新编大学英语自主2Unit 1

[00:04.93]Practice One  clapping Hands   Words You Need to Know

[00:12.64]clap          approve          fan         applause 1

[00:33.70]compliment 2       insult       admiration 3        ovation 4

[00:55.55]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and answer the question briefly 5.

[01:04.66]In many parts of the world people clap hands to show that they like or approve of something.

[01:11.71]In the theater, at a concert, or at a football game, people clap hands after they see something they like.

[01:20.28]In Russia the actors, performers, and athletes clap together with the audience.

[01:27.34]In most countries, however, the performers are happy to receive the applause. They don't clap back to their fans.

[01:35.98]A very long time ago clapping meant the opposite of what it means now.

[01:41.77]When people did not like an actor or a performer they clapped. They were trying to make as much noise as possible.

[01:49.58]They continued to clap until the actor left the stage.

[01:54.41]At some time in history the meaning of clapping changed.

[01:58.87]It became a compliment instead of an insult.

[02:02.87]Now when an audience wants to show great admiration for a performer, they not only clap but they stand up and clap.

[02:12.08]That is called a standing 6 ovation. A standing ovation is the dream of every performer.

[02:20.76]Many actors say that is what they work so hard for-Applause! Applause!   (184 words)

[02:27.96]What can be another more specific title for the passage?

[02:34.04]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

[02:47.80]1)A very long time ago, performers would be very happy when people clapped their hands.

[02:56.94]2)Performers usually clap back to their fans in most countries.

[03:03.78]3)Clapping means a compliment nowadays.

[03:09.43]4)People clap only when an actor finishes his performance.

[03:16.16]Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the passage for the third time and answer the following questions briefly.

[03:26.82]1)Why do people clap hands in many parts of the world?

[03:32.90]2)What do Russian performers do when they receive the applause?

[03:38.92]3)What did clapping hands mean a very long time ago?

[03:44.75]4)What will people do when they want to show great admiration for a performer?

[03:51.41]5)Why do many actors work so hard?

[03:56.20]Practice Two Time

[03:59.90]Words You Need to Know

[04:02.21]video     sassette     obsession 7     photocopy 8

[04:25.90]promptness       efficiency      handle        appliance

[04:50.30]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and supply the missing words.

[04:59.23]Almost every American wears a watch, and, in nearly every room in an American home, there's a clock.

[05:08.12]"Be on time." "Don't waste time." "Time is money." "Time waits for no one."

[05:15.54]All of these familiar sayings reflect the American obsession with promptness and efficiency.

[05:22.85]Students and employees displease 9 their teachers and bosses when they arrive late.

[05:29.36]This desire to get the most out of every minute often affects behavior, making Americans impatient when they have to wait.

[05:39.59]The pressure to make every moment count sometimes makes it difficult for Americans to relax and do nothing.

[05:48.05]The desire to save time and handle work efficiently 10 also leads Americans to buy many kinds of machines.

[05:57.08]These range from household appliances to equipment for the office, such as calculators,

[06:03.96]photocopy machines and computers. One popular machine is the video cassette recorder, which gives Americans a new kind of control over time

[06:17.10]Professional football fans don't have to miss the Sunday afternoon game on TV because of a birthday party. They simply videotape it.

[06:27.54]Then, for them, the Sunday afternoon game occurs on Sunday evening.

[06:33.34]What's more, they save actual time then by pushing buttons on the machine and avoiding all sales ads and commercials and so on.

[06:44.32]One man says he thus can see a 3 -hour game later in 1 hours.   (219 words)

[06:53.10]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

[07:05.38]1)Every American wears a watch and there's a clock in every American room.

[07:12.29]2)The teachers and bosses will be forgiven if they are late.

[07:17.87]3)Americans will feel upset if they have to miss a TV game to attend a party.

[07:25.28]4)It is difficult for Americans to relax and do nothing.

[07:31.37]5)Americans' behavior is often affected 11 by the desire to make every moment count.

[07:39.07]6)Americans like the video cassette recorder because it saves them a lot of time.

[07:47.24]Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the passage for the third time and fill in each blank with the information you get from the recording 12.

[07:59.92]Practice Three   Father's Day

[08:04.16]Words You Need to Know

[08:06.22]clergy 13      celebrate       picnic

[08:22.88]Spokane    Sonora     Calvin Coolidge     Douglas     Norman

[08:53.70]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

[09:06.52]Sonora got the idea for Father's Day more than eighty years ago.

[09:12.31]She was listening to a speech about Mother's Day and decided 14 that fathers should be recognized too.

[09:19.15]She especially wanted to honor her own father, who had raised six children alone.

[09:25.63]Sonora asked the clergy in Spokane to prepare speeches to honor fathers on the first Sunday in June,

[09:34.38]her own father's birthday. But they did not give the speeches until two weeks later, the third Sunday in June.

[09:43.56]Fifteen years later, President Calvin Coolidge said Americans should honor the fathers on the third Sunday in June. In 1972, Father's Day became a national holiday in the United States.

[09:59.94]American families celebrate Father's Day by gathering 15 for dinner or a picnic. They may do special things for Father on his special day: prepare his favorite foods or join him in a favorite activity.

[10:15.89]And everyone gives him card and gifts.

[10:19.85]Each year, a private group called the National Father's Day Committee chooses American men to receive its Father of the Year Award.

[10:30.14]The first award was given fifty years ago to General Douglas MacArthur, World War II Commander.

[10:38.32]General Norman Schwarzkopf, former commander of Allied 16 Forces in the Persian Gulf 17,

[10:44.51]was among the winners. He said that being a father puts things in balance. After giving orders all day to thousands of people and having them obey, he said, there is something very healthy about coming home at night and not being able to get your children to clean their teeth! (253 words)

[11:04.78]1)Mother's Day came into being earlier than Father's Day.

[11:12.37]2)Spokane's father was born in July.

[11:18.06]3)American families get together to celebrate Father's Day.

[11:24.50]4)The National Father's Day Committee awards good fathers once a year.

[11:32.78]5)One will lose his balance if he is a general and a father at the same time.

[11:40.85]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and answer the following questions briefly.

[11:51.00]1)What was Sonora doing when the idea of Father's Day struck her?

[11:57.26]2)Why did she want to honor her own father?

[12:02.63]3)What do Americans do to celebrate Father's Day?

[12:08.32]4)What award do the good fathers receive from the National Father's Day Committee?

[12:16.20]5)Why did General Norman Schwarzkopf say that being a father puts things in balance

[12:24.84]Happy Minute

[12:26.71]Listen to the following jokes and enjoy yourself.

[12:31.03]Joke 1:There was a certain pilot who was coming in to land at an airport.

[12:38.52]The control tower asked for his "height and position". The pilot replied, "1 metre 80 and sitting in the front."

[12:49.39]Joke 2:When a man was asked how many people it takes to change a light bulb in the ceiling light, he said, "4. One to hold the bulb, and the other 3 to turn the stool 18 he's standing on."

[13:05.20]Lesson Two Culture

[13:09.26]Words You Need to Know

[13:11.46]tip

[13:15.82]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the dialogue and answer the question briefly.

[13:24.35]The following is a conversation between two international students, Jianguo and Maria.

[13:31.51]Jianguo:Have you ever done something really foolish here in the US?

[13:36.12]Maria:Of course I have. Last October, I was going to meet a friend at a restaurant on Sunday.

[13:43.43]When I got there at 6 o'clock, my friend wasn't there.

[13:47.96]I waited for 20 minutes and she still didn't arrive.

[13:52.50]Finally I called her and said angrily, "It's 6:20. Why aren't you here?" She said, "It's only 5:20. Didn't you remember to turn your clocks back last night?"

[14:08.02]I felt so stupid, but that was my way of learning about the daylight savings 19 change.

[14:15.32]Jianguo:I've never done that, but I've done other silly things.

[14:19.86]Last month an American friend invited me to go to dinner with him.

[14:25.04]When the check arrived, he said, "The bill is $20 plus tip. We each pay $11.50."

[14:33.79]I was shocked and embarrassed. I only had $8. Since he invited me, I thought he was going to pay.

[14:43.22]Maria:Life in the US is full of embarrassing moments.

[14:47.29]Jianguo:And sometimes I think I've been through all of them.  (169 words)

[14:51.61]What are the two speakers talking about?

[14:55.32]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the first part of the dialogue again and answer the following questions briefly.

[15:05.87]1)When were Maria and her friend supposed to meet at a restaurant?

[15:12.60]2)How long did Maria wait?

[15:16.92]3)Why did the speaker make such a mistake?

[15:22.90]4)How did she feel when she knew the truth?

[15:27.25]Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the second part of the dialogue again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

[15:41.51]1)Both Jianguo and Maria did some foolish things.

[15:48.17]2)Maria went to dinner with an American friend last week.

[15:53.57]3)Jianguo owed his American friend $23.

[15:59.98]4)The tip was only $1.50.

[16:05.09]5)Jianguo felt shocked because he thought he didn't need to pay for the dinner.

[16:12.97]Practice Two Friday the 13th

[16:17.58]Words You Need to Know

[16:19.85]refrigerator    juice      carton      spill       gauge 20

[16:49.58]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the following story and answer the question briefly.

[16:59.56]Harry 21 hears his alarm and turns on the radio. He hears the announcer say, "Good morning, everyone. And I hope it's a good day for you, not an unlucky one.

[17:10.46]It's Friday the 13th. It's cold and rainy outside. It's a good day to stay home, if you can."

[17:18.49]What's unlucky about Friday the 13th? Harry dresses and goes into the kitchen.

[17:25.37]He opens the refrigerator. Where's the orange juice?

[17:30.12]Harry looks in the back of the refrigerator. He knocks a carton of milk off the shelf.

[17:36.53]The milk spills on his pants and shoes and covers the floor. He cleans up the mess and runs to change his clothes.

[17:46.03]By now, he's late for work. Where are his car keys? He looks everywhere, then finally opens the refrigerator again.

[17:56.72]There they are, on the top shelf. He can't find his umbrella, so he runs through the rain to his car.

[18:05.44]The seat is all wet because he didn't close the window last night.

[18:10.01]Harry puts the key in the ignition and turns it. The engine starts, then dies

[18:18.47]He tries again, but the same thing happens. Harry looks at the gas gauge. It's on empty.

[18:28.30]Harry leaves his car and goes back in the house. He takes off his clothes and gets back into bed.

[18:36.32]It's Friday the 13th, a good day to stay at home. (226 words)

[18:42.12]Why does Harry eventually decide to stay at home?

[18:46.01]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the story again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

[18:59.18]1)Though it is a cold rainy day, Harry has to go to work.

[19:05.45]2)Harry spills the orange juice so he has to change his clothes.

[19:11.24]3)Harry finds his car keys in the refrigerator.

[19:16.64]4)Harry uses his umbrella when he runs to the car.

[19:21.79]5)Today is an unlucky day for Harry.

[19:26.47]Exercise 3:Directions:Listen to the story for the third time and rearrange the following sentences in the correct order according to the recording.

[19:40.62]Practice Three Culture Shock

[19:44.44]Words You Need to Know

[19:46.63]shove 22      vet 23     towel

[20:02.11]attendant 24     universal

[20:13.09]Exercise 1:Directions:Listen to the passage and decide which choice is the best to complete each of the statements.

[20:24.32]Some Americans who travel to foreign countries for the first time are shocked at the differences that they find. Here are three that might surprise them.

[20:35.05]One difference between the US and other countries is in how people stand in line.

[20:41.42]Most Americans don't think about how they stand in line; they assume that everyone stands in line in the same way.

[20:50.14]People do not stand in line in the same way, of course.

[20:54.13]In some countries they stand far apart, in other countries they stand close together.

[21:01.80]In some countries they stand quietly, in other countries they push and shove.

[21:07.96]Another difference might shock Americans who travel.

[21:11.74]In the United States, many Americans have pets.

[21:15.88]Americans like animals, especially dogs and cats.

[21:20.23]They take good care of their pets. They give them special pet food and they make special beds for them.

[21:27.43]If the pets get sick, Americans take them to the vet. In many countries, however, animals do not live in people's houses. They do not get special food or special treatment.

[21:41.04]They live in the streets and take care of themselves.

[21:44.53]If they get sick and hungry, they often die.

[21:48.28]Americans do not understand this attitude toward animals.

[21:52.06]A third difference between the United States and other countries is very shocking for Americans who have never traveled.

[21:59.29]This difference is in restrooms and bathrooms.

[22:02.78]In some countries, for example, the design of the toilets is not familiar to Americans.

[22:09.34]In particular, Western and non-Western toilets sometimes look very different.

[22:15.20]Thus, Americans who travel learn quickly that the Western design is not universal.

[22:21.43]In addition, Americans are often very upset to discover that, in some countries, public restrooms do not have toilet paper and hand towels.

[22:31.76]People carry these things with them or they tip a rest room attendant in order to get them.

[22:38.14]It is good for Americans to travel. By traveling, they can learn how other people live and think.

[22:45.62]They can learn that customs are not necessarily better or worse in different countries;

[22:50.99]customs are simply different. Above all, Americans can learn that the United States is not an island.  (353 words)

[22:59.63]Exercise 2:Directions:Listen to the passage again and complete the following sentences from it.

[23:09.74]Happy Minute

[23:11.54]Listen to the following joke and enjoy yourself.

[23:15.58]There was once a man working on a building site, who had an accident.

[23:21.41]His ear was cut off by a piece of machinery 25, so he went to see his boss and told him what had happened.

[23:29.11]His boss said that they should go and look for the ear because the doctors might be able to put it back on

[23:36.82]After a few minutes the boss shouted, "Look, here it is!" The man looked at it and said, "No, that isn't mine. Mine had a pencil behind it."