英語專業四級聽力50篇1.TownandCountryLifeinEngland

ThereisabigdifferencebetweentownlifeandcountrylifeinEngland.Inthecountry,everybodyknowseverybodyelse.Theyknowwhattimeyougetup,whattimeyougotobedandwhatyouhavefordinner.Ifyouwanthelp,youwillalwaysgetitandyouwillbegladtohelpothers.

InalargetownlikeLondon,however,itcansometimeshappenthatyouhaveneverseenyournextdoorneighborandyoudonotknowhisnameoranythingabouthim.PeopleinLondonareoftenverylonely.Thisisbecausepeoplegotodifferentplacesintheeveningsandatweekends.IfyouwalkthroughthestreetsinthecentreofLondononSunday,itislikeatownwithoutpeople.Oneissorryforoldpeoplelivingontheirown.Theycoulddieintheirhomesandwouldnotbediscoveredforweeksorevenmonths.2.AChangeinWomen’sLife

Theimportantchangeinwomen’slife-patternhasonlyrecentlybeguntohaveitsfulleffectonwomen’seconomicposition.Evenafewyearsagomostgirlsleftschoolatthefirstopportunity,andmostofthemtookafull-timejob.However,whentheymarried,theyusuallyleftworkatonceandneverreturnedtoit.Todaytheschool-leavingageissixteen,manygirlsstayatschoolafterthatage,andthoughwomentendtomarryyounger,moremarriedwomenstayatworkatleastuntilshortlybeforetheirfirstchildisborn.Verymanymoreafterwardsreturntofull-timeorpart-timework.Suchchangeshaveledtoanewrelationshipinmarriage,withthehusbandacceptingagreatershareofthedutiesandsatisfactionsoffamilylifeandwithbothhusbandandwifesharingmoreequallyinprovidingthemoney,andrunningthehome,accordingtotheabilitiesandinterestsofeachofthem.3.APopularPastimeoftheEnglishPeople

Oneofthebestmeansofunderstandingthepeopleofanynationiswatchingwhatthedowiththeirnon-workingtime.

MostEnglishmen,womenandchildrenlovegrowingthings,especiallyflowers.VisitorstoEnglandinspring,summerorautumnarelikelytoseegardensalltheywayalongtherailwaylines.Thereareflowersattheairportsandflowersinfactorygrounds,aswellasingardensalongtheroads.EachEnglishtownhasatleastoneparkwithbeautifullykeptflowerbeds.Publicbuildingsofeverykindhavebrilliantwindowboxesandsometimesbasketsofflowersarehangingonthem.

ButwhattheEnglishenjoymostisgrowingthingsthemselves.Ifitisimpossibletohaveagarden,thenawindowboxorsomethinggrowinginapotwilldo.Lookingateachother’sgardensisapopularpastimewiththeEnglish.

UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.windowbox:窗臺上的花盆箱

2.pastime消遣，娛樂

Swimmingismyfavoritepastime.4.BritishandAmericanPoliceOfficers

Realpolicemen,bothinBritainandtheU.S.,hardlyrecognizeanycommonpointsbetweentheirlivesandwhattheyseonTV—iftheyevergethomeintime.

Somethingsarealmostthesame,ofcourse,butthepolicemendonotthinkmuchofthemmuchofthem.

Thefirstdifferenceisthatapoliceman’sreallifedealswiththelaw.Mostofwhathelearnsisthelaw.Hehastoknowactuallywhatactionsareagainstthelawandwhatfactscanbeusedtoprovethemincourt.Hehastoknownearlyasmuchlawasalawyer,andwhat’smore,hehastoputitintopracticeonhisfeet,inthedarkand,runningdownanarrowstreetaftersomeonehewantstotalkto.

Littleofhistimeisspentintalkingwithbeautifulgirlsorinbravelyfacingcruelcriminals.Hewillspendmostofhisworkinglifearrangingmillionsofwordsonthousandsofformsabouthundredsofsad,ordinarypeoplewhoareguilty---ornotofstupid,unimportantcrimes.

UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.

thinkmuchof重視，尊重

2.

incourt在法庭上

3.

criminal罪犯，犯罪者

4.

guilty犯罪的，有罪的5.LivingSpace

Howmuchlivingspacedoesapersonneed?Whathappenswhenhisspaceneedsarenotmet?Scientistsaredoingexperimentsonratstotrytodeterminetheeffectsofovercrowdedconditionsonman.Recentstudieshaveshownthatthebehaviorofratsisgreatlyaffectedbyspace.Ifratshaveenoughlivingspace,theyeatwell,sleepwellandproducetheiryoungwell.Butiftheirlivingconditionsbecometoocrowded,theirbehaviorandeventheirhealthchangeobviously.Theycannotsleepandeatwell,andsignsoffearandworrybecomeclear.Themorecrowdedtheyare,andmoretheytendtobiteeachotherandevenkilleachother.Thus,forrats,populationsandviolencearedirectlyrelated.Isthisanaturallawforhumansocietyaswell?Isenoughspacenotonlysatisfactory,butnecessaryforhumansurvival?Theseareinterestingquestions.6TheUnitedNations

In1945,representativesof50nationsmettoplanthisorganization.ItwascalledtheUnitedNations.Afterthewar,manymorenationsjoined.

TherearetwomajorpartsoftheUnitedNations.OneiscalledtheGeneralAssembly.IntheGeneralAssembly,everymembernationisrepresentedandhasanequalvote.

ThesecondpartiscalledtheSecurityCouncil.Ithasrepresentativesofjust15nations.Fivenationsarepermanentmembers:theUnitedStates,Russia,France,Britain,andChina.The10othermembersareelectedeverytwoyearsbytheGeneralAssembly.

ThemajorjoboftheSecurityCouncilistokeeppeaceintheworld.Ifnecessary,itcansendtroopsfrommembernationstotrytostoplittlewarsbeforetheyturnintobigones.

ItishardtogetthenationsoftheSecurityCounciltoagreeonwhenthisisnecessary.Buttheydidvotetotrytostopwars.

UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.

representative代表

2.

GeneralAssembly聯合國大會

3.

permanent永久的，持久的

4.

SecurityCouncil聯合國安全理事會7Plastic

Weuseplasticwraptoprotectourfoods.Weputourgarbageinplasticbagsorplasticcans.Wesitonplasticchairs,playwithplastictoys,drinkfromplasticcups,andwashourhairwithshampoofromplasticbottles!

Plasticdoesnotgrowinnature.Itismadebymixingcertainthingstogether.Wecallitaproducedormanufacturedmaterial.Plasticwasfirstmadeinthe1860sfromplants,suchaswoodandcotton.Thatplasticwassoftandburnedeasily.

Thefirstmodernplasticsweremadeinthe1930s.Mostclearplasticstartsoutasthick,blackoil.Thatplasticcoatinginsideapanbeginsasnaturalgas.

Overtheyears,hundredsofdifferentplasticshavebeendeveloped.Somearehardandstrong.Somearesoftandbendable.Someareclear.Somearemany-colored.Thereisaplasticforalmosteveryneed.Scientistscontinuetoexperimentwithplastics.Theyhopetofindevenwaystousethem!8DisplayofGoods

Aresupermarketsdesignedtopersuadeustobuymore?

Freshfruitandvegetablesaredisplayednearsupermarketentrances.Thisgivestheimpressionthatonlyhealthyfoodissoldintheshop.Basicfoodsthateveryonebuys,likesugarandtea,arenotputneareachother.Theyarekeptindifferentaislessocustomersaretakenpastotherattractivefoodsbeforetheyfindwhattheywant.Inthisway,shoppersareencouragedtobuyproductsthattheydonotreallyneed.

Sweetsareoftenplacedatchildren’seyelevelatthecheckout.Whileparentsarewaitingtopay,childrenreachforthesweetsandputtheminthetrolley.

Moreisboughtfromafifteen-footdisplayofonetypeofproductthanfromaten-footone.Customersalsobuymorewhenshelvesarefullthanwhentheyarehalfempty.Theydonotliketobuyfromshelveswithfewproductsonthembecausetheyfeelthereissomethingwrongwiththoseproductsthatarethere.

UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.

aisle走廊，過道

2.

trolley手推車

3.

checkout收款臺9AlbertEinstein

AlbertEinsteinwasborninGermanyin1879,Hisfatherownedafactorythatmadeelectricaldevices.Hismotherenjoyedmusicandbooks.HisparentswereJewishbuttheydidnotobservemanyofthereligion’srules.Albertwasaquitechildwhospentmuchofhistimealone.Hewasslowtotalkandhaddifficultylearningtoread.WhenAlbertwasfiveyearsold,hisfathergavehimacompass.Thechildwasfilledwithwonderwhenhediscoveredthatthecompassneedlealwayspointedinthesamedirection—tobenorth.Heaskedhisfatherandhisunclewhatcausedtheneedletomove.Theiranswersaboutmagnetismandgravityweredifficultfortheboytounderstand.Yethespentalotoftimethinkingaboutthem.Hesaidlaterthathefeltsomethinghiddenhadtobebehindthings.

Usefulexpressionsandwords:

1.

device裝置，設備

leavetoone’sowndevices聽任某人自行其是，允許某人按自己的意愿做事

Sheleftthechildtoherowndevicesforanhourintheafternoon.

她允許孩子在下午有一個小時的自由支配時間。

2.compass指南針

beyondone’scompass某人力所不及

catch/fetch/takeacompass兜圈子，繞道，拐彎抹角

keepsthwithincompass把某種事物限制在適當的范圍內

speakwithincompass謹慎小心地說

withinsb’scompass某人力所能及的

withinthecompassof在……范圍內

3.magnetism磁力10PrivateCars

Withtheincreaseinthegeneralstandardofliving,someordinaryChinesefamiliesbegintoaffordacar.Yetopinionsofthedevelopmentofaprivatecarvaryfrompersontoperson.

Itgivesamuchgreaterdegreeofcomfortandmobility.Theownerofacarisnolongerforcedtoreplyonpublictransport,andhencenoirritationcausedbywaitingforbusesortaxis.However,othersstronglyobjecttodevelopingprivatecars.Theymaintainthatasmoreandmorecarsareproducedandruninthestreet,alargevolumeofpoisonousgaswillbegivenoff,pollutingtheatmosphereandcausingactualharmtothehealthofpeople.

WhetherprivatecarsshouldbedevelopedinChicagoisadifficultquestiontoanswer,yetthedesireforthecomfortandindependenceaprivatecarcanbringwillnotbeeliminated.11.AHenpeckedHusbandandHisWife

Therewasoncealarge,fatwomanwhohadasmall,thinhusband.HehadajobinabigcompanyandwasgivenhisweeklywageseveryFridayevening.AssoonashegothomeonFridays,hiswifeusedtomakehimgiveherallhismoney,andthensheusedtogivehimbackonlyenoughtobuyhislunchinhiscompanyeveryday.

Oneday,thesmallmancamehomeveryexcited.Hehurriedintotheliving-room.Hiswifewaslisteningtotheradioandeatingchocolatesthere.

“Youwillneverguesswhathappenedtometoday,dear.”hesaid.

Hewaitedforafewsecondsandthenadded,“Iwontenthousanddollarsonthelottery!”

“Thatiswonderful!”saidhiswifedelightedly.Butthenshepulledalongfaceandaddedangrily,“Buthowcouldyouaffordtobuytheticket?”

UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.

henpecked怕老婆的，妻管嚴的

2.

lottery彩票

agreatlottery虛無縹緲的事

3.

pullalongface拉下臉來

haveafacetosaythat臉皮厚得竟能講出這種話12.AYoungMan’sPromise

Oneday,ayoungmanwaswritingalettertohisgirlfriendwholivedjustafewmilesawayinanearbytown.Hewastellingherhowmuchhelovedherandhowwonderfulhethoughtshewas.Themorehewrotethemorepoetichebecame.Finallyhesaidthatinordertobewithher,hewouldsufferthegreatestdifficulties,hewouldfacethegreatestdangersthatanyonecouldn’timagine.Infact,tospendonlyoneminutewithher,hewouldswimacrossthewidestriver,hewouldenterthedeepestforest,andhewouldfightagainstthefiercestanimalswithhisbarehands.

Hefinishedtheletter,signedhisnameandthensuddenlyrememberedthathehadforgottentomentionsomethingquiteimportant.So,inapostscriptbelowhisname,headded:

“Bytheway,I’llbeovertoseeyouonWednesdaynight,ifitdoesn’train.”

13.AKindNeighbor

Mr.andMrs.Jones’apartmentwasfullofluggage,packages,furnitureandboxes.Bothofthemwereverybusywhentheyheardthedoorbellring.Mrs.Joneswenttoopenitandshesawamiddle-agedladyoutside.Theladysaidshelivednextdoor.Mrs.Jonesinvitedhertocomeinandapologizedbecausetherewasnoplaceforhertosit.“Oh,that’sOK.”saidthelady.“Ijustcometowelcometoyournewhome.Asyouknow,insomepartsofthiscity,neighborsarenotfriendlyatall.Theyaresomeapartmenthouseswherepeopledon’tknowanyoftheirneighbors,noteventheonesnextdoor.Butinthisbuilding,everyoneisveryfriendlywitheveryoneelse.Weareabighappyfamily.Iamsureyouwillbeveryhappyhere.”Mr.andMrs.Jonessaid,“Butmadam,wearenotnewdwellersinthisapartment.We’velivedherefortwoyears.Wearemovingouttomorrow.”14.ThatIsn’tOurFault

Mr.andMrs.Williamsgotmarriedwhenhewastwenty-three,andshewastwenty.Twenty-fiveyearslater,theyhadabigparty,andaphotographercameandtooksomephotographsofthem.

ThenthephotographergaveMrs.Williamsacardandsaid,“They’llbereadynextWednesday.Youcangetthemfromstudio.”

“No,”Mrs.Williamssaid,“pleasesendthemtous.”

Thephotographsarrivedaweeklater,butMrs.Williamswasnothappywhenshesawthem.Shegotintohercaranddrovetothephotographer’sstudio.Shewentinsideandsaidangrily,“Youtooksomephotographsofmeandmyhusbandlastweek,butI’mnotgoingtopayforthem.”

“Oh,whynot?”thephotographerasked.

“Becausemyhusbandlookslikeamonkey,”Mrs.Williamssaid.

“Well,”thephotographeranswered,“thatisn’tourfault.Whydidn’tyouthinkofthatbeforeyoumarriedhim?”15.AGuide’sAnswer

In1861,theCivilWarstartedintheUnitedStatesbetweentheNorthernandtheSouthernstates.Thewarcontinuedwithgreatbitternessuntil1865,whentheNorthernerswerevictorious.However,eventoday,manySouthernershavenotforgottentheirdefeat,orforgiventheNortherners.

Afewyearsago,apartyofAmericantouristsweregoingroundoneofthebattlefieldsoftheCivilWarwithaguidewhocamefromoneoftheSouthernstates.Ateachplace,theguidetoldthetouristsstirringstoriesabouthowafewSouthernsoldiershadconqueredpowerfulforcesofNorthernersthere.

Atlast,oneofthetourists,aladywhocamefromtheNorth,stoppedtheguideandsaidtohim,“ButsurelythattheNorthernarmymusthavewonatleastonevictoryintheCivilWar?”

“NotaslongasI’mtheguidehere,madam,”answeredtheSouthernguide.16.AQualifiedPilot

Thecaptainofasmallshiphadtogoalongarockycoast,buthewasunfamiliarwithit,sohetriedtofindaqualifiedpilottoguidehim.Hewentashoreinoneofthesmallports,andalocalfishermanpretendedthathewasapilotbecauseheneededsomemoney.Thecaptaintookhimonboardandaskedhimwheretosteertheship.

Afterhalfanhour,thecaptainbegantosuspectthatthefishermandidnotreallyknowwhathewasdoingandwherehewasgoing.

“Areyousureyouareaqualifiedpilot?”heasked.

“Oh,yes,”answeredthefisherman.“Iknoweveryrockonthispartofthecoast.”

Suddenlytherewasaterriblecrashfromundertheship.Atoncethefishermanadded,“Andthat’soneofthem.”17.LivingThingsReactYouandallorganismsliveanenvironment.Anenvironmentismadeupofeverythingthatsurroundsanorganism.Itcanincludetheair,thewater,thesoil,andevenotherorganisms.Anorganismrespondstochangesinitsenvironment.Whenanorganismrespondstoachange,itreactsincertainways.Alllivingthingsrespondinsomeway.Haveyouevernoticedhowplantsandinsectsrespondtolight?Plantsbendtowardlight.Insectsflytowardlight.Livingthingsalsorespondinotherways.Theleavesonsometreesrespondtoachangeinseason.Inautumn,theychangecolorsandthenfalloffthebranchesAnimalsalsorespondtoachangeinseason.Squirrelssavenutsforthewinter.Bearssleepthroughthewinterinacave.Yourespondtoyourenvironmentinmanyways,too.Youmayshiverifyouarecold.Whatotherwaysdoyourespondtochangesinyourenvironment?18.FloweringPlants

Whatarethepartsofaflower?

Flowerscanhavemalepartsandfemaleparts.Thefemalepartsmakeeggsthatbecomeseeds.Themalepartsmakepollen.Pollenisapowderymaterialthatisneededbytheeggstomakeseeds.Tomakeseeds,pollenandeggsmustcometogether.Thewind,insects,andbirdsbringpollentoeggs.Manyanimalsloveflowers’brightcolors.Theyalsolikeasugaryliquidinflowers.Thisiscallednectar.Whiletheydrinknectar,pollenrubsoffontheirbodies.Astheymove,someofthispollengetsdeliveredtothefemaleflowerparts.

Overtime,thefemalepartsturnintofruitsthatcontainseeds.Animalsofteneatthefruitsandtheseedspassthroughtheirbodiesaswaste.Theanimalsdonoknowtheyareworkingfortheplantsbyplantingseedsastheytraveltodifferentplaces!

UsefulwordsandExpressions:

1.

flowering開花的

2.

pollen花粉

3.

powdery粉狀的

4.

sugar含糖的，甜的

5.

nectar花蜜，甘露

6.

rub磨擦(19)FindingtheDirectionandLocationHowcanyoutellwhichdirection?Byday,lookfortheSun.Itisintheeastinthemorningandthewestintheafternoon.Atnight,usetheBigDippertohelpyoufindtheNorthStar.Itwouldbebettertobringacompassbecauseitsneedlealwayspointsnorth.

Howdoyouknowhowfaryouhavegone?Youcouldcounteverystep.Eachstepisabouttwofeet.You’dbetterwearapedometerwhichisatoolthatcountssteps.Ifyouknowwhereyoustarted,whichdirectionyouareheading,andhowfaryouhavegone,youcanuseagoodmaptofigureoutexactlywhereyouare.

Todaythereisanewwayfortravelerstofigureoutwheretheyare.ItistheGPS.Ithas24satellitesthatorbittheearthandconstantlybroadcasttheirpositions.SomedayyoumaycarryasmallreceiverasyouhikeanduseGPStofindoutifyouarethereyet!UsefulWordsandExpressions:

1.

dipper北斗七星

2.

compass羅盤

3.

pedometer步數計

4.

GPS=GlobalPositionSystem全球定位系統

5.

orbit軌道，繞……軌道而行

6.

receiver接收器(20)WavesHowdoeslightgetfromthesuntotheearth?Howdoesmusicgetfromthestagetotheaudience?Theymovethesameway-----inwaves!

Lightandsoundareformsofenergy.Allwavescarryenergy,buttheymaycarryitdifferently.Lightandsoundtravelthroughdifferentkindsofmatter.Forexample,lightwavescannotmovethroughwalls,butsoundwavescan.Thatiswhyyoucanhearpeopletalkinginanotherroomeventhoughyoucannotseethem.Theenergyofsomewavesisdestructive.Anearthquakeproducesseismicwaves.

Catchawave.Askafriendtostandafewfeetawayfromyou.Stretchaspringbetweenyou.Shakethespringtotransferenergytoit.Whathappens?Thespringbouncesupanddowninwaves.Whenthewavesreachyourfriend,theybouncebacktoyou!

Lightwavestravel300,000kilometers(186,000miles)persecond!Theycanalsotravelthroughavacuum.Thatiswhylightfromthesunanddistantstarscantravelthroughspacetotheearth!(21)SoilsTherearemanydifferentkindsofsoils.Differentsoilshavedifferenttypesofrockandmineralsinthem.Somesoilshavemorewaterinthemthanothers.Somesoilsmighthavemoreplantandanimalmaterialinthem,too.

Differentkindsofsoilsarefoundindifferentpartsoftheworld.ThereareseveralkindsofsoilsfoundintheUnitedStates.Insomeareas,thesoilhasalotofclay.Othersoilsareverysandy.Loamisakindofsoilthathasagoodmixtureofclayandsand.

Insomeplaces,soillayersareverythick.Lotsofplantsgrowinplaceswithathicksoillayer.Indryandwindyplacessoillayersaremuchthinner.Layersofsoilonmountainsarethinbecausegravitypullsthesoildownhill.

Thetypeofsoilinaparticularplaceaffectswhatkindsofplantscangrowthere.

UsefulWords:

1.

clay黏土，泥土

2.

loam肥土

3.

layer層

4.

gravity地心引力，重力

5.

downhill往下(22)CrisisLifeisacontest!Whowillwin?Abluebirdandsparrowbothcompeteforspacetobuildtheirnests.Afast-growingmapletreeandslower-growingdogwoodcompeteforthesunlighttheybothneed.Oilcompeteswithcoalandnuclearpowerasanenergysourceforelectricpowerplants!

Thereisaproblem.Thereisalimitedamountofspaceforbirds,sunlightfortrees,andenergyforpeople!Ifwedonotcutbackonourusesofsomeofourresources,somedaytheywillbegone!

Howcanweuseenergytodayandknowwewillhaveenoughtogoaroundinthefuture?Wecanchoosealternate,orreplacement,energyresources.Ittakestheearthmillionsofyearstocreatecoal,oil,andgas.Theyarenonrenewableresources.

Solarenergy,windenergyandwaterenergyarerenewableresources.Ittakestheearthmillionsofyearstocreatecoal,oil,andgas.Theyarenonrenewableresources.

Solarenergy,windenergyandwaterenergyarerenewable.Whatotherwayscanweconserveoursources?Howcanwemakesurethereisalwaysenoughtogoaround?

Usefulwordsandexpressions:

1.

bluebird藍知更鳥

2.

sparrow麻雀

3.

dogwood山茱萸

4.

powerplant發電廠，發電站

5.

altern