen as a means to an end, / [02:03.58]rather than as the whole reason for a school’s existence. Passage 22 Mail Fraud [00:49.47]① Mail fraud occurs when someone asks for [00:53.00]something of value to be sent through the mail, / [00:55.37]promising something in return, then fails to deliver. / [01:00.37]② Fraud can also be committed by wire, phone, or e-mail, / [01:05.39]but is only considered mail fraud / [01:08.21]when it involves things being sent by mail. / [01:11.93]③ This fraud can take the form of [01:14.07]offering a product or service / [01:16.09]which is then not provided or offering employment [01:20.33]that turns out to be a scam. / [01:23.05]④ It can also be offering a product or service for a price / [01:27.39]that is already provided for free by the government. / [01:31.76]⑤ Sometimes, you may receive an advertisement [01:35.55]for something designed to look like an invoice. / [01:39.53]⑥ Some Internet domain registration providers [01:43.07]are known for sending mail to owners of domains / [01:47.27]registered through competing companies, / [01:50.71]urging them to renew their domains. / [01:54.11]⑦ But in the process of renewing, / [01:56.18]the domain registration would be transferred [01:59.18]to the provider sending the mail, / [02:02.30]often at a higher cost. Passage 23 Online Shopping [00:47.90]① With just a click of the mouse, / [00:50.58]shoppers can buy nearly any product online, / [00:54.31]from groceries to cars, / [00:56.34]from insurance policies to home loans. / [01:00.07]② The world of electronic commerce, [01:02.79]also known as e-commerce, / [01:05.17]enables consumers to shop at thousands of online stores [01:09.79]and pay for their purchases / [01:12.10]without leaving the comfort of home. / [01:14.82]③ For many, the Internet has taken the place of [01:17.90]Saturday afternoon window shopping at the mall. / [01:22.63]④ Consumers expect merchants to [01:25.08]not only make their products available on the Web, / [01:28.28]but to make payments a simple and secure process. / [01:33.10]⑤ However, the same things can go wrong [01:35.90]in cyberspace as in the real world. / [01:39.16]⑥ Sometimes it is simply a case of a computer bug [01:42.69]or poor customer service. / [01:45.64]⑦ Other times, shoppers are cheated by clever scam artists. / H:\fanwen caiji two\写给亲爱老婆的情书.doc[01:51.80]⑧ Therefore, online shoppers need to [01:54.74]take sensible precautions / [01:57.53]to make their online shopping experiences enjoyable and safe. Passage 24 Aliens [00:49.54]① For a long time, aliens have often been in the news. / [00:53.33]② They have always been surrounded by mystery / [00:56.42]and interest of people all around the world. / [00:59.72]③ People have claimed to have been abducted by aliens. / [01:04.59]④ Some have claimed to have actually seen them. / [01:08.25]⑤ But is there a sound proof that can prove aliens to be real? / [01:14.03]⑥ Alien sightings have mostly been accompanied by [01:17.76]sightings of lights in the night sky. / [01:21.36]⑦ Some of them have also believed / [01:23.66]that the lights came from the spaceships used by the aliens. / [01:28.37]⑧ Disk-like objects traveling across the sky / [01:32.39]have often been taken as aliens’ vehicles. / [01:37.48]⑨ At times, people have found blood or hair at the locations / [01:42.63]where aliens were sighted. / [01:45.27]⑩ Researchers say alien sightings could have probably been [01:50.01]a result of human imagination accompanied by fear, / [01:55.12]and some of these sightings might have been [01:57.67]a result of certain astronomical phenomena. Passage 25 Traditional Brazilian Clothing [00:50.68]① Brazil is known internationally for its stylish [00:54.53]and sophisticated clothing. / [00:56.96]② Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted [01:01.79]and decorated with attractive laces. / [01:04.85]③ Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by [01:08.59]a combination of different races and immigrants [01:12.31]from all over the world. / [01:14.73]④ A true traditional Brazilian clothing [01:17.58]can be seen in the countryside, / [01:20.05]where men’s clothing includes shirt, jeans [01:24.09]and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. / [01:28.08]⑤ In the south of Brazil, the cowboys wear a distinctive dress [01:33.49]including loose-fitting trousers, / [01:36.38]while in the northeast region they wear coat, [01:39.74]hat and leather trousers. / [01:42.53]⑥ In the urban areas of Brazil, [01:45.24]most people prefer modern clothing. / [01:48.16]⑦ Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. / [01:51.39]⑧ Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. / [01:56.42]⑨ Brazilian jeans are very common / [01:59.00]and they come in a wide variety of styles and textures. / [02:04.51]⑩ Jeans made for women are tight-fitting [02:07.99]and loose-fitting near the feet. / [02:10.87]⑪ Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, / [02:13.87]beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil. Passage 26 Water Pollution [00:48.69]① Water pollution is an undesirable change [00:52.23]in the state of water, / [00:54.06]polluted with harmful substances. / [00:57.71]② It is the second most important environmental issue [01:01.56]next to air pollution. / [01:04.00]③ Any change in the physical, chemical [01:06.70]or biological properties of water / [01:09.45]will have a harmful effect on living things. / [01:13.03]④ Water pollution affects all the major water bodies [01:16.73]of the world / [01:17.97]such as lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. / [01:23.42]⑤ Polluted water is unfit for drinking [01:26.69]and for other consumption processes. / [01:30.06]⑥ It is also not suitable for agricultural and industrial use. / [01:35.77]⑦ The effects of water pollution are harmful to [01:38.66]human beings, plants, animals, fishes and birds. / [01:44.59]⑧ Water problems in the future [01:47.00]will become more intense and more complex. / [01:50.77]⑨ Our increasing population [01:52.72]will tremendously increase urban wastes, primarily sewage. / [01:58.01]⑩ On the other hand, increasing demands for water / [02:02.03]will decrease the amount of water available for [02:04.94]dealing with wastes. / [02:07.38]⑪ Due to water pollution, the entire ecosystem gets disturbed. Passage 27 Marketing [00:48.60]① Marketing is the process of planning [00:50.89]and executing the conception, / [00:53.83]pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, [00:58.37]goods and services / [01:00.71]to create exchanges that satisfy individual [01:05.00]and organizational objectives. / [01:08.87]② It consists of advertising and promoting your products [01:12.97]or services in order to sell them. / [01:16.24]③ Your business produces goods and services. / [01:21.37]④ Marketing is to let potential customers know [01:25.17]what are available for sale. / [01:28.00]⑤ Sales, advertising, and public relations [01:32.10]are essential components of marketing / [01:35.68]and each requires specialized skills and expertise. / [01:40.84]⑥ While a small business may have only one person / [01:45.78]performing all these functions [01:48.02]under the marketing umbrella, / [01:50.56]knowledge of each area is important to [01:53.80]develop a focused effort. / [01:57.13]⑦ A focus on what the customer wants and needs / [01:59.95]is essential to successful marketing efforts. / [02:03.71]⑧ This customer-orientation should go hand-in-hand [02:08.30]with the company’s objective [02:10.63]of maintaining a profitable volume of sales. / [02:15.83]⑨ Marketing is a creative process [02:18.86]combining all of the activities [02:20.54]needed to accomplish all of these objectives. Passage 28 The Free Hugs Campaign [00:49.53]① The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement / [00:52.41]involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places. / [00:57.82]② The campaign in its present form was started in 2004 [01:02.25]by an Australian man. / [01:04.86]③ Initially, people were suspicious of the strange man on the street / [01:09.25]offering to hug anyone who wanted one. / [01:12.49]④ Soon, however, suspicion gave way to enthusiastic acceptance. / [01:17.59]⑤ When authorities tried to stop the campaign, / [01:20.25]over 10,000 people signed to ensure its continuance. / [01:24.82]⑥ The campaign became famous internationally in 2006 [01:29.48]as the result of a music video uploaded into the Internet. / [01:33.72]⑦ The response to the video was astounding. / [01:36.96]⑧ Many people joined this newly created movement, / [01:40.27]and went out offering free hugs to whoever wanted one. / [01:43.64]⑨ This event demonstrates how the Internet can be used to [01:48.12]connect humanity beyond the boundaries of space and time. / [01:52.58]⑩ The hugs are meant to be random acts of kindness, / [01:56.32]reputedly selfless acts performed by a person [01:59.44]for the sole reason of making others feel better. Passage 29 Nongovernmental Organization in Denmark [00:51.54]① Danes pursue common interests in leisure, sports, and politics. / [00:58.72]② Associations are essentially nongovernmental, [01:03.12]originating in the late 19th century, / [01:07.27]when farmers and workers formed interest groups. / [01:12.05]③ Today Denmark has one of the highest proportions [01:16.26]of association membership in the world. / [01:19.76]④ More than 90 percent of the population [01:22.62]belongs to an organization, / [01:24.97]and more than 73 percent of the people [01:27.90]have multiple memberships [01:30.90]in more than three hundred thousand organizations. / [01:35.52]⑤ Organizations and associations play three important roles. / [01:41.58]⑥ First, they have been able to develop common interests [01:46.05]and identities among different groups of people. / [01:50.06]⑦ Second, practical improvements in the form of production, [01:54.82]increases in salary, / [01:57.03]and membership discounts have been achieved. / [02:01.05]⑧ Third, organizations participate in the political [02:05.42]struggle for the distribution of values and goods in society. / [02:11.31]⑨ For example, charities use sophisticated [02:15.19]public relations campaigns to raise funds / [02:19.49]and employ standard lobbying techniques with governments. / [02:24.26]⑩ Interest groups may be of political importance / [02:28.34]because of their ability to influence social and political outcomes. Passage 30 Lead Time [00:47.20]① Lead time is the period between a customer’s order [00:50.52]and delivery of the final product. / [00:53.97]② A small order of a pre-existing item [00:56.80]may only have a few hours’ lead time, / [01:00.20]but a larger order of custom-made parts [01:03.21]may have a lead time of weeks, months or even longer. / [01:08.14]③ It all depends on a number of factors, / [01:11.34]from the time it takes to create the machinery [01:14.38]to the speed of the delivery system. / [01:18.16]④ Lead time may change according to seasons or holidays / [01:22.59]or overall demand for the product. / [01:25.82]⑤ Manufacturers are always looking for ways / [01:29.16]to improve the lead time on their products. / [01:32.52]⑥ Lead time can mean the difference / [01:34.92]between making the sale [01:36.82]and watching a competitor sign the contract. / [01:40.73]⑦ If a company can deliver the product [01:43.77]weeks ahead of the competition, / [01:45.93]it stands a better chance of receiving future orders. / [01:50.57]⑧ Because of this, management and labor teams [01:54.35]routinely hold meetings / [01:56.64]to discuss lead time improvements. [02:00.94]The second and third readings, [02:02.90]you should begin writing now.