Passage Two
The earliest settlers came to the North American continent to establish colonies that were free from the controls that existed in European societies. They wanted to escape the controls placed on their lives by kings, priests, churches and noblemen. To a great extent, they succeeded in getting freedom. By freedom, Americans mean the desire and the ability of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference from the government, a ruling noble class, the church, or any other organized authority. The desire to be free of controls was a basic value of the new nation in 1776, and it has continued to attract immigrants to this country.
There is, however, a price to be paid for this individual freedom: self-reliance. Individuals must learn to rely on themselves or risk losing freedom. This means achieving both financial and emotional independence from their parents as early as possible, usually by age 18 or 21. It means that Americans believe they should take care of themselves, solve their own problems and stand on their own two feet.
The second important reason why immigrants have crowded into the US is the belief that everyone has a chance to succeed there. Generations of immigrants, from the earliest settlers to the present day, have come to the US with this expectation. They have felt that because individuals are free from excessive political, religious, and social controls, they have a better chance for personal success.
It is important to understand what most Americans mean when they say they believe in equality of opportunity. They don't mean that everyone is—or should be---equal. However, they do mean that each individual should have an equal chance for success. Americans see much of life as a race for success. For them, equality means that everyone should have an equal chance to enter the race and win.
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. What is this passage most probably about?
31. According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true?
32. Why do immigrants think they have a chance of success in America?
Passage Three
Today, in our series of lectures on human language, we are going to be looking at the way in which children acquire language. The study of how people learn to speak has proved to be one of the most fascinating, important and complex branches of language study. So let’s look at these three features in turn. Firstly, why is it fascinating? This stems from the natural interest people take in the developing abilities of young children. People are fascinated by the way in which children learn, particularly their own children! Secondly, it is important to study how we acquire our first language, because the study of child language can lead us to a greater understanding of language as a whole. The third point is that it’s a complex study and this is because of the enormous difficulties that are encountered by researchers as soon as they attempt to explain language development, especially in the very young child.
In today’s lecture we will cover a number of topics. We will start by talking about research methods. There are a number of ways that researchers have investigated children’s language and these include the use of diaries, recordings and tests, and we’ll be looking at how researchers make use of these various methods. We will then go on to examine the language learning process, starting with the development of speech in young infants during the first year of life. This is the time associated with the emergence of the skills of speech perception, in other words, an emergence of the child’s awareness of his or her own ability to speak. We will continue with our examination of the language learning process, this time by looking at language learning in the older child, that is in children under five. As they mature, it is possible to begin analysis in conventional linguistic terms, and so in our analysis we will look at phonological, grammatical and semantic development in pre-school children.
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. Why is the study of child language acquisition fascinating?
34. What does the discussion of research methods include?
35. What does the language learning process start with?
Section C
Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. For these blanks, you can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.
We all hope that the values that are important to each of us are passed along to our children. Often, however, that hope is (36) challenged by a flood of pop culture messages, peer pressure, and overscheduled lives that leave little time for good counsel or (37) reflection. It's easy to forget that learning values and character at home is as important as any schoolwork or extracurricular activity.
In the real world of jobs and career, people are judged by two standards: their (38) professional skills and their personal traits. While grade school, high school, and college can teach skills and (39) proficiency, it's up to parents to teach children the attributes that make for success in the real world -- diligence, a (40) cooperative attitude, creativity, optimism, assertiveness, and (41) honesty. Schools -- particularly colleges -- don't focus on these issues. That's the job of the parents, so take the (42) assignment seriously. Send your kids into the world ready to handle not only the tasks of life but also its hurdles, social obstacles, and (43) frustrations with skills and character.
You really can't start soon enough. After all, children need personal integrity and morals as much as any adult. Bullies will always be around, (44) tasks won't always be assigned fairly, the good guys won't always win, and money won't always be in ample supply. Exposing children to the harsher realities of life isn't cruel; giving them that experience and coaching them through it is part and parcel of raising kids to have courage, resilience, and honor. (45) Write down the most important messages you want your children to truly understand by the time they enter the real world. Then think through how to teach these crucial lessons. Talking to your kids should be only part of the plan. Letting them witness integrity in action -- through your own behavior, by watching documentaries about great people together, or even by visiting a courtroom---is the strongest way to impart the message.(46) By identifying the specific attributes you would like to see in your children, you're more likely to reinforce those characteristics. So make a point of it. After all, if you don't teach your children integrity, who will?
相关链接：2008年大学英语六级考试听力模拟试题(三)
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