flyaway听力教程3 news item

UNIT5

News Item 1

Therapy Dogs at Ground Zero*

1.

Jean Owen is a dog trainer and volunteer with Therapy Dogs International, an organization

that provides specially-trained dogs and their

handlers

for visits to nursing homes, hospitals

and other institutions. Therapy Dogs International, based in New Jersey, is one of a growing

number of organizations that believes that the comfort and love of a pet can increase a

person's physical and emotional

well-being

, promote healing and improve the quality of life.

2.

Therapy Dogs International was founded in 1976 by Elaine Smith, a

registered nurse

who

observed the benefits of pets

interact

ing with patients. Studies have shown that holding or

petting an animal can lower a person's blood pressure,

release tension

and ease loneliness

and

depression.

Since September (terrorist attacks), dog trainer Jean Owen has spent a lot of

time visiting

firehouses

and Red Cross

respite

* centers for workers at Ground Zero.

3.

In New York City, there continues to be a need for specially-trained dogs to comfort people

who have been

traumatized

* by disaster. One victim remarked,

about your feelings. But a dog knows how you're feeling.

This news item is

about the therapy dogs that are used to increase a person's physical and

emotional well-being, promote healing and improve the quality of life.

News Item 2

Robots

1.

The new SDR4X stands only 60 centimeters tall, but Sony still says it could be part of

the family. But it will have to be a wealthy family. Its creators say it will cost as much as a

luxury car!

2.

Electronics companies across the globe are racing to develop the next great robot for

use around the home. Some, such as the SDR4X, are

humanoid* robots

meant to entertain

their owners' with their walking, talking and tricks. Others are made to do chores, such as

mow the lawn or wash the car.

3.

Robots could help kids do their homework, or make learning fun, for example.

4.

Rodney Brooks is the Artificial Intelligence Director at the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology.

5.

His company, iRobot (eye-robot) Corporation, has developed what it calls

presence

They allow their owners to control them from anywhere in the world by

using the Internet. He calls this

6.

As for the fun side, the industry is developing companion robots for elderly people

who are lonely. And Sony expects to put its SDR4X on the market by the end of the year.

This news item is about

the latest development in robots for use around the home.

News Item 3

Robotics

1.

The sophisticated combination of electronics and software empowering today's toys

may run tomorrow's household robots, according to engineer Pradeep Khosla, at

Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute.

2.

Mr. Khosla is presently working on programming robots to

duplicate

human response,

so that in the future robots might be able to function as helpers for

the elderly

or the

handicapped

.

3.

He says he has made some gains --- robots that respond to hand signals, voice

commands, light and darkness and those gains are visible on today's toy market.

4.

Jeff Burnstein of the Robotics Industries Association says a robot, by definition, is a

piece of equipment that is multifunctional, one that can be reprogrammed to do many

different tasks.

5.

Home robot helpers may be a distant dream, he says, but industrial robots are an

essential part of most factories today.

6.

As for the future, Pradeep Khosla says a person will be able to turn to his or her robot

helper and say - Get me a Coca Cola. That robot will then walk to the refrigerator and

open the door.

7.

That future is about 20 years

off

, Mr. Khosla estimates. The children playing with robot

toys today could be the first generation to live with robots in their homes as adults.

This news item is about

the present achievements of robotics and the home robot helper in

the future.

UNIT6

News Item 1

（第二版）

Teaching Tips

the Swat valley

The Swat valley is located 160 km/IOO miles from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. In

December 2008 most of the area was captured by the Taliban insurgency and was considered

dangerous for tourism .. The Pakistani government in late May 2009 began a military

offensive to regain control of the region. Swat is now cleared of Taliban and is open for

tourism.

1. On his way home from his first official visit to the United States,

Pakistani

President

Asif Ali Zardari stopped in London for two days of discussions.

2. His first meeting was with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at his

official

residence

.

3. At a

joint news conference

, Mr. Brown praised the current Pakistani army

offensive

against

Taliban

targets in the Swat valley.

4. Because of this, Mr. Brown said Britain is

pledging

* $$18 million worth of additional

humanitarian aid

in the form of food, water, shelter and

sanitation

that will be directed at

those being

displaced

* in the northwest.

5. In addition to the aid, the prime minister said he expects much more cooperation

between Britain and Pakistan over

a wide range of issues.

6. Mr. Brown said helping the effort to tackle terrorism in Pakistan and improving health

and education there were important

priorities

for his government.

7. Mr. Zardari said the fight against extremists

in particular

is a struggle that will not be

solved overnight.

8. Islamabad says 15,'000 security troops have moved into the tribal areas.

This news item is about an

leaders discussed

News Item 2

（

第

一

、

二

）

Israel-Palestine

1.

Palestinian

witnesses and security sources said some 30 tanks and armored

personnel carriers drove into the Tulkarem

refugee

camp around 3 a.m. The army did not say

whether the gunman responsible for the attack on the kibbutz* was among those

detained.

2.

The AI-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades* of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah* movement

claimed responsibility for the killings. Mr. Arafat says he has formed a committee to

investigate the attack on the kibbutz.

3.

In Tuesday's action, the Israeli military also

demolished

the home of a Palestinian

militant (Mohammed Naifan)

they say

is responsible for sending the gunman into Kibbutz

Metzer.

4.

Israeli officials say the gunman came from Tulkarem but that he was following orders of

AIAqsa leaders in Nablus. By midday Tuesday Palestinian witnesses were reporting that

Israeli troops were gathering outside the West Bank town.

5.

Israeli authorities say Palestinian

militants

from Fatah and Hamas* in Nablus are

behind

a series of attacks against Israelis over the past few months.

6.

The latest violence comes as US envoy* David Satterfield begins a visit to the

region

to

work on a peace plan. He arrived in Israel Monday for

separate talks

with Israeli and

Palestinian officials.