1.精選英語(yǔ)文章聽(tīng)力
城市的發(fā)展
英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力原文：
More and more of the world's population are living in towns or cities. The speed at which cities are growing in the less developed countries is alarming. Between 1920 and 1960, big cities in developed countries increased two and a half times in size, but in other parts of the world the growth was eight times their size.
世界上越來(lái)越多的人居住在城鎮(zhèn)或都市里。在次發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家中，城市的擴(kuò)張速度是值得關(guān)注的。在1920至1960年間，發(fā)達(dá)國(guó)家大城市的規(guī)模增加了兩倍半，但是在世界其他地方，城市的規(guī)模相當(dāng)于原來(lái)的8倍。
The sheer size of growth is bad enough, but there are now also very disturbing signs of trouble in the comparison of percentages of people living in towns and percentages of people working in industry. During the 19th century, cities grew as a result of the growth of industry. In Europe, the proportion of people living in cities was always smaller than that of the workforce working in factories. Now, however, the reverse is almost always true in the newly industrialized world; The percentage of people living in cities is much higher than the percentage woking in industry.
僅僅就城市增長(zhǎng)的規(guī)模而言已經(jīng)夠糟的了，但是倘若把居住在城鎮(zhèn)和都市的人口的比例和從事工業(yè)人口的比例進(jìn)行比較的話，現(xiàn)在也出現(xiàn)了非常讓人不安的跡象。在 19世紀(jì)，作為工業(yè)發(fā)展的產(chǎn)物，城市也隨之?dāng)U張。在歐洲，居住在城市人口的比例總是比在工廠中工作的勞動(dòng)力的比例要小。然而，在新興的工業(yè)化地區(qū)，情況幾乎總是相反的——在城市居住的人口比例要遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)高于工廠中勞動(dòng)人口的比例。
Without a base of people working in industry, these cities cannot pay for their growth. There is not enough money to build adequate houses for the people that live there, let alone the new arrivals. There has been little opportunity to build water supplies or other facilities. So the figures for the growth of towns and cities represent proportional growth of unemployment and underemployment, a growth in the number of hopeless and despairing parents ans starving children.
沒(méi)有從事工業(yè)的勞動(dòng)力基礎(chǔ)，這些城市就無(wú)法償付它們的擴(kuò)張。它們將缺乏為在那兒生活的居民建造足夠住所的資金，更不必說(shuō)滿足后來(lái)者的居住了。它們將很難有機(jī)會(huì)修建供水系統(tǒng)和其他設(shè)施。城鎮(zhèn)和都市擴(kuò)張的數(shù)字代表著失業(yè)和未充分就業(yè)增加的比例，代表著越來(lái)越多的失望的、沮喪的父母和饑腸轆轆的兒童。
英語(yǔ)單詞詞匯整理:
1. sheer adj. 純粹的，全然的，陡峭的 adv. 完全地
eg: His music is sheer delight.
他的音樂(lè)是純粹的快樂(lè)。
短語(yǔ)：
sheer nonsense 一派胡言
triple sheer 半透明薄綢
2. disturbing adj. 煩擾的，擔(dān)心的，令人不安的
eg: There was something about him she found disturbing.
她發(fā)現(xiàn)他身上有些東西讓她覺(jué)得不安。
短語(yǔ)：
disturbing force 擾動(dòng)力;干擾力
disturbing sleep 擾人清夢(mèng)
3. comparison n. 比較
eg: It is demonstrably an unfair comparison.
這顯然是一種不公平的相似對(duì)比。
短語(yǔ)：
comparison with 與......相比
in comparison 相比之下;與.....比較
in comparison with 與.....比較，同.....比較起來(lái)
by comparison 相比之下，比較起來(lái)
4. proportion n. 比例，均衡，部分
eg: The punishment was out of all proportion to the crime.
懲罰和罪行完全不成比例。
短語(yǔ)：
in proportion 成比例;相稱(chēng)
a large proportion of 一大部分
out of proportion 不成比例
in proportion as 按......比例;依......程度而變
mixing proportion 混合比，配合比例
5. workforce n. 勞動(dòng)力，工人總數(shù)，職工總數(shù)
eg: Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history.
今年年初，女人占勞動(dòng)力總數(shù)的比例超過(guò)了一半，這在美國(guó)歷是第一次。
短語(yǔ)：
workforce level 勞動(dòng)力水平
workforce crisis 勞動(dòng)力危機(jī)
6. reverse n. 相反，背面
eg: The wrong attitude will have exactly the reverse effect.
這種錯(cuò)誤的態(tài)度會(huì)得到恰好相反的結(jié)果。
短語(yǔ)：
reverse fault 逆斷層
reverse mortgage 反向貸款;逆按揭
reverse curve 反向曲線
7. adequate adj. 充足的，足夠的
eg: One in four people worldwide are without adequate homes.
世界上1/4的人沒(méi)有足夠的住房。
短語(yǔ)：
adequate for 勝任......的;對(duì)......是足夠的;適合......的
adequate consideration 充分考慮;適當(dāng)約因
8. facility n.(pl.) 設(shè)備，設(shè)施
eg: What recreational facilities are now available?
什么娛樂(lè)設(shè)施現(xiàn)在是可用的?
短語(yǔ)：
facility cost 設(shè)備成本
public facility 公共設(shè)施
community facility社區(qū)設(shè)施
overdraft facility(英)(銀行存款)透支法
storage facility 存儲(chǔ)設(shè)備
9. proportional adj. 成比例的，相稱(chēng)的
eg: Loss of weight is directly proportional to the rate at which the disease is progressing.
體重減輕和該病的發(fā)展速度成比例。
短語(yǔ)：
proportional control 比例控制;比例調(diào)節(jié)
proportional distribution 按比例分配
proportional relation 比例關(guān)系
佳句采摘：
So the figures for the growth of towns and cities represent proportional growth of unemployment and underemployment, a growth in the number of hopeless and despairing parents ans starving children.
城鎮(zhèn)和都市擴(kuò)張的數(shù)字代表著失業(yè)和未充分就業(yè)增加的比例，代表著越來(lái)越多的失望的、沮喪的父母和饑腸轆轆的兒童。
2.精選英語(yǔ)文章聽(tīng)力
全球變暖問(wèn)題
英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力原文：
Global warming may or not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but—regardless of weather it is or isn't— we won't do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.
全球變暖有可能是21世紀(jì)巨大的環(huán)境危機(jī)，也有可能不是，但是無(wú)論它是或不是我們對(duì)此都無(wú)能為力。我們會(huì)爭(zhēng)論不休，作為一個(gè)國(guó)家，或許會(huì)做出一些聽(tīng)起來(lái)相當(dāng)認(rèn)真的承諾來(lái)避免這一危機(jī)。但是這些承諾看起來(lái)越是令人印象深刻、越是有意義，就越是不太可能被遵守。
Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth,” as if merely recognizing it could put in on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don't know enough to believe global warming, and — with our major technological breakthroughs — we can't do much about it.
Al Gore 稱(chēng)全球變暖是一個(gè)“讓人感到麻煩的事實(shí)”，似乎只要認(rèn)識(shí)到它的存在就可以把我們帶往一條解決問(wèn)題的途經(jīng)上去。但是真正的事實(shí)是，我們沒(méi)有掌握足夠的知識(shí)去緩解全球變暖，并且如果沒(méi)有重大的技術(shù)突破，我們對(duì)此也束手無(wú)策。
No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel)that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they're “doing something”. Consider the Kyoto Protocol. It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn't. But it hasn't reduced CO? emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories didn't adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008 — 2012 targets.
沒(méi)有哪個(gè)政府會(huì)對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)和個(gè)人自由(限制電力的使用，駕駛和旅游)采取嚴(yán)格的限制令，雖然這樣的限制可以緩解全球變暖。即便事實(shí)如此，執(zhí)政者們還是想表明他們?cè)凇安扇〈胧�。就拿《京都協(xié)議》來(lái)說(shuō)吧，它允許其成員國(guó)懲罰非成員國(guó)。但是它并沒(méi)有起到減少二氧化碳的排放量(自從1990年以來(lái)上升了25%)的作用，并且，許多簽字國(guó)并沒(méi)有采取足夠嚴(yán)格的政策來(lái)盡力完成他們所制定的2008—2012年度的目標(biāo)。
The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking our dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.
比較實(shí)際的結(jié)論是，如果全球變暖是一個(gè)潛在的災(zāi)難，那么的解決辦法就是新技術(shù)。只有積極進(jìn)取的研究開(kāi)發(fā)項(xiàng)目才可能會(huì)找到辦法打破我們對(duì)于化石燃料的依賴(lài)，或者找到應(yīng)對(duì)這一難題的辦法。
The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it's really engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don't solve the engineering problem, we're helpless.
全球變暖這場(chǎng)辯論所存在的問(wèn)題是，它本是一個(gè)技術(shù)問(wèn)題，卻都已經(jīng)變成了一個(gè)道德問(wèn)題。這個(gè)被忽視的真相就是，如果不能解決這個(gè)技術(shù)問(wèn)題，我們將對(duì)此束手無(wú)策。
英語(yǔ)單詞詞匯整理:
1. solemn adj.嚴(yán)肅的，莊重的
eg：His solemn little face broke into smiles.
他那嚴(yán)肅的小臉綻開(kāi)了笑容。
短語(yǔ)
solemn promise 莊嚴(yán)承諾 ; 誓言 ; 鄭重承諾 ; 莊嚴(yán)的誓言
solemn profession 終身圣愿 ; 隆重終身圣愿
solemn serious 岸然
2. commitment n. 承諾，托付
eg: They made a commitment to peace.
他們承諾要維護(hù)和平。
短語(yǔ)：
commitment fee 承擔(dān)費(fèi);承諾費(fèi);承約費(fèi)
loan commitment 貸款承諾;貨款承諾;放款承諾;貸款委托書(shū)
Service commitment 服務(wù)承諾;效勞許諾
Management commitment 管理承諾;管理委員會(huì);管理的承諾
Commitment Document 承諾文件
3. dramatic adj. 引人注目的，戲劇性的
eg: Their arrival was dramatic and exciting.
他們的到來(lái)令人激動(dòng)不已，難以忘懷。
短語(yǔ)：
Dramatic Lyrics 戲劇抒情詩(shī);詩(shī)劇抒懷詩(shī)
Dramatic Arts 戲劇藝術(shù)
Dramatic Writing 編劇;話劇寫(xiě)作
dramatic rights 改編權(quán)
4. observe v. 遵守，觀察
eg: Everyone should observe the law.
任何人都必須遵紀(jì)守法。
短語(yǔ)：
witness observe 目睹 ; 目擊
observe silence 默哀
observe things 觀察事物 ; 觀察東西
observe that 對(duì)某人說(shuō)
5. breakthrough n. 突破
eg: Scientists have made a breakthrough in their treatment of that disease.
科學(xué)家在治療那種疾病方面已有突破。
短語(yǔ)：
breakthrough point 切入點(diǎn);突破點(diǎn)
breakthrough time 突破時(shí)間
technological breakthrough 技術(shù)突破
6. aggressive adj. 進(jìn)取的，攻擊性強(qiáng)的
eg: The dogs are trained to be aggressive.
這些狗被訓(xùn)練得具有攻擊性。
短語(yǔ)：
aggressive mode 積極模式;主動(dòng)模式;挑戰(zhàn)模式;激進(jìn)模式
aggressive active 積極主動(dòng)
aggressive Driving 侵略性駕駛;攻擊性駕駛
7. fossil fuel 礦物燃料
eg: Coal is usually referred to as a fossil fuel.
煤通常被稱(chēng)為礦物燃料.
短語(yǔ)：
Fossil-Fuel Resources Utilization in China 中國(guó)能源資源消費(fèi)及其經(jīng)濟(jì)性分析
fossil-fuel power station 火力發(fā)電廠
fossil-fuel boiler 化石燃料鍋爐
佳句采摘：
We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.
我們會(huì)爭(zhēng)論不休，作為一個(gè)國(guó)家，或許會(huì)做出一些聽(tīng)起來(lái)相當(dāng)認(rèn)真的承諾來(lái)避免這一危機(jī)。但是這些承諾看起來(lái)越是令人印象深刻、越是有意義，就越是不太可能被遵守。
3.精選英語(yǔ)文章聽(tīng)力
老員工更受歡迎
英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力原文：
Older staff are more productive than their younger colleagues, say researchers. More mature members of staff may be weaker and less agile than their junior counterparts, but they more than compensate with their greater experience, ability to work in teams, and success at coping when things go wrong. The researchers say: While older workers make more errors, perhaps due to declining physical attributes, they hardly make any severe errors, perhaps due to more experience. It is experience that prevents severe errors.
有專(zhuān)家經(jīng)過(guò)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)：公司的老員工比年輕一輩，特別是新一代的大學(xué)生更有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力。雖然他們相對(duì)年輕的同業(yè)者來(lái)說(shuō)，可能身體不夠強(qiáng)健，思維不夠敏捷，但是他們經(jīng)驗(yàn)更豐富，團(tuán)隊(duì)合作能力更強(qiáng)，處理危機(jī)的能力也更強(qiáng)。專(zhuān)家總結(jié)：因?yàn)槟挲g的原因，年紀(jì)越大，生理功能下降，老員工有可能會(huì)犯很多小錯(cuò)誤;但是另一方面，由于老員工擁有更多的經(jīng)驗(yàn)，他們不會(huì)犯許多大的、嚴(yán)重的錯(cuò)誤。
The scientists who studied production lines at a Mercedes-Benz truck factory in southern Germany also found that younger, more highly educated workers were less productive than those who had fewer qualifications — perhaps because the educated workers got bored more easily. The researchers, from the University of Mannheim, said their findings debunked the idea that older workers should be made redundant to boost productivity.
在德國(guó) 南部梅賽德斯·奔馳工廠生產(chǎn)線的科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)，年輕、教育水平更高的工作比那些證書(shū)拿得少的員工(老員工)生產(chǎn)效率要低很多�？茖W(xué)家分析，教育程度高的年輕人在工作中容易感覺(jué)無(wú)聊，不懂得沉下心去研究工作。來(lái)自Mannheim大學(xué)的研究員稱(chēng)，這項(xiàng)研究徹底*了——老員工才對(duì)工作產(chǎn)生懈怠感覺(jué)的理論。
英語(yǔ)單詞詞匯整理:
1. productive adj. 有成效的
eg: Science and technology are part of the productive forces.
科學(xué)技術(shù)是生產(chǎn)力。
短語(yǔ)：
productive investment 生產(chǎn)性投資;生產(chǎn)投資
productive time 生產(chǎn)時(shí)間
productive capacity 生產(chǎn)率;處理能力
2. agile adj. 敏捷的，靈活的
eg: An acrobat has to be agile.
雜技演員必須身手敏捷。
短語(yǔ)：
agile missile 靈巧導(dǎo)彈
Agile Buddy 跳板游戲;地獄三百層
3. cope vi. 應(yīng)付，對(duì)抗，妥善處理
eg: He had a lot of work, but he was able to cope.
他的活雖多,但還能應(yīng)付得來(lái)。
短語(yǔ)：
cope with 處理;應(yīng)付
coping style 應(yīng)對(duì)方式
coping strategy 應(yīng)對(duì)策略
coping stone 墩臺(tái)石
4. debunk vt. 揭穿真相，暴露
eg: Don't let me debunk you.
不要讓我揭穿你。
短語(yǔ)：
debunk it 揭穿它
debunk myths 破除誤區(qū)
the truth by debunk 真相被揭穿
5. redundant adj. 多余的，累贅的，解雇的
eg: There are too many redundant words in this book.
這本書(shū)里多余的詞太多。
短語(yǔ)：
redundancy payment 失業(yè)金
redundant code 冗余碼
redundant information 冗余信息
佳句采摘：
More mature members of staff may be weaker and less agile than their junior counterparts, but they more than compensate with their greater experience, ability to work in teams, and success at coping when things go wrong.
雖然他們相對(duì)年輕的同業(yè)者來(lái)說(shuō)，可能身體不夠強(qiáng)健，思維不夠敏捷，但是他們經(jīng)驗(yàn)更豐富，團(tuán)隊(duì)合作能力更強(qiáng)，處理危機(jī)的能力也更強(qiáng)。
4.精選英語(yǔ)文章聽(tīng)力
父母與壓力
英語(yǔ)聽(tīng)力原文：
Students' pressure sometimes comes from their parents. Most parents are well meaning, but some of them aren't very helpful with the problems their sons and daughters have in adjusting to college, and a few of them seem to go out of their way to add to their children's difficulties.
學(xué)生的壓力有時(shí)來(lái)自于父母。大多數(shù)的父母都是善意的，但是有些父母面對(duì)子女在適應(yīng)大學(xué)生活中所碰到的問(wèn)題時(shí)毫無(wú)幫助，少部分父母似乎不遺余力地給他們的子女增添了困難。
For one thing, parents are often not aware of the kinds of problems their children face. They don't realize that the competition is keener, that the required standards of work are higher, and that their children may not be prepared for the change. Accustomed to seeing A's and B's on high school report cards, they may be upset when their children's first semester college grades are below that level. At theire kindest, they may gently inquire/ enquire why John or Mary isn't doing better, whether he or she is trying as hard as he or she should, and so on. At their worst, they may threaten to take their children out of college, or cut off funds.
一方面，父母常常意識(shí)到他們的孩子所遇到的問(wèn)題。他們沒(méi)有料想到競(jìng)爭(zhēng)越來(lái)越激烈，工作的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)越來(lái)越高，他們的孩子或許還沒(méi)有準(zhǔn)備好迎接這種改變。家長(zhǎng)習(xí)慣于看到孩子在高中成績(jī)單上的A或B的分?jǐn)?shù)，所以當(dāng)孩子在大學(xué)第一學(xué)期的成績(jī)低于原來(lái)的分?jǐn)?shù)時(shí)，他們或許會(huì)感到不安。的情況是，他們或許會(huì)溫柔地詢(xún)問(wèn)為什么約翰或瑪麗沒(méi)有做得更好，他(她)是否足夠努力了，等等。最糟的情況是，他們或許會(huì)威脅讓孩子退學(xué)或是切斷他們的收入。
Sometimes parents regard their children as extensions of themselves and think it only right and natural that they determine what their children do with their children, they forget that everyone is different and that each person must develop in his or her own way. They forget that their children, who are now young adults, must be the ones responsible for what they do and what they are.
有時(shí)父母會(huì)把孩子視為自身的延續(xù)，認(rèn)為由他們來(lái)決定孩子該如何生活是理所應(yīng)當(dāng)和自然而然的事情。他們和孩子緊密聯(lián)系，視為一體，因而忘了人與人其實(shí)各不相同，每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該按照自己的方式發(fā)展。他們忘了他們的孩子已經(jīng)是成年人，應(yīng)該對(duì)自己的所作所為以及他們是誰(shuí)而負(fù)責(zé)。
英語(yǔ)單詞詞匯整理:
1. pressure n. 壓力
eg: He will never pressure you to get married.
他永遠(yuǎn)也不會(huì)給你施加壓力讓你結(jié)婚。
短語(yǔ)：
under pressure 在壓力之下;受到壓力
high pressure 高壓，高氣壓;高度緊張
blood pressuren 血壓
low pressure 低氣壓;松懈
under the pressure of 在......壓力下
2. aware adj. 知道的，意識(shí)到的
eg: Smokers are well aware of the dangers to their own health.
吸煙者們都很清楚吸煙對(duì)其自身健康的那些危害。
短語(yǔ)：
aware of 意識(shí)到，知道
become aware of 知道;發(fā)覺(jué)
3. competition n. 競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，比賽
eg: The farmers have been seeking higher prices as better protection from foreign competition.
農(nóng)場(chǎng)主們一直在尋求更高價(jià)格來(lái)作為對(duì)外來(lái)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的更好保護(hù)。
短語(yǔ)：
in competition with 與......競(jìng)爭(zhēng)
domestic competitionn 國(guó)內(nèi)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)
capacity of competition 競(jìng)爭(zhēng)能力
4. keen adj. 鋒利的，敏銳的，強(qiáng)烈的，精明的
eg：He had retained a keen interest in the progress of the work.
他一直對(duì)工作的進(jìn)展保持著強(qiáng)烈的興趣。
短語(yǔ)：
keen on 喜愛(ài);熱衷于......
keen competition 劇烈競(jìng)爭(zhēng)
keen interest 強(qiáng)烈的興趣
5. gently adj. 溫和的，溫柔的
eg: He patted me gently on the back.
他輕輕地在我背上拍了一下。
同根詞：
lightly/ friendly/ soft adv.輕輕地;溫柔地，溫和地
6. threaten v. 威脅，恐嚇
eg: He tied her up and threatened her with a six-inch knife.
他把她綁起來(lái)，拿著一把6英寸長(zhǎng)的刀威脅她。
短語(yǔ)：
threaten to do sth 威脅要做某事
threaten the existence of 威脅到......的存在
threaten proceedings [法]以起訴恐嚇
threaten sb with sth. 用某事來(lái)恐嚇某人
7. extension n. 伸展，延長(zhǎng)，擴(kuò)充，電話分機(jī)
eg: She can get me on extension 308.
她可以通過(guò)分機(jī)308找到我。
短語(yǔ)：
extension of time 延期;延長(zhǎng)合約期
file extension 文件擴(kuò)展名
extension telephonen 電話分機(jī)
8. involvement n. 包含，纏繞，混亂
eg: The results of these struggles underline the importance of both individualism and government involvement.
這些斗爭(zhēng)的結(jié)果說(shuō)明,個(gè)人主義和政府干預(yù)都是重要的。
短語(yǔ)：
involvement in 介入
personal involvement 個(gè)人參與
nvolvement load 投入量
9. identification n. 身份的證明，視為同一，確認(rèn)
eg: He did not have any identification when he arrived at the hospital.
他到醫(yī)院的時(shí)候沒(méi)有任何身份證明。
短語(yǔ)：
system identification 系統(tǒng)辨識(shí)
fingerprint identification 指紋鑒定
identification card 身份證
佳句采摘：
Sometimes parents regard their children as extensions of themselves and think it only right and natural that they determine what their children do with their lives.
有時(shí)父母會(huì)把孩子視為自身的延續(xù)，認(rèn)為由他們來(lái)決定孩子該如何生活是理所應(yīng)當(dāng)和自然而然的事情。
