大学英语听力第四册 lesson 2

　　Lesson 2
PART B Macro-Listening
Passage I
Teachers' Complaints
I. Tapescript
Teachers often complain that students don't do their homework properly and that they are constantly arriving at school red-eyed and yawning due to lack of sleep.
It appears that there are two main explanations for this phenomenon. Firstly, many young children stay up late to watch television. Programs suitable for them may finish as late as eight o'clock. No child wants to be an exception in an age of conformity¹ and admit not having seen what everybody else has. Secondly², a growing number of older children, particularly those approaching school-leaving age, are taking up part-time jobs mainly involving evening or weekend work. They feel that working experience, not academic qualifications, will help them find jobs on leaving school. One can sympathize with both groups of children but it doesn't make a teacher's life any easier.
Passage 2
Education in the U.S.A.
I. Tapescript
Education in the United States is usually divided into four levels. These are early childhood, elementary, secondary, and higher education. School attendance³ is required in every state of the country, and in most states students must attend school until the age of 16.
The first level is early childhood education. Its main purpose is to prepare children for school.
The second level is elementary education. Education at this level is divided into six or eight grades, and children learn reading, arithmetic, writing, social studies and science. They also have art, music and physical education.
The third level is secondary education. It is for junior and senior high school students. Some students take courses to prepare themselves for college. Other students take technical or vocational⁴ courses that prepare them for jobs after they graduate from high school.
Higher education continues after high school. There are many kinds of institutions of higher education. Technical institutes offer two-year programs in electronics⁵, engineering, business and other subjects. After two years at a junior college, students receive an associate degree and then they can continue at a four-year college.

1 conformity   

n.一致，遵从，顺从

参考例句：

• Was his action in conformity with the law?他的行动是否合法？
• The plan was made in conformity with his views.计划仍按他的意见制定。

2 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

3 attendance   

n.出席，出席人数，护理，照料

参考例句：

• The attendance of this class never dropped off.这个班的出席人数从未下降。
• The young man danced attendance on his rich aunt.这个年轻人小心侍候他有钱的姑妈。

4 vocational   

adj.职业的，业务的

参考例句：

• They have set a regular time for vocational study.他们把业务学习时间固定下来。
• She was given some quick training at the vocational school.她在职业学校受过速成训练。

5 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。