Listen this way听力教程第三册-3

Unit 3   El Nino? La Nina?

Part Ⅰ  Getting ready
Wherever you go, one of the things that you care most about is the weather. Do you need an umbrella or should you wear an overcoat? You may, of course, read the newspaper for the information. Most of the time, however, you get a weather report by listening to the radio or just dialing a phone number.

A  The following words and phrase will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.
   1. alleviate¹: make something less
   2. almanac: a publication containing statistical² information, meteorological data, and other useful facts
   3. devastate³: destroy completely
   4. cyclic: happening in cycles
   5. oceanographer: a person who studies the body of science dealing⁴ with the ocean
   6. depletive: reducing the amount of something that is available to be used
   7. ripple⁵: little waves on the surface of water caused by the wind or an object dropping into the water
   8. the coastguard: a body of men employed to keep watch on coasts
   9. lens: a curved piece of transparent⁶ substance, usually glass, used in optical devices
   10. microfilm: a film bearing a miniature photographic copy of printed or graphic⁷ matter

B  Listen to the weather report. Fill in the information.
   Places    Weather conditions  Temperatures
   Berlin    Mostly cloudy       ____________
   Brussels    __________________  __________________ 
   London    Mostly cloudy       __________________
   Paris    __________________  __________________ 
   Rome            Periods of clouds   __________________
                   and sunshine        __________________ 
   Vienna    Cloudy              __________________ 
   Athens    __________________  __________________ 
   Belgrade    Mostly cloudy       __________________ 
   Istanbul    Partly sunny        __________________
   Kiev     __________________  __________________
   Moscow    Snowy        __________________
   Prague    Snow flurries       __________________ 
   Washington D.C. Expecting snow      __________________ 

C  Now try this: listen to a more authentic⁸ version of the report.
As we are going towards the end of the 1990s, people are looking forward to the new century. Will there be any changes? Maybe you are interested in some of the issues that we'll be facing.

D  Listen to the following news report. Complete the chart. Trend to be watched next century

   When we listen to the weather forecasts, we often come across some terms related with the weather. For example, what is a cyclone⁹? What is a hurricane? Are they the same? Here is the explanation.

E  Listen to the explanation. Complete the information in the chart.
   Name         Place                    Time
   Ocean storm Northern part of world;  Late summer or autumn
                near equator                     
   Cyclone _______________________        -         
             ___ in the Indian Ocean 
   ___________  Western Pacific Ocean or       -     
                China Sea 
   Hurricane ___________ and Atlantic       - 
         Ocean 

Part Ⅱ El Nino
El Nino was originally recognized by fishermen off the coast of South America as the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean occurring near the beginmng of the year. El Nino means The Little Boy or Christ Child in Spanish. This name was used for the tendency of the phenomenon to arrive around Christmas.

A  Listen to the report. Complete the outline of El Nino.
   Outline
  Ⅰ. General information on El Nino
      A. nature
         a cyclic ______________ that affects the ___________
      B. frequency and length
         1. normally showing up about __________, in four year cycles
         2. lasting¹⁰ about ______________
      C. evidence
         1. bringing ______________ to parts of the earth
         2. some regions becoming ______________; others _____________
      D. time
         beginning with ______________ pulling cold water away from south America's west coast to around the equator

   Ⅱ. Impacts around the world
       A. impacts on the weather
          1. ____________________________
          2. flooding
       B. hard on fishing industry

   Ⅲ. Difficulty of prediction

B  Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the report. Write a summary about El Nino. Use the outline you have completed as cues.

   El Nino is __________ that affects the global climate. It normally shows up ______________________________ and it lasts about 12 to 18 months. As it brings warmer weather to parts of the earth, some regions become ________ than usual while others __________.
   El Nino usually begins with the decline of winds pulling ____________________ to around the equator. This allows warm water in the western Pacific Ocean to ___________. At the same time, the clouds and the rain over the warm water ___________.  
   El Nino's can change __________________. It can cause ___________ as well as ___________. They are also hard ____________, causing fish stocks ___________.
   However, El Nino is hard to predict because ________________________ depends on how winds affect the "Calvin wave" that has moved across the Pacific.

Part Ⅲ  Lick Observatory¹¹
An observatory is a place or building, especially a domed¹² structure, equipped and used for making observations of astronomical¹³ or other natural phenomena¹⁴. Have you ever been to such kind of place? In California, U.S.A., there is a very famous one.
 
A  Listen to the material. Guess the meaning of following words and phrases. Match column A with column B.
   Column A
   1. eucalypus
   2. seismographic station
   3. dome  
   4. in motion
   5. real estate
   6. celestial¹⁵
   7. nostalgia  
   8. trade-off  
 
   Column B
   ___ the exchange of one thing for another
   ___ an affectionate and slightly sad feeling that one has for the past
   ___ connecting with heaven
   ___ proper in the from of building and land
   ___ a round roof
   ___ happening already
   ___ a place where instruments are used to measure and record the vibration¹⁶ of earthquakes
   ___  a kind of evergreen¹⁷ tree

B  Listen again. Supply the missing inform telescope in it.
 Lick Observatory  
   Location       ______________________ from the outskirts¹⁸
    of San Jose, California at the _______ of
    Mount Hamilton 
   Origin of     Getting its name from ___________________
   the name      
   Number of      ________________________________________  
   telescopes held   

       The largest telescope held by Lick Observatory
   Size                        _____________ reflecting lens; the
                               ____ largest telescope of its kind
   Time when it was completed  __________________________________
   Present function            Used for some______; mostly used as
                               _________ for teachers and visitors

C  Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the material. Complete the chart by comparing the 19th century telescope with the modern ones. Then answer the questions.
 
                        19th century telescope    Telescopes connected
                                                   to electronic
                                                   imaging devices
   Way of observation Direct viewing with _____  Viewing celestial 
                        ____________; sitting out  objects on_______  
          _________________________  _________________
   Gains and losses     _____________ ; going out  Nice; __________; 
                 every now and then; keep-  divorced ________
                 ing track of ____________  from ____________ 
  
   Questions:
   1. Why does the speaker say that those telescopes are overlooking the world of computer age manufacturing?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

   2. Why is Lick Observatory a memorial to the businessman from whom it got its name?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

   3. What does Mr. Stone mean by saying "It's a trade-off?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

Part Ⅳ  More about the topic: The National Climatic Data Center
Climate is a global phenomenon. To support man's insatiable quest to understand the entire climate system, data on a global scale must be archived, analyzed¹⁹, and made available. The National Climatic Data Center, or NCDC, is the world's largest active archive of weather data.

A  Complete the outline according to what you hear about the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in U.S.A.
   Outline
   Ⅰ. General information about NCDC
       A. establishment
          formed in ________, as a record center for America's Department of Commerce
       B. ____________________
          in the southern city of Asheville, North Carolina
       C. equipment used to learn about the weather
          ________________________________________

   Ⅱ. Functions
       A. collecting weather records gathered by a number of weather observers and U.S. government agencies
       B. _________________________________________
       C. assisting in production of written records, weather maps and pictures
       D. producing _______________________________
       E. receiving

B  Now listen again. Focus on some specific information and answer the questions.
   1. Could you mention some of the weather observers and government agencies that provide weather records for the NCDC?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________
 
   2. Why do we say that some of the information held by the NCDC is very old?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

   3. How can you get the written records, weather maps and pictures apart from asking the NCDC?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________
   4. Could you mention some of the publications produced by the NCDC?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

   5. How many requests did the NCDC receive last year?
      _________________________________________
      _________________________________________

Part Ⅴ  Do you know ...?
La Nina is sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Nino, or simply "a cold event" or "a cold episode". Global climate La Nina impacts tend to be opposite those of El Nino impacts.
 
Listen to the science report. Fill in the missing information.
         La Nina  
   Meaning of the language    ___________________________
   Time when it develops      Winds near ________________
                              ______ strengthen; cold air
                              forms near _____________ of
                              Peru & Ecuador
   Time when it is strongest  During ___________ in the
                              Northern part of the world  
   Duration                   Lasting ____________ years
   Evidence                   Low water temperatures in__
                              ___________________________
   Impacts                    As severe as _____________:
                              making some places ________
                              than normal and others ____
 
Part Ⅵ  Reminder of key points in this unit
    Verb & Verb Phrase  Noun & Noun Phrase  Other
   Part Ⅰ take its grip       snow flurry    tremendous
    alleviate        almanac            potentially
                 climate zone 
                 cyclone 
                 hurricane 
   Part Ⅱ devastate           oceanographer       cyclic 
                               radar               in a row
                               ripple              unseasonably
                                                   depletive
   Part Ⅲ divorce from        observatory         in motion celestial
                               Silicon Valley      
                               eucalyptus tree
                               seismographic station
                               dome
                               real estate
                               lens
                               nostalgia
                               trade-off
   Part Ⅳ assist              data                 climatic
                               headquarters
                               coastguard
                               weather observer
                               observation
                               microfilm
                               observation station  atmospheric
   Part Ⅴ                     Peru
                               Ecuador
 

1 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

2 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

3 devastate   

v.使荒芜，破坏，压倒

参考例句：

• A few days before,a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.几天前，温莎城堡的大部分被一场大火烧毁。
• Earthquakes can also cause tsunamis,which devastate coastal regions.地震还引发海啸，它直接破坏海岸地区。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

8 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

9 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

10 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

11 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

12 domed   

adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• I gazed up at the domed ceiling arching overhead. 我抬头凝望着上方弧形的穹顶。
• His forehead domed out in a curve. 他的前额呈弯曲的半球形。

13 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

14 phenomena   

n.现象

参考例句：

• Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
• The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

15 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

16 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

17 evergreen   

n.常青树；adj.四季常青的

参考例句：

• Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的，被叫做常青树。
• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。

18 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

19 analyzed   

v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》