News Report 1

[主题分类] 新闻听力：科技

[高级表达]

feature       n.           特征，特性，特色

automatic braking            自动刹车

survey      v.             调查，测试

distract       v.            干扰

overestimate      v.         高估

[关键句型]

1. Still, 60% of drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature.

仍然有60%的司机愿意接受自动驾驶功能。

2. Advocates of self-driving cars argue they would be safer than in cars driven by humans.

自动驾驶汽车的倡导者们认为它们比人驾驶的汽车更安全。

3. Tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities.

测试显示司机们可能高估了自己的能力。

4. They will be more likely to… as …

随着 …… 他们会更愿意 ……

[听力原文]

Automakers and tech companies are working hard to offer the first true self-driving car. But 75% of drivers say they wouldn’t feel safe in such a vehicle. Still, 60% of drivers would like to get some kind of self-driving feature, such as automatic braking or self-parking, the next time they buy a new car. The attitudes are published in a new AAA survey of 1, 800 drivers. Advocates of self-driving cars argue they would be safer than in cars driven by humans because they wouldn't get distracted or drive when tired.

But those surveyed by AAA say they trust their own driving skills. Many feel the technology is too new and unproven.

John Nielsen, AAA’S managing director of automotive engineering and repair, said tests suggest drivers may be overestimating their own abilities. He also believes they will be more likely to trust self-driving cars as they become more familiar with features such as automatic braking or parking.

He estimated that the "comfort level" will increase considerably in five to ten years.

[答案解析]

预览两道题各选项，由选项中反复出现的 drivers和第1题选项中出现的self- driving cars和automatic可推测，新闻内容与驾驶员和自动驾驶汽车有关; 再结合第2题选项中的safe和 automatic devices可进一步推测，新闻内容可能涉及自动驾驶汽车的安全性及其自动装置。

Q1. What is the finding of the AAA survey?

C)   新闻开头提到，在AAA对1800位驾驶员进行的一项新的调查中，75％的驾驶员说他们在自动驾驶汽车里会感觉不安全，但是有60％的驾驶员表示在下次购买新汽车的时候想要一些自动驾驶的功能，比如自动刹车和自动停车。因此答案为C)。

Q2. What does John Nielsen say about self-driving cars?

A)    新闻结尾提到，约翰・尼尔森说，测试表明，驾驶员可能高估了他们自己的驾驶能力，他还认为，当驾驶员们对自动刹车和自动停车这样的功能熟悉之后，他们可能会更相信自动驾驶汽车。因此答案为A)。

News Report 2

[主题分类] 新闻听力：社会生活

[高级表达]

multiple    adj.     各种各样的，很多的

intentional        adj.       故意的，有预谋的

attempt         v.        试图，努力

non-life-threatening             不危及生命的

trial           n.             审判，判决

[关键句型]

1. One dog has been killed in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors.

在一起似乎针对比赛选手的蓄意袭击中，一条狗被杀害。

2. A snowmobile driver had repeatedly attempted to harm ….

一名摩托雪橇手数次试图伤害…….

3. Neither …  nor … was injured.

…… 和  …… 均未受伤。

4. This incident very much alters the race of the two participants.

这次事件极大地影响了两位选手的比赛。

5. He faces trial on several charges.

他面临几项指控。

[听力原文]

 One dog has been killed and multiple dogs have been injured by a snowmobile driver in what appears to be an intentional attack on competitors in the Iditarod Race in Alaska.

Aliy Zirkle was the first to report an attack.  

A snowmobile driver had repeatedly attempted to harm her and her team, and one of Zirkle’s dogs had received a non-life-threatening injury.

Zirkle reported the attack when she arrived in Nulato, Alaska, in the early hours of the morning.

Then Jeff King, a four-time champion, reported a similar attack.

His team was hit by a snowmobile driver, injuring several dogs and killing a 3-year-old male dog.

Reporter Zachariah Hughes says that neither King nor Zirkle was injured.

Although this incident very much alters the race of the two participants competing for a win, both are going to continue on their way toward the finishing line.

Alaska State Troopers released a statement saying they’ve arrested Arnold Demoski, 26. He faces trial on several charges.

[答案解析]

预览两道题各选项，由第3题选项中的 Thefts, injuries，Attacks和 accident可推测，新闻内容与一次恶性事件有关; 再结合选项中的Race，competitors和competition可进一步推测，这次恶性事件与一项比赛有关。

Q3. What is the news report mainly about?

C)   新闻开头提到，在阿拉斯加一次似乎针对艾迪塔罗德雪橇比赛选手的故意袭击事件中，一条狗被一名摩托雪橇手杀死，多条狗受伤。接下来，新闻对此次袭击事件进行了详细讲述。因此答案为C)。

Q4. What do we learn about Jeff King?

A) 新闻中提到，获得过四次冠军的杰夫・金报告说遭遇了相似的袭击。由此可知，杰夫・金获得了四次阿拉斯加艾迪塔罗德雪橇比赛的冠军，故答案为B)。

News Report 3

[主题分类] 新闻听力：交通事故

[高级表达]

turn over          翻转，颠覆，推翻

specify     v.         明确，确认

rescue      v.       救援，抢救

ban        v.        禁止

proceed     v.       从事，执行，继续做  

[关键句型]

1. A tour boat turned over… , killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing,

一艘观光船翻了，导致至少13人丧生，并有更多人失踪。 

2. Some passengers remain missing.

一些乘客仍然下落不明。

3. The authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds.

由于恶劣的天气和大风，当局已经禁止在这片海域进行海上旅行。

4. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for ….

他和一名船员都因为…… 在接受调查。

[听力原文]

A tour boat turned over off the coast of Nicaragua, killing at least 13 people and leaving more passengers missing, official said.

The boat was carrying 32 people-25 Costa Ricans, four Americans and three Nicaraguans

The 13 dead were all Costa Rican, the Foreign Ministry said.

The boat, traveling between Nicaragua's Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island, turned over Saturday near the larger island.

Some passengers remain missing, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry said, but did not specify how many.

A local radio said an unspecified number of people were rescued, including the tour boats owner, Hilario Blandon.

Nicaraguan naval authorities had banned sea travel in the area because of bad weather and strong winds, but the tour boat proceeded anyway.

Blandon, the boat’s owner, has been arrested by Nicaraguan authorities, the state-run news agency said. Both he and a crew member are being investigated for unintentional murder and exposing people to danger, according to police.  

[答案解析]

预览三道题各选项，由第5题选项中出现的sank，sea，ran into，disappeared和 turned over可推测，新闻内容与船只失事事件有关; 结合第6题选项中出现的数字和第7题选项中出现的 rescue， investigated，drowned和 missing可进一步推测，新闻内容涉及此次船只失事事件的伤亡人数和对相关责任人的调查。

Q5. What happened to the tour boat sailing off the Nicaraguan coast?

D)   新闻开头提到，在离尼加拉瓜海岸不远处，一艘观光船翻了。接下来新闻又提到，由于恶劣的天气和大风，尼加拉瓜海军当局已经禁止在这片海域进行海上旅行，但这艘观光船对此置若罔闻。由此可知，观光船翻船是大风导致的，故答案为D)。

Q6. How many people was the boat carrying?

D)   新闻中提到，这艘观光船当时载客32名。因此答案为D)。

Q7. What do we know about the owner of the boat?

B)  新闻结尾提到，船主布兰登已被尼加拉瓜当局逮捕，并将接受审讯。因此答案为B)。

Conversation 1

[主题分类] 长对话：工作面试

[高级表达]

foreign accountancy firm       外资会计公司

temporary position           临时岗位

available      adj.          空缺的

take sb. on          接纳、聘用某人

practice interview           模拟面试

[关键句型]

1. I'm on my way to a job interview.

我去参加面试。

2. There’s only two weeks to go.

只有两周时间了。

3. The work is just helping out with data input.

这份工作只是帮忙输入数据。

4. The experience would look good on my resume.

这个工作经历会给我的简历增色添彩。

5. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.

但是你最好还是提交一份求职申请。

[听力原文]

M: Hi, Susan, you're looking very smart today.

W: I always look smart, James. Actually, I'm on my way to a job interview.

M: What job? Oh, you mean, for the summer holidays?

W: Yeah. There’s only two weeks to go. I've got a second interview with that big foreign accountancy firm in the city center. You know the one.

M: That’s fantastic.

W: The work is just helping out with data input, you know, but the pay isn’t too bad. It might suit you too. I know they have at least two temporary positions available. And I don’t think they have anyone else yet.

M: Hmm... If they take you on, tell them you know a friend who’d be really good too. I really need the money and the experience would look good on my resume. Maybe we'll be working together. The dream team.

W: OK. Well do. If the boss likes me, I’ll mention it. It’ll be good to have someone around who I know. I'll phone you afterwards. But perhaps you should put in an application anyway.

M: Thanks, Susan. That’s great. Listen, do you want a lift to the city? I have my dad's car today, and nothing else to do this morning.

W. Sure. Thanks. James.

M: Let’s go then. The car’s over there.

W: By the way, how’s your knowledge of accountancy? The interviewer may ask you about it

M: No problem. I think I can survive. I might, just have to review a few accountancy terms. Maybe you can give me a practice interview first.

W: Of course. Let’s go then. Don't want to be late.

[答案解析]

预览四道题各选项，由第9题选项中的 interviews，application forms和 phone calls可推测，对话内容与工作面试有关; 结合第11题选项中的 Purchase，business suits，learn, Improve和 Review可进一步推测，对话内容涉及面试前的准备。

Q8. Where will Susan probably get a job?

C)  对话中女士提到，她在市中心一家大型外资会计公司得到了第二次面试的机会。由此可推断，

女士可能会在这家会计公司得到一份工作，故答案为C)。

Q9. What will Susan’s future job involve?

A)  对话中女士提到，她将要得到的这份工作只是帮忙输入数据。因此答案为A)。

Q10. Why does James want the job in that company?

B)  对话中男土提到，他也想要女士提到的这份工作，是因为他很需要钱，而且这个工作经历会给

他的简历增色添彩。因此答案为B)。

Q11. What does James say he will have to do to prepare for the interview?

D)  对话结尾，当女土问及男士在会计方面的知识时，男土说他没问题，只需要复习一些会计术语。因此答案为D)。

Conversation 2 

[主题分类] 长对话：科技教育

[高级表达]

confirm      v.           证实，确认

name a file               命名文件夹

literacy      n.           读写能力

peer         n.           同龄人

dropout         n.        辍学者

[关键句型]

1. When it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries.

就日常生活中的科技能力而言，美国远远落后于其他发动国家。

2. Americans are terrible at technology skills.

美国人对科技技能的掌握非常糟糕。

3. … came out the first.

…… 排在第一。

4. In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.

在读写能力方面，他们（美国大学生）实际上比其他国家的同龄人更优秀。

[听力原文]

W: There’s new data out today that confirms that many Americans are not good at math, and when it comes to everyday technology skills, we are dead last when compared to other developed countries. Here’s Gabrielle Emanuel of National Public Radio.

M: Let’s start with the bad news that Americans are terrible at technology skills, using email, naming a file on a computer, using a link on a webpage, or just texting someone.

W: No country scored below the U. S?

M: Only one country. Poland performed as poorly as we did. Who came out the first? Japan did the best and then Finland. If you look at data about reading and math, you'll notice something interesting. Younger adults who went to college or graduate school were doing pretty well. In literacy, they were actually doing better than their peers in other countries.

W: So that's a bit of good news.

M: But when you look at Americans who have a high school diploma, they look a lot like other countries’  high school dropouts. We have a lot of work to do. That is especially true when it comes to math. You go to the store and there’s a sale. Buy one, get the second one half off. You decide to buy two. How much do you pay?

W: You mean high school graduates can't do this task in general?

M: You're right. What does that tell us about our education system? Well, it tells us that we need to think about the preparedness of our students as they are leaving high school.

W: Right. And schools, employers, in fact we all need to do something about it. Thank you, Gabrielle.

[答案解析]

预览四道题各选项，由第12题选项中反复出现的 technology和第14题选项中出现的 Emailing, Texting和 Science可推测，对话内容与科技有关; 结合第12题和第13题各选项语义可进一步推测，对话可能涉及不同国家的人对科技的了解和掌握等情况。

Q12. What does the man say about Americans?

B)   对话中男士提到，美国人对科技技能的掌握非常糟糕，他们不擅长使用电子邮件，不擅长命名电脑上的文件夹，不擅长使用网页上的链接，甚至不擅长给他人发短信。因此答案为B)。

Q13. Who performed the best in technology skills according to the man?

A)   对话中男土提到，对科技技能掌握最好的是日本，芬兰次之。因此答案为A)。

Q14. In what aspect did American college students perform well?

D)   对话中男土提到，在读写能力方面，美国大学生实际上比其他国家的同龄人更优秀。因此答案为D)。

Q15. What do we learn from the conversation about American high school education?

C)  对话中男士说:“美国拥有高中学历的人看起来很像其他国家高中辍学的人，因此我们有许多工作要做”。由此可知，美国的高中教育有很大的提升空间，故答案为C)。

Passage 1

Passage 1

[主题分类] 短文听力：农业

[高级表达]

on the theory that …           基于 ……  理论

cultivate    v.            培育，培养

celebration     n.           庆祝，庆典

boost         n.            增长

shortage        n.           匮乏，短缺

[关键句型] 

1. Like apples, carrots are native to Central Asia.

和苹果一样，胡萝卜也产于中亚。

2. Around 800 AD, people in Central Asia managed to develop a new kind of carrot.

大约公元800年左右，中亚人设法培育了一种新品种的胡萝卜。

3. Carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars.

两次世界大战期间，胡萝ト数量得到了最大的増长。

4. Carrots are easy to store and ship, so they are cheap almost everywhere.

胡萝卜易于储藏和运输，所以在各地都很便宜。

5. Governments told everyone how healthy carrots were.

政府告诉人们胡萝ト如何有益健康

[听力原文]

Wild carrots probably evolved with the other flowering plants about 360 million years ago. Like apples, carrots are native to Central Asia. That’s why horses, which also come from Central Asia, like both apples and carrots so much.

With wild carrots, the roots are white, small and skinny, so you’d have to pick a lot of wild carrots to get enough to eat. Doctors used carrot seeds and roots as medicine, on the theory that foods that taste bad must be good for you.

Around 800 AD, people in Central Asia managed to develop a new kind of carrot-a purple carrot-that attracted more interest from international traders. Then, in the late 1500s, food scientists in the Netherlands cultivated large, straight, sweet, red carrots like the ones we eat today. But people still most fed carrots to horses, donkeys and pigs, and didn’t eat them themselves. In the 1600s, people in China used carrots as medicine, but they also ate carrots boiled in soup. The red color was popular for Chinese New Year celebrations.

But carrots got their biggest boost during the two world wars, when food shortages forced people to eat them, and governments told everyone how healthy carrots were. Today, cooler countries grow most of the world's carrots. Machines do most of the planting and picking, and carrots are easy to store and ship, so they are cheap almost everywhere.

[答案解析]

预览三道题各选项，由第16题选项中的 roots，owners，taste和第17题选项中的 carrots可推测，短文内容可能与胡萝ト有关; 再结合第17题选项中的 turned，became，began和第18题选项中的 nutritious，food，medicinal value可以进一步推测，短文内容可能涉及胡萝ト的変化与价值。

Q16. What do we learn from the talk about wild carrots?

A)   短文中提到，野生胡萝ト的根是白色的，又小又细。因此答案为A)

Q17. What does the speaker say about carrots in the late 1500s?

D)   短文中提到，在16世纪后期，荷兰的食物科学家培育出了又大又直的红色甜味胡萝ト，与我们今天所吃的胡萝ト相似。因此答案为D)。

Q18. Why did people turn to carrots for food during the two world wars?

B)   短文中提到，两次世界大战期间，食物匮乏迫使人们食用胡萝ト，政府告诉人们胡萝ト如何有益健康，胡萝ト数量得到了最大的増长。由此可知，两次世界大战期间的食物匮乏使得人们转向食用胡萝卜，答案为B)。

Passage 2

[主题分类] 短文听力：社交软件

[高级表达]

status update               状态更新

convenient        adj.      方便的，便捷的

bother         v.          困扰，影响

find out                 了解，发现

keep up with            跟踪，了解

[关键句型]

1. With Facebook, she could keep her relatives up-to-date on what she was doing. 

有了 Facebook，亲戚们可以随时了解她的动态。

2. She didn't have to think about time zones when updating family.

当她向家人提供自己的最新动态时不需要考虑时区。

3. Soon, however, Katherine found herself comparing herself with the people she was reading about on Facebook.

然而，很快凯瑟琳就发现自己会拿自己与在 Facebook上看到的人进行比较。

[听力原文]

Katherine loved Facebook. With Facebook, she could stay connected with her family no matter how faraway they were. She could see their photos and read their status updates. With Facebook, she could keep her relatives up-to-date on what she was doing. Another thing Katherine loved about Facebook was that she didn't have to think about time zones when updating family. Whenever she called her parents or other relatives, she always had to think about the time difference so that she wouldn’t wake someone up or call when she knew they were at church. Facebook was so convenient.

When Katherine joined Facebook, some of her classmates at high school started to add her as a friend. At first, this didn’t bother her. She loved learning about the success of people she knew when she was just a teenager. She loved finding out people were getting married, babies, and traveling. 

Soon, however, Katherine found herself comparing herself with the people she was reading about on Facebook. It began to make her feel bad that some people seemed to be doing so much better than she was. She was also spending a lot of time on Facebook. It took a lot of time and energy to keep up with everyone’s status updates.

Katherine started to think. She looked at the list of over 500 friends she had on Facebook and realized some of them were not really friends at all.

[答案解析]

预览三道题各选项，由第21题选项中的 Facebook friends和 Facebook updates可推测，短文内容与 Facebook这款社交软件有关; 再结合各个选项都出现的She以及 could， liked， barely等词可以进一步推测，短文内容涉及某位女士使用 Facebook的情况，可能包含使用这款社交软件的利与弊。

Q19. What was one particular convenience Katherine loved about Facebook?

A)     短文开头提到，凯瑟琳喜欢 Facebook的另一方面是当她向家人提供自己的最新动态时不需要考虑时区。因此答案为A)。

Q20. How did Katherine feel when her classmates added her as a Facebook friend?

B)    短文中提到，凯瑟琳开始使用 Facebook时，她的一些高中同学就加她为好友。她喜欢了解青少年时期认识的人所取得的成功，喜欢得知他们结婚、生子和旅行的情况。由此可知，凯瑟琳喜欢看朋友们更新动态，故答案为B)。

Q21. What made Katherine feel bad about herself later on?

D)    短文中提到，很快凯瑟琳就发现自己会拿自己与在 Facebook上看到的人进行比较，当Facebook上有人看起来比自己过得好太多的时候，她会感觉自己很糟糕。因此答案为D)。

Passage 3

[主题分类] 短文听力：动物

[高级表达]

mule      n.         骡子

muscle     n.         肌肉

ambassador    n.       大使

breeder        n.       养殖户, 饲养员

show up            出现，到场

[关键句型]

1. Mules made good farm animals.

骡子是很好的家畜。

2. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. 

每年四月骡子节时，农民和农畜饲养员会将他们的牲畜带到市场上展出、购买和交易。

3. Eventually tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand.

最后拖拉机开始替代骡子，这让骡子的需求量变少了。

4. A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people.

1934年，骡子节又增加了游行，吸引了更多的观众。

[听力原文]

Do you know where a mule comes from? It is the child of a donkey and a horse. Mules have strong muscles like horses, but they eat less, can work longer, and are gentler, like donkeys.

George Washington was the first person in the United States to own mules. He had heard that mules made good farm animals and he contacted the U. S. ambassador in Spain to ask about them. In 1785, King Charles III of Spain sent Washington a male donkey as a gift. That male donkey became the father of the mule industry in the U. S. 

Every April, Maury County holds a Mule Day celebration. Held in Columbia, Tennessee, Mule Day had its beginnings as "Breeders Day " in the 1805. Farmers and farm animal breeders would bring their animals to market every April to show, buy, and trade. This was an important business before the days of tractors when many families made a living from farming and mules were used as work animals. Eventually tractors began to replace mules, making them less in demand. 

A parade was added to Mule Day in 1934 to attract more people. Over the years other activities have been added, and today more than 200, 000 people show up each year to watch and participate. If you visit during Mule Day celebrations, you might see mule-driving contests, square dances, horse shows or even tree-cutting competitions.

[答案解析]

预览四道题各选项，由 muscles，horses，donkeys，pet，mule-driving competition，mules可以推测，短文内容与一种动物有关，而且这种动物很可能是骡子; 结合第22题选项中的 longer，less和第23题选项中的brought，donated可以进一步推测，短文内容涉及骡子与其他动物的比较及其来源。

Q22. What does the speaker say about mules?

A)   短文开头提到，骡子像马一样拥有强健的肌肉，但是它们比马吃得少，比马工作的时间更长而且像驴一样，比马更加温和。因此答案为A)。

Q23. What do we learn about the donkey which is said to be the father of the U.S. mule industry?

C)  短文中提到，1785年西班牙国王査尔斯三世送给了华盛顿一头公驴作为礼物，这头公驴成了美国的骡界之父。因此答案为C)。

Q24. What did farmers usually do on Mule Day in the 1840s?

C)   短文中提到，19世纪40年代、每年四月骡子节时，农民和农畜饲养员会将他们的牲畜带到市场上展出、购买和交易。因此答案为C)。

Q25. What made mules less in demand in America?

B)   短文中提到，最后拖拉机开始替代骡子，这让骡子的需求量变少了。因此答案为B)。