L6 Unit 1-1 Listening

Harry Beecham works for a hi-tech German company based in the Munich.
Last month, he was in an automobile accident.
He was on his way to attend an important meeting in New York City.
He had just arrived on a flight from London and was taking a taxi into the city.
The weather was terrible and the road was icy.
He was in a hurry so he asked the taxi driver to get him into the city as soon as possible.
The taxi driver agreed and sped up but just as they left the airport, the car was out of control.
It spun around and skidded into(滑入) the path of an oncoming truck.
Fortunately, the truck was going too fast, so nobody was killed. But the taxi was severely damaged and both passengers were injured. The taxi driver survived with only a few injured because he was wearing a seatbelt.

The car accident wouldn’t have been happened had the weather been better.
Had he put on his seatbelt, he might not have been injured so badly.
Had the weather been better, the accident wouldn’t have been happened.

The taxi airbag had also been deployed(使展開), absorbing much of the impact.
However, Harry, who was in the back seat, having put on his seatbelt. As a result, he was severely injured, and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Now, a month later, Harry still can’t remember much of what happened. When he first woke up in the hospital, it was several hours after the accident and he wasn’t sure where he was. The bad news was that he couldn’t move his legs. This was because his back had been broken in the accident. The doctor later told him that he might never regain the use of his legs. Some of his nerves in his spine(脊柱) and legs had been damaged but everything else was OK. Now, Harry is trying to figure out what to do. If he works hard and exercises every day, there will still a chance that he legs will recover on their own. There are also some new treatments that might help his nerve regenerate. Still, he should be prepared for the long recovery and possibility that he might never walk again. Without the use of his legs, he wouldn’t be able to continue working in the same way. it wouldn’t be possible to travel, so he would have to find another way to attend the meeting. Either that or he would have to look for another way to make a living. Harry has a good disability insurance, so money won’t be problem for a while. But sooner or later, he wants to be able to earns a living again. Of course he isn’t planning to give up on his legs. If he works hard, he might still be able to regain the use and learn to walk again. Some of his nerves had been damaged but there was a chance that they were healed. The new drugs being developed might make it possible for the nerves to grow back. Still, he has to face the possibility that nothing will work. Whatever happens, Harry is determined to think positively. Even he can’t walk, he can still attend the meeting all over the world. With technology, he could be anywhere and there is much that he can still do. Luckily, he still has to use his arms and hands and his brain is still functioning. With the right attitude, he can find a way forward. There is no reason to despair in or feeling sorry for oneself. That kind of think won’t solve anything. He just hopes that his company or another will get him a chance to prove himself. He could still be a valuable asset for them, come or make.
Spun around使…旋轉(zhuǎn)( spin的過去式和過去分詞 )

L6 Unit 1-1 Dialogue 衣著和禮儀

Hey, what do you think? do you like it?
No, it’s too short. We can’t wear that to the office. If you do, nobody will be able to concentrate.
What about this one?
That’s the right length but I hate the color. I hate pink.
Ok, I’ll see if they have it in another color but it isn’t cheap.
It’s ok if you don’t buy anything for a while.
Sure, this will last for a while.
Well, I’m glad you like your dress. It looks great on you.
You should get some new clothes too. You never buy anything for yourself.
I have an expensive girlfriend now so I can’t afford it. but besides, I don’t have the time to go shopping.
What are you doing? Are you staring at that woman?
What? No, of course not.
Yes, you were. You were staring at her. How do you think it makes me feel?
I was looking in that direction.
No, you were staring at her for several seconds.
I’m sorry but I could help it.
I’ve told you many times to stop that. And you’re going to stare, you shouldn’t do it like that, so obvious and rude.
Ok, what’s the best way to stare?
Don’t stare for 4 or 5 seconds. Just take quick look, 2 seconds long. Then it isn’t so obvious.
Sorry, my eye just went that. I’m program like that.
That’s no excuse.
and don’t ever tell me you don’t like pink again. She’s wearing pink. Why is it that pink is so bad on me when you can’t help staring at someone else who is wearing pink?
I didn’t notice that she is wearing pink.
Ah, so the clothes don’t matter. She’s more attractive than I am. Why don’t you go sit with her?
Hey, come on. Let’s not get into a fire.
I thought you were get better. But you never change. You just have in ruin in the evening.
Hey, come on. I’m sorry.
No, don’t say anything, I don’t want to hear it.

L6 Unit 1-1 reading 狼來了和野外生存

Once upon a time there was a mischievous(淘氣的) young boy who was given the task of tending a herd of sheep on a hillside near a village. The boy grew tired(厭倦) and bored while watching the sheep, so he found ways to amuse himself, such as climbing trees or chasing sheep. One day he came up with what he thought was a brilliant idea. He climbed to the top of a tree and shouted toward the village: “wolf! Wolf! Help me please!”
When the villagers heard his cries for help, they rushed up the hill to rescue him and chase(追捕) the wolf away. Of course, when they got there, there was no wolf to be seen, and the boy, who was still in the tree, was laughing. The sheep were grazing(吃草) peacefully. Annoyed. The villagers returned to the village and back to their normal activities.
A few days later, the boy grew bored again and played the same trick on the villagers. This time the villagers were furious at the boy. That night he was punished by his mother for his bad behavior.
For a while after that, life went on as normal and the boy behaved. He didn’t want to be punished again. Then, one afternoon while he was tending the sheep, he noticed that the sheep were bleating(小羊的叫聲) and nervous. He didn’t know what was causing their strange behavior, so he climbed a tree to see if he could determine what was going on. What he saw from the tree was a frightening sight, a big, hairy wolf chasing after the sheep. Terrified, he screamed for help: “wolf, wolf! There’s a wolf chasing the sheep!”
This time, when the villagers heard his cries for help, they were convinced that it was another one of his pranks(惡作劇). Nobody believed that there was really a wolf, so they ignored his frantic(發(fā)狂的洒嗤、發(fā)瘋的) calls for help. The wolf, having nothing to fear, feasted on （盡情享受）several of the sheep and then slipped back into the forest.

What would you do if you ever found yourself lost in the wild? To find out, you can join a weekend survival course in Australia’s Outback Desert(內(nèi)陸沙漠). This vast area is famous for its harsh(殘酷的、嚴(yán)厲的) desert climate.
To survive, your first task will be to find water, a rare commodity in the desert. Animals such as ants and seed-eating birds are strong indicators of water. You can also cut and suck moisture from the roots and leaves of plants. Trees like the desert oak(橡樹) have roots near the surface. But be careful. The branches of gum trees are a rich source of water, but the leaves are poisonous, so don’t eat them.

The best place to build a shelter is in an area with the least amount of(最少的) sunlight, like between sand dunes(沙丘) or in a trench(溝).

To make a trench, dig a hole enough to lie down in and use the extra sand to create a barrier or wall on each side. This can help to shield you from the glare(刺眼) and scorching heat(炎熱的) of the sun. nights can be cold, so knowing how to make a fire is essential. One way to build a fire is to use the hand drill(鉆頭) method. This is one of the oldest and simplest ways to start a fire. It involves rolling a stick between your hands while pressing it onto a notched(凹口的) piece of wood with dry tinder(引燃物) below. The idea is to use friction to create enough heat to ignite the tinder, this can be a lot of work.
As for food, you’ll have to be open-minded. Some forms of life can be ugly to look at but can provide you with enough protein to survive. They may even taste good, like scrambled eggs(炒雞蛋).
Shield

L6 Unit 1-2 Listening 過去時和虛擬語氣

Now that you have studied English at a high level, you need to be able to talk about the language itself.

One of the biggest areas of confusion for students is the difference between the pass tense and present prefect. The pass tense is indicated by use of pass tense marker, represent V(d). here are some regular verbs and their pass tense forms. So, as you can see, for regular verbs, the pass tense form is indicated by the addition of “ed” at the end of the verbs. However, some of the common verbs in English is irregular, so it’s important to learn them. Here are some examples. Altogether, there are over 200 irregular verbs in normal use.

Many people think that the pass tense form only indicates the pass time. However, there is only one of the possible meanings. The pass tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speaker’s point of view.

Here is an example,
He wishes he had a car.

The fact is that he doesn’t have a car, so the use of had indicates that it isn’t real, it’s imaginary.
If he had a car, he could drive us to school. Again, he doesn’t have a car, so he can’t drive us to school. This condition expresses something that isn’t a fact. It’s a counterfactual condition, which means it goes against what we know or believe.
Look at these two sentences,

If she waits another week, she can save money.
If she waited another week, she could save money there is going to be a sale.

both sentences are correct, but they have different meanings. In the top sentence, the condition that she waits is more likely from the speaker’s point of view. In the bottom sentence, the speaker thinks that it’s less likely that she’s going to wait.

If that flight leaves on time, we are going to miss it, so let’s run.
If the flight left a few minutes later, we could take the next shuttle bus.

When we talk about the experience of result, we use the present perfect form. This form uses have followed by the participle. for regular verbs, this participle(分詞) is identical to the pass tense form. For irregular verb, this participle is different.

When we use the perfect form, the primary focus on the subject of the sentences, not the verbs. It emphasizes its condition, experience of results, rather than action or event. In these 2 examples, we see the contrast.

She has already left the hotel.
She left the hotel a few minutes ago.

The top sentence gives the condition or state of subject, and the bottom sentence expresses the event. The top sentence describes the condition of the subject of the sentence, she rather than the event. The fact she has left the hotel is now part of her experience or state of being. The bottom sentence expresses the action or event, she left, which is something she did. In general, the pass tense expresses the event or acts, and the perfect form expresses the experience or conditions. When we use the perfect form of the verbs, we focus on the state of the subject and not the action or event.

Know that the pass form expresses events of specific point or periods of time, such as late year or the pass 5 years.
These events distance from the speaker’s point of view.
He worked at several companies.
He finished the project last week.
The perfect form expresses the state of something from the speaker’s point of view, not distance in time.
He has worked at several companies.
He has finished the project.
These 2 sentences are incorrect and confusing they give 2 different points of view.
He has finished his work last week.

Here are some sentences that use the perfect form. Some are simple, such as the first one and some are complex, like the last one.

He has finished practicing
He has been practicing
She may have been practicing
She may have eaten
Her computer may have been stolen

The last one is complex because it combines many verb forms, including the passive.

L6 Unit 1-2 Dialogue 都市迷失

What are you thinking about, you look so pensive?
I was just thinking about how much things have changed since I was a child.
Oh, sometimes I think about that too. What were your thoughts?
The nostalgic(懷舊的) for sure. Generally, I remember the best times and then I get a bit depressed when I’m thinking about how things have changed.
What kind of changes depress you?
Well, one thing is the pace of life. Everything is so fast pace now, so there isn’t enough time to think.

That’s because you’ve grown up. You’re not a child anymore so you have responsibilities.

It’s more than just having responsibilities. My parents had to work but they also had other things. My dad used to go fishing on the weekend and mon used to work in her garden. She loved to grow flowers and vegetables.

Yeah, that does sound nice. Living in the city makes thing like that, really difficult.

Yes, living in the city is certainly a part of problem, right?

Well, that depends on you. You make things sound as if you have no choices in life. It’s the choices you’ve made that push where you are now.

Sure, that’s certainly a part of problem. I guess I’ve changed.

You want a lifestyle that you can’t have in the city. If you really wanted those things, you could move back to the countryside.

Not, that’s not an option. If I did that, my wife would divorce me.

Have you ever talked about it with her?

Not, I haven’t. we don’t talk about things like that. we are both too busy. I think she’s even busier than I am.
Well, maybe she will surprise you. Maybe she’d like a change too. You should talk to her.

Em, I don’t know. What about you?

I’m okay. My wife and I accept things as they are. They try to think positively and we support each other.

It sounds like you have a good marriage.

Yes, we do. And one reason for that is we share our thoughts with each other. We don’t want to grow apart like so many couples.
Maybe I’ll surprise my wife and start sharing my thoughts with her.
Well, if you don’t do it now, nothing is going to change.

Yes, you’re probably right. I’ll think about it.

L6 Unit 1-2 reading 南極洲和切爾諾貝利

On Antarctica, the world’s coldest continent, the average high temperature is -49 degrees Celsius. In the summer, the sun never sets, and in the winter, it never rises. Keeping sane(保持清醒) there is its own special challenge.
The McMurdo Station is a research base perched(停留) on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest body of floating ice. The station is administered by the United States and is the largest community in Antarctica. Capable of supporting more than 1200 residents, the population of the station drops to 150 brave (perhaps foolish) people when winter begins in March. Their task is to maintain the station during the months of total night. The biologists, astronomers(天文學(xué)家), geologists, and climate scientists who were there before, have gone, as any research is impossible in the brutal(殘酷的) winter.
Every day the remaining stuff of maintenance personnel(維修人員) perform their routine(常規(guī);例行程序) task and make repairs when needed. Sometimes they peer(凝視) through the darkness toward their friends from New Zealand, at Scott Base, about 2 miles away. Though most of the time they’re just voices on the radio, it’s nice to have neighbors not too far away. Together, they share a power grid(電網(wǎng)) and one coast of a dark forbidding(令人生畏的) continent.
Though the days are dark and freezing cold in the depths of winter, the moon will rest(休息) above the horizon(地平線上) for weeks at a time. Its pale(蒼白的、無力的) light illuminates the cold, craggy(陡峭的乘陪，嶙峋) landscape as if acknowledging a companion and reaffirming the bonds of life. So even for those who live in the darkest part of the earth, there is light.

To acknowledge somethings means to recognize or admit its existence.
The writer shares what it feels like to live and work in Antarctica.

On April 26, 1986, Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in northern Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union(蘇聯(lián)), was shut down(停工) for an unauthorized safety test. When the nuclear fuel rods(桿) hit the cooling water, the fission reaction(裂變反應(yīng)) accelerated out of control due to a sudden power surge(動力高峰）. This caused the reactor to overheat and build up pressure until its structure failed and it blew up(爆炸), releasing large amounts of radiation. It took officials a whole day to comprehend(理解) the scale of the disaster and to order an evacuation(疏散) of the surrounding area. Some 50,000 people had to leave, not knowing that they would never return.
In the following months, massive efforts were made to decontaminate(凈化) the area while increased radiation levels were detected across much of Europe. Fallout from the disaster continues to this day, decades later, and long-term effects such as cancers are still being investigated. Estimates of the number of deaths that will eventually result from the accident vary enormously.
The forest area near the reactor site is one of the most radioactive places on Earth. Named the Red Forest because its trees turned a reddish-brown(紅褐色) color as they died, the forest is trying to make a recovery. Animals such as elk(麋鹿) and eagles(老鷹) have been seen in the area. And birch trees(樺樹) grown where the radioactive trees of the forest were bulldozed(鏟平) and buried by the Soviet government.
Some people have returned as well, mostly former residents who returned illegally after the evacuation. The old company town of Pripyat, once home to 50.000 plant workers is still deserted, but is slowly being reclaimed(再生) by the forest. It seems that nature can recover and even thrive where humans cannot. Let’s hope that humans can learn from this experience. Chernobyl, and more recently, Fukushima in Japan, have lessons to teach us.

It’s clear that the officials were completely unprepared for the accident.

L6 Unit 1-3 listening 神經(jīng)疾病和身體恢復(fù)

Jack is a psychiatrist, which means he treats people who have mental problems. He has been treating patients for many years and he has used variety of treatments. Sometimes he just listens and talks to patients and sometimes he uses meditations. This meditation affects the brain in many different ways. Over the years, Jack found that some patients improved with the treatment while others did improve at all. In some cases, some patients respond to the treatment was the opposite of what was expected. Several years ago, he had a young patient who showed him why his treatment didn’t work. The patient’s name was Bob. He was 21 years when he first came to see Jack for help. The reason he came was because he had attempted to suicide.
Bob was extremely smart and was a student at one of best universities in the world. However, he was often extremely depressed. Because of his depression, he took drugs and drank a lot of alcohol. It was an overdose of drugs and alcohols that nearly killed him. His roommate called 911 when he discovered Bob unconscious in dormitory room. Once Bob recovered and was discharged from the hospital(出院), he took time off from school to get help. That was when he came the clinic where Jack pack his medicine. At first, Jack attempted to treat Bob with anti-present medicine. He also used conversation and recommendations to help him to rethink his life and memories.
After a few months, Bob began to improve but only moderately. Though he cooperated with the treatment, he continued to think negatively. He also continued to go through periods of depression. As a result, he wasn’t able to return to school.
Because of the treatment was working, Jack tried something new. He decided to use brain scans to see inside Bob’s brain. Brain scans is a way to look inside the brain to see how it was functioning. What the scans showed about Bob was crucial. They showed that his brain was damaged in a way that nobody had anticipated it. there was significant damage to the front part of his brain. an injury to this part of brain can contribute to depression and negative feeling. It can also contribute to feeling of anger and rage. The fact his brain was injured and unbalanced expresses why the treatment hadn’t worked.
The brain scan showed why the meditation and other treatments had worked. They had failed because they didn’t address injury. After discussing the injury with Bob and his parents, they concluded that the cause of the injury was from playing soccer. In fact, Jack knew of quite a few soccer players who had suffered head injuries from playing that sports. Heading a hard soccer ball many times can damage the brain.
With this new information, Jack used a new medication to treat the injury. Gradually, Bob improved, and after a few months, was close to a full recovery. He no longer had any signs of depression and was finally able to return to school. Ultimately, Bob graduated from his university with great honors and entered a famous law school. From this experience, Jack realize that the brain imaging had allowed him to save Bob’s life. If it hadn’t been for the scans, Bob would have ended up killing himself.
Detecting and treating the injury to the front part of his brain was the key step in the treatment. Jack now believes that the brain scan can be an important tool for psychiatrists. an injury brain must be healed before other treatments such as vitamins, drugs or counselling, can work.

He wouldn’t have to come to see Jack if he hadn’t tried to kill himself.
He hadn’t attempted suicide; he wouldn’t have come to see Jack.
Had the treatment been successful, he probably would have returned to school.

L6 Unit 1-3 Dialogue 健康類電子產(chǎn)品

We’re getting a lot of complaints.
About the proposed new policy?
Yes, people think that it’s an invasion of policy.
Don’t they agree that regular exercise and staying in shape is good for anyone?
Sure, they agree. But we don’t think we have the right to use an APP to track how much they exercise.
Using the app is the only way to make sure our employees to get enough exercise.
This new policy can reduce our health cost and increase productivity, which helps everyone.
That’s not how they see it. This kind of regulation makes people feel like robots. They have no freedom anymore. Requiring anyone to wear a smart device like this on their waist means they don’t have no privacy.
Well, if you put it that way, i can see the problem.
However, i don’t see any other way to change people’s habits. This is just a friendly minder.
It’s more than a reminder. It makes things public and puts pressure on people to meet their requirements. It will force people to work out even if they don’t want to. They won’t be any choice.
No, it hasn’t had to be that way. We can still be flexible.
That’s not the point. People hate the idea that the company knows everything they do. It’s bad enough that they had to communicate with each other at night and on weekends.
What if we made the use of the APP an option?
If we do that, it still puts pressure on people to use it. I think it’s best that we get rid of this idea. I’m all forward standers but what about freedom and creativity. If we go ahead with this policy, I think we will lose some of our best people. There are other ways to deal with health issues.
Such as… What’s your suggestion?
Give extra holidays to people who take fewer sick dates.
No, that wouldn’t work. It will put pressure on people to come to work sick and get everyone else sick too. If someone is sick, I’d rather that they stay at home.
Then here is run out of idea. Why let your department manager handle it? They are the one who decide on promotions of bonuses. Setting everything in stone in the form of policies can be very dangerous. (政策面前設(shè)置無法改變的一切是很危險的)
Ok. I’ll consider it. But now I’ll give up the idea of using this APP. Please let people know that we are listing to them. We do care about our employees.
I’ll. I’m sure than people will appreciate it. It shows that you have faith in them.
Thanks, i appreciate your advice.

They think it gives the company too much control over their lives.
He would rather have sick people at home than come to work.

L6 Unit 1-3 reading 傷病預(yù)防羡洁、高血壓和心臟病

Preventing injury

Exercise and a certain amount of strenuous(緊張的) physical activity are important for maintaining good health. However, before engaging in them, it’s important to know how to prevent injuries from occurring, especially for athletes and elderly people. Injuries can be minimized by doing a proper warm up. This consists of increasing your heart rate and blood flow to all part of your body. A good way to do this is through a series of static stretches(靜態(tài)拉伸) followed by a series of dynamic stretches, which are done while moving.
Using the proper equipment is essential, especially in contact sports.
To protect the head, for example, well designed helmets can greatly reduce the incidence of concussions(腦震蕩).
Concussions are caused when the soft, jello-like(果凍狀) brain slams into(用力撞上) the hard human skull(顱骨).
Research shows that repeated concussions can have serious consequence.
Compression sportswear (緊身服)is another way to reduce the risk of injury, especially muscle injuries. More and more athletes are using them because their use can also speed up muscle recovery when an injury occurs.
Another contributing factor in sports injuries is fatigue(疲勞). Doctors believe that fatigue is an important warning sign that the body has reached its limits. When fatigued it is more difficult for the body to protect itself. Therefore, it’s a good idea to stop an activity at the first sign of fatigue. Rest periods, even for professional athletes, can prevent serious injuries from occurring.
Understanding injuries and the body reaction to them can help people cope with the problems that accompany physical exercise. The support and understanding of coaches, teammates and family can be a critical factor in prevention and recovery. Once an injury occurs, it’s too late to prevent it, and recovery can take a long time. For the elderly, a simple fall can be fatal(致命的).
A fatal accident or injury is one that causes death.

Blood pressure and stoke.

A large international study has found that then risk factors account for 90% of all the risk of stroke. Of that list, 5 risk factors usually related to lifestyle are responsible for a full 80% of stroke risk. According to the researchers these risk factors- high blood pressure, smoking , abdominal(腹部的) obesity, diet and physical activity - are modifiable and can be controlled.
The findings come from a study of 3000 people who had had strokes and an equal number of healthy individuals with no history of stroke. This study also includes a brain scan of all participating stroke survivors, according to the researchers.
Across the board(全部), high blood pressure was the most important fact, accounting for one-third of all stroke risk. Blood pressure, it was noted, plays a major role in both forms of stroke: ischemic, the most common form(caused by blockage of a brain blood vessel), and hemorrhagic(出血性) or bleeding stroke(中風(fēng)), in which a blood vessel in the brain bursts(爆發(fā)).
Blood pressure is easily measured, and there are lost of treatments. Lifestyle modifications to control it include increasing physical activity and reducing salt intake. The other lifestyle risk factors are modifiable as well. High intake of fish and fruits, for example, is associated with a lower risk of stroke.
Many of the same risk factors have been reported in other studies, but this is the first stroke risk study to include both low- and middle-income participants in developing countries. The study confirms that high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke in both developing and developed countries. This highlights the need for health authorities in those countries to develop strategies to reduce high blood pressure, salt intake and other risk factors.

The other lifestyle risk factors are modifiable as well.
According to this articles, lifestyle factors are responsible for most stroke.
Study confirms that high blood pressure is the leading cause of the stroke.

L6 Unit 1-4 listening 買房、換工作

John and Linda are worried about their future. They both have good jobs but they are concerned about their economy. Of the 2 of them, Linda is the most worried. She wants the security of owning her own home. Her husband disagrees. As a result, they often fight about money. They live in a nice apartment, but their rent goes up every year. So now they are trying to decide whether or not to buy a house. Linda wants to buy a house but John is against the idea. He thinks prices are too high and he doesn’t want to be trapped. If they owned a house, it would be more difficult for them to move somewhere else if things changed. For example, what would happen if he lost his job. If he lost his job, they might want to move to another city or country. If they own a home or flat, it would more difficult to move. If they decided to move, they would probably have to sell. If prices have risen, that would be OK. In fact, they might even make a profit. However, if prices were down when they have to sale, they would lose money.
Last week, Jack got some bad news. His company is downsizing and moving it head office to another city. It’s moving because they can no longer afford to do business where they are now. expenses are too high, especially the salaries. So it’s more difficult to compete with other companies. In fact, several others companies will be moving out too. Office and space is expensive in the area, along with the cost of living for the employers. As a result, it’s becoming more difficult to hire good employers. Nobody wants to live there unless their salaries can support the good standard of living.
With all of these changes, John thinks there is a good chance that he will be transferred to the new head office. This could happen fairly soon. If so, it will be foolish to buy a house this time. Linda still disagrees about buying a house but she is willing to wait a year to see what happens. She hopes that she won’t have to move but she may have to unless John is willing to change to companies. She would prefer not to move but she doesn’t want to lose her job. Now they have to consider what they with their transfer. John has to decide whether or not he should begin to look for a new company. If he could find another job in this area, it will put less stress on his wife. If they stay and can wait for a while, maybe housing prices would begin to calm down. If prices don’t calm down, then he and his and his wife will continue to disagree about buying a house. Sooner or later, they are going to have to make a decision and stop fighting about it.

L6 Unit 1-4 Dialogue 人工智能和女朋友

Are you having any luck finding a new girlfriend.
No, I’m not. I haven’t found anyone I like. So far, they are all after my money and the fancy lifestyle. What are happened to real love.
I don’t know. The same thought has occurred to me lately. I’m afraid I’m becoming a way of snick. 鬼鬼祟祟的人。
I was just reading about some new robots called AI’s. they have artificial intelligence or AI.
Yes, AIs. I’m heard about it. and it has been some movies too.
Accidentally, this new AIs can be very attractive companions. What are you thinking about that?
You must be kidding. Relating to a smart robot? It sounds sick to me.
I don’t know, maybe not. I wonder what it would be like to have an AI girlfriend. Maybe you could program it to be like your dream woman.
A dream woman. Well, it’s an interesting idea but hard to imagine in reality. I guess it could be fun for a while but then it would get boring, don’t you think?
For sure, no real emotion . everything would be mechanical and artificial, even the language. It would be a soul inside, just an empty machine.
Well, not necessarily. That would depend on how would intelligent it is. There are some who say AI is going be more intelligent than we are.
Emm, I put it that too. In fact, there even be a threat to us, right?
Anyway, if it were possible, would you want a girlfriend you could control.
A woman I could control? No, I can’t imagine it. most of the women I have been with have tried to control me.
Well, that is one of differences between men and women. We see things differently.
We never measured up to their standards.
However, if there is real love, the bonds between 2 people can be very deep.
It may not happen very often but I’ve seen it.
Yes, that’s what I’m looking for. I hope it’s not just a dream.
If that’s what you want, you are probably not going to find her in the bar.
Maybe I’ll just let people know I’m looking for someone nice.
Be sure you don’t tell her you’re rich. Maybe I can help you want someone.
You have my permission. And just for fun, I’ll start checking out some of those smart robots. It sounds crazy, but I’m curious.
With all the lonely people out there, it may turn out to be a huge business.

L6 Unit 1-4 reading 蒙娜麗莎礼仗、動物友誼

The mysteries of Mona Lisa

Without a doubt, one of the world’s most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted in the 16th century by Leonardo da Vinci, it continues to attract crowds of people who are captivated(迷住) by the mysterious woman in the portrait. Her enigmatic(神秘的) smile and penetrating(有洞察力的祸憋、穿透的) gaze(凝視) reach out through the ages(穿過歲月) as if she were alive today.
Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity. Once theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. Another theory argues that her hairless face – no brows or lashes(睫毛) – indicates that she was a prostitute. It seems that in 16th century Italy women working in the world’s oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the women in the portrait had thick(濃) eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently(漫不經(jīng)心地)erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
The painting itself has an increasing history. With the death of Leonardo, it went to his friend King Francois 1, and then to Louis XV and the palace of Versailles. It wasn’t until 300 years after its completion that it was recognized as a masterpiece. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom. Eventually, it found a permanent home when it was added to the collection of the Louvre in Paris. In 1911 it was stolen by a museum employee and 2 accomplices. This theft made the painting famous all over the world. During World War 2 it was taken away and hidden from the Nazis, as were many important works of art. Today the painting resides(居住) at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.

A story of friendship and love

This is the story of a donkey named Jellybean and a goat named Mr. G. For ten years they lived together on a farm owned by a woman who loved animals but could barely care for herself. She had dozens of animals, but the living conditions for all of them were deplorable(糟糕的). Finally, an animal rescue organization came and took the animals away, relocating them to animal sanctuaries(庇護(hù)所).
Throughout their years at the farm, Jellybean and Mr. G had been inseparable. Whenever the donkey was, the goat was never far away. For some reason, they had bonded, and nobody suspected how strong the bond become. When Jellybean was taken to a local animal rescue center, Mr. G was moved to a center far away. When he arrived, he refused to eat. Not only did he refuse to eat, but he refused to get up or move around. He spent his days lying in a corner of the barn, barely lifting his head. The staff at the center tried feeding him treats(喂零食), including apples and sweets, but nothing worked.
As the days went by, he continued to weaken. The staff had to move him physically to ensure he didn’t spend too long lying down. Worried that he was ill, they gave him a series of health examinations, but none showed anything wrong. Finally, they realized that he was depressed and mourning the loss of his best friend.
With his condition getting worse, drastic(極端的) measures were required. A volunteer at the center offered to make the 14-hour round trip journey to fetch Jellybean so the two could be reunited. Once Jellybean arrived and the goat sensed his presence, he rose to his feet, breathed in deeply and rushed to his friend’s side. Shortly after that, he began to eat, moving the entire staff to tears. Such a beautiful reunion was inspiring – an amazing testimonial(證明) to the depth of nonhuman emotions.
Since the video of the reunion was posted on the internet, it has been viewed by millions. And from now on, the 2 friends will remain together.