BUILDING SKILLS FOR THE TOEFL Ibt

Beginning READING Building Skills for the TOEFL®

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TRANSCRIPTS

Listening Section / Speaking Section / Writing Section

Listening

638 Transcripts

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.

Note: Highlighting indicates a repeated listening sample.

Transcripts 639

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.

640 Transcripts

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

plan to save them.

W1: What is it?

M: I don’t know, but he gave us a phone number.

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.

Transcripts 641

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.

642 Transcripts

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.

Transcripts 643

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.

644 Transcripts

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. Now, the really good players had difficulty

remembering, too, remembering only as well as the beginning

players. It seemed they needed to apply their knowledge of

what was really possible in a 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. I just finished math class. Man, I hate math!

W: Why? It’s easy!

M: Yeah, right.

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.