英语四级听力练习集锦43

Passage 9 Building Bridges

When you hear the phrase cultural heritage, what comes to mind? Maybe you remember going to see ethnic¹ folk dances with people wearing traditional costumes. Perhaps you were exposed to the music and arts of this culture.

Most likely, however, what comes to mind will be the food. It might begin with the recollection of your mother’s cooking, or visiting grandma’s house and receiving a special treat as a reward for good behavior. As you close your eyes, can you picture your favorite dish? Is it a salad with a special dressing², or a scrumptious dessert? Can you smell the aroma³ wafting⁴ through the house? Maybe you’re far away from home and eating your favorite soul food makes you feel closer to those you’re separated from.

Many of us have missed spending a holiday or two with our loved ones, only to find ourselves calling to ask what they had for dinner. It doesn’t matter if it’s the same thing that is served year after year. There’s nothing like food to help us identify with our roots. These recipes, cherished family favorites, handed down from each generation to the next might undergo subtle changes, but there still remains⁵ a cable of unity⁶.

It is this unity which constructs the bridge between families and generations. Food can be described as the building blocks of this cultural bridge. Good food knows no boundaries. It becomes the great equalizer between young and old.

Here, in the kitchen the old master works hand in hand with younger family members and friends, passing on traditional skills used in the culinary arts.

However, more is taking place than a mere⁷ transfer of information about ingredients and mixing instructions. Magic moments are created between child and elder. It becomes an opportunity for a parent to teach family values while passing the sugar and beating the eggs. Confidences can be exchanged along with the natural flow of conversation.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 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。

3 aroma   

n.香气，芬芳，芳香

参考例句：

• The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
• The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。

4 wafting   

v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• But that gentle fragrance was clearly wafting from the window. 但那股淡淡的香气，却分明是从母亲的窗户溢出的。 来自互联网
• The picture-like XueGuo, wafting dense flavor of Japan, gives us a kind of artistic enjoyment. 画一般的雪国，飘溢着浓郁的日本风情，给人以美的享受。 来自互联网

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。