视听说教程4听力once wealth
Part B
The Embarrassment of Riches
The meaning of wealth today is usually defined as the amount of money and material goods that one has accumulated and the ability to purcha more goods at an ever- increasing rate. A wealthy person posss so much money that it would be difficult for him to spend it all in his lifetime without being wasteful and extravagant.
Speaking from a strictly practical point of view,the trouble with wealth is not that it arous envy in the hearts of others but that it weighs very heavily upon the resources of its owner. Tho who have never tasted luxury imagine that a new Porsche, a Picasso in the drawing room, an apartment in the Trump Tower,will bring them ea and happiness.If that were true,owners of the Porsches，Picassos and Trumps of the world would all be happy souls.One glance at history tells you they are not.
The problem is not simply that owning goods feeds upon itlf generating desires to posss more and to outdo other owners in a competitive madness.It's that goods themlves are an endless responsibility. They must be not only paid for but also stored. insured. and publicly admired.All of tho cost not just money but persona freedom. As James Boswell.the famous British biographer, once wrote in his diary,"If a man with a fortune cannot make himlf easier and freer than tho who are not, he gains nothing. Nothing except glittering baggage that must be attended to."
In some Oriental countries poverty has never been such a disgrace as it is in the"get-rich-quick" zone. Wi men from the lands often remark on the tyranny of goods. According to an old Persian proverb,"The larger a man's roof, the more snow it collects." And in his discussion of"Hous", a Lebane poet and philosopher compares the lust for comfort to a "stealthy thing that enters the hou a guest, and then becomes a host, and then a master."
失与得
The same ntiment is also expresd here in America by the great philosopher Ralph E
merson, who scorns the acquisitiveness ofhis day with the famous line"Things are in the saddle, and ride mankind."限定语
Questions:
1.Which of the following best defines the meaning of wealth today?
2.Why does the speaker mention a Porsche,a Picasso,and an apartment in the Trump Tower?
3.What would owning expensive goods do to wealthy people?田野简笔画
4.What does the speaker mean by"owning goods feeds upon itlf"?
5.Which of the following views would the speaker most probably agree with?
老师的话6. What is the main idea of the passage?
Part C
班规十条
Additional Listenings
Perspectives
One day a father took his young son on a trip to the country with the purpo of showing him how poor people can be.They spent a day and a night on the farm of a very poor family.When they got back from their trip to their fine hou the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"Very good, Dad!" answered the son.
"Did you e how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?" the fathe r asked, thinking he had fulfilled his purpo.
To his astonishment, the son answer ed, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek th
at has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden,they have the stars.Our patio reaches to the front yard, but they have a whole horizon."
When the little boy finished, his father was speechless.
Then his son added,"Thanks, Dad,for showing me how poor we are!"
Isn't it true that whether you are rich or poor depends on the way you look at
things? If you have love, friends, family,health,good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything! You can't buy any of tho things. You can have all the material posssions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing.
Questions:
1. What was the father's purpo for the trip?
2. Why did the son thank his father?
畅所欲言3.Why do the father and son have sucl h different views on poverty and wealth?
牛的三合
4. According to the story, what kind o people are poor?
昏昏欲睡5. Which of the following can be infer red from the story?
