Spot Dictation
For centuries, people have been fighting over whether governments should allow trade between countries. There have been, and probably always will be two sides to the argument.
Some people argue that just letting everybody trade freely is best for both the country and the world. Others argue, that trade with other countries makes it harder for some people to make a good living.
Both sides are at least partly right. International trade matters a lot. It’s a fact on the life of people are enormous. Imagine a world in which your country did not trade at all with other countries. Imagine what kind of job you would be likely to get. And what goods you could buy or not buy in such a world.
For the United States for example, start by imagining that it lived without its 70 billion dollars a year in imported oil, and cut back on its energy use because the remaining domestic oil and other energy sources were more expensive. Producers and consumers in other parts of the economy would feel the same if they were suddenly stripped a foreign-made goods like CD players and clothing.
On the export side, suppose that Boeing could sell airplanes, and farmers could sell their corps only within the United States, and that US universities could admit only domestic students. In each case, there are people who gain, and people who lose from cutting off international trade.
In any case, less or more international trade will have strong affects on your career, as well as your life. For years, American companies are often faced with the choice of buying American-made goods which are expensive, and foreign made goods which are cheap. If the company buys America goods, it may anger tax payers by feeling to keep prices low. But if they buy us foreign goods, it may endanger the jobs of American workers.
Recently, congress has passed a law compiling American companies with government contracts to give preference to domestic goods and services.
Statements
1. Are you looking for someone who can translate this contract into Portuguese? What about our new secetary? I hear she had stayed in Brazil for several years.
2. Finding employment is not easy these days even in big cities. If I were you, I would be delighted with such a job offer.
3. Also present at the conference is Dr. Madison, who will join our discussion this afternoon to give an expert view on the current situation of global economy.
4. If you intend to try bungee jumping, most coutries require that you be over the age of 18 and join a bungee jumping club or be properly instructed for the sport.
5. Keeping a business firm running is far more difficult than starting it. According to current statistics, 2/3 of new business firms will fail in the first five years.
6. Scientists report that hunting or eating wild animals not only destroy the balance of nature, but also run the risk of being infected by virus from animals.
7. We can never learn a foreign language in the same way as we acquire our first. For even a three-year-old child can have thousands of hours of contact with his mother tongue.
8. Once you enroll in full or part-time courses at this college, our services are all free of charge except that you pay 30 pence a copy for any photo copying made here.
9. If you have yet to appoint a new sale’s manager in charge of our LA office, Mrs. Coleman was born there and has good connections.
Talks and Conversations
Q11-14
B: Hey Mary, you look depressed. Is everything OK?
G: It’s my parents. They are not easy to put up with. They are so old fashioned and they never let me do anything. I go out at night only once in a while, and when I do, I have to be back by 10:00. What should I do?
B: Have you tried to talk to them?
G: They never have any time for me. My dad’s work comes first, and my mum only sits down with me when she wants to show me off to her friends:” Marry gets straight As, and she made basketball team this year!" Er, I want to move out and live on my own!
B: Well, I get along with my parents, but we don’t agree all the time. They worry too much about me. If I’m going away, it’s always: "don’t forget to call as soon as you arrive!", "take this medicine with you in case you get sick”,” you must stay away from drugs." They know I’m not into that. They should trust me.
G: I guess parents are all the same.
Question 11: What does the woman think of her parents?
Question 12: Which of the following is TRUE about the woman?
13: What do this man’s parents often ask him to do when he is going away?
14: What does the man think his parents should do?
责任编辑：八月骄阳
