Unit 2
Warming Up
Having problems with your parents? Because society has been changing so rapidly during the last few years, the gap between the generations has become larger. So it can be difficult for children and their parents to relate1. Parents often find the ideas and ways of their children offensive(冒犯的,無禮的). And children, often teenagers, tend to be rebellious and act badly.
More than at any other time, Chilling Out with the Folks(和父母輕松相處), a set of self-help recordings that bring the generations together, is necessary. Chilling Out with the Folks will help you develop the patience and tolerance(容忍,寬容) necessary to bridge(彌合起來) any generational divide(分歧). Honestly, it will change your life! Listen to these recordings today, and begin your trip down the road to peace and perfection!
注釋:
1. it is﹢a.﹢for sb.to do sth.對某人來說做某事是…的
eg. It is difficult for me to finish the task this afternoon. 對我來說今天下午完成任務(wù)是不可能的
It is impossible for the man to betray(背叛) his country. 對那個人來說背叛祖國是不可能的
Understanding Short Conversations
Now you will hear ten short conversations. A question will follow each conversation. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
1. W: How about spending the evening chilling out with the folks?
M: Come on, Mom. I’d really like to get out with my friends.
Q: What does the young man want to do?
2. W: Honestly, I don’t know what to say about our son’s music.
M: Leave him alone about it. After all, your mother didn’t like your music either1.
Q: What should the woman do according to the man?
3. W: I’m surprised to see you out and about so early in the morning.
M: You know my mom. She doesn’t like me sleeping in(睡懶覺), even on weekends.
Q: Why is the man out and about so early in the morning?
4. M: A little teenage rebellion is normal. Your son will get over it.
W: I know. I’m just worried about him doing something that will ruin his life.
Q: Why is the woman worried about her son?
5. W: Get a piercing in my nose? No way! My parents would be angry!
M: You’re not giving them enough credit. I don’t think they’d be upset at all.
Q: Why wouldn’t the woman get a piercing in her nose?
6. W: What bugs you most about your daughter’s eating habits?
M: I can’t stand the way she eats so quickly.
Q: Why does the man have a problem with the way his daughter eats?
7. M: What’s wrong with out kids? They think they’re entitled to2 everything we have!
W: Well, I feel it’s my fault for giving them too much.
Q: What does the woman think about their kids’ problems?
8. W: Dad, I’ve got a date tonight with Mike. I’ll be back late.
M: Him again? I wish you wouldn’t date a guy with a tattoo!
Q: What does the father wish for his daughter?
9. W: My mother wants me to go into banking, but I like writing.
M: You can’t let your mother choose your career for you.
Q: According to the man, what should the woman’s mother NOT do?
10. W: Dad, I’m a grown woman, and you can’t make choices for me.
M: Ha! If you were a grown woman, you wouldn’t watch cartoons all day!
Q: Why does the girl’s father NOT believe that she is a grown woman?
注釋:
1. either: 1) a. 兩者之中任一的;
eg. You may read either book.兩本書中你可以讀任意一本。
2) pron.(單獨(dú)使用,或與of接名詞或代詞連用,或與其他名詞或代詞并列出現(xiàn))兩者之中任何一個;
eg. Either of you can go.你倆哪個去都行。
3) ad. (用于否定句或否定詞組后加強(qiáng)語氣)也,而且;
eg. If you do not go, I shall not go either.如果你不去,那我也不去。
4) conj. 或者,要么(一般用于…or…結(jié)構(gòu)中)
eg. Either come in or go out.要么進(jìn)來,要么出去
2. entitle: 1) 給…權(quán)力,給…資格(to)
eg. I was entitled to read the documents.我有權(quán)看這些文件。
2)給(書、文章等)提名
eg. The author entitled the article“A Test of True Love”作者把文章命名為“A Test of True Love”.
Understanding a Long Conversation
Now you will hear a long conversation followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
M: You should get a sense of humor, Mom.
W: I’m sorry, but I just don’t think that breaking shop windows is funny.
M: If it isn’t funny, then I don’t know what is. These shop windows only show things out of date and out of fashion. They’re misleading. Anyway, it’s fun to break old stuff.
W: And that’s what I’m saying. You don’t know what’s funny. When I was a teenager, I enjoyed movies and going out with my friends, not causing trouble or breaking things.
M: This is just the big difference between your generation and mine.
W: NO, it isn’t! I know teenagers of your age, and they don’t have your bad attitude! And they certainly never break shop windows!
M: Whatever, Mom. I’ve got to go now.
W: Huh? Where you think you’re going?
M: I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go out and break stuff.
1. According to the son, what should the mother do?
2. What is wrong with the shop windows according to the son?
3. What did the mother enjoy when she was a teen?
4. How is the son different from other teens according to the mother?
5. What does the son say he might do next?
Understanding a Passage
Now you will hear a passage followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
“Educator(教師,教育工作者)methods”, such as not buying toys for children who act up, do not always work. I personally think that even though parents teach their children many things, they should not act like teachers all the time. After my “Educator methods”failed, I spent some quality one-on-one time(用于全心照顧某人,尤指下班后與孩子一起度過的寶貴時光) with my daughter with NO lecturing about her behavior. For example, we went out for ice cream. While we sat and ate, we spent a long time watching other people and talking about the things around us. Then we went to a bookstore where she looked for a book to buy. It took her a long time, but I was patient. We finally bought her a book and finished our outing(戶外散步,短途旅行) together. At the end, we decided to have similar outings once a month, because it really was fun. My main goal was to let her know that I love her.
1. What did the speaker do to his daughter when his “Educator methods”failed?
2. What did the speaker and his daughter do while having ice cream?
3. What happened at the bookstore?
4. How often did the speaker and his daughter decide to go out together?
5. What was the main purpose for the speaker’s outing with his daughter?
Homework
Supplementary Listening
Task 1
Now you will hear a long conversation followed by five questions. Listen carefully and choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
M: Grandma, Grandpa tells me I complain too much about my chores(家庭雜務(wù),困難的工作). Do you think he has a point?
W: Your grandpa says a lot of things, Jerry. Don’t take it to heart1, OK? What do you know about your grandpa?
M: I know he worked hard.
W: That’s true. Many years ago, your grandpa didn’t have enough money to live.
M: That sounds awful!
W: It does. He used all his money to buy an apple. And he sold that apple for enough money to buy two.
M: And he just kept going like this?
W: That’s right, Jerry. By the end of the month, he had $20
M: Wow! No wonder Grandpa says young people complain too much! Your generation worked much harder! Grandpa became rich, and he did it all with one apple.
W: Not quite! After that first month of selling apples, my father died and left us a fortune(財產(chǎn),大量的錢). Your grandpa never had to work again.
1. What did Grandpa say to Jerry?
2. What does Jerry know about his grandpa?
3. How did Grandpa earn $20?
4. Why does Jerry think that Grandpa’s generation was so great?
5. How did Grandpa really become so rich?
注釋:1. take sth. to heart: 認(rèn)真考慮謀事,關(guān)注謀事;對某事想不開,為某事憂慮(傷心,煩惱)
Task 2
Now you will hear a passage followed by five questions. Listen carefully and
choose the best answer from the four possible choices.
Preparing teens for life after high school is an important task for parents. Deb, a mother of four, communicates with her children often. When her daughter Kate became interested in art, Deb took her on a tour of the Disney Studios to show Kate how she could make her dreams come true.
What if your teen is about t begin his junior year and you haven’t really spoken to him about his plans? You can ask him. If your teen has an “I’ll think about it later”attitude, gently remind him that now is the time to start preparing.
If your teen imagines himself a rock star, try to keep an open mind---you may think it’s crazy, but there are people who are rock stars. Instead of immediately saying no to your teen’s idea, you should talk about what he’ll need to do to reach his goal.
1. According to the passage, what is an important task for parents?
2. According to the passage, who is Deb?
3. Why did Deb take Kate to the Disney Studios?
4. What should be done with teens who are putting off their life choices?
5. How should a parent respond to a teen who wants to be a rock star?
答案
Unit 2
Chilling Out with the Folks
Short Conversations1.C 2. C 3. D 4.B 5.B 6.D 7. B 8.C 9.D 10.D
Long Conversation1.A 2. C 3.D 4.C 5.A
Understanding a Passage1.D 2.B 3. A 4. C 5. A
Understanding a Movie Speech1.quick, 2.end, 3.remember, 4.future, 5.ten,
6.look, 7.none, 8.eyes , 9.blackness, 10. wish
Homework Listenin Task 1 1.A 2.B 3.A 4.C 5.D Task 21.A 2.D 3.A 4.B 5.C
Task 31. free, 2.sales, 3.prepare 4.needs, 5.supplies,
6.average, 7.increase, 8.computer, 9.teenaged children, 10.save money