Part Ⅰ Getting ready
Ever since man began to walk the earth, he has been eager to explore. Today we have many ways of learning about places. We have books, magazines, and newspapers. We have television, radio, and records. We have movies and slides. And we have computers and the Internet. All of these things help to bring other places right into our own homes. And we have many opportunities to learn how and why one place is different from another.
A The following words and phrase will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.
1. plain: an area of level country
2. landlocked: (almost) entirely surrounded by land, as a bay or a country
3. Inuit: a group of native people of northern North America
4. hike: take a long walk in the country for pleasure or exercise
5. backpacker: a person who hikes, wearing a kind of knapsack
6. scuba diving: the recreation of swimming and exploring underwater with the aid of breathing apparatus
7. trek: go on foot; make a long, hard journey
8. guesthouse: a boarding house
9. campsite: a public or private park area set aside for camping, often equipped with water, toilets, cooking grills, etc.
10. hectare: 1000 square meters (a metric unit of land measurement)
B You are going to hear some sentences describing different countries. Listen carefully and complete the following chart. Pay special attention to the numbers.
Country Area (square mile) Population
Australia __________________ _________________
Nepal __________________ _________________
Switzerland __________________ _________________
Argentina __________________ _________________
Austria __________________ _________________
Colombia __________________ _________________
Saudi Arabia __________________ _________________
Denmark __________________ _________________
Part Ⅱ Canada
Canada, the largest country in the Western Hemisphere, is composed of 10 provinces and two territories. Meanwhile, Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Ottawa is the capital city and the seat of the federal government.
A The following passage is a general description of Canada. While listening to it, write down some key words in the notes column.
B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the passage and supply the missing information in order to complete the outline.
Outline
Ⅰ. A brief introduction of Canada
A. size: _________ to the former Soviet Union
B. population: __________________
C. area:
1. _________ in the south
2. _________ in the west
3. _________ in the north
Ⅱ. Great variations in
A. in winter:
1. weather: __________________
2. clothing: a heavy _________ and a _________
B. in summer:
1. weather: _________ on the whole
2. clothing: _________ clothing
Ⅲ. People in Canada
A. different races in Canada:
1. half a million _________
2. a million ______________
3. smaller numbers of ____________, Ukrainians and _________
B. official languages: __________________________
Ⅳ. Eating out in Canada
A. _____________: Pacific salmon, lobsters and clams
B. _______________: moose steaks and beefsteaks
C. ethnic foods
D. _________: waffles served with maple syrup
E. drinks: __________________________________
Ⅴ. Shopping in Canada
A. having some of the world's __________________________
B. good buys in Canada:
1. moccasins
2. _________ gloves and sweaters
3. _________ carvings
4. ___________ goods
5. ________ syrup
Ⅵ. The monetary system in Canada
A. the unit of currency: _____________________
B. banking hours:_______________ Monday to _________, till later on _________
Part Ⅲ Traveling Around Australia
Australia, a land of startling diversity, is really worth a visit. When one sets foot on the land, he may immediately be overwhelmed by its cities among skyscrapers, steel mills, automobile plants and busy factories. Yet he will also be amazed by its lonely lands in the north and center. There are not only lush tropical forests with animals, flowers, and birds found nowhere else in the world but also vast grasslands, dotted with sheep and herds of cattle.
A Nancy is planning to travel around Australia. She's talking to David about her trip. Listen carefully to what he tells her about Australia and complete the following chart.
Interesting places Things to do in Where to stay in
to visit each place each place
Sydney: 1. __________ take a ______ in an old at a ________ hotel
_______________________
2. the Sydney _______ see ________, opera and at a ________ hotel
_____________________ theater or at a ___________
The Great Barrier Reef go scuba diving, see the
coral reef and the_____.
travel in ______________
boats and explore hundreds
of islands
in Uluru National Park go _________ and trekking,
see______paintings in the
rock and the _________ of
the rock at _________ and
______________
_____________ National go ______, see all sorts of in one of the_____
Park ____________ and beautiful __________________
_________________
B Now listen to the dialogue again. After that some statements will be read to you. Decide whether they are true or false. Put "T" or "F" in the brackets.
1. ( ) 2. ( ) 3. ( ) 4. ( )
5. ( ) 6. ( ) 7. ( )
Part Ⅳ More about the topic: The Story of Denver
Denver, the capital of Colorado, is also known as the Western Capital of the United States. It dates its beginning from 1858, when a prospector and two traders went there to find gold. Later, whenever people hear the word "Denver", they immediately think of "the Colorado gold rush". But do you know what Denver is now like and what Denver is now famous for?
The following passage is about the city of Denver. While listening for the first time, don't forget to write down some key words in the notes column. After the second listening, supply the missing information in order to complete the outline.
Outline
Ⅰ. Geographical description
A. altitude: _________ kilometers /mile above the sea level (standing on the step of the State Capitol Building)
B. __________________________:
1. in Denver: _____________ people (the _____________ largest city in the U.S.)
2. in the area around Denver: _____________ people
C. climate
1. more than _____________ days of ___________ a year
2. about _____________ centimeters of rain and snow a year
Ⅱ. Business and _____________ center (for the Rocky Mountain area)
A. more than _________ manufacturing companies
1. main activity: _____________________
2. other factories making equipment for the __________, space, high technology and _________________ industries
3. ___________ production
B. the computer and ___________ industries
1. offering ________ highest number of hi-tech jobs in relation to the population
2. center for companies that ___________ in other countries
Ⅲ. Tourism in Denver
A. the Colorado ___________ Museum
B. the Denver Museum of
C. Denver International Airport
1. the largest airport in _______________
2. almost _______________ passengers landing each day
D. _________________ (the top covered with _____________ of gold)
E. the largest _____________ in the nation
F. Larama Square: a _____________ area filled with old buildings, _____________ and vehicles pulled by _____________
Part Ⅴ Do you know...?
In order to find answers to the question of how and why one place on the earth differs from another, we may start by asking ourselves questions such as: Where is this place located? How is it located with reference to other places? What land forms, soils, plants, and animals are found here? What type of climate does this place have?...
In this section you are going to hear three short dialogues describing three different countries. While you listen, remember to take down some key words in the notes column. After listening, match Column A with Column B.
Column A Column B
a newly-built capital
hotter than Britain
ICELAND in the Atlantic
a small population
a pretty large country
BRAZIL a mountainous country
famous for its jungles
an island country
NEW ZEALAND a wet climate
a South American country
divided into two islands
Part Ⅵ Reminder of key points in this unit
Verb & Verb Phrase Noun & Noun Phrase Other
Part Ⅰ estimate stock landlocked
plain Scandinavian
Part Ⅱ Ukrainian bleak
Inuit owing to
salmon on the whole
clam lightweight
moose steak virtually
speciality ethnic
waffle
maple syrup
moccasin
currency
Part Ⅲ recommend boat trips on the cheap
hike backpacker fabulous
trek scuba diving
coral reef
guesthouse
campsite
Part Ⅳ be linked to the Rocky Mountains
centimeter
hectare
Part Ⅴ the Caribbean
the Mediterranean
jungle
