中级美国英语Lesson31:虚词it的用法[一]

下面一组练习是由老师用疑问词 what 问你一个问题, 比方: What has become necessary? 接着老师念一个词组, 比方: "有收入" having an income. 请你用 这个词组来回答问题,所以答案就是:Having an income has become necessary.

然后你再用 it 把句子改成 It has become necessary to have an income. 每作完 一个句子就请你听老师念正确答案.

M: What has become difficult?

M: purchasing a home

F: Purchasing a home has become difficult.

F: It has become difficult to purchase a home.

M: What has become costly?

M: buying a condominium

F: Buying a condominium has become costly.

F: It has become costly to buy a condominium.

M: What has become expensive?

M: renting an apartment

F: Renting an apartment has become expensive.

F: It has become expensive to rent an apartment.

M: What has become common?

M: paying high interest rate

F: Paying high interest rate has become common.

F: It has become common to pay high interest rate.

M: What has become important?

M: getting a mortgage

F: Getting a mortgage has become important.

F: It has become important to get a mortgage.

三.听短文回答问题

今天我们要听的文章是谈到美国人的住房问题. 文章里不但说到美国人民怎 么样贷款买房子, 还谈到租房子或是租公寓有什么好处.

请你注意听, 等一会儿我们要根据文章问你几个问题.

In the U.S. today, the cost of housing is very high. It is common to pay one fourth to one third of a family's income on a place to live. The price of a house depends on its size and location. Big houses are more expensive than smaller ones. And houses closer to the center of big cities are more expensive than ones in the suburbs or in small towns.

Regardless of the cost, it is usual for people to buy their houses over a period of time.

When a family buys a house, it is necessary to borrow money from a bank to pay for it.

Then they repay the bank in regular payments. This kind of bank loan is called a mortgage. Families can take 30 years to pay-off the mortgage. Without a mortgage it would be impossible for most people to own their houses.

Many Americans don't own their own homes. They pay landlords to live in their homes.

The money they pay for this is called rent. Usually, it is cheaper to rent than it is to buy and to pay a mortgage. Also, when something needs to be repaired, it is easy for the renter to ask the landlord to fix it.

Some people rent houses, but most renters live in apartments. Apartment buildings are located in cities where it is too costly to build houses. Recently it has become common for renters to buy their apartments. When this happens, the cost usually increases but the money goes to pay off the mortgage. Apartments bought this way are called condominiums.

刚才那篇文章如果你没有全部听懂, 没有关系, 等一会儿老师会再念一遍给你 听. 现在我们先来听老师把今天测验的问题念一遍.

第一个问题是:

M: How much do most Americans pay for a place to live?

第二个问题是:

M: How do most Americans pay for a house?

第三个问题是:

M: What are some of the advantages of renting an apartment?

现在我请英文老师用慢速度再把整篇文章念一遍.

In the U.S. today, the cost of housing is very high. It is common to pay one fourth to one third of a family's income on a place to live. The price of a house depends on its size and location. Big houses are more expensive than smaller ones. And houses closer to the center of big cities are more expensive than ones in the suburbs or in small towns.

Regardless of the cost, it is usual for people to buy their houses over a period of time.

When a family buys a house, it is necessary to borrow money from a bank to pay for it.

Then they repay the bank in regular payments. This kind of bank loan is called a mortgage. Families can take 30 years to pay-off the mortgage. Without a mortgage it would be impossible for most people to own their houses.

Many Americans don't own their own homes. They pay landlords to live in their homes.

The money they pay for this is called rent. Usually, it is cheaper to rent than it is to buy and to pay a mortgage. Also, when something needs to be repaired, it is easy for the renter to ask the landlord to fix it.

Some people rent houses, but most renters live in apartments. Apartment buildings are located in cities where it is too costly to build houses. Recently it has become common for renters to buy their apartments. When this happens, the cost usually increases but the money goes to pay off the mortgage. Apartments bought this way are called condominiums.

现在请你回答下面三个问题.

第一个问题是:

M: How much do most Americans pay for a place to live?

F: Most Americans pay one fourth to one third of their income for a place to live.

第二个问题是:

M: How do most Americans pay for a house?

F: They get a mortgage.

第三个问题是:

M: What are some of the advantages of renting an apartment?

F: It is cheaper and easier to get repairs.