Question 1. Listen to part of a lecture in a psychology class.
One study on aging suggests that the key to a longer life might be the way you think about yourself as you get older, that is, how you see your own aging. The researchers found that people who view aging positively live longer than people who view it negatively.
This study began 26 years ago and took place in a small town in the Midwest. The participants were 640 men and women who were 50 to 90 years old at the time. The subjects were asked to agree or disagree with statements about aging, for example, statements like “As you get older, you become less useful” and “Older people can’t learn new skills.” The data showed that respondents with the most positive attitudes survived a median of 22 years after their initial interview, while those with negative views lived just 15 years — a difference of seven years.
Questions 2 through 3. Listen to part of a talk given by an academic adviser.
A bachelor’s degree in engineering is the generally accepted educational requirement for most entry-level engineering jobs. In a typical four-year engineering program, the first two years are spent studying basic sciences — mathematics, physics, chemistry, and introductory engineering — and the humanities, social sciences, and English. The last two years are devoted to specialized engineering courses. Some programs offer a general engineering curriculum, letting students choose a specialty in graduate school or acquire one later on the job.
Several engineering schools have formal arrangements with liberal arts colleges — programs, for example, where a student spends three years in a liberal arts college studying pre-engineering subjects and a couple years in an engineering school, and then receives a bachelor’s degree from each school.
Now most engineers have some training beyond the bachelor’s degree. An advanced degree is desirable for promotion, or is necessary to keep up with new technology. Graduate training is essential for most teaching and research positions.
Now a number of colleges and universities offer five-year master’s degree programs offering an accelerated, intensive program of study. Some schools — particularly the state technical schools — have five- or six-year cooperative programs where students coordinate classroom study with practical work experience. These programs are popular because, in addition to gaining useful job experience, students can finance part of their education.
Questions 4 through 5. Listen to part of a talk in a health class.
W: RSI — repetitive strain injury — is probably the fastest-growing job-related illness. We hear about RSI so much today because of high-speed keyboard technology. Repetitive strain injury — also called repetitive motion syndrome — is a real problem for people who sit at the computer all day. RSI is brought on by doing the same movements with the arms and hands over and over again, all day long. This type of injury has been a problem for a long time for violinists, typists, mechanics, construction workers — anyone whose job involves repeated wrist movements.
M: My mother used to work in the lab at St. Peter’s, and she got something like that. She worked there for around fifteen years, and it got to the point where she couldn’t handle the instruments anymore. You could hear her fingers crack and pop when she moved them.
W: Hmm. Your mother may have had RSI — a serious case, from the sound of it. RSI affects different people differently. Some people get an inflammation of the sheathing around the tendons in the hand called tendonitis. The inflammation makes your fingers painful and hard to straighten. It’s possible your mother’s problem was tendonitis. A more serious condition that a lot of workers develop is carpal tunnel syndrome. That’s when the nerves that go through the wrist to the hand are pinched by swollen tissue. The swelling causes a numbness or tingling sensation in the hand, and pain shoots up from the wrist — either up the arm or down into the hand. The pain can be so bad at night it wakes you up.
11(1). What is the speaker’s main point?
12(2). What is the speaker mainly discussing?
13(3). How does the speaker organize the information that he presents?
14(4). What aspect of RSI does the instructor mainly discuss?
15(5). How does the instructor develop the topic of RSI?
11(1). A. The speaker’s main point is that attitudes toward aging can affect how long a person lives. Key phrases: “the key to a longer life might be the way you think about yourself as you get older”; “people who view aging positively live longer than people who view it negatively.”
12(2). C. The speaker mainly discusses educational programs for engineers. Key phrases: “typical four-year engineering program”; “general engineering curriculum”; “five-year master’s degree programs.”
13(3). D. The speaker mainly gives examples of undergraduate and graduate programs. Key phrases: “typical four-year engineering program”; “programs, for example, where a student spends three years in a liberal arts college”; “five-year master’s degree programs”; “five- or six-year cooperative programs.”
14(4). B. The instructor mainly discusses causes and effects of RSI. Key phrases: “RSI is brought on by”; “RSI affects different people differently.”
15(5). D. The instructor describes symptoms of RSI. Key phrases: “an inflammation of the sheathing around the tendons in the hand”; “makes your fingers painful and hard to straighten”; “The swelling causes a numbness or tingling sensation in the hand, and pain shoots up from the wrist.”
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Correct Answers: 0
Incorrect Answers: 0
Listening4_Listen to the lecture and answer the questions.
Today, I'd like to talk about one of Russia's most famous tourist routes, known as the Golden Ring. Rather than being a single city, the Golden Ring consists of several historic towns located northeast of Moscow. Together, these towns preserve some of the country's oldest churches, monasteries, fortresses, and traditional crafts. For many foreign visitors, the route offers an opportunity to experience a side of Russia that differs considerably from modern Moscow or Saint Petersburg.
Although the exact list of cities varies, the route traditionally includes Sergiev Posad, Suzdal, Vladimir, Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, and Pereslavl-Zalessky. Most of these settlements were founded between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries and played an important role in the political and religious development of medieval Russia.
For example, visitors to Vladimir often learn about the period when the city served as the political center of northeastern Rus' during the twelfth century. Excursions frequently focus on Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who attempted to shift power away from Kyiv and transform Vladimir into the leading city of the region. Travelers can visit the Assumption Cathedral, where many princes were crowned and which later influenced the architecture of the Moscow Kremlin.
Another popular destination is Suzdal, sometimes described as an open-air museum. Unlike many modern cities, Suzdal contains almost no industrial development. Guided tours often explain how people lived in medieval Russia and may include visits to wooden churches and peasant houses reconstructed in the Museum of Wooden Architecture. Some historical programs even feature demonstrations of traditional crafts and old agricultural techniques.
In Rostov Veliky, tourists frequently visit the kremlin, although, interestingly enough, it was never designed primarily as a military fortress. Historians explain that it served mainly as a residence for church leaders. Many visitors recognize the site because scenes from several Soviet films were shot there.
The route is not limited to historical sightseeing. Guests can participate in a wide variety of activities. Some travelers attend workshops on pottery, icon painting, or enamel art, particularly in Rostov Veliky, which is famous for a decorative technique known as finift enamel. Others sample traditional Russian cuisine, including blini, pirozhki, and mead. During winter, tourists may enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, while in summer they often take river cruises or bicycle tours through the countryside.
Sergiev Posad attracts pilgrims and history enthusiasts alike because of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, one of the most important monasteries in Russian Orthodoxy. Founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh in the fourteenth century, the monastery played a significant role in the spiritual life of the country and even helped organize resistance during periods of foreign invasion.
Another city with an interesting historical connection is Kostroma. Excursions there frequently discuss the origins of the Romanov dynasty. In 1613, Mikhail Romanov was called to the throne while staying near Kostroma, marking the beginning of a ruling family that would govern Russia for more than three centuries.
As you can see, the Golden Ring is more than simply a collection of old buildings. It allows visitors to combine history, architecture, religion, local traditions, and outdoor activities. In many ways, it provides a window into the origins of Russian civilization and explains why these ancient towns continue to attract travelers from around the world.
1. [Main Idea] What is the lecture mainly about?
2. [Detail] Which city is connected with Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky?
3. [Function] Why does the professor mention Moscow and Saint Petersburg?
4. [Inference] What can be inferred about Suzdal?
5. [Detail] What activity does the professor associate with Rostov Veliky?
6. [Purpose of Example] Why does the professor discuss the Assumption Cathedral?
7. [Negative Fact] Which activity is NOT mentioned as something visitors may do?
8. [Organization] How is the lecture mainly organized?
9. [Detail] What historical event is connected with Kostroma?
10. [Inference] What does the professor imply about the Rostov kremlin?
11. [Function] Why does the professor mention winter and summer activities?
12. [Attitude] What is the professor’s attitude toward this tourist route?
13. [Connecting Content] Which statement best connects Sergiev Posad and Kostroma?
14. [Rhetorical Purpose] Why does the professor say the route is “more than simply a collection of old buildings”?
15. [Prediction] What will the professor most likely discuss next?