2009年12月大学英语四级听力真题-英语听力

[01:06.82]Q11. [01:08.21]M: Excuse me. do you have change for a ten-dollar note? I need lo pay the parking meter. [01:16.27]W: I'm sorry, but I think you can get it through the money changer in the shopping center across the street. [01:25.04]Q: What is the man trying to do? [01:43.56]Q12. [01:44.91]M: Can you recommend something that a school boy of 7 or 8 will really like? [01:51.31]W; I'd suggest this toy train, sir. It's an excellent brand. Very popular all over the world these days. [02:00.48]Q: What is the man doing? [02:18.32]Q13. [02:20.76]W: Do you let people know when you're taking pictures of them? [02:24.79]M: I try not to. You know any picture of a person who poses for the camera would look dull and unnatural. [02:34.02]Q: What are the speakers talking about? [02:53.54]Q14. [02:55.50]W; I need to talk lo someone who knows Baltimore well. I'm told you lived there. [03:01.16]M: Oh, but I was really young at the lime [03:04.30]Q: What docs the man mean? [03:23.38]Q15. [03:25.44]W: Aren't you disappointed that you didn't get the promotion? [03:28.86]M: Maybe a little, but 1 know I need more experience before I'm ready for that kind of responsibility. [03:37.65]Q: What do we learn about the man from this conversation? [03:58.36]Q16. [04:00.26]W: I've been working out the gym since January. I was a bit out of shape. [04:06.32]M: You look terrific. It seems that your effort has paid off. [04:11.21]Q: What does the man imply about the woman? [04:31.49]Q17. [04:33.11]W: Professor Clark suggested I get a tutor for advanced physics. [04:38.82]M: Well, that might help. Advanced physics is a pretty difficult course. [04:44.92]Q: What docs the man mean? [05:03.42]Q18. [05:07.29]W: Bill, have you heard the latest news? It appears we two won't be laid off after all. [05:14.74]M: Oh, I'm somewhat tired of working here. [05:18.24]I've been wondering whether I should resign. Anyway, the news seems to be good for you. [05:25.71]Q: How docs the man feel about the news? [05:49.59]Conversation One [05:52.95]W: Hello, Carlson College, may I help you? [05:56.39]M: Yes. I'm looking for information on courses in computer programming. I would need it for the fall semester. [06:05.10]W: Do you want a day or evening course? [06:08.53]M: Well, it would have to be an evening course since I work during the day. [06:14.12]W: Aha. Have you taken any courses in data processing? [06:19.06]M: No. [06:21.28]W: Oh! Well, data processing is a course you have to take before you can take computer programming. [06:28.94]M: Oh, I see. Well, when is it given? I hope it is not on Thursdays. [06:35.72]W: Well ,there’s a class that meets on Monday evenings at 7. [06:40.86]M: Just once a week? [06:42.53]W: Yes. But that's almost 3 hours from 7 to 9:45. [06:48.94]M: Oh! Well, that's all right, I could manage that. How many weeks does the course last? [06:56.39]W: Mm, let me see. 12 weeks. You start the first weekends September and finish... [07:05.77]Oh., just before Christmas, December 21st. [07:09.96]M: And how much is the course? [07:12.40]W: That's 300 dollars including the necessary computer time. [07:16.69]M: Ah-hum. Okay, Eh, where do 1 go to register? [07:23.49]W: Registration is on the second and third of September between 6 and 9 in Frost Hall. [07:30.60]M: Is that the round building behind the parking lot? [07:34.07]W: Yes. that's the one. [07:36.39]M: Oh, I know how to get there. Is there anything that I should bring with me? [07:42.04]W; No, just your check book. [07:44.39]M: Well, thank you so much. [07:46.45]W: You're very welcome. Bye! [07:48.64]M: Bye! [07:50.43]Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard. [07:57.93]Q19: Why does the man choose to take an evening course? [08:20.40]Q20: What does the man have to do before taking the course of computer programming? [08:42.31]Q21: What do we learn about the schedule of evening course? [09:04.59]Q22: What does the man want to know at the end of the conversation? [09:25.92]Conversation Two [09:29.06]W: So, why exactly does your job have reputation for being stressful? [09:34.62]M: Stress is generally driven by the feeling of being out of control of a situation [09:40.78]and the feeling of a situation controlling you. Trading in financial markets combines both. [09:47.90]W: How do you relax in the evening? [09:52.03]M: I very rarely do anything work-related so it's easy to escape the markets. [09:57.19]I generally go to the gym or go for a run, especially if I had a bad day. [10:02.78]I always cook a meal rather than have a take-away. To do something my brain will regard as creative. [10:10.20]W: Do you think what you do to relax is an effective way to beat stress? [10:16.26]M: I don't think there is a specific rule about how to beat stress. I generally find out what I do is effective for me. [10:23.88]W: Would you consider changing your job because of the high stress factor? [10:29.31]M: I have considered leaving my job due to stress-related factors. [10:33.68]However, I do think that an element of stress is a good thing. [10:38.33]And if used the right way can actually be a positive thing. [10:42.16]W: What do you enjoy about the stressful aspects of your job? [10:47.01]M: Having said all that, I do actually enjoy an element of uncertainty. I enjoy mental challenge. [10:55.08]Trading generates a wide range of emotions second by second. [10:59.81]How you deal with and manage those emotions dictates short medium and long term trading performance and success. [11:09.47]Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard. [11:17.61]Q23. What is the man's job? [11:38.21]Q24. Why does the man prefer to cook a meal rather than have a take-away? [12:01.39]Q25. What does the man say about an element of stress in his job? [13:04.67]Passage 1 [13:06.83]Since early times, people have been fascinated with the idea of life existing somewhere else besides earth. [13:15.24]Until recently, scientists believe that life on other planets was just a hopeful dream. [13:23.42]But now they are beginning to locate places where life could form. [13:29.08]In 1997, they saw evidence of planets near other stars like the sun. [13:35.74]But scientists now think that life could be even nearer in our own solar system. [13:42.94]One place scientists are studying very closely is Europa, a moon of Jupiter. [13:50.69]Space probes have provided evidence that Europa has a large ocean under its surface. [13:57.98]The probes have also made scientists think that under its surface Europa has a rocky core giving off volcanic heal. [14:07.57]Water and heal from volcanic activity arc two basic conditions needed for life to form. [14:15.55]A third is certain basic chemicals such as carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. [14:23.61]Scientists believe there might be such chemicals King at the bottom of Europa 's ocean. [14:31.14]They may have already created life or may be about to. You may wonder if light is also needed for life to form. [14:41.41]Until recently, scientists thought that light was essential. [14:47.12]But now, places have been found on earth that are in total blackness such as caves several miles beneath the surface. [14:56.37]And bacteria, primitive forms of life. have been seen there. [15:01.78]So the lack of light in Europa 's sub-surface ocean doesn't automatically rule out life forming. [15:09.40]Questions 26 to 28 are based on the conversation you have just heard. [15:17.75]Q26. What did scientists once believe according to the passage? [15:40.97]Q27. What have scientists found about Europa, a moon of Jupiter? [16:04.84]Q28. What have scientists come to know recently about formation of life? [16:27.77]Passage 2 [16:30.76]In her early days as an emergency room physician. Doctor Joanna Myer treated a child who had suffered a second degree burn. [16:39.81]After the child had been treated and was being prepared for discharge. [16:45.05]Doctor Myer talked to the parents about how they should care for the child at home. [16:50.25]Also listening to her were a half a dozen other family members. [16:56.44]A few hours later, when she came to say goodbye. [17:00.48]The family asked her to settle an argument they* d been having over exaclly what advice she had given. [17:07.65]"As I talked to them. I was amazed." she said. [17:11.97]All of them had heard the simple instructions I have given just a few hours before, [17:17.85]but they have three or four different versions. [17:22.22]The most basic details were unclear and confusing. I was surprised, because these were intelligent people. [17:31.47]" This episode gave Doctor Myer her first clue to something every doctor learns sooner or later- most people just don' t listen very well. [17:43.25]Nowadays, she says she repeats her instructions, and even conducts a reality check with some patients. [17:51.48]She asks them to tell her what they think they are supposed to do. [17:57.06]She also provides take-home sheets which are computer printouts tailored to the patients' situation. [18:03.87]Doc. Myer' s listeners are not unusual. [18:07.84]When new or difficult material is presented, almost all listeners are faced with the challenge [18:15.72]because human speech lacks the stability and permanence of the printed word. [18:21.27]Oral communication is fast-moving and impermanent. [18:28.64]Question 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard: [18:34.71]Q29. What did the child' s family members argue about in the hospital? [18:57.27]Q30. What did Doc. Myer do to insure her patients understand her instructions? [19:19.90]Q31. What does the speaker say about human speech? [19:40.45]Passage 3 [19:43.00]It's logical to suppose that things like good labor relations, good working conditions, [19:49.13]good wages and benefits and job security motivate workers, [19:54.00]but one expert, Fredrick Herzberg argued that such conditions do not motivate workers. [20:01.98]They are merely satisfiers. [20:05.03]Motivators, in contrast, include things such as having a challenging and interesting job, recognition and responsibility. [20:14.15]However, even with the development of computers and robotics, [20:20.22]there're always plenty of boring, repetitive and mechanical jobs and lots of unskilled people who have to do them. [20:27.89]So how do mangers motivate people in such jobs? [20:33.07]One solution is to give them some responsibilities, not as individuals, but as a part of a team. [20:40.98]For example, some supermarkets can buy office stuff to people who fill the shelves, [20:48.19]and the people who work at the check out into a team, and let them decide what product lines to stock, [20:54.85]how to display them and so on. [20:57.63]Many people now talk about the importance of a company's shared values or culture with which all the staff can identify, [21:07.64]for example, being the best hotel chain, or making the best, [21:13.40]the most user-friendly or the most reliable products in a particular field. [21:18.32]Such values are more likely to motivate workers than financial targets which automatically only concern a few people. [21:27.22]Unfortunately, there's only a limited number of such goals to go around [21:34.24]and by definition, not all the competing companies in that industry can seriously plan to be the best. [21:41.68]Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard. [21:50.10]Q32: What can actually motivate workers according to Fredrick Herzberg? [22:13.13]Q33: What does the speaker say about jobs in the computer era? [22:36.78]Q34: What do some supermarkets do to motivate their employees? [22:59.36]Q35: Why does the speaker say financial targets are less likely to motivate workers? [24:07.18] [24:18.23]In the humanities, authors write to inform you in many ways. [24:23.13]These methods can be classified into three types of informational writing: factual, descriptive, and process. [24:34.20]Factual writing provides background information on an author,composer or artist,or on a type of music,literature, or art. [24:46.53]Examples of factual writing include notes on a book jacket or album cover, and longer pieces [24:55.05]such as an article describing a style of music, which you might read in a music appreciation course. [25:02.62]This kind of writing provides a context for your study of the humanities. [25:08.78]As its name implies, descriptive writing simply describes, or provides an image of a piece of music, art or literature. [25:19.74]For example, descriptive writing might list the colors an artist used in a painting [25:25.75]or the instruments a composer included in a musical composition. [25:30.56]So estimate pictures or sounds in a reader's mind by calling up specific details of the work. [25:37.25]Descriptive writing in the humanities, particularly in literature, is often mixed with critical writing. [25:45.48]Process writing explains a series of actions that bring about a result. It tells the reader how to do something. [25:56.87]For example, explaining the technique to shoot a film. [26:02.06]This kind of writing is often found in art, where understanding how an artist created a certain effect is important. [26:10.18]Authors may actually use more than one type of technique in a given piece of informational writing. [26:18.30]Read again [26:22.05]In the humanities, authors write to inform you in many ways. [26:27.78]These methods can be classified into three types of informational writing: factual, descriptive, and process. [26:38.34]Factual writing provides background information on an author,composer or artist,or on a type of music,literature, or art. [26:49.68]Examples of factual writing include notes on a book jacket or album cover, and longer pieces [26:58.01]such as an article describing a style of music, which you might read in a music appreciation course. [27:05.04]This kind of writing provides a context for your study of the humanities. [27:11.80]As its name implies, descriptive writing simply describes, or provides an image of a piece of music, art or literature. [27:23.51]For example, descriptive writing might list the colors an artist used in a painting [27:30.22]or the instruments a composer included in a musical composition. [27:34.98]So estimate pictures or sounds in a reader's mind by calling up specific details of the work. [27:43.10]Descriptive writing in the humanities, particularly in literature, is often mixed with critical writing. [29:03.44]Process writing explains a series of actions that bring about a result. It tells the reader how to do something. [29:12.74]For example, explaining the technique to shoot a film. [30:23.89]This kind of writing is often found in art, where understanding how an artist created a certain effect is important. [30:31.97]Authors may actually use more than one type of technique in a given piece of informational writing. [31:46.58]Third time [31:50.53]In the humanities, authors write to inform you in many ways. [31:55.28]These methods can be classified into three types of informational writing: factual, descriptive, and process. [32:06.26]Factual writing provides background information on an author,composer or artist,or on a type of music,literature, or art. [32:18.35]Examples of factual writing include notes on a book jacket or album cover, and longer pieces [32:27.98]such as an article describing a style of music, which you might read in a music appreciation course. [32:34.07]This kind of writing provides a context for your study of the humanities. [32:40.32]As its name implies, descriptive writing simply describes, or provides an image of a piece of music, art or literature. [32:51.37]For example, descriptive writing might list the colors an artist used in a painting [32:58.10]or the instruments a composer included in a musical composition. [33:03.15]So estimate pictures or sounds in a reader's mind by calling up specific details of the work. [33:09.15]Descriptive writing in the humanities, particularly in literature, is often mixed with critical writing. [33:17.93]Process writing explains a series of actions that bring about a result. It tells the reader how to do something. [33:29.23]For example, explaining the technique to shoot a film. [33:33.53]This kind of writing is often found in art, where understanding how an artist created a certain effect is important. [33:42.17]Authors may actually use more than one type of technique in a given piece of informational writing.