Talks and Conversations

Passage one (Q11-14)

W：What are you laughing about?
M: I just saw the serious advertisement on TV for Germen soups. It’s said our products are home-made with the freshest vegetables and fruits. Then a scene in the factory showed that products were prepared and packed by the most sophisticated machinery.
W: And I am sure that the word NATURE was put on the jars and cans of the products. I think the stupidest advertisements are those that imply that you are one of a kind. If you buy the product, you will be a very special person. Now you will be just like every other one of the 20 billion people who bought it.
M: That’s really silly. But to me, the dullest of them all is when advertisers put a celebrity on TV to talk about a particular brand of soap or about a particular car. I bet that the celebrity’s never used the product before they got the job of appearing in the commercial.
W: Yeah! But most of these commercials work and people remember the product.
M: I agree, here we are talking about ads we’ve seen, aren’t we? We are all influenced by those celebrities and brand names.
W: I think teenagers are specially vulnerable. Advertisers try to get teenagers used to a brand because they know that in later years, the teenagers will stick to that particular product of theirs.

Question 11: What in the advertisement has made the man laugh?
Question 12: When some ads imply that you are one of a kind, what does that mean?
Question 13: Why does the advertiser put the celebrity on TV to talk about a particular product?
Question 14: According to the women, what will teenagers do if they are used to a brand?

Passage two (Q15-18)

Many of you may have heard of jet lag, which is a condition of space disorders, resulting from rapid travel over time zones. Such as on a jet plane. The symptom of jet lag can be quite varied, and may include loss of appetite, nausea, headache, fatigue, insomnia, or even mild depression. Here are a few tips for you to avoid jetlag, or cope if you are stricken by the condition.

First, adjust your biological rhythm several days before your departure, and develop a plan to start switching to the time zone of your destination. For instance, if you will be flying from New York to Paris, where it is 6 hours later, get up one hour earlier for a couple of days, then 2 hours earlier, then 3 hours earlier, I will try to at least get half way to your new time zone. Turn lights on during day time in your destination, and off at night time. Second, during the time of your adjustment, especially during the flight, drink plenty of water. If you are not a big water fan, drink some other fluid that is not high in sugar, carbonation and caffeine; avoid junk food, salty food and caffeine, and alcohol on the plane. Of course I say that, but I always have a couple of drinks during the flight. If you do that, just be sure to drink as much water between drinks as possible. Thirdly, when you arrive in your destination, try to resist the urge to nap during the day time. Get outside, during the daylight hours, even it is just to sit in a café and relax. Try to get a good night sleep for the 1st couple of nights. The key is to reset your body’s natural clock to get enough rest. Finally, when you return home, use some of the same tactic above to return to your previous time zone.

Q15. What’s the speaker’s definition of jet lag?
Q16.What’s the difference of the time zone between New York and Paris?
does the speaker recommend if you do not want to drink much water during the flight?
Q18. According to the speaker, what should you try to do if you arrived at the destination?

Passage 3 (Q19-22)

F: Come on Mr. Edision, take a seat.
M: Good morning doctor.
F: Now let’s get a few details. Shall we? First your age, now you’re 40?
M: Er, 35 actually, doctor
F: Right, 35. And your weight?
M: About, 105 kilos
F: That’s rather a lot for your height, don’t you think?
M: Yes, Well, I don’t get much exercises, doctor.
F: And what kind of work do you do exactly?
M: I work with computers,
F; So you sit most of the day, is that right?
M: All day.
F: Right, so tell me, do you smoke?
M: Well, I used to smoke 20-30 a day, but now it’s about 10.
F: En, Have you had any illness likely?
M: Nothing serious, just usual coughs and colds
F: I see. Now, let’s talk about your diet. What have you eaten this morning, for example?
M: I’ve had two fried eggs, 5 bread, toast, butter and jam, and oh, 3 cups of tea.
F: Well, Mr. Edison, that isn’t the best diet now, is it? What else do you normally eat??
M: Beef burghers a lot, Chips
F: Dear Oh dear. And what about exercise do you have Mr. Endison? Do you play any Sports?
M: Er, can’t say I do really.
F: Well Mr. Edison this is rather serious. I think we have to Change a few things in your life, firstly I recommend that you stop smoking completely. Secondly, you need to get some exercise, walk, instead of drive Mr. Edison. Join in a sports club. And lastly, we must make some changes to your diet. No more fried foods, no more chips, and beef burgers, good healthy vegetables, boiled potatoes, grilled meat and fish.

19. What does the woman say about the man’s health?
20. How many cigarettes does the man smoke each day now?
21. What does the woman think of the man’s breakfast?
22. Which of the following can not be concluded from the conversion?

Passage 4 (Q23-26)

May I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen? Since the international club meets only once every semester for this special event, the first thing on our agenda is to have the secretary read the minutes of the last meeting. So when I finish this opening speech, the secretary will read the minutes of our meeting for the last semester. And then we’ll go through our annual treasurer’s report and decide whether it can be accepted or not.

At the top of our agenda, and I’m sure in everyone’s mind, is the International Display Week. It has been proposed for discussion. I was chairman of the African club, and now as chairman of the international club, I know more than anyone else the importance of such a display week.

Let me explain. There are ten foreign clubs here representing the foreign students on our campus. The purpose of these clubs is, first of all, to get the students from the same countries together, so they won’t get too homesick, and so we can help each other over the rough spots. And secondly, so that the American students can join the club of their interest and learn about our culture as we learn theirs.

Now, about the display. Some of you old hands will have to help me out, as there was so much going on I can’t remember at all. Let me see. There are the Scottish folk dance and Irish one, too. We’ll team up with the folk music club and recruit anyone who can sew to make costumes. Of course, each group will set up a booth decorated with pictures and things of interest in their respective countries, and everyone will wear his national costume.

Question 23: Who is the man? Chairman of the international club
Question 24: How often is the meeting held? Once every semester
Question 25: What is at the top of the meeting’s agenda? International Display Week
Question 26: What is the purpose of organizing foreign clubs on campus? Get the students from the same countries together, so they won’t get too homesick / they can help each other over the rough spots / the American students can join the club of their interest and learn about different cultures.

Passage 5 (Q27-30)

F: Paul, nice to see you back from the university. How do you like your new university? I remember your mum had wanted you to go to London University so that you can live at home and walk or cycle to attend the lectures.
M: Well, you know I didn’t go to London University after all. My new university is on the suburbs of an ancient cathedral city and it is almost 8 miles from the city center. The university is planned on the so called American campus system. That is to say, students live in halls of residence groupped around the main university buildings.
F: You mean you live, eat and study within the university proper?
M: Yes, I like it. Because we are a real community. We’ve got comfortable common rooms and bars. We arrange dances and parties. We’ve got clubs, theater groups, choirs and so on. And we’ve got an orchestra. I played the drums in it. By the way, how about your university days, Betty?
F: I rented a house with two other girls in the middle of the city about then minutes walk from the university. The house is falling to pieces. It is damp and there is no proper heating.
M: That sounds awful. I couldn’t work in a place like yours. The district is poor and could almost be classed as a slum.
F: I don’t think so. We live among real people who treat us as real people. We’ve got an electrician living next door, who is always coming in and mending our cooker and electric fires. We could try to get into one of the halls of the residents. But we prefer to be independent. It’s nice to belong to the city and to do things outside the university.
M: What sort of things do you do outside the university?
M: Well, there is a group of us who go and help in a home for handicapped children. And I think in the city bar choir we get on well with the local people, not like you in that suburban district.
W: Well, I like history. And my university is one of the best universities for that subject. Besides, it is an ancient city with a lot of historical relics and sightseeing spots. If you can drop by by any chance, I can show you around.
F: You bet.

27. What do the man’s live?
28. What is typical of the American campus system?
29. Why did the women choose to rent a house at the city center?
30. What does the man promise to do for the woman?