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UNIT ONE THE EXPENSIVE FANTASY OF LORD WILLIAMS
UNDERSTANDING SHORT CONVERSATIONS
1. M: Did you read today's newspaper? "Lord Williams" was arrested two days ago.
W: Why? I heard he poured a lot of cash into a beautiful mountain village and gave jobs to many people.
M: You could never have possibly guessed the truth. He stole funds from Scotland Yard, and the fund was supposed to be used to pay spies and conduct secret activities against the Irish Republican Army.
Q: What is the conversation about?
2. M: Did you attend yesterday's lecture?
W: Yes.
M: The lecture was supposed to start at 9:00 ,'~ m., but the professor was an hour late.
W: He would have arrived on time, but an accident jammed the main road for one and a half hours.
Q: What does the woman mean?
3. W: Robert, what a surprise! It's nice to see you again!
M: Hello, Susan! My gosh! How long has it been? Wasn't it several months ago, the last time we saw each other?
W: I think you're right. You know, we bought a cottage in a mountain village. We've been transforming it from a mess into a good place to spend our holiday.
M: Sounds good!
Q: What can be learned from the conversation?
4. M: Did you hear that they are going to build a first-class hotel here, with furnished rooms, wood-paneled stairs and an outstanding restaurant?
W: Oh, no. It's going to ruin the neighborhood. They will have to tear down all those nice old houses.
Q: What is the woman's reaction to the new hotel?
5. W: How's your job going?
M: Great! I'm enjoying it a lot. At first I was chosen to manage the construction work. And now I'm in charge of running the business. The only problem we have is that it's hard to obtain all the bank loans we need.
Q: What is the problem the man has in his job?
6. M: Did you hear the latest about David? He is going to move to Seattle.
W: To Seattle? That's a long way from here! What in the world made him decide to move there?
M: He inherited a large sum of money from a rich uncle there.
Q: How does the woman feel?
7. M: I know the foundation has given the community $10,000 to improve its environment.
W: The money will bring the community back to life. $10,000! They gave twice that amount, I bet.
Q: How does the woman feel about the money?
8. W: I can hardly believe it! Such a soft-spoken, well-dressed middle-aged man fired three shots into a crowded birthday party, killing one man.
M: To be more exact, he killed one man and wounded two other people.
W: Has he already been sentenced?
M: Yeah, he was arrested soon after the police arrived. He has been brought into court and sentenced to thirty years in prison.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
9. W: I'm taking my daughter out for her birthday tonight -- you know, to that outstanding restaurant.
M: You can't go like that. You'd better change.
Q: What does the man suggest the woman do?
10. M: What's your opinion of the village? You've spent your holidays twice there.
W: It captured my heart when I first saw it.
M: Is it a special village?
W: Yes, there are fine stone cottages, a central area of green grass and a fantastic view of rolling fields and pine forests.
M: If only I had some free time.
Q: What does the man mean?
11. M: More and more people are paying attention to the problem of computer crime. Have you heard about it?
W: Of course. A month ago one of my colleagues was arrested because she transferred funds at our bank to accounts she had set up in other banks.
M: How did they find out?
W: Her bank deposits were so large that they were noticed by the bank's management. The bank notified the police.
Q: What are the man and woman talking about?
12. M: How do you like our boss?
W: I find him a very charming man, very friendly, considerate -- not at all proud.
M: I certainly can't disagree with you on that.
Q: What does the man think of the boss?
13. W: To his terrible embarrassment, there were many people around at the time.
M: You're right. He was really embarrassed. He still turns red when anyone mentions what happened. The best thing to do is not to talk about it when he is around.
Q: What does the man think they should do?
14. M: How did you enjoy your trip to China?
W: It was a wonderful trip. We went to Beijing to see the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs and Beijing' s Siheyuan.
M: But I heard they have tom down a lot of such houses because people in the city need better housing.
W: Yeah, I think no one goes anywhere in the world to see apartment houses. How can
Beijing be Beijing without Hutongs?
Q: What conclusion can be drawn from the conversation?
15. W: What made you steal so much money? Did you need so much?
M: First, I discovered this huge amount of money. Then I went from the need to pay off a few debts to what can only be described as greed.
W: You just couldn't hold back your greed for money?
M: Yeah, there is no way to justify it.
Q: What is the possible relationship between the two speakers?
16. W: Good evening. Can I help you?
M: Oh, good evening. Yes, please. I'd like to have some information about nice places where I can have a drink.
W: Well, you could go to the pub not far from the hotel. It's a fine place to have a glass of Scotch whisky.
M: Oh, that's a good idea.
Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?
17. W: Harry, I heard you bought an estate with a fine brick house and a run-down hotel.
M: Yes, indeed. I'm trying to have the hotel totally restored.
W: How's it coming along?
M: I'm just taking it one step at a time.
Q: What does the man imply?
18. M: The city is going to put up a new shopping center in the neighborhood.
W: Another shopping center? That's nothing new.
Q: What does the woman mean?
19. M: I'd like to know some information about Mr. Smith.
W: He was born in Scotland and educated in England. He has worked for the London police since the 1980s.
M: Thanks a lot.
Q: Where did Mr. Smith get his schooling?
20. M: What's your family like?
W: Well, I come from the mountain area. My family has been farming the surrounding hills for generations.
M: Don't your parents want to live in the city?
W: No, they are used to the life there.
Q: How do the woman's parents get along?
Key: 1. (B) 2. (B) 3. (C) 4. (D) 5. (B) 6. (C) 7. (B) 8. (C) 9. (C) 10. (A)
11. (B) 12. (D) 13. (C) 14. (C) 15. (A) 16. (B) 17. (D) 18. (D) 19. (A) 20. (B)
UNDERSTANDING LONG CONVERSATIONS
Conversation1 (Dr. Scott and Thomas Hunt talk about a man called Martin.)
M 1: Dr. Scott, I have had some problems since my father died and left me all his money. Do you remember Martin, the man who took care of my father's gardens for many years?
M2: A smiling, polite fellow, right?
M 1: That's the man. I told him his job ended the day my father died. Well, three days ago he came to my office, smiling as always, and demanded that I pay him $100,000. He claimed to have been taking care of the trees outside my father's room when Dad prepared another will, leaving all of his money to his brother in New Zealand.
M2: You believed him?
M 1: I admit the news surprised me. Sometime during the last week in November, Dad and I had argued about my plans to marry Elizabeth. Dad did not want us to marry, so it seemed possible that he had decided to change his will and leave all his money to his brother instead of to me. Martin said he had my father' s second will and offered to sell it to me and keep it a secret for one hundred thousand dollars. He told me that the second will would be considered legal because it was dated November 31, the day after the will that left my father's money to me. I refused. He tried to bargain, asking $50,000, and then $25,000.
M2: You paid nothing, I hope?
M 1: Nothing at all. I told him to get out of my house.
M2: Quite right. The story is clearly not true!
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. Who was Martin?
2. According to Martin, who did Thomas' father leave his money to?
3. What did Thomas and his father argue about?
4. How much did Martin demand first in order to keep the "secret"?
5. Why did Dr. Scott say the story was clearly not true?
Conversation 2
M: Excuse me, madam.
W: Yes?
M: Would you mind letting me take a look in your bag?
W: I beg your pardon?
M: I'd like to look into your bag, if you don't mind.
W: Well I'm afraid I certainly do mind, if it's all the same to you. Now go away.
M: I'm afraid I shall have to insist, madam.
W: And just who are you to insist, may I ask? I advise you to go away before I call a policeman.
M: I am a policeman, madam. Here's my identity card.
W: What? Oh... well.., and just what right does that give you to go around looking into people's bags?
M: None whatsoever, unless I have reason to believe that there's something in the bags belonging to someone else?
W: What do you mean belonging to someone else?
M: Well, perhaps, things that haven't been paid for?
W: Are you talking about stolen goods? I don't know what things are coming to when perfectly honest citizens get stopped in the street and have their bags examined.
M: Exactly, but ifthe citizens are honest they wouldn't mind, would they? So may I look in your bag, madam? We don't want to make a fuss, do we?
W: Fuss? Who's making a fuss? Stopping people in the street and demanding to see what they've got in their bags. Now go away. I've got a train to catch.
M: I'm sorry. I'm trying to do my job as politely as possible but I'm afraid you're making it rather difficult. However, I must insist on seeing what you have in your bag.
W: And what, precisely, do you expect to find in there? The jewels?
M: Madam, if there's nothing in there which doesn't belong to you, you can go straight off and catch your train and I'll apologize for the inconvenience.
W: Oh, very well. There you are.
M: Thank you. And ten men's watches?
W: Er, yes. I get very nervous if I don't know the time. Anxiety, you know. We all suffer from it in this day and age.
M: I see you smoke a lot, too, madam. Fifteen cigarette lighters?
W: Yes, I am rather a heavy smoker. And... and I use them for finding my way in the dark and...and for finding the keyhole late at night. And... and I happen to collect lighters.
M: I bet you do, madam. Well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come along with me.
W: How dare you! I...
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
6. What does the man do?
7. Where does the conversation probably take place?
8. Why does the man stop the woman?
9. What is the woman going to do?
10. What does the man find in the woman's bag?
Key:
Conversation 1: 1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (B) 4. (B) 5. (A)
Conversation 2: 6. (C) 7. (A) 8. (C) 9. (B) 10. (A)
UNDERSTANDING PASSAGES
Listening Task 1 Passage1
Are you forty years old and fat? Do you wear fine clothes? Do you look rich? If so, be careful. There is a pickpocket looking for you. World travelers, away from home and usually carrying a lot of money, are often troubled by pickpockets in foreign countries, but they should remember that there are pickpockets in their own countries, too.
A typical pickpocket is under forty years of age, usually a male. He has trained himself in running. Generally, he carries a newspaper or magazine in his hand. He may appear fairly clever and pretend to be calm. He has learned his job from another pickpocket, and he pays his "teacher" back by giving him a percentage of the money or things which he steals.
The good pickpocket always operates in crowded places. Very well-dressed men and slightly drunken men are the favorite objects of the pickpocket.
An average-sized department store hires about six or seven men and women who are looking for pickpockets and thieves all the time. Many police districts have such people whose only job is to catch the pickpockets quickly. But a good pickpocket knows these things and is very careful. He is especially busy on buses, trains and subways between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. when there are many shoppers with a lot of money to spend. He carefully remembers the payday of
companies.
Pickpocketing and stealing from a shop together represent about 75% of daytime crime in America. The sentence for these crimes is usually from three to five years in prison. After finishing their sentence, pickpockets and thieves usually advance to more serious crimes.
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the passage you have just heard.
1. What does a typical pickpocket look like?
2. Where does a good pickpocket always operate?
3. What will happen to a pickpocket if he is caught in America?
4. What will a pickpocket most probably do after finishing his sentence?
5. What is the main purpose of the author of the passage?
Passage2
A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil was for good men to do nothing. So, as a police officer, I have some things to say to good people.
Day after day my men and I struggle to hold back a wave of crime. Something has gone terribly wrong with our once proud American way of life. It has happened in the area of values.
A key ingredient is disappearing, and I think I know what it is: accountability.
Accountability isn't hard to define. It means that every person is responsible for his or her actions and for their consequences.
Of the many values that hold civilization together -- honesty, kindness, and so on --accountability may be the most important of all. Without it, there can be no respect, no trust, no law -- and, ultimately, no society.
My job as a police officer is to impose accountability on people who refuse, or who have never learned, to impose it on themselves. But as every policeman knows, external controls on people's behavior are far less effective than internal controls such as guilt, shame and embarrassment.
Yet more and more, especially in our large cities and suburbs, these inner controls are loosening. Someone considers your property his property; he takes what he wants, including your life.
The main cause of this break-down is a radical shift in attitudes. Thirty years ago, if a crime was committed, society was considered the victim. Now, shockingly, it's the criminal who is considered the victim because of the school that didn't teach him to read, because of the church that failed to reach him with moral guidance, and because of the parents who didn't provide a stable home.
I don't believe it. If we free the criminal, even partly, from accountability, we become
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