2016年12月英语四级(第2套)听力真题 听力短文(2)

We know we have to pay for what we get.

我们都知道我们获得的时候得付出点什么。

If we buy food, we have to pay for it.

如果我们买吃的,我们得付钱。

If a doctor treats us, we know there will be a bill to pay. These are private bills.

如果医生给我们看病,我们也要付钱。这都是个人账单。

But there are also public bills to be paid. They are paid by the government.

但也有公共账单。这些账单由政府买单。

In turn we get the needed services. We pay for these services through taxes.

作为享受服务的交换,我们赋税。

What would happen if everyone stopped paying taxes?

如果大家都不交税的话,会发生什么?

The water supply would stop; the streets might not be cleaned; schools would be closed.

供水会被中断,街道不会再有人清扫,学校会被关闭。

We would not want to live in such a city.

我们不会想要住在一个这样的城市里的。

The chief duty of every government is to protect persons and property.

每个政府的主要职责就是保护每一个人及其财产。

More than three-fourths of government expenses are used for this purpose.

超过政府支出的四分之三都是用于这个目的。

The next largest amount of public money goes to teach and train our citizens.

第二大公共资金支出用于教育和培养公民。

Billions of dollars each year are spent on schools and libraries.

每年数十亿美元都用于学校和图书馆。

Also, a large amount of public funds is spent on roads.

同时,还有一大部分用于道路。

Most of the needed funds is raised by taxes.

绝大部分资金都是依靠税收。

The law orders us to pay taxes. We have no choice in the matter.

法律规定我们要交税。我们没什么别的选择。

Years ago the government made money by selling public lands.

许多年前,政府靠出售公共用地换取资金。

But most of the best public lands have now been sold.

但是现在大部分上好的公共用地已经被卖光了。

There are still some public lands that contain oil, coal and other natural resources.

还有一些公共用地蕴藏石油、煤矿以及其他自然资源。

They could be sold, but we want to save them for future years.

它们也能卖掉,但是我们想为了未来保留它们。

So, we all must pay our share for the services that make our lives comfortable.

所以,我们必须为那些让我们生活更舒适的服务付出我们应付的代价。

Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

请根据你刚刚听到的文章回答问题19至问题21。

Question 19. What does the speaker mainly talk about?

问题19.主讲人主要说了什么内容?

Question 20. What is most of the government money used for?

问题20.政府资金最多都用于什么地方?

Question 21. How did the government raise money to pay public bills in the past?

问题21.过去政府怎么筹资公共资金?

文章目录
本文阅读数