英语听力材料

英语听力材料 , grow more than two As soon as the singer centuries after his death. completes the song, the He was born in Salzburg, audience cried, “Encore! Austria, in 1756. Before Encore!” The singer was the age of four, he had delighted and sang the shown great musical talent. song again. She couldn’t His father then decided to believe it when the let him start taking audience shouted for her harpsichord(大提琴) to sing it again. The cycle lessons. The boy’s of shouts and songs was reputation as a musical repeated ten more times. talent grew fast. At five, The singer was overjoyed he was composing music. with the response from the From that time on, Mozart audience. She thanked them was performing in concerts and asked them why they and writing music. By his were so much interested in early teens, he had hearing the same song mastered the piano, violin again and again. One of the and harpsichord and was people in the audience writing symphonies and replied, “We wanted you to operas. His first major improve it; now it is much opera was performed in better.” Milan in 1770, when he was , only fourteen. At fifteen, W: They play “Yesterday Mozart became the Once More “all the time on conductor for an the campus radio. Do you orchestra(管弦乐队) in like it? Salzburg. In1781, he left M: I do. I never get tired for Vienna, where he was in of it. I like the great demand as both a Carpenters. Their performer and a voices are so beautiful composition teacher. His and clear. I guess first opera was a success. that’s why they’re so But life was not easy popular. because he was a poor W: I like the way their businessman, and his voices blend(融合). finances were always in a There were just two of bad state. His music from them, brother and the next decade was not sister, right? very popular, and he M: Yes, Richard and Karen eventually fell back on I think they were. She his teaching jobs for a died I think. living. In 1788he stopped W: Yes, anorexia(厌食).It performing in public, is hard to believe that preferring only to compose. someone so beautiful He died in 1791at the age would starve herself to of thirty-five. Although death . he lived only a short life, M: It’s a problem he composed over 600 everywhere in the world, works. including China, I’m , afraid. Women worry too There was once a great much about their actor who could no longer appearances, and are so remember his lines. After crazy about losing several years of searching, weight. he finally found a theater W: Well, let’s go for lunch that was willing to give before we go to the him a try. The director concert. said, ”This is the most , important part, and it has Mozart was a fascinating only one line. At the musician and composer opening you walk onto whose fame continues to stage carrying a rose. You hold the rose to your nose his family to die in the with just one finger and concentration camps. He thumb, smell it deeply and was safe, but would have then say the line in praise died without unusually of the rose:” Ah, the good luck and the kindness sweet smell of my love. ”” of a few non-Jews. This is The actor was excited. All a powerful movie with day long before the play he thought-provoking themes. practiced his line over “Rabbit-Proof Fence” is and over again. Finally, set in the 1930s in the time came. The curtain Australia, and it’s based went up, the actor walked on real events. It is about onto the stage, looked at three native girls who are the audience, and with separated from their great emotion said the families by the racist(种 line, “Ah, the sweet smell 族歧视) police who send of my love.” The audience then to special centers. exploded in laughter. Only There the girls are taught the director was practical skills, and the furious(暴怒)! “Ahhhhhh! government tries to You have ruined me!” he integrate them into white cried. “You have ruined my Australian society. They play! You have ruined me!” ran away from the camp and The actor was puzzled,” walked 1500 miles to find What happened? Did I their mothers. This is a forget my line?” “No!” sad, touching story that shouted the director. you should not miss. “You forgot the rose!” , I love movies! And after I see them, I like to comment on them. These are movies , I saw this year that I Amy: I’m so excited about would like recommend: finally seeing this movie! Among comedies I highly Peter: Me too. I’m crazy recommend” Monsoon about Harry Potter. Wedding”. It’s an Indian Have you heard that J. movie. The story is about K. Rowling has added an Indian wedding. another book to the Preparations for the series? wedding bring out funny Amy: She’s already written and sad situations Book Seven? I’m still touching on live and a past waiting for Book Five„„ rape. This movie shows Peter: I know. Who isn’ t? At least we have the some of the wonderful customs of India, and the movies to watch in the importance of family and meantime. love. It’s great! Amy: By the way, have you Among dramas, I like seen the trailer yet? “Adaptation”. It is an Peter: Yeah. It was great! excellent movie! But for I think the movie itself me the first part of the will be really scary. movie was too fast to Amy: It surely will! All follow. I hope to see it that writing on the again on DVD with wall in blood„It captions. scares me to death “The Pianist” is set in just to think about it! the Second World War. It ‘s about a young Polish-Jewish pianist, , who lives in Warsaw with One day just before his family. The Nazis sent closing time, John rushed into a TV store to buy a you will never even look at color TV set with the money another woman, as long as he had saved for three you both shall live?” The months. The friendly shop groom was shocked, but in assistant was waiting for spite of himself, he said ththe day’s last and 100 in a low voice, “Yes, I customer to reach his will.” Then the groom sales target for his whispered to the minister, bonus(奖金)，so he warmly “I thought we had a deal.” greeted John and showed The minister put the 100 him the various models on into his hand and display. He asked John to whispered back, “She made see how sharp and colorful me a much better offer.” , the image on the screen was. At that moment, a new American weddings are not commercial came onto the always the same. I’d like screen, introducing a to show you pictures of my popular brand of camera as wedding. When we got well as some beautiful engaged(订婚), an announcement was pictures it had taken. The camera and the pictures published in the newspaper. attracted John. He The announcement suddenly changed his mind typically includes the and told the shop names of the bride, the assistant:” Thank you for bridegroom and their the TV commercial. Now I parents and when the have to hurry to the camera wedding is expected to be store to get that held. About a month before camera. ” the wedding, we sent out wedding invitations to , relatives and friends. Before the wedding, the This is the church where we groom went up to the had the wedding. My father minister with an unusual gave me to my future offer. “Look, I’ll give husband. Then the minister you 100 if you’ll change started the wedding the wedding vows(誓言). ceremony. He greeted the When you get to the part guests, and talked about where I’m expected to the meaning of marriage. promise to ‘love, respect Next, we exchanged vows and gave each other rings. and obey her,’ ‘giving up all others,’ and ‘be true This is the main part of to her forever,’ I’d be the wedding. After the happy if you’d just leave vows, the minister prayed that part out. ” He gave for us. Then the minister the minister the cash and declared us husband and walked away with a light wife, and we kissed each heart. The wedding day other. Here is my sister, arrived, and the bride and who was a bridesmaid. This groom reached that part of is the bouquet(花束) I the ceremony where they carried. Traditionally, would make vows to each the unmarried women gather other. When it was time for after the wedding, and the the groom’s vows, the bride throws her bouquet minister looked the young to them. The one who man in the eye and said, catches it will, according “will you promise to to tradition, be the next kneel before her, obey her one to get married. At the every command and wish, reception, we cut the serve her breakfast in bed wedding cake and fed each every morning of your life other bites of the cake. and make a vow before God Then we toasted each other and your lively wife that with champagne(香槟酒). Finally the reception was Manager: I’m sorry, Miss, over, and the minister but dogs aren’t allowed in signed the marriage this theater. certificate(证书) and we Mary: But I have a were legally married.、 ticket for him. Manager: I’m very sorry, but animals aren’t permitted. , Mary: You don’t Richard: Dad, I need a pair understand. This of new shoes for is a special case. an important My dog is so well basketball game. trained and so intelligent that My old ones look kind of funny. he’s almost Father: Funny! We just human. bought those Manager: I see that you last springs. have an There’s a lot of exceptional life left in animal, but„„ them. Mary: I promise you Richard: But look at this that if there is ad with Yao Ming. any problem we’ He says these ll leave the shoes give him theater is extra spring. almost empty Father: Yao Ming is so tall tonight. But that he doesn’t your dog will need extra have to behave spring. Anyway, himself, or you he makes more will have to leave. money than I do. And they Manager: Thank you very probably give much. him millions of dollars to wear ? Because dogs are not those shoes. allowed in the Richard: But if you bought movie theater me the shoes, I’? She bought a ticket for d wear them for the dog. nothing. And I’? She believed that her d have that extra dog was so well trained spring. and so intelligent that Father: Do you think Yao he was almost human. Ming reached the ? She promised him that top just because if there should be any of the shoes he problem, she and the wears? Or was it dog would leave the something else? theater immediately. Richard: You mean like She also promised that hard work, her dog wasn’t like any dedication, that other dog the manager sort or thing? had ever seen. Father: Exactly. Just ? He let the dog in, focus on your because the studies and theater was forget the almost empty shoes. that night. , Lily: Mom, look at the , woman. Her dress looks funny. and says, “Hey, can I have Mom: I wouldn’t say that, it?” He bends over, Lily. It looks fine to me. supposing that his admirer Lily: Are you kidding? will give him the Pepsi. She’s out of fashion. But then the kid says,” That’s last year’s style. Don’t even think about Mom: Oh, come on, as long it! ” This commercial was as it looks good on her. rather popular, and it had Lily: Wow, you’re really been shown on TV for about as out-dated as she is. three years. The Mom: You’re right. I’m out commercial seems to have a of date. So what? more dramatic(引人注目 What’s the point of 的)effect than that following the produced by the Coca-Cola fashion? company in the 1970s. In Lily: No wonder you never the Coke ad a young boy buy me mew dresses. meets football star Lily and her mom are “Mean” Joe Green as he is talking about a woman’s leaving the field after a dress. Lily feels that the game. The boy gives his dress looks funny. But her hero a bottle of Coke, and mom has a very different in exchange for the drink, idea---she thinks the the football player throws woman’his towel to the boy, who s dress looks fine to her. Lily disagrees excitedly catches the because she thinks the souvenir(纪念品). woman’s dress is behind The phrase “Don’t even the times and that kind of think about it～” is used style went out last year. on many other occasions. Her mom thinks it’s quite Visitors to New York City all right as long as it are often amused to see a looks good on her. road sign with these words: Therefore, Lily says that “Don’t even think about her mother is as out-dated parking here.” This road as that woman. Still, the sign means that people are mother doesn’t see any strictly prohibited from point in keeping herself parking there. in style. Finally, Lily realizes that it is no , A young man named John wonder her mother does not like to buy her new received a parrot as a gift. dresses. The parrot had a vad , attitude and an even worse “Don’t even think about vocabulary. Every word out it!” is a phrase commonly of this bird’s mouth was rude. John tried every used in the United States when a person emphatically method to change the bird’ (断然地) demes or refuses s attitude by constantly something. saying polite words, In 1995, Shaquille O’Neal, playing soft music, and a popular basketball anything he could think of player, made a Pepsi(百事to set a good example. 可乐) commercial in which Nothing worked. Finally, this phrase was used. The John got fed up and he commercial begins with yelled at the parrot. And Shaquille playing the bird yelled back. John basketball, and a little shook the parrot, and the bird got angrier and ruder. kid is watching him. Then Finally. In a moment of the boy cries out the name of this basketball star. desperation, John put the Shaq turns to see the kid bird in the refrigerator with a Pepsi in his hand. freezer. For a few minutes, He walks over to the boy John heard the bird scream and kick. Then suddenly may be able to buy in your there was silence. Not a town the clothing that is sound for over a minute, in the latest style fearing the he’d hurt the without paying a very high bird, John quickly opened price for it. Other the door to the freezer. manufacturers use the The parrot calmly stepped Paris styles simply as a out and said, “I believe starting point for their I may have offended you own ideas. Still others with my rude language and may adapt only a part of actions. I an truly sorry, the French design into and I will do everything I their own styles. can to correct my poor behavior.” John was greatly surprised at the bird’s change of , attitude. As he was about Top fashion models travel to ask the parrot what had all over the world, earn caused such a sudden huge salaries and live change in his behavior, exciting lives. If you the bird continued,” May want to be a model, you I ask why you put the should know the basic rule. chickens there and what Girls are usually picked they did wrong? ” to be models when they are , between 15 and 22 years old. Fashion designers design Ideally, they are tall. and make fashionable Long-legged and thin. The clothes for men and women. minimum height is about 5’ They begin trends and 8”, and the average weight create new styles. Paris is 108-125 pounds. A few has been the traditional other important things for center of world fashion, a fashion model are clear though recently British skin, healthy hair, designers have had great straight teeth, and a influence in setting new well-shaped body. You’ll styles, and so have also need ambition, certain designers in the intelligence, confidence, United States and Italy. independence and French designers guard the will-power. secrets of their new If you’ve got the right designs until their looks but are worried over collections are shown to not being tall enough or the public. Then pictures fit enough, Kimi is the of the styles are answer. Kimi is the magic published in newspapers key to developing your and magazines all over the fashion model potential. world, people from many Kimi is a countries travel to Paris computer-designed height to buy the clothes and copy stimulator. It massages the newest ideas. In your feel to stimulate a January they go to see the part of your brain that spring clothes; and in produces more growth July, to see the autumn hormones. This will give designs. Many dress you the fashion model kind manufacturers from other of height. You should also countries buy the original go in for some sports like clothes of the famous running or basketball. These increase the French designers. They benefits of using Kimi. then take them back to their own sewing rooms, Make an important decision where the clothes are today. Order Kimi right copied and made up in great now! Don’t you think numbers. That’s why you having the height and shape of a fashion model “How much do you charge?” would be wonderful? Yes, “A hundred dollars a Kimi helps you realize visit.” your dream. “I’ll think about it,” said Steven. Six mouths later the doctor met Steven on the , street. “Why didn’t you Mike: Hey, Robert, ever come to see me again?” where are you off to? asked the psychiatrist. Robert: I’m going to talk “For a hundred bucks a to a banker about a loan, visit? A carpenter cured Mike: you are short of me for ten dollars.” “Is that so? How? ” money? I thought you were the saving type. “He told me to cut the Robert: there’s a time to legs off the bed!” save and a time to spend. Mike: I know all about , spending, what’s the loan A couple was going out for for? I have a few bucks I the evening to celebrate could„ the wife’s birthday. While Robert: I’m considering they were getting ready, getting a mortgage to buy the husband put the cat out. some property. The taxi arrived, and as Mike: Do you think the couple walked out of property is a good their home, the cat ran investment? I mean, it’s back into the house. Not a lot of money. wanting their cat to have Robert: Well, Mike, as you free run of the house while know, property they were out, the husband values have been went back upstairs to going through the chase the cat out. The wife, roof. If I had not wanting it known that bought an the house would be empty, apartment two explained to the taxi years ago, its driver, “He’s just going value would have upstairs to say goodbye to gone up by 30 my mother,” A few minutes percent today. later, the husband got Mike: And from what I into the car, and said, know, interest “Sorry it took so long. rates are low now. The stupid old thing was Robert: Exactly. Sounds hiding under the bed, and like a good time I had to poke her with a to buy. stick to get her to come out!” , Steven went to a , psychiatrist. “Doctor” Tom was down on his luck he said. “I’ve got trouble. and felt he needed a few Every time I get into bed, drinks. He went to a bar I think there’s somebody and had several drinks. under it. I get under the When he was done, he stood bed; then I think there’up and walked toward toe s somebody on top of it. door. The barman shouted Top, under, top, under. after him, “Hey mister, You’ve got to help me! I’are you going to pay for m going crazy!” those drinks?” “Just put yourself in my Tom turned around and hands for two years,” said replied,” I have already the doctor. “Come to me paid you,” and then walked three times a week, and I’out of the bar. Almost ll cure your fears.” immediately he saw one of his friends Richard and money, the students all go told him about the barman, shopping to spend that “Just go in there and extra money. This causes drink all you want, then the demand for goods and get up and leave. When the services to rise, and barman asks you to pay the people who sell goods and bill, just tell him you services raise prices. For have already paid.” example, if you could buy This sounded easy enough, a new music CD at 10 in the so Richard went in and had past, now the price could several drinks. The barman be 1000! This is called went to him and said, inflation. “before you came in, So, the original reason another man was here. When for printing all this I asked him to pay his bill, money was to help get us he told me he’d paid, but out of recession, but we I don’t remember him have only replaced one paying me.” problem with another. Richard said. “I would love to stay and hear your story, but I don’t have time. Can I have my change please?” , What’s the solution to a recession, a time of , little economic activity? A young man cones up to the Just print money! Sounds border on his bicycle. He reasonable, doesn’t it? has two large bags over his Let’s see if this will work shoulders. The border by using an example. guard stops him and says, Let’s pretend that all the “what’s in the bags?” students in your class “Sand, “answers the make up the ENTIRE young man. population of the country, The guard is a bit and the teacher represents suspicious and asks the the government. Let’s have young man to open the bags the teacher, who for inspection, the guard represents the government, empties the bags, but print money. He prints finds nothing in them hut 1.00 more for everyone. sand. Then he has the sand Now everyone has 1.00more analyzed, only to discover to spend. More money to that there is nothing but spend sounds like a great pure sand in the bags. So way to get us out of a the young man is allowed to recession, since more ride across the border money to spend means more with his sandbags. demand for goods and A week later, the same services. young man presents himself Then if that works, why at the border with his bags. don’t we give MORE money The guard asks,” what have away? How about 100? Now we you got?” have lots of money to spend. “Sand,” says the young So no more recession, man. right? The guard does his Not really, because we thorough examination and have only looked at one discovers that the bags side of the problem, as contain nothing but sand, more people receive more He gives the sand back to and more money, what’ll the young man who then happen? rides across the border on Since everyone has more his bicycle with the sandbags. This happens every week for three years. Finally, the young man no longer , appears at the border A passing police car heard crossing. Months go by and loud screams and responded the border guard, “for immediately. When the three years you were police arrived at the smuggling something scene, they found Pete’s through my crossing dead body in his backyard, station. It’s driving me with many knife wounds and crazy. Just between you blood everywhere. The and me, what were you officer immediately went to question the three smuggling?” The young man drinks his coffee and says. neighbors that had been “Bicycles.” outside in the past thirsty minutes. , Blake Smith had just Gilbert: Hey, Henry, is finished painting his Sarah coming with us? porch when the officer Henry: Yes. Why? came. A young, police man, Gilbert: Nothing. I’m just Blake wiped his hands on asking. his clean jeans before Henry: Just asking? But shaking hands, and said,” why is your face I’ve been outside all flaming red? Ah-huh, morning. Painting the someone has a crush porch ceiling took a long on Sarah, doesn’t time. Pete lives two doors he? away. I really didn’t see Gilbert: Who has a crush?! or hear anything,” he Henry:Come on, Gilbert, added apologetically. don’t be such a Nelson Brown had been in chicken. If you like his garden, right next her, just go and door to the victim’s yard. tell her. Maybe she He said, “I was in and out likes you. of the house. Weeding. ” Gilbert: But I don’t have His hands were dirty. Then the guts to ask her he added, “Inside, I was out. repairing a chair. It all Henry: What are you so must have happened when I afraid of? was indoors. Sorry.” Gilbert: I’d totally die Kenny green’s story seemed if she turned me less believable, “I was on down. a ladder, washing my Henry: But that’s better window.” The middle-aged than keeping man admitted. The officer everything to could see that Kenny’s yourself. You’ve yard overlooked the got to let her know. victim’s. But Kenny Come on! You’ve got claimed, “I never liked to take a chance! over into Pete’s yard, nor Gilbert: I don’t know„ did I hear anything,” well, maybe you’re Now the officer believed right, but how am I that one of the guys was going to tell her I lying. Who was this man? like her? , Lisa: Do you wear the seatbelt every time you drive or ride in a car? Mike: No, seatbelts are for chickens. Besides, I’ m a great driver. the weight on board; Lisa: the chances of otherwise, the plane would being injured in a crash. However, there were car accident this only two parachutes. The year are 1 in 75. I smartest man in the world think that’s worth jumped to his feet and thinking about shouted, “The people who seriously. would benefit the world Mike: Have you ever been the most should get the involved in an automobile parachutes. I’m the accident? smartest man, so I’m the Lisa: Only once. My car smartest man, so I’m one slid on a rainy of those. ” With that, he night and went off seized a parachute and the road. threw himself out of the Fortunately I was plane. The lawyer liked at wearing my the little girl and said, seatbelt. “I’ve led a good long life, Mike: I’ve never had a and you’re just starting serious accident. yours. You take the other Lisa: my brother was more parachute.” unlucky than I was. With tears in her eyes, the Last December he was little girl said, “That almost killed in an smart man was very accident, he was in unreasonable. Just now he the back seat of his grabbed my school bag and friend’s car when it jumped out. Mom will scold rolled. He wasn’t me for losing the bag. But wearing a seatbelt. at least I have a Mike: Wow, that’s parachute.” terrible. Lisa: Fastening your seatbelt should be an automatic thing , as soon as you get One day, two friends were into your car. But driving downtown when they too many people came to an intersection still refuse to wear with a traffic light. The seatbelts, light was red but driver Mike: It’s just hard for sped right through the red me to get in the light. The passenger habit of wearing looked in terror at the one. driver and shouted. “What Lisa: All it takes is one the hell are you doing? close-call and you’You’re going to get us ll wear your killed!!” seatbelt. The driver replied. “Don’ Mike: OK. I have got the t worry, my mom always message. From now on drives like this, and she I’ll hook up my is all right.” Later, they seatbelt. came to another traffic light, and that too was red. A gain the driver shot , right through the light. A There were three gain the passenger looked passengers in a plane that at the driver and shouted, had a sudden engine “I thought I have told you, trouble. One was the you would get us killed! smartest man in the world, Would you please stop this another was a lawyer, and nonsense!?” the other was a little girl. The driver looked at the The pilot told them they passenger and answered. must jump out to lighten “All right! I get it, but I told you my mom drove mountain. like this all the time! And Tony: That’s Ok, Mary. she’s quite OK.” Come anyway. You can They came to another skip the climbing— traffic light. It was just stay in the green. The driver slammed camp and cook and on the brakes, suddenly clean up for us. stopping the car. Mary: That’s doesn’t sound The passenger was thrown like much fun. Maybe forward. “What on earth I should learn to are you doing?” he overcome my fear of screamed. “This is the heights. third time you almost got us killed. Why did you stop at a green light?” , “Well.” said the driver. Hi, my name is Matthew, and “My mom might be coming I want to talk about my the other way.” love of water. I had a fear of water when I was young. That fear kept me away from water .That was because once I was pushed into the swimming pool by a classmate when I was eight and first arrived in Australia from Vietnam. That experience was , horrible. I was down at the Tony: Hey, Mary. Some of us deep end .struggling, and in the Outdoor Club are I thought I was going to going camping this drown. It was a big weekend. fear .The next thing that You interested? happened was my teacher, Mary: Gee, I don’t know„dressed in full clothes where’re you planning to jumped in and rescued me. go? Then I started to like that Tony: Up into the teacher who happened to be mountains. We want to take my English teacher. My advantage of the nice English was broken as weather while it lasts. English was my second Mary: The Mountains ...you language .I didn’t want to mean climbing them? learn English or speak Tony: Sure, many places English .Then I changed .I have interesting find it to be an amazing mountains, but the experience. Now, my fear ones here are the of water has gone. I just most beautiful I actually love water now, have seen—and only and I’m interested in a few hours’ drive English now. I think, I ‘m from here. no longer worried about my Mary: If I were to go, I broken English .I don’t wouldn’t appreciate care if people laugh. I the view. I’d have just find it fun to speak my eyes shut tight English .And I don’t feel all the time. I’m ashamed of myself when scared stiff of other people correct the heights. mistakes in my English. Tony: You’ll be missing out on a lot of wonderful views. Mary: Oh, Tony, I really prefer to stay at the foot of the later. Girl: Hey, he can keep my shoe, and I’ll just , take off my left Girl: Yes, I’d like to shoe every time I walk through the report a mugging. Police: Okay. Can you tell park. me exactly what happened? Girl: well, I was walking home from work when this woman knocked me right off me feet, seized me stuff, and ran off. I was so scared that I didn’t go after her. Police: Can you describe the woman for me? Girl: Yeah. He is quite tall, about six foot three. Police: Wait. You said a woman robbed you. Girl: Well, I’m not really sure. You see, the person was wearing a white dress, a light red sweater over it, and she or he was wearing a pair of basketball shoes. Police: What else can you remember? Girl: Well, the person„had a beard. Police: Ah! What was, uh, taken exactly? Girl: Well, just my left shoe. Strange, isn’t it? Police: Ah. The “Bearded Woman” has struck again! Girl: the “Bearded Woman”, Police: Well, this “Bearded Woman” is a man. He dresses up like a woman and, for some unknown reasons, likes to take the left shoe from his victims. He’s really harmless and usually returns the shoe to the crime scene a couple of days