英语听力精选进阶版 6417

As an English teacher, I've been lucky enough to travel to many countries all over the world. I've seen people celebrating everything from the arrival of new babies to the delivery of new cars. I've attended weddings, parties and religious celebrations in countries as far apart as Argentina and Japan, and I've noticed that gold - the metal or the colour - is almost always part of cultural events, traditions and celebrations.

From 'mashallah' gold tokens¹ that people give to babies in Turkey, to the gold stars that primary teachers stick on their students' exercise books, to the gold trimmings and gifts in Indian weddings, to the gold coffin² that the 'King of Pop' Michael Jackson was buried in. It makes me wonder: Why do people love gold?

For some people, gold seems to be a status symbol. Indian businessman Datta Phuge loves gold so much that he's even bought a shirt made of the stuff - at a cost of $250,000. I'm not sure I'd spend so much money on a shirt - would you? But Datta Phuge has his reasons. He explains: "Some elite³ people want to own an Audi or Mercedes and have big cars. I chose gold."

For other people, gold is an investment. The price of gold generally increases over time - and in European markets it reached over $1,500 per ounce in 2011.

And for many people, the family heirloom brings together status and investment. My mother has a gold bracelet⁴ that was given to her by her grandmother - who, in turn, inherited it from her own grandmother. It's quite a heavy piece and probably worth quite a lot of money. But its sentimental⁵ value is greater than its value in dollars: It's a beautiful object that holds many family memories. When the time comes, my mum will give the bracelet to me - and one day, I'll pass it on to the younger generation.

So, status and investment are good reasons to value gold. But, I think that the real reason people love gold is because it can be made into beautiful objects. Think about Tutankhamen's death mask. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful, so evocative?

People love gold because it captures our minds, our imaginations and, above all, our hearts.

Quiz 测验

1. Name two countries that the writer has visited.

Argentina and Japan.

2. Why did Indian businessman Datta Phuge buy a gold shirt?

He chose gold as a status symbol.

3. Is this statement true or false? The price of gold usually stays the same.

False. The price of gold generally increases over time.

4. What will the writer inherit from her mother?

A gold bracelet.

5. In the writer's opinion, why do people love gold?

Because it can be made into beautiful objects, and because it captures our minds, our imaginations and our hearts.

Glossary 词汇表

attended 出席，参加

tokens 象征

trimmings 装饰物

coffin 棺材

status symbol 社会地位的象征

elite 精英

investment 投资

family heirloom 传家宝

inherited 继承的

sentimental value 情感价值

Tutankhamen's death mask 图坦卡蒙的木乃伊面具

evocative唤起回忆或想象的

captures 捕捉，抓住

above all 最重要的是

1 tokens   

代币( token的名词复数 )； 象征

参考例句：

• These tokens are exchangeable for DVDs only. 这些赠券只能换 DVD 盘。
• The council gives old people free tokens. 委员会发给老年人免费代金券。

2 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

3 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

4 bracelet   

n.手镯，臂镯

参考例句：

• The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
• She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

5 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。