最新版英语听力教程 Model Test9-part a

　　[00:03.50]Section I Listening Comprehension¹
[00:08.25]Part A  Directions:
[00:12.23]For Questions1-5,you will hear an interview about
[00:17.37]the history of postal² transport in Britain.
[00:22.10]While you listen,
[00:24.97]fill out the table with the information you've heard.
[00:29.44]Some of the information has been given to you in the table.
[00:34.69]Write only 1 word or number in each numbered box.
[00:39.84]You now have 25 seconds to read the table below.
[00:45.61]W:Mr.Gibbon,the other day you kindly³ told me something about your hobby
[00:53.94]stamp collecting
[00:57.18]I wonder if you could
[01:00.06]tell me now something about the development or history of postal transport
[01:06.93]...the way letters are carried?
[01:10.87]M:Of course.I'll be pleased to.
[01:15.23]To start with,you should remember that there were developments in two directions:
[01:21.40]in the way that letters were carried and delivered inside Britain...
[01:27.04]and in methods that were used in carrying letters abroad to other countries.
[01:33.31]W:Perhaps you could begin by describing the methods used inside Britain?
[01:39.47]M:Right..from the earliest times messages were carried on foot
[01:45.85]by messengers⁴ for kings and other important people.
[01:50.71]Then in the 13th century there was the first development...
[01:56.48]horses were used to carry letters for the king.
[02:01.23]It wasn't until much later that ordinary people,the public,
[02:06.59]also used horses to carry their letters.
[02:11.63]While this was happening inside the country,
[02:15.99]sailing⁵ ships were being used in the 17th century
[02:21.04]to carry letters from Britain to European countries.
[02:26.21]The next development in carrying letters abroad wasn't until 1819
[02:33.26]when steam ships were used instead of sailing ships.
[02:38.41]W:You mentioned that horses were used in Britain...I remember reading
[02:44.18]somewhere that coaches and horses were used as well.
[02:49.33]M:Yes...that was the next bit of progress.That started in 1784.
[02:56.46]Four horses were used to pull the coach...and the postman sat on the top.
[03:02.62]It was certainly a much faster method than using just one horse.
[03:07.90]But then,in 1830,
[03:11.35]there was something faster still--railways.
[03:16.00]It was in that year that steam trains were used for the
[03:20.99]first time to carry the Royal Mail.
[03:25.04]Trains were used between towns for carrying letters and parcels⁶.
[03:30.81]Later,in the country districts,bicycles were experimented with
[03:36.97]the first ones were used in 1880,
[03:41.36]and they helped postmen who had a long way to walk.
[03:45.80]W:So far,everything you've said took place before 1900.
[03:51.37]Thanks a lot.That's most interesting.

1 comprehension   

n.理解，理解力；领悟

参考例句：

• The teacher set the class a comprehension test.老师对全班同学进行了一次理解力测验。
• The problem is above my comprehension.这个问题超出我的理解力。

2 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

3 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

4 messengers   

n.信使，信差，送信人( messenger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Messengers will relay your letters. 邮递员将接转你的信件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• To this monarch also (in 628) came messengers from Muhammad. 穆罕默德的使者也来找过这位君主（628年）。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

5 sailing   

n.航行，航海术，启航

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• The operation was plain sailing.手术进行得顺利。

6 parcels   

n.包裹( parcel的名词复数 )；一块地

参考例句：

• the registration of letters and parcels 信件和包裹的挂号
• She was burdened with a large quantity of parcels. 她吃力地捧着一大堆包裹。 来自《简明英汉词典》