初级英语听力 lesson 4

Instructor¹: Do you remember Regine? Where does she come from? Is she married? Where does she work? Listen to Regine speaking.
Regine: My name is Regine. I'm German. I live in a small town. I'm not married. I live at home with my mother and father, my sister Heidi and my brother Rolf. I work in a department store. I sell writing paper, envelopes, ball pens, pencils and colored postcards. I walk to work every morning. I don't work on Saturday afternoon or Sunday and I have a three-week holiday in the summer.

Instructor: Regine was seventeen then. Now she's twenty-two. Her life is very different. Listen to this television interview.
Interviewer²: Regine, at seventeen you worked in a big shop. Now you are the manager and you are only twenty-two. From seventeen to twenty-two. Five years to success. Can you tell us? The secret of your success?
Regine: The 'secret', as you call it, is work. When I was seventeen, I lived at home. I walked to the shop every morning. I saved my money and I went to evening classes. I worked in a good department and I sold so much that I got a good commission³. I really wanted to be a success. Now I'm the manager.
Interviewer: Congratulations⁴, Regine. But please tell us ... do you like your job? Are you happier?
Regine: You are asking me two questions. The first answer is 'yes' and the second answer is definitely⁵ 'no'.
    Good afternoon, my name is Schwartz. That is S-C-H-W-A-R-T-Z and I come from New York. My wife and I would like a double room with a shower. I have our passports here. We are hoping to stay for about a week. I have a question. Do you know where I can get two tickets for the performance at the theatre tonight?

    On my first day in London I felt hungry, so I went into a restaurant and sat down at a table. I waited for ten minutes, but nobody came to serve me. Then I saw that there were no waiters. The customers stood in a queue⁶ and got their food themselves. That was my first experience of a self-service restaurant.

—Is that Mr. Smith's son?
—No, it isn't. It's Mr. Morgan's son.
—Is he Irish⁷?
—No, he isn't. He is Welsh.
—Where are your parents now?
—They are in Zagreb.
—Is that in Austria⁸?
—No. It's in Yugoslavia.
—Who is the girl by the door?
—It's Jone Smith.
—Is she a nurse?
—No. She's a librarian⁹.
—My hat and coat, please. Here is my ticket.
—Thank you, sir. Here they are.
—These not mine. They are Mr. West's.
—I'm sorry, sir. Are these yours?
—Yes, they are. Thank you.
—Whose handbag is that?
—Which one?
—The big leather one.
—Oh, that's Miss Clark's.
—What are you looking at?
—I'm looking at some stamps.
—Are they interesting?
—Yes. They are very rare¹⁰ ones.
—Where's Miss Green at the moment?
—In her office.
—What's she doing there?
—She's typing, I think.
—Are there any pencils in the drawer?
—No, I'm sorry. There aren't any.
—Are there any ball-point pens then.
—Yes. There are lots of ball-points.
—I need some oil, please.
—How much do you need, sir?
—Three pounds, please.
—Thank you, sir.
—Is there any shampoo in the cupboard?
—No, I'm sorry. There isn't any.
—Is there any soap, then?
—Yes. There is a whole pack of soap.
—Where does Miss Sue¹¹ come from?
—She comes from Tokyo.
—What language does she speak, then?
—She speaks Japanese.
—What does Miss Jenkins do?
—She is a nurse.
—Where does she work?
—At the Westminster Hospital.
—Do you like your manager?
—Yes. He is nice and kind. Is yours kind, too?
—No. Mine is rather a brute¹².
—Oh, I'm sorry about that.
—Is anyone attending to you, sir?
—No. I should like to see some dressing¹³ gowns¹⁴.
—What sort are you looking for, sir?
—I fancy¹⁵ a red, silk one.
Instructor: Henry wants tickets for Romeo and Juliet so he tries to telephone the box of office. First he hears: (wrong number tone¹⁶). He has dialed the wrong number. Then he tries again. (busy tone) Henry is fed up but he must get some tickets. He tries again and finally, he gets through.
(sound of phone ringing, receiver picked up)
Clerk: Cambridge Theatre. Box Office.
Henry: Have you got any tickets for Romeo and Juliet for this Saturday evening?'
Clerk: Which performance? 5 pm or 8:30 pm?
Henry: 8:30 pm please.
Clerk: Sorry, that performance is sold out.
Henry: Well, have you got any tickets for the 5 pm performance?
Clerk: Yes, we have tickets at 4.50 pounds, 5.50 pounds and 6 pounds.
Henry: I'd like to reserve¹⁷ two seats at 4.50 pounds, please.
Clerk: Right. That's two tickets at 4.50 pounds. Saturday, 5 pm performance. What's the name please?
Henry: Bishop¹⁸. Henry Bishop.
Clerk: Thank you. You'll collect the tickets before 3 pm on Saturday, won't you?
Henry: Yes, of course. Thank you. Goodbye.
Clara: That number has been engaged¹⁹ for ages. Nobody can be that popular. I wonder if her number has been changed. I think I'll try again.
(Sound of dialing and ringing tone.)
Sue: 3346791.
Clara: Is that you, Sue?
Sue: Who's calling?
C1ara: This is Clara. Clara Ferguson. Don't you remember me?
Sue: Clara! Of course I remember you. How are you? I haven't heard from you for at least two years. What are you doing?
Clara: Nothing very exciting. That's one reason I'm ringing. I need some advice.
Sue: Advice. Hmm. That's a good one. I've just been sacked.
Clara: There are the pips. Hang on, Sue.
Clara: What do you mean ... you've just been sacked? Sue, you're the most successful woman I know.
Sue: That's probably why I've been sacked. But let's talk about you. You said you needed some advice.
Clara: I certainly do. I wanted to ask you about interviews. Have you had a lot of them?
Sue: Yes, I have. Too many.
Clara: So, could you tell me the sort of questions you're usually asked?
Sue: Let me think. The first ten questions are almost always the same. I call them the 'whys', 'hows' and 'wheres'.
(Sound of pips.)
Clara: Not again. Don't go away, Sue. I've got one more coin.
Clara: Are you there, Sue?
Sue: Yes, I'm still here.
Clara: Sorry, I didn't understand what you were telling me. Could you repeat it?
Sue: It's very boring, but here you are:
I'm always asked:
Why I want to leave my present job?
Why I am interested in the new job?
How I intend to get to work?
How long I intend to stay in the job?
Where I live?
Where I went to school?
How much I'm paid in my present job?
How much I expect to be paid in the new job?
Oh yes. I'm always asked if I'm married.
(Sound of pips.)
Clara: That's it, Sue. No more coins. I'll write to you soon ... and many thanks.
    I am not going out with George again. Last week he invited me to go to a football match. I do not like football, so it was silly of me to say yes. We did not have seats, so we had to stand for two hours in the rain. I was cold and wet and I could not see a thing. So I asked George to take me home. He got very angry and said some very unpleasant²⁰ things.

    Last week the sun shone and it got quite hot. I decided²¹ to put on my light grey summer trousers. But I got a shock. I could not put them on. They were too small. It is possible that they got smaller during the winter, but I do not think so. I am afraid I got bigger. So I am going to eat less and I am going to take more exercise. I am definitely going to lose some weight.

—Is that Mrs. Brown?
—No, it isn't. It's Mrs. Bright.
—Is she English?
—No, she isn't. She is American.
—Where is Susan now?
—She is in Glasgow.
—Is Glasgow in England?
—No. It's in Scotland²².
—Who is the man over there?
—It's Mr. Watson.
—Is he a teacher?
—No. He is a doctor.
—My bag, please. Here is my ticket.
—Thank you, Madam. Here's your bag.
—This is not my bag. It's Mrs. Brown's.
—I'm sorry, Madam. Is this yours?
—Yes, it is. Thank you.
—Excuse me. Is this your book?
—No. It's not mine.
—Whose book is it, then?
—It's Pedro's, I think.
—Whose bicycle is that?
—Which one?
—The old green one.
—Oh, that's Robert's.
—What are you looking at?
—I'm looking at a photograph.
—Is it interesting?
—Yes, it's a picture of my girlfriend.
—Are there any oranges in the kitchen?
—No, I'm sorry. There aren't any.
—Are there any bananas, then?
—Yes. There are plenty of bananas.
—I want some butter, please.
—How much do you want, Madam?
—Half a pound, please.
—Thank you, Madam.
—Is there any cream in the refrigerator?
—No. There isn't any, I'm afraid.
—Is there any milk, then?
—Yes, there is plenty of milk.
—Where does Pedro come from?
—He comes from Mexico City.
—What language does he speak, then?
—He speaks Spanish.
—What does your friend do?
—He is a bank clerk.
—Where does he work?
—At the Middleland Bank in Birmingham.
—Do you like your apple?
—Yes. It's nice and sweet. Is yours sweet, too?
—No. Mine is rather sour.
—Oh, I'm sorry about that.
—Can I help you, Madam?
—Yes. I want to see some cardigans.
—What size do you take, Madam?
—About fourteen inches, I think.
1. I really need some new curtains but I'm afraid I can't sew.
2. My problem is that I can't find a job. Managers always say my hair is too long.
3. I do love listening to the radio but I'm afraid my radio isn't working.
4. Just look at these shoes. They cost forty-five pounds last year and they have holes in them now.
5. Do you know anything about cars? My car is using too much petrol.
    John Haslam is talking about his garden.
    You know, I don't really like the country. It's too quiet. There's not enough movement,
not enough action, not enough to do. But I'm like most other people: I need some peace and
 quiet sometimes, and this little garden is my peace and quiet. It's big enough for me.
During the summer I may spend three or four hours out here. But even in the winter I may
come out here for an hour or two at the weekends, if the weather's good. It's a good place
to sit with my typewriter. And it's a good place to sit with a book and a drink.
And do you know something? I spend as much time out of the house now as I did
when I lived in the country. Funny, isn't it?

(Sound of radio playing. Telephone rings.)
Betty: Listen, Mum. The phone's ringing. Can I answer it?
Julie: Yes, of course. But please answer correctly.
(Receiver being picked up.)
Betty: (excited) Hello. This is Betty.
Male Voice; (confused pause) Uh ... good evening. Is that 789-6 double 4 3?
Betty: Yes, it is. Would you like to talk to my mother?
Male Voice: Well ... I'd like to talk to Mrs. Henderson ...
Betty: Just a moment. I'll tell her.
Julie: Mrs. Henderson speaking. Who's calling please?
Male Voice: This is Brian Murphy, Mrs. Henderson. I'm your new neighbor. I moved in yesterday.
Julie: Oh, good evening, Mr. Murphy. Welcome to Oak²³ Lane²⁴. Can we give you any help?
Male Voice: Sorry to bother you, Mrs. Henderson, but I'd like to ask you some questions.
Julie: I'm never too busy to help a neighbor, Mr. Murphy. What would you like to know?
Male Voice: Well, first, could you tell me what time the milkman calls? And which day
 do the dustmen come? Who's the most dependable newsagent? (pause) Oh, yes ...
where is the nearest police station?
Julie: My goodness²⁵, Mr. Murphy. You have got a lot of questions. Look, I have an idea.
 Why don't you come to tea tomorrow afternoon? Then we can meet you and answer
all your questions.
Male Voice: That's very kind of you, Mrs. Henderson. What time shall I come?
Julie: Any time after 3 o'clock. We look forward to meeting you. Goodbye.
Male Voice: Goodbye, Mrs. Henderson.
(Receiver being replaced.)
    Everything changes. Once a lot of people went to the cinema to see silent²⁶ films. Then when talking pictures started nobody wanted to see silent films any more. But people still went to the cinema and everybody knew the names of all the great film stars. Now we have television. People sit at home night after night watching their favorite programs. But what is going to happen to the cinema?

Dear Mr. Scott,
    Thank you for your letter of 15th January. You say that you telephoned our office five times in two days and did not receive a reply.
    I am sorry about this, but we have had problems with our telephone.

                                                                    Yours sincerely,
                                                                    D. Renton

1 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

2 interviewer   

n.接见者；会见者；面谈者；记者

参考例句：

• The interviewer asked her to speak into the microphone.采访者让她对着麦克风说话。
• I was spelling my last name out for the interviewer.我正在为面试官拼写我最后一个名字。

3 commission   

n.委托，授权，委员会，拥金，回扣，委任状

参考例句：

• The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
• The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成，其中包括两名妇女。

4 congratulations   

n.祝贺；贺词；祝词

参考例句：

• I send you my warmest congratulations on your success. 我对你的成功致以最热烈的祝贺。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Please give her my congratulations when you see her. 见到她时请转达我的祝贺。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 queue   

n.队列；辫子；长队；vt.梳成辫子；vi. 排队

参考例句：

• To what window are you standing in a queue?你在排哪个窗口的队？
• I had to queue for quite a while.我不得不排一会儿队。

7 Irish   

n.爱尔兰语；爱尔兰人；adj.爱尔兰(人)的

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The two volumes of collected Irish Stories are printed.两卷本的《爱尔兰故事集》已经印好了。

8 Austria   

n.奥地利(欧洲国家)

参考例句：

• Austria lies to the southeast of Germany.奥地利位于德国东南。
• I always confuse Australia with Austria.我总是把澳大利亚同奥地利弄混。

9 librarian   

n.图书管理员；图书馆馆长

参考例句：

• His father is the librarian of our school library.他父亲是我们学校的图书馆馆长。
• The librarian entered a new book in the catalogue.图书管理员把一本新书编入目录。

10 rare   

adj.稀罕的，罕有的，珍贵的，稀薄的，半熟的，非常的；adv.非常

参考例句：

• It is rare to see a man over 160 years old.很少见到一个人能活到160岁。
• The zoo has a lot of rare animals in it.这个动物园有许多珍奇的动物。

11 sue   

vt.控告，起诉；vi.请求，追求，起诉

参考例句：

• If you don't pay me the money,I'll sue you.如果你不付给我钱，我就告你。
• The war criminals sue for peace.战犯求和。

12 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

13 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

14 gowns   

n.（法官、英国律师、大学学生在特别仪式上穿的）长袍( gown的名词复数 )；女长服；（尤指在医院穿的）罩衣；宽松长外衣

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns. 客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "Did you see those two men in black gowns? “看见么？那两个穿黑大衫的。 来自子夜部分

15 fancy   

n.想像力，幻想；喜好，爱；adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的；技巧的；vt.想象，自认为，喜好

参考例句：

• He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
• I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。

16 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。

17 reserve   

n.储备（物），储藏量，预备队；vt.储备，保存，保留，预定，预约

参考例句：

• We'll reserve the ticket for you till tomorrow noon.票为您保留到明天中午。
• This area was once a wildlife reserve.该地区曾是一个野生动物保护区。

18 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

19 engaged   

a.having agree to get married

参考例句：

• They are engaged in talks with the Irish government. 他们正忙着与爱尔兰政府谈判。
• The old lady engaged herself in making clothes for her children. 这位老太太忙着为孩子们做衣服。

20 unpleasant   

adj.使人不愉快的，使人厌恶的，煞风景的

参考例句：

• A very unpleasant thing has happened.一件令人很不愉快的事发生了。
• The kind advices are often unpleasant to the ear.好言常常不入耳。

21 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

22 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

23 oak   

n.栎树，橡树，栎木，橡木

参考例句：

• The chair is of solid oak.这把椅子是纯橡木的。
• The carpenter will floor this room with oak.木匠将用橡木铺设这个房间的地板。

24 lane   

n.(乡间)小路(巷)；车(跑，泳)道；航道

参考例句：

• There is a shop at the end of this lane.这条胡同的顶头有一家商店。
• The champion is running in lane five.冠军跑在第五跑道上。

25 goodness   

n.善良，善行，美德

参考例句：

• Would you have the goodness to turn off the radio?劳驾，请你把收音机关上好不好？
• Thank goodness,we've found a cure for the disease.好了，这病有救了！

26 silent   

adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧

参考例句：

• Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
• The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。