Level 6 Unit 2 Part 4【Dictation】

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【Passage 1】

It used to be that many elderly people lived with their family and helped take care of the next generation. They had a place to stay and people to help take care of them when they needed assistance. Now however, many elderly people, or senior citizens, are left on their own. This is partly the result of people having fewer children, and also because of the massive urbanization. Young and middle-aged adults have left the rural areas for economic opportunities only available in large urban centers.

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【Passage 2】

Caesar should have known that many senators hated him, but his arrogance seems to have blinded him. After he made himself dictator for life, he proclaimed himself a god and consolidated more power. These actions infuriated his enemies and even his allies. However, he still considered many senators to be his loyal friends.

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【Passage 3】

Though the surrounding jungle had overgrown the site, what remained was impressive. The city had been built on a remote and nearly inaccessible mountaintop, often shrouded in clouds. Forty rows of farming terraces hugged the steep mountainside, each over 10 feet high and linked together by over 3000 stone steps. Among the city were what appeared to be neighborhoods of homes and exquisite stone buildings that are thought to be temples.

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【Passage 4】

One plan relies on the development of nanotechnology. Ray Kurzweil, a leading futurist, predicts that within two or three decades we will have tiny transmitters that can be injected into the brain. How might this be possible? Once there they would line up alongside neurons and monitor the details of the brain’s activity. They would then be able to transmit that information to receivers inside a special helmet, allowing us to map the brain.

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【Passage 5】

The modal"shall" is a bit different from the others. "Tina shall be there" means the speaker is determined that Tina will be there. In other words, the speaker is determined to get her to come and will try to influence events to make it happen. We would never say: "It shall rain." Nobody can make it rain, so whether or not it rains is beyond anyone's control.

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【Passage 6】

One place that might be interesting is in south America, Machu Picchu. It's an abandoned city way up in the mountains of Peru.

Yes, I've heard of it. That might be interesting. Should we look into it?

Sure, you look into it, and I'll get some information about trips to Africa.