Part A
Directions: In this part of the test, you will hear 2 passages in English. After you have heard each sentence or paragraph, interpret it into Chinese. Start interpreting at the signal…and stop it at the signal…You may take notes while you are listening. Remember you will hear the passages only once. Now let us begin Part A with the first passage.
Passage 1 is about language and its creative aspect.
Passage 1:
We are all intimately familiar with at least one language, yet few of us ever stop to consider what we know about it. The words of a language can be listed in a dictionary, but not all the sentences.//
Speakers use a finite set of rules to produce and understand an infinite set of sentences. These rules comprise the grammar of a language. It includes the sound system and the way in which sounds and meanings are related.//
This linguistic knowledge is, however, different from linguistic behavior. If you woke up one morning and decided to stop talking, you would still have the knowledge of your language.//
Language is a tool of communication. But if language is defined merely as a system of communication, then language is not unique to humans. A basic property of human language is its creative aspect.//
(参考答案)
虽然我们人人至少通晓一门语言，但很少有人会静心思考一下对语言了解什么。语言的词汇可以在词典中列出，但并非所有句子都能为词典所收入。
说话者可以运用一组数量有限的规则来表达与理解数量无限的句子。这些规则组成了语言的语法体系。语法包括音系以及语音和语义之间联系的规则。
然而，语言知识有别于语言行为。某天早晨你醒来后决定不说话，你仍然具有你所操语言的知识。
语言是交际的工具。但如果语言的定义仅仅是一种交际系统，那语言便不是人类的专有品。人类语言的一个基本属性是创造性。
Passage 2 is about traveling in the US.
Passage 2:
Let us move to the last part of Traveling in the US—accommodation. Although it is not difficult to find a place to stay in while traveling in America, it is a tough job for you t find an ideal place to meet your pockets.\\
If you go by air, you will see plenty of hotels advertised at the airports. If you arrive by train or by car, probably the best thing to do is look in the Yellow Pages under Hotel, Motel or Lodging.\\
Places to stay in may be called hotels, motels, and inns. Hotels are comfortable but expensive; motels are usually near a highway. Inns are located in mountains, on the coast or near lakes.\\
As to where to stay, you can start by Comparing the prices and services offered in the ads. In this case, you need to cal them and see if they have the kind of room you are looking for.//
(参考答案)
现在我们谈美国之行的最后一部分——住宿。在美旅游时，找个住宿并不难，难得是找一个称心如意价格合适的住宿。\\
如乘飞机前往，你会在机场看到许多宾馆的广告。如坐火车或驾车到达，你最好查询电话本(黄页)中的旅馆、汽车旅馆、公寓房栏目。\\
住所可分为宾馆、汽车旅馆和度假村。宾馆舒适但价格昂贵。汽车旅馆通常邻近(高速)公路。度假村位于山间海边或湖泊旁。\\
至于居住那儿，你得从广告中所提供的价格和服务的比较着手。这样，你还得打电话询问他们是否有你需要的房间。
