ListeningPracticeThroughDictation_3_transcript.pdf

Transcripts

Nature and the Environment

Groups of elephants can communicate with each

other, even if they are far apart. This is very useful

because it helps the elephants to find water and

food. The elephants cooperate to help each other.

Unit 1 A Big Responsibility

B:Mom, can I get a puppy?

W: No, Billy. Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility.

B:I promise to take good care of him, and you

won’t have to remind me to do things for him.

W: A dog isn’t a toy that you play with for awhile.

He will be part of our life for the next 10 or 20

years. He is a living creature.

B:I understand that, Mom. I promise to feed him every

morning and take him for walks every afternoon.

W: That’s part of the responsibility, but there’s more.

He needs a license and has to go to the vet to get

shots. A dog also needs companionship. You can’t

go off with your friends and leave him locked up

in the house all day.

B:I understand, Mom. I have almost $100 in the

bank so I can pay for his license and shots now.

W: There are other expenses, too. Dog food is rather

expensive.

B:Well, I have my job mowing lawns and I’ll get a

newspaper route.

W: I think we should discuss this with your father

when he gets home. This is a family decision.

B:OK, Mom. Thanks!

Unit 3 Ants, Ants, Everywhere!

G:Hello, Mrs. Wilson. How are you?

W: I’m worried, Brianna. Thousands of ants are all

over my patio!

G:That’s quite a problem.

W: What’s worse is that my daughter’s birthday

party is in a few days and I wanted to have it on

the patio.

G:Why don’t you call an exterminator?

W: I would, but I don’t want all those hazardous

chemicals around my children. It’s harmful and

unhealthy. I also don’t want dangerous substances

to seep into the garden.

G:I usually don’t have problems with ants, and I

don’t use any chemicals.

W: What’s your secret?

G:Well, ants are difficult to control, so I planted a

lot of mint plants near my deck. I also use cinnamon

and cayenne pepper. I just sprinkle them around the

places I don’t want ants. Some people have tried it

and said it worked. Others said that they needed to

try something else.

W: I think it’s worth a try. I would rather use cinnamon

and mint around my patio than some hazardous

chemicals. Besides, I don’t mind having the ants in

the yard. I simply don’t want them coming to the

birthday party. Would you mind helping me?

G:It would be a pleasure. I have a lot of cinnamon

at home and I can run to the store to get the

plants for you.

W: Thank you, Brianna. You’re such a thoughtful

person.

Elephants are interesting. They are intelligent.

They also have a great memory. You should

always be kind to elephants. They remember

everything. A woman from India told me a story.

When she was a little girl, she knew of an evil

elephant keeper. He often hit his elephant. He was

very mean and cruel to the elephant. Then the evil

keeper sold the elephant. The new keeper was a

very kind man. Many years later, the evil keeper

met the elephant again. The elephant remembered

the evil man. He picked up a stone with his trunk and

threw it at the evil man. The elephant still knew the

man, even after so many years.

Elephants help each other, too. Elephants use

a special sound. The sound is so low that people

cannot hear it. This sound travels really far.

Unit 4 The Oil Spill

G: My best friend Katy lives near a beautiful

white sand beach. Her parents take us there every

summer. The water is clean and refreshing. We

have a lot of fun in the waves. Last year, there was

an oil spill at Katy’s beach. We volunteered at the

Unit 2 Elephants Are Amazing

beach to clean up the oil and help the birds that

were caught in the spill.

When we arrived at the beach that day, the

water was slick with oil and the white sand had

turned black. It was an ugly sight. At first, the

rescue workers would not let us on the beach.

We had to watch from a distance. We watched

as they put a huge float in the water, called a

boom. This device kept the oil slick from

spreading. Once they stopped the slick, we were

allowed on the beach to help. Each of us was

given a broom. We swept the oil into a pile. The

workers took it away in big trucks. We all

worked very hard that day to restore the beach.

Once the oil was removed, the birds that had

been caught in the oil had to be helped. The

workers showed us how to remove the oil from

their wings. Then the birds could fly away to

safety. We were very proud of ourselves that day.

We helped save our beautiful beach and the

birds who visit it.

Science and Technology

Unit 6 Research

W: What are you doing, Billy?

B:I’m doing research. I found a lot of great websites.

W: You know, I think you might want to go to the

library and look at some books.

B:I don’t want to. It takes too much time, and

besides, this is fast, easy, and fun. This paper will

be done in no time.

W: The Internet is great for finding information.

But it is also full of misinformation and lies. You

don’t really know what you are looking at unless

you are at a reliable site. It’s safer to get some

books first and then search for more information.

B:Grandma, I love you, but I think you are a little

old-fashioned. Look at all this great information!

My report is on Albert Einstein. Now, according

to this site, he was born in 1979, came up with

the theory of relatives, and was awarded the

Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922.

W: Your information is wrong. Albert Einstein was

born in 1879 and developed the theory of general

relativity. He won the Nobel Prize in 1921.

B:Wow! That means all this stuff is inaccurate.

How did you know all that?

W: Come with me to the library and I’ll help you

find the books with those facts.

B:Thank you, Grandma. You’re a real life-saver!

Unit 5 The Amazing Amazon

The Amazon is an amazing river. It is unique

in many ways. It is the second longest river in

the world. It is 6,500 kilometers long. It starts

up in the Andes Mountains. Its drainage basin

(the area of land that collects water) covers 40

percent of South America. The Amazon River

has many small rivers that supply it with water.

It is the widest river in the world. The river

rises more than nine meters during the rainy season.

It overflows its banks. It floods large areas of the

rainforest. During that time, in some parts, it has a

width of up to 40 kilometers. The Amazon River is

over 325 kilometers wide at its mouth. It has more

water than any other river in the world.

The Amazon River is also home to many animals.

Over 2,000 types of fish live in the Amazon

River. One kind of fish is the piranha. The piranha

is a terrifying fish. A piranha grows up to 60

centimeters long. It hunts in a group. A group of

piranha can kill and eat cattle in a matter of minutes.

They are so efficient that only the bones are left.

This fish is one of the most dangerous creatures in

the Amazon River.

Unit 7 A New Calculator

W: Hi. I’d like to see your calculators.

M: Did you have a certain model in mind, ma’am?

W: I’m not thinking of any specific model. I want

something simple for basic math.

M: Is it for personal use?

W: Yes. I just need it for shopping and keeping

track of my bills.

M: Well, the great thing is that these simple calculators

are very inexpensive and small. Here is a solar

model that never needs batteries. It is thin, too.

W: It’s too small. I can’t read the numbers very easily.

M: How about this one? It is a pocket calculator. It’s

a bit bigger. The display is easier to read.

W: Yes, I can see the numbers better. It is easier to

hold, too. Is it also solar?

M: Yes, it is. It is battery-powered, as well. It has an

eight-digit display. This calculator also has a

memory key.

W: How much is it?

M: It is only five dollars plus tax. It comes with a

one-year warranty.

W: I’ll take it.

W: Online chatting can be very addictive, not to

mention expensive.

B:Well, if you have DSL, chatting is not expensive.

Also, not everyone who chats is an addict.

Disabled people are better able to socialize online.

You know, not every area is wheelchair-accessible.

W: True. However, I’ve read that there are lots of

strange people online who are dangerous.

B:I’ll be careful. Besides, you can always see what

I am writing and who I am writing to. In my

opinion, the biggest fault with chatting online is

the lag time or delay in the system.

W: I agree, I have noticed that there is some lag time

in you getting off the computer!

I have been interested in robots for as long as

I can remember. The first thing I did when I

entered high school was join the Robotech

robot-making club. We get together after school

every day and create our own robots. Nowadays

it is very easy to find kits to build your own

robot and these are what we use.

The highlight of the year for us is the annual

Robot Maze race. Everyone who wants to take

part has to make a small computer-controlled

robot. You need to race it to the center of a

maze. We work together in teams of three or

four. This year, I am working with two students

who won last year’s competition, so I think we

have a really good chance of winning.

Our robot is about 30 centimeters high. It

weighs two kilograms. It should be really quick.

We have been practicing often, and we have

already equaled last year’s speed, so we just need

to get a little faster. We are keeping the design of

our robot secret. If we win, we will get $500. I

hope this will be my lucky year.

One of the greatest achievements in the

world is to win the Nobel Prize. It has been given

to people since 1901. There are prizes for physics,

chemistry, and medicine. There are also prizes for

literature, economics, and peace. The Nobel

Prize is named after Alfred Nobel. He was born

in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1833. Alfred Nobel

invented dynamite in 1866. Dynamite is used in

mining, construction, and war. Before he died, he

wrote that all of his money should be used to

create the Nobel Prize. He died in 1896. The

first prize was given in 1901.

Each prize has three parts: a diploma, a gold

medal, and money. The money has increased

since 1980. It is now ten million Swedish crowns.

This is about one million euros. How are the

winners chosen? Five committees secretly meet to

pick the winners. The Nobel Prize for Economics

is the only one that is not decided that way. That

is because it was created in 1956 by the Bank of

Sweden in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of

Alfred Nobel’s death. The Bank of Sweden decides

who gets the Nobel Prize for Economics. Since

1901, over 750 people have won the Nobel Prize.

Unit 9 Online Chatting

W: Philip, are you still chatting online? It’s 9:30 p.m.

You have an exam tomorrow.

B:Yes, Mom. I’ll get off in a minute.

W: I read some articles about chatting online. I’m

not so sure you should be spending so much

time in front of your computer.

B:Mom, that seems unfair. It can be very educational.

You meet people from all over the world who talk

about lots of different things.

W: OK, maybe these people share their knowledge.

I still think it is better to join clubs and socialize

with real people.

B:Do you think chatting online causes bad behavior?

Unit 8 Racing Robots

Unit 10 The Nobel Prize

Art and Culture

drum, and leave an opening at both ends. Then

they fit an animal skin on each end. There’s a

string between each of these ends. When a player

holds the drum under an armpit and squeezes, it

tightens the string and raises the pitch.

B:Why do they call it a “talking” drum?

M: The drummers are so skillful they can make the

drums imitate human voices. They seem to cry,

laugh, and shout.

B:I’d like to hear that.

M: Why don’t you come to the community college

with me tomorrow? A troupe from Africa is giving

a concert, and they are supposed to have the

best drummers in the world.

B:Now, that sounds great!

Unit 11 Great Art

What makes a painting a great work of art?

There are many answers to that question. Some

people think that a painting should look pretty.

Others disagree. The skill of the painter is

important. The techniques used are also important.

Most of all, a great painting has meaning. A

great painting has a special element in it.

Sometimes, a painter’s special element is the

way he portrays his or her feelings in a piece of

art. An example of this is Picasso’s painting,

Guernica . It has strange shapes in it. It shows

suffering people, too. It is not a very pretty picture.

However, it makes people understand Picasso’s

feelings about war.

Other times, the element is a memory or feeling.

This comes from inside another person. Someone

may see a painting and be reminded of a beautiful

memory. A painting can also remind people of a

feeling. For example, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona

Lisa is very popular. Many people like her smile.

Some people say it is a mysterious smile. Others

say it is a happy one. Still others make up stories

about the woman in the painting.

Which element is the most important? Is it

the skill of the artist or the feelings of the person

looking at the painting? Whatever the case, a

painting that grabs people’s emotions is popular.

The latest blockbuster movie Robots Attack

2 starring Garrison Fort opened yesterday. Fort

and Andy Robot are at it again, saving people

from the jaws of death. The evil robots are

invading Atlantis once again. The crowds

seemed to love the sequel. Maybe they loved it

as much, if not more than, the first Robots

Attack . The special effects are fantastic! Mr. Fort

seems to have worked on his fighting technique.

His martial arts skills are amazing. He beats the

evil robots easily.

Of course, our leading man saves a lady in

distress, the fair Angie. She promptly falls in

love with Garrison the hero. However, Andy

Robot is jealous of this new love.

He spends a good part of the movie trying to

ruin their plans. Another surprise is the evil

robot, Homer, who decides he wants to become

a do-gooder. His partner, Ethel, works hard to

make him return to his evil ways.

Does Andy Robot succeed in rescuing

Garrison Fort from love? What about Ethel?

Does she bring Homer back to his evil ways? To

find out, head for the theater, buy a ticket, and

sit back and relax.

Unit 12 Talking Drums

B:I want to be a member of a heavy metal band. I

love heavy metal drums, James.

M: I don’t, Henry! They are too heavy, if you ask

me. I prefer a more traditional style, like African

barrel drums.

B:Barrel drums? What are those?

M: They are made with hollow logs and animal

skins. First, they cut down a tree. They cut a section

that’s about as thick and tall as a barrel. They

stretch an animal skin over the top, and tie it to

the sides with wooden pegs. These pegs can be

tightened to change the pitch.

B:Hmm... that sounds interesting.

M: In Nigeria, they have “talking” drums. They use

a hollow tree trunk that’s smaller than a barrel

Unit 14 A Faux Pas

G: It happens a lot. So many people visit and

live in foreign countries nowadays. The culture

and manners of every country are different. It is

Unit 13 The Hot New Movie

likely that a foreigner will say or do something

inappropriate. This is called a faux pas. In one

culture, it is fine to do something one way. In

another culture, it is rude.

For example, my friend visited a relative in

Israel. She offered to wash the dishes. She did not

know that it was important to wash the meat

dishes with a special sponge. She used the wrong

sponge. Her friend’s father was very upset. In

Canada, it is fine to use the same sponge to wash

all of the dishes, but not in Israel.

Something similar happened to me when I

visited a temple in India. I was surprised when

two officials stopped me and told me to take off

my shoes. It was only then that I realized that

people are not allowed to enter a temple with

their shoes on. I was very embarrassed. Of

course, I apologized for my mistake.

A faux pas is embarrassing. No one wants to

be rude. No one wants to cause problems.

However, when two cultures meet, there can be

misunderstandings. The next time someone is

rude, be patient and understanding. He may

think he is acting politely.

W: Vine charcoal is specially-burned wood. Burning

it makes it like a black chalk. It is commonly

used for drawing. Vine charcoal is very easy to

erase, so we keep it next to the erasers.

G:That’s everything, Dad!

M: Great! Let’s pay for all these supplies.

Leisure and Entertainment

Unit 16 Family Camping

B: There are many popular leisure time activities,

but one of the most enjoyable is family time. Most

people enjoy being with their families. There are

many things to do with your family, too. Families

can go to the movies, travel, visit museums, and

play sports together. The most common family

activity is probably camping.

Many families like camping. It is a chance for

the whole family to work together. They can stay

in the wild. Children gather dry wood for the fire.

Their parents set up the tents. Then the whole family

gathers around the fire. They enjoy a special meal

together. Then, they set off into the woods with

a compass and a map. After hiking the trails,

everyone gets a fishing pole. Each person casts

the fishing line out into the river. Who gets the

biggest fish? It’s a great contest.

Later, the children clean the fish by the river.

They take the scales off the fish. Mom fries the

fish over the campfire. Dad cleans up when

everyone is finished. You don’t want wild animals

coming to eat your leftovers! Then everyone

goes into their tents for a restful night.

While there are many things that families

can do together, camping is probably the most

exciting.

Unit 15 The List

G:Thanks for coming, Dad. I can’t believe my first

day of school is just next week!

M: Your mother and I are proud of you. Greer is a

very prestigious art school.

G:There is an enormous list of art supplies. They

are mostly items I don’t recognize.

M: Let’s look for the supplies that you recognize,

Megan, and then we can get help with the rest.

G:I need a large drawing board. I also need a

drawing pad one meter by half a meter in size,

newsprint paper, and a set of artist’s drawing

pencils.

M: Here is the drawing board, and I noticed the

pencils over there. What’s next?

G:I need watercolor paint, various brushes, India

ink, and a fountain pen.

M: They are on the wall display.

G:Now we need to locate the vine charcoal.

M: Excuse me, miss.

W: Yes, sir? How can I help you?

M: We’re trying to find vine charcoal. Do you know

what that is, and where we can find it?

Unit 17 The Amusement Park

M: I love this amusement park, Fran! Thanks for

suggesting it. I am having a fantastic time. There’s

that new ride! It’s called, “The Volcano,” and it’s

supposed to be amazing.

W: That looks awfully high. Do you really want to

try it? We’ve experienced “The Rocket,” the

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