decline
n./v. 下降；衰退；谢绝
account
n. 记述；账户；解释；vi.说明…的原因；占
related
a. 与…有亲戚关系的；有关系的
disk/disc
n. 圆盘；磁盘，光盘
prosecute
v. 对…提起公诉，起诉；继续从事
release
vt./n. 释放；解除；放开；发布
security
n. 安全；抵押品；证券
assure
vt. 使确信；确保
expire
vt. 期满；断气
update
vt. 更新，使现代化n. 最新信息
verify
vt. 核实；证实
instal(l)
vt. 安装；使就职
virus
n. 病毒；病毒性疾病
removal
n. 除去；移动
patch
n. 补丁；斑；一小块地；vt. 修补
available
a. 现成可使用的；可得到的
insure
vt. 给…保险；保证
exploit
vt. 剥削；利用，开发；n. 业绩
peer
n. 同龄人；贵族；vt. 仔细看
recommend
vt. 推荐；劝告；使成为可取
utility
n. 功用，效用；公用事业
hacker
n. 劈者；电脑黑客
intention
n. 意图
nonetheless
ad. 尽管如此
log
n. 原木；航海日志；vt. 正式记录
maintenance
n. 维修；扶养费；维持
fragment
n. 碎片；v. （使）成碎片
click
v. （使）发出咔哒声；点击；n. 咔哒声
document
n. 文件；vt. 记载
scatter
v. 撒；使散开，消散
handle
vt. 处理；操作；拿；n. 柄，把手
theft
n. 偷窃，失窃
transaction
n. 交易，业务
subscribe
v.订阅；同意；捐助
consult
vt. 请教；查阅；vi. 商议
appointment
n. 约会；任命；委任的职位
odd
a. 古怪的；临时的；单的；奇数的；剩余的 n.可能性
straightforward
a. 径直的；正直的；易懂的
deserve
vt. 应受，值得
temper
n. 脾气；韧度；vt. 调和；使回火
digest
vt. 消化；吸收；n. 文摘
enthusiasm
n. 热情；巨大兴趣，热衷的事物
talent
n. 才能，天资；人才
versatile
a. 多才多艺的；多功能的
obtain
vt. 获得；vi. 通用
remote
a. 遥远的；关系疏远的；绝少的；孤高的
exchange
n. 交换；兑换；vt. 交换；交流
potential
a. 潜在的；n. 潜力
steep
a. 陡的；过高的；急剧的；vt. 浸泡
cliff
n. 悬崖
subtle
a. 微妙的；诡秘的；隐约的
diverse
a. 不同的；多种多样的
enforce
vt. 实施；强迫
ceremony
n. 典礼；礼节
mechanical
a. 机械的；力学的；呆板的
attach
vt. 贴；使依恋；认为有；使附属
monument
n. 纪念碑；历史遗迹
veil
n. 面纱；遮盖物；vt. 掩饰
controversy
n. 争论
hoist
vt. 举起，吊起；n. 起重器械；举起
dignity
n. 庄严；尊严
principal
a. 主要的；n. 校长；资本；主角
attendance
n. 出席人数；参加；护理
decrease
v./n. 减小，减少
promote
vt. 促进；提拔；推销
promising
a. 有希望的，有前途的
deliberate
a. 蓄意的；深思熟虑的 ；v. 仔细考虑
aside
ad. 在旁边
sustain
vt. 保持；供养；支撑；经受
exhaust
vt. 使筋疲力尽；用光；详尽论述 n. 排气装置；废气
atmosphere
n. 大气层；空气；环境
propose
v. 提议；提名；打算；求婚
breed
n. 品种；v. 繁殖；养育；酿成
equivalent
a. 相等的；n. 等价物
reception
n. 招待会；接受；接待；接收效果
prompt
vt. 促使；提示；a. 敏捷的，及时的 n. 提词
legislation
n. 法律；立法
lunar
a. 月的，月球的
preserve
vt. 保护；保存；腌制
commend
vt. 表扬；推荐
circumstance
n. 环境；（pl.）形势
accordance
n. 一致
philosophy
n. 哲学；哲理
classify
vt. 把…分类，把…分级
genius
n. 天才
commence
v. 开始
disturb
vt. 打扰；使不安；弄乱
collision
n. 碰撞；冲突
gear
n. 齿轮，（排）挡；用具；vt. 使适应
elect
v. 选举；选择
arbitrary
a. 任意的；专断的
election
n. 选举
curse
v. 咒骂；n. 咒骂；祸害
electronic
a. 电子的；n. （-s）电子学；电子设备
fruitful
a. 多产的，富有成效的
commerce
n. 商业
distinct
a. 有区别的；清楚的；明确的
function
n. 功能；职能；重大聚会；函数；vi. 运行
harmony
n. 和谐，一致
implicit
a. 含蓄的；（in）固有的；无疑问的
combine
v. 结合，联合
occurrence
n. 发生的事情；发生
justice
n. 正义，公正；司法
halt
n./v. 停住，暂停
imagination
n. 想象，想象力；空想；想象出来的事物
justification
n. 正当的理由
mild
a. 温和的，温柔的；温暖的；轻微的
performance
n. 表演；履行；表现
requirement
n. 要求；需要的东西
shortcoming
n. 缺点
rescue
vt./n. 营救
plague
n. 瘟疫；灾难；vt. 使痛苦
reputation
n. 名声
secondary
a. 次要的，第二的；中等的；辅助的
violent
a. 暴力引起的；猛烈的
section
n. 部分；章节；部门；截面
violence
n. 暴力；猛烈
resent
vt. 对…表示忿恨
Conversation 1.
M: Excuse me. "Where's your rock music section?
W: Rock music? I'm sorry, we're a Jazz store. We don't have any rock and roll.
M: Oh, you only have Jazz music? nothing else?
W: That's right. We're the only record store in London dedicated【专心致志的、专门的】exclusively【仅仅、单独的】to Jazz. Actually, we're more than just a record store. We have a cafe and library upstairs and a ticket office down the hall where you can buy tickets to all the major Jazz concerts【音乐会】in the city. Also we have our own studio【工作室】next door where reproduce albums【相册、专辑】for up and coming artists. We are committed【尽心尽力的、承诺】to fostering new music talent.
M: That's so cool. I guess there's not much of【没有多少】a Jazz scene anymore. Not like they used to be. But here you're trying to promote this great music genre【类型、属于某种类型的】.
W: Yes. Indeed, nowadays most people like to listen to pop【流行音乐】and rock music. Hip hop music【嘻哈音乐】from America is also getting more and more popular. So as a result, there are fewer listeners of Jazz, which is a great shame【羞耻】because it's an incredibly rich genre. But that's not to say there isn't any good new Jazz music being made out there anymore. Far from it. It's just a much smaller market today.
M: So how would you define Jazz?
W: Interestingly enough, there's no agreed upon definition of Jazz. Indeed, there are many different styles of Jazz, some have singing, but most don't. Some are electric and some aren't. Some contain live experimentation, but not always. While there's no simple definition for it. Allow, there are many different styles of Jazz. You simply know it when you hear it. Honestly. The only way to know what Jazz is, listen to it yourself. As the great trumpet【小号、喇叭】player. Louis Armstrong said, if you've got to ask, you'll never know.
Question 1. What do we learn about the woman's store?
Question 2. What does the man say about Jazz music?
Question 3. What does the woman say about Jazz?
Question 4. What should you do to appreciate【欣赏】different styles of Jazz according to the woman?
Conversation 2.
M: How did it go at the bank this morning?
W: Not well. My proposal was rejected.
M: Really? But why?
W: Bunch of reasons. For starters, they said my credit history was not good enough.
M: Did they say, how you could improve that?
W: Yes, they said that after five more years of paying my mortgage【抵押贷款】, then I will become a more viable【切实可行的】candidate for a business loan. But right now it's too risky for them to lend me money. They fear I will default on【拖欠...】any business loan I'm given.
M: That doesn't sound fair. Your business idea is amazing. Did you show them your business plan? What did they say?
W: They didn't really articulate【明确表示】any position regarding the actual business plan. They simply looked at my credit history and determined it was not good enough. They said the bank has strict guidelines and requirements as to who they can lend money to. And I simply don't meet their financial threshold【门槛】.
M: What if you ask for a smaller amount? Maybe you could gather capital【资本、资金】from other sources, smaller loans from more lenders【放款人】.
W: You don't get it. It doesn't matter. The size of the loan I ask for, or the type of business I propose. That's all inconsequential【不重要的】. The first thing every bank will do is study how much money I have and how much debt【欠款】I have before they decide whether or not to lend me any more money. If I want to continue ahead with this dream of only my own business, I have no other choice but to build up my own finances, I need around 20% more in personal savings【存款】and 50% less debt. That's all there is to it.
M: I see now it's a huge pity【同情】that they rejected your request, but don't lose hope. I still think that your idea is great and that you would turn it into a phenomenal【杰出的】success.
Question 5. What did the woman do this morning?
Question 6. Why was the woman's proposal rejected?
Question 7. What is the woman planning to do?
Question 8. What does the man suggest the woman do?
Section B.
Passage 1.
There's a lot about Leo Sanchez and his farm in Salinas, California. That seems unusual. The national average farm【农场】size is around 440 acres, but his is only one acre. The average age of farmers hovers【徘徊】around 58 years old, but he is just 26.
And Sanchez constantly attempts to improve everything from seeding【seed的ing形式：播种】techniques out in the field to the promotion and sale of his produce online. This is evidence of an experimental approach【靠近、方法】. It's an approach not dictated by【由……影响】the confines【范围、限制】of conventional large scale agriculture lead by international corporations.
While farming is often difficult for both the body and mine, Sanchez says he and many of his fellow young farmers are motivated by desire【欲望、渴望】to set a new standard for agriculture. Many of them are employing【雇佣、使用】a multitude【大量、群众】of technologies, some new and some not so new. Recently, Sanchez bought a hand operated tool【手动操作工具】which pulls out weeds【野草】and loosen【变松】soil【泥土】. It actually dates back to at least 1701. It stands in sharp contrast【强烈的对比】to Sanchez, this other gadget【小器具】, a gas powered flame【火焰】weedkiller, invented in 1997. He simply doesn't discriminate when it comes to the newness of tools. If it works, it works.
Farmers have a long history of invention and is no different today. Young farmers are guided by their love for agriculture and aided by their knowledge of technology to find inexpensive and appropriately sized tools. They collaborate and innovate. Sometimes the old stuff just works better or more efficiently.
Question 9. What do we learn about Leo Sanchez's farm?
Question 10. What has motivated Leo Sanchez and his fellow young farmers to engage in farming?
Question 11. Why did Leo Sanchez buy a hand operated weeding tool?
farm【农场】
film【电影】
Passage 2.
Eat Grub【幼虫】is Britain's first new food company that breaks western food boundaries by introducing edible【可食用的】insects【昆虫】as a new source of food. And SainzBreez’e is the first UK supermarket to stock the company's crunchy【酥脆的】roasted【烤】crickets. SainzBreeze insist that such food is no joke and could be a new, sustainable source of protein.
Out of curiosity【好奇心】, I paid a visit to SainzBreeze as I put my hand into a packet of crickets with their tiny eyes and legs. The idea of one going in my mouth made me feel a little sick【生病的、想吐的】. But the first bite【咬、一口】was a pleasant surprise, a little dry and lacking of taste, but at least a wing【翅膀】didn't get stuck in【卡进】my throat【喉咙】.
The roasted seasoning【调味料】largely overpowered【征服、压倒】any other flavour【特色、味道】, although there was slightly bitter【味苦的】after taste. The texture is crunchy, but smelt a little of cab【出租车】food. Eat Grub also recommends the crickets as a topping for noodles, soups and salads【沙拉】. The company boasts【自夸】that its dried crickets contain more protein than beef, chicken, and pork, as well as minerals【矿物质】like iron【铁】and calcium.
Unlike the production of meat, bugs do not use up large amounts of land, water or feed. And insect farming also produces far fewer greenhouse gases. However, despite 2 billion people worldwide already supplementing their diet with insects, consumer disgust remains a large barrier in many western countries. I'm not sure bugs will become a popular snack anytime soon, but they're definitely food for fort【堡垒、要塞】.
Question 12. What do we learn from the passage about the food company Eat Grub ?
Question 13. What does the speaker say about his first bite a roasted crickets【蟋蟀】?
Question 14. What does Eat Grub say about his dried crickets?
Question 15. What does the passage say about insect farming?
Section C
Recording 1.
Have you ever had someone try to explain something to you a dozen times with no luck- but【你是否曾经遇到过这样的情况:有人试图向你解释一件事十多次，但都没有成功】, then, when you see a picture, the idea finally clicks. If that sounds familiar, maybe you might consider yourself a visual learner. Or if reading or listening does a trick, maybe you feel like you're a verbal learner. We call these labels learning styles. But is there really a way to categorize different types of students? It actually seems that multiple presentation【仪式、介绍会】formats, especially if one of them is visual. Help most people learn.
When psychologists and educators test for learning styles, they're trying to figure out whether these are inherent traits that affect how well students learn instead of just a preference【偏好】. Usually they start by giving a survey to figure out what style a student favors, like visual or verbal learning. Then they try to teach the students something with a specific presentation style, like using visual AIDS,and do a follow up test to see how much they learned. That way, the researcher scan see if the self identified verbal learners really learned better when the information was just spoken aloud, for example.
But according to a 2008 review, only one study that followed this design found that students actually learned best with their preferred style.
But the study had some big flaws. The researchers excluded 2/3 of the original participants, because they didn't seem to have any clear learning style from the survey at the beginning. And they didn't even report the actual test scores in the final paper. So it doesn't really seem like learning styles are an inherited trait that we all have. But that doesn't mean that all students will do amazingly, if they just spend all their time reading from a textbook【教科书、课本】.
Instead, most people seem to learn better if they're taught in several ways, especially if one is visual. In one study, researchers tested whether students remembered lists of words better if they heard them, saw them or both. Everyone seemed to do better if they got to see the words in print. Even the self identified auditory【听觉】learners, their preference didn't seem to matter. Similar studies tested whether students learned basic physics and chemistry concepts better by reading plain text or viewing pictures to and everyone to better with the help of pictures.
Question 16. Why do psychologists and educators study learning styles?
Question 17. What does the speaker say about one study mentioned in the 2008 review?
Question 18. What message does the speaker want to convey about learning at the end of the talk?
Recording 2.
Free market capitalism【资本主义】hasn't freed【解放】us. It has trapped【受困的】us. It's imperative【必要的】for us to embrace a workplace revolution. We're unlikely to spend our last moments regretting【后悔】that we didn't spend enough of our lives slaving【slave的ing形式：做苦工】away at work. We may instead find ourselves feeling guilty about the time we didn't spend watching our children grow all with our loved ones, or travelling or on the cultural or leisure suits【套装衣服、适合】that bring us happiness.
Unfortunately, the average full time employee in the world works 42 hours a week. Over a 3rd of the time we're awake. Some of our all too precious time is being stolen【steal的过去分词：偷】. Office workers do around 2 billion hours of unpaid overtime each year. So it's extremely welcome【非常受欢迎的】that some government coalitions【联合、联盟】have started looking into potentially【潜在的、可能的】cutting the working week to four days.
The champions of free market capitalism promised their way of life would bring us freedom, but it wasn't freedom at all. From the lack of secure, affordable housing to growing job insecurity【不安全】and rising personal debt, the individual is trapped. Nine decades ago, leading economists predicted that technological advances and rising productivity would mean that would be working a 15-hour week. By now that target has been somewhat missed.
Here is the most malignant【致命的】threat to our personal freedom, particularly as the balance of power【权力、力量】in the workplace has been shifted so dramatically from worker to boss. A huge portion of our lives involves the surrender【投降】of our freedom and personal autonomy. It's time in which we are directed by the needs and desires of others, and denied the right to make our own choices. That's bad for us. It's hardly surprising that over half a million workers suffer from work related mental health conditions each year, or that 15.4 million working days were lost to work related stress last year, a jump of nearly a quarter.
Yes, they're all those who, far from being overworked, actually seek more hours. But a shorter working week would enable us to redistribute【重新分配】hours from the overworked to the under worked. We need to look at ways of cutting the working week without slashing living standards. After all worlds, workers have already suffered the worst deduction【推论、扣除】in wages since the early 18 hundreds. And cutting the working week would be conducive【有益的】to the individual, giving millions of workers more time to spend as they see fit.
Question 19. What do people often feel guilty【内疚】about according to the speaker?
Question 20. What did leading economists predict 90 years ago?
Question 21. What is the result of denying workers' right to make their own choices?
Recording 3.
Today I'm going to talk about Germany's dream airport in Berlin.The airport looks exactly like every-other major modern airport in Europe, except for one big problem. More than seven years after it was originally supposed【假设】to open, it still stands empty. Germany is known for its efficiency and refined engineering, but when it comes to its new ghost airport, this reputation【名声】could not be further from the truth. Plagued【困扰、折磨】by long delays, perpetual【长期的】mismanagement, and ever saw ring costs, the airport has become something of a joke among Germans and a source of frustration【沮丧、懊恼】for local politicians, business leaders and residents alike【相似的】.
Planning for the new airport began in 1989. At the time, it became clear that the newly reunified【重新统一】Berlin would need a modern airport with far greater capacity than its existing airports. The city broke ground on the new airport in 2006.
The first major sign of problems came in summer 2010, when the construction corporation pushed the opening from October 2011 to June 2012. In2012, the city planted opening ceremony. But less than a month beforehand, inspectors【检查员】found significant problems with the fire safety system and push the opening back again to 2013. It wasn't just the smoke system. Many other major problems subsequently emerged. More than 90 meters of cable【电缆】were incorrectly installed. 4000 doors were wrongly numbered, escalators【自动扶梯】were too short. There was as a shortage of check in desks.
Why were so many problems discovered? Didn't the airport corporation decide to give up on the project and start over【重新开始】? The reason is simple. People are often hesitant to terminate a project when they've already invested time or resources into it, even if it might make logical sense to do so.
The longer the delays continued, the more problems inspectors found. Leadership of the planning corporation has changed hands nearly as many times as the opening date has been pushed back. Initially, rather than appointing【任命、委派】a general contractor【承包商】to run the project, the corporation decided to manage it themselves. Despite【尽管】lack of experience with an undertaking of that scale.
To compound【混合物、私了】the delays, the unused airport is resulting in massive costs. Every month it remains unopened costs between nine and 10 million euros. Assuming all goes well, the airport should open in October 2020, but the still empty airport stands as the biggest embarrassment【尴尬】to Germany's reputation for efficiency and a continuing drain on city and state resources.
Question 22. What does the speaker say about the dream airport in Berlin?
Question 23. Why was there a need for a new airport in Berlin?
Question 24. Why did Berlin postpone【推迟】the opening of its dream airport again and again?
Question 25. What happens while the airport remains unused?