Listen this way听力教程第三册-4

Unit 4   Reports on Disasters & Accidents

Part Ⅰ  Getting ready

Every year disasters and accidents kill thousands of people, injure millions more, and destroy buildings, land, and valuables. Some natural disasters and a few accidents are strange and unusual and little can be done to guard against them and they are nobody's fault; while other disasters, especially many accidents, can easily be prevented by following some simple rules.

A  The following words will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.

   1. tornado 1: violent and destructive whirlwind

   2. mudslide: a slow, sticky mudflow down a gradual slope

   3. hijack 2: seize control forcibly of (an aircraft, bus, ship, etc.), in order to achieve certain aims or to go to a desired destination

   4. toll 3: the number lost, taken, etc.

   5. evacuate 4: remove (inhabitants, etc.) from (a place or area), as for protective purposes

   6. relief: any aid given in times of need, danger, or disaster

   7. calamity 5: disaster; any extreme misfortune bringing great loss and sorrow

   8. casualty: person killed or seriously injured in an accident

   9. debris 6: wreckage 7; rough, broken bits and pieces of stone, wood, glass, etc., as after destruction

  10. rubble 8: debris from buildings, etc., resulting from earthquake, bombing, etc.

B  You are going to hear some brief news items. Supply the missing words.

   ● A ___________ went off in a busy _________ area in east Belfast last night killing 9 one policeman and injuring _________ bystanders.

   ● Florida authorities say more than _________ homes were destroyed by the _________, which ripped through the central part of the state.

   ● A dramatic development in the explosive situation on Green Isle 10: a _________________ from Northbridge to Greenport has been _____________ by a group of extremists calling themselves the "________________________".

   ● Relief workers in ________ have finally gotten a break from the severe weather that has hampered 11 efforts to _______ from flooding. The flooding and mudslides last month have killed more than _________ people and left________homeless.

   ● A bank in Manchester was __________ at gunpoint yesterday as _______ men burst in at ____________ wearing masks and carrying shotguns. The robbers escaped with over ____________ pounds.

   ● Florida was hit yesterday afternoon by a ___________ of up to ________ miles an hour. _________ people are believed to be dead and over ____________ injured.

   ● The Greek airliner 12 that was _________ and flown to Algeria on ___________ is now on its way back to Athens.

Part Ⅱ  Hurricanes & tornadoes 13

Hurricanes and tornadoes are the two most violent and destructive storms on earth. They can cause great damage to property and loss of life. Anyone who has been through a hurricane or a tornado is likely to remember the experience the rest of his life.

A  You are going to hear a news item. While listening for the first time, write down some key words in the notes column. After the second listening, answer the following questions.

   Questions:

   1. What is the news item mainly about?

      The news item is about ___________ in India.

   2. How many people could have died?

      ____________________________________________

   3. How strong were the winds?

      ____________________________________________

   4. Who came to help?

      ____________________________________________

   5. What consequences were brought about apart from casualties?

      Homes were flattened 14, crops were ____________, transport __________ were cut, and houses _____________.

   6.   How many people are thought to have died when a ferry sank?

      ____________________________________________

   7.  How many people have been evacuated 15?

      ____________________________________________

 

B  Listen to the following news item. While listening for the first time, take down some key words in the left-hand column. After the second listening, answer the following questions.

   Questions

   1. What?

      The worst of the __________ and __________ appears to be __________.

   2. Where?

      ___________________________________________

   3. When?

      ___________________________________________

 

   4. How was air traffic?

      It was ____________________

  

   5. How many people died?

      ___________________________________________

   6. Why are the casualty figures low?

      Because _____________________ were issued beforehand.

C  Now try this: listen to a more authentic 16 version of the news item. Do the multiple choice.

   1. Most flights are going to be normalized ____________.

      a. in a week                              

      b. by next Tuesday

      c. tomorrow

      d. tonight

 

   2. There will be serious delays on the _______ motorways 17 on the coming weekend.

      a. French and Italian              

      b. German and Italian

      c. Swiss and German             

      d. French and Swiss

   3. The damage to homes and property in France is expected to be at least ____________.

      a. 40 000 000 francs

      b. 400 000 000 francs

      c. 4 000 000 francs

      d. 4 000 000 000 francs

   4. Motorists and rail travelers in ____________ are not expected to travel during the next few days.

      a. Germany                         

      b. Switzerland

      c. Northern Italy                   

      d. France

  

part Ⅲ  Earthquakes

Earthquakes do not occur in all parts of the world. They are confined to certain definite areas, or belts. The most important belt is the rim 18 of the Pacific Ocean. Since earthquakes are highly destructive and may cost many people's lives, it is quite necessary that the seismologist be able to predict when and where there is going to be an earthquake.

A  You are going to hear a news item about an earthquake. Write down every word as a dictation. It will be read three times. First reading, read from beginning to end. Second reading, read with pauses. Third reading, read without pauses again.

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

    

B  Listen to a news item carefully. While listening to it, write down some key words in the notes column.

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

   ______________________________________________

C  Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the news item and fill in the missing information.

   Main Ideas                Supporting Details   

   Ⅰ. Event: an earthquake  A. time: on ______ night, Nov. ______

                             B. place: in ________________________

   Ⅱ. Estimated deaths      A. present number: __________________

                             B. possible toll: ___________________

   Ⅲ. Destruction           A. the worst damage: in _____________

                                ___________________ outside Naples

                                1. hit a village _________________

                                2. hit a local ___________________

                                3. hit many ______________________

                             B. in Naples: _______________________

                                1. many buildings of _____________

                                   stories collapsing 19

                                2. many people spending the night

                                   _______________________________

                                3. with smaller tremors 20, townspeople

                                   rushing for __________________,

                                   resulting in _______ roads and

                                   _______________

                                4. _______________________ broken

                                5. _____________ supplies failing

   Ⅳ. Difficulties in       A. bad weather conditions:

       rescue work              1. _____________

                                2. _____________

                             B. ______ conditions in some areas

                                not very good

Part Ⅳ  More about the topic: Earthquake Tips

Now seismologists are even able to record an earthquake that is occurring thousands of miles away from us. However, about 10% of each year's earthquakes present them with a puzzle. These quakes could not be located in any geographical 21 position. Therefore, one has to learn something about what to do in case an earthquake occurs without any notice.

Now listen to a passage about earthquake tips. The following phrases describe what you should do and should not do when an earthquake hits. Put these phrases into the correct column.

  ◆ Protect your head with your arms.

  ◆ Listen to the radio or watch TV for emergency bulletins.

  ◆ Stay near the window.

  ◆ Telephone your friends to see if they're OK.

  ◆ Stay inside.

  ◆ Leave right away.

  ◆ Watch out for falling objects.

  ◆ Go on driving.

  ◆ Give first aid, if necessary.

  ◆ Use the elevators.

  ◆ Duck under a desk or sturdy table.

  ◆ Use flashlights when gas is leaking.

  ◆ Hold onto your cover.

  ◆ Rush for exits.

  ◆ Check for fire.

 

                           Do's             Don'ts

  General tips during      _______________  _________________

  an earthquake    

  In a high-rise building  _______________  _________________  

  While driving     _______________  _________________

  In a crowded store    _______________  _________________ 

  In a theater     _______________  _________________

  After the earthquake    _______________  _________________ 

Part Ⅴ  Do you know ...?

Mushrooms are fleshy plants that are most likely to be found in pastures, meadows, and woodlands. Some mushrooms are delicious as food. A few kinds of mushrooms, which many people call toadstools, are poisonous. There is no completely safe way for anyone but an expert to distinguish wild edible 22 mushrooms from very similar poisonous varieties. So it is much wiser to buy the mushrooms you eat than to collect wild ones.

You are going to hear a passage about mushrooms. Listen carefully and do the multiple choice with the help of the notes you have taken in the notes column.

   1. You cannot get mushrooms by _______________.

      a. searching for them in the water

      b. searching for them in the wild

      c. buying them in stores

      d. growing them

 

   2. Which of the following is not an American way of cooking mushrooms?

      a. They make mushroom bread.

      b. They make mushroom salad.

      c. They stew 23 mushrooms with onions in butter.

      d. They fry mushrooms in oil.

   3. Which of the following statements is true?

      a. People can grow mushrooms on trees alive.

      b. Most of the mushrooms are poisonous.

      c. There are no green mushrooms.

      d. Edible mushrooms are very nutritious 24.

  

   4. Some years ago in Russia, _______________ people died of eating poisonous mushrooms.

      a. 30

      b. 20

      c. 300

      d. 200

 

   5. Farmers in France sometimes use ______________ to find mushrooms hidden under the ground.

      a. satellites

      b. chickens

      c. laser lights

      d. pigs

 

   6. Which of the following statements is not true?

      a. Next week, we will know how to grow mushrooms.

      b. The attempt to oust 25 the then Russian President Gorbachev in 1990 was not successful.

      c. Mushrooms can only be found in certain parts of the world.

      d. Many people in Russia love hunting mushrooms.

Part Ⅵ  Reminder of key points in this unit

           Verb & Verb Phrase  Noun & Noun Phrase  Other

   Part Ⅰ rip                 firebomb

           take over           bystander

           hamper              tornado

                               extremist

                               mudslide

                               mask

                               hurricane 

                 hijack 

   Part Ⅱ cut off        death toll    tidal

    collapse        relief            forthcoming

    evacuate        eyewitness 

    normalize        ferry 

    urge                calamity 

                 chaos 

                 casualty 

   Part Ⅲ disrupt        makeshift    in the open

    ensue        rubble 

                 rescue 

                 tremor 

   Part Ⅳ duck                cabinet            sturdy

    dislodge        tile            orderly

    pull over        high-rise 

    anchor              sprinkler 

           take cover          debris 

    reassure        overpass 

    leak                latch 

    tune to        precaution 

                 bulletin 

   Part Ⅴ lack                chlorophyll   in the wild

    oust                garlic 

    mate                fungi 

                 potassium

                               niacin