Listening Comprehension 1

M: There is a small number of exceptional people who play a huge role in the transmissions of epidemic ideas. I call them Mavens, Connectors and Salesmen. W: Say it again?

M: Mavens, Connectors and Salesman. Connectors are the kind of people who know everybody. They have extraordinary social ties. Well, if I do this names test in the Manhattan phonebook, and you go down the list. Every time you see a name you know, you give yourself a point. Well, most people score like 25, 30. Someone scores like 120 or 130. That kind of person is incredibly in generating word-of-mouth epidemics. If they like something and get hold of some idea, they can spread 5 or 6 times further than the average person.

W: Who are those people, what defines them?

M: Well, these are extraordinarily social people with a lot of energy who are consumed by the task of getting to know people, of meeting people, of keeping in touch with them. They make phone calls all day long.

W: I am afraid I am one of them.

M: This is not typical behavior. This is a behavior that is actually rare. Most of us don’t do that. And I am someone who is not that way. I can't start a word-of-mouth epidemic because I simply don’t know enough people. I can’t get it outside my own immediate circle of friends. Someone has friends all over the place. They can spread the news about a new restaurant, or a new movie, or something far and wide in a very, very short time.

W: These are the Connectors. Who are the Mavens and who are the Salesmen?

M: The Mavens are people who have specialized knowledge. If you examine why you make certain decisions, why do you shop somewhere, why do you go to a certain restaurant, you’ll find that you are relying on the same person over and over again for recommendations. Those people I call Mavens. My friend Ereal is a Maven, who knows all about the restaurants in lower Manhattan. If I want to know about the hot new restaurant, I call Ereal. Well, all of Ereal’s friends call Ereal, and if you go to restaurants in lower Manhattan and look around the room, you will see friends of Ereal. The restaurant market is an epidemic market, which is controlled by a group of Ereals. I don’t think there are very many of them. There are probably two dozen of them. That’s true of lots of things. That’s true of shopping, and books and movies. If a Maven gets together with a Connector, then you begin see why a word-of-mouth epidemic might happen. Someone who knows everyone in combination with someone who knows everything is a really powerful connection.

W: And then introduce the Salesmen.

M: Well, those people are incredibly persuasive. And again, that’s a very rare and unusual trait.

W: Leaves me out, you see. I can connect, but I can’t sell.

M: Well, they are separate categories. I’ve met with a guy who is known as one of the greatest salesman in America today. When you meet with someone like that, you begin to realize why trans happen. They happen because someone who has this extraordinary natural ability to win you over. When they get hold of an idea, they can really make it go a long way.

Questions:

1. What’s the main topic of this conversation?
2. Which of the following descriptions does not apply to Connectors?
3. Which of the following statements best defines the Mavens?
4. According to the conversation, which of the following groups does the man’s friend Ereal belong to?
5. What can we tell about all three groups of people?

【解析】本段以對話形式介紹了三種人Maven，Connector，Salesman的含義，及各自對transmissions of epidemic ideas的作用，并給出明確的例證。答題關(guān)鍵在于理解三種人分別有何特征，而問題也基本圍繞其定義展開?？忌赡軙ξ闹谐霈F(xiàn)的word-of-mouth epidemic等說法不熟悉，但可以根據(jù)上下文推斷其含義?？傮w難度適中。

Listening Comprehension 2

Question 6 to 10 are based on the following news.

New York, USA

Thousands of "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators fanned out across New York on Thursday in the first major showing of protest strength since authorities forcibly evicted them from their Lower Manhattan encampment two days earlier.

The group twice squared off against riot police in Zuccotti Park, while engaging in sporadic confrontations with authorities throughout the day.

Demonstrators say they plan to cross the Brooklyn Bridge, where 700 people were arrested in a similar march early last month.

At least 177 protesters were arrested during Thursday's demonstrations, said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who noted that seven police officers were also hurt during exchanges with protesters.

解析：本篇主要講的是紐約“占領(lǐng)華爾街”事件。通篇文章僅陳述了事件的一些基本信息，如抗議人數(shù)，以及游行中受傷警察的人數(shù)。文章并沒有對這一事件背后的原因和造成的影響作進(jìn)一步闡述，所以整體不難。只要抓住一些數(shù)字關(guān)鍵詞，比較容易得出正確答案。

Rome Italy

New Italian PM Mario Monti's government of technocrats has passed its first test, winning a vote of confidence in the senate.

As expected, the government won the vote in the upper house of parliament easily, by 281 votes to 25.

The vote was held after Mr. Monti had outlined his government's program of reforms to tackle all the country's economic problems and cut its debt.

He faces a second vote in the lower house of parliament on Friday.

Mario Monti, a former EU commissioner, said austerity measures would be balanced by economic growth and social fairness.

Meanwhile, thousands of students staged protests in several Italian cities against Mr. Monti's government.

解析：本篇主要圍繞著羅馬總理候選人Mario Monti展開?？忌枰⒁猓话銍@著一個人物展開的新聞，考察的重點會放在與該人物相關(guān)的一些事實上，如本題的What can we know about New Italian PM Mario Monti’s government of technocrats?
考察考生歸納新聞重點的能力?；蛘叱鲱}者還喜歡考察諸如下列哪項關(guān)于xxx的描述不正確，考察學(xué)生排查關(guān)鍵信息的能力。在做此類題目時，考生可以邊聽邊做筆記，以此記錄聽力重點。

Tokyo Japan

Unlike an earthquake, a demographic disaster does not strike without warning. Japan’s population of 127millon is predicted to fall to 90million by 2050. By then, the ratio between working-age Japanese and children and the elderly will be one to one. What’s more, half the talent in Japan is female. Outside the kitchen, those talents are woefully underemployed, nearly half of Japanese university graduates are female but only 67% of these women have jobs,
Japanese women with degrees are much more likely than Americans to quit their jobs voluntarily, saying that the strongest push came from employers who do not value them. A startling 49% of highly educated Japanese women quit, because they feel their careers have stalled.

解析：本篇聽力主要針對日本地震過后會出現(xiàn)的一些問題進(jìn)行闡述。其中提到了人口結(jié)構(gòu)的變化以及日本女性的職業(yè)情況。本篇無明顯生詞，但通篇下來出現(xiàn)了五處數(shù)字信息，這種情況下考生需要注意在聽的過程中記筆記。此外，也可以看出，聽力中的數(shù)字信息是每次高口考試的必考點，考生在平時準(zhǔn)備的時候尤其需要注意。

Cambridge Massachusetts USA

Scientists are getting closer to the dream of creating computer systems that can replicate the brain.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a computer chip that mimics how the brain's neurons adapt in response to new information. Such chips could eventually enable communication between artificially created body parts and the brain.

It could also pave the way for artificial intelligence devices.

There are about 100 billion neurons in the brain, each of which forms synapses - the connections between neurons that allow information to flow - with many other neurons.

This process is known as plasticity and is believed to underpin many brain functions, such as learning and memory.

The MIT team of scientists has been able to design a computer chip that can simulate the activity of a single brain synapse.

解析：本篇屬于科技方面的題材，闡述了麻省理工學(xué)院在計算機(jī)人工智能上的最新進(jìn)展?？萍夹臀恼轮袝霈F(xiàn)一些考生比較陌生的詞匯，但是另一方面，出題者一般不會考察文章的細(xì)節(jié)，而是會放在文章主旨或者中心思想上。所以，考生只需要掌握文章大意即可得出正確選項。

Manchester UK

Leading figures in the world of soccer, on Thursday blasted FIFA President Sepp Blatter for controversial remarks he made on racism in an interview with CNN World Sport.

The head of world football told Pedro Pinto there is no on-field racism in football and that any player who has been abused should simply shake hands with his opponent at the end of the match and move on.

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand, a former England captain, expressed his outrage on Twitter, blasting Blatter's comments as "so condescending it's almost laughable."

The Swiss was re-elected unopposed as the head of football's governing body in June after his main rival was suspended amid corruption allegations. The bidding process for the 2018 World Cup was also dogged by bribery allegations.

Soon after Blatter gave his interview to CNN on Wednesday, his position appeared to be undermined when the English Football Association charged Liverpool's Luis Suarez with racism toward a fellow player.

解析：本篇是有關(guān)足球方面的文章，當(dāng)中出現(xiàn)了很多專有名詞，如FIFA, CNN World Sport, Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand,如果考生平時對體育方面不是很感興趣的話，容易聽漏。但是正如上一篇聽力短文一樣，對于大部分考生不太熟悉的文章類型，一般出題者會將考察點設(shè)置在文章主旨上，所以，考生在做聽力之前可以預(yù)先瀏覽選項，對文章的內(nèi)容進(jìn)行大膽推測，此外，在聽的過程中以一些字母符號替換文章的專有名詞，只抓取重點信息即可。

Questions：

6. At least how many "Occupy Wall Street" protesters were arrested during Thursday’s demonstration in New York？
7. What can we know about New Italian PM Mario Monti’s government of technocrats?
8. What percentage of Japanese female university graduates have jobs?
9. What new finding has been made by scientists said MIT, USA?
10. Why did leading figures in the world of soccer call on FIFA president Blatter to resign?

Listening Comprehension 3

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following interview.

W: Some of us try to eat away the blues, nutritionist Joy Bauer is here with some strategies to help get us healthy. Joy, good to see you again.
M: Good to see you Jolin.
W: So, you know, there’s emotional eating. It really is a problem, isn’t?
M: Oh, the emotional eating is when you eat in response to feelings rather than hunger. Stress, anxiety, nervousness, and maybe you've had a fight with the spouse, or coworker and you head straight to the fridge. The truth is we all do it occasionally.
W: To a certain extent.
M: And that’s not necessarily problematic, but if you struggle with your weight, and you are regularly using food as a coping mechanism, it's like rubbing salts in a wound.
W: Right, because you will feel bad, or even worse, after you did it.
M: You feel worse, and you probably worse off emotionally than you were, that cause you to eat in the first place.
W: A vicious cycle.
M: Absolutely. There are some questions we should ask ourselves. That really can help you determine whether you are an emotional eater. First, do you reach for high-calorie food when you feel sorry for yourself? Are high-calorie foods your reward after a difficult day? Do you feel stressed and then put food in your mouth without realizing it.
W: Some of us might answer yes to these questions.
M: Absolutely, if you answer yes to the majority of these questions, you are an emotional eater. And you should put a huge effort into stopping this behavior , because it is destructive to the psyche.
W: Do man and woman go for different kinds of foods when they are looking for comfort?
M: It’s a great question, the number one food according to research in terms of comfort food for man and woman alike is ice cream.
W: Yes!
M: But it's a vice. Women head straight for the sweets, cookies, chocolates, candies, and men go for the man food, real food, martial food.
W:Yes.
M:Steak and mass potatoes, big pasta and pizza.
W: One of the things you can do to try to help stop this is measure your hunger on a hunger scale. What’s that?
M: That’s right. Awareness is huge, you wanna know if you are actually hungry or not, one being ravenous, and five being comfortably full. So before you reach for something, figure out if you are four or five. Avoid eating.
W: You say, if you feel like you have to eat something, eat healthy food first.
M: This is a great strategy. I call this three food interference. And it has helped thousands of people. Before you get into anything unhealthy, first eat three healthy items. There’ve always got to be in your fridge a bowl of carrots, one apple and container of yoghourt. After those 3 foods, if you still want to continue on, give yourself permission. But nine times out of ten, you are gonna fill up and you are gonna stop.

Questions:

11. What is emotional eating?
12. Which of the following is true about emotional eating?
13. What is number one comfort food for man and woman alike?
14. What figure on a hunger scale indicates that you are comfortably full?
15. Which of the following is not one of the healthy foods as recommended by the nutritionist?

評析：這是一篇訪談性對話，圍繞著情緒化進(jìn)食 (emotional eating) 這個主題展開。被采訪人是一位營養(yǎng)學(xué)家，Joy Bauer。Joy Bauer首先介紹了什么是情緒化進(jìn)食及其危害，然后給出了情緒化進(jìn)食者的判斷標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。對話進(jìn)而談到，男人和女人分別會通過什么食物來尋求慰藉。最后，Joy Bauer 建議情緒化進(jìn)食者可通過饑餓量表來衡量自己的饑餓程度，如果實在要吃東西的話，可以通過先吃三種健康食物來抑制食欲。

對話的關(guān)鍵詞emotional eating，考生可通過常識預(yù)測對話的內(nèi)容，難度一般。問題設(shè)定的順序跟對話的進(jìn)程一致，答案在對話中明顯的體現(xiàn)出來，解題關(guān)鍵在于理清對話的脈絡(luò)，關(guān)注細(xì)節(jié)信息?？忌枰⒁獾募?xì)節(jié)信息有：關(guān)于情緒化進(jìn)食的定義；男人和女人都愛吃冰激凌來尋求慰藉；健康量表指向5表示已經(jīng)非常飽了以及營養(yǎng)學(xué)家提出的三種健康食物是什么。

Listening Comprehension 4

Question 16-20 are based on the following talk.

Today, I’m going to talk about the health problems related to sun-tan. Sun-tan is preferred by lighter-skinned people, especially during the summer months. They like to give their skin a nice natural bronze color with the help of sun-tanning. Getting a natural tan is the sign of being healthy and being attractive. No wonder many people rush off to the beach at the onset of summer with their tanning lotions and laze away on a towel for hours on end. The result is healthy tanned skin, which people like to flaunt all day long. People often believe that a perfectly tanned skin improves their personality and the texture of their skin. However, it is not advisable to be in direct sunlight for a long time. Excess exposure of the skin to sunlight can actually damage the skin, and is the leading cause of skin cancer all around the world. Moreover, in countries like Australia, the atmosphere does not filter the sun rays completely, as the Ozone layer in the atmosphere is depleting quickly. The Ozone layer is responsible for filtering the harmful ultra-violet or UV rays of the sun that can damage the skin beyond repair.

So what does a tan mean? A tan refers to exposure of the skin to the rays of the sun for a considerable amount of time. The UVB rays of the sun encourage the cells of the innermost layer of the skin, to produce more melanin pigments, which on their way to the outmost layer are tanned by the UVA rays of the sun. As a result, Vitamin D3 is produced naturally under the sun. The vitamin helps protect the bone and also protects us from diseases like osteoporosis. The direct rays of the sun also make the immune system stronger against the invasion of germs, and increase the body’s overall physical powers. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, and improves blood circulation. Common skin diseases like acne and neurodermatitis can be treated with ultra-violet light. These are just some of the many positive effects that the sun offers in the form of its ultra-violet rays. You should take the advice of experts if you would like to go for a natural sun-tan. Different skins react differently to sunlight, and expert opinion should be sought, especially in the beginning. Do not overdo a sun-tan, as excess exposure to the sun’s rays can prove to be harmful to your skin. Wear a sun-tan lotion when you go out in the open during summer. Do not sunbath for more than once a day. Going to the beach or lying out in the sun once or twice a week is enough to maintain a good tan on the skin. Tanning in summer proves to be very beneficial, as it prevents skin fatigue, prepares your skin for the long summer months ahead, builds a natural protection, and produces a nice natural tan.

Questions:

16. What is the main topic of the speech?
17. Which of the following is responsible for filtering the ultra-violet rays of the sun?
18. What is the specific function of Vitamin D3?
19. The ultra-violet rays of the sun have several positive effects on human health. Which of the following is not one of these effects?
20. What can we conclude from the speech?

評析：這是一篇關(guān)于健康的文章。文章主要講述了曬日光浴的好處，以及在曬日光浴時要注意到的健康問題。話題不算難，有部分考生可能會受詞匯影響而耽誤聽力理解。以下這些詞是“日光浴”這個話題延伸出來的高頻詞匯：
deplete: 消耗，耗盡，減少
exposure：暴露
Ozone layer: 臭氧層
filter: 過濾
ultra-violet：紫外線
osteoporosis：骨質(zhì)疏松癥