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Ⅰ. Listening Comprehension
Section A Short Conversations
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.

1. W: Do you want the same cut as usual?
M: Almost. But I’d like it a little shorter over the ears.
Q: What’s the relationship between the two speakers?

2. M: Good morning. I’m here to see Mr. Addison.
W: Mr. Addison went to Washington last Monday for a conference, and will be back on Thursday night. If you like, you may come again on Friday morning.
Q: When will Mr. Addison return?

3. W: Excuse me, could you help me find The Sun Also Rises, a novel by Ernest Heminway?
M: Why don’t you search for it on the computer over there? It’s much easier than if you look at the titles on the shelves.
Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

4. M: The lecture this morning was so boring.
W: I’ll say I had one eye on the clock the whole time.
Q: What are the two speakers talking about?

5. W: I’d like to go to the movie this weekend. How can I find a good movie?
M: Just check the Reader. Here. If you find one worthwhile, let me know. I might go along.
Q: What will the man probably do this weekend?

6. W: I’m angry with Tommy! He kicked football through the bedroom window. There was broken glass everywhere.
M: I hope no one was hurt.
Q: What is the man concerned about?

7. M: I’m still waiting for the clerk to come back and make some copies of this paper for me.
W: Why bother him? I’ll show you how easy it is to work the machine.
Q: What do we know from the conversation?

8. W: Tony, are you going to town? I have run out of envelopes. Can you bring some back for me? I have several letters to write today.
M: I’m sorry I am not going anywhere. But I guess you can get them from the campus bookstore.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?

9. M: You look tired. Come here and take a seat.
W: Many thanks. But I feel dizzy when sitting on the bus.
Q: Why doesn’t the woman want to take a seat on the bus?

10. W: Dan passed physics, even though he hardly did any work.
M: How he managed that is a mystery to me. I thought the course was extremely difficult.
Q: What does the man imply?
 

Section B Passages

Americans are now experiencing a change about attitudes towards the workweek and the weekend. Although some calendars still mark the beginning of a week as Sunday, more and more people are coming to regard Monday as the first day of the week, with Saturday and Sunday as the weekend. In fact, the word weekend didn’t exist in English until about the middle of last century. In England at that time, Saturday afternoons had just been added to Sundays and holidays as a time for workers to have off from their jobs. This became common in the United States in the 1920s, but as the workweek shortened during the Great Depressoin of the 1930s, the weekend expanded to two full days Saturday and Sunday. Some people thought this trend would continue due to increasing automation and the workweek might decrease to four days or even fewer. But so far this has not happened. In the future, this might be possible by adding Monday to the weekend.

Questions:

11. What does the speaker mainly talking about?

12. According to the speaker, what is changing in the way people think about the week?

13. What effect did some people think the increasing use of automation would have?

Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following news.

An idea that started in Seattle’s public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.

In addition to encouraging reading as an aim to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched the “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
The only problem came up in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and different population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved. Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.

Most importantly, as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process, or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.

Questions:

14. What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?

15. Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?

16. According to Nancy, which measures the level of success of the project?  

Section C Longer Conversations

W: What’s the matter with you, Steve?
M: Can’t you see? I’ve got a broken ankle. I don’t always walk like this.
W: What did you do? Did you have an accident?
M: Of course I had an accident. I didn’t do it on purpose.
W: When did it happen?
M: Yesterday morning.
W: On your motor bike?
M: Yes, I fell off.
W: But how? I think you’re a terrific motorist!
M; It was that old lady’s fault.
W: Old lady?
M: Yes, she got off a bus and crossed the road right in front of me.
W: Did you hit her?
M: No, of course not. I put on my brakes, but the road was wet and I slide.
W: Did you fall off then?
M: No, I slide right across the road and hit a car.
W: Oh, nasty! Did you do much damage?
M: It’s not funny. It was a brand new car and it’s going to cost me a lot of money.

Blanks 21 through 24 are based on the following conversation.

W: Excuse me. Are you going to buy that book?
M: Well, I need it for a class but it’s awfully expensive.
W: Oh, we must be in the same class. “Modern East Asia.”
M: Yes, that’s the one. “Modern East Asia.” Were you there yesterday for the first class?
W: I sure was. Professor Robert really seems to know his subject.
M: Yes, I took his course last semester and it was very good. He likes listening to his students.
W: That’s a relief. I’m a biology major and I was a little uncertain about taking a history course.
M: I’m a history major and this is a required course. But now I’m in trouble because I’m no sure I can afford this book.
W: Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we split the cost and share the book?
M: Sounds great. Do you live on campus?
W: Yeah, I live on the 10th floor of Butler Hall.
M: Perfect. I live on the 3rd floor of Butler. We should have no trouble sharing the book. I can bring it up to your room right after I wrap up the assignment.
W: It’s a deal.