-
Passage 1
Digital
Cameras
[00:]
①
According to a standard definition, /
[00:]a digital camera is a
camera that produces digital images /
[00:]that can be stored in a computer,
displayed on a screen and printed. /
[01:]
②
Years ago people used to possess two
different devices /
[01:] in
order to take pictures and make videos. /
[01:]
③
The creation of digital cameras was
motivated mainly by two factors. /
[01:]
④
First, need to spare space. /
[01:]
⑤
Second, make it more comfortable for
people
[01:]to do both
things with higher quality results. /
[01:]
⑥
The multi-functionalism of digital
cameras
[01:]and the
combination of several devices in one /
[01:]make it a popular
choice for a modern man. /
[01:]
⑦
For years a digital camera has been
unaffordable for many families. /
[01:]
⑧
However, the variety of digital cameras
and various prices nowadays /
[01:]make it possible for almost every
single family to buy a digital camera. /
[01:]
⑨
With increasingly fierce competition,
/
[01:] the digital camera
manufacturers satisfy customers
[02:]with lower prices but best quality
standards.
Passage 2
The Migration of Birds
[00:]
①
The most obvious feature of birds is
that they can fly. /
[00:]
②
This facility gives them great mobility
and control over their movements. /
[00:]
③
Many species can travel quickly and
economically over long
distances
—
/
[01:]up to thousands of
kilometers, /
[01:]if
necessary, crossing seas, deserts or other
inhospitable areas. /
[01:]
④
They also have great orientation and
navigational skills, /
[01:]and are able to remember and re-
find
[01:]remote places
they have previously visited. /
[01:]
⑤
Birds can thereby occupy widely
separated areas at different seasons, /
[01:]returning repeatedly
to the same localities from year to year.
/
[01:]
⑥
Although migration is evident in other
animal groups, /
[01:]including insects, mammals, and
fish, /
[01:]in none is it
as widely and well developed as in birds. /
[01:]
⑦
The collective travel routes of birds
span almost the entire planet. /
[01:]
⑧
As a result of migration, bird
distributions are continually
changing
—
/
[02:]on regular seasonal
patterns, and on local, regional or global
scales.
Passage
3
Benefits of
Becoming a Teacher
[00:]
①
Becoming a teacher gives you a chance /
[00:]to spend a major
portion of your day with children or youngsters. /
[00:]
②
With kids around,
[00:]you are a part of their world of
innocence and purity. /
[01:]
③
It indeed creates a healthy work
environment for you. /
[01:]
④
On becoming a teacher, /
[01:]you get a chance to be with
children,
[01:]laugh with
them, think their way /
[01:]and enjoy their innocently silly
and healthily naughty behavior. /
[01:]
⑤
Apart from this, the nature of your job
is that /
[01:]you do not
work on weekends and you get your share of
holidays. /
[01:]
⑥
Becoming a teacher entitles you /
[01:]for receiving private
scholarships and sponsorships
[01:]for teaching programs. /
[01:]
⑦
However, one of the most important
benefits
[01:]of becoming a
teacher is that /
[01:]teachers contribute to the shaping
of the future generations. /
[01:]
⑧
They make a difference to society /
[01:]by playing a vital
role in nurturing young minds.
Passage 4
Computer
[00:]
①
With the development of computer
technology, /
[00:]computers are becoming
increasingly popular all over the world. /
[00:]
②
The computer is being used in many
fields. /
[00:]
③
In industry, business, education,
medicine,
[01:]nearly all
walks of life, /
[01:]computers have made their
appearance,
[01:]providing great speed and accuracy
for our work. /
[01:]
④
Computers have been used in the home,
offices,
[01:]laboratories
and research institutions, /
[01:]acting as the most efficient and
multifunctional instruments /
[01:]for calculating, sorting, filing,
recording and distributing. /
[01:]
⑤
And they have also become a window
[01:]through which we can
understand the world better. /
[01:]
⑥
During the past fifty years,
[01:]the computer has been
rapidly advanced. /
[01:]
⑦
Ever since the computer came into
being,
[01:]it has
experienced the development of several
generations. /
[01:]
⑧
The earliest computers were of great
size, /
[01:]and had no
match for the latest electronic computers
[02:]in speed and accuracy.
/
[02:]
⑨
Now efforts are being made
[02:]not only to bring the hardware to
perfection, /
[02:]but also
to improve the quality of the software.
Passage 5
Computer Addiction
[00:]
①
Nowadays, computer users have started
developing
[00:]some bad
habits regarding using computers, /
[00:]which have led to significant
problems in their lives. /
[00:]
②
The negative consequences from computer
addiction /
[01:]are
similar to those of many other known addictive
disorders /
[01:]that cause
mental and physical disturbances. /
[01:]
③
As a result, the term
“
computer or Internet
addiction
”
[01:]
has come into use. /
[01:]
④
It is also known as cyberspace
addiction
[01:]and Internet
addiction disorder. /
[01:]
⑤
It's not an easy task
[01:]to identify which type of computer
addiction
[01:]is
responsible for most computer addicts, /
[01:]as there are many
types of computer addictions, /
[01:]such as online games, chat,
e-mail, online shopping,
[01:]online gambling and so on. /
[01:]
⑥
No one knows in the future, /
[01:]which technology would
attract more people
[01:]to
become computer addicts. /
[01:]
⑦
However, there are various
organizations /
[01:]that
specifically deal with computer addiction /
[01:]and have helped many
thousands of people
[01:]to
get rid of this damaging addiction.
Passage 6
Listening Skills
[00:]
①
Communication with others involves
learning listening skills. /
[00:]
②
It's a good feeling when someone
listens to you /
[00:]when
you're talking to them. /
[00:]
③
It makes you feel like they care about
you
[01:]and what you're
saying. /
[01:]
④
The same respect should be given to
people
[01:]that are
speaking to you. /
[01:]
⑤
Controlling the conversation or
interrupting constantly
[01:]with your views or suggestions
/
[01:]is not listening to
the other person. /
[01:]
⑥
Listening closely and then responding
at the appropriate time
[01:]makes a good conversation.
/
[01:]
⑦
Making comments at the correct
time
[01:]lets the speaker
know you're interested /
[01:]and can help you stay centered on
the conversation. /
[01:]
⑧
Asking good questions about the
subject
[01:]will show you
want to know more about it. /
[01:]
⑨
Try not to ask too many questions with
the word
“
why
”
.
/
[01:]
⑩
People might not know the
answer
[01:]and won't be
able to respond to the question. /
[01:]
?
Always, let people finish what they're
saying /
[01:]before you
talk about something else.
Passage 7
Book Review
[00:]
①
The determination of the book review
[00:]is to communicate to
the readers’ mind /
[00:]the ideas and sensations book
reviewer experienced /
[00:]
while researching the content. /
[01:]
②
Professional book reviews are important
in all professions. /
[01:]
③
But they are especially important in
the sciences, /
[01:]which
define the specialization of the book reviewer. /
[01:]
④
That is because the basic unit of
scientific communication,
[01:]the primary research paper, /
[01:]is typically five to
eight printed pages in most fields, /
[01:]which is short and narrowly
specific. /
[01:]
⑤
Therefore, to provide a general
overview
[01:]of a
significant slice of science, /
[01:]professional writers of scientific
books have to
[01:]organize
and join the reported knowledge in a field /
[01:]into a much larger,
more meaningful package. /
[01:]
⑥
In other words, new scientific
knowledge is made meaningful /
[01:]by sorting the bits and pieces
into book reviews
[02:]to
provide a larger picture. /
[02:]
⑦
Thus, the individual plants and
flowers,
[02:]and even the
weeds, become a landscape.
Passage 8
Television Advertisements
[00:]
①
A television advertisement or
television commercial
[00:]is a span of television
programming /
[00:]produced
and paid for by an organization
[00:]that conveys a message. /
[01:]
②
Advertisement revenue provides
[01:]a significant portion
of the funding /
[01:]for
most privately owned television networks. /
[01:]
③
The vast majority of television
advertisements today
[01:]consist of brief advertising
spots, /
[01:]ranging in
length from a few seconds to several minutes. /
[01:]
④
Advertisements of this sort have been
used to
[01:]sell every
product imaginable over the years, /
[01:]from household products to goods
and services,
[01:]to
political campaigns. /
[01:]
⑤
The effect of television advertisements
upon the viewing public /
[01:]has been greatly successful and
pervasive. /
[01:]
⑥
In some countries, like the United
States, /
[01:]it is
considered impossible for a politician
[01:]to wage a successful election
campaign /
[01:]without the
purchase of television advertising. /
[02:]
⑦
In other countries, such as France,
[02:]political advertising
is strictly limited on television. /
[02:]
⑧
Some countries, like Norway, even
completely ban it.
Passage 9
Waste
[00:]
①
Waste is sometimes a subjective
concept, /
[00:]because
items that some people discard may have value to
others. /
[00:]
②
It is widely recognized that waste
materials
[01:]are a
valuable resource, /
[01:]while there is debate as to how
this value is best realized. /
[01:]
③
Governments need to define what waste
is /
[01:]in order that it
can be safely and legally managed. /
[01:]
④
Different definitions need to be
combined /
[01:]in order to
ensure the safe and legal disposal of the waste. /
[01:]
⑤
The European Union has started a
discussion /
[01:]that will
end in an End-of-Waste directive. /
[01:]
⑥
It will clarify the distinction between
waste
[01:]that shall be
treated for disposal /
[01:]and raw materials that can be
reused for other purposes. /
[01:]
⑦
All over the world, America generates
more waste
[01:]than any
other nation in the world, /
[01:]with 4. 5 pounds of municipal
solid waste per person per day, /
[02:]55 percent of which is contributed
as residential garbage.
Passage 10
Getting Paid to Shop
[00:]
①
Advertising in our days has joined our
lives quite well. /
[00:]
②
Getting paid to shop is another form of
advertising. /
[00:]
③
A contractor evaluates products and
services
[01:]offered by
various companies /
[01:]in
order to become known to the public /
[01:]with the main purpose to increase
their sales. /
[01:]
④
Getting paid to shop,
[01:]users have the opportunity to shop
favorite products /
[01:]like jewelry, handbags, clothes,
shoes and other things, /
[01:]and create an income
[01:] that might later lead them to
financial freedom. /
[01:]
⑤
To be more clear and specific,
/
[01:] anyone who joins a
getting paid to shop program /
[01:]will have the opportunity to shop
things that you wish for free /
[01:]while at the end of the campaign
[01:]might those things
become yours. /
[01:]
⑥
In addition, those companies that offer
such opportunity
[01:]will
pay their members to do that. /
[01:]
⑦
Getting paid to shop is certainly the
ideal solution /
[01:]that
fits perfectly with most women
[02:]who like to shop often or see
shopping as a hobby.
Passage 11
Negative Effects of
Television
[00:]
①
Spending too many hours watching
television
[00:]wastes the
precious time /
[00:]that
can rather be spent in fruitful and healthy
activities
[01:]like
exercise or reading. /
[01:]
②
It also uses up the time /
[01:]that you can rather spend with
your family and friends. /
[01:]
③
Chatting with your near ones,
[01:]spending time with
your close ones /
[01:]is a
better way of spending time than watching TV. /
[01:]
④
People watching television,
[01:]especially children and
youngsters, /
[01:]start
identifying with what is shown on TV. /
[01:]
⑤
They relate to television shows and
films to such an extent /
[01:]that they get bored of living a
normal and simple life. /
[01:]
⑥
They are eager for fame and money; /
[01:]they long for living
the lives of their favorite TV characters. /
[01:]
⑦
This may lead to a high amount of
dissatisfaction
[01:]for
the real world. /
[01:]
⑧
As real life is the contrast of the
life shown on TV, /
[01:]such TV addicts become hungry for
power, money and status.
Passage 12
Culture Shock
[00:]
①
Culture shock
isn
’
t a clinical term or
medical condition. /
[00:]
②
It
’
s simply a
common way to describe
[00:]the confusing and nervous feelings
a person may have /
[00:]after leaving a familiar culture
[00:]to live in a new and
different culture. /
[01:]
③
When you move to a new place, /
[01:]you’re bound to face a
lot of changes. /
[01:]
④
That can be exciting and stimulating, /
[01:]but it can also be
overwhelming. /
[01:]
⑤
You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated,
and want to go home. /
[01:]
⑥
It
’
s natural to
have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. /
[01:]
⑦
People from other cultures may have
grown up
[01:]with values
and beliefs that differ from yours. /
[01:]
⑧
Because of these differences, /
[01:]the things they talk
about, the ways they express themselves, /
[01:]and the importance of
various ideas /
[01:]may be
very different from what you are used to. /
[01:]
⑨
But the good news is that culture shock
is usually temporary.
Passage 13
Environmentally Friendly
Cars
[00:]
①
Environmentally friendly cars are
supposed to be
[00:]the
vehicles of future generations. /
[00:]
②
Nevertheless, such cars exist now /
[00:]and are becoming more
popular in the modern car market
[01:]than traditional vehicles /
[01:]which work on fossil
fuels. /
[01:]
③
The advantages of such cars
[01:]are not only in their lower
harmfulness
[01:]for the
environment and people’ s health /
[01:]but also in the lower fuel costs.
/
[01:]
④
However, their production is rather
expensive, /
[01:]so it is
still a controversial point /
[01:]both for the customers and the
automobile manufacturers. /
[01:]
⑤
Although they are more expensive to
buy, /
[01:]they pay for
themselves in a period of about 5 years /
[01:]because they consume
less expensive fuels. /
[01:]
⑥
The common types of environmentally
friendly cars
[01:]include
electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars,
[01:]crossbreed cars and solar cars.
/
[01:]
⑦
And environmentally friendly cars
[01:]have become the choice
of many people /
[01:]who
decided to reduce the influence
[02:]of burning fossil fuels on the
nature.
Passage
14
The Earth Day
[00:]
①
Our Planet Earth has so much to give
us. /
[00:]
②
From the beautiful natural surroundings
[00:]to the rich types of
creatures, /
[00:]Planet
Earth has loads of things to offer /
[00:]that only make the life more
beautiful. /
[01:]
③
However, have you given a thought to
[01:]how many individuals
actually respect this planet /
[01:]
④
April 22nd is known the world over as
Earth Day. /
[01:]
⑤
It is celebrated to create more
awareness about our planet /
[01:]and situations that we need to
take care of /
[01:]to
ensure our Planet Earth is well loved and cared
for. /
[01:]
⑥
As things are, we need to celebrate it
on one day /
[01:]to remind
us of the responsibilities
[01:]we need to handle in the coming
years. /
[01:]
⑦
The importance of Planet Earth is
something /
[01:]that
should be taught to children in their early years,
[01:]at home and in the
school. /
[01:]
⑧
Only then will the young and old alike,
[01:]understand the issues
/
[01:]such as global
warming, energy conservation
[01:]and the importance of
recycling.
Passage 15
Differences Between Chinese and Western
Eating Habits
[00:]
①
There are great differences
[00:]between Chinese and Western eating
habits. /
[00:]
②
Unlike the West, where everyone has
their own plate of food, /
[01:]in China the dishes are placed on
the table and everybody shares. /
[01:]
③
If you are being treated by a Chinese
host, /
[01:]be prepared
for a ton of food. /
[01:]
④
Chinese are very proud of their culture
of cuisine /
[01:]and will
do their best to show their hospitality. /
[01:]
⑤
And sometimes the Chinese hosts use
their chopsticks
[01:]to
put food in your bowl or plate. /
[01:]
⑥
This is a sign of politeness. /
[01:]
⑦
The appropriate thing to do would be to
eat whatever-it-is /