SECTION Ⅰ LISTENING COMPREHENSION
DIRECTIONS：
THIS SECTION IS DESIGNED TO TEST YOUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND
SPOKEN ENGLISH. YOU WILL HEAR A SELECTION OF RECORDED MATERIALS
AND YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTI
ONS THAT ACCOMPANY THEM. THERE ARE THREE PARTS IN THIS SECTION,
PART A, PART B AND PART C.
REMEMBER, WHILE YOU ARE DOING THE TEST, YOU SHOULD FIRST
PUT DOWN YOUR ANSWERS IN YOUR TEST BOOKLET. AT THE END OF
THE LISTENING COMPREHENSION SECTION, YOU WILL HAVE 5 MINUTES
TO TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS FROM YOUR TEST BOOKLET TO ANSWER
SHEET 1.
NOW LOOK AT PART A IN YOUR TEST BOOKLET.
(PAUSE 0020")
(TONE)
PART A
YOU WILL HEAR A DIALOGUE BETWEEN ROBERT GORDON AND THE
RECEPTIONIST OF SAINT MARTINE HOTEL OF PARIS. LISTEN AND
FILL IN THE TABLE WITH THE INFORMATION YOUVE HEARD FOR
QUESTIONS 15. SOME OF THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED
FOR YOU. WRITE ONLY 1 WORD OR NUMBER IN EACH NUMBERED BOX.
YOU WILL HEAR THE RECORDING TWICE. YOU NOW HAVE 25 SECONDS
TO READ THE TABLE BELOW.
(PAUSE 0025")
(TONE)
RECEPTIONIST: 452164. ALLO?
ROBERT: IS THAT THE SAINT MARTINE HOTEL?
RECEPTIONIST: OUI. YES, IT IS. CAN I HELP YOU?
ROBERT: HAVE YOU GOT A DOUBLE ROOM FOR THE NIGHT OF 23RD
JULY?
RECEPTIONIST: ONE MOMENT PLEASE. ILL JUST HAVE A LOOK.
YES, WE HAVE GOT A DOUBLE ROOM ON THAT DATE.
ROBERT: HAS IT GOT A DOUBLE BED OR TWO SINGLES?
RECEPTIONIST: TWO SINGLES, MONSIEUR.
ROBERT: AND IS THAT WITH OR WITHOUT BATH?
RECEPTIONIST: ITS A ROOM WITH SHOWER AND TOILET, MONSIEUR.
ROBERT: THAT SOUNDS FINE. IS THERE A TV?
RECEPTIONIST: COULD YOU REPEAT THAT, PLEASE?
ROBERT: IS THERE A COLOR TELEVISION IN THE ROOM?
RECEPTIONIST: YES, BUT OF COURSE. AND A VIDEO, IF YOU
CHOOSE.
ROBERT: HOW MUCH WILL IT BE FOR ONE NIGHT?
RECEPTIONIST: ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED FRANCS.
ROBERT: AND WHAT DOES THAT INCLUDE?
RECEPTIONIST: IT INCLUDES MORNING NEWSPAPER, CONTINENTAL
BREAKFAST AND SERVICE.
ROBERT:SWHERESIS THE NEAREST METRO?
RECEPTIONIST: OPERA, MONSIEUR. ITS ONLY FIVE MINUTES
FROM HERE.
ROBERT: AND IS THERE AN EXTRA CHARGE FOR CHILDREN?
RECEPTIONIST: IF THE CHILD IS UNDER SIXTEEN AND WE PUT
AN EXTRA BED IN YOUR ROOM, THE CHARGE IS SEVENTYFIVE FRANCS.
DO YOU WANT THE ROOM?
ROBERT: YES, FOR ONE NIGHT-23RD JULY.
RECEPTIONIST: OUI, MONSIEUR. MAY I HAVE YOUR NAME, PLEASE?
ROBERT: ACTUALLY, ITS FOR MY WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS-MRS.
JEAN GORDON, LINDA AND MAGGIE.
RECEPTIONIST: YES, MONSIEUR. SO YOU NEED AN EXTRA BED.
AND WHAT TIME WILL THEY BE ARRIVING ON JULY 23RD…
(PAUSE 0030")
(TONE)
NOW YOU WILL HAVE THE RECORDING AGAIN.
［THE RECORDING IS REPEATED］
(PAUSE 0020")
(TONE)
THIS IS THE END OF PART A.
PART B
YOU WILL HEAR AN INTERVIEW WITH A VETERINARY DOCTOR OR
VET(兽医). FOR QUESTIONS 610, COMPLETE THE SENTENCES OR ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS WHILE YOU LISTEN. USE NOT MORE THAN 3 WORDS
FOR EACH ANSWER. YOU WILL HEAR THE RECORDING TWICE. YOU
NOW HAVE 25 SECONDS TO READ THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND
SENTENCES.
(PAUSE 0025")
(TONE)
INTERVIEWER: NOW YOUVE BEEN A VETERINARY DOCTOR FOR
SOME THIRTY YEARS; WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE YOU BECOME A VET
IN THE FIRST PLACE?
VET: WELL, I STUDIED AS AN ORDINARY DOCTOR IN THE BEGINNING,
BUT I SLOWLY REALISED THAT I LIKED ANIMALS VERY MUCH. I
ALMOST PREFER ANIMALS TO PEOPLE. SO I TOOK AN EXTRA COURSE
IN ANIMAL MEDICINE. ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT REALLY.
INTERVIEWER: AND YOU STILL ENJOY WORKING WITH ANIMALS?
VET: OH, YES, VERY MUCH SO. IN FACT, MORE THAN EVER NOW.
IVE GOT TO KNOW ANIMALS MUCH BETTER, YOU SEE, AND I GET
ON BETTER WITH THEM IN EVERY WAY. THEIR OWNERS SOMETIMES
GET ON MY NERVES, THOUGH.
INTERVIEWER: OH…AND WHY IS THAT?
VET: WELL, SOME PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT ANIMALS
AND KEEP THEM IN THE WRONG CONDITIONS.
INTERVIEWER: WHAT SORT OF CONDITIONS?
VET: OH, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE BUY A LARGE DOG AND THEN
TRY TO KEEP IT IN A SMALL FLAT; THEY DONT TAKE IT OUT ENOUGH
TO GIVE IT PROPER EXERCISE. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE A CAT AND
TRY TO KEEP IT IN THE HOUSE ALL DAY, BUT A CAT NEEDS TO
GET OUT AND BE FREE TO COME AND GO AS IT PLEASES. A LOT
OF PEOPLE DONT FEED THEIR ANIMALS PROPERLY. ITS VERY COMMON
TO GIVE PETS TOO MUCH FOOD WHICH IS VERY BAD FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY
IF THEYRE NOT GETTING ENOUGH EXERCISE. OR NOT TO FEED THEM
REGULARLY, WHICH IS EQUALLY BAD. AN ANIMAL IS A RESPONSIBILITY
WHICH IS SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE DONT SEEM TO REALISE.
INTERVIEWER: YOU MEAN PEOPLE KEEP PETS FOR THE WRONG
REASONS?
VET: YES, SOME PEOPLE WANT A PET BECAUSE THEYRE LONELY,
OR SIMPLY FOR DECORATION, OR JUST TO SHOW HOW RICH THEY
ARE.
INTERVIEWER: AND JUST HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE?
VET: WELL, I TRY TO TELL THEM WHAT THE ANIMAL NEEDS;
WHAT IS THE RIGHT SORT OF FOOD, THE PROPER EXERCISE. I TRY
TO TEACH THEM THAT ANIMALS ARE NOT TOYS AND IF THEYRE TO
BE HEALTHY, THEY HAVE TO BE HAPPY.
INTERVIEWER: YES, I SUPPOSE YOURE RIGHT. IN YOUR THIRTY
YEARS AS A VET YOU MUST HAVE COME ACROSS SOME INTERESTING
CASES?
VET: OH YES, THERE ARE LOTS OF INTERESTING CASES. I WAS
ONCE CALLED TO A LIONESS WHO WAS GIVING BIRTH ANDSHAVINGSDIFFICULTY.
NOW THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
(PAUSE 0050")
(TONE)
NOW YOU WILL HEAR THE RECORDING AGAIN.
［THE RECORDING IS REPEATED］
(PAUSE 0030")
(TONE)
THIS IS THE END OF PART B.
PART C
YOU WILL HEAR 3 TALKS. BEFORE LISTENING TO EACH ONE,
YOU WILL HAVE TIME TO READ THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO IT.
WHILE LISTENING, ANSWER THE QUESTIONS OR COMPLETE THE SENTENCES
BY CHOOSING A,B,C OR D. YOU WILL HEAR THE RECORDING ONLY
ONCE.
QUESTIONS 1113 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TALK ABOUT
THE FAMOUS MAGICIAN HARRY HOUDINI. YOU NOW HAVE 15 SECONDS
TO READ QUESTIONS 1113.
(PAUSE 0015")
(TONE)
WE ALL KNOW THAT A MAGICIAN DOES NOT REALLY DEPEND ON
"MAGIC" TO PERFORM HIS TRICKS. HE DEPENDS ON HIS
ABILITY TO ACT AT GREAT SPEED. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT PREVENT
US FROM ENJOYING WATCHING A MAGICIAN PRODUCE RABBITS FROM
A HAT, SWALLOW COUNTLESS EGGS, OR SAW HIS WIFE IN TWO.
PROBABLY THE GREATEST MAGICIAN OF ALL TIME WAS HARRY
HOUDINI WHO DIED IN 1926. HIS REAL NAME WAS EHRICH WEISS.
HE ADOPTED THE NAME "HOUDINI" AFTER READING A
BOOK WRITTEN BY A FAMOUS MAGICIAN CALLED ROBERT HOUDIN.
HOUDINI MASTERED THE ART OF ESCAPING. HE COULD FREE HIMSELF
FROM THE TIGHTEST KNOTS OR THE MOST COMPLICATED LOCKS. ALTHOUGH
NO ONE REALLY KNOWS HOW HE DID THIS, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
HE HAD MADE A CLOSE STUDY OF EVERY TYPE OF LOCK EVER INVENTED.
HE WOULD CARRY A SMALL STEEL NEEDLELIKE TOOL STRAPPED TO
HIS LEG AND HE USED THIS IN PLACE OF A KEY.
HOUDINI ONCE ASKED THE CHICAGO POLICE TO LOCK HIM IN
PRISON. THEY BOUND HIM UP, BUT HE FREED HIMSELF IN AN INSTANT.
THE POLICE ACCUSED HIM OFSHAVINGSUSED A TOOL AND LOCKED
HIM UP AGAIN. THIS TIME HE WORE NO CLOTHES AND THERE WERE
CHAINS ROUND HIS NECK, WAIST, WRISTS, AND LEGS; BUT HE AGAIN
ESCAPED IN A FEW MINUTES.
HOUDINI HAD PROBABLY HIDDEN HIS "NEEDLE" IN
A WAXLIKE SUBSTANCE AND DROPPED IT ON THE FLOOR IN THE
PASSAGE. AS HE WENT PAST, HE STEPPED ON IT SO THAT IT STUCK
TO THE BOTTOM OF HIS FOOT.
HIS MOST FAMOUS ESCAPE, HOWEVER, WAS ALTOGETHER ASTONISHING.
HE WAS HEAVILY CHAINED UP AND ENCLOSED IN AN EMPTY WOODEN
CHEST, THE LID OF WHICH WAS NAILED DOWN. THE CHEST WAS DROPPEDSINTOSTHE
SEA IN NEW YORK HARBOUR. IN ONE MINUTE, HOUDINI HAD SWUM
TO THE SURFACE. WHEN THE CHEST WAS BROUGHT UP，IT WAS OPENED
AND THE CHAINS WERE FOUND INSIDE.
(TONE)
YOU NOW HAVE 30 SECONDS TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1113.
(PAUSE 0030")
(TONE)
QUESTIONS 1416 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TALK ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF RAINMAKING. YOU NOW HAVE 15 SECONDS TO READ
QUESTIONS 1416.
(PAUSE 0015")
(TONE)
THE IDEA OF RAINMAKING IS ALMOST AS OLD AS MAN, BUT IT
WAS NOT UNTIL 1946 THAT MAN SUCCEEDED IN MAKING RAIN. IN
ANCIENT TIMES, RAINMAKERS HAD CLAIMED TO BRING RAIN BY MANY
METHODS: DANCING, SINGING, KILLING VARIOUS KINDS OF LIVING
CREATURES (INCLUDING HUMANS), AND BLOWING A STREAM OF WATERSINTOSTHE
AIR FROM A KIND OF PIPE.
MORE RECENTLY, SOME RAINMAKERS CLAIMED TO MAKE RAIN BY
SHOOTING GUNS, CAUSING EXPLOSIONS, OR BURNING CHEMICALS,
THE SMOKE OF WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO CAUSE RAIN TO FALL. THESE
RAINMAKERS ASKED FOR AS MUCH AS 1,000 DOLLARS TO MAKE AN
INCH OF RAIN. ONE OF THEM WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT HE WAS
ALMOST HANGED. HE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE CAUSED A 20INCH
RAIN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT FLOODED THE LAND, KILLED
SEVERAL PEOPLE, AND DID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE.
BEFORE 1946, RAINMAKERS WERE EITHER LIARS OR HONEST PEOPLE
WHO HAPPENED TO HAVE GOOD LUCK. SCIENTIFIC RAINMAKING WAS
STARTED IN THAT YEAR BY VINCENT J. SCHAEFER, A SCIENTIST
AT THE LABORATORIES OF THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY IN NEW
YORK STATE. HIS SUCCESS WAS THE RESULT OF A LUCKY ACCIDENT
THAT CHANGED YEARS OF FAILURESINTOSVICTORY.
(TONE)
YOU NOW HAVE 30 SECONDS TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1416.
(PAUSE 0030")
(TONE)
QUESTIONS 1720 ARE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING TALK ABOUT
THE EARTHS MAGNETISM. YOU NOW HAVE 20 SECONDS TO READ QUESTIONS
1720.
(PAUSE 0020")
(TONE)
WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH MAGNETS! THE CHINESE KNEW ABOUT
THEM IN THE ELEVENTH CENTURY. BUT THE EARTH ITSELF IS ALSO
A MAGNET, WITH A MAGNETIC NORTH AND A MAGNETIC SOUTH.
NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS VERY MUCH ABOUT THE EARTHS
MAGNETISM, ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT. SCIENTISTS
BELIEVE THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH IS LIKE AN ENORMOUS MAGNET,
GIVING OUT A STEADY MAGNETIC FORCE. THIS SLOWLY MOVES AWAY
FROM THE CENTRE AND UP TO THE SURFACE. BY THE TIME IT REACHES
THE SURFACE, THE FORCE IS REALLY VERY WEAK.
BUT EVEN THIS WEAK FORCE IS VERY SLOWLY BECOMING WEAKER.
TODAY IT IS FIFTY PERCENT WEAKER THAN IT WAS 2，500 YEARS
AGO, AND AFTER ANOTHER FEW CENTURIES IT MAY DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENT CENTURY, AN ITALIAN WAS
STUDYING THE STRENGTH OF THE EARTHS MAGNETISM OVER A PERIOD
OF MANY CENTURIES. HE DISCOVERED SOMETHING WHICH ASTONISHED
HIM: IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY BC, THE MAGNETIC POLES WERE THE
OPPOSITE OF THEIR POSITION TODAY.
SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE THE EARTHS MAGNETIC POLES HAVE
CHANGED MANY TIMES. ONE SUCH CHANGE MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE
ABOUT 33,000 BC. THIS DATE IS ABOUT WHEN MODERN MAN FIRST
APPEARED ON EARTH.
MANY SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE THE MAGNETISM OF THE EARTH
MAY HAVE A STRONG INFLUENCE ON LIFE ITSELF. IN THE DISTANT
PAST, MANY KINDS OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS DIED OUT SUDDENLY,
WHEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH MAGNETIC POLES CHANGED POSITION.
ANIMALS, BIRDS AND EVEN PEOPLE ARE TO SOME EXTENT CONTROLLED
BY MAGNETIC FORCES. WHEN THERE IS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN MAGNETIC
STRENGTH, MANY ANIMALS HAVE DIFFICULTY FINDING THEIR WAY.
MICE, PLACED NEAR A STRONG MAGNET, LOSE THEIR HAIR AND DIE
EARLY. AND WHEN THE EARTHS MAGNETISM SUDDENLY DECREASES,
THE NUMBER OF MEN OR WOMEN WHO KILL THEMSELVES INCREASES.
(TONE)
YOU NOW HAVE 40 SECONDS TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1720.
(PAUSE 0040")
(TONE)
THIS IS THE END OF PART C.
YOU NOW HAVE 5 MINUTES TO TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS FROM
YOUR TEST BOOKLET TO ANSWER SHEET 1.
(PAUSE 0500")
(TONE)
THIS IS THE END OF LISTENING COMPREHENSION.
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