填空听写二十篇 (Spot Dictation)

填空听写二十篇(Spot Dictation) 说明:本次听写练习的难度在英语专业三级水平(相当于大学英语四级)。每篇填空听写练习的前7个空只填写一个单词,较为简单,主要考查词汇量和辩音能力,第8-10个空应填写完整的句子,主要为专四听写做准备,可以不必完全与原句一样,用自己的话写出语法正确符合意思的Major Points即可。填空听写训练是向专四标准听写过渡的重要阶段,这类习题可以在非英语专业的大学英语四级练习题中找到,建议训练几十篇后再进行难度较大的全文听写。 的语音及文字资料仅供课堂教学使用,请勿用于其他任何形式的转载和引用。 Passage 1 People have been working on the idea of the helicopters for more than four hundred years. About four hundred years ago, a man thought of a flying machine and (1) _____ a picture of it. It was like a helicopter in some ways. But the people of that time did not know about the (2) _____ of flying. So the man's idea (3) _____ a picture on a piece of paper for many years. About one (4) _____ ago, some men made (5) _____ of flying machines and the first airplanes were born. Since then (6) _____ has been making (7) _____ progress. In about 1930, some people made a big helicopter. (8) _____. Then some other people made another kind of helicopter, which carried only one man, but could fly for many hours. Today there are many kinds of helicopters, big and small. (9) _____. People in some places cannot always drive their cars to the airport to board a plane. Some of them have helicopters of their own, though they are not always rich people. They fly to the airport in their helicopter, get on a plane, and take off again. (10) _____. Then people will go to work in their own helicopters just as they do in their cars today. Indeed, the helicopter is a great achievement of science. Passage 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on (1) _____ 15, 1929. He was a black (2) _____, who devoted himself (3) _____ to the struggle for equal rights for the black people and an end to segregation in the South of the United States. In (4) _____, he organized a black boycott of the city buses in Montgomery, Alabama. The black people there had (5) _____ that they would no longer ride in segregated buses. Led by King, they (6) _____ to the courts for support of their effort. The boycott against segregation lasted 381 days, and ended in (7) _____ the next year. In the spring of 1963, he began to organize a march to Washington to persuade the U.S. government to back a mass Civil Rights Movement for black people. (8) _____. From all over the country, citizens came to "march on Washington" in support of civil rights legislation. It was then that King delivered the most impressive speech of his career. (9) _____. In 1964, at the age of only 35, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. (10) _____. Passage 3 One of the (1) _____ of large modern cities is the number of big department stores, most of 1 which are to be found in or near the (2) _____ area. They're vast buildings many stories high, where you can buy almost anything you need, from a box of toothpicks to a suite of (3) _____. Most of them are very modern and are equipped with (4) _____ elevators and escalators, and have (5) _____ lighting, air-conditioning and ventilation. You can spend hours (6) _____ around in one of these department stores, and you will probably lose your way while you are doing so, in spite of the many (7) _____ pointing the way to the elevators and exits. If you have been in one of these stores so long that you feel hungry, you and your family will not need to leave the building, for nearly all the big stores have cafes, snack bars or restaurants in them. (8) _____, though occasionally an assistant may ask you whether he or she can be of help to you. Another feature of Shanghai's shopping life is the chain-store, in which prices are lower than in the big store, and a wide variety of goods are offered — chiefly foodstuffs, household goods, clothing and stationery. (9) _____, in spite of the vigilance of the store security guards. A lot of the food stores in Shanghai now operate on the "serve yourself" system: (10) _____. At the exit there are a number of counters where you pay for all your purchases together. Passage 4 In the United States the cost of living has been (1) _____ rising for the past few (2) _____. Food prices, clothing costs, housing (3) _____, and tuition fees are constantly getting higher and higher. Partly because of (4) _____ need, and partly because of (5) _____ choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the (6) _____ role of full-time homemaker. Increasingly they have been taking (7) _____ jobs outside the home. Making such a significant role change affects the entire family, especially the children. Some consequences are obvious. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour. (8)_____. They suppress their guilt since they believe that their work will benefit everyone in the long run. The income will enable the family to save for college tuition, take an extended vacation, buy a new car, and so on. The emotional impact on the children can be significant. (9) _____. They might need assistance with their homework or want to share the day's activities. (10) _____. Their priority is making the evening meal for the family, not engaging in relaxed conversation. Passage 5 If you break your arm or leg, the doctor will (1) _____ send you to a hospital to have an X-ray photograph taken to find out just where the break is and what kind of break it is. If a small child (2) _____ a coin or some other hard (3) _____, as sometimes happens, the doctor will take an X-ray photograph of the child's (4) _____. Every hospital has an X-ray (5) _____, and doctors now depend on these photographs to find out if there is anything wrong with the (6) _____, for example, which can not be seen from outside the body. X-rays were first discovered by a German scientist, Wilhelm Konrad Rontgen, in 1895, almost by (7) _____. He and other scientists were experimenting with passing electric currents through certain gases in a special glass tube. (8) _____. This aroused Rontgen's curiosity. The next thing he found out was that if he put his hand between the rays and a photographic plate, the rays would print a shadow of the bony framework of his hand on the plate. (9) _____. When Rontgen wrote an account of what he had discovered, (10) _____. Other scientists called them Rontgen rays in honor of the man who first found them, but X-ray is the name now commonly used. Passage 6 Atoms are the building blocks of our world —(1) _____ units that make up everything around us. In the same way that wheels, bands, (2) _____, and pins fit together to make a clock or a toy, atoms of (3) _____ kinds fit together to form the (4) _____ around us. At one time or another, almost everyone has taken apart a toy or a clock to see what makes it work. The result is simply a (5) _____ of parts. Some people can (6) _____ out how to put the parts together again, to rebuild the toy or clock. And a few people can even work out ways to make (7) _____ new devices out of the toy or clock parts. Modern scientists have learned to do very much the same kind of thing with matter. (8) _____. Air, water, rock, and even people are composed of matter. (9) _____. A molecule is the smallest piece that keeps the characteristics of the original substance. For instance, a sugar molecule is the smallest piece that is still like sugar. (10) _____. These are atoms. From this example, we can see why atoms are called the building blocks of matter. All the kinds of matter in the world are made from only about 100 different kinds of atoms. Passage 7 Since the (1) _____ of history, men have gathered information and have (2) _____ to pass it on to other men. The (3) _____ of word-pictures on the walls of (4) _____ caves as well as hieroglyphics on stone tablets (5) _____ some of man's earliest efforts to (6) _____ information. Evidently, these efforts were very simple and (7) _____. But as civilizations grew more complex, better methods of communication were needed. The written word, carrier pigeons, the telegraph and many other devices carried ideas faster and faster from man to man but still not fast enough to satisfy ever-growing needs. (8) _____. With the invention and development of computers, it is as if man has suddenly come upon Aladin's magic lamp. (9) _____. For this reason, computers can be defined as devices which accept information, perform mathematical or logical operations with the input information, and then supply the results of these operations as new information. (10) _____. However, although computers can replace men in dull, routine tasks, they only work according to the instructions given them, in other words, they have to be programmed. Their achievements are not very spectacular when compared to what the minds of men can do. Passage 8 Canada has the largest (1) _____ area in the world after the (2) _____ U.S. S. R., but it is rather (3) _____ populated. Most (4) _____ live in the south, within about 500 kilometers of the (5) _____ with the U.S.A. The far north of Canada lies within the Arctic (6) _____, where the winters are long and (7) _____ cold. Eskimos live in the Arctic, a region where it is too cold even for trees to grow. South of that region is a vast area with many forests and lakes. The more populated part of southern Canada stretches about 5 000 kilometers from east to west. Here are found valuable forests, rich deposits of minerals, and various manufacturing industries. (8) _____. To the east of the Rockies are vast grasslands, called prairies, where cattle are reared and a large amount of wheat is grown. Coal and oil also come from this area. In south-eastern Canada is the important lowland region around the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. (9) _____. And this is where Canada's two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, as well as the capital, Ottawa, are located. English and French are the official languages. (10) _____. The country is divided into ten provinces and two thinly populated territories. It has a central government, with a parliament, headed by a prime minister. Passage 9 Everybody knows that the car is a (1) _____ machine. The experts (2) _____ that cars of the future will be made of (3) _____ and carbon fibers that will be much stronger than steel and much lighter in weight. Even the (4) _____ will be made of these materials. Cars of the future will be smaller and lighter but their designs will probably be (5) _____ to those of the latest (6) _____ of the modern sports cars. There will probably not be any (7) _____ design changes for a long time. The real frontier for cars of the future lies not in body design but with computer activation. Cars may someday actually drive themselves. (8) _____. Everyone in the car would be able to relax, even take a nap, as the car speeds along at hundreds of kilometers per hour. (9) _____. Changes of destination along the way could be made from a computer in the car to a central computer controlling and regulating the traffic. (10)_____, perhaps, even as early as the early 21st century — which would make it in your lifetime. Passage 10 Do you have (1) _____ sleeping at night? Then, maybe, this is for you: When you worry about not being able to sleep and (2) _____ around, trying to find a (3) _____ position, you're probably only making matters (4) _____. What happens is that your heart rate actually (5) _____, making it more difficult to (6) _____. You may also have some bad habits that contribute to the problem. Do you rest (7) _____ during the day? Do you get almost no exercise or do you exercise strenuously late in the day? Do you think about sleep a lot or sleep late on the weekend? Any of all these factors might be leading to your insomnia by disrupting your body's natural rhythm. What should you do then on those sleepless night? Don't bother with sleeping pills. (8) _____. The best thing to do is to drink some milk or eat some cheese or tuna fish. (9) _____. This will enable you to relax and you'll be on the way to get a good night's sleep. (10) _____. Think about this: when the morning comes, everything will be all right again. Passage 11 Education is (1) _____ in Australia. Children begin school when they are 6 and stay until they are at least 15. Children in Tasmania must stay in school until they are 16. Most children start in (2) _____ classes at the age of 5. There are (3) _____, or "state" schools in all (4) _____ parts of the country, but pupils who live in the (5) _____ outback take (6) _____ courses and listen to radio classes. Australia also has many (7) _____ or "independent" school. One child in four attends an independent school. As in England, the leading private schools are called public schools. (8) _____. The school year, which begins in late January or early February, ends in mid-December. This time of the year is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Christmas vacation is the time for taking long trips and for going to summer camps. (9) _____. Games are taught as part of physical education classes. The boys play cricket in summer and Australian Rules football, soccer, and rugby in winter. The girls play basketball throughout the year. (10) _____. Passage 12 Indians in the United States are faced with (1) _____ problems. Many Indians still live on reservations, in squalid shacks that don't even have indoor (2) _____. The water there is often so (3) _____ that it is not fit for drinking. Mechanization has (4) _____ eliminated many of the ranching and (5) _____ jobs formerly (6) _____ to the Indians, and few (7) _____ have been set up on the reservations. In any case, most native Americans have had only very little schooling and remain untrained for skilled jobs. (8) _____. As groups of people with their own languages and cultures, each tribe wants to keep up its traditions and preserve some of its native customs. The adults want their children to be proud of being Indians, as well as to survive in the modern world. (9) _____. Like everyone else, they are anxious to get a good education and a good job. However, they have little prospect for success and become very frustrated because they usually can only go to inferior schools and often find it impossible to adjust to present-day life. (10) _____. The most important problem American Indians have to tackle, many experts believe, is the restoring of their pride and self-confidence. And this is to be first and foremost if they are to change their destiny. Passage 13 Most Americans have great (1) _____ and (2) _____. They prefer to discipline themselves rather than be disciplined by others. They pride themselves on their (3) _____, their right to make up their own minds. They are prepared to take the (4) _____, even when there is a risk in doing so. They have (5) _____ and do not give in easily. They will take any sort of job anywhere rather than be (6) _____. They do not care to be looked after by the government. The (7) _____ American changes his or her job nine or ten times during his or her working life. (8) _____. They are considered sentimental. When on ceremonial occasions they see a flag, or attend parades celebrating America's glorious past, tears may come to their eyes. Reunions with family and friends tend to be emotional, too. They like to dress correctly, even if "correctly" means flamboyantly. They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek. (9) _____. They have a wide knowledge of everyday things, and a keen interest in their particular city and state. (10) _____. Passage 14 It is only (1) _____ that every one of us may, at some point in life, be called upon to make a speech, but most of us will worry a great deal out of (2) _____ that we may not do a very good job. Well, here is some (3) _____ you will find useful should such an occasion (4) _____. So now you have to give a speech — and you are (5) _____ at the thought. You get nervous, so much so that you gnaw at your (6) _____. You stumble over your words, and you forget what you want to say, or you talk too long and you (7) _____ your audience. But cheer up! It really doesn't have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps that will take the pain out of your speech-making. (8) _____. Then ask yourself the purpose of your speech. Now let us suppose you have been asked to introduce the main speaker at a conference. It is all right to tell a joke or an anecdote if it is in good taste, and will not embarrass the speaker. And most important, be brief. If you are giving a lecture or explaining an idea, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of time doing research. (9) _____. Never forget your audience. Don't talk over their heads, and don't talk down to them either. (10) _____. Make sure everyone in the room can hear you. To sum up, remember, be prepared, know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. If you just follow these simple rules, you will see that you don't have to be afraid to speak in public. Passage 15 In China, it is taken for (1) _____ that everyone should marry, and every family should have children. Traditionally, children (2) _____ fortune and happiness for a family. A large population was (3) _____ as an asset for a nation. Not (4) _____, China's population reached more than a billion in the early 1980s, according to the 1982 census report. Since 1979, the birth control policy of one child per family has been in place. At the national level, the birth rate has been reduced to about 1.7 percent from 1979 to 1995, as (5) _____ with 3.4 percent in the early (6) _____. At the level of the (7) _____ family, the one-child policy has brought changes and challenges to families and parents. (8) _____. Nowadays, it is common for both parents to have full-time jobs. In a family that has two or more children, parents often juggle their time around to fit the schedules of their kids. (9) _____. With the ever rising living expenses and college tuition, parents who have only one child do not feel the economic pressure as much as those who have more than one child. The only child usually gets more attention and financial resources in the family. However, it is right here that the problem arises. As most "only children" are cuddled and coddled, they are often spoiled as "little emperors". Unlike their parents who used to contribute financially to their families' well-being and were self-reliant, they don't have direct experience with the struggle of life. (10) _____. Is your family (1) _____ in buying a dog? A dog can be a happy (2) _____ to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, the (3) _____ can cause you a lot of trouble. Families should sit down and (4) _____ discuss the problems (5) _____ before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really (6) _____ for seeing that the animal is (7) _____ cared for. If you don't know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library or the ASPCA for books about various kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a puppy. In reading about the different breeds, you should know that a dog described as very alert may be too jumpy and bouncy. (8) _____. Dog breeds vary in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd. (9) _____. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to handle. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. (10) _____. Passage 17 Now we all (1) _____ money in exchange for goods and (2) _____. We use money to buy clothes, food, (3) _____, books, cars and many other things we need or want. When we work, we usually get (4) _____ in paper currency. Most of the money (5) _____ today is made of metal, paper or plastics. But in (6) _____ times, people actually used various kinds of things as exchange (7) _____, such as knives, cloth, rice, gold and silver. In China, for instance, cloth and metals were used as money for thousands of years. (8) _____. Today everybody knows that the first metal coins were made in China. England used tin to make its first coins. Russia and some other countries used copper to make their money. Later, a number of countries began to make coins of gold and silver. (9) _____. As the metal money was inconvenient if you wanted to buy something expensive, paper currency came into existence, (10) _____. Passage 18 One of the most (1) _____ of all studies is the study of words and their origins. Most languages are (2) _____ of several (3) _____ languages, and the words of a language can often be (4) _____ back through two or three (5) _____ languages to their origins. Again, a word from one language may (6) _____ into another language and (7) _____ a new meaning. The word "etiquette", which comes from French and originally meant a label or a sign, gradually changed its meaning after it passed into English. (8) _____. Another interesting thing is how the word "sandwich" was put into use for indicating the popular food. (9) _____. Sandwich was rich, but he liked to play cards for money. Very often he played for 24 hours a day without stopping to have his meals. He ordered his servants to bring him some meat and bread and he played while eating. (10) _____. People liked Sandwich's idea and began to eat bread and meat in this way too. From the name of the man came the word "sandwich" that we have today. As college students, each term they have to write some research paper. Now one of the most (1) _____ things about writing a research paper is giving proper (2) _____ for the students' (3) _____ of information. (4) _____ to do this is called plagiarism, which is a kind of (5) _____, or at least, an unauthorized borrowing of someone else's ideas. Sometimes (6) _____ students will plagiarize (7) _____, and then be surprised when the teacher won't accept their papers or gives them a failing grade. (8) _____. As you take notes on books and magazine articles about the topic you've selected, first try to assimilate the information thoroughly. Secondly, write it down in your own words. This is called paraphrasing. (9) _____. Most of your notes should probably be paraphrases. However, you may sometimes find something you wish to quote directly in your research paper. In this case, be sure that you copy the information precisely in your notes and place it in quotation marks. (10) _____. You can then use them properly and give the original author or authors proper credits. Passage 20 Today this (1) _____ is about the English (2) _____ Emily Dickenson. (3) _____ with Walt Witman, whom we (4) _____ last week, I found Emily Dickenson greatly different. She seems, in fact, to have been the complete (5) _____ of Walt Whitman in her works. I would like to share (6) _____ with the (7) _____ some interesting facts about her life. Emily Dickenson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, barely a decade after Whitman. (8) _____. For the remaining thirty years of her life, she was seldom seen outside her home. In this respect she was quite unlike Whitman, who loved the great outdoors. (9) _____, notable "I Heard a Fly Buzz", and the poem we read for today "I Am Nobody". Although she showed some of her poems to her family, and sent some in her letters to her friends, only four were published in her lifetime. (10) _____. These poems have established her as a major poet, and several modern critics consider her the greatest woman poet in the English language. 填空听写及原文 Passage 1 People have been working on the idea of the helicopters for more than four hundred years. About four hundred years ago, a man thought of a flying machine and (1) (drew) a picture of it. It was like a helicopter in some ways. But the people of that time did not know about the (2) (science) of flying. So the man's idea (3) (remained) a picture on a piece of paper for many years. About one (4) (century) ago, some men made (5) (models) of flying machines and the first airplanes were born. Since then (6) (aviation) has been making (7) (incredible) progress. In about 1930, some people made a big helicopter. (8) (It could carry more than one man, but it could not stay still in the air very long). Then some other people made another kind of helicopter, which carried only one man, but could fly for many hours. Today there are many kinds of helicopters, big and small. (9) (One of the newest helicopters is very light and easy to handle. It can be put in the back of a car). People in some places cannot always drive their cars to the airport to board a plane. Some of them have helicopters of their own, though they are not always rich people. They fly to the airport in their helicopter, get on a plane, and take off again. (10) (The helicopter is so useful that some day it may take the place of the car and the train and maybe many other means of transportation). Then people will go to work in their own helicopters just as they do in their cars today. Indeed, the helicopter is a great achievement of science. Major points: (8) It could carry several people, but couldn't stay long in the air. (9) The new helicopter is very light and simple and can be put into a car. (10) The helicopter is so useful that it may replace other means of transportation. Passage 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on (1) (January) 15,1929. He was a black (2) (clergyman), who devoted himself (3) (completely) to the struggle for equal rights for the black people and an end to segregation in the South of the United States. In (4) (1955), he organized a black boycott of the city buses in Montgomery, Alabama. The black people there had (5) (decided) that they would no longer ride in segregated buses. Led by King, they (6) (appealed) to the courts for support of their effort. The boycott against segregation lasted 381 days, and ended in (7) (victory) the next year. In the spring of 1963, he began to organize a march to Washington to persuade the U.S. government to back a mass Civil Rights Movement for black people. (8) (On August 28 that year, some 250 OO0 Americans of all races and faiths joined him and other civil rights leaders in an unprecedented demonstration of solidarity). From all over the country, citizens came to "march on Washington" in support of civil rights legislation. It was then that King delivered the most impressive speech of his career. (9) (Many of those present wept, deeply moved by these words that will forever be remembered by all freedom-loving people). In 1964, at the age of only 35, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. (10) (But only four years later, on April 4, 1968, the day before another mass demonstration, he was shot and killed by an assassin). Major points: (8) On August 28 that year, he led a large demonstration with many Americans taking part in. (9) Many people were moved by what he said. (10) He was killed on April 4, 1968 before another demonstration. Passage 3 One of the (1) (features) of large modern cities is the number of big department stores, most of which are to be found in or near the (2) (central) area. They're vast buildings many stories high, where you can buy almost anything you need, from a box of toothpicks to a suite of (3) (furniture). Most of them are very modern and are equipped with (4) (convenient) elevators and escalators, and have (5) (well-planned) lighting, air-conditioning and ventilation. You can spend hours (6) (wandering) around in one of these department stores, and you will probably lose your way while you are doing so, in spite of the many (7) (signs) pointing the way to the elevators and exits. If you have been in one of these stores so long that you feel hungry, you and your family will not need to leave the building, for nearly all the big stores have cafes, snack bars or restaurants in them. (8) (After a meal, you can inspect the goods on sale at your leisure, and you will not be forced to buy anything), though occasionally an assistant may ask you whether he or she can be of help to you. Another feature of Shanghai's shopping life is the chain-store, in which prices are lower than in the big store, and a wide variety of goods are offered — chiefly foodstuffs, household goods, clothing and stationery. (9) (The goods are displayed on open shelves and counters, and it is a regrettable fact that some shoplifting goes on sometimes), in spite of the vigilance of the store security guards. A lot of the food stores in Shanghai now operate on the "serve yourself" system: (10) (you go in, pick up a basket or a cart, walk round the shop and choose what you need). At the exit there are a number of counters where you pay for all your purchases together. Major points: (8) After a meal, you can look at the goods without having to buy them. (9) The goods are accessible to customers, so sometimes are stolen. (10) You can choose whatever you want in it. Passage 4 In the United States the cost of living has been (1) (steadily) rising for the past few (2) (decades). Food prices, clothing costs, housing (3) (expenses), and tuition fees are constantly getting higher and higher. Partly because of (4) (financial) need, and partly because of (5) (career) choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the (6) (traditional) role of full-time homemaker. Increasingly they have been taking (7) (salaried) jobs outside the home. Making such a significant role change affects the entire family, especially the children. Some consequences are obvious. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour. (8) (Mothers leave home in the morning, feeling guilty because they will not be home when their children return from school). They suppress their guilt since they believe that their work will benefit everyone in the long run. The income will enable the family to save for college tuition, take an extended vacation, buy a new car, and so on. The emotional impact on the children can be significant. (9) (After all, they are alone several hours, and they feel that their mothers should "be there" for them). They might need assistance with their homework or want to share the day's activities. (10) (All too often, however, the mothers arrive home exhausted and face the immediate task of preparing dinner). Their priority is making the evening meal for the family, not engaging in relaxed conversation. Major points: (8) Mothers feel sorry to leave home early and come back late. (9) They want their mothers to be with them when they are alone. (10) But the mothers often get home tired and have to cook the dinner. Passage 5 If you break your arm or leg, the doctor will (1) (probably) send you to a hospital to have an X-ray photograph taken to find out just where the break is and what kind of break it is. If a small child (2) (swallows) a coin or some other hard (3) (object), as sometimes happens, the doctor will take an X-ray photograph of the child's (4) (stomach). Every hospital has an X-ray (5) (department), and doctors now depend on these photographs to find out if there is anything wrong with the (6) (lungs), for example, which can not be seen from outside the body. X-rays were first discovered by a German scientist, Wilhelm Konrad Rontgen, in 1895, almost by (7) (accident). He and other scientists were experimenting with passing electric currents through certain gases in a special glass tube. (8) (Then one day Rontgen noticed that, even when the tube was covered with black paper, some strange kind of radiation was coming through). This aroused Rontgen's curiosity. The next thing he found out was that if he put his hand between the rays and a photographic plate, the rays would print a shadow of the bony framework of his hand on the plate. (9) (So Rontgen made the first X-ray picture of a hand, showing just how the bones in the hand fit together). When Rontgen wrote an account of what he had discovered, (10) (he called these new rays X-rays, for "X" is a symbol often used for something which is not yet understood). Other scientists called them Rontgen rays in honor of the man who first found them, but X-ray is the name now commonly used. Major points: (8) One day he found that some radiation could come through the tube. (9) Rontgen made the first X-ray picture of a hand, showing the bones inside. (10) He named the new rays "X-rays", which meant something not yet understood. Passage 6 Atoms are the building blocks of our world —(1) (tiny) units that make up everything around us. In the same way that wheels, bands, (2) (screws), and pins fit together to make a clock or a toy, atoms of (3) (various) kinds fit together to form the (4) (substances) around us. At one time or another, almost everyone has taken apart a toy or a clock to see what makes it work. The result is simply a (5) (collection) of parts. Some people can (6) (figure) out how to put the parts together again, to rebuild the toy or clock. And a few people can even work out ways to make (7) (entirely) new devices out of the toy or clock parts. Modern scientists have learned to do very much the same kind of thing with matter. (8) (Matter is anything that takes up space and has weight). Air, water, rock, and even people are composed of matter. (9) (All matter can be split into smaller and smaller pieces. There is a limit, however, to how small the pieces can be). A molecule is the smallest piece that keeps the characteristics of the original substance. For instance, a sugar molecule is the smallest piece that is still like sugar. (10) (With special equipment a molecule can be broken down into still smaller parts). These are atoms. From this example, we can see why atoms are called the building blocks of matter. All the kinds of matter in the world are made from only about 100 different kinds of atoms. Major points: (8) Matter is anything that occupies space and has weight. (9) All matter can be split again and again but there is a limit. (10) With special equipment a molecule can be further split. Passage 7 Since the (1) (dawn) of history, men have gathered information and have (2) (attempted) to pass it on to other men. The (3) (carving) of word-pictures on the walls of (4) (ancient) caves as well as hieroglyphics on stone tablets (5) (represent) some of man's earliest efforts to (6) (convey) information. Evidently, these efforts were very simple and (7) (primitive). But as civilizations grew more complex, better methods of communication were needed. The written word, carrier pigeons, the telegraph and many other devices carried ideas faster and faster from man to man but still not fast enough to satisfy ever-growing needs. (8) (In recent years, as men entered the information epoch, a new type of machine, the electronic computer, has come into being and has become increasingly important in the lives of all people). With the invention and development of computers, it is as if man has suddenly come upon Aladin's magic lamp. (9) (Generally speaking, the basic job of computers is the processing of information). For this reason, computers can be defined as devices which accept information, perform mathematical or logical operations with the input information, and then supply the results of these operations as new information. (10) (Computers can work through a series of problems and make thousands of logical decisions without ever becoming tired). However, although computers can replace men in dull, routine tasks, they only work according to the instructions given them, in other words, they have to be programmed. Their achievements are not very spectacular when compared to what the minds of men can do. Major points: (8) Recently computers have appeared and become more and more important. (9) A computer's job is to process information. (10) Computers can work out many problems and make logical decisions without being tired. Passage 8 Canada has the largest (1) (surface) area in the world after the (2) (former) U. S. S. R., but it is rather (3) (sparsely) populated. Most (4) (Canadians) live in the south, within about 500 kilometers of the (5) (border) with the U.S.A. The far north of Canada lies within the Arctic (6) (Circle), where the winters are long and (7) (bitterly) cold. Eskimos live in the Arctic, a region where it is too cold even for trees to grow. South of that region is a vast area with many forests and lakes. The more populated part of southern Canada stretches about 5 000 kilometers from east to west. Here are found valuable forests, rich deposits of minerals, and various manufacturing industries. (8) (Behind the coastal region lie the high Rocky Mountains which are very popular with tourists). To the east of the Rockies are vast grasslands, called prairies, where cattle are reared and a large amount of wheat is grown. Coal and oil also come from this area. In southeastern Canada is the important lowland region around the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. (9) (This region is the Chief farming and manufacturing area in Canada. Mining is also important and well developed there). And this is where Canada's two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal, as well as the capital, Ottawa, are located. English and French are the official languages. (10) (About 45 out of every 100 Canadians are descended from British people, and about 29 are of French origin). The country is divided into ten provinces and two thinly populated territories. It has a central government, with a parliament, headed by a prime minister. Major points: (8) Behind the coast are the famous Rocky Mountains. (9) Farming, manufacturing and mining are very important there. (10) Of every 100 Canadians, 45 are descended from English, and 29 from French people. Passage 9 Everybody knows that the car is a (1) (marvelous) machine. The experts (2) (predict) that cars of the future will be made of (3) (plastics) and carbon fibers that will be much stronger than steel and much lighter in weight. Even the (4) (engines) will be made of these materials. Cars of the future will be smaller and lighter but their designs will probably be (5) (similar) to those of the latest (6) (models) of the modern sports cars. There will probably not be any (7) (extreme) design changes for a long time. The real frontier for cars of the future lies not in body design but with computer activation. Cars may someday actually drive themselves. (8) (Highways would probably be wired so that cars could be programmed to travel a certain route and make the trip with or without a driver). Everyone in the car would be able to relax, even take a nap, as the car speeds along at hundreds of kilometers per hour. (9) (The car would be radar-and computer-controlled to never touch other driverless cars, trucks or buses on the road). Changes of destination along the way could be made from a computer in the car to a central computer controlling and regulating the traffic. (10) (Most automobile designers and engineers believe that such cars are certain to be built in the future), perhaps, even as early as the early 21st century —which would make it in your lifetime. Major points: (8) Cars could be programmed and driven along the highway with or without a driver. (9) The car could be controlled to never touch other vehicles. (10) It is believed that such cars can be built in the future. Passage 10 Do you have (1) (trouble) sleeping at night? Then, maybe, this is for you: When you worry about not being able to sleep and (2) (twist) around, trying to find a (3) (comfortable) position, you're probably only making matters (4) (worse). What happens is that your heart rate actually (5) (increases), making it more difficult to (6) (relax). You may also have some bad habits that contribute to the problem. Do you rest (7) (frequently) during the day? Do you get almost no exercise or do you exercise strenuously late in the day? Do you think about sleep a lot or sleep late on the weekend? Any of all these factors might be leading to your insomnia by disrupting your body's natural rhythm. What should you do then on those sleepless night? Don't bother with sleeping pills. (8) (They can actually cause worse insomnia later). The best thing to do is to drink some milk or eat some cheese or tuna fish. (9) (They're all rich in the nutrition that helps produce in the brain a substance that helps you fall asleep). This will enable you to relax and you'll be on the way to get a good night's sleep. (10) (Until the start of the next morning's study and work, don't bother yourself with your sleeplessness). Think about this: when the morning comes, everything will be all right again. Major points: (8) They can only make things worse. (9) They can help you fall asleep. (10) Don't bother yourself before the next morning. Passage 11 Education is (1) (compulsory) in Australia. Children begin school when they are 6 and stay until they are at least 15. Children in Tasmania must stay in school until they are 16. Most children start in (2) (infants') classes at the age of 5. There are (3) (government), or "state" schools in all (4) (populated) parts of the country, but pupils who live in the (5) (remote) outback take (6) (correspondence) courses and listen to radio classes. Australia also has many (7) (private) or "independent" school. One child in four attends an independent school. As in England, the leading private schools are called public schools. (8) (Pupils in state and independent schools wear uniforms and follow many other English school traditions). The school year, which begins in late January or early February, ends in mid-December. This time of the year is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Christmas vacation is the time for taking long trips and for going to summer camps. (9) (The elementary school of Australian boys and girls include languages, social studies, arithmetic, health education, nature study, reading, and art). Games are taught as part of physical education classes. The boys play cricket in summer and Australian Rules football, soccer, and rugby in winter. The girls play basketball throughout the year. (10) (Swimming, tennis, hiking, camping, and singing are popular out-of-school activities). Major points: (8) Pupils in Australian schools wear uniforms like those in English schools. (9) Boys and girls in Australian elementary schools study such subjects as languages, social studies, arithmetic, health education, nature study, reading and art. (10) After school, pupils like to do such activities as swimming, tennis, hiking, camping and singing. Passage 12 Indians in the United States are faced with (1) (significant) problems. Many Indians still live on reservations, in squalid shacks that don't even have indoor (2) (plumbing). The water there is often so (3) (contaminated) that it is not fit for drinking. Mechanization has (4) (gradually) eliminated many of the ranching and (5) (agricultural) jobs formerly (6) (available) to the Indians, and few (7) (industries) have been set up on the reservations. In any case, most native Americans have had only very little schooling and remain untrained for skilled jobs. (8) (Among some tribes, the unemployment rate exceeds 50 percent, and about 80 percent of the people must rely on some form of government assistance). As groups of people with their own languages and cultures, each tribe wants to keep up its traditions and preserve some of its native customs. The adults want their children to be proud of being Indians, as well as to survive in the modern world. (9) (The young people on their part, want to enter the world they see every day on television and in the movies). Like everyone else, they are anxious to get a good education and a good job. However, they have little prospect for success and become very frustrated because they usually can only go to inferior schools and often find it impossible to adjust to present-day life. (10) (In addition, they feel they are discriminated against, and this makes them lose much of their confidence and pride). The most important problem American Indians have to tackle, many experts believe, is the restoring of their pride and self-confidence. And this is to be first and foremost if they are to change their destiny. Major points: (8) In some tribes, many people are jobless and have to rely on government help. (9) The young people want to enter the modern world. (10) They think that they are looked down upon, so they lose much confidence and pride. Most Americans have great (1) (vigor) and (2) (enthusiasm). They prefer to discipline themselves rather than be disciplined by others. They pride themselves on their (3) (independence), their right to make up their own minds. They are prepared to take the (4) (initiative), even when there is a risk in doing so. They have (5) (courage) and do not give in easily. They will take any sort of job anywhere rather than be (6) (unemployed). They do not care to be looked after by the government. The (7) (average) American changes his or her job nine or ten times during his or her working life. (8) (Americans have a warmth and friendliness which is less superficial than many foreigners think). They are considered sentimental. When on ceremonial occasions they see a flag, or attend parades celebrating America's glorious past, tears may come to their eyes. Reunions with family and friends tend to be emotional, too. They like to dress correctly, even if "correctly" means flamboyantly. They love to boast, though often with tongue in cheek. (9) (They can laugh at themselves and their country, and they can be very self-critical, while remaining always intensely patriotic). They have a wide knowledge of everyday things, and a keen interest in their particular city and state. (10) (Foreigners sometimes complain, however, that they have little interest in or knowledge of the outside world). Major points: (8) Foreigners think that Americans' warmth and friendliness are superficial, but it's not true. (9) Americans are actually very patriotic though they sometimes make fun of their country and are self-critical. (10) Foreigners complain that Americans show little interest in the outside world. Passage 14 It is only (1) (natural) that every one of us may, at some point in life, be called upon to make a speech, but most of us will worry a great deal out of (2) (fear) that we may not do a very good job. Well, here is some (3) (advice) you will find useful should such an occasion (4) (arise). So now you have to give a speech —and you are (5) (terrified) at the thought. You get nervous, so much so that you gnaw at your (6) (fingernails). You stumble over your words, and you forget what you want to say, or you talk too long and you (7) (bore) your audience. But cheer up! It really doesn't have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps that will take the pain out of your speech-making. (8) (First of all, remember it is important to plan beforehand what you are going to say). Then ask yourself the purpose of your speech. Now let us suppose you have been asked to introduce the main speaker at a conference. It is all right to tell a joke or an anecdote if it is in good taste, and will not embarrass the speaker. And most important, be brief. If you are giving a lecture or explaining an idea, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of time doing research. (9) (Then spend plenty of time organizing your material so that your speech will be clear and easy to follow). Never forget your audience. Don't talk over their heads, and don't talk down to them either. (10) (Pause for a few seconds now and then to give your audience a chance to think about what you have said). Make sure everyone in the room can To sum up, remember, be prepared, know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. If you just follow these simple rules, you will see that you don't have to be afraid to speak in public. Major points: (8) Firstly, you must think about what to say in advance. (9) Then you should organize your materials properly to make your speech clear. (10) Pause for a while for the audience to think about your words. Passage 15 In China, it is taken for (1) (granted) that everyone should marry, and every family should have children. Traditionally, children (2) (symbolize) fortune and happiness for a family. A large population was (3) (viewed) as an asset for a nation. Not (4) (surprisingly), China's population reached more than a billion in the early 1980s, according to the 1982 census report. Since 1979, the birth control policy of one child per family has been in place. At the national level, the birth rate has been reduced to about 1.7 percent from 1979 to 1995, as (5) (compared) with 3.4 percent in the early (6) (1970s). At the level of the (7) (individual) family, the one-child policy has brought changes and challenges to families and parents. (8) (The advantage of having just one child in a family is that parents can focus on raising the only child they have). Nowadays, it is common for both parents to have full-time jobs. In a family that has two or more children, parents often juggle their time around to fit the schedules of their kids. (9) (It's much easier for parents to work out schedules for one child and spend more time with the child). With the ever rising living expenses and college tuition, parents who have only one child do not feel the economic pressure as much as those who have more than one child. The only child usually gets more attention and financial resources in the family. However, it is right here that the problem arises. As most "only children" are cuddled and coddled, they are often spoiled as "little emperors". Unlike their parents who used to contribute financially to their families' well-being and were self-reliant, they don't have direct experience with the struggle of life. (10) (Because the "only children" do not have any siblings, they have to learn how to share joy and sorrow with others, and cultivate a sense of responsibility and commitment to their families). Major points: (8) Having one child in a family enables the parents to devote their limited spare time to raising their only child. (9) Parents can spend more time with their only child. (10) The "only children" have to learn how to share things with others and cultivate a sense of responsibility and commitment to their families. Is your family (1) (interested) in buying a dog? A dog can be a happy (2) (addition) to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, the (3) (consequences) can cause you a lot of trouble. Families should sit down and (4) (thoroughly) discuss the problems (5) (involved) before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog, the parents are the ones who are really (6) (responsible) for seeing that the animal is (7) (properly) cared for. If you don't know much about dogs, it is a good idea to go to the library or the ASPCA for books about various kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a puppy. In reading about the different breeds, you should know that a dog described as very alert may be too jumpy and bouncy. (8) (When a book describes a dog as an ideal hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won't be happy living in a small apartment). Dog breeds vary in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd. (9) (This is because it provides protection as well as companionship). The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to handle. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. (10) (These dogs are very small and easy to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the space available in the home). Major points: (8) A hunting dog is not suitable to stay in a small apartment. (9) It can protect its owner and be a good companion. (10) Because they are small, they are easy to be kept in limited spaces. Passage 17 Now we all (1) (accept) money in exchange for goods and (2) (services). We use money to buy clothes, food, (3) (furniture), books, cars and many other things we need or want. When we work, we usually get (4) (paid) in paper currency. Most of the money (5) (circulating) today is made of metal, paper or plastics. But in (6) (ancient) times, people actually used various kinds of things as exchange (7) (media), such as knives, cloth, rice, gold and silver. In China, for instance, cloth and metals were used as money for thousands of years. (8) (In southeast Asia and parts of Africa, rice and other things were used as money for a long time). Today everybody knows that the first metal coins were made in China. England used tin to make its first coins. Russia and some other countries used copper to make their money. Later, a number of countries began to make coins of gold and silver. (9) (Again the Chinese people thought of a way to improve their money). As the metal money was inconvenient if you wanted to buy something expensive, paper currency came into existence, (10) (though the first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper currency we use today). Major points: (8) In parts of Asia and Africa, people used rice and other things as money. (9) The Chinese people managed to improve their money. (10) though the first paper money looked more like a note rather than the modern paper currency. Passage 18 One of the most (1) (fascinating) of all studies is the study of words and their origins. Most languages are (2) (composed) of several (3) (earlier) languages, and the words of a language can often be (4) (traced) back through two or three (5) (different) languages to their origins. Again, a word from one language may (6) (pass) into another language and (7) (develop) a new meaning. The word "etiquette", which comes from French and originally meant a label or a sign, gradually changed its meaning after it passed into English. (8) (Today when people use the word "etiquette" in English, they mean the system of correct manners and behavior that one should follow). Another interesting thing is how the word "sandwich" was put into use for indicating the popular food. (9) (If you want to know the story behind it, you must know something about a nobleman named Sandwich, who lived in the 18th century). Sandwich was rich, but he liked to play cards for money. Very often he played for 24 hours a day without stopping to have his meals. He ordered his servants to bring him some meat and bread and he played while eating. (10) (He put the meat between two slices of bread and he held the food in his left hand, while he played with his right hand). People liked Sandwich's idea and began to eat bread and meat in this way too. From the name of the man came the word "sandwich" that we have today. Major points: (8) Now "etiquette" means the correct manners and behavior. (9) This has something to do with a nobleman named Sandwich in the 18th century. (10) He held the food with meat between two slices of bread in his left hand, and played with the right hand. Passage 19 As college students, each term they have to write some research paper. Now one of the most (1) (important) things about writing a research paper is giving proper (2) (credit) for the students' (3) (sources) of information. (4) (Failure) to do this is called plagiarism, which is a kind of (5) (stealing), or at least, an unauthorized borrowing of someone else's ideas. Sometimes (6) (inexperienced) students will plagiarize (7) (unintentionally), and then be surprised when the teacher won't accept their papers or gives them a failing grade. (8) (The best way to avoid unintentional plagiarizing is to be very careful when you are gathering your information). As you take notes on books and magazine articles about the topic you've selected, first try to assimilate the information thoroughly. Secondly, write it down in your own words. This is called paraphrasing. (9) (You'll capture the main idea from your source without actually using phrases from it). Most of your notes should probably be paraphrases. However, you may sometimes find something you wish to quote directly in your research paper. In this case, be sure that you copy the information precisely in your notes and place it in quotation marks. (10) (That way, when you're finishing your research paper, you'll be able to remember which of your notes are direct quotes, and which are your own summaries of the material). You can then use them properly and give the original author or authors proper credits. Major points: (8) You should be careful not to plagiarize anything when collecting information. (9) You can get the main idea without copying the exact words. (10) Then when you finish your paper, you will know which notes are quoted, and which are your summaries of the material. Passage 20 Today this (1) (topic) is about the English (2) (poet) Emily Dickenson. (3) (Compared) with Walt Witman, whom we (4) (discussed) last week, I found Emily Dickenson greatly different. She seems, in fact, to have been the complete (5) (opposite) of Walt Whitman in her works. I would like to share (6) (briefly) with the (7) (audience) some interesting facts about her life. Emily Dickenson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, barely a decade after Whitman. (8) (In her early 20's, for reasons that are still unclear, she began to withdraw from her ordinary contact with the world). For the remaining thirty years of her life, she was seldom seen outside her home. In this respect she was quite unlike Whitman, who loved the great outdoors. (9) (Emily Dickenson spent her solitary days writing to her friends and composing hundreds of remarkable poems), notable "I Heard a Fly Buzz", and the poem we read for today "I Am Nobody". Although she showed some of her poems to her family, and sent some in her letters to her friends, only four were published in her lifetime. (10) (Most of them, almost twelve hundred poems, were discovered in her room after she died in 1886 at the age of fifty-six). These poems have established her as a major poet, and several modern critics consider her the greatest woman poet in the English language. Major points: (8) In her twenties, she withdrew from the contact with the outside world. (9) She just spent her days writing letters and poems. (10) Most of her poems were discovered after her death in 1886.