1. Listening for word stress;

2. Understanding two news items and doing all the exercises;

3. Understanding two conversations and doing all the exercises;

4. Understanding two passages and doing all the exercises.

A. Word stress refers to the emphasis of one syllable  in a word over another, or others. Listen to the following 15 words and mark the stress in each word you hear.

* Example: exami′nation, ′carefully

1) become  

2) expect  

3) discover    

4) national  

5) active              

6) silent       

7) automatic              

8) hospital  

9) apartment 

10) Italy                   

11) window 

12) success

13) magazine 

14) Chinese 

15) thirteen

B. Listen to the following phrases carefully and mark the words that are stressed.

* Example: a ′nice ′park

 1) go for a walk

 2) every two hours

 3) out of sight

 4) little drops of water

 5) the first turn on your right

 6) put it there

 7) wait for him

 8) as soon as possible

 9) wait and see

10) make it right

A. Sentence stress refers to the emphasis of notional words such as nouns, verbs and adjectives in a sentence. Function words, such as articles, prepositions and conjunctives are usually unstressed. Listen to the following sentences carefully and underline the words that are stressed.

* Example: You are welcome.

1) Rome was not built in a day.

2) One’s never too old to learn.

3) She was one of those pretty and charming girls.

4) The two parties talked for a week before they signed the contract.

5) No one knew how she would manage to bring up her five children alone.

B. Consider the meaning of the following sentences which stress certain words in bold. Next, read each sentence aloud and strongly stress the word in bold. 

1) I think he should get the job.

 Meaning: Nobody else thinks he should get the job. 

2) I think he should get that job.

 Meaning: I believe he should get that job, but I’m not certain. 

3) I think heshould get that job.

 Meaning: Nobody else should get that job; only he. 

4) I think he should get that job.

 Meaning: In my opinion it’s right that he get that job. 

5) I think he should get that job.

 Meaning: He should work hard to gain / be worthy of that job. 

6) I think he should get that job.

 Meaning: He should get that other job rather than this one. 

7) I think he should get that job.

 Meaning: I think it’s the job he should focus on getting.

C. Read the following sentences aloud stressing each bolded word. Then match each stressed sentence with its corresponding meaning below.

1) I said she might consider a new haircut. 

2) I said she might consider a new haircut. 

3) I said she might consider a new haircut. 

4) I said she might consider a new haircut.

5) I said she might consider a new haircut. 

6) I said she might consider a new haircut. 

7) I said she might consider a new haircut.

a. Not just a repeat of her usual haircut. 

b. It’s a possibility. 

c. It was my idea. 

d. If she wants something new, changing her haircut might be nice. 

e. Don’t you understand me? 

f. Not some other person; only she. 

g. She should think it over. It’s a good idea. 

A. News Item One

●  Listen to the following news item and then, for each question, select the best answer from among the four choices given.

1) What is reported to have caused the death of at least 17 people?

a. The heaviest wind storm in South Africa in more than 30 years.           

b. The heaviest snowfall in South Africa in more than 30 years.

c. The most severe tornado in South Africa in more than 30 years.           

d. The most serious air crash in South Africa in more than 30 years.

2) What happened to the 50 people in the mountains?

a. They were injured.

b. They were rescued.

c. They were missing.

d. They went to a small village.

      * Script:

      The heaviest snowfall in South Africa in more than 30 years is reported to have caused the deaths of at least 17 people. Almost 60 others are missing in the Drakensbergh Mountains and are believed to be taking shelter in huts or caves. Air force helicopters have rescued about 50 people from the mountains but thousands are still stranded. Thick snow has also blocked the mountain passes in the kingdom of Lesotho, cutting off many villages.

B. News Item Two

●  Listen to the following news item and then, for each question, select the best answer from among the four choices given.

3) When do the United States and the European Union plan to start bilateral trade talks?

a. By the end of July.  

b. By the end of June.

c. In May. 

d. In July.

4) How much is bilateral trade between the EU and the US worth?

a. Over $2 billion a day. 

b. Over $2 billion a year.   

c. Over $20 billion a day. 

d. Over $20 billion a year.

5) According to the news, what is the attitude of farmers who would be exposed to more competition towards trade liberalization?

a. They are supportive to it. 

b. They are against it.

c. They are pessimistic about it. 

d. They are optimistic about it.

      * Script:

      The United States and the European Union say they plan to start talks by the end of June on agreeing the world’s largest bilateral trade deal. The aim is to cut tariffs and regulations. Here is our reporter Andrew Walker.  

      It is the world’s biggest economic relationship. Bilateral trade between the EU and the US is worth over $2 billion a day. Now they plan to reduce or even remove many of the remaining barriers. None of these is likely to be easy. Objections are likely from industries and farmers who would be exposed to more competition.

●  Listen to the following long conversation and then, for each question, select the best answer from among the four choices given.

1) Why can’t Helen see the man off?

a. Because she is ill.

b. Because she is too busy.  

c. Because she has gone abroad.

d. Because she works in the hotel.

2) What is Helen doing now?

a. Reading books.

b. Looking for a job.

c. Watching TV.          

d. Working hard.

3) What’s the probable relationship between the man and the woman?

a. Mother and son. 

b. Doctor and patient.

c. Friends.

d. Teacher and student.

4) When does this conversation most likely take place?

a. Just before the woman’s boarding.

b. After Christmas.

c. Before a dinner party.

d. After her company’s presentation.

5) Which of the following statements is true?

a. Mary is Helen’s younger sister.

b. The man is the manager of a large factory.

c. Helen is working on some products.

d. The plane has been announced as postponed.

* Script:

M: It’s a pity Helen couldn’t come to see you off, Mary.

W: I know she’s been quite busy these days, yet she came to my hotel anyway 

to say goodbye yesterday.

M: Yes. She’s been busy with her work.

W: I do hope she’ll be able to relax soon.

M: She will. But you know, we have to get our products done in time for the 

Christmas season.

W: You’ve been doing a wonderful job. I especially like your new toy design.

M: I hope they sell well this Christmas season.

W: I’m sure they will. Oh, they’re announcing my flight. I have to go now.

M: Bye, and take care.

W: Bye.

A. Passage One

●  Listen to the following passage and then, for each question, select the best answer from among the four choices given. 

1) Where were the 13 colonies that declared independence in 1776 located? 

a. On the eastern coast of North America. 

b. On the southern coast of North America.

c. On the northern coast of North America. 

d. On the western coast of North America.

2) What happened between the United States and Mexico? 

a. Mexico got California and New Mexico from the United States after a war.

b. The United States got California and New Mexico from Mexico after a war.

c. The United States bought Alaska from Mexico after a war.

d. Mexico defeated the United States in the war.

      * Script:

      The history of the United States is quite short. It began a little more than 230 years ago. In 1776, 13 colonies located on the eastern coast of North America declared independence and fought a revolution against the British. In 1783 the colonists won the revolution. After the revolution, the United States bought a large section of country from Napoleon of France.

      Texas and most of what is now the southwestern part of the United States belonged to Mexico. Later, the United States and Mexico went to war. If Mexico had defeated the United States in that war, California and New Mexico would have been part of Mexico today. In 1861, one-half of the United States went to war with the other half. This was the Civil War. Following the Civil War, the United States bought Alaska from Russia. Alaska becomes the largest state in the country and is a very important one today.

B. Passage Two

●  Listen to the following passage and then, for each question, select the best answer from among the four choices given. 

1) When do most Americans feel they are poor? 

a. When they don’t have a car.

b. When they live in a huge country.

c. When they don’t use planes.

d. When they have a car.

2) What is the most important reason that cars became popular in the United States? 

a. The United States is huge.

b. Public transportation is not so good.

c. Americans like to be independent.

d. Americans like to move around.

3) What form of transportation is good in the United States?

a. Buses. 

b. Trains.  

c. Taxis.  

d. Planes.

      * Script:

      Cars are an important part of life in the United States. Without a car most people feel that they are poor. And even if a person is poor he doesn’t feel really poor when he has a car. There are three main reasons why the car became so popular in the United States. First of all, the country is a huge one and Americans like to move around in it. The car provides the most comfortable and cheapest form of transportation. With a car people can go any place without spending a lot of money.

      The second reason cars are popular is the fact that the United States never really developed an efficient and inexpensive form of transportation. Long-distance trains have never been as common in the United States as they are in other parts of the world. Nowadays there is a good system of air-service provided by planes. But it is so expensive to be used frequently.

      The third reason is the most important one, though. The American spirit of independence is what really made cars popular. Americans don’t like to wait for a bus, or a train or even a plane. They don’t like to have to follow an exact schedule. A car gives them the freedom that Americans want most to have.