新编四级听力练习 第362期

Now you'll hear the two long conversations.
Conversation One
M: I really don't know what to do this summer. [19]I can't afford to just sit around, and there don't seem to be any jobs available.
W: Why don't you try house-sitting? Last summer my friend Margaret house-sat for the Dodds when they went away on vacation. [20]Mr. Dodd hired Margaret to stay in their house because he didn't want it left empty.
M: [20]You mean the Dodds paid Margaret just to live in their house?
W: It wasn't that easy. [21]She had to mow and water the houseplants. And when Eric house-sat for Mr. Cohen, he had to take care of his pets.
M: House-sitting sounds like a good job. [21]I guess it's a little like baby-sitting-except you're taking care of a house instead of children.
W: The student employment office still has a few jobs posted.
M: Do I just have to fill out an application?
W: Margaret and Eric had to interview with the houseowners and provide three references each.
M: That seems like a lot of trouble for a summer job.
W: The houseowners want some guarantee that they can trust the house-sitters. You know, they want to make sure you're not the type who will throw wild parties in their house, or move a group of friends in with you.
M: House-sitters who do that sort of thing probably aren't paid then.
W: Usually they are paid anyway just because the homeowners don't want to make a fuss. But if the homeowner reported it, then the house-sitter wouldn't get another job. So, why don't you apply?

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. What does the man want to do this summer?
正确答案：D
解析：推断题。男士说他不能只是闲着（sit around），但又没有现成的工作（jobs available），说明他想干些工作、赚些钱，D项符合此意。对话开头往往是出题之处。
20. What did the Dodds do when they went away last summer?
正确答案：A
解析：细节题。A是对原文hired Margaret to stay in their house的另一种表述方法，故为答案。C是强干扰项，对话讨论的并不是租房子，而是雇人看房子。提问处是考点，其实就是对上文叙述的一个总结。
21. What is one responsibility the house-sitter probably won't have?
正确答案：C
解析：细节题，选项都是家务事。A、D两项属于take care of his pets的范围，而B项则属于water the house-plants的范围。排除A、B、D三项，即可得到答案C。此处，C是baby-sitter的职责，与本对话的话题（house-sitting）不一致。注意except，instead of这类词出现的地方，往往是出题之处。