[00:00.00]Unit 6 In the laboratory

[00:04.70]1.Listen,read and practice in pairs.

[00:11.47]Do you like to do experiments in a laboratory?

[00:16.54]What is a science class like? Let's see what these people are doing.

[00:23.90]Teacher:Good morning,everyone.

[00:28.34]In this experiment we'll observe seeds as they develop into plants.

[00:34.82]Now,watch me closely.First....(The teacher shows the strdents all the steps)

[00:43.08]OK,it's your turn

[00:47.93]Work in groups of three and get the things you need from the front.

[00:53.89]LiMeng:Peter,I'll go and get them...

[00:58.57]Here you are,two dishes,some seeds and a piece of cotton wool.

[01:04.21]Peter:Good.I want to see what the seeds look like under the microscope.

[01:10.16]Daniel:I'm sure they'll look pretty big.

[01:14.14]Let us have a look too after you finish.

[01:17.98]Peter:I can't see them clearly.Is there anything wrong with this microscope?

[01:23.85]LiMeng:Let me do it.I know how to work this thing.

[01:28.29]Teacher:How are you doing here?Need some help?

[01:32.84]Daniel:We're fine,Sir.

[01:36.47]LiMeng:I've got them.You need to turn this knob very slowly,you know.

[01:41.90]Daniel:I think we need to put the seeds in the dishes quickly now.

[01:47.05]Peter:Wait.What's Step One?Lay some cotton wool in the dishes.

[01:53.21]Sprinkle water over the cotton....

[01:57.29]5.Listen,read and answer.

[02:02.85]LiMeng is now worried about his seeds in the lab.

[02:07.61]He needs to go there every day to check their growth.

[02:12.75]LiMeng:Daniel.Look at the shoots.Where's our ruler?

[02:18.32]Let me take one out and you measure them.Now,do it gently.

[02:24.17]Daniel:OK,write this down:

[02:28.14]the shoot is 3mm(millimetres)in height and the root is 1 mm in length.

[02:34.20]LiMeng:This is Day 5,isn't?

[02:38.85]Daniel:Don't forget to put in your notes the colour and shape of these shoots.

[02:45.22]LiMengL:Yeah.It's all here.I wish I could grow grow as fast as these shoots.

[02:51.57]Daniel:I've got an idea.Why don't we do another experiment at the same time.

[02:58.05]We can measure how quickly you grow and report to your mum.

[03:03.33]LiMeng:Will you stop it?It'd take you years to finish that one.

[03:08.97]On second thoughts,it might be a good idea to see how tall I am now.

[03:15.32]My trousers all seem to be short lately.

[03:20.15]Daniel:We'll have to do that when we get back home,

[03:25.19]but I'm sure you must be over 5 feet 10 now.

[03:30.05]7.Listen,read and discuss.

[03:35.90]Gregor Mendel

[03:39.66]Growing plants in the school laboratory can be fun and interesting.

[03:46.32]Have you ever tried such an experimen?

[03:50.69]If you haven't,don't worry.You may have a chance to do it in the future.

[03:56.25]A man who became very famous by growing plants was Gregor Mendel.

[04:02.73]He was a scientist and it was his study of peas that helped other scientists

[04:09.99]and now many other people,

[04:13.52]to understand some important new things.

[04:18.56]Gregor Mendel was born on July 22,1822 in a small town in a country

[04:27.21]which is now called the Czech Republic.

[04:31.28]His parenhts were not rich so he was not able to go to school.

[04:36.14]When he was young,his parents taught him to read and write.

[04:41.39]He also learnt how to grow fruit trees in his father's garden.

[04:46.64]He loved growing plants.

[04:50.61]He became very interested in trying to grow flowers

[04:55.86]which were of the same beautiful colour.

[05:00.02]He tried to do this in many different ways and he wrote down exactly what he did.

[05:07.28]He did many experiments like this

[05:11.35]and he always wrote down exactly what hqppened in his experiments.

[05:17.31]As he grew older,Mendel wanted to learm more.

[05:22.77]He became a monk and was then able to study at a university.

[05:29.12]He grew peas in the garden at the monastery and by carefully breeding his pea plants,

[05:37.66]he found a way to grow mostly smooth round peas instead of lumpy and wrinkled peas.

[05:45.60]He also found a way to grow taller pea plants instead of shorter pea plants.

[05:52.44]Scientists have used his ideas about breeding

[05:57.09]to grow apple trees which have bigger apples on them.

[06:02.42]They have also used Mendel's ideas to feed cattle which grow thaller and heavier.

[06:09.40]Mendel's ideas helped us to understand why two parents will have a child whoi for example,

[06:16.84]is tall or has blonde hair.

[06:21.41]Mendel's work helps us to study an important part of science

[06:27.16]which is called genetics.

[06:31.60]10.Listen,read and practice in pairs.

[06:38.24]Have you ever written lab reports?

[06:42.29]What do you have to put down in a lab report?Let's see what xiaohong is asking.

[06:50.23]Xiaohong:What are you drawing there,LiMeng?

[06:54.48]LiMeng:A graph showing how quickly the wheat shoots grow.

[06:59.45]Don't talk to me now,or I'll make a mistake.

[07:04.49]Xiaohong:Well,I'm sorry but what are you counting there?

[07:09.84]LiMeng:OK.It's like this.I need to show how long the shoots are each day.

[07:16.38]For these ten days,I need to mark their heights.

[07:21.34]Xiaohong:But these are just some dots,not a graph.

[07:26.48]LiMeng:I haven't quite finished yet.When I link up these dots,what do I get?

[07:32.86]Xiaohong:I see.But what do you need the graph for?

[07:37.51]LiMeng:It's part of a lab report we've got to write.

[07:41.77]See here?Aim,materials and method.We've got to follow these six steps closely.

[07:49.84]Xiaohong:That's interesting.It's just like one of my recipes.

[07:55.59]LiMeng:Recipes?This is science.Anyway,can I finish this first?

[08:02.56]Unit 7 Meet friends at the beach

[08:07.52]1.Listen,read and practice in pairs.

[08:13.98]How do you usually spend your weekends?

[08:19.30]Have you ever thought about doing something different?

[08:23.88]Something new?Let's see what LiMeng and Xiaohong are doing.

[08:29.94]LiMeng:It's so hot today.Let's take a tram down to the beach and have a swim.

[08:36.88]Xiaohong:All right.I'll go along with that.Let me go and get my bathers.

[08:42.84]Oh,don't forget to put the sunscreen lotion in the bag

[08:48.12](The two take a tram to the beach.)

[08:52.77]LiMeng:Look over there.Those boys and girls are playing with a frisbee.

[08:59.01]I wish we'd asked some friends to come along too.

[09:03.76]Xiaohong:Oh,no.Their dog is coming with the frisbee in his mouth.What should I do?

[09:10.43]John:Hi,there!Want to come over and join us?

[09:14.79]Our dog Spotty wants to give you he frisbee.

[09:19.75]Xiaohong:OK.Now,catch this one.

[09:23.91]Louise:You're so good.Do you often play frisbee?

[09:28.87]Xiaohong:Not really.But I sometimes play tennis with my brother.He's a good player.

[09:35.71]Xiaohong:That's great.I like tennis and I'm always looking for good players.

[09:41.98]LiMeng:Yeah.Good players make the game more exciting.

[09:47.23]Xiaohong:Look out!The frisbee is coming.

[09:51.49]5.Listen,read and practice in pairs.

[09:58.15]How do you usually feel after a swim?

[10:02.91]Hungry,I guess.That's how those boys feel right now.

[10:08.97]LiMeng:Gee, the water is so nice and cool.But I'm feeling a bit hungry now.

[10:16.72]I wonder if there's a snack bar or something.

[10:21.09]John:Sure there is.It's only five minutes'walk away.

[10:25.84]We can pick up some hamburgers.Let's go.

[10:30.28]LiMeng:Yeah.Why not?Oh,let me take my diskman along.

[10:35.85]Samuel:What music have you got there?Some Chinese music?

[10:40.89]LiMeng:Yeah.These are some songs by a famous pop star called Liu Dehua from Hong Kong.

[10:48.15]He's good.Want to listen to thhis?

[10:51.99]Samuel:Sure,thanks.I've never tried Chinese songs.I wonder what they're like.

[10:58.15]You can listen to mine.This is an album by the Rolling Stones.

[11:03.72]John:You know,he's always listening to the Rolling Stones.

[11:08.45]You should look at his collection of albums.

[11:12.71]LiMeng:I've rea about the band.Let me try it.

[11:17.07]8.Listen and read.

[11:21.90]A day at the beach

[11:25.74]Nick had always wanted to go to the sunny beaches which were far away from his home.

[11:33.19]The chance didn't come until it was summer vacation time.

[11:38.54]One evening Nick's father said to him:"I've got a day free tomorrow.

[11:45.38]Let's go to the beach.I know you'd like to go there,right?"

[11:51.16]"Yes."Nick could not conceal his excitement and he jumped with joy.

[11:58.52]The next day,Nick's family all came to the beach early in the morning.

[12:04.69]No sooner had his father parked the car than Nick got out of it

[12:10.75]and did some somersaults.

[12:14.51]The sun began to rise.

[12:18.77]It was a marvelous sunrise view with a tranquil sea

[12:24.23]which was not disturbed by the swimmers and surf-riders.

[12:29.58]The streaking sunlight began to warm the sand.

[12:35.23]The sand was soft,white and clean.

[12:40.97]Nick's father located a nice spot.

[12:45.52]Nick helped his father put up a big umbrella

[12:50.35]and his mother spread a plastic sheet across the white sand.

[12:55.99]Then they began to empty the car boot:

[13:00.75]three beach chairs,a lunch basdet,several packs of drinks,towels,

[13:08.40]sunscreen and everything for a fun day at the beach.

[13:14.17]Lying on the white sand with arms and legs stretched

[13:19.82]could be the most relaxing moment.

[13:24.07]Nick quickly found himself a place and lay on the beach.

[13:29.72]The sky was blue,the water was clear and the air was soothing.

[13:36.95]More people began to arrive.

[13:41.00]Soon,excited noises could be heard in the sea water

[13:46.46]as some adults began playing water polo.

[13:51.22]Nick was in his swimming trunks and joined the water game.

[13:56.49]It was fun.The water was a bit cold at first,but catching the ball,

[14:03.34]throwing the ball and swimming in the sea immediately got him used to the water.

[14:10.10]Time passed by quickly.Nick felt a bit tired and hungry.

[14:17.18]He opened the lunch basket and began to enjoy the sandwiches with his parents.

[14:23.63]The sun was shining brightly.

[14:28.07]The cozy wind brought Nick to sleep within minutes.

[14:33.33]It was a long and comfortable afternoon.

[14:38.05]Nick didn't wake up until his father called him.He realized the sun was setting.

[14:45.81]It was time for them to go back home.

[14:50.07]He quickly got up and took a last few looks at the beautiful sunset.

[14:56.73]Finally,they set out on their journey back home.

[15:02.37]10.Listen and read.

[15:07.94]The boys ate some hamburgers and are now back at the beach.

[15:13.79]LiMeng:Are you girls hungry now?We've brought some hamburgers for you.

[15:20.06]Xiaohong:Thanks.Let's eat,Louise.Are you hungry?

[15:25.02]Louise:I hope those guys have brought something to drink as well.

[15:30.17]Xiaohong:I think so.To get back to what I was saying,

[15:35.03]I always have to apply some sunscreen lotion when I go out.

[15:40.80]The sunlight is too strong in srmmer.

[15:45.34]Louise:Well,I don't blame you for that.

[15:49.32]One of my friends seldom does anything outdoors without her sunscreen.

[15:55.66]LiMeng:It's getting a bit late.

[15:59.32]I think we might have to pick up our things and head back home.

[16:04.78]John:Yeah.I've got some homework due tomorrow too.

[16:09.53]Just one thing,LiMeng.You were saying we would play tennis together.

[16:15.31]Can I have your phone number and I'll leave you with mine.

[16:19.75]LiMeng:Oh,right.Good thing you reminded me.My number is...

[16:25.70]12.Listen to the dialogue again and tick who does what.