English Weekly CET-4 Listening Practice Test 16

　　Part III Listening Comprehension

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the

　　end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the

　　conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause.

　　During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B)， C) and D), and decide which is

　　the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through

　　the center.

　　11. W: Look at the monkeys and zebras around the rocks.

　　M: Yes, their environment seems to suit them very well. Lets go over and see the bears now.

　　Q: Where are the man and woman?

　　12. W: I promised my sister I would attend the show if I didnt have any work due the next day.

　　M: Why not take me along?

　　Q: Why will the woman go to the show?

　　13. M. Id like to go sailing, but sometimes I get scared on the water. How long would we be out?

　　W: Not too long. And besides, well be close to the shore the whole time.

　　Q: What is the man afraid of?

　　14. W: Its nearly ten oclock. Lets listen to the weather forecast.

　　M: Heres the weather forecast. Fog is spreading from the east and will affect all areas by midnight. Itll be heavy in certain places.

　　Q: What is the weather forecast?

　　15. M: This cakes delicious! Did you make it yourself?

　　W: You must be kidding! My sister got it from the bakery.

　　Q: What does the woman mean?

　　16. W: Im worried about those classes I missed when I was sick.

　　M: Ill try to bring you up to date on what weve done.

　　Q: What does the man mean?

　　17. W: Roger, your voice teacher called to ask why you were not at practice for your concert.

　　M: I was there but I was standing with a large group and he didnt see me.

　　Q: Why did the teacher not see Roger at the practice?

　　18. M: The telegram just came from Mary. She will arrive at 2 oclock.

　　W: Oh, good. She can rest a few hours before the concert.

　　Q: What can Mary do before the concert?

　　W: Could you tell me how big a class is?

　　M: In this department, a class could be as small as 5 students or as large as over 200. The largest classes are lecture classes, usually in introductory courses at the undergraduate level. The normal size of a class is around 20 to 40 students who meet 3 times a week for about one hour or twice a week for about one hour and a half.

　　W: In what forms are classes given?

　　M: Generally speaking, classes are given in three formats---lectures, seminars and laboratory work. Lecture courses usually include two lecture sessions and one discussion group per week. Lectures are given by professors who will talk on specific topic for one class period. Students have little chance to ask questions. Discussions are conducted by postgraduates and provide the opportunity for questions about the lecture topics.

　　W: How about seminars?

　　M: Seminars involve a small group of students and place more responsibility on them. The professor leading a seminar may assign projects, post questions, make suggestions or describe specific cases that demand a solution. Students are free to exchange their ideas. The seminar challenges students reasoning and organizing abilities.

　　W: And laboratory work?

　　M: Laboratory work gives students opportunities to develop their skills with the use of certain tools or sophisticated lab equipment and to improve their lab techniques.

　　W: They all sound interesting to me. Do you know how were assessed?

　　M: Some professors give quizzes or short examinations during the course to test on a particular aspect of the subject. Other course examinations are mid-term exams and final exams, which include multiple-choice questions, short answer questions and essay questions. Research papers are another form of examination. Have I made myself clear to you?

　　W: Yes. I understand now. Thank you. Dr. Wilson.

　　M: Youre welcome.

　　Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　19. Which of the following is true of a big class?

　　20. What can be learnt from this dialogue about the course formats?

　　21. Which of the following is true about the professors evaluation of students work?

　　Conversation Two

　　M: Oh, hi, Maria, long time no see! How have you been?

　　W: Oh, not bad. And you?

　　M: Oh. Im doing okay, but school has been really hard these days, and I havent had time to relax.

　　W: By the way, whats your major anyway?

　　M: Hotel management.

　　W: Well, what do you want to do after you graduate?

　　M: Uh... I havent decided for sure, but I think Id like to work for a hotel or travel agency in this area. How about you?

　　W: Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French, but I realized I might have a hard time finding a job using the language, so I changed to computer science. With the right skills, landing a job in the computer industry shouldnt be as difficult.

　　M: So do you have a part-time job to support yourself through school?

　　W: Well, fortunately for me, I received a four-year academic scholarship that pays for all of my tuition and books.

　　M: Wow, thats great.

　　W: Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school?

　　M: Yeah. I work three times a week at a restaurant near campus.

　　W: Oh. What do you do there?

　　M: Im a cook.

　　W: How do you like your job?

　　M: Its okay. The other workers are friendly, and the pay isnt bad.

　　Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　22. What does the man want to do after he graduates?

　　23. Why did the woman change her major?

　　24. How does the woman pay for college?

　　25. What can be learnt about the mans part-time job?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will

　　hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you

　　hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).

　　Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the center.

　　Passage One

　　In phone booths in the U. S., there are usually directions for using the telephone. All phone numbers have seven digits, though letters and numbers are sometimes used in combination. There may be phonebooks or directories under the telephone.

　　There are two main kinds of long distance calls: dial-direct and operator-assisted. You can make dial direct calls in most parts of the U.S. Look in the white page directory for long distance rates or more information on making long distance calls. Or you can call the operator for help. If you need a phone number that is not in your phone book, call Directory Assistance.

　　To make a long distance call, youll need to know the three-digit area code. Dial 1 plus the area code plus the number, and an operator or a computer voice will tell you how much money to deposit. On operator assisted calls, the operator will ask you to deposit more money before your time is up. On dial-direct calls youll be cut off at the end of the time you paid for unless you put more money in the slot.

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. What do all telephone numbers have?

　　27. What should you do to make a long distance call?

　　28. What can you find in the white pages of a telephone book?

　　Passage Two

　　Most people think that the older you get, the harder it is to learn a new language. That is why they believe that children learn more easily than adults. Thus, at some point in our lives, maybe around age twelve or thirteen we lose the ability to learn language well. Is it true that children learn a foreign language more easily than adults? One report, on 2,000 Danish children studying Swedish, showed that the teenagers learned more, in less time, than the younger children. Another report, on Americans learning Russian, showed that the ability to learn a language increases as the age increases from childhood to adulthood. There are several possible explanations for these results. For one thing, adults know more about the world and therefore are able to understand meanings more easily than children. Moreover, adults can use logical thinking to help themselves in learning a new language. Finally adults have more self-control than children.

　　Therefore, it seems that the common belief that children are better learners than adults may not be true.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. According to this talk, whats the common belief about learning a new language?

　　30. Name the two reports mentioned in the talk.

　　31. What qualities do adults have that make learning a new language easier for them?

　　Passage Three

　　Today I would like to continue our discussion of American diplomatic history of the 18th century by talking about the pioneer named William Johnson. Sir William Johnson helped to establish friendly relations between the British colonists and the Iroquois nation during the middle of the 18th century. Johnson came to New York State from England in 1737 and soon became a large land-holder. He got along well with the Iroquois. Some of them lived on his land and it became a center of trade. Johnson sought land and furs, but was generous to his neighbors. With his skill of a diplomat Johnson often spent time negotiating among the various Indian groups. Largely because of his work the Iroquois aided the British in their struggles against the French in 1756. Later, however, there was a disagreement with the Iroquois. Johnson, who had been an official in the colonial government, was called in to negotiate a treaty regarding land boundary between the Iroquois and the English and French settlers in the area. Since Johnson died in 1774 he did not have to face the turmoil of the American Revolution.

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　32. What is the main topic of the lecture?

　　33. Where was Johnson from?

　　34. What was the treaty with the Iroquois about?

　　35. When did Johnson die?

　　Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered form 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information.

　　For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.

　　In November 1965, New York was blacked out by an electricity failure. The authorities promised that it would not happen again. Pessimists were certain that it would occur again within five years at the latest. In July 1977, there was a repeat performance which produced varying degrees of chaos throughout the city of eight million people. In 1965, the failure occurred in the cool autumn and at a time of comparative prosperity. In 1977, the disaster was much more serious because it came when unemployment was high and the city was suffering from one of its worst heat waves.

　　In 1965, there was little crime or looting during the darkness, and fewer than a hundred people were arrested. In 1977, hundreds of stores were broken into and looted. Looters smashed shop windows and helped themselves to jewelry, clothes or television sets. Nearly 4,000 people were arrested but far more disappeared into the darkness of the night. The number of policemen available was quite inadequate and they wisely refrained from using their guns against mobs which far outnumbered them and included armed men.

　　Hospitals had to treat hundreds of people cut by glass from shop windows. Banks and most businesses remained closed the next day. The blackout started at 9:30 p. m., when lightning hit and knocked out vital cables. Many stores were thus caught by surprise.

　　The vast majority of New Yorkers, however, were not involved in looting. They helped strangers, distributed candles and batteries, and tried to survive in a nightmare world without traffic lights, refrigerators, elevators, water and electrical power. For twenty-four hours, New York realized how helpless it was without electricity.

　　English Weekly CET-4 Listening Practice Test 16

　　Part III Listening Comprehension

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 8 short conversations and 2 long conversations. At the

　　end of each conversation, one or more questions will be asked about what was said. Both the

　　conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After each question there will be a pause.

　　During the pause, you must read the four choices marked A), B)， C) and D), and decide which is

　　the best answer. Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through

　　the center.

　　11. W: Look at the monkeys and zebras around the rocks.

　　M: Yes, their environment seems to suit them very well. Lets go over and see the bears now.

　　Q: Where are the man and woman?

　　12. W: I promised my sister I would attend the show if I didnt have any work due the next day.

　　M: Why not take me along?

　　Q: Why will the woman go to the show?

　　13. M. Id like to go sailing, but sometimes I get scared on the water. How long would we be out?

　　W: Not too long. And besides, well be close to the shore the whole time.

　　Q: What is the man afraid of?

　　14. W: Its nearly ten oclock. Lets listen to the weather forecast.

　　M: Heres the weather forecast. Fog is spreading from the east and will affect all areas by midnight. Itll be heavy in certain places.

　　Q: What is the weather forecast?

　　15. M: This cakes delicious! Did you make it yourself?

　　W: You must be kidding! My sister got it from the bakery.

　　Q: What does the woman mean?

　　16. W: Im worried about those classes I missed when I was sick.

　　M: Ill try to bring you up to date on what weve done.

　　Q: What does the man mean?

　　17. W: Roger, your voice teacher called to ask why you were not at practice for your concert.

　　M: I was there but I was standing with a large group and he didnt see me.

　　Q: Why did the teacher not see Roger at the practice?

　　18. M: The telegram just came from Mary. She will arrive at 2 oclock.

　　W: Oh, good. She can rest a few hours before the concert.

　　Q: What can Mary do before the concert?

　　W: Could you tell me how big a class is?

　　M: In this department, a class could be as small as 5 students or as large as over 200. The largest classes are lecture classes, usually in introductory courses at the undergraduate level. The normal size of a class is around 20 to 40 students who meet 3 times a week for about one hour or twice a week for about one hour and a half.

　　W: In what forms are classes given?

　　M: Generally speaking, classes are given in three formats---lectures, seminars and laboratory work. Lecture courses usually include two lecture sessions and one discussion group per week. Lectures are given by professors who will talk on specific topic for one class period. Students have little chance to ask questions. Discussions are conducted by postgraduates and provide the opportunity for questions about the lecture topics.

　　W: How about seminars?

　　M: Seminars involve a small group of students and place more responsibility on them. The professor leading a seminar may assign projects, post questions, make suggestions or describe specific cases that demand a solution. Students are free to exchange their ideas. The seminar challenges students reasoning and organizing abilities.

　　W: And laboratory work?

　　M: Laboratory work gives students opportunities to develop their skills with the use of certain tools or sophisticated lab equipment and to improve their lab techniques.

　　W: They all sound interesting to me. Do you know how were assessed?

　　M: Some professors give quizzes or short examinations during the course to test on a particular aspect of the subject. Other course examinations are mid-term exams and final exams, which include multiple-choice questions, short answer questions and essay questions. Research papers are another form of examination. Have I made myself clear to you?

　　W: Yes. I understand now. Thank you. Dr. Wilson.

　　M: Youre welcome.

　　Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　19. Which of the following is true of a big class?

　　20. What can be learnt from this dialogue about the course formats?

　　21. Which of the following is true about the professors evaluation of students work?

　　Conversation Two

　　M: Oh, hi, Maria, long time no see! How have you been?

　　W: Oh, not bad. And you?

　　M: Oh. Im doing okay, but school has been really hard these days, and I havent had time to relax.

　　W: By the way, whats your major anyway?

　　M: Hotel management.

　　W: Well, what do you want to do after you graduate?

　　M: Uh... I havent decided for sure, but I think Id like to work for a hotel or travel agency in this area. How about you?

　　W: Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French, but I realized I might have a hard time finding a job using the language, so I changed to computer science. With the right skills, landing a job in the computer industry shouldnt be as difficult.

　　M: So do you have a part-time job to support yourself through school?

　　W: Well, fortunately for me, I received a four-year academic scholarship that pays for all of my tuition and books.

　　M: Wow, thats great.

　　W: Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school?

　　M: Yeah. I work three times a week at a restaurant near campus.

　　W: Oh. What do you do there?

　　M: Im a cook.

　　W: How do you like your job?

　　M: Its okay. The other workers are friendly, and the pay isnt bad.

　　Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

　　22. What does the man want to do after he graduates?

　　23. Why did the woman change her major?

　　24. How does the woman pay for college?

　　25. What can be learnt about the mans part-time job?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will

　　hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you

　　hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).

　　Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the center.

　　Passage One

　　In phone booths in the U. S., there are usually directions for using the telephone. All phone numbers have seven digits, though letters and numbers are sometimes used in combination. There may be phonebooks or directories under the telephone.

　　There are two main kinds of long distance calls: dial-direct and operator-assisted. You can make dial direct calls in most parts of the U.S. Look in the white page directory for long distance rates or more information on making long distance calls. Or you can call the operator for help. If you need a phone number that is not in your phone book, call Directory Assistance.

　　To make a long distance call, youll need to know the three-digit area code. Dial 1 plus the area code plus the number, and an operator or a computer voice will tell you how much money to deposit. On operator assisted calls, the operator will ask you to deposit more money before your time is up. On dial-direct calls youll be cut off at the end of the time you paid for unless you put more money in the slot.

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. What do all telephone numbers have?

　　27. What should you do to make a long distance call?

　　28. What can you find in the white pages of a telephone book?

　　Passage Two

　　Most people think that the older you get, the harder it is to learn a new language. That is why they believe that children learn more easily than adults. Thus, at some point in our lives, maybe around age twelve or thirteen we lose the ability to learn language well. Is it true that children learn a foreign language more easily than adults? One report, on 2,000 Danish children studying Swedish, showed that the teenagers learned more, in less time, than the younger children. Another report, on Americans learning Russian, showed that the ability to learn a language increases as the age increases from childhood to adulthood. There are several possible explanations for these results. For one thing, adults know more about the world and therefore are able to understand meanings more easily than children. Moreover, adults can use logical thinking to help themselves in learning a new language. Finally adults have more self-control than children.

　　Therefore, it seems that the common belief that children are better learners than adults may not be true.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. According to this talk, whats the common belief about learning a new language?

　　30. Name the two reports mentioned in the talk.

　　31. What qualities do adults have that make learning a new language easier for them?

　　Passage Three

　　Today I would like to continue our discussion of American diplomatic history of the 18th century by talking about the pioneer named William Johnson. Sir William Johnson helped to establish friendly relations between the British colonists and the Iroquois nation during the middle of the 18th century. Johnson came to New York State from England in 1737 and soon became a large land-holder. He got along well with the Iroquois. Some of them lived on his land and it became a center of trade. Johnson sought land and furs, but was generous to his neighbors. With his skill of a diplomat Johnson often spent time negotiating among the various Indian groups. Largely because of his work the Iroquois aided the British in their struggles against the French in 1756. Later, however, there was a disagreement with the Iroquois. Johnson, who had been an official in the colonial government, was called in to negotiate a treaty regarding land boundary between the Iroquois and the English and French settlers in the area. Since Johnson died in 1774 he did not have to face the turmoil of the American Revolution.

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　32. What is the main topic of the lecture?

　　33. Where was Johnson from?

　　34. What was the treaty with the Iroquois about?

　　35. When did Johnson die?

　　Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered form 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information.

　　For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.

　　In November 1965, New York was blacked out by an electricity failure. The authorities promised that it would not happen again. Pessimists were certain that it would occur again within five years at the latest. In July 1977, there was a repeat performance which produced varying degrees of chaos throughout the city of eight million people. In 1965, the failure occurred in the cool autumn and at a time of comparative prosperity. In 1977, the disaster was much more serious because it came when unemployment was high and the city was suffering from one of its worst heat waves.

　　In 1965, there was little crime or looting during the darkness, and fewer than a hundred people were arrested. In 1977, hundreds of stores were broken into and looted. Looters smashed shop windows and helped themselves to jewelry, clothes or television sets. Nearly 4,000 people were arrested but far more disappeared into the darkness of the night. The number of policemen available was quite inadequate and they wisely refrained from using their guns against mobs which far outnumbered them and included armed men.

　　Hospitals had to treat hundreds of people cut by glass from shop windows. Banks and most businesses remained closed the next day. The blackout started at 9:30 p. m., when lightning hit and knocked out vital cables. Many stores were thus caught by surprise.

　　The vast majority of New Yorkers, however, were not involved in looting. They helped strangers, distributed candles and batteries, and tried to survive in a nightmare world without traffic lights, refrigerators, elevators, water and electrical power. For twenty-four hours, New York realized how helpless it was without electricity.