building skills for toefl ibt

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Building Skills for the TOEFL 

iBT 

TRANSCRIPTS 

Listening Section / Speaking Section / Writing Section 

Listening 

Note: Highlighting indicates a repeated listening sample. 

Chapter 1

Skill A

01 Campus Life 

M: I'm worried about my girlfriend. 

W: Why is that? 

M: She thinks she's too fat. 

W: Is she? 

M: No, but she keeps skipping meals. Then, she only eats chips and drinks cola. 

W: I used to do that. It's called binging. It was no fun! 

M: Why did you stop doing it? 

W: Well, my doctor told me to eat when I'm hungry. She said, "Eat till you're full or you'll eat too much later." She said a lot of girls ruin their health this way. 

M: Did she say what to eat? 

W: She said, "Eat fruit, vegetables, meats, and grains. Have regular meals and snacks. Get exercise, too."

02 Music History 

M: We know that Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany, but we are uncertain of the month. Beethoven wrote hundreds of songs. One of his most famous is his Fifth Symphony. The first four notes go like this: dah dah dah da! Almost everyone recognizes them. 

He was the first to use trombones in a symphony. At age 28, he began to go deaf. Yet, he kept on writing and conducting. He never got married. But after he died, friends found some love letters. We don't know who he wrote them to. Beethoven died in 1827.

03 Biology 

W: OK...let's talk about animals we don't see in the winter. Many animals hibernate during the cold months of the year. Basically, they go to sleep. Some animals hibernate in holes in the ground. Others sleep in caves, under bushes, or at the base of trees. Bears hibernate. So do cold-blooded animals, like frogs and snakes. 

When animals are hibernating, it seems like they're dead. They have slow heartbeats, and they almost stop breathing. They have stored extra energy and fat to keep them alive. By the end of winter, they are very weak. They must eat soon after waking up.

04 Campus Life 

M: Hey Julie, what's up? 

W: Hi, Brian. Taking a break from studying. I'm surfing the Internet for an MP3 player. 

M: Do you like the iPod? 

W: Yes, but I need a really small one. 

M: Oh, it's small! 

W: Really? Someone told me it holds 5,000 songs! 

M: It's 3.6 inches tall and two inches wide. I have one. 

W: What's that in centimeters? 

M: The math textbook says one inch is 2.54 centimeters. 

W: OK, so first I need to multiply 3.6 by 2.54. 

M: Here! Use my calculator. 

W: Thanks! OK... it's 9.1 centimeters tall and 5 centimeters wide. 

Just what I need!

05 Anthropology 

W: Track and Field events happened long before they became a sport. The San people in Africa are one example. They still hold what's called a "Persistence" hunt. The men find the tracks of an antelope herd. They find the antelope and follow them for several days and nights. During this time, they study the animals and choose one. 

Then, the hunt begins. Only the fastest runner will go after the chosen animal. He and the animal may run for as long as eight hours. If the hunter "persists," the deer will finally get tired and fall. Then, he'll slaughter it.

06 Business Writing 

W: When you're writing a business letter, it's important to be specific. That is, tell the reader exactly what he or she needs to know. If something is wrong, list what the problem is and what should be done to fix it. If you need information, state clearly what you want to know. Next, um, be positive. Say "no" in a good way. 

M: How can we do that? 

W: Use polite language. For example, "we regret to inform you that..." or "we're sorry, but..." Always keep in mind this golden rule: write the kind of business letter that YOU would like to receive.

07 Campus Life 

M: Come on Holly, we're going to be late. 

W: For what? 

M: Today's the day of the parking-space lottery. I want to see if I get 

a parking space for next year. 

W: What?! You mean if they choose your number, you get a place to park your car? 

M: Yes. Parking is very limited. Only a few students can bring their cars. And freshmen are never allowed to park on campus. 

W: If your number is chosen, do you get to park for free? 

M: No. It costs $120 a year. 

W: So, you're hoping to win the privilege of paying money? 

M: Yes. Now, come on!

08 English 

W: Professor Smith, I forget many English words. What's a good technique to remember them? 

M: Try using index cards. Uh, small pieces of heavy paper. 

W: What do I do? 

M: On the front of the card, write the new word. On the back, write a definition of the word at the top...in English. 

W: In English? 

M: Yes. No native language! Then, divide the bottom part of the back into two halves. On the left, write a correct English sentence using the word. On the right, draw some kind of picture...anything that helps you remember the word. 

W: Then what? 

M: Review the cards every day. 

638 Transcripts 

Skill B

01 Geography 

W: Another name for the South Pole is Antarctica. This is a continent, but no people live there. There's a good reason for this. It's the coldest, windiest place on Earth. The lowest temperature ever measured was in Antarctica. Minus 88 degrees celsius! Ninety-eight percent of the ground is permanently frozen, and the continent contains 87 percent of the world's ice. Antarctica's only human occupants are scientists. They go there to learn how Antarctica used to be millions of years ago, when it was located at the equator. Antarctica used to be connected to Australia, before all the continents on the planet shifted.

02 Campus Life 

W: Hey Joe, where are you going? Are you on your way to class? 

M: No. I'm on my way to the recreation center to play basketball. Want to come? 

W: I can't. I'm not a member. 

M: If you're a full-time student, membership is included in your tuition. Do you have your student ID card? 

W: Yeah. Does that mean I can use any part of the rec center? 

M: Yes. You can use the swimming pool, the gym, the weight room...anything you want. All you need to do is show your ID card at the door. 

W: Hey, cool. I'll come with you.

03 Literature 

M: If a play makes you laugh, it's a comedy. Comedies have humorous characters and happy endings. A good example of a comedy is Shakespeare's classic Much Ado About Nothing. Another popular style is called tragedy. Tragedies usually tell how a hero ruins his life, falling from good fortune to bad fortune because of a 

"tragic flaw" in character. One example is the play Ghosts, by Henrik Ibsen. Um, modern years have produced a third style, called tragicomedy. In tragicomedies, the play seems as though 

it will end in tragedy but instead has a humorous or unclear ending. An example is Saint Joan, by George Bernard Shaw.

04 Physics 

W: It's a beautiful blue sky today. Ever wonder why it's blue? It's because the sun's rays scatter, or spread out, as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. Blue rays are scattered most; they seem to be all over the sky. Yellow rays are scattered less. This is why the sun looks yellow most of the time. But, after sunrise and just before sunset, the sun looks red. Why? Because then the rays must travel a longer path into the atmosphere. More of the blue and yellow rays are scattered. The red rays are scattered the least. So, they come through in the largest numbers.

05 Campus Life 

M: Hi, Ms. Jansen. Can we keep Romeo and Juliet in our dorm room? 

W: What on Earth...! 

M: They're our pet hermit crabs! 

W: Oh, poor crabs! Don't you think they'd be happier on the beach? M: Well, at the store they were squished into a little box. We thought they'd be happier with us. We let them out when 

we're home. We give them baths too! 

W: I see. Do you know what to feed them? 

M: There's free Internet information --- The Hermit Crab Association. 

They help crabs in captivity. And we will take them back to a beach someday.

06 University 101 

M: As we study in university, we find we have a lot of reading. It's very productive to learn how to read faster. To do this, you need to know how fast you read now. I'll show you a quick test to find out. But before I do, let me say this. 

In this test, it's important to understand what you have read. Rushing to beat the clock is pointless. You won't enjoy the reading or understand it well. You'll also get a false measure of your reading speed. When you finish, you should try to see what you remember.

07 Health 

W: We all know that we can get Vitamin D from sunshine. Long winters make it hard to get enough. People who don't get outside often don't get enough either. Without Vitamin D, we may develop weak bones and teeth. We can get certain kinds of cancer more easily, too. Few foods other than fish naturally have much Vitamin D, so it's important to get some sunshine every day. But be careful. Too much can cause skin cancer. Notice what most animals that live outside all the time do. They are most active during the hours before sunrise and after sunset.

08 Campus Life 

W: Ha ha! Hey Trevor, check this out! 

M: I'm trying to study here! 

W: Oh, sorry. But this is really funny. 

M: What is? 

W: This article about strange inventions. 

M: Like what? 

W: Well, one guy invented a ladder for spiders. It's a rubber strip you can put on the side of your bathtub. 

M: Ha! Yeah? What else? 

W: A portable seat. You carry it around your waist like a big cushion. 

M: Ha! That's really stupid. 

W: Here's the best one: A car license plate that tells if the driver's 

a man or a woman. 

M: I like that one. Then I could stay away from women drivers. 

W: Yeah... Hey!

Skill C

01 Campus Life 

M: I'm interested in your course on Indian culture. Can you tell me about it, please? 

W: Certainly. The course is eight weeks long. There will be a mid-term examination, a final exam, and two essays. 

M: How do you determine the grades? 

W: The final will account for 30 percent of your mark. The mid-term is 15 percent, the first essay is 10 percent, and the second essay is 30 percent. 

M: Let's see. 30, 15, 10, 30...that's only 85 percent. 

W: The other 15 percent is based on your attendance and participation in the class. 

M: It sounds interesting. I think I'll take it. 

Transcripts 639 

02 English 

W: One of the most effective ways to increase your vocabulary is through newspapers. They are cheap, and they have a wide variety of words. When you read an English newspaper, make 

a list of eight to ten words you don't know. Look them up in a dictionary. Then add them to your vocabulary notebook. If you learn eight new words each day, you will be learning new words faster than the average American. 

M: Professor? 

W: Yes? 

M: How can we remember the words after we write them? 

W: Spend 15 minutes each day reviewing words from the previous day. You'll be surprised how fast you learn.

03 Campus Life 

W: I really like art! Especially paintings. M: Really? Do you have a favorite one? W: Yes, Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. 

M: What do you like about it? 

W: Her smile. If you look closely, it seems she's not smiling at all. Look again, she's smiling! So many artists try to copy that smile. 

M: It must be hard to paint something so beautiful. 

W: Did you ever notice that she doesn't have any eyebrows? 

M: Really? No! I never noticed. I wonder why? 

W: Girls in that time shaved their eyebrows. I just read it in our art history textbook. 

M: Hey! That's cool. Nowadays, she'd have an eyebrow ring!

04 Anthropology 

M: In North America, the best weavers are a group of people called the Pueblo --- that's P-U-E-B-L-O. The Pueblo have been weaving clothes, baskets, and blankets since at least 1000 BC. At first, they used their fingers to weave together vegetable fibers and animal hair. In the first century AD, they began growing cotton. About this time, they also started using a loom --- a kind of, um, machine that helped them weave the cotton into cloth more quickly and easily. By the year 1600, the Pueblos had sheep, so they began weaving wool, using the same methods they had used for weaving cotton.

05 Campus Life 

M: Have you heard about Mexican turtles disappearing? 

W1: Yes. It's because they lay their eggs on the beach, right? 

M: Yeah, and people eat the eggs. But my professor said there's a

W1: 

M: 

W1: Let's call! 

M: OK, here goes... 

W2: Hello, Environmental Protection Hotline. How may I help you? M: I'd like to find out about the program to save Mexican turtles. W2: Yes, of course. I can send you something to read or you can 

look at our website, www.enviro.com. 

M: Thanks! I'll look at the website. 

W2: Thanks for calling!

06 Physics 

W: And now, the winner of this year's science fair, Choi Min-Soo! Min-Soo, tell everyone about your work. 

M: Thank you! Let me tell you about my "white noise" machine. 

Does noise ever annoy you or keep you awake? Well, we can lessen noise by using "white noise." Think of water. Think of sending one big wave toward another coming in. My machine does that with sound. It can tell how much noise is coming in, then send back "white noise." You don't hear it, but it shuts out the noise! I hope that my machine will help those who need quiet. Thank you!

07 Health 

M: Acupuncture is a way of treating sick people. The Chinese developed it over 2,500 years ago, and it is still used today. In acupuncture, small metal needles are inserted into spots on the human body. There are 787 of these spots. Each one is connected to a special body part or system. If, um, your ear hurts, for example, the doctor will put needles into all the spots connected with your ear. The needles don't hurt because they don't go in very far. Sometimes the doctor runs an electric current through the needles. We don't understand exactly why this helps people.

08 Math 

W: Geometry is the study of points. Now, a point is a small dot, like 

a period at the end of a sentence. If we have two points, we know that there can be other points between them. There can also be a line. The line is continuous. It has no space between each point. Part of a line, with points at each end, is called a line segment. Two line segments can be the same length. We call these line segments congruent. That just means the line segments are equal in length.

Chapter 1 

Skill Review

A-C

01 Campus Life 

W: What should I do to prepare for my exams? I have some old exams from last year. Do you think it's a good way to study? 

M: Yes, it can help. Being familiar with the way the test is made up is beneficial. You may be less anxious at exam time. First, quickly look over all the material you've studied. Then decide which things you need the most work on. Then use questions from the exams to practice. 

W: Great! I should just memorize all the answers! 

M: No, I don't think that's a good idea. Questions on the new exam will probably be different. You need a strong understanding of the material. Memorizing won't replace a thorough knowledge of the subject. 

W: I guess that's probably true. So, what else can I do? 

M: Make sure you go to all the review sessions. Go to your professor's office hours too. 

W: I always do that. I really like my professor. 

M: Good! In the exam, be sure to read the directions carefully. They may be different from the practice exams. Also, make sure you get to the exam in plenty of time. Get comfortable before 

it begins. 

W: OK! Thanks for your help. 

640 Transcripts 

02 Physical Science 

W: Some people once thought that only four things made up the 

Earth: earth, water, air, and fire. 

Earth, water, and air are all forms of matter, but fire is really different. It may seem the same in that you can see it, feel it, and smell it. You can even move it from place to place, but it really isn't matter at all. It's an activity. It is matter changing form. 

Of course, fire has to have something to burn. We call this fuel. Fire also has to have air so that it can burn. Usually, when we build a fire, we first put down easily flammable material like newspaper or dry leaves. Then, we carefully place pieces of wood over it, leaving room for air. 

Since fire doesn't start by itself, we need a spark or heat source to start it. Matches, lighters, even magnifying glasses can be used. That's a glass piece, specially made for seeing small things. We can make sun shine through it to form a very hot spot of light. 

Wood has to reach about 150 degrees Celsius. Then, something in the wood changes. Part of the wood turns into gas. We see this gas as smoke. The parts of the wood that don't burn change to ash. This is the soft, white powder left after a fire. A third part of the wood becomes carbon, or char. This char, or charcoal, burns slowly and hotly without smoke. This gives us enough time to cook food.

Skill D

01 Campus Life 

M: Hey, Rita, what are you looking at? 

W: I'm looking at a Nova Scotia College of Art catalog. I'm going to transfer there. They have a great lithography program. 

M: Oh, yeah? So you'll have to send them your transcript. 

W: I guess so. What exactly is on my transcript? M: Well, basically all your courses and grades. W: How do I get it? 

M: At the transcript office. It's $8. It takes the secretary three or four days to do it for you. 

W: Great! I can do this soon. I really want to learn to do lithos!

02 Communications 

W: Do you say what you really mean? We learn from listening to others. It's a good way to learn. But if we're not careful, we learn other people's mistakes, too. Here's an example. You often hear, "We've reached a consensus of opinion." "Consensus," already means that all of the people have the same idea. Adding "of opinion" is not needed. 

A saying that's used too often is called a cliche'. We have to be careful in using cliche' s. For example, it's easy to say something like, "I love chocolate." What we really mean is, "I like it a lot."

03 Sociology 

M: More and more US parents are choosing to homeschool their children. This means the parents teach them at home. They do this for several reasons. Some think public schools are too dangerous. Some think the education level is too low. And some want to teach their children about their religion. This is not allowed in public schools. At home, children can help choose which subjects to study. And since there are only one or 

two students, the teacher --- mom or dad --- can give them lots 

of attention. Of course, homeschoolers might get lonely. And parents are sometimes not the best teachers.

04 History 

W: Albert Einstein is considered the greatest scientist of the twentieth century. He was born in Germany in 1879, and was interested in science from an early age. He had trouble in school. In fact, he failed on his first try to enter university. In 1896, however, he did enter a university in Switzerland. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for physics. When Hitler came to power in Germany, Einstein moved to the United States. He told the US president that Hitler was making an atomic bomb. The US made one first. This new bomb helped end World War II.

05 Campus Life 

M: Yaaaahh 

W: Quit yawning! I'm trying to read. 

M: Sorry. I'm just tired today. 

W: Our biology professor said when you yawn, it's because your lungs need more oxygen. It cleans your blood. 

M: Hmm...my blood must be filthy, then. 

W: You're probably not breathing as deeply as you should. Why don't you go outside and take a few deep breaths? That'll give you lots of oxygen. 

M: Yeah, but I'll still be tired. 

W: Maybe a break and some fresh air will give you some energy. 

M: I need a break from this boring textbook. 

W: If you're bored, go outside and try doing something interesting. 

M: Good idea. I think I'll go for a bike ride.

06 Geography 

M: South America is a large continent, but it has only 12 countries. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is almost as big as the United States! A lot of people don't realize that from just looking at a map. Brazil takes up almost half the land in South America. The smallest country is Surinam. This is smaller than many US states. South America lies between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The equator crosses the northern part of the continent. At this point, South America is about 1,500 kilometers wide. The southern-most point in South America is a narrow tip called Tierra del Fuego. This is only about 300 kilometers north of Antarctica.

07 Campus Life 

W: Hello, Chad. What's happening? 

M: Not much. What are you doing with that camera? 

W: I'm taking pictures for our class photo exhibit next week. 

M: Where's that going to be? 

W: In the student center. I need to get three or four good shots of nature on campus. 

M: Will all the photos be of nature? 

W: No. There are three other categories: students, professors, and buildings. 

M: And students are taking all the pictures? 

W: Yes. We have to take them, develop them, enlarge them, and frame them. 

M: Wow. You're going to be busy. 

W: Yep. Well, I'm gonna go photograph the cherry tree blossoms. See ya. 

Transcripts 641 

08 Social Studies 

M: A population is all the people, animals, or plants living somewhere. Taking a census means getting information about every member of a population. Census information helps governments, especially democracies, run well. In a democratic government, people vote for the leader. Democracies need to know everyone who is old enough to vote. 

The two oldest known censuses were taken in China. One was taken in 2 AD and the other in 140 AD. The Bible also tells of three different censuses. Censuses were taken by the Roman Empire, too. The person counting Romans and getting the taxes was called the "Censor."

Skill E

01 Campus Life 

M: Hey, neat! You got a telescope for your birthday! 

W: Yes. Now, we can look at the moon! 

M: Can we see any planets with this telescope? 

W: Yes. We can most easily see Mars --- it's closest to Earth --- and 

Venus. It's the next closest. 

M: Is it true that Mars once had rivers and oceans? 

W: A lot of scientists think so. Did you know it has two moons? 

M: No! Amazing! How many moons does Venus have? 

W: None! 

M: Do you think people will ever visit Mars? 

W: Maybe someday, but not Venus. It's too hot. 

M: Well, at least we can see them with your new telescope!

02 Phys. Ed. 

M: Soccer, or football, is one of the best liked sports around the world. It's an easy game to understand, but it has many rules. Each player must follow the rules carefully. A player who doesn't can be given a yellow card. This is a warning. A player who breaks the rules many times may get a red card. A player who gets a red card is forced out of the game. He or she will not be allowed to play anymore. 

There is one very basic soccer rule. It is one that everyone knows. A player cannot do anything that could hurt another player.

03 Literature 

W: There's a famous story about Mark Twain. Once he got on a train in New York. I don't know where he was going, but the train was full. A ticket-office worker said there was no room on the sleeping coach. But on the train, the conductor saw him and came right over. He showed him to a sleeping coach in first class. He made especially sure that Twain was comfortable. Then he said, "I'm so proud to have you on this train, sir!" Mark Twain asked, "Oh! Who am I?" and heard, "General McClellan." You can imagine his surprise.

04 Psychology 

M: It's important to choose a job that's right for your personality. Are you a friendly person who enjoys meeting people and talking with them? Perhaps you should become a salesperson or a teacher. If you're quiet and thoughtful, maybe you should 

be an accountant or scientist. Think about what your job 

requires. Will you be interacting with others or spending most of your time alone? There are many factors to consider in choosing a career. Money is certainly one of them. So is social status. But remember, whatever you decide, you have to do that job every day. Choose carefully!

05 Campus Life 

W: Hey, Tony. Want to go play basketball? 

M: I can't. I've got to study for my mid-term exams. 

W: Man, you can't study all the time. You've gotta exercise! 

M: How? I don't have the time! 

W: You can do simple things. Like, instead of taking the elevator to class, walk up the stairs. And when you're studying, take a rest every hour and go for a short walk. 

M: Hmm....yeah, I could do that. 

W: You know, just squeezing a tennis ball makes your hands stronger and helps you relax. 

M: That's easy. Anything else? 

W: Yeah. Walk backwards sometimes. It strengthens the back of your lower legs. 

M: Thanks. Have fun at basketball.

06 Astronomy 

W: OK, mmm...we all know that the Earth spins as it rotates around the sun. Does anyone know how fast it spins? 

M: Two thousand kilometers an hour? 

W: Close. About 2,200 kilometers an hour. It turns completely around once each day. Now, what would happen if the Earth stopped spinning so fast? If it slowed down to one rotation every 365 days, every place on the planet would have either daylight or darkness all year long. This is similar to the situation on the moon. For two weeks, the sun shines on the front side. Then, for two weeks, it shines on the back side. How do you think a slower rotation would affect your lives?

07 Campus Life 

W: I finished writing my paper on the American Revolution. 

M: Wow! I'm still looking for information on George Washington. W: Well, I saw a TV show about it last week. I wrote down all the important people and then looked them up on the Internet. 

M: I wish I'd seen that show. 

W: You can still find information on the Internet. Just type the words you're looking for and then click the "search" button. 

M: I tried. But it gave me so many websites! 

W: Maybe you can ask Professor Cohen if there's a good video you could watch. That would help you know what to look for.

08 Psychology 

M: It's easier to remember something if we make a picture, or image, of it in our minds. You can remember a common object by giving it three qualities: detail, color, and movement. Take something you often lose, like a key, for instance. Make the key special in your mind. Give it detail. Imagine it has very sharp teeth. Then, give it color. Make it shiny gold. Finally, give it movement. Imagine it is alive. If you don't watch it, it could jump up and lock you out. If you think of it this way, you're not likely to forget it again. 

642 Transcripts 

Skill F

01 History 

W: Spain is a country in Southwest Europe, south of France and west of Italy. In the 16th Century, it was the most powerful nation in the world. After America was discovered in 1492, Spain sent many people there. They brought back lots of gold and silver. Trade with the new American colonies made Spain rich. It established colonies in other parts of the world, such as Cuba and the Philippines. But in 1588, Spain lost a famous war against England. After that, its power began to decline. In 

1898, Spain lost Cuba and the Philippines in the Spanish- American War.

02 Campus Life 

W: Dr. Shin, how long have you been a university professor? 

M: Eighteen years, Sandra. 

W: Could you please tell our campus radio listeners what made you want to become an educator? 

M: I guess it was my mother. She was a writer. At an early age, she taught me that "the pen is mightier than the sword." So when 

I entered university, I started to study writing. 

W: And you became a writer like your mother? 

M: No, I actually never wrote any books. But I did discover that I 

love teaching. So I've been a writing teacher ever since. 

W: Well, we're certainly glad you became one. Personally, I really enjoyed your class. Thank you for being on the show today, Dr. Shin.

03 Literature 

M: Batman has changed several times since he first appeared in a comic book in May 1939. The first Batman is now called the 

"Golden Age" Batman. He was famous for using his mind, not his strength, to catch criminals. In April 1940, Robin first appeared as Batman's partner. In April 1943, Batman and Robin were joined by their butler, Alfred. He was the only one who knew Batman and Robin's real names. In 1952, Batman teamed with Superman for the first time. In May 1964, the "new look" Batman appeared. His costume had a black bat in a yellow oval. The first Batman did not have the oval.

04 Ecology 

W: The kind of oil that usually spills into the sea is called crude oil. Sometimes it leaks naturally. Other times, humans accidentally spill it when digging for oil or carrying it on boats. When oil spills, three things happen: spreading, evaporation, and emulsification. In spreading, the oil forms long, narrow strips, called windrows. You can remember this word as "wind" plus "rows." The wind pushes the oil into long rows across the water. In evaporation, the lighter parts of the oil disappear. Only the heavier parts remain. In emulsification, E-M-U-L-S-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N, the waves mix water into the oil. This forms a heavy and sticky substance, which is sometimes called chocolate mousse. The oil also mixes with other things floating in the water. 

05 Campus Life 

W: I don't feel well. I think I'll skip class today. 

M: What's wrong? 

W: I feel hot then cold, and I ache all over. 

M: Ooh! That doesn't sound very good! You'd better take your temperature. 

W: Do you have a thermometer? 

M: Yes, I do. Here you go. 

W: Thanks, Joe. 

M: Here, let me read the thermometer for you...Uh-oh, your temperature is really high! You'd better go see the school nurse! 

W: You know, I could have malaria. These are malaria symptoms. I just came back from a trip to Africa with my parents. I wasn't very good about taking my medicine.

06 Science 

M: Light travels at 297,600 kilometers per second. That's pretty fast! Sound travels much more slowly at 1 kilometer per 3 seconds. Knowing this, we can judge the distance of a storm. When you see a lightning flash, begin counting seconds. When you hear the thunder, stop counting. How many seconds have passed? The lightning is one kilometer away for every 3 of those seconds.

There's another way to know how close a storm is. As rain falls, 

it cools the air. That cooler air may flow about 3 miles ahead of the storm. The air becoming suddenly cooler tells you about how close it is.

07 Campus Life 

M: Hi, Barb! How was your vacation? W: Great! We went to New Mexico. M: You went to Mexico? 

W: No, NEW Mexico. It's a state in the southwestern US. The license plates there say USA, so people don't get confused. 

M: That's funny. What did you do there? 

W: Well, on our way there we stopped at the Grand Canyon, in Arizona. It was awesome! Then, we went to Albuquerque --- the biggest city in New Mexico. Then we visited Carlsbad Caverns. 

M: What are those? 

W: Caves --- sixty miles of them. In one cave, we had to wear hats with lights so we could see in the dark.

08 History 

W: Leonardo da Vinci was not only a great artist. He was also a scientist and inventor. Leonardo was born in 1452 in Vinci, Italy. He began studying painting at age 14 and became famous just 

a few years later. His best-known paintings are Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. But Leonardo was also an excellent scientist. He kept detailed notebooks of observations about the natural world. And he cut open dead people to learn how the human body works. Finally, he was an inventor. But his two most famous inventions --- the parachute and the war tank --- weren't built until after he died. 

Transcripts 643 

Chapter 1 

Skill Review

A-F

01 Psychology 

W: Some people can remember things in a way that seems almost impossible. It's as if their minds just take photos. They might be able to repeat a lecture word for word. They can even accomplish this feat many years later. 

Some very good chess players can play with their eyes covered. This is called "Blindfold Chess." They can play against several other players at once --- and win! Someone tells them the other players' moves. They can easily remember where the pieces are on all the boards. 

Scientists call this "eidetic memory," though many people call 

it photographic memory. However, this may be misleading. Scientists believe the memories are not stored photographically, but in another way. A scientist named Dr. DeGroot did a test to show this. 

A chessboard was set up a certain way, and some chess players were given fifteen seconds to look at it. Then, they were asked to set the pieces up again in the same way. The more seasoned chess players easily set up the pieces again. The beginners had 

a more difficult time doing it. 

In the next test, Dr. DeGroot began in the same way. However, this time he set them up in a way that would never happen in 

a real game.

That is, they needed to apply what they knew about chess to remember well.

02 General Studies 

M: Some people really go overboard using their yellow markers to underline everything. I'm going to suggest that this isn't the best strategy for studying. The first time you read a passage, don't highlight. You can end up with an all-yellow text. 

Just read the passage first. Then ponder it for a while. Then read it again, this time looking for the most important ideas. In the next reading, you can start highlighting. Only underline one or two key words or phrases per page. Even better --- compile 

a list of the words and phrases. Write the page number beside each one so you can look them up again. Now, when you review, you won't have pages and pages to read. This makes it much easier to review for an exam. 

W: Excuse me, Professor Hill. 

M: Yes, Jacqueline? 

W: Can you give us some suggestions on how to choose the words and phrases? 

M: Yes, of course! Here are some steps to help you decide what to choose: 

1. Look for the main idea. Follow the way it's being told through the passage. 

2. Look at the beginning and ending paragraphs. They often give the information in a simple form. 

3. Pick out transitional words that give you important information. i.e., "the point is," "in sum," "most importantly," and so on. 

4. Try reading the ending first, so you know where the passage is 

going. 

5. The next day, look over the passage again. Only read what you've underlined. Do it again a week later. 

Now, each night for several nights before a test, look at your list. Take an hour or two. You'll remember some things from class. When you find something you can't remember, look it up. You'll learn what you don't remember this way. You'll have no problem getting a high score on the exam. Learning this does take time, though. So don't get discouraged. Keep practicing. You'll get it.

Chapter 2

Skill A

01 Culture 

M: Let's talk about sneezing. When someone sneezes --- Ah choo! 

--- the customary response is, "Bless you" or "God bless you." Why do we say this? 

There are several theories. Some of these are superstitions --- that is, things that many people believe but that aren't really true. One superstition is that saying "bless you" keeps the devil from flying down your throat. Another is that "bless you" keeps your soul from flying out of your body. Actually, there is 

a historical reason for this custom. 

There was a pope in Rome named Gregory the Great. When he was elected pope, the great plague was beginning all over Europe. Thousands of people were dying. In fact, the pope before Gregory had died of the plague. To get rid of the plague, Pope Gregory ordered people to march through the streets, asking for God's help. If someone sneezed, others would immediately say "God bless you!" They hoped this would keep the person who sneezed from getting the plague. 

Today, of course, we know that when you sneeze, the devil isn't trying to rush down your throat. Your soul won't leave your body. And saying "bless you" to sneezers in the street is not going to cure disease. We do know, though, that each sneeze forces thousands of germs into the air. People keep germs out of public places by covering their mouths when they sneeze. And hearing an old-fashioned "bless you" from a stranger can make us feel better when the sneezes begin.

02 Campus Life 

W: Hey Alex. How's it going? 

M: OK. 

W: 

M: 

W: I've got a secret that helps me in math class. Wanna know what it is? 

M: OK. But it probably won't help me. 

W: Listen and try it. Math is too abstract, right? Well, try to make 

it real for yourself. My secret is I think about numbers in math as if they were money. 

M: Huh? 

W: Yeah. I have a hard time picturing numbers. But if I see the numbers as dollars and cents, then I can see them clearly in my head. 

644 Transcripts

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