视听说_视听说一
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第一单元V.Let’s Talk
The Origin of the Song “Happy Birthday to You”
The story of the song “Happy Birthday to You” Began as a sweet one, but later became bitter.Two sisters, Mildred Hill, a teacher at a kindergarten, and Dr.Patty Hill, the principal of the same school, wrote a song together for the children, entitled “Good Morning to All”.When Mildred combined her musical talents with her sister’s knowledge in the area of kindergarten education, ‘Good Morning to All” was sure to be a succe.The sister published the song in a collection entitled “Song Stories of the Kindergarten” in 1893.Thirty-one years later, after Dr.Patty Hill became the head of the Department of Kindergarten Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, a gentleman by the name Robert Coleman published the song, without the sisters’ permiion.He added a second part, which is the familiar “Happy Birthday to You”.Mr.Coleman’s addition of the second part made the song popular and, finally, the sisters” original first part disappeared.“Happy Birthday to You” had altogether replaced the sisters’ original song “Good Morning to All”.In 1916 Patty took legal action against Mr.Coleman.In court, she succeeded in proving that hey were the real owners of the song.第二单元V.Let’s Talk
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock was a British director.His movies frequently show innocent people caught up in situations beyond their control or even understanding.Hitchcock preferred the use of suspense in his movies.In surprise, the director provides the viewer with frightening things.In suspense, the director tells or shows things to the audience which the characters in the movie do not know, and then skillfully builds up tension around what will happen when the characters finally learn the truth.Hitchcock had a great sense of humor.Once at a French airport, a suspicious customs official looked at Hitchcock’s paport, which was marked simply PRODUCER.The curious official asked, “And what do you produce?” “Gooseflesh.” replied Hitchcock.Alfred Hitchcock always managed to make a brief appearance in his movies: He was sometimes getting on a bus, or croing a street, pr walking in front of a store, or acro the courtyard in an apartment.However, for the movie Lifeboat in 1944, he was faced with a difficult problem.The entire movie was set in a lifeboat out at sea, and there were only a few characters in the boat.Originally, he wanted to float by as a dead body, but he was afraid he’d sink!His clever solution was to place a photograph of himself in a newspaper that one of the characters read during the course of the movie.第三单元V.Let’s Talk
Dating
Before marriage, younger Americans date each other, that is, they often go out together.Casual dating usually begins in the early teens, and in the late teens a pattern of steady dating develops.There is a great poibility that one goes to a dance with one person, to a football game with another, and to a picnic with a third.Sometimes two couples go out together.This is known as “double dating.” Group dating is also popular among young people.Large groups of boys and girls may go around together.Young people may go out together for a long time, which is, in effect, a public statement of their intention to marry.Men and women go out together a great deal, especially those in cities.This is “adult dating.” They ski together, dine together, either at restaurants or in each other’s homes.The American dating system is a rather casual one.Often young Americans who hardly know each other go out on dates.It is also acceptable for them to arrange a “blind date”, that is, a date between two young people who have not met before.第四单元V.Let’s Talk
AJob Ad for a Friendly Employee
A firm advertising for a “friendly” employee has been asked to change its wording because it discriminates against unfriendly people.Travelco, a travel agency, put in a request for a “Friendly employee” to provide food for its staff.But the Job Center in Bristol told managing director Harry Smith that he would have to remove the word “friendly” before the advertisement could be accepted.Mr.Smith said he could not believe the decision and thought it was “ridiculous.” He said: “We were told we could not use that particular word because it was discriminatory against people who looked unfriendly.We thought it was ridiculous.It’s only too natural for us to specify what kind of people we want.” He added, “The people at the center have since said they thought they had been a little over the top.”
The center had made it a rule that certain words were nor allowed in ads and the words “motivated” and “enthusiastic” had been banned in the past.An official of the center said: “We do have guidelines of not using personality characteristics in advertisements to ensure that there is no discrimination in the proce.”
She added: “We should leave the dispute to the local judges.They’ll make the final decision.It’s poible that a member of our staff has been over-enthusiastic in cutting out words in ads.”
An Intelligent Dog
A black dog walked into a butcher’s shop with a five-dollar bill in his mouth.He spent several minutes looking at the meat on display.He finally fixed his eyes on the lamb chops and barked, showing that he wanted to buy some of them.The butcher, thinking the dog wouldn’t know the difference, picked out the worst chops.The dog barked angrily and continued to bark until the butcher selected the finest chops.After the butcher took the money from the dog’s mouth, the dog picked up the chops and left the shop.The butcher was deeply impreed and decided that he would like to own a clever dog like that.He closed up shop and followed the dog to see where it went.The dog entered an apartment house, climbed to the third floor, and began to scratch on the door.With that, the door opened and an angry man started yelling at the dog.As he did so, the butcher stepped forward to ask the man to stop.“What are you doing?” That’s the smartest animal I’ve ever seen!Surely it doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment.” The butcher then went on to explain how the dog had bought the best lamb chops in the shop.The man looked at the butcher from the corner of his eye and said, “I don’t think he’s so intelligent.You see, this is third time this week he’s forgotten his key.”
第六单元V.Let’s Talk
The Miniskirt
Mary Quant was a famous dre designer in the 1960s.Her main contribution to fashion history was the miniskirt.During the 1960s many young people were starting to think women could do more in life than be wives and mothers.Clothes became a weapon in the battle between generations.Anything different and daring was soon popular.During this period miniskirts attracted the world’s attention.It was teenagers and very young girls who bought short shirts that displayed their legs.Ms.Quant said that at her fashion shop, young women began demanding shorter and shorter skirts.“If I didn’t make them short enough, the girls that had wonderful legs would take sciors and shorten the skirts themselves.” She said.Eventually, Ms.Quant’s skirts, which arrived in the United States in the mid-60’s, were reduced to about five inches.In parts of Europe and North America the miniskirt represented loose morals.Members of the older generation believed good girls would never appear in miniskirts.But in Ms.Quant’s opinion, short skirts worn with heavy pantyhose would make the girl look childlike.Lately, feminists have come to see mini as a symbol of women’s liberation, as a powerful weapon against the traditional stereotype of the woman simply as wife and mother.Story of a Miser
There was a miser who loved money more than anything else.Just before he died, he said to his wife, “Now, listen.When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me.I want to take my money to the afterlife with me.”
He made her promise with all her heart that when he dies, she would pit all the money in the casket with him.Then he died.He was laid in the casket, his wife was sitting there wearing black, and her friend was sitting next to her.When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got already to close the casket, the wife said, “Wait a minute!” She had a box with her.She came over with the box and put it in the casket.Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it away.He friend said, “Girl, I know you weren’t fool enough to put all that money in there with your husband!”
She said, “Listen, I’m a Christian.I can’t go back on my word.I promise him that I would put all the money in the casket with him.” “You mean you really put that money in the casket with him!?” “I surely did,” said the wife.“I wrote him a check.”
