阅读经典美文有利于实现学习型、创新型、系统型思维的转化,从而提高学生的综合素养。下面是小编带来的星火英语四级美文听力，欢迎阅读!

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Vancouver: a World—Famous Port City

In 1986 when Vancouver, a Canadian port,had just celebrated its 100th birthday, the city's developments attracted world-wide attention. That a city is based on a harbor and develops flourishingly owing to the prosperity of the harbor is the very road to subsistence and development taken and experienced by many port cities. Thanks to 100 years of development and construction, Vancouver, which boasts a natural ice-free harbor, has become a world-famous port. It has regular passenger and cargo ships sailing to Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America, the annual volume of freight handled amounting to 80 million tons. One third of the employed in the city are engaged in trade and transportation. The splendid achievements of Vancouver are the fruits of its people's wisdom and diligence, comprising the contributions of its various ethnic groups. Being a country with a vast territory and a sparse population, Canada is even larger than China, yet it has a small population of less than 30 million. For this reason, absorbing immigrants from foreign countries is a national policy followed long and consistently by the Canadian Government. It can be said that in Canada all people except the Indians are foreign immigrants. The only difference among them lies in the fact that some began to settle down there earlier than others. And Vancouver does particularly deserve being called one of the world's multi-national cities that can be counted on one's fingers. Nowadays, of the 1.8 million residents in Vancouver, as many as half were not born in the city, and one of every 4 residents is an Asian. There are 250,000 Chinese living in Vancouver and playing a decisive role in its economic change and development. Half of these Chinese inhabitants have settled in Vancouver only in the past five years. With so many Chinese living there, Vancouver has become the largest Chinese community outside Asia.

星火英语四级美文听力阅读

Dating with My Mother

After 22 years of marriage,I have discovered the secret to keep love and intimacy alive in myrelationship with my wife, Peggy: I started dating with another woman. It was Peggy's idea,actually, "you know you love her," she said one day, taking me in surprise. The other woman mywife was encouraging me to date is my mother, a 72—year—old widow who has lived alone sincemy father died 20 years ago. I had promised myself that I would spend more time with mom.But with the demands of my job and three kids, I never got around to seeing her much beyondfamily get—togethers and holidays. She was surprised and suspicious, when I called andsuggested the two of us go out to dinner and a movie. She thinks anything out of the ordinarysignals bad news. "I thought it would be nice to spend some time with you," I said, "Just thetwo of us." "I would like that a lot," she said.

We didn't go anywhere fancy, just a neighborhood place where we could talk. My motherclutched my arm, half out of affection and half to help her negotiate the restaurant steps.Since her eyes now see only large shapes and shadows, I had to read the menu for both of us. "I used to be the reader when you were little," my mother smiled. I understood what she wassaying. From care—giver to cared—for, from cared—for to care—giver, our relationship hadcome full circle. "Then it is time for you to relax and let me return the favor." I said. We had anice talk over dinner. We talked for so long that we missed the movie. "I will go out with youagain." My mother said as I dropped her off, "but only if you let me buy dinner next time." Iagreed. Now Mom and I got out for dinner a couple of times a month.

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The Power of Beauty

One of the most successful, influential and beloved women in American history, EleanlorRoosevelt once said that she had one regret: she wished she had been prettier. Who hasn't feltthe same way? We are all too aware of our physical imperfections. To overcone them, we spendbillions of dollars every year-- on comestics, diet products, fashion and plastic surgery.

Why do we care so much about how we look? Because it matters. Because beauty is powerful.Because even when we learn to value people mostly for being kind and wise and funny, we arestill moved by beauty. No matter how much we argue against it or pretend to be immune,beauty exerts its power over us. There is simply no escape.

Aristotle said,"Beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introdution." It's notfair, but it's true. We simply treat beautiful people better than we do others. Attach aphotograph of a beautiful author to an essay, and people will think that it is more creative andmore intelligently written than exactly the same essay accompanied by the photo of a homelyauthor.

Our sensitivity to Physical beauty is not something we can control at will. We are born with it.Experiments conducted by psychologist Judith J. Langloisshowed that even small infants preferto look at attractive faces. Before they have met a single supermodel, before they havewatched a single TV show, before they have opened up a single fashion magazine, they aredrawn to the same faces which adults have judged to be attractive.

There are more important things in life than beauty. But as Nancy Etcoff says,"We have tounderstand beauty, or we will always be enslaved by it." if you aim to be wise and kind andfunny, it doesn't mean that you can't also try your best to look beautidul. There's no reason tofeel guilty about being moved by beauty's power. It moves us all.