Task 5

Listening Aids

combustible (adj.): able to burn easily

dispose of: get rid of sth., esp. sth. that is difficult to get rid of

fluorescent (adj.): 荧光的；发荧光的

landfill (n.): a place where waste is buried under the ground

sort (v.): put things in a particular order or arrange them in groups according to sized, type, etc.

This passage is about the problem of garbage disposal in cities.

A. Complete the following summary of the passage.

Topic: __________________________________________________.

      In the United States, over ____________ tons of garbage are produced _____________. _____________ 

is recycled, ____________ is burned, and _____________ is put in landfills.

      The city of Machida, in Tokyo, Japan has developed a totally new approach to garbage 

disposal. The key to the operation is ________________. Families must divide their garbage into six 

categories:

    1) _________________________________, such as _______________________;

    2) noncombustible garbage, such as small ______________, _______________, and ______________;

    3) products that ______________ or that ______________, such as ___________ and fluorescent lights;

    4) _________________________________________________;

    5) _________________________________________________;

    6) large items, such as _________________.

      The items in categories 1 to 5 are collected ___________________. Large items are only collected

__________________.

      Almost everything can be reused: garden or kitchen trash becomes _____________; combustible

garbage is burned ____________________; metal containers and bottles are ___________; and old 

furniture, clothing, and other useful items are ___________, ___________, and ___________ or __________.

B. Answer the following questions.

    1) Where will the garbage be taken to after they are collected?

    _______________________________________________________________________

    2) Why do officials from cities around the world visit Machida?

    _______________________________________________________________________

Task 6

Listening Aids

charity (n.): an organization that gives money, goods, or help to people who are poor, sick, etc.

generosity (n.): the willingness to give money, spend time, etc., in order to help people or give them pleasure

humanitarian (adj.): concerned with improving bad living conditions and preventing unfair treatment of people 人道主义者的

or elso: 否则，要不然

plead (v.): state in a court of law whether or not you are guity of a crime

plead (not) guity: （不）服罪

straightforward (adj.): simple and easy to understand

The shopkeeper and the judge stated their opinions towards a same case.

Answer the following questions.

1) What is the name of the person they were talking about?

___________________________________________

2) What kind of person was she according to the shopkeeper?

____________________________________________________________________

3) Where did she live?

____________________________________________________________________

4) Was the shopkeeper certain that the old woman stole something from his shop? What was his evidence?

____________________________________________________________________

5) Why did the shopkeeper insist that the old woman be punished?

____________________________________________________________________

6) Why did the judge consider the case a difficult one? What excuses did the judge find for the old woman?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Task 8

Listening Aids

Democrat (n.): （美国）民主党人

emotional (adj.): having strong feelings and showing them to other people, esp. by crying

interference (n.): 干涉，干预

reckless (adj.): not caring or worrying about the possible bad or dangerous results of your actions

survival of the fittest: a situation in which only the strongest and most successful people or things continue to exist

vicious circle: a situation in which one problem causes another problem, that then causes the first problem again, so that the whole process continues to be repeated 恶性循环

Ned, Barbara and Ellen are discussing the causes of the country's problem.

A. Answer the following questions.

1) What, according to Ned, the first speaker, is the main cause of the country's problem?

_____________________________________________________________________________

2) Does Barbara, the second speaker, agree with Ned? What's her opinion?

_____________________________________________________________________________

3) What is the stand of Ellen, the third speaker?

______________________________________________________________________________

4) What is Ned's solution to this problem?

______________________________________________________________________________

5) Do Barbara and Ellen agree with Ned's "survival of the fittest" theory?

______________________________________________________________________________

B. Fill in the blanks with what you hear on the tape.

And what's causing the inflation? It's the reckless spending of the Democrats! Every year,

they spend _________________, and that money has to c___________________. So we pay it in the 

form of _____________________ on the goods we buy.