英语专业八级Mini Lecture 6

[00:24.06]Test Six [00:28.55]SECTION A MINI-LECTURE [00:28.54]In this section,you will hear a mini-lecture. [00:31.72]You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. [00:34.34]While listening, take notes on the important points. [00:37.84]Your notes will not be marked, [00:39.81]but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. [00:43.97]When the lecture is over, [00:46.27]you’ll be given two minutes to check your notes, [00:48.56]and another 10 minutes to complete the gap-filling task. [00:51.84]Now listen to the mini-lecture. [00:54.25]Good morning. [00:56.76]Today’s lecture is about the motivation for words. [01:00.27]First, what is motivation? [01:02.56]Motivation deals with the connection between name and sense. [01:06.72]In the previous lecture, [01:08.47]we have mentioned two rival schools of thought: [01:11.31]one school is the Naturalists, [01:13.39]who believed that there was an intrinsic connection between sound and sense; [01:17.65]the other school is the Conventionalists, [01:20.28]who held that the connection between sound and sense was purely a matter of tradition and convention. [01:25.64]The first motivation is the onomatopoeic motivation. [01:29.25]The word onomatopoeia is derived from the Greek word onomatopoeia, [01:33.85]which means “word-making”. [01:35.81]Onomatopoeic motivation means defining the principle of motivation by sound. [01:41.28]The sounds of such words as cuckoo, [01:44.24]ding-dong, buzz seem to be appropriate to their senses. [01:48.06]But it has to be pointed out that onomatopoeic words [01:51.89]constitute only a small part of the vocabulary. [01:54.73]According to Stephen Ullmann, [01:56.95]onomatopoeic formation can be divided into primary onomatopoeia [02:00.78]and secondary onomatopoeia. [02:02.53]Primary onomatopoeia means the imitation of sound by sound. [02:06.90]Here the sound is truly an “echo to the sense”. [02:10.40]Terms like crack, growl, hum, roar, squeak, [02:15.65]whiz and a great many fall into this category. [02:19.04]Secondary onomatopoeia means that certain sounds and sound-sequences [02:23.74]are associated with certain senses in an expressive relationship. [02:27.79]In this form, the sounds evoke a movement, [02:30.42]as in such words: quiver, wriggle, slither. [02:34.03]The sound may also evoke some physical or moral quality, [02:37.75]usually unfavorable. [02:39.39]For example, gloom, slimy, sloppy, sloth. [02:43.21]Some of these onomatopoeic terms have certain elements in common. [02:47.04]For example, the sound /sn/ may express three types of experiences. [02:52.18]They are, first, “breath-noise” as in sniff, snuff, snore, snort, [02:58.77]second,“quick separation or movement” as in snip, snap, snatch, [03:04.79]and third, “creeping” as in snake, snail, sneak. [03:09.83]Final groups have similar functions. [03:12.88]For example, the combination of – [03:15.14]are at the end of a word suggests “big light or noise” [03:18.74]as in blare, flare, glare, stare; [03:22.90]the combination of -ump at the end of a word suggests “heavy fall” [03:28.15]as in dump, crump, plump, slump, thump. [03:32.75]Another interesting feature of onomatopoeic patterns [03:36.79]is that they often work by vowel alternation. [03:39.54]By substituting one vowel for another, one can express different noises. [03:44.35]For example: snip---snap, sniff---snuff, flip---flap---flop. [03:50.81]Closely connected to this tendency are reduplicated words and phrases, [03:55.84]such as wishy-washy, tit-tat, tick-tock, click-clack. [04:01.09]It should be noted that many onomatopoeic forms are based on alternations [04:06.95]of not vowels but of initial consonants, [04:09.68]such as higgledy-piggledy, helter-skelter, namby-pamby, roly-poly etc. [04:15.92]The second motivation is semantic motivation. [04:19.53]Semantic motivation means that motivation is based on semantic factors. [04:23.90]It is a kind of mental association. [04:26.85]When we speak of the bonnet of a car, a coat of paint, [04:30.79]or when we speak of potatoes cooked in their jackets, [04:33.75]these expressions are motivated by the similarity [04:36.81]between the garments and the objects referred to. [04:39.21]In the same way, when we say the cloth for the clergy, [04:42.38]“town and gown” for “town and university”, [04:45.01]there is semantic motivation due to the fact [04:47.74]that the garments in question are closely associated [04:50.65]with the persons they designate. [04:52.17]Both types of expressions are figurative: [04:54.79]the former are metaphoric and the latter are metonymic. [04:58.84]We can see that semantic motivation is closely connected with figures of speech. [05:02.99]Here I’ll name three of them. [05:05.29]First, metaphor. [05:06.60]Metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison. [05:10.32]For example: “he has a heart of stone”. [05:13.06]“The curtain of night has fallen.” [05:15.57]Another figure of speech is metonymy. [05:18.30]It is a device in which we name something by one of its attributes, [05:22.13]as in crown for king, the turf for horse-racing, [05:26.51]the White House for the US president. [05:29.46]Similar to metonymy is synecdoche, [05:32.63]which means the substitution of a part for a whole or a whole for a part, [05:36.68]as in bread for food, the army for a soldier, etc. [05:40.97]Apart from onomatopoeic motivation and semantic motivation, [05:45.13]there is also logical motivation. [05:47.32]Logical motivation deals with the problem of defining a concept by means of logic. [05:52.46]A definition has two forms. [05:54.76]A common form of definition [05:56.43]is“This means such and such.” [05:58.94]“Fat” means “having much flesh”. [06:01.57]Another form of definition is [06:03.65]“This means the same as that” [06:05.41]or“This is equivalent to that”. [06:07.38]“Fat” means “the same as obese’. [06:10.00]These two forms of the definition show that a definition has two parts: [06:14.70]the word being defined, [06:16.46]and the definition that is being made. [06:18.43]Giving a definition involves two steps to be taken. [06:22.03]One step is to identify the concept of a genus, [06:24.99]that is, a class of things made up of two or more subordinate classes or species. [06:29.80]The other step is to identify the attributes distinguishing [06:33.52]one species from other similar species in the same genus. [06:37.13]A combination of these two approaches helps to define a concept. [06:41.07]For example, in the 1950’s, [06:44.13]there appeared a new crisis gripping the minds of part of the American youth. [06:48.07]These young people felt disturbance and anxiety [06:51.24]about their personality development and adjustment. [06:53.97]This crisis is called an identity crisis. [06:57.14]The word “crisis’ is a genus, [06:59.55]which consists of two or more species, [07:02.29]such as spiritual crisis, economic crisis, political crisis, etc. [07:08.19]The expression “identity crisis” is used to distinguish itself from other crisis. [07:13.33]So far we have covered the three motivations for words: [07:17.05]onomatopoeic motivation, semantic motivation, and logical motivation. [07:22.74]However, it is not always easy to identify clearly the motivation [07:26.35]for each word in our vocabulary. [07:28.20]In such case, we may say the motivation is lost. [07:31.70]There may be two factors which lead to loss of motivation. [07:34.88]One is a change in the morphological structure of a word, [07:38.37]and the other factor is change of meaning. [07:40.78]In next lecture, we’ll discuss these two changes in detail. [07:44.06]This is the end of today’s lecture. Thank you for your attention. [09:50.47]Section B INTERVIEW [09:52.10]In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. [09:56.04]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. [09:59.54]Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. [10:02.61]At the end of the interview, [10:04.47]you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following 5 questions. [10:09.17]Now listen to the interview. [10:11.25]Interviewer(W): Today I’d like to welcome Edward Fox, [10:14.64]a seasoned real-estate agent, [10:16.72]who is going to talk to us about buying a house. Hello, Edward. [10:21.17]Edward Fox (M): Hello. [10:21.63]W: Now Edward, for most people buying a house is a major life event, [10:26.55]and probably the single most expensive item they are ever likely to buy. [10:31.69]What precautions do they have to take before a real purchase? [10:36.07]Can you give some suggestions? [10:38.15]M: You are right in saying buying a house costs a lot. [10:41.54]But as to me, the most important thing to consider [10:44.82]before buying any property is the location. [10:47.88]W: Location? [10:49.09]M: Right. Because it is where you plan to spend a large part of your life. [10:53.35]Or, indeed, the rest of your life in some circumstances. [10:56.31]Therefore, consider the type of life you enjoy leading. [10:59.37]If you are a very sociable person who enjoys nightclubs and discos, [11:03.63]you may consider something close to a city. [11:06.37]Anyway, a city is convenient for all types of nightlife. [11:09.54]W: Then, for those who seek a quiet life, [11:12.49]do you recommend a house in the countryside? [11:14.90]M: Well, countryside is a tranquil place. [11:17.74]However, do remember that proximity to the place of work also counts. [11:22.01]Indeed, we spend most of our life at work, [11:24.53]and you don’t want to have to spend two or more hours [11:27.15]every day traveling to work, do you? [11:29.34]Therefore, transport is of the utmost importance. [11:32.18]City suburbs, however, [11:34.03]are often conveniently located for commuting to work, [11:36.89]or for shopping, [11:37.98]without being in the heart of a busy city. [11:40.16]W: But houses in the suburbs are far more expensive than those in cities. [11:45.41]M: They seem to be, [11:46.84]but actually houses located in cities can often exceed the price of suburban houses, [11:51.76]so check out the prices. [11:53.94]You may be surprised. [11:55.04]W: Really? So we should consider our place of work [11:58.65]and personality in choosing the location. [12:01.18]Is that so? [12:02.05]M: I’m afraid you have to take family into consideration as well. [12:05.77]You may prefer a house that is away from a busy street or main road. [12:09.71]And of course, remember that children have to attend school. [12:13.10]If you have children, [12:14.63]or you plan to have children, [12:16.27]location is a very important factor. [12:19.11]And of course, remember that a family influences the size of the property. [12:23.16]W: Oh, I see. How many types of houses can we choose? [12:27.32]M: There are various types of houses. [12:29.83]The first is called detached houses, [12:32.02]which stand alone, and are not joined by another building. [12:35.63]Then there are semi-detached houses, [12:37.93]which are the most common. [12:39.57]This is because they are, in fact, [12:41.75]two houses joined together, [12:43.29]and therefore take up less space. [12:45.15]And there are town houses, too, [12:47.78]which are many houses joined together to form a long row. [12:50.95]But don’t think that town houses are less expensive than semi-detached houses. [12:55.98]They rarely are. [12:57.62]This is because they are usually built in cities [13:00.24]where the price of property is very expensive. [13:02.65]W: Then what about old houses? [13:05.83]They must be cheaper than new ones. [13:08.01]M: Maybe they are. But if the house is too old, [13:10.96]you may be faced with expensive repairs and renovation bills. [13:14.58]So have a house thoroughly checked by a professional surveyor [13:18.18]before you decide to buy. [13:20.15]W: I agree. It’s economical to buy old houses [13:23.43]only when they are in good condition. [13:25.73]By the way, a lot of property has a garden attached to it. [13:29.78]Do you think it’s a good choice? [13:31.53]M: It’s true that a lot of property has a garden. [13:34.37]If you enjoy gardening, [13:36.01]that’s fine. [13:36.88]But if you don’t enjoy gardening then you may prefer a small garden, [13:41.48]as opposed to a big one. [13:42.68]But even if you do enjoy gardening it is important to remember [13:46.84]that gardens take up a lot of your time. [13:49.03]So keeping a garden in good order may be very difficult if you work long hours. [13:53.84]W: You are quite right. Any other suggestions? [13:57.31]M: One final thing is the general feel of the place. [14:01.14]Does it have a good atmosphere? [14:02.89]And most important of all, [14:05.08]would you feel comfortable living there? [14:06.83]W: Edward, I never knew I had to consider so many things while buying a house. [14:11.97]Thank you very much for talking with us. [14:14.70]M: My pleasure. [15:05.85]Section C NEWS BROADCAST [15:08.36]In this section, you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. [15:11.75]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. [15:15.26]Questions 6 to 7 are based on the following news. [15:21.05]At the end of the news item, [15:23.79]you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the two questions. [15:28.05]Now listen to the news. [15:30.45]This is Nicodemus, the first all-black pioneer town, [15:36.03]established on the prairie 128 years ago. [15:40.30]Every summer this tiny town holds a homecoming [15:43.03]with a gathering and parade to celebrate its heritage. [15:46.76]In 1877 freed slaves came to a barren spot in Kansas to make a place [15:53.53]where they could determine their own lives. [15:56.16]They had been encouraged to come to the barren prairie by unscrupulous land agents. [16:01.19]Living in earth-covered huts the settlers used their determination and farming skills [16:07.10]and a town began to take shape. [16:09.61]Some of the original structures remain. [16:12.35]First built were two churches, then a schoolhouse and later a small hotel and a town hall. [16:19.12]Today, Nicodemus is like many struggling mid-western towns [16:23.72]where the young people leave for the cities. [16:26.02]It is now a National Historic Site and tourists and African-Americans [16:31.05]from all over come to see where black pioneers built their own town from the ground up. [16:58.30]Question 8 is based on the following news. [17:01.47]At the end of the news item, [17:04.97]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. [17:09.02]Now listen to the news. [17:11.97]Mechanized carnival attractions draw big crowds at the Maryland State Fair. [17:17.99]But there is another side to this event. [17:20.61]It is a scene that looks like it is right off the farm. [17:23.56]The fair is a yearly event that helps America's largely urban-dwelling population [17:28.93]reconnect with its agrarian roots. [17:31.44]Fairs were originated hundreds of years ago [17:35.05]in various forms and certainly the fair as we know it is about a hundred years old. [17:40.19]It was a place for the agricultural community to get together and show off [17:44.79]what they had done over the past year. [17:46.86]Farmland scenes like this have become ever less common across the United States. [17:51.78]But it seems they will always be preserved at America's state fairs. [18:07.41]Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. [18:10.15]At the end of the news item, [18:12.99]you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the two questions. [18:17.26]Now listen to the news. [18:19.77]The World Health Organization warns [18:24.04]between 25 and 35 percent of the world population [18:28.08]could be affected by a human influenza pandemic, [18:32.24]but the WHO says most people would survive. [18:35.52]Health experts are meeting at the World Health Organization [18:39.78]in Geneva to map out a plan of action to combat the possible spread of avian flu. [18:46.08]The World Health Organization Global Influenza Program [18:50.78]Director Klaus Stohr says between two and seven million people [18:55.48]would die from a mild pandemic and up to 28 million would be hospitalized. [19:00.73]He adds everything has to be put into perspective. [19:04.56]The WHO calculation is based on the prospect of a mild influenza outbreak, [19:10.36]such as those which occurred in 1957 and 1968. [19:15.17]Those pandemics killed three million people. [19:18.78]It acknowledges that deaths could skyrocket [19:21.73]in the event of a severe influenza pandemic, [19:24.68]such as the one that swept the world in 1918, [19:28.29]killing more than 40 million people.

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