TEST FOR ENGLISH MAJORS (2005)-GRADE FOUR-
PART I DICTATION
Listen to the following passage, Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence，or phrase by phrase，with intervals of 15 seconds．The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work. You will then be given 2 minutes to check through your work once more. Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Now listen to the passage.

The Wrist Watch
It is generally believed that wristwatches are an exception to the normal sequence in the evolution of men's jewelry. Reversing the usual order, they were first worn by women and then adopted by men. In the old days, queens included wristwatches among their crown jewelry. Later they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers. Until World War I, Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters. Then army officers discovered that the wristwatch was most practical for active combat. Race car drivers also loved to wear wristwatches and pilots found them most useful while flying. Soon men dared to wear wristwatches without feeling self-conscious. By 1924 some 30% of men's watches were worn on the wrist. Today the figure is 90% and they are now worn by both men and women for practical purposes rather than for decoration. The second and third readings, you should begin writing now. It is generally believed that wristwatches are an exception It is generally believed that wristwatches are an exception to the normal sequence in the evolution of men's jewelry. to the normal sequence in the evolution of men's jewelry. Reversing the usual order,they were first worn by women Reversing the usual order,they were first worn by women and then adopted by men. and then adopted by men. In the old days, queens included wristwatches among their crown jewelry. In the old days, queens included wristwatches among their crown jewelry. Later they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers. Later they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers. Until World War I, Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters. Until World War I, Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters. Then army officers discovered that the wristwatch was most practical for active combat. Then army officers discovered that the wristwatch was most practical for active combat.
Race car drivers also loved to wear wristwatches
Race car drivers also loved to wear wristwatches
and pilots found them most useful while flying.
and pilots found them most useful while flying.
Soon men dared to wear wristwatches without feeling self-conscious.
Soon men dared to wear wristwatches without feeling self-conscious.
By 1924 some 30% of men's watches were worn on the wrist.
By 1924 some 30% of men's watches were worn on the wrist.
Today the figure is 90%
Today the figure is 90%
and they are now worn by both men and women
and they are now worn by both men and women
for practical purposes rather than for decoration.
for practical purposes rather than for decoration.
The last reading
The Wrist Watch
It is generally believed
that wristwatches are an exception
to the normal sequence
in the evolution of men's jewelry.
Reversing the usual order,
they were first worn by women
and then adopted by men.
In the old days,
queens included wristwatches
among their crown jewelry.
Later they were worn by Swiss workers and farmers.
Until World War I,
Americans associated the watch with fortune hunters.
Then army officers discovered
that the wristwatch was most practical for active combat.
Race car drivers also loved to wear wristwatches
and pilots found them most useful while flying.
Soon men dared
to wear wristwatches without feeling self-conscious.
By 1924 some 30% of men's watches
were worn on the wrist.
Today the figure is 90%
and they are now worn by both men and women
for practical purposes rather than for decoration.
Now you have 2 minutes to check through your work.
That is the end of the Part I Dictation.
PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION
In Sections A，B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.
Listen carefully
and then answer the questions that follow．
Mark the correct answer to each question
on your answer sheet．
SECTION A CONVERSATIONS
In this section you will hear several conversations．
Listen to the conversations carefully
and then answer the questions that follow．
Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.
At the end of the conversation，
you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the conversation.
W: Good morning, sit down please Mr. Johnson.
M: Thank you, ma'am.
W: I have read your letter here.
You seem to have done very well at school.
Can you tell me something about your school work?
M: As you can see,
my strongest subjects were art subjects.
My best subject was history
and my second best was geography.
However, my favorite subject was math
and the results I got in the math paper
were quite reasonable.
W: That's true.
Now can you tell me why
you think these subjects will help you in this job?
M: Well, ma'am,
I understand that you manufacture computers,
prepare software
and advise clients on how to use them.
Is that right?
W: That's right.
M: And I've been told
that working with computers needs the logical mind
rather than great skills in mathematics.
That's especially true, I believe,
when it comes to writing programs.
So I think my results show
that I have some ability in logic
and in mathematics as well.
W: So you would like to
write material for computers, would you?
M: Yes, ma'am,
that's what interests me most about computers:
writing programs.
But I think the computer industry itself
is still expanding enormously.
I am sure that career prospects in the industry
will be very good
no matter what sort of job I went into.
W: I see. Well, thank you.
I've enjoyed our talk, we'll be writing to you.
M: Thank you ma'am. Good morning.
Questions 4 to 7 are based on the following conversation．
At the end of the conversation,
you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the conversation.
W: Excuse me, could I ask you some questions?
M: Of course.
W: I work for an advertising agency
and I'm doing some research.
It's for a new magazine, for people like you.
M: People like me? What do you mean?
W: People between 25 and 35 years old.
M: OK.
W: Right. Um, what do you do at the weekend?
M: Well, on Fridays
my wife always goes to her exercises class,
then she visits friends.
W: Don't you go out?
M: Not on Fridays. I never go out on Fridays.
I stay at home and watch television.
W: And on Saturdays?
M: On Saturdays my wife and I always go sailing together.
W: Really?
M: Mmm, We love it. We never miss it.
And then in the evening we go out.
W: Where to?
M: Different places.
We sometimes go and see friends,
we sometimes go to the cinema or a restaurant,
but we always go out on Saturday evenings.
W: I see. And now, Sunday? What happens on Sundays?
M: Nothing special. We often go for a walk
and I always cook a big Sunday lunch.
W: Oh, how often do you do the cooking?
M: Um, twice a week, three times a week.
W: Thank you very much.
All I need now are your personal details,
your name, job, and so on.
What's your surname?
M: Robinson.
Questions 8 to 10
are based on the following conversation．
At the end of the conversation,
you will be given
15 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the conversation.
M: Parcel Express, good morning.
How can I help you?
W: Good morning.
I'm thinking of sending a parcel to New York next week.
Can you tell me what the procedure is, please?
M: Certainly. When you ring us,
we need the following information:
the invoice address,
that's probably your address, isn't it？
And then, the pickup address if that's different.
And a contact phone number.
W: Just a moment, I'm taking notes.
Phone number, right.
M: Then we need the full name,
address and phone number of the person you're sending the parcel to.
W: Ok, anything else?
M: Yes, the weight and dimensions of the parcel.
That's height, width and length.
And the value of the goods and a full description.
W: Value, description.
M: Yes, but don't seal the parcel.
You need to leave it open
so that the driver can check the contents
when he collects it.
After the recent bombing,
the airlines said that we'd have to check all parcels.
They told us we had to do it.
W: Fine, now last question.
How long will the parcel take to get to New York?
M: One to two working days.
There are daily flights at midday.
And if we collect the parcel from you at 10:15,
then your parcel catches that flight
and it'll arrive within 24 hours.
W: Right, thank you very much.
You've been very helpful.
M: Not at all. Good-bye.
W: Good-bye.
SECTION B PASSAGES
In this section，you will hear several passages．
Listen to the passages carefully
and then answer the questions that follow．
Questions 11 to 13
are based on the following announcement．
At the end of the announcement,
you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the announcement.
Attention all passengers, platform change,
this is a platform change.
The train, now standing at platform 9,
is the 10∶48 train,
calling at all stations to Nanjing.
Please note, the train on platform 9
is not the 10∶52 train to Jinan.
It's the 10∶48 train
calling at all stations to Nanjing.
The 10∶52 to Jinan
will now leave from platform 7.
Train announcement.
The 11∶20 train to Zhengzhou from platform 8
will be subject to a 15-minute delay.
I repeat, there will be a 15- minute delay
for the Zhengzhou train on platform 8.
It will now leave at 11∶35, not 11∶20.
The 11∶28 train to Hangzhou has been cancelled.
We apologize to customers,but
due to a signal problem,
the 11∶28 train to Hangzhou from platform 15
has been cancelled.
The 11∶32 train to Tianjin
is now standing at platform 13.
Please note, there will be no restaurant car
on this train.
I repeat, there will be no restaurant car
on the 11∶32 to Tianjin now standing at platform 13.
Questions 14 to 16 are based on the following passage．
At the end of the passage,
you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the passage.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
was opened in Geneva in 1988.
It tells the story of men and women who,
in the course of the major events of the last 150 years,
have given assistance to victims of war
and natural disasters.
The organization was established in 1863
and was based on an idea by a Swiss businessman
called Henri Durant.
He had witnessed
the heavy casualties at the battle of Sulferino in Italy
4 years earlier,
in which 40, 000 people were killed, wounded or missing.
He had seen the lack of medical services
and the great suffering of many of the wounded
who simply died from lack of care.
The International Red Cross or Red Crescent
exists to help the victims of conflicts and disasters
regardless of their nationalities.
The symbol of the organization
was originally just the red cross.
It has no religious significance.
The founders of the movement adopted it
as a tribute to Switzerland.
However, during the Russo-Turkish War,
the Turks felt that the cross could be seen
as offensive to Muslim soldiers,
and a second symbol, the red crescent,
was adopted for use
by national organizations in the Islamic world.
Both are now official symbols.
Questions 17 to 20 are based on the following passage．
At the end of the passage,
you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions．
Now, listen to the passage.
At major college or high school sports events,
cheerleaders, both male and female,
jump and dance in front of the crowd,
and shout the name of their team,
running around and yelling "Go, team, Go".
The first cheerleader ever was a man.
In 1898,
John Campbell jumped in front of the crowd
at the University of Minnesota
and shouted for his team.
He shouted "Hoorah, Minnesota".
This was the first organized shout, or yell.
For the next 32 years cheerleaders were men only.
Cheerleading is not just about cheering.
They practice special shouts, dances, and athletic shows.
The men throw the women high in the air and catch them.
The team members climb on each other's shoulders
to make a human pyramid. They yell and dance, too.
It is like human fireworks.
Of course,
they may often suffer serious knee and wrist injuries,
and bloody noses.
Cheerleaders have their own contests every year
at local, state and national levels.
And the crowd shouts for them.
It is not fair to think cheerleading
is just being cheerful and lively
and having a loud voice.
Cheerleading is a sport in itself.
SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
In this section, you will hear several news items.
Listen to them carefully
and then answer the questions that follow.
Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news．
At the end of the news item，
you will be given
10 seconds to answer the questions．
Now listen to the news.
The bodies of dozens of African immigrants,
discovered off the Italian coast last week,
might have been thrown overboard,
Italian officials said on Monday.
A coast guard spokesman
said 15 illegal immigrants,
all believed to come from Somalia,
survived being thrown into the Mediterranean Sea.
But one of the survivors, a woman,
was in a serious condition.
They told the coast guard
that their boat had left Libya 20 days before,
with around 100 immigrants aboard.
They said most had died during the trip.
Last Friday, 7 Africans, including 3 children,
died before their boat could reach the island.
A further 25 people survived.
Questions 23 is based on the following news．
At the end of the news item，you will be given
5 seconds to answer the question．
Now listen to the news.
China has set its sight on putting 3 people
into space for a week,
the China News Service said on Tuesday.
The news agency reported an official as saying
that preparations were underway
for the next Shenzhou launch.
The Shenzhou VI is expected to blast off
within the next 2 years.
Shenzhou V carried a Chinese astronaut aloft.
He circled the Earth 14 times during his 21-hour trip,
October 15-16, 2003,
making China the third country to put a man into space.
Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following news．
At the end of the news item，
you will be given
10 seconds to answer the questions．
Now listen to the news.
Gigantic waves of flame
that covered entire neighborhoods
and filled the skies over Southern California with ash
have killed at least 13 people.
At least 6 separate wildfires
were still burning on Monday morning,
all the way from the Mexican border
to the suburbs of Los Angeles.
They were reported to have destroyed
800 homes and consumed about 120,000 hectares of land.
Authorities said they were seeking 2 men
in connection with the fires,
which they believe were started deliberately.
Questions 26 to 28 are based on the following news．
At the end of the news item，
you will be given
15 seconds to answer the questions．
Now listen to the news.
There has been modest growth in tourism worldwide,
despite 2 years of terrorism, war and disease.
And China is the engine driving it,
according to the World Tourism Organization.
International tourist numbers
hit a record 702 million last year,
a rise of 2.7 percent over 2001,
the year of the September 11 attacks.
France remains the most popular destination,
receiving more than 77 million visitors,
followed by Spain, United States, and Italy.
China,however, marked 11 percent growth over that period,
attracting 36.8 million international visitors.
It ranks fifth among leading tourism nations.
By 2020, it will be top,
with predictions of 130 million visitors per year.
Chinese themselves are also becoming
a major force as travelers.
According to a Xinhua report,
over 16.6 million Chinese traveled abroad last year,
up 37 percent from the previous year.
Their numbers are expected to grow
to 30 million by the end of the decade,
and 100 million in 2020.
Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news．
At the end of the news item，you will be given
10 seconds to answer the questions．
Now listen to the news.
Around 40 former military officers in Argentina
have been arrested for possible extradition to Spain
on human rights charges.
The arrest came as the Argentine government struck down the decree prohibiting such extradition, saying all Argentines should be equal before the law. Those detained include a former navy captain and several other ex-officers suspected of torture or murder during the last period of military rule in Argentina, which ended in 1983.
This is the end of Listening Comprehension.