大学体验英语听说教程 第四册11

　　Vocabulary Task
Script and Answers
1. A: I’m really stressed-out. I’ve been sitting in front of the computer all day.
B: Why don’t you call it a day? You need to rest.
A: I like my job and am good at it. But it surely grinds¹ me down sometimes.
B: It’s not wise to overwork. The last thing you need to take home is a headache.
2. A: You know what? I slept fourteen hours after I’d finished that experiment. I was worn out. It’s too much.
B: How are you feeling now? Refreshed?
A: Yes, I’m full of energy and ready to catch up on my report.
B: Good. There’s another report for you to write. And this one is urgent.
3. A: You’re all smiles. Something good must have happened to you.
B: You’re absolutely right. I got a great job at Microsoft.
A: How wonderful. What do you do there?
B: I’m in research and development. But I felt a bit worried. You know, lack of interpersonal skills puts me at a disadvantage.
4. A: Can you believe it? Martin has taken over my slot².
B: Oh, I’m really sorry to hear that.
A: I’d been a news reader for ten years. I thought my work had been valued. But I was fired just because I turned up late.
B: I sympathize with you. But it’s not the end of the world. Cheer up! With your experience, I’m sure many TV stations would be only too glad to have you.
5. A: So what did you think about the movie?
B: It was really not very good. It disappointed me.
A: Oh, what didn’t you like?
B: I didn’t like the ending. It confused me. And the performance of that stand-in was the pits.
Listening Task
Script
Tardiness³ is not appropriate
The word “sorry” seems to be overused these days, especially by people who are in the habit of being late for meetings.
It has become so freely used that one doubts the credibility and sincerity⁴ of these habitually⁵ “unpunctual” people.
Why can’t people be more punctual and responsible in life?
Some people think that everyone will wait for them. Well, they are wrong. There are many activities that do not wait for latecomers.
Airlines take off as punctually as possible, leaving you behind if you do not check in early.
Operas and stage plays usually start on time, with ushers⁶ closing doors till an appropriate time to allow latecomers to go in. Such latecomers disturb the audience, so it is a good idea for theatres to proceed as scheduled.
Newspapers have deadlines for advertisements. If you miss the deadlines in some countries, you might have a blank space the next day.
News on radio and TV is always read at fixed⁷ times daily. If you are the newsreader and you are late, someone has to take over your slot.
I remember once when a TV newsreader turned up late because of a traffic jam and an inexperienced member of the studio crew had to read the news, the stand-in was unprepared and was so nervous that she made many mistakes. The regular newsreader was not seen on that TV station after that incident.
Golf tee-off times in many countries are fixed on weekends to prevent jam-ups. If you are late, your golfing partners will have to tee-off without you.
In sports, athletes have to report on time too. I remember once a famous runner could not participate in his favorite race because he was late for his race.
A teacher or lecturer has time slots too. Students will be kept waiting if a teacher is late.
There are people who are habitually late for everything because of lack of discipline. I’ve heard excuses such as “my father forgot to wake me up on time” or “I can’t get up early in the morning.” Often, it’s because of a lack or absence of planning. If a meeting is fixed for a certain day and time, one has to plan, implement⁸ and check all the requirements needed for the meeting. Not planning properly and not being disciplined enough would result in things being rushed at the last minute and leaving for the meeting very late.
Latecomers can disrupt⁹ the schedules of busy people and they can be put at a disadvantage too. So it’s better to be 15 or more minutes early. You won’t be stressed out from rushing to the meeting or coping with traffic jams. You can have time to check the meeting room, facilities and materials. You can rehearse one more time for a more effective presentation.
What else can you do with the spare time when you are early or when you are kept waiting? You can catch up on your reading or plan your other activities.
I have a simple philosophy. Don’t keep other people waiting. If they keep me waiting, I can use the time to think, reflect, plan, pray, read or write.
It’s unfair and rude to be habitually late. It’s more polite and courteous¹⁰ to be always on time.
Real World Listening
Script:
In an average lifetime
Judy: You’d better jump in the shower, or you’ll be late for your meeting.
David: I’m always running late. I never seem to have enough time. I wonder how much time I’ve spent in meetings in my life.
Judy: You ought to read this book. It tells how much time we spend (1) doing a particular activity in a lifetime. It says the (2) average American spends 3 years of their life in business meetings.
David: Three years? Good grief¹¹! I wonder how much time I spend (3) commuting¹² to work.
Judy: It says here you spend 10 months commuting to and from work.
David: That’s depressing. Hey, aren’t the (4) NBA playoffs on TV tonight?
Judy: Yes. Did you know that the average American spends 13 years and 4 months watching TV, but they only spend 12 years and 8 months in school.
David: 13 years (5) in front of the tube? That’s about one sixth of our life!
Judy: One sixth if you lived to be 78. But the average American only lives to be 74. (6) Don’t fret¹³. The average American earns $1.3 million dollars in his lifetime.
David: Is that all? There are people who make more than that in one year! Look out! The baby is getting into my (7) CD collection.
Judy: The average person buys 232 records, tapes, and CDs in their life.
David: I won’t have any if you don’t stop the baby. There’s the phone. Would you get that, honey?
Judy: Sure. The book says that we spend the (8) equivalent¹⁴ of 2 years on the telephone in our lives.
David: No wonder our phone bill is so high. Who was it?
Judy: I don’t know. I didn’t answer it in time.
David: So what are we having for dinner tonight?
Judy: The average family spends over 17 000 hours eating meals at home.
David: I wonder how many stomachaches I’ve had in a lifetime.
Judy: Because of my cooking? Is that the thanks I get for (9) slaving over a hot stove to make your dinner?
David: Just kidding. I’ll take you out to dinner this weekend.
Judy: The average American eats out at restaurants 14 411 times.
David: That much? I don’t care where we go as long as we don’t have to (10) stand in line.
Judy: It says here that the average person spends about 5 years of their life waiting in line.
David: Well, I guess I’d better get in the shower.
Judy: Did you know that the average American spends 7 years in the bathroom and takes nearly 26 000 showers? But because you shower longer than the average person, you probably spend 8 years in the bathroom.
David: I think I’ll just (11) skip the shower today. I’ll just have a cup of coffee.
Judy: This book says the average American spends $3 342 on coffee in their lifetime.
David: Wow, that’s expensive, we’ve got to (12) cut down on coffee. Have you seen my cigarettes?
Judy: Yeah. There on the piano. Did you know the average American smoker¹⁵ consumes over 590 000 cigarettes, while the average nonsmoker (13) inhales¹⁶ the equivalent of 13 600 cigarettes?
David: I had no idea that I smoked that many cigarettes. No wonder smokers¹⁷ get cancer. I swear I’m gonna quit this year. Well, I’d better run. I’ll see you tonight.
Judy: Drive carefully. The average American (14) is involved in 6 motor vehicle accidents in their lifetime.
David: Would you do me a favor?
Judy: What’s that?
David: (15) Get rid of that damn¹⁸ book!

1 grinds   

v.磨碎，嚼碎( grind的第三人称单数 )；旋转开动；压迫，折磨

参考例句：

• All night she grinds her teeth together, keeping me awake. 她整夜咬牙，吵得我睡不着觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mother usually grinds down the food for the baby. 母亲一般要把食物嚼碎再喂给婴儿。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 slot   

n.（口）位置，职位，狭长孔，狭槽

参考例句：

• Put a coin in the slot.将硬币放入投币口。
• He's been given a regular ten-minute slot on the radio.电台定期给他十分钟的节目广播时间。

3 tardiness   

n.缓慢；迟延；拖拉

参考例句：

• Her teacher gave her extra homework because of her tardiness. 由于她的迟到，老师给她布置了额外的家庭作业。 来自辞典例句
• Someone said that tardiness is the subtlest form of selflove and conceit. 有人说迟到是自私和自负的最微妙的表现形式。 来自辞典例句

4 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

5 habitually   

ad.习惯地，通常地

参考例句：

• The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。
• Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰，我来到他的椅子跟前。

6 ushers   

n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Seats clicked, ushers bowed while he looked blandly on. 座位发出啪啦啪啦的声响，领座员朝客人们鞠躬，而他在一边温和殷勤地看着。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• The minister then offers a brief prayer of dedication, and the ushers return to their seats. 于是牧师又做了一个简短的奉献的祈祷，各招待员也各自回座位。 来自辞典例句

7 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

8 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

9 disrupt   

adj.分裂的，分散的；vt.使分裂，使瓦解

参考例句：

• The war seemed likely to disrupt the state.战争可能使这个国家分裂。
• The conflict seemed likely to disrupt the government.这场冲突可能使政府垮台。

10 courteous   

adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的

参考例句：

• Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。
• He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

11 grief   

n.悲伤，悲痛，悲伤的事，悲痛的缘由

参考例句：

• Don't allow yourself to sink into grief,it can do no good.不要使自己陷入悲哀之中，这样一点好处也没有。
• After her mother died,she abandoned herself to grief.母亲死后，她沉浸于悲痛之中。

12 commuting   

交换（的）

参考例句：

• I used the commuting time to read and answer my mail. 我利用上下班在汽车中的时间来阅读和答复给我的函电。
• Noncommuting objects are as real to the mathematicians as commuting objects. 对于数学家来说，不可交换的对象与可交换的对象是一样真实的。

13 fret   

v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损

参考例句：

• Don't fret.We'll get there on time.别着急，我们能准时到那里。
• She'll fret herself to death one of these days.她总有一天会愁死的.

14 equivalent   

adj.（to）相等的，等价的；n.相等物，等值物

参考例句：

• Nodding your head is equivalent to saying "yes".点头就等于说“赞同”。
• You will receive the full equivalent of your money.你将收到与你的款项价值完全同等的物品。

15 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

16 inhales   

v.吸入( inhale的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Long, slow, full breaths with exhales at least as long as the inhales. 深长、缓慢、充分的呼吸，呼气至少要同吸气一样长。 来自互联网
• An impressive pile forms. Heywood bends down and inhales deeply, smelling the aroma. Rapture. 一小排香烟。海沃德低下头使劲地闻着香烟的气味，高兴不已。 来自互联网

17 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

18 damn   

int.该死，他妈的；vt.指责，贬斥，诅咒

参考例句：

• Damn this useless typewriter!这台破打字机真该死！
• I knew damn well what he was going to say.我非常清楚他要说什么。