their education. Problems Educators just want to give standardized tests. They only focus on academic performance but neglect students’ abilities and interests in other areas. Educators often exert a lot of pressure on students to be as well-rounded as possible. “Weak” students are separated from the rest of the school.
Results Kids lose interest in learning. Some intelligent kids can’t enter good colleges. Their grades go from bad to worse. Debate
SAMPLE
A: Many ads about English classes for children say, “Don’t let your kids lose the
competition just because they start later.” I quite agree. I hear young children often learn a foreign language faster then adults.
B: It’s hard to say. Kids may learn the pronunciation better than adults, but adults usually learn vocabulary and grammar faster.
A: You can learn vocabulary and grammar later on; but when you grow up, you can hardly change your pronunciation.
B: But if they learn the wrong pronunciation from the beginning? If they don’t learn English when they are young in the right way, it’ll affect their English studies A: Anyway, some good or “key” schools give English tests to kids before admitting them.
B: English is important, bur other subjects like Chinese and math ate equally important. If kids spend too much time on English, they have little time left for other subjects.
A: Some people say that learning a foreign language can help develop children’s mental abilities such as memory, attention span and concentration, which will e of help in learning other subjects.
B: But too much time for studying and too little left for playing, children’s moral and physical development will be affected.
A: Well, it’s difficult for me to convince you, and vice versa. Let’s agree to disagree.
VI. Further Listening and Speaking
Task1: Harvard University Script
Harvard University is the oldest institute of highest learning in her United States. Founded 16years after the arrival of the Pilgrim at Plymouth, the university has grown from 9 students with a single master to the present enrollment of more than 18,000students, including undergraduates and students in 10 graduate and professor schools. Over14, 000 people work at Harvard, including more than 2,000 faculties. Harvard has produces six presidents of the United States and 34 Noel winners. During its early years, Harvard offered a classic academic course based on the model of English universities, but consistent with the prevailing Puritan philosophy. Although many of its graduates became ministers in Puritan church throughout New England, the university never formally affiliated with a specific religious group. Under President Pusey (1953-1971), Harvard started what was then the largest fund-raising campaign in the history of American higher education. It was an 82.5 million dollar program for the university. The program increased faculty salaries, broadened student aid, created new professorships, and expanded Harvard’s physical facilities.
Neil L. Rudenstine took office as Harvard’s 26th president in 1001. As part of an overall effort to achieve greater coordination among the university’s school and faculties, Rudenstine encouraged academic planning and identified some of Harvard’s main intellectual priorities. He also stressed the important of the university’s excellence in undergraduate education, the significance of keeping Harvard’s doors open to students from families of different economic backgrounds, the task of as aping the research university to an era of both rapid information growth and serious fund shortage.
6. What is main idea of the passage?
7. How many teachers did Harvard have at the very beginning?
8. What was the role of religion at Harvard University was during is early years? 9. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an achievement of President Pusey’s fund-raising program?
10. What did President Rudenstine do?
Keys: 1.B 2.A 3.C 4.D 5.D
Task 2: The Final Exam
Script
At a university, there were four sophomores taking a chemistry course. They were doing so well on all the quizzes, midterms, labs, that each had “A” so far for the semester.
These four friends were so confident that on the weekend before finals, they decided to go up to the University of Virginia and party with some friends there. They had a great time, but after all the hearty partying, they slept all day Sunday and didn’t make it back to school until early Monday morning.
Rather than taking the final then, they decided to find their professor after the final exam and explain to him why they missed it. They explained that they had planned to come back in time for the final exam, but, unfortunately, they had a flat tire on the way back, didn’t have a spare, and couldn’t get help for a long time. As a result, they missed the final.
The professor thought it over and then agreed they could make up the final the following day. The guys were relieved and elated. The next day, the professor placed them in separate room, hand each of them a test booklet, and told them to begin. They took at the first problem, worth five points. It was a simple question on a chemical reaction. “Cool,” they thought at the same time, each one in his separate room, “This is going to be easy.” Each finished the problem and then turned the page. On the second page was a question worth 95 points: “Which of the tires was flat?”
Task3: Applying for a place in an American University
Script
International students often underestimate the amount of time required to apply for admission to a college or university in the United States. You should avoid this mistake by setting yourself a schedule that starts well in advance of the time you hope to begin your studies. When setting this timetable, always remember that doing things early is the best way forward. To find the institution or program that will best serve your academic or professional goals, allow yourself sufficient time to research
thoroughly your options. Then meet the application deadlines of the university to which you apply. These may be as much as 10 months before the school term.
The need for an early start holds true even if you can apply on the Internet. University websites and other academic Internet sites may provide quick and convenient access to the required application forms, but you still need time to research your options, contact teachers and institutions to obtain recommendation and transcripts of academic records, and sign up for required entrance exams, that is, standardized tests, in time to meet application deadlines. In fact, although some students did score high on TOEFL and GRE, they were not admitted because they failed to meet the deadline.
For Reference:
1. They often underestimate the amount of time required.
2. They must allow themselves sufficient time to research thoroughly their options
3. They may provide quick and convenient access to the required application forms. 4. They still need time to research your options, contact teachers and institutions to obtain recommendation and transcripts of academic records, and sign up for required entrance exams, that is, standardized tests. 5. Because they failed to meet the deadline.
News Report
Prince William in Chile Script
What goes into a prince’s education today? For Britain’s Prince William, nature played an important role in his education this last winter, as the future king went on a 10-week expedition in Chile with Raleigh International.
The experience was a very different one for the prince. He kayaked in ocean fjords, tracked a rare deer, and was stranded on a beach during a storm. He also got used to sleeping on the ground—at times in a room filled with 16 people –and living in simple conditions.
Those who took part, called “volunteers”, both contributed and learned. The prince helped locals build wooded walkways and buildings, and taught English to schoolchildren.
He was described by other volunteers as hardworking, humble, and laid-back. As one said, “He struck a really good balance between working hard and having fun…getting on with everyone, and taking on the team spirit.”
The prince said he liked being treated as an “equal” by other volunteer, who came from all walks of life. Around 20 percent were from problem backgrounds, some having had troubles with drugs or crime.
It seems that there’s a lot more to education than university and books, and the Chilean forests and a little contact with regular people may do a lot of a British prince.
新视野大学英语视听说教程三――听力原文及答案
