Conversation 1

【主题分类】长对话：饮食（西班牙凉菜汤）

【高级表达】

refreshing  adj. 提神的；使清爽的

ingredient  n. 成分；原料

delicacy  n. 美味；佳肴

preserve  v. 保存

distinct  adj. 独特的；有区别的

【关键句型】

1. The main ingredients are … 主要原料有……

2. It’s mostly… 主要是……

3. It adds texture and thickness to the soup. 它增加了汤的质感和浓度。

4. It comes from a special type of pig that only eats a special type of food. 它取自一种特殊品种的猪，而这种猪只吃一种特殊食物。

5. It used to be difficult to … 过去很难做到……

【听力原文】

M: What’s all that? Are you going to make a salad?

W: No, I’m going to make a gazpacho.

M: What’s that?

W: Gazpacho is a cold soup from Spain. It’s mostly vegetables. I guess you can call it a liquid salad.

M: Cold soup? Sounds weird.

W: It’s delicious. Trust me! I tried it for the first time during my summer vacation in Spain. You see, in the south of Spain, it gets very hot in the summer, up to 42 degrees Celsius, so a cold gazpacho is very refreshing. The main ingredients are tomato, cucumber, bell peppers, olive oil and stale bread.

M: Stale bread? Surely you mean bread for dipping into the soup.

W: No. bread is crushed and blended in, like everything else. It adds texture and thickness to the soup.

M: Um…and is it healthy?

W: Sure. As I said earlier, it’s mostly vegetables. You can also add different things if you like, such as hard-boiled eggs or cured ham.

M: Cured ham? What’s that?

W: That’s another Spanish delicacy. Have you never heard of it? It’s quite famous.

M: No. Is it good too?

W: Oh, yeah, definitely. It’s amazing. It’s a little dry and salty. And it is very expensive because it comes from a special type of pig that only eats a special type of food. The ham is covered in salt to dry and preserve it, and left to hang for up to two years. It has a very distinct flavor.

M: Um, sounds interesting. Where can I find some?

W: It used to be difficult to get Spanish produce here, but it's now a lot more common. Most large supermarket chains have cured ham in little packets. But in Spain, you can buy a whole leg.

M: A whole pig leg? Why would anybody want so much ham?

W: In Spain, many people buy a whole leg for special group events, such as Christmas. They cut it themselves into very thin slices with a long flat knife.

【答案解析】

预测：通过四道题备选项中出现的salad，soup，vegetable，pig，olive oil 及bread 等词可初步推测该对话与饮食有关。结合备选项中的Spanish，nutritious，ingredient，additives，cooking及special等词可进一步推测该对话可能涉及西班牙特色食物，食物制作过程及营养成分等内容。

Q1. What do we learn about gazpacho?

正确答案：B

解析：对话开头女士明确向男士解释说 “Gazpacho is a cold soup from Spain.” (Gazpacho是一种西班牙凉菜汤。) 虽然接下来女士说把gazpacho称为一种液体沙拉也可以，但这样说只是为了让男士对gazpacho有更直观的认知，并不意味着gazpacho就是沙拉，因此正确答案为B。

Q2. For what purpose is stale bread mixed into gazpacho?

正确答案：A

解析：对话中女士对汤里加入面包的解释是 “It adds texture and thickness to the soup.” （它增加了汤的质感和浓度。）因此正确答案为A。

Q3. Why does the woman think gazpacho is healthy? 

正确答案：D

解析：对话中当男士问及这种汤是否健康时，女士回答说 “Sure. As I said earlier it’s mostly vegetables.” （当然。正如我早些时候说的，它是以蔬菜为主要原料做成的。）因此正确答案为D。

Q4. What does the woman say about cured ham? 

正确答案：C

解析：对话稍后部分女士向男士解释cured ham时说 “That’s another Spanish delicacy.” (那是另一种西班牙美食。) “ …it is very expensive because it comes from a special type of pig that only eats a special type of food.” (……这种火腿很贵，因为它取自一种特殊品种的猪，而这种猪只吃一种特殊食物。) 因此正确答案为C。

Conversation 2

【主题分类】长对话：购物（买酒送礼）

【高级表达】

mid-range  adj. 中档的

decent  adj. 像样的；得体的

vicinity  n. 邻近；附近

recommend  v. 推荐

alternatively  adv. 或者；二者择一地

【关键句型】

1. What’s the occasion and how much would you like to spend? 什么场合用？预算是多少？

2. How much would you say is a mid-range bottle of wine approximately? 一瓶中档葡萄酒大概多少钱？

3. I guess something in the vicinity of 30 or 40 would be good. 我想价格在30或40美元左右的酒就好。

4. I would say anything between 30 dollars and 60 dollars would make a decent gift.我觉得价格在30到60美元之间的酒都可以当作像样的礼物。

5. I'll go with Chianti then. 那么我选基安蒂红葡萄酒。

【听力原文】

M: Hello, I wish to buy a bottle of wine.

W: Hi, yes. What kind of wine would you like?

M: I don’t know. Sorry, I don’t know much about wine.

W: That’s no problem at all. What’s the occasion and how much would you like to spend?

M: It’s for my boss. It’s his birthday. I know he likes wine but I don’t know what type. I also do not want anything too expensive. Maybe mid-range. How much would you say is a mid-range bottle of wine approximately?

W: Well, it varies greatly. Our lowest prices are around $6 a bottle but those are table wines. They are not very special and I would not suggest them as a gift. On the other hand, our most expensive bottles are over $150. If you are looking for something priced in the middle, I would say anything between $30 and $60 would make a decent gift. How does that sound?

M: Um, yeah. I guess something in the vicinity of 30 or 40 would be good. Which type would you recommend?

W: I would say the safest option is always a red wine. They are generally more popular than whites and can usually be paired with food more easily. Our specialty here are Italian wines and these tend to be fruity with medium acidity. This one here is a Chianti, which is perhaps Italy's most famous type of red wine. Alternatively, you may wish to try and surprise your boss with something less common such as this Zinfandel. The grapes are originally native to Croatia, but this winery is in eastern Italy. And it has more spicy and peppery flavor. So, to summarize, the Chianti is more classical and the Zinfandel more exciting. Both are similarly priced at just under $40.

M: I'll go with Chianti then. Thanks.

【答案解析】

预测：通过四道题备选项中出现的gift及wine等词可初步推测该对话与买酒送礼有关。结合备选项中的价格范围以及Italian，spicy，red wine等词可进一步推测该对话可能涉及意大利红葡萄酒，特别是葡萄酒的价格和口味等内容。

Q5. What does the woman think of table wines?

正确答案：B

解析：对话中女士对男士说 “Our lowest prices are around $6 a bottle but those are table wines. They are not very special and I would not suggest them as a gift.” （我们店里最便宜的葡萄酒约6美元一瓶，但这些都是佐餐酒，没什么特别的，我不建议买这种酒作为礼物。）由此可推断，她认为table wines不能当作像样的礼物，因此正确答案为B。

Q6. What is the price range of wine the man will consider? 

正确答案：A

解析：对话中男士说 “I guess something in the vicinity of 30 or 40 would be good.” (我想价格在30或40美元左右的酒就好。)由此可知，他想要购买价格在30或40美元左右的酒，因此正确答案为A。

Q7. Why does the woman recommend red wines? 

正确答案：D

解析：对话稍后部分女士说 “I would say the safest option is always a red wine. They are generally more popular than whites and can usually be paired with food more easily.”（ 我认为红葡萄酒总是最稳妥的选择。红葡萄酒通常比白葡萄酒更受欢迎，并且与食物更容易搭配。）由此可见，她推荐红葡萄酒是因为红葡萄酒可以和不同的食物搭配，因此正确答案为D。

Q8. What do we learn about the wine the man finally bought? 

正确答案：D

解析：对话最后男士说 “I'll go with Chianti then.” (那么我选基安蒂红葡萄酒。)女士此前曾介绍，“This one here is a Chianti, which is perhaps Italy's most famous type of red wine.” 由此可知，男士最终买了Chianti，而Chianti是意大利最有名的一种红葡萄酒，因此正确答案为D。

Passage 1

【主题分类】听力篇章：军事（战时密码）

【高级表达】

figure out  解决；想出

alphabet  n. 字母表

relay  v. 传达；转告

coordinate  v. 协调

accomplish  v. 完成；达到

【关键句型】

1. The harder the code, the more some people will try to figure it out. 密码越难，有些人就越想把它破译出来。

2. If they wanted to spell something, they used code words for letters of the alphabet.如果他们想要拼写什么东西，他们会用密语来表示字母表中的字母。

3. And he would relay the information to his commander. 他会把信息转达给他的指挥官。

4. They helped troops coordinate their movements and attacks. 他们帮助部队协调行动和进攻。

【听力原文】

Many people enjoy secret codes. The harder the code, the more some people will try to figure it out. In wartime, codes are especially important. They help army send news about battles and the size of enemy forces. Neither side wants its codes broken by the other. One very important code was never broken. It was used during World War II by the Americans. It was a spoken code, never written down, and it was developed and used by Navajo Indians. They were called “the Navajo code talkers”. the Navajos created the code in their own language. Navajo is hard to learn and only a few people know it. So it was pretty certain that the enemy would not be able to understand the code talkers. In addition, the talkers used code words. They called a submarine “an iron fish” and a small bomb thrown by hand “a potato”. If they wanted to spell something, they used code words for letters of the alphabet. For instance, the letter A was “ant” or “apple” or “eggs”. The code talkers worked mostly in the islands in the Pacific. One or two would be assigned to a group of soldiers. They would send messages by field telephone to the code talker in the next group. And he would relay the information to his commander. The code talkers played an important part in several battles. They helped troops coordinate their movements and attacks. After the war, the US government honored them for what they had accomplished. Theirs was the most successful wartime code ever used.

【答案解析】

预测：通过三道题备选项中反复出现的codes，decoding，army，secret messages，breaking，military及enemy等词可初步推测短文与军用密码破译有关。结合备选项中的help the U.S. army，World War II以及Pacific等词可进一步推测该短文可能涉及二战时期美国军队在太平洋地区使用的密码等内容。

Q9. What does the speaker say many people enjoy doing? 

正确答案：C

解析：短文一开始就指出 “Many people enjoy secret codes. The harder the code, the more some people will try to figure it out.” （很多人喜欢密码。密码越难，有些人就越想把它破译出来。）由此可知，很多人喜欢破译秘密信息，因此正确答案为C。

Q10. What do we learn about Navajo code talkers?

正确答案：A

解析：短文中提到 “One very important code was never broken. It was used during World War II by the Americans. It was a spoken code, never written down, and it was developed and used by Navajo Indians. They were called ‘the Navajo code talkers’.” （一种美国人在二战时期使用的非常重要的密码从未被破译过。它是一种口头代码，没有书面形式，是由纳瓦霍印第安人发明和使用的。）“The code talkers played an important part in several battles. They helped troops coordinate their movements and attacks.”（纳瓦霍密语者在多次战斗中发挥了重要作用。他们帮助军队协调行动和进攻。）由此可见，纳瓦霍密语者在二战时期给予美国军队很大的帮助，因此正确答案为A。

Q11. What is the speaker mainly talking about?

正确答案：C

解析：短文开头以许多人喜欢破译密码引出纳瓦霍密码，接着介绍了这种密码的使用者，编码方式，在战争中发挥的作用及战后对密码人员的奖励。由此可推断，这种在二战中从未被破译过的纳瓦霍密码是文章讲述的核心内容，因此正确答案为C。

 Passage 2

【主题分类】听力篇章：科技（科技对未来就业的影响）

【高级表达】

knowledge-intensive  adj. 知识密集型的

radically  adv. 根本地；彻底地

duplicate  v. 复制

therapy  n. 治疗；疗法

afford  v. 付得起；承担得起

【关键句型】

1. There’s going to be a technological replacement of a lot of knowledge-intensive jobs in the next twenty years. 未来二十年，一大批知识密集型的工作将会被科技所取代。

2. The one sector of the economy that can’t be easily duplicated by even smart technologies is the caring sector—the personal care sector. 即使是智能技术也无法轻易复制的一个经济领域是护理行业——个人护理行业。

3. I think there’s no limit to the amount of personal attention and personal care people would like if they could afford it. 我认为如果人们能够负担得起的话，他们对个人关注和个人护理的需求是没有限制的。

4. That’s why I wrote this book which is about how to reorganize the economy for the future when technology brings about destructive changes to what we used to consider high income work. 这就是我写这本书的原因。这本书主要探讨了在未来当技术给我们曾经认为的高收入工作带来破坏性变化时，应该如何重新规划经济。

【听力原文】

If you are young and thinking about your career, you’ll want to know where you can make a living. Well, there’s going to be a technological replacement of a lot of knowledge-intensive jobs in the next twenty years, particularly, in the two largest sectors of the labor force with professional skills. One is teaching and the other, healthcare. You have so many applications and software and platforms that are going to come in and provide information and service in these two fields, which means a lot of healthcare and education sectors would be radically changed and a lot of jobs will be lost. Now, where will the new jobs be found? Well, the one sector of the economy that can’t be easily duplicated by even smart technologies is the caring sector—the personal care sector. That is, you can’t really get a robot to do a great massage or physical therapy, or you can’t get the kind of personal attention your need with regard to therapy or any other personal service. They could be very high-end personal services. Therapists do charge a lot of money. I think there’s no limit to the amount of personal attention and personal care people would like if they could afford it. But the real question in the future is how come people afford these things if they don’t have money because they can’t get a job that pays enough. That’s why I wrote this book which is about how to reorganize the economy for the future when technology brings about destructive changes to what we used to consider high income work.

【答案解析】

预测：通过四道题备选项中出现的knowledge-intensive jobs，replaced，revolutionize, robotics，next twenty years及technology等词可推测短文与未来科技发展对就业方面的影响等内容有关。

Q12. What does the speaker say will happen in the next 20 years? 

正确答案：B

解析：短文开头部分说，“Well, there’s going to be a technological replacement of a lot of knowledge-intensive jobs in the next twenty years,...” （未来二十年，一大批知识密集型的工作将会被科技所取代，……）因此正确答案为B。

Q13. Where will young people have more chances to find jobs?

正确答案：C

解析：短文中提到，“Well, the one sector of the economy that can’t be easily duplicated by even smart technologies is the caring sector—the personal care sector.” （即使是智能技术也无法轻易复制的一个经济领域是护理行业——个人护理行业。）由此可知，未来人们在个人护理领域找工作应该比较容易，因此正确答案为C。

Q14. What does the speaker say about therapists?

正确答案：A

解析：短文中提到，“Therapists do charge a lot of money.” （理疗师们的确收费很高。）因此正确答案为A。

Q15. What is the speaker’s book about?

正确答案：B

解析：短文最后说，“That’s why I wrote this book which is about how to reorganize the economy for the future when technology brings about destructive changes to what we used to consider high income work.” （这就是我写这本书的原因。这本书主要探讨了在未来当技术给我们曾经认为的高收入工作带来破坏性变化时，应该如何重新规划经济。）由此可见，该书是围绕技术对传统高收入工作带来的破坏性影响展开的，因此正确答案为B。

Recording 1

【主题分类】讲座：地质学（世界上最早铺设的道路）

【高级表达】

rank  v. 排名；位列

abandon  v. 废弃；放弃

terminal  n. 终点；末端

stumble across  偶然发现；无意间碰到

elevation  n. 海拔；标高

【关键句型】

1. It linked a stone pit in the Egyptian desert to waterways that carried blocks to monument sites along the Nile. 它将埃及沙漠里的一个采石场和运送石块到尼罗河沿岸古迹的水路连接了起来。

2. The road probably doesn't rank with the pyramids as a construction feat, but it is a major engineering achievement. 这条路也许不能作为建筑壮举和金字塔相提并论，但它是一项重大的工程成就。

3. The researchers also made a discovery in the stone pit at the northern end of the road: the first evidence that the Egyptians used rock saws. 研究人员还在这条路北端的采石场有了一个发现：埃及人使用岩石锯的第一个证据。

4. Bown and his colleagues stumbled across it while they were doing geological mapping in the region. 鲍恩和他的同事在该地区进行地质绘图时偶然发现了它。

【听力原文】

American researchers have discovered the world's oldest paved road, a 4,600-year-old highway. It linked a stone pit in the Egyptian desert to waterways that carried blocks to monument sites along the Nile. 

The eight-mile road is at least 500 years older than any previously discovered road. It is the only paved road discovered in ancient Egypt, said geologist Thomas Bown of the U.S. Geological Survey. He reported the discovery Friday, “The road probably doesn't rank with the pyramids as a construction feat, but it is a major engineering achievement,” said his colleague, geologist James Harrell of the University of Toledo. "Not only is the road earlier than we thought possible, we didn't even think they built roads. “ The researchers also made a discovery in the stone pit at the northern end of the road: the first evidence that the Egyptians used rock saws. “This is the oldest example of saws being used for cutting stone,” said Bown’s colleague, James Hoffmeier of Wheaton College in Illinois, “That's two technologies we didn't know they had,” Harrell said. “And we don't know why they were both abandoned.”

The road was discovered in the Faiyum Depression, about 45 miles southwest of Cairo. Short segments of the road had been observed by earlier explorers, Bown said, but they failed to realize its significance or follow up on their observations. Bown and his colleagues stumbled across it while they were doing geological mapping in the region. The road was clearly built to provide services for the newly discovered stone pit. Bown and Harrell have found the camp that housed workers at the stone pit. The road appears today to go nowhere, ending in the middle of the desert. When it was built, its terminal was a dock on the shore of Lake Moeris, which had an elevation of about 66 feet above sea level, the same as the dock. Lake Moeris received its water from the annual floods of the Nile. At the time of the floods, the river and lake were at the same level and connected through a gap in the hills near the modern villages of el-Lahun and Hawara. Harrell and Bown believe that blocks were loaded onto barges during the dry season, then floated over to the Nile during the floods to be shipped off to the monument sites at Giza and Saqqara.

【答案解析】

预测：通过三道题备选项中出现的the longest road in ancient Egypt，constructed some 500 years ago，link及connect the villages along the Nile等表达可初步推测该讲座与古埃及的一条路有关。16题的四个备选项有可能涉及这条路的某些具体细节；17题的四个备选项有可能指向的是相关的发现；18题的四个备选项有可能指向的是这条路的修筑目的。

Q16:  What do we learn from the lecture about the world's oldest paved road in Egypt?

正确答案：D

解析：讲座一开始就提到，“American researchers have discovered the world's oldest paved road, a 4,600-year-old highway. It linked a stone pit in the Egyptian desert to waterways that carried blocks to monument sites along the Nile.” （美国研究人员发现了一条4600年前铺设的世界上最古老的道路。它将埃及沙漠里的一个采石场和运送石块到尼罗河沿岸古迹的水路连接了起来。）因此正确答案为D。

Q17:  What did the researchers discover in the stone pit?

正确答案：A

解析：讲座中提到，“The researchers also made a discovery in the stone pit at the northern end of the road: the first evidence that the Egyptians used rock saws. ‘This is the oldest example of saws being used for cutting stone,’…” （研究人员还在这条路北端的采石场有了一个发现：埃及人使用岩石锯的第一个证据。这是人类使用锯子来切割石头的最古老的例子，……）因此正确答案为A。

Q18:  For what purpose was the paved road built?

正确答案：B

解析：讲座中提及，“The road was clearly built to provide services for the newly discovered stone pit.” （这条路显然是为了给新发现的采石场提供服务而修筑的。）因此正确答案为B。

 Recording 2

【主题分类】讲座：医疗健康（中国针灸）

【高级表达】

diagnosis  n. 诊断

in vain  徒劳；无效

acupuncture  n. 针灸

adequately  adv.  充分地；适当地

circulate  v. 循环；流通

【关键句型】

1. Other needles were slipped into my left wrist and, strangely, into my right arm, and then into both my closed eyelids. 其他的针扎进了我的左手腕，奇怪的是，我的右手臂和双眼睑也扎上了针。

2. Several trips to a hospital and two expensive, uncomfortable medical tests had failed to produce even a diagnosis. 几次去医院和两次昂贵而又不舒服的医学测试都没能做出诊断。

3. During the hours spent waiting in vain to see a bone doctor, I decided to take another track and try acupuncture. 在徒劳地等着看骨科医生的几个小时里，我决定换一种方式，尝试针灸。

4. Acupuncture points are stimulated to balance the circulation of Qi. 通过刺激穴位来平衡气的循环。

【听力原文】

The thin, extremely sharp needles didn’t hurt at all going in. Dr. Gong pierced them into my left arm around the elbow that had been bothering me. Other needles were slipped into my left wrist and, strangely, into my right arm, and then into both my closed eyelids.

There wasn’t any discomfort, just a mild warming sensation. However, I did begin to wonder what had driven me here, to the office of Dr. James Gong in New York’s Chinatown. Then I remembered the torturing pain in that left elbow. Several trips to a hospital and two expensive, uncomfortable medical tests had failed to produce even a diagnosis. “Maybe you lean on your left arm too much,” the doctor concluded, suggesting I see a bone doctor. During the hours spent waiting in vain to see a bone doctor, I decided to take another track and try acupuncture. A Chinese-American friend recommended Dr. Gong. I took the subway to Gong’s second-floor office, marked with a hand-painted sign. Dr. Gong speaks English, but not often. Most of my questions to him were greeted with a friendly laugh, but I managed to let him know where my arm hurt. He asked me to go into a room, had me lie down on a bed, and went to work. In the next room, I learned, a woman dancer was also getting a treatment. As I lay there a while, I drifted into a dream-like state and fantasized about what she looked like.

Acupuncturists today are as likely to be found on Park Avenue as on Mott Street. In all there are an estimated 10,000 acupuncturists in the country. Nowadays, a lot of medical doctors have learned acupuncture techniques; so have a number of dentists. Reason? Patient demand. Few, though, can adequately explain how acupuncture works.

Acupuncturists may say that the body has more than 800 acupuncture points. A life force called “Qi” circulates through the body. Points on the skin are energetically connected to specific organs, body structures and systems. Acupuncture points are stimulated to balance the circulation of Qi. “The truth is, though acupuncture is at least 2,200 years old, nobody really knows what’s happening,” says Paul Zmiewski, a Ph.D. in Chinese studies who practices acupuncture in Philadelphia.

After five treatments, there has been dramatic improvement in my arm, and the pain is a fraction of what it was. The mainly silent Dr. Gong finally even offered a diagnosis for what troubled me. “Pinched nerve,” he said.

【答案解析】

预测：通过三道题备选项中出现的Dr. Gong，pain，acupuncture，medical及treatment等词可推测该讲座与中医针灸治疗疼痛有关。结合备选项中的New York’s Chinatown，perfected以及not have any negative side effects等可进一步推测该讲座可能涉及针灸治疗在美国的状况及表现出的优点等内容。

Q19. What does the speaker find especially strange?

正确答案：D

解析：讲座开头部分说，“Dr. Gong pierced them into my left arm around the elbow that had been bothering me. Other needles were slipped into my left wrist and, strangely, into my right arm, and then into both my closed eyelids.” （龚医生把针扎进了我一直觉得不舒服的左手肘周围。其他的针扎进了我的左手腕，奇怪的是，我的右手臂和双眼睑也扎上了针。） 由此可知，医生的动作让讲话者觉得奇怪，因为他的右手臂和双眼睑并没感觉不舒服，但也给扎了针，因此正确答案为D。

Q20: Why did the speaker go see Dr. Gong?

正确答案：C

解析：讲座中提到，“Several trips to a hospital and two expensive, uncomfortable medical tests had failed to produce even a diagnosis….During the hours spent waiting in vain to see a bone doctor, I decided to take another track and try acupuncture.”  （几次去医院和两次昂贵而又不舒服的医学测试都没能做出诊断。……在徒劳地等着看骨科医生的几个小时里，我决定换一种方式，尝试针灸。） 由此可知，他会去找龚医生看病是因为之前的治疗没有什么效果，因此正确答案为C。

Q21: What accounts for the growing popularity of acupuncture in the United States according to the speaker? 

正确答案：A

解析：讲座中提到，“Reason? Patient demand.” （什么原因？患者的需求。） 由此可知，针灸治疗在美国越来越受欢迎是因为患者的需求，因此正确答案为A。

Recording 3

【主题分类】讲座：社会学（出生顺序对个性及与配偶的相配度的影响）

【高级表达】

fade away  逐渐消失；慢慢褪去

compatible  adj. 可和睦共处的；相容的

self-assured  adj. 自信的

indulge  v. 纵容；沉溺

take initiative  积极主动

【关键句型】

1. But in the early years of their marriage, both were disturbed by persistent arguments that seemed to fade away without ever being truly resolved. 在结婚头几年，他们因为持续不断的争吵而感到困扰。看起来每次争吵都会过去，但问题从未得到真正的解决。

2. Ronald and Lois are only children, and “onlys” grow up accustomed to be the apple of parents’ eyes. 罗纳德和洛伊丝都是独生子女。“独生子女们”在成长过程中习惯了做父母的掌上明珠。

3. The oldest tends to be self-assured, responsible, a high-achiever and relatively serious and reserved. 最大的孩子往往自信、负责、成就高、比较严肃和内向。

4. The worst match is with another oldest, since the two will be too sovereign to share a household comfortably. 最糟糕的配对是和另一个最年长的人，因为两人都太独立了，无法舒适地共享一个家。

5. But since an “only” tends to be a well-adjusted individual, she’ll eventually learn to relate to any chosen spouse. 但是“独生子女”的适应能力往往较强，因此她最终能学着去适应自己的配偶。

【听力原文】

Ronald and Lois, married for two decades, consider themselves a happy couple. But in the early years of their marriage, both were disturbed by persistent arguments that seemed to fade away without ever being truly resolved. They uncovered clues towards what was going wrong by researching a fascinating subject: how birth order affects not only your personality but also how compatible you are with your mate.

Ronald and Lois are only children, and "onlys" grow up accustomed to be the apple of parents’ eyes. Match two “onlys”, and you have partners who subconsciously expect each other to continue fulfilling this expectation, while neither has much experience in the giving end. Here is a list of common birth-order characteristics, and some thoughts on the best and worst marital matches for each.

The oldest tends to be self-assured, responsible, a high-achiever and relatively serious and reserved. He may be slow to make friends, perhaps contained with only one companion. The best matches are with a youngest, an “only” or a mate raised in a large family. The worst match is with another oldest, since the two will be too sovereign to share a household comfortably.

The youngest child of the family thrives on attention, and tends to be out-going, adventurous, optimistic, creative and less ambitious than others in the family. He may lack self-discipline, and have difficulty making decisions on his own. A youngest brother of brothers, often unpredictable and romantic, will match best with an oldest sister of brothers. The youngest sister of brothers is best matched with an oldest brother of sisters who will happily indulge these traits.

The middle child is influenced by many variables; however, “middles” are less likely to take initiative, and more anxious and self-critical than others. “Middles” often successfully marry other “middles”, since both are strong on tact, not so strong on aggressiveness, and tend to crave affection.

The only child is often most comfortable when alone. But since an “only” tends to be a well-adjusted individual, she’ll eventually learn to relate to any chosen spouse. The male only child expects his wife to make life easier without getting much in return. He is sometimes best matched with a younger sister of brothers. The female only child who tends to be slightly more flexible is well matched with an older man who will indulge her tendency to test his love. Her worst match? Another “only”, of course.

【答案解析】

预测：通过四道题备选项中出现的breaking up，compatible，quarreled，argued， spoiled，childhood及marriages等词可推测该讲座与夫妻间的关系及双方童年生活有关。结合备选项中的good at，adventurous，creative，self-assured，responsible以及well adjusted等词可进一步推测该讲座可能涉及夫妻的不同性格特点等内容。

Q22: What does the speaker say about Ronald and Lois’s early years of married life?

正确答案：C

解析：讲座开头提到，“But in the early years of their marriage, both were disturbed by persistent arguments that seemed to fade away without ever being truly resolved.” （在结婚头几年，他们因为持续不断的争吵而感到困扰。看起来每次争吵都会过去，但问题从未得到真正的解决。）因此正确答案为C。

Q23: What do we learn about Ronald and Lois? 

正确答案：A

解析：讲座中提到，“Ronald and Lois are only children, and ‘onlys’ grow up accustomed to be the apple of parents’ eyes.” （罗纳德和洛伊丝都是独生子女。“独生子女”在成长过程中习惯了做父母的掌上明珠。）因此正确答案为A。

Q24: What does the speaker say about the oldest child in a family? 

正确答案：D

解析：讲座中提到，“The oldest tends to be self-assured, responsible, a high-achiever and relatively serious and reserved.” （最大的孩子往往自信、负责、成就高、比较严肃和内向。）因此正确答案为D。

Q25: What does the speaker say about the only children? 

正确答案：B

解析：讲座最后提到，“But since an ‘only’ tends to be a well-adjusted individual, she’ll eventually learn to relate to any chosen spouse.” （但是“独生子女”的适应能力往往较强，因此她最终能学着去适应自己的配偶。）因此正确答案为B。