流利美国口语6.4（在线收听）

W: So here we are, at the beginning of a new century. Looking back on the past century, I feel many things are incredible.

M: You can say that again. A century ago, who would ever imagine that cars, TVs, telephones, cell phones, walkmans, helicopters, submarines, air-buses would be taken for granted.

W: It is breath taking when you think that the economy of many countries in the world has advanced with such leaps and bounds.

M: And the economy of various nations of the world would become so interdependent in the global village.

W: How true? Who would anticipate that so many Chinese civil projects are under the co-operation of so many foreigners from so many different countries of the world?

Dialogue 2.

W: Hi, Yegan. How is your immigration life in the US?

M: Oh, couldn’t be better, Sharley. I found a job as assistant analyst and my wife is happy with her new career. Our little son Tiger enjoys his life in the kindergarten. He even doesn’t want to go back home in the afternoon.

W: How much did you make last year?

M: My gross income was 50,000 dollars, but after deductions the tax book income came to 30,000 dollars.

W: Is your salary enough to cover your running expenses there?

M: Sure, living is cheap here and we’ve bought a new car recently. Come here soon and we will take you to the beautiful places around here. The landscape is so fantastic.

W: Thanks, and I sure will.

Dialogue 3.

W: It was said that television helped the late president J.F. Kennedy win his presidential election.

M: It’s the truth. The poll showed that Nixon had gained the lead. But after the un-president TV debate between the presidential candidates, Nixon was out-shone by the impressive vigor and by talent of J.F.K, and finally gave up his position to J.F.K.

W: What a shame.

M: By the way, do you think the White House is safer than some 50 years ago?

W: Sure, they have tightened up security there after the shooting down of a helicopter on the White House lawn in 1974, and several incidents where gunmen fired shots at the White House in 1994. There are patrolling secret service officers along the side walk, television cameras and motion detectors nearby, and even sniffers on the White House roof.

M: Now that the security is so visible, the president is safe when he is in the White House complex.

W: Right on.

Exercise.

1. The government should give priority to the problem of financial deficit.

2. Prices are fluctuating.

3. The production of cars has tripled in these 2 years.

4. Who won the presidential election?

5. Tax evasion is a kind of crime.

6. The chief executive of the United States is the president who together with the vice-president is elected to a four-year term with only 2 terms.

7. The federal government of the United States when it was first designed set up a central system with a strong government.

8. The judicial branch is headed by the supreme court.

9. The legislative branch is made up of elected representatives from all of the states. It consists of a congress that is divided into 2 houses, the house of representatives and the senate.