1/4 Listening
There are many forms of life on Earth, including human beings.
Live exists in various of conditions.
Some forms of life live in a watery environment like the oceans.
Other forms of life can be found in very dry areas like deserts.
However for any form of life to exist conditions must be right.
When the conditions are not right. That form of live will become extinct.
To become extinct means to die out completely.
Conditions must be right for life to exist.
Millions of years ago there were forms of life that no longer exist.
When conditions changed these forms of life died out.
One extinction event happened about 250 million years ago.
This was the largest extinction event of all time.
Many forms of life became extinct.
96 percent of all life in the oceans died out.
Most insects also became extinct.
This event happened over a period of several million years.
The causes of this extinction event are still unknown.
Possible causes include large volcano eruption and global warming.
Some scientists believe that there were several causes.
They believe that a series of events caused the extinctions.
Scientists are working to better understand what really happened.
In modern times we humans face changing conditions.
For humans to live we need clean air and clean water.
Pollution is now a growing problem around the world.
Pollution poisons the air and water that we depend on.
Polluted air makes people sick and afraid to go outside.
Polluted water poisons our food supply.
As a result we never know which foods are safe to eat.
Human beings can not live in a poisoned environment.
Therefor pollution is a major threat to our existence.
Humans need temperatures to be in a conformable range.
To be in a conformable range means to be nether too hot nor too cold.
With global warming global temperatures are rising.
As temperatures rise the polar icecaps will melt.
As the polar icecaps melt ocean levels will rise.
Areas of some countries will soon be under water.
People will be forced to relocate from flooded areas.
In nature even small changes can sometimes have large effects.
It's difficult to predict what's going to happen.
The entire ecosystem that we depend on is changing.
Some of these changes are irreversible.
Irreversible changes can not be undone.
Let's hope that humans are smart enough to understand how the world is changing.
With more understanding we can make better choices of what to do.
We can face the challenges of pollution and global warming.
We need to do this before it's too late.
This planet Earth is our only home and we need to protect it.
1/4 Vocabulary
Mammals are covered by hair and fur have a backbone and warm blooded.
All female mammals produce milk for their young.
Reptiles are covered by scales and includes snakes lizards and tortoise.
Reptiles have a backbone and are cold blooded which means they often rely on external sources of heat.
Birds are covered by feathers and are warm blooded.
Most birds can fly and many types of birds migrate great distances.
Most insects such as ants and bees have a small 3 part body with 3 pairs of legs.
Some insects, like mosquitoes spread diseases that cause the deaths of many humans.
Unlike animals plants get the energy that they need from the Sun.
Plants can convert alone side carbon dioxide and water
Mammals include some of the most intelligent animals on Earth, such as elephants and human beings.
Units of weight include kilograms and ponds. And units of length include centimeters and inches.
These instruments are used to observe very large and very small objects.
Telescopes are used by astronomers. And microscopes are used by microbiologist and doctors.
These appliances are used in the kitchens of almost every home.
Stoves are used to heat food and refrigerators are used to keep foods cool or cold.
Household tools like these are used to build and repair things.
...If you need to pounding a nail use a hammer.
2/4 Vocabulary
2017-06-26 12:46:19
What's in that big box you are carrying.
it's a new desk.
I just bought it and now I have to put it together.
Do you need any help?
No I don't think so.
I just need to get my tools.
I'll need a screwdriver and maybe a hammer.
Don't forget to read the instructions.
How were things going?
I'm almost finished.
Something doesn't look right to me.
The right side is higher than the left side.
Oh you're right.
It looks like I put a couple of the screws into the wrong places.
So now you'll have to take it apart.
Great, and I thought I was almost finished.
I told you to read the instructions.
Did you read them?
No I didn't read them.
I hate to read instructions.
I looked at them, but they were confusing.
Well this is what happened when you don't.
You were too impatient.
Anyway what can I do to help you?
Could you get another screwdriver and help me unscrew some of these screws?
Ok, but next time please read the instructions.
Do you ever look up to the sky and think about life and universe?
I did when I was a kid.
But I don't do that very much any more.
Why do you ask?
Sometimes I feel like I've lost in day to day details.
Then when I look up at the sky I see the bigger picture.
I appreciate things more, even the little things.
You sound like a philosopher or a poet.
I feel like that too when I was a kid.
Don't you feel that anymore?
No I don't. In fact I try not to.
When I think about things to deeply I get depressed.
It's even a bit frightening.
Really? For me It's just the opposite. Everything seems like a wonderful miracle.
Doesn't that frightening you a bit?
The universe is so large and we are so small.
What are you realize is how little we understand.
We just need to appreciate our lives and not get lost.
Sometimes being lost isn't so bad.
Do you know the expression "Ignorance is bliss".
Sure. I've heard it many times.
To be ignorant is to be happy.
Maybe it's true.
Maybe it's best to not know or think too much.
No that's not for me.
I wanna understand as much as possible.
That's why I became a scientist.
Well I respect your choice. But it's not for me.
If understanding is painful I'd rather not understand.
3/4 Listening
2017-06-27 12:35:48
Henry is on a business trip.
Yesterday he was supposed to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai.
However things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to.
In fact, nothing went way it was supposed to.
Everything went wrong and he didn't get on his flight.
As a result, he still in San Francisco.
The following is a summary of what happened.
Yesterday morning he got up as usual and had breakfast.
Everything seemed to be fine and he was looking forward to the trip.
He was just about to check out of his hotel when he felt a pain.
It was a pain in his lower back.
It was a dow pain at first not too bad.
So he didn't worry about it and check out the hotel.
Then he got on a shuttle bus and go to the airport.
About half way to the airport the pain in his back started to get worse.
It was a growing pain and he was beginning to worry.
Soon it was difficult for him to sit in a seat.
The pain was getting worse.
He wanna to lie down.
He started to sweat and breathe quickly.
He was in real pain then.
On a scale of 1-10 the pain was an 8.
When the bus got to the airport the bus driver helped him get off.
It was difficult for him to walk but he finally made it to the terminal.
Inside the terminal he went to the mens bathroom.
He went to the toilet but that didn't help.
Instead of improving he felt dizzy and he threw up.
By now he was wet from all the sweating.
He knew he couldn't get on his flight.
He used his phone to call the airline.
He explained the situation and cancelled his reservation.
Then he called 911 for emergency help.
911 is the emergence number to call for help in United States.
An ambulance arrived about 10 minutes after he called.
By then he was in so much pain that he could barely walk.
Once inside the ambulance, they gave him oxygen to help him to breathe.
But the pain was still terrible.
Then they drove him to a hospital near the airport.
Luckily the hospital was in his health plan.
That means his health insurance will pay almost everything.
Medical cost in United States are very high.
Harry didn't have to stay at the hospital for very long.
3/4 Vocabulary
2017-06-29 00:14:55
Solar energy is one of the cleanest and most plentiful sources of energy.
Solar power depends on sunlight. So in cloudy weather and at night no power is generated.
Wind energy is non polluting but it's only useful in places where there is a lot of wind.
Wind turbines convert the kinetic 运动的 energy of the wind into mechanical power.
Nuclear energy is efficient and doesn't produce carbon gases as a waste product.
The dangers of nuclear power include deadly radioactive waste products.
A major source of energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil.
When we burn fossil fuels waste gases such as CO2 are produced.
Fossil fuels remain the largest source of energy for most countries.
Hydropower 水电 comes from the kinetic energy of falling water.
Output is reliable and can be regulated to meet the demand, except during the period of dropped.
We need to reduce the use of fossil fuels to produce energy.
Here are some different types of words in English.
Words that are nouns or pronouns are used to represent objects.
A nouns or a pronoun can be a person an animal or a thing including an idea.
Verbs are use to express actions, such as to sit down or stand up.
We also use verbs to express relationships such as to love someone or to own something.
We use adjectives to describe objects such as a tall building.
Adjectives are use with nouns and pronouns but not with verbs.
We use adverbs to describe actions such as to run fast or walk slowly.
Adverbs express the quality of an action. Such as how well or poorly something is done.
We use conjunctions to connect things or actions, such as to read and write.
Conjunctions include words such as and or because but and yet.
3/4 Dialogue
2017-06-28 12:44:34
Hey I've got some news. Some good news and some bad news.
Okay, give me the bad news first.
We are moving to a new office.
When is this going to happen.
We're supposed to move at the end of next month.
How far away is the new office.
We're not sure yet. But it will mean a longer commute for most of us.
The new office will probably beyond the other side of the city.
The commute is already too long for me and I'm not going to change flats. We just bought one.
Anyway what's the good news?
The good news is that we're going to expand.
The company is growing so we gonna hire more people.
Well I've got some news for you too.
I hope it's good news.
Well that depends on your point of view.
I'm planing to start my own business.
Why? I thought you were happy working here.
I like the work but I'm not learning anything new.
I think I can do better on my own.
I was planing to wait a few month.
But now that the office is moving I'm ready to make the change.
What is your wife think?
She's in favor of it, and she'll help me.
She's already designing a website.
We'll work from home at first.
So you really are serious about this.
You're taking a big risk.
Most new businesses fail.
Yes I know, but if I don't do it now, I never will.
I'm tired of working for others.
I know what you mean.
Don't tell anyone about this, okay?
It's still a secret.
Sure, I won't say anything to anybody.
I'm sure this will come as a surprise to everyone.
I'm sure changing offices will also come as a surprise to people.
This is exactly why I want to work on my own.
I don't like these kinds of surprises.
You're right about that.
When are you going to let people know.
I'll make the announcements at the beginning of next month.
4/4 Vocabulary
2017-06-29 13:14:19
When he was 15 he was sent to Florence.
In Florence, he became an apprentice to a famous master painter.
For the next few years Leonardo worked at his master's workshop.
It wasn't long before his ability surpassed that of his master.
Factories like this one allow harmful chemicals to get into the air or water.
The British writer Jane Austen 简·奥斯丁 was born in England in 1775 one of seven children.
She wrote some of the most popular love stories of all time.
One of the most famous female rulers in history Cleopatra 埃及艳后 had affairs with Julius Caesar 凯撒 and later with Marc Anthony 马克·安东尼.
She was known for her great beauty and charming voice.
Born in 1756 Mozart 莫扎特 composed and performed some of the worlds greatest classical music.
He was the youngest of seven children and by the age of five he was already composing music.
The son of a king Alexander the Great 亚历山大大帝 was a military leader who created one of the largest empire in ancient world.
As a youths Alexander was taught by the Greek philosopher Aristotle 亚里士多德.
Mahatma Gandhi 甘地 was a 20th century's leader who use non-violence residence to lead India to independence.
Gandhi dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth.
4/4 Dialogue
2017-06-30 12:34:38
I'd like to speak with Mr. Bennett please.
I'm sorry but he's not here right now.
Would you like to leave a voice message.
It's urgent that I speak with him.
It's emergency.
Oh, I see. What kind of emergency.
It's very personal so I can't give you any details.
Without more details, I'm afraid I can't give you his number.
Give me your number and I'll let him know about your call.
Then maybe he'll call you back will that be okay?
Sure, my number is 5834987.
It would be great if he could call me within the next half hour.
That was a great dinner.
Here put away your wallet I'll pay the bill.
You paid last time, this time it's my turn to pay.
Hey you don't have a job and I do let me pay.
Thanks for the offer but I can handle it.
Wait let's flip for it.
Flip for it what does that mean.
Do you see this coin?
This side is heads and the opposite side is tails.
I'll flip it up in the air.
If it comes down with heads facing up I'll pay.
If tails is up you can pay.
Okay, that's fine with me.
Look it's heads up so I'll pay.
Thanks it's very nice of you.
It's my pleasure.
Do you want anything else sir?
Would you like to see the desert menu?
No thanks, I'm ready for the check.
Here's my credit card.
I'm sorry sir but we don't take credit cards.
You're joking right?
No sir, I'm not joking.
Do you see that sign? It says cash only.
I didn't see it when I came in.
I don't have enough cash to pay the bill.
There's a bank down the street sir.
If you let me hold your driver's license you can go and get the cash.
Okay, I hope the bank is open.
The bank is closed, but you can use the ATM to get the cash.
