Unit Ten Reports on Britain Under the Bombs

Understanding Statements Listening Task 1
1. The stock market crashed as a result of the terrorist attacks.
2. It was a stranger who rescued the drowning woman.
3. What impressed us most was the decency of his private life.
4. The police began to examine the wreckage of his ship.
5. She smashed the plate against the wall.
6. How shall we deal with the exhaustion of our natural resources?
7. We admire him for his great resolution in whatever he does.
8. She expressed her sorrow over what she had done to me.
9. When I arrived, I saw my neighbor's house in times.
10. I can't endure my mother's bad temper.
Key: 1.(B) 2.(A) 3.(A) 4.(A) 5.(B) 6.(B) 7.(A) 8.(A) 9.(B) 10.(B)

Listening Task 2
1. The young girl gave in to temptation and had a cigarette.
2. The British were determined to drive off the invaders.
3. The coming war cast a shadow over Afghanistan.
4. We shall carry on our discussion after the working lunch.
5. He went on the air while the bombs fell and flames spread on the streets outside.
6. Parents are expected to provide for their children.
7. You must watch out for such criminal activities.
8. It took the fire fighters almost twenty days to put the forest fire out.
9. She flies into a rage every time I mention the stock market.
10. The woman finally convinced the police of her innocence.
Key: 1.(A) 2.(C) 3.(D) 4.(B) 5.(B) 6.(A) 7.(A) 8.(D) 9.(A) 10.(B)

UNDERSTANDING SHORT CONVERSATIONS
1. W: I've been studying the history of the Second World War at school. What did your grandparents do at that time, John?
M: My grandpa was in the Royal Navy. My grandma was in London looking after my aunt, who was still a baby.
Question: What did John's grandma do during World War II?
2. M: What did you see after the crash woke you last night?
W: I saw the building down the street completely in flames. It was my uncle's house.
Question: What did the woman see last night?
3. W: Did your sister call you about last night's air raid in her city?
M: She couldn't get to a phone.
Question: What does the man mean?
4. M: How did this news writer report on the war between Germany and England?
W: Well, his voice had a tone of sorrow for the suffering of England.
Question: What attitude did the news writer adopt toward England?
5. M: Have you heard about the German bombing of London on September 7, 19407
W: As far as I know, nearly 400 German bombers hammered the city with bombs in broad daylight.
Question: What does the woman mean?
6. M: I hear there is a report about the German bombing of London on September 7, 1940. It was an important event. But do you know what the Germans expected out of the bombing?
W: They expected that England would surrender because the powerful German air force killed so many people.
Question: What does the woman mean?
7. M: Well; I understand that you are making a study of the Second World War. What do you think was the decisive factor in war?
W: Well, this is too broad a question to answer in a few words. A powerful army, a strong air force, and advanced technology are all very important of course, but it seems that the determination of the people also counts for a great deal.
Question: What was the decisive factor in the war according to the woman?
8. M: According to the historical recordings about the Second World War, England had some advantages in comparison with Warsaw and Rotterdam in the battle against the Nazis.
W: Sure! The English had the English Channel as barrier against the Nazi ground force and they had the Royal Air Force to fight the Nazis in the sky.
Question: In what way did the English have advantages over the other countries?
9. M: We all know from history that the Nazi powers were finally defeated by the Allied nations. But do you think that the English felt sure of achieving the final victory, at the beginning of the war?
W: Well, you might read all the speeches delivered by Churchill that were full of confidence. But I'm afraid that at the beginning of the war they were not so sure of themselves, as they were prepared to fight to the last Englishman.
Question: What does the woman mean?
10. M: Well, do you think that the English Royal Air Force was much stronger than that of the Nazis?
W: All we know now is that a handful of Royal pilots battled against flocks of German bombers from the report.
Question: What does the woman suggest in her answer?
11. M: I don't understand how the many people buried underneath the burnt down buildings were finally rescued during the war.
W: Well, people had to put out endless fires and dig quickly into cellars.
Question: How did the people manage to rescue others from the burnt down buildings?
12. W: My MA research paper will focus on Britain and World War II. What do you think about it?
M: I'm afraid the subject's too broad.
Question: What does the man suggest?
13. W: How come you don't seem to be able to sit still today, Dr. Xiao?
M: Well, the university will announce who has won the title of "the Most Accomplished Ph.D. Paper" for this year.
Question: How does the man probably feel?
14. M: It's a shame you were disqualified from the finals in the speech competition.
W: I might have entered the finals if I had listened to Prof. Zheng. But the subject of the speech competition was World War II, a subject too familiar to everyone.
Question: What does the woman suggest?
15. M: What are your plans for this weekend?
W: There's supposed to be a good documentary about World War II on Channel 4.
Question: What does the woman mean?
16. M: Nobody told me that your roof was damaged during the storm.
W: Sorry. I meant to ring you up, but it slipped my mind.
Question: What does the woman mean?
17. M: The car engine does not sound right. Don't you think so?
W: There's nothing to worry about. I had it serviced just yesterday.
Question: What does the woman feel about the car repair service?
18. W: I bought a notebook computer last month. But I still haven't figured out how to operate it.
M: Have you checked the instruction book?
Question: What does the man suggest?
19. W: Shall I travel by air or by train to Shanghai?
M: It makes no difference. Both are very convenient.
Question: What does the man say about the two means of transport?
20. W: Dr. Xiao, shall we go to the river to watch the light display this evening?
M: I'd love to, but I have tickets to the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
Question: What does the man mean?
Key: 1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (C) 5. (B) 6. (A) 7. (C) 8. (D) 9. (A) 10. (C)
11. (B) 12. (C) 13. (C) 14. (D) 15. (A) 16. (B) 17. (D) 18. (B) 19. (C) 20. (B)

UNDERSTANDING LONG CONVERSATIONS
Conversation 1
W: Welcome, Mr. Harris. You're here today to give us a brief introduction to the history of Britain under the bombs.
M: Yes, that's right. First of all, I want to remind everyone that many old people living in London today endured the heavy raids, and it's their bravery and determination that we must remember.
W: When did these raids begin?
M: Well, the Germans started bombing the Channel Coast in August 1940, and Londoners really began to suffer in the first week of September when the city was hammered with bombs in broad daylight.
W: So, while the actual fighting was taking place in the sky, what was happening on the ground below?
M: Radar sirens warned of oncoming attacks. People used to seek safety in cellars and in the underground stations, and in the bomb-shelters they built.
W: Great damage was done to the ancient city. What effect did the bombing have on the people?
M: Londoners stood firm. They went about their daily lives while the battle raged above them.
Despite the hardships and sorrow they endured, the resolution of the people never failed. Well, that's all we have time for today. Our audience will be looking forward to heating more from you next week. Good-bye!
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. Who is the woman in this conversation?
2. What does the man mainly talk about?
3. What should we remember about the people of London?
4. When did Londoners really begin to suffer according to the man?
5. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Key: 1. (C) 2. (D) 3. (A) 4. (B) 5. (D)
Conversation 2
M: World War II resulted in so much damage. So many cities were destroyed, and so much fine architecture lost during the bombings.
W: Yes, it's sad to see the evidence still in the historical cities. But destruction cannot be avoided during times of war.
M: And the damage was not only to architecture. What about all those books and works of art that disappeared?
W: You're talking about the burning of books in Germany. It became very difficult to keep any form of literature, too. My uncle' s friend was a news writer; he managed to escape from the country with his diary, but usually no one could take papers out of Germany without official approval.
M: And all those paintings were stolen for Hitler's private collection. So many families lost art works, some of which may never be recovered.
W: We mustn't forget the human loss, either. Last week, I saw a program on Hiroshima and the atom bomb. It was terrible.
M: I saw it, too. The stories were about how the radiation sickness affected Japanese people miles from where the bomb hit ground.
W: I have an idea. Let's go down to the Imperial War Museum and see the show on Japan in World War II.
M: Good idea! It's important not to forget what our grandparents lived through.
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
6. What do the two speakers mainly talk about?
7. What does the woman think about destruction and war?
8. What happened to the books in Germany during World War II?
9. What does the woman think about the human loss in World War II?
10. What does the woman suggest they do at the end of the talk?
Key: 6. (A) 7. (C) 8. (B) 9. (A) 10. (D)

UNDERSTANDING PASSAGES
Passage 1
     A siren blares at a British airfield. Quickly the RAF (Royal Air Force) pilots make a dash for their planes. Within seconds they are in the air. Soon they are fighting off the Nazi attackers.
     This scene took place in September 1940. It was one of hundreds of air battles fought over Britain at that time. This struggle between the RAF and Hitler's Luftwaffe (air force) was called the Battle of Britain.
How did the Battle of Britain take place? Early in August, Hitler ordered an invasion of Britain. It was to take place in September. But first the RAF had to be destroyed. The RAF had only about 600 fighter planes and 1,000 pilots. The Germans had twice as many planes and pilots. But the British pilots handled their Spitfires and Hurricanes with great skill. Two Nazi planes were shot down for every British plane lost.
     Angry at such losses, Hitler turned upon London. He hoped to break the spirit of the British people. Day after day, night after night, hundreds of German planes bombed the British capital. They started huge fires and did great damage. Thousands of people were killed or left homeless. But it only made the British fight Hitler harder.
By the end of October, the Battle of Britain was over. Hitler was forced to call off his invasion of Britain.
      Prime Minister Winston Churchill had this to say about the Battle of Britain: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the passage you have just heard.
1. What is the subject of this listening passage?
2. How many planes did the Germans have?
3. How long did the Battle of Britain last?
4. Why did Hitler turn upon London?
5. What does the "few" probably refer to in "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"?
Key: 1. (C) 2. (B) 3. (A) 4. (D) 5. (D)
Passage 2
     Today a pilot is totally dependent upon what the air traffic controller on the ground tells him. He can't see enough to be safe. Flight watch is an instrument intended to help him.
     On a screen in front of the pilot, there will be a map of the airspace around the plane. The pilot' s own flight level or height and his own plane at the centre of the screen will show up. On the map any other planes in the airspace will appear as spots of light with "tails" showing the direction of their flight. The Flight watch map is unusual, for the other planes are not shown at their true ranges, but at their distances away in flying time. This helps the pilot make contact with both fast and slow planes.
     The pilot will be able to see on the screen whether another plane's course conflicts with his own. The screen will show him the flight number of the other plane, so he can contact air traffic control and ask them about the other plane' s course. Then he can take avoiding action if necessary. The screen will show him whether his action puts him in danger from yet other airplanes.
     Technically, the system seems to be difficult. Computers will be necessary on the ground and in each airplane to enable Flight watch to collect data about the planes' courses and to calculate the distances between planes. But such small computers are now quite cheap, simple and reliable.
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the passage you have just heard.
6. What does a pilot depend upon for his safe flight?
7. Which of the following can help the pilot keep contact with the air traffic controller?
8. Which of the following characterizes the Flightwatch?
9. What are the main components of the Flightwatch?
10. What do we know about the computers related to the Flightwatch?
Key: 6. (C) 7. (C) 8. (A) 9. (A) 10. (C)
Passage 3
     In 1909 an English newspaper offered 1,000 pounds to the first man to fly across the English Channel in an airplane. Today, modern high-speed airplanes cross it in minutes. But at that time it still seemed a good distance. The race to win the money soon became a race between two colorful men.
      One was Louis Bleriot, a French factory owner. He was already well-known as a pilot because he had crashed several times. Some people laughed at him. One man said, "He may not be the first to fly across the Channel but he will certainly be the first to die in a crash!" But Bleriot was really a good, clever and brave pilot.
      The other man was Hubert Latham. He was half French and half English. He took up flying when his doctors told him he had only a year to live. "Oh, well," he said, "if I'm going to die soon, I think I shall have a dangerous and interesting life now."
Latham was the first to try to fly across the Channel. Ten kilometers from the French coast, unfortunately his plane had engine trouble. It crashed into the water and began to sink. A boat reached Latham just in time and found him sitting calmly on the wing, smoking.
Bleriot took off six days later. Somehow he got to the English side and landed in a farmer' s field. When he did so, a customs officer rushed up to his plane. Interestingly, the officer demanded, "Have you anything to declare?"
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
1 I. When did this story take place?
12. What do we know about their flight across the English Channel?
13. What happened to Bleriot when he tried to fly across the English Channel?
14. Why did Hubert Latham want to fly across the Channel?
15. Which of the following is NOT true?
Key: ll.(A) 12.(B) 13.(D) 14.(C) 15.(A)
Passage 4
     Many university students dislike studying history because there is little to get excited about when historical events are presented in a boring manner. However, I'll never forget my American History professor, Dr. Williams. Each event leaped from the pages of our text and became as real as the daily news report on the radio. My favorite lecture concerned the American Revolution. Dr. Williamson set the tone for the story by imitating Paul Revere, a well-known person who works with silver, working in his shop. The American colonists were angry because of the British control over their lives. Revere felt that war between the British and the colonists was to come soon. Then, Dr. Williamson told us about Revere going across the Charles River from Boston in his small boat on April 18, 1775. I can see the professor now as he raised his hand to his forehead as if he were looking across the Charles River to the Old North Church in Boston. Suddenly, Revere saw two lamps, a signal which meant that the British would attack by sea. He jumped on his horse to warn the villagers of the attack. Professor Williamson reminded us that the first battles of the American Revolution were fought at Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, the year before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Never before had history seemed so alive to me. I attribute this to a professor who cared enough to put his heart into his teaching.
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. Why does the speaker feel that most students dislike history?
17. Who was Paul Revere?
18. Where was the Old North Church located?
19. What did the two-lamp signal tell Revere?
20. When were the first battles of the Revolution fought?
Key: 16. (B) 17. (D) 18. (A) 19. (A) 20. (C)