现代大学英语听力3原文及答案uni.docx

现代大学英语听力3原文及答案uniUnit 9 Task 1 Panel Opinions 1st penallist: Philip Computers have already changed our lives. Barnes 2nd penallist: Miss Computers have changed our lives, but I don't want my Anderson life changed. 3rd penallist: Arthur The computer will affect everyone in the world. Records Haines can be kept of everything we do. Records will be kept of all our private lives. The computer is the greatest disaster of the 20th century. 4th penallist: Phyllis The computer is a machine. It was invented by people; it is Archer used by people. If the computer is a disaster, then people are a disaster. Compere: And now for our first question. It comes from Mrs. June Moore. Mrs. Moore? Mrs. Moore: Does the panel think that computers will change our lives? Compere: Mrs. Moore wants to know if computers will change our lives. Philip Barnes? Philip Barnes: Computers have already changed our lives. Business is more efficient. Planes and trains provide a better service. Miss Anderson: Just a moment, Mr. Barnes. You may be right about business, but how many people have lost their jobs because of computers? Computers have changed our lives, but I don't want my life changed. Arthur Haines: Excuse me, Miss Anderson. We're talking about our lives, not your life. The computer will affect everyone in the world. Records can be kept of everything we do. Records will be kept of all our private lives. In my opinion, the computer is the greatest disaster of the 20th century. Phyllis Archer: Could I interrupt? Arthur Haines says the computer is a disaster, but the computer is a machine. It was invented by people; it is used by people. If the computer is a disaster, then people are a disaster. Compere: Thank you, Phyllis Archer. Thank you, panel. And thank you, Mrs. Moore. Task 2 A. 1) It includes a 9-inch TV screen, a keyboard with 46 numbers and characters on it, a printer, and two disk drives. 2) It's all contained right on the floppy disk. 3) Its much better than a typewriter in that one can move words or sentences from place to place or make corrections or changes right on the screen, and never have to erase on paper. 4) It can help him make a monthly budget for his household with electronic 1 spreadsheet software. B. 1) loads your program into the machine 2) typewriter, typewriter, 3) turning the computer on and loading a program 4) the different things the program can do Narrator: For Harvey Van Runkle, it was love at first sight, or should we say, love at first byte? Really, it is 64,000 bytesthat's the size of the memory on his new BANANA-3 personal computer. It all happened by accident. His wife, Charlotte, had sent him out to buy a new toaster, when he found himself standing in front of a computer display at the BANANA Computer Store. Salesman: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this little computer is going to change your lives. Just consider the hardware: You have a 9-inch TV screen. Thats your video display terminal. You have a keyboard with 46 numbers and characters on it. You have a printer that will give you paper printouts of your work in three colors. You have two disk drivesone inside the computer terminal and one outside. This computer can do anything! Now lets have a little demonstration. Who would like to try the new BANANA-3 computer? You, sir. You look interested. Step right up and try the BANANA-3. Harvey: What's a d-disk drive? Salesman: That's the part of the computer that loads your program into the machine. Harvey: Oh. What's a program? Salesman: The program? That's your software. That's the instructions. It's all contained right on this floppy disk here. The instructions on this disk tell the computer what to do. Harvey: Oh, you mean like my wife. She always tells me what to do. Salesman: Exactly. Now what type of program would you like? I have word processing, I have electronic spreadsheet. Harvey: What's word processing? Salesman: Word processing is using the computer like a typewriter. But it's much better than a typewriter. You can move words or sentences from place to place or make corrections or changes right on the screen. You never have to erase on paper. It's a wonderful little program! Would you like to try it, Mr. Harvey: Van Runkle. Harvey Van Runkle. I've never used a computer before. Salesman: It's easy. First we start up the machine, and then boot up a program. Harvey: Boot up? Salesman: That's computer talk for turning the computer on and loading a program. There. Now we look at the menu. Harvey: Menu? But I just had lunch. I'm not hungry. Salesman: No, no. This is a program menu, not a restaurant menu. It shows the different things the program can do. For example, here we have "file". If you select file, you can choose which of your documents you want to work on. And heres “edit”. This gives you ways to correct your document. Harvey: Gee, this is great! There's only one problem. Salesman: What's that? Harvey: I don't have any documents. I'm a plumber. Salesman: But you have bills, don't you? 2 Harvey: Yeah, but. Salesman: Well, with our electronic spreadsheet software, you can make a monthly budget for your household. Harvey: No. My wife, Charlotte, does that. Salesman: Well, now you can do it, Harvey. Harvey: I don't know. Salesman: And you have friends, don't you? Harvey: Yeah, well there's my brother-in-law Bob. Salesman: Great! You can write letters to Bob on your new BANANA-3 computer! Harvey: Okay. How much is it? Salesman: Never mind. Do you have a credit card? Harvey: Well, sure. Salesman: Great. Joe, get Harvey here signed up, will you? He wants a BANANA-3 with a printer and software. Okay, step right up, ladies and gentlemen. This computer can do anything! Task 3 A. 1) They are important because they are able to measure quantities such as electricity and temperature. 2) Digital computers. 3) Only one person at a time can use them. 4) It is because their owners do not spend enough time learning how to operate them efficiently. 5) Each person who uses a minicomputer has a computer terminal that is connected to the minicomputer by interface wires. With the help of the operating system, the CPU is able to divide its time and perform for all the users. B. Similarities and Differences between Microcomputers and Minicomputers 1They are two kinds of common digital computers. Similarities 2Both of them can be used in small businesses. 3Each computer has only one CPU. 1. Minicomputers are larger than microcomputers. Differences 2. Microcomputers are used more frequently in large offices and businesses than in small businesses. 3. More than one person can use a minicomputer at the same time. There are two primary kinds of computers: analog computers and digital computers. Unless you are a scientist, you probably will not use analog computers. These computers are important because they are able to measure quantities such as electricity and temperature. In contrast, digital computers perform their tasks by counting. Some digital computers are built to help solve only a specific kind of problem. For example, digital computers that monitor airplanes flying in and out of airports are built only for that task. Most digital computers, though, can be used to help solve many kinds of problems. Among them, microcomputers and minicomputers are two kinds of common digital computers. 3 Microcomputers, also called personal computers, are the newest computers. Many are about the size of a very small television set. Some, however, are so small and light that people can carry them easily on business trips. Because computer manufacturers produce an enormous amount of computer hardware, it is possible for anyone to own and use a microcomputer. Therefore, we now see these machines in many homes, schools, and businesses. There is one disadvantage to these computers, though. Only one person at a time can use them. Also, many people who buy microcomputers do not understand what these machines can and cannot do. Some experts say that almost half of all micro-computers are not used often because their owners do not spend enough time learning how to operate them efficiently. Like microcomputers, minicomputers are used in small businesses. However, they are larger than microcomputers and are used more frequently in large offices and businesses than in small businesses. Another difference is that more than one person can use a minicomputer at the same time. We call this time-sharing. Some minicomputers can have more than a hundred people time-sharing them. Each person who uses a minicomputer has a computer terminal that is connected to the minicomputer by interface wires. But even though more than one person can use a minicomputer, the computer has only one CPU. With the help of the operating system, the CPU is able to divide its time and perform for all the users. Task 4 A. 1) It wasn't the typical low mechanical voice that sounded like a record being played at too slow a speed. It sounded natural. It had charm to it. 2) Lupa had once heard that even a sophisticated analog computer couldn't pick up certain subtleties in the English language, no matter how good the programming is. 3) When Lupa stood up and walked around the room, it was evident to her that somewhere in the building, listening through an intercom was someone with a microphone. B. 1) They're running a contest. The kids are supposed to name me. I'm dreading the whole thing, believe me. 2) You know something; I thought you'd be different. Just once today I was hoping I'd get someone who wouldn't try to beat the program. 3) You wouldn't happen to know what day of the week September the fourteenth, 1321, fell on, would you? It was a Sunday; but how do you know whether I'm right? Thank you for visiting the computer exhibit. Lupa laughed. She liked the voice that had been selected for the computer. It wasn't the typical low mechanical voice that sounded like a record being played at too slow a speed. It sounded natural. It had charm to it. "Do you have a name?" Lupa asked. "Not yet," the computer answered. "They're running a contest. The kids are supposed to name me. I'm dreading the whole thing, believe me." Now Lupa thought this was clever, the way they had programmed the computer. She wondered if there was some way to screw up the program. She had once heard that even a sophisticated analog computer couldn't pick up certain subtleties in the English language, no matter how good the programming is, so she decided to give it a 4 try. "My paws give me pause," she said. The computer was silent. "My paws give me pause," Lupa repeated. "It's a clause without claws." Lupa waited in silence for a response. "You know something," the computer said. "I thought you'd be different. Just once today I was hoping I'd get someone who wouldn't try to beat the program." Lupa smiled. "This was marvelous," she thought to herself. "They'd thought of everything." "Sorry," she said. "Mi dispiace." "Ah, you speak Italian," the computer said with some sarcasm. "Qui, d'accord," Lupa answered. "C'est vrai." "And French, too. Your French is better than your Italian. Though neither one is great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to shut down. It's closing time." Lupa stood up and walked around the room. It was evident to her that somewhere in the building, listening through an intercom was someone with a microphone. She thought about how to test for this. "You wouldn't happen to know what day of the week September the fourteenth, 1321, fell on, would you?" Lupa asked. "It was a Sunday," the computer answered, "but how do you know whether I'm right? Thank you for visiting the computer exhibit." Task 5 A. 1) b) 2) c) B. 1) F 2) F 3) F 4) T C. Computer Talk What does It Mean? Online To start or work Offline To disconnect it or take it out of the system To interface To do something so that different computer parts or software can work together To access To make information available Hello. I think we can begin now if you're ready. Um, today I want to talk to you about computers, about the impact of computers on how we talk, on the ways we talk. Now of course we all know that computers have changed our lives in many ways. Stop and think for a minute about how we use computers in our everyday life. It's hard to think of anything we do that hasn't been changed by computers. For example, computers allow us to get money directly from our bank accounts at cash machines. At hospitals, computers help doctors understand what is wrong with patients. We can use computers to help us decide which color to paint our houses, which hair styles to have, or which dresses or suits would look good on us-lots of professional and personal uses. Computers are simply a part of our lives, and, I think it is safe to say, they will continue to be. What I'd like to look at today is how the use of computers has had an impact on our language-how computers have changed the expressions we say, the words we use. First, let me give you some examples. These are examples from English that I'd 5 like you to think about. The first example is this. Someone at an office says, "We'd like to have the project online by next Monday." In computer talk "online" means started or working. So this statement means that we'd like to have the project started and going by next Monday. The second example is from a discussion or seminar. Someone might say, "Let's take this discussion offline until tomorrow." To take a computer "offline" means to disconnect it or take it out of the system. What do you think it means to take a discussion offline? To take a discussion "offline" means to stop talking about it. This example means "let's stop discussing this now and talk about it tomorrow." The third example is: "I'll try to interface my plans with yours." To "interface", in computer talk, means to do something so that different computer parts or software can work together. So "I'll try to interface my plans with yours" means that "I'll try to change my plans to fit with yours." People still say, of course, "I'll try to change my plans to fit with yours." But now we might also start to hear people say, "I'll try to interface my plans with yours," or "Let's see if we can interface our schedules so that we can meet next week." Lets try one more example. Our fourth example might take place at home. Someone says,” I just cant access where I left my car keys.” In computer talk to “access” something means to make information available. If I cant access where I left my keys, I dont have this information available for me to use. What would be another way to say this? Of course, we could also say, “I cant remember where I