托福听力荟萃 63（在线收听）

Let's proceed to the main exhibit hall and look at some of the actual vehicles that have played a prominent role in speeding up mail delivery. Consider how long it used to take to send a letter across a relatively short distance. Back in the 1600's it took two weeks______to get a letter from Boston to New York, a distance of about 260 miles. Crossing a river was also a challenge.______service was so irregular that a______would sometimes wait hours just to catch a ferry. For journeys______, there was always the______, but the ride was______comfortable because it had to be shared with other passengers. The post office was pretty______about some______. In the nineteenth century, in the Southwestern desert, for instance, camels were brought in to help get the mail through. In Alaska,______were used. This practice was_______because of the____________of these animals. We'll stop here a minute so that you can enter this_______of a railway mail car. It was during the Age of the Iron Horse that delivery really started to pick up, in fact, the United States transported most______by train for nearly 100 years. The first airmail service didn't start until 1918. Please take a few moments to look around. I hope you'll enjoy your tour. And as you continue on your own, may I suggest you visit our_______collection. Not only can you look at some of the more unusual stamps issues, but there is an interesting exhibit on how stamps are made.

【填空答案】

onhorseback: riding a horse 骑着马

ferry: n.［C］a boat that carries people or goods across a river or a narrow part of a sea 渡船；渡轮

carrier: n.［C］a company that moves goods or passengers from one place to another 运输公司

inland: adv. in a direction away from the coast and towards the center of a country 向内陆，在内地

stagecoach: n. ［C］a closed vehicle pulled by horses that in former times carried passengers who paid to go to a particular place（旧时的）驿站马车

bynomeans: definitely not 决不

ingenious: adj. an ingenious plan, idea, invention etc is the result of clever thinking and new ideas, and works well （计划、主意、发明等）巧妙的，精妙的

route: n.［C］the way from one place to another, especially a way that is regularly used and can be shown on a map（尤指经常使用，可在地图上显示的）路线

reindeer: n. ［C］a large deer with long wide horns 驯鹿

discontinue: v. to stop doing or providing something that you have regularly done or provided until now 中止，中断，终止

disagreeable: adj. not at all enjoyable or pleasant 令人不快的，不合意的，讨厌的；unfriendly and bad-tempered 不友好的，脾气坏的

temperament: n. ［C,U］the emotional part of someone’s character, especially how likely they are to be happy, angry etc 气质，性情，性格，禀性

replica: n. ［C］a very good copy, especially of a painting or other work of art（尤指艺术）复制品

bulkmail: the posting of large amounts of mail for a smaller cost than usual 大宗邮件寄送

impressive: adj. something that is impressive seems very good, large, important etc so that you admire it 给人深刻印象的

philatelic: adj. of or relating to philately or of interest to philatelists 集邮的

【听力原文】

Let's proceed to the main exhibit hall and look at some of the actual vehicles that have played a prominent role in speeding up mail delivery. Consider how long it used to take to send a letter across a relatively short distance. Back in the 1600's it took two weeksonhorsebackto get a letter from Boston to New York, a distance of about 260 miles. Crossing a river was also a challenge.Ferryservice was so irregular that acarrierwould sometimes wait hours just to catch a ferry. For journeysinland, there was always thestagecoach, but the ride wasby no meanscomfortable because it had to be shared with other passengers. The post office was prettyingeniousabout someroutes. In the nineteenth century, in the Southwestern desert, for instance, camels were brought in to help get the mail through. In Alaska,reindeerwere used. This practice wasdiscontinuedbecause of thedisagreeabletemperamentof these animals. We'll stop here a minute so that you can enter thisreplicaof a railway mail car. It was during the Age of the Iron Horse that delivery really started to pick up, in fact, theUnited Statestransported mostbulkmailby train for nearly 100 years. The first airmail service didn't start until 1918. Please take a few moments to look around. I hope you'll enjoy your tour. And as you continue on your own, may I suggest you visit ourimpressivephilateliccollection. Not only can you look at some of the more unusual stamps issues, but there is an interesting exhibit on how stamps are made.

【参考译文】

让我们继续的主要展览大厅，看发挥了突出的作用，加快邮件传递的一些实际车辆。考虑采取寄一封信在一个相对短的距离有多长。早在1600年代，它在马背上获得的信从波士顿到纽约的距离约260公里，花了两个星期。过河，也是一个挑战。渡轮服务是不规则的，承运人将需要等待一段时间，正好赶上渡轮。往内陆，总是有驿马车，但决不是舒适的乘坐，因为它必须与其他乘客分享。邮局的一些路线是非常巧妙的。在十九世纪，在西南的沙漠中，例如，骆驼带来帮助的邮件通过。在阿拉斯加，驯鹿。这种做法停产，因为这些动物不愉快的气质。我们会停止在这里一分钟，这样就可以进入这个副本的铁路邮车。铁马的时代，这是在交货才真正开始回暖，事实上，美国运输列车近100年来最群发邮件。第一个航空邮件服务没有启动，直到1918年。请花几分钟时间来看看周围。我希望你会喜欢你的旅游。而当你继续你自己的，我建议您访问我们的令人印象深刻的集邮收藏品。你不仅可以看一些更不寻常的邮票问题，但如何邮票有一个有趣的展览。