六、本章练习

Dialogue 1

本篇对话谈论了美国的传统节日——感恩节，介绍了感恩节的来源和美国人庆祝感恩节的方式。

Dialogue 2

本篇对话介绍了中国的教育政策和方针，其中还介绍了中国教育体制的构成和义务教育及职业教育的发展状况。

Passage 1

本篇短文对艾滋病作了简要介绍，给出了艾滋病的定义、成因、症状以及病毒传染途径，还介绍了这一疾病目前在全球范围内的蔓延状况。

AIDS(Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)is the late stage of infection caused by a virus，HIV(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)．A person who is infected with HIV can look and feel healthy for up to 10 years or more before signs of AIDS appear．But HIV steadily weakens the body's immune systemuntil it can no longer fight off infections such as pneumonia，diarrhea and tumor．Most people die within 3 years of the first signs of AIDS appearing．The three main ways someone can get HIV are through promiscuity，dirty needles and frommother to child(before birth，during delivery or through breast-feeding)．According to the statistics issued by the World Health Organization，in the first year of this newmillennium，more than 36 million people are living with the HIV infection．Three million people died fromAIDS in theyear 2000．“Don't die of ignorance”is the slogan to raise the public awareness against AIDS．It seems to be the No.1 killer in the future．

Passage 2

本篇短文介绍了汉语的历史及其在国际交流中的作用，也谈到了中国经济发展对汉语发展带来的影响。

汉语是中国各民族人民使用的语言，也是联合国的官方语言和工作语言之一。它是世界上使用人数最多的语言。它的历史至少可以追溯到6 000年前。目前的这股汉语学习热既归功于中华文明的悠久历史和辉煌成就，也归功于近20年来中国经济的快速发展。

纵观历史，中国曾经对人类的发展作出了杰出的贡献。如今，中国又代表了今天世界的活力。从1989年到1999年，中国的平均国内生产总值每年上升9.7%，成千上万的外资企业进入了中国。精通汉语已经成为那些想在大陆或香港的外资企业中工作的人的必备条件。

Passage 3

本篇短文介绍了加入世界贸易组织给中国带来的巨大利益以及中国入世给其他世贸组织成员国带来的积极影响。

China's accession to theWorld Trade Organization conveyed a clear message to the world:China is prepared to become a fully vested player in the global economy．WTOmembership will generate tremendous benefits for China—expanding trade，spearheading further economic reform，attracting even higher levels of foreign investment，and fostering the rule of law．

Admission means China will enjoy protection against the imposition of barrier on its goods．The United States will cease the annual review procedures in which Congress considers ending“normal trade relations”with China based on its human rights performance．

Passage 4

本篇短文简要介绍了中国的经济发展状况，以居民的消费方面为例与以前的状况进行了对比。

中国还是个发展中国家，年收入只要达到2 000美元就够得上是城市的中产阶级家庭了。从另一方面来看，曾经渴望拥有“三大件”——电视机、电冰箱和洗衣机的城里人现在已经把目光转向DVD机和手机。而且中国有13亿人口，居世界之最，是一个巨大的市场。正因为如此，从可口可乐到宝洁等全球各大公司在中国展开了激烈的竞争。

Passage 5

本篇短文介绍了澳大利亚的教育体制，涉及公立和私立学校的发展以及各年龄段学生的教育。

Within each state and territory system there are two main types of school—government and non-government．In government schools，attended by about twothirds of children，tuition is free．About three quarters of the non-government schools charge fees．Although the states and territories are responsible for all education，the Federal Government providesmost funding for higher education．In 1989，it set up a systemunder which undergraduate and postgraduate students must make a financial contribution toward the cost of their study．

Throughout Australia，schooling is compulsory between the age of six and fifteen years．However，most children begin school earlier than the law requires，usually in pre-schools run by the same organizations that administer the mainstreamschools．

Passage 6

本篇短文介绍了中国的古老发明——风筝，谈到了各地风筝的不同特色，宣传了潍坊国际风筝节。

风筝是中国古代重要的发明之一，是世界上最早的人造飞行器。其制作在中国极为普遍，北京、天津、山东潍坊和江苏南通四地的风筝自成一派，别具特色，闻名世界。每年4月1日是潍坊一年一度的风筝节，来自世界各地的风筝爱好者在此交流技艺、加强友谊。