新东方新托福听力特训Report on Beluga Whales

Jeff: “hello Dr. Christianson”
Dr. Christianson: “hello Jeff. What can I do for you?”
Jeff: “well I need an extension for my report on beluga whales. Next Wednesday I’m
supposed to present in class and hand my report in. but I won’t be ready”
Dr. Christianson: “you had 6 weeks to work on this, and I have a policy of penalizing
heavily for late assignments. You lose 20% the 1st day and 10% for each day after”
Jeff: “well my computer broke down and I lost everything. I have taken the computer
into the campus repair workshop but they cannot retrieve any of my files. They said I
could take it to a computer store downtown, but that to retrieve the information would
probably take a while and cost me 400$. I don’t have 400$ to spare. Also the beluga
whale specialist at the aquarium who I am planning to interview has been working in
Los Angeles on a sea horse project with their aquarium for 6 weeks. He gets back next
Monday. His secretary said he would be too busy his 1st week back so I have to wait
until the following week. I was hoping to video tape the interview and show parts of it
and show it to the class”
Dr. Christianson: “quite the tale of woe you have. I can sympathize with the computer
issue though because it happened to me once when I was a student. My computer
crashed just as I was on the last page of a 10000 word essay. I hadn’t backed it up or
saved it on disk. I assume this will be a lesson to you”
Jeff: “oh yes. I also lost the work I had been doing for another biology course. I had
completed about 8 pages”
Dr. Christianson: “well lets look at the calendar and see if there’s an another
opportunity for your presentation and report. We are nearing the end of term and I’d
like to review the last week of classes”
Jeff: “what about on November 29th?”
Dr. Christianson: “let me see. No that wouldn’t work as Jane Clark is doing her
presentation that day”
Jeff: “I’m not sure I can get it finished much sooner as I have to stat writing report
from scratch”
Dr. Christianson: “well perhaps I can allow you to hand in your report on November
29th but the presentation must be sooner. Looking at my calendar the only possible
day would be November 22nd. Rob Metkaf was supposed to present that day but I
understand he was in a serious car accident and had to withdraw from university”
Jeff: “I didn’t know that. I was wondering why he hadn’t been in class this week. Is he
all right?”
Dr. Christianson: “I don’t know. I just received an email from the registrar telling me
the data and reason for withdrawal”
Jeff: “I would check with Fred. Perhaps he knows more. They were good friends.
Maybe some of us could send him a card with flowers”
Dr. Christianson: “that would be nice. So we have arranged for you to present to the
class on November 22nd and hand in your report on November 29th. No later than
3pm on November 29th for the report”
Jeff: “okay. I’m going to be really busy over the next few weeks. I still can’t believe
my computer broke down. It wasn’t even that old. I think I will to have to give up
basketball. I’m just too busy now”
Dr. Christianson: “that is too bad. But you are lucky I am in a good mood today and
not penalizing you for your tardiness”
Jeff: “thank you for not penalizing me. I really need to keep my scholarship which
means I need to keep my GPA up. If I don’t have a scholarship I will have to take a
year off and work”
Dr. Christianson: “is this your 3rd year then?”
Jeff: “I hope to graduate at the end of next year. There is an ongoing NGO project in
marine biology in Indonesia that I would like to work on when I am finished. I have a
friend there now. There are not a lot of jobs for biology graduates, but I just love the
field”
Dr. Christianson: “most jobs require a graduate degree but more and more seem to be
opening up”
Jeff: “I hope so. Thanks again Dr. Christianson. I was so worried I couldn’t sleep last
night. Good bye”
Dr. Christianson: “goodbye”

1. What is the main topic of the conversation?
A Computer problems.
B Future jobs in the billogy field.
C Re-arrangement of assignments.
D Problems of the student’s friends.
(C)

2. What is the main reason that the student could not sleep last night?
A He worked on the computer to restore some files.
B He was excited about the interview with the beluga whale specialist.
C He was very upset when he heard the news of his friend’s accident.
D He was sure that he would not be able to submit the report on time.
(D)