新视野大学英语视听说第4册听力原文及答案Unit5.doc

Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more.-author-date新视野大学英语视听说第4册听力原文及答案Unit5Uint1Uint5 II. Basic Listening Practice1. ScriptW: Why do some people stay in one job for life while others switch jobs from time to time?M: Some people want a fixed routine so that they dont have to adapt tot new circumstances over and over again, while others think variety is the spice of life.Q: According to the dialog, why do some people stick to one job for life?2. ScriptM: Kathleen, youve been late for work so many times lately that I have to warn you that any repetition will result in your dismissal.W: Im sorry. Ill try my best to get here earlier in the future. Perhaps I could work later to make up the time Ive lost.Q: What does the woman say?3. ScriptM: Mr. Brown, my time here has been frustrating for me. I have a better opportunity with another firm, and Im taking it.W: We wont be sorry to see you leave, Richard. Youve done your best to make everyone here as miserable as you are.Q: How does the woman feel about the mans leaving?4. ScriptW: Mr. Armes, I wanted to tell you in person that at the end of this month Ill be leaving the company.M: Well, Sylvia, we are certainly going to miss you here, but I wish you the best of luck.Q: What does the woman want?5. ScriptW: Time, I hate to tell you this, but were caught in a budget crunch, and we must lay you off. Im sorry.M: I understand. Ive enjoyed my time here, and Im confident I can find something else.Q: What is the mans response?Keys: 1.B2.D3. A 4.C 5.DIII. Listening InTask 1: How to Avoid BankruptcyManager: Adam! Have you any suggestions about how we can avoid bankruptcy?Adam: Downsizing would certainly reduce our operating costs. You know, make us lean and mean, the way you have to be in todays market.Manager: Where do you suggest we start making these staff cuts?Adam: The logical place to start would be in administration. They usually overstaffed.Manager: Thats not going to go over very well with our employees. Some of them have been with the company for years.Adam: Its painful process, but theres no choice. Theyll just have to get used to the idea.Manager: We can give them a fairly decent severance package when theyre fired.Adam: I know. And I think that if we computerize the office, we could reduce office staff by about 20 percent just by eliminating a lot of paperwork.Manager: OK. If we lay off 20 percent of the administrative staff, will that be enough to get the company back on its feet?Adam: Unfortunately not. Well also need to make some cuts in the service department.Manager: How can we do that and maintain the level of service that we offer our passengers?Adam: Well, well have to retrain the service staff and streamline our operations, so we wont need as many people to run things smoothly.Manager: Well, this is serious, but I really dont think we have any other choice. If we keep losing money like this, well have to shut everything down.1. What is the dialog mainly concerned with?2. What does the man mean by “make us lean and mean”?3. What is the difficulty in cutting the administrative staff?4. What will happen as a result of firing the administrators?5. What does the man think will happen after they cut 20 percent of the administrators?Keys: 1B 2.D 3.A 4.C 5.CFor Reference1. He suggests retaining the service staff and streaming their operations, so they wont need as many people to run things smoothly.2. That is a serious step, but she thinks they havent any other choice. If they keep losing money, they will have to shut everything down.Task 2: A Hard-nosed BossScriptMr. Stone was known far and wide as a hard-nosed boss who (S1) watched his employees like a hawk. He was making one of his regular tours of the factory (S2) when he spotted a young man leaning against a (S3) pile of boxes just outside the foremans office. Since George, the foreman, wasnt around. Stone stood off to the side and watched to see just how ling the young men would stand (S4) around doing nothing.The young man yawned, scratched his head, looked at his watch, and sat on the floor. After ten minutes or so he yawned again and (S5) leaned back on the pile of boxes.Stone stepped from his (S6) hiding place and walked up to the young man. “You!” he yelled, “How much do you make a week?”The young man looked up (S7) indifferently. “Two hundred and fifty dollars,” He said.(S8) Stone rushed into the cashiers office, took$250 from the cash box, and returned. “Take it,” he said, “and get out! Dont let me see you around here again!”The young man took the cash, put it in his pocket, and left. (S9) Seeing the young man showed no sign of embarrassment, Stone got furious. Then he went looking for George. When he found him, Stone was red with anger. “That lazy boy in front of your office,” Stone said, “I just gave him a weeks pay and fired him. Whats the matter with you, letting him stand around as though he has nothing to do?”“You mean the kid in the red shirt?” George asked.“Yes! The kid in the red shirt!”George said, “(S10) He was waiting for the 20 dollars we owe him for lunch. He works for the coffee shop around the corner.” Task3: Layoffs can be predicted.ScriptIn some cases companies inform their employees in advance that layoffs are coming. In other cases, they come without warning: You arrive on time for work on a Friday, but you are told not to come next week. Ouch!In either case, you may be able to sense some bad signs in advance. Maybe the company has tried very hard to avoid layoffs; maybe it has been preparing for the worst for quite some time. If you think about the bad omens carefully, you might know as much or more than some of the employees in managerial positions with management responsibilities.For example, if you work in sales, you might know that quotas have not been met. If you work in field engineering, you might notice far fewer customer installations. If your companys competitors, suppliers or customers are laying off employees, its likely your company will too, especially if economic conditions are affecting your industry. Check the layoff statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Search the Net and your local newspaper too for articles concerning layoffs in your industry.Do things like bad sales always mean that layoffs are coming to your company? Not necessarily. Companies have seasonal and economic sales dips all the time, and are always looking for ways to improve their performance. So, if you see only one or two bad signs, dont jump to a hasty conclusion. But if you see more, especially along the lines of earnings warnings, budget cuts, hiring freezes, restructuring, and massive layoffs in your industry, it might just be time to get your resume up to date and start looking for a new job. Also, it might e a good idea to cancel your vacation, implement money-saving measures, and become more useful on your job. You should prepare in advance if you think you might get the axe soon.1. What is the passage mainly about?2. According to the passage, when can one sense layoffs are coming?3. What is mentioned as a bad sign for the field engineering department?4. According to the passage, what do bad sales signal?5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a sign for you to update your resume?Keys: 1D 2.C3. B 4.C 5AFor ReferenceYou may get your resume up to date and start looking for a new job. Also, it might e a good idea to cancel your vacation, implement money-saving measures, and become more useful on your job.IV. Speaking OutMODEL 1 Were going to miss you.Susan: Excuse me, Helen, do you have a minute to talk?Helen: That question always carries some weight, Sue. Whats up?Susan: Well, uhHere goesMy university wants me to go back to update the university website.Helen: So what? You can go back on the weekend, or in the evening.Susan: But its a large project. So Im afraid I have to terminate my work here before my internship is over. I have to go back next Thursday.Helen: Oh? This is quite a surprise, Sue. Im sad that youll be leaving us. You run this place with clockwork efficiency, you know. Were going to miss you.Susan: I hope this one-week notice will give you time to hire and train a replacement.Helen: Thanks for the notices, Sue. Assistants like you are one in a million. I guess wed better start looking as soon as possible.Susan: With your approval, Ill put out notice today and screen the application myself.Helen: That would be great. Schedule them in as you see fit. Oh, Sue, things certainly wont be the same without you around here.Susan: Thank you for your kind words. If you have any problem, please feel free to call me.MODEL2 We have to let you go.ScriptHelen: Tom, the reason I called you into my office is your work.Tom: Really?Helen: The truth is .Im not satisfied with your job performance. Tom: Are you sure I havent been doing a good job?Helen: Tom, youve been reprimanded a number of times for being late and for using company time for personal matters. Whats more, you use the company phone to talk with your friends for hours.Tom: I know Ive been late a couple of times; my motorcycle has been breaking down. Im really sorry. I promise to do better in the future.Helen: Im afraid its too late. Right now, your tardiness is the least of my problems.Tom: What do you mean?Helen: My secretary has proof that you have misappropriated company funds on several occasions. We wont be prosecuting, but this simply cant be allowed.Tom: I didnt steal any money! Your secretary is lying!Helen: Im sorry, we have to let you go.Tom: Youre firing me? You are giving me my pink slip?Helen: Exactly. Im sorry it had to turn out this way. Your termination is effective immediately.MODEL3 Im the one youve been looking for.ScriptHelen: So, Bill, tell me about your last job. What kinds of work did you do?Bill: Market investigation, sales promotion, after-sale services, risk analysis, investment planning to name just a few.Helen: Why did you leave?Bill: Downsizing. The company wasnt performing efficiently. Its been operating at a loss. So the only way out was to lay off redundant employees.Helen: Why do you think our corporation makes a good career move for you?Bill: My experience at the last company is completely transferable to your company, since you deal in the same products.Helen: Go on.Bill: Whats even better, your corporation is a well-known multinational, and its working to become an industry leaser. I like that.Helen: And that would be a real boost to your career?Bill: Definitely. My last employer dealt with only small investments. But your company is handling large projects. That will help me grow professionally.Now Your TurnTask 1SAMPLE DIALOGPamela: Excuse me, Mr. Atkin, do you have a minute to spare?Atkin: The question suggests something serious, Pamela. Whats up?Pamela: Well, uhThank you very much for offering me a permanent job. But now Ive received a notice of admission to a Masters degree program in my university. Im afraid I have to leave.Atkin: Oh, what a pity. You did an excellent job here, and everyone likes you.Pamela: I really enjoyed working here. But further studies will give me more opportunities to grow professionally.Atkin: Your skills in software development are almost irreplaceable here. Would you stay if I promote you to the department head and give you a raise in pay?Pamela: Thank you very much indeed, and I do appreciate the golden opportunity. But I really need to acquire more knowledge while Im young. With a Masters degree in my hands, Ill be more competitive in the future.Atkin: In that case, I wont keep you, Pamela. I just want to tell you that Im sad youll be leaving us. You run this place with clockwork efficiency, you know. Well all miss you a lot.Pamela: I hope this one-month notice will give you time to hire and train a replacement.Atkin: Thanks for the notice, Pamela. Assistant like you are rare. I guess wed better start looking as soon as possible.Pamela: With your approval, Ill post notice today and interview applicants for you.Atkin: That would be great. Schedule them in as you see fit. Pamela, without you, things here will be different. Pamela: Thank you for your kind words. If you have any problem, please feel free call me.V. Lets TalkScriptKathy: Well, now that everybody I here, lets call the meeting to order. Today we have to discuss the operation of our software development department. Were all aware that nowadays market competition is becoming more intense than ever before. If we want to keep our competitive edge, the only way is to offer excellent and considerate service to our customer and, at the same time, lower our prices. So, what Im thinking is, maybe we could outsource the software side of out business to another company. But what impact will it have on our engineers? Its a big problem. Mm, Id be interested to know your thoughts, Warton.Warton: I totally agree with you.Kathy: Could you go into more detail about your opinion?Warton: I think that outsourcing this part of our operation to another company certainly makes a lot sense. Our software engineers ate getting a bit too old, and their technology is a bit out of date. Worse still, their salaries are quite high. Many professional software-designing companies are offering better products at lower rates. With outsourcing, we can give some of the engineers the sack.Jennifer: Sorry to interrupt you. Coming from the PR department, I look at this issue from a different perspective. I think we should consider all sides of this issue before we make a decision.Kathy: Jennifer, Id be interested t o knot your view too.Jennifer: I think as a large company we should consider not only customers and prices, but also our employees. Our workers have contributed a lot to our company. Some of them even started working here when our company opened. I hope we can find a solution that wont require us t o lay off our loyal and trust employees. Kathy: Im very much impressed by what you said. Wed better give this issue more careful consideration.KathyMaybe we could outsource the software side of out business to another company. But what impact will it have on our engineers?WartonOur software engineers ate getting a bit too old, and their technology is a bit out of date. Worse still, their salaries are quite high. Many professional softwa