英语听力精选进阶版 7100

Background: 沙特阿拉伯老式缝纫机的价格因某种奇说而突然暴涨。有人说，那些老机器含有某种特殊物质，既能用来探宝又能祛邪甚至还可以用来制造原子弹。

Saudis have been racing¹ to buy Singer sewing machines for up to $50,000 (350,000 yuan) because they believe they contain traces of red mercury. This is a substance which may or may not actually exist.

Some sources say it can be used to make a devastating², pure nuclear fusion³ bomb. Others say it's an urban myth.

In 2006, it featured in the British trial of three men accused of trying to make a dirty bomb. They went looking for red mercury, but during the course of the trial it became clear that no-one - not even the defendants⁴ themselves - knew what it was.

But that hasn't stopped internet sites suggesting that one kilogram of the substance can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars on the black market.

However the rumours⁵ in Saudi Arabia started, it's the hope of such huge profits that's caused the sewing machine buying frenzy⁶. Saudi papers have pictures of old men with pick-up vans, stacked with piles of sewing machines.

People believe they can use their mobile phones to test if the machines contain red mercury. The Saudi authorities say it's all a hoax⁷ and they’ve launched a police investigation⁸.

GLOSSARY⁹ 词汇表

racing to buy 争先购买

traces 少量的

substance 材料

devastating 毁灭性的

fusion bomb 热核弹

urban myth 都市传奇

dirty bomb 脏弹

defendants 被告

black market 黑市

buying frenzy 抢购热

pick-up vans 皮卡（货车）

hoax 恶作剧

Questions and Answers

1. Have people in Saudi Arabia found red mercury in sewing machines?

No – red mercury is a substance “which may or may not actually exist”.

2. True or false: in 2006 three British men used red mercury to make a bomb.

False – They looked for red mercury but didn’t know what it was.

3. True or false: some people claim that you can sell a kilogram of red mercury for over $100,000.

True – some internet sites suggest “that one kilogram of the substance can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars on the black market”.

4. Do the Saudi authorities agree that sewing machines contain red mercury?

No they do not – they are calling it a hoax.

1 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

2 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

3 fusion   

n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。

4 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

6 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

7 hoax   

v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧

参考例句：

• They were the victims of a cruel hoax.他们是一个残忍恶作剧的受害者。
• They hoax him out of his money.他们骗去他的钱。

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。