Listen to the following passage and write down every word you hear. Altogether the passage will be read to you 4 times. During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be done at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work.

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听力原文

Old Age

Many people mistakenly believe that old age is a time of increased illness and loneliness. / In fact, people do not suddenly change/ when they reach the age of 60 or 65. / Consequently, we should not expect more mental illness/ among the 60 to 70 age group than among the 50 to 60. / Furthermore, although more parents and their married children live in separate households than ever before, / this is usually by choice. / It is not because children now tend to neglect their parents/ when they become old. /

It is also wrong to believe that old age seriously affects a person’s mental abilities. / There is clear proof that people who were eager to learn and who welcomed new experiences in their middle ages, / continue to do so in old age. / It is true that older people tend to take longer to learn something new than young people. / Nevertheless, if they are given sufficient time, / they learn as well as young people do.