英语专业 四级/六级真题解析2017年英语专八听力原文英语专八考生平时复习听力的时，候往年的英语专八真题听力原文是很好的复习资料，专八考生可以先根据听力做题之后再根据专八听力原文进行分析自己的错题点。

下面是新东方在线英语专八频道为大家整理的2017年英语专八听力原文。

sectionA mini-lectureThe Modes of Language语言的模式Good morning, everyone!大家早上好!In our last lecture, I was talking about language as part of our semiotic system.上次我们讲到，语言是符号系统的一部分。

And today I am going to move on to another topic, that is, the modes of language.今天我们讲下一个话题，语言的模式。

As you may know, messages are transmitted in human language most frequently through two primary modes: speech and writing.大家都知道，人类语言中的信息通常以两种基本模式传递：“说”和“写”。

Well, you know, there is also a third mode, which is not that frequently used as speech and writing.当然，还有第三种模式，但不如“说”和“写”那么常用。

The third mode is called signing, which is used by deaf people.第三种模式叫作手势语，听障者经常用这种方式。

But in today's lecture, we will just focus on speech and writing, and the specific features of these two modes.但是今天，我们主要讲“说”和“写”，以及这两种模式的特点。

In linguistics, it is commonly noted that speech is primary and writing secondary.语言学上普遍认为，先有“说”，才有“写”。

Linguistics take this position because all languages are spoken except those dead languages such as Latin, which is only existent in written form.语言学有这样的观点，是因为世界上说什么语言的人都有，除了那些已经废弃的语言，比如只以书面形式继续存在着的拉丁语。

All children will naturally acquire the spoken version of a language if they are exposed to it.直接接触一种语言的话，所有儿童都会自然习得这种语言的口语。

They acquire the spoken form of their mother tongue during the formative period of language acquisition.在语言习得的形成阶段，他们会自然习得母语的口语。

However, to become literate, a child will need some kind of formal schooling in reading and writing.但是，到了学读书写字的时候，孩子们要去接受学校的正式读写教育。

In many respects, we might call speech "primary" and writing "secondary".很多情况下，我们会认为先有“说”才有“写”。

It implies that writing has a second-class status when compared with speech.也就是说，跟“说”比起来，“写”是第二位的。

In fact, it is more accurate to view the two modes as having different but complementary roles.其实，比较恰当的看法是，这两种模式作用不同却互为补充。

For instance, in most legal systems, while an oral contract is legally binding, a written contract is preferred.比如，在很多法律体系中，虽然口头约定是有法律约束力的，但是人们还是倾向才用书面约定。

The reason is simple—unlike speech, writing provides a permanent record of the contract.原因很简单。

“写”下来的文件可以作为约定的永久备案，“说”的就不行。

Thus, if the terms of the contract are disputed, the written record of the contract can be consulted and interpreted.所以，如果约定条款有争议，双方可以查阅书面约定，重新解读。

Disputes over an oral contract will involve one person's recollection of the contract versus another person's.口头约定如果有争议，双方会各自回忆约定内容，才能对质。

While writing may be the preferred mode for a contract, in manyother contexts, speech will be more appropriate.拟定协议时人们倾向“写”的形式，而在许多情况下，“说”比较合适。

Because the most common type of speech—face-to-face conversation—is highly interactive.因为面对面交谈这一说话最常见的形式，具有极强的交互性。

This mode is well-suited to many social contexts, such as casual conversations over lunch, business transactions in a grocery store, discussions between students and teachers in a classroom.这个模式适用的社会情境有很多，比如午餐时的闲聊，零售店里的商业交易，课堂上的师生讨论。

And in these contexts, interactive dialogues have many advantages over writing.在这些情境中，互动式对话对比书写的优势便显现出来。

For instance, individuals engaged in conversation can ask for immediate clarification if there is a question about something said;比如，谈话中如果说过的内容出现问题，谈话者可以立即给出明确解释。

in a letter to a friend, in contrast, such immediacy is lacking.而在写给朋友的信中，解释就没有这么及时了。

When speaking to one another, speakers are face to face and can therefore see how individuals react to what is said.谈话时，说话者面对面，也就可以看到对方对所谈内容的反应。

On the other hand, writing creates distance between writer and reader, preventing the writer from getting any immediate reaction from the reader.而书写拉开了书写者和读者的距离，书写者没办法得知读者看到书写内容时的直接反应。

Speech is oral, thus making it possible to use intonation to emphasize words or phrased and express emotion.说话都是口头的，因此可以借助语调强调重点词语，表达感情。

Of course, one might say that writing has punctuation.当然，也有人会说，书写还有标点符号呢。

Well, it can express only a small proportion of the features that intonation has.对，标点符号只能表现语调能表现出的一小部分信息。

Because speech is created "on-line," it is produced quickly and easily.因为说话都是“在线的”，方便快捷。

This may result in many "ungrammatical" constructions, but rarely do these rough sentences cause miscommunications.这可能就出现了很多语法错误，但是这样不讲究的句子很少引起误解。

You know, if there is a misunderstanding, it can be easily corrected.因为如果发生误解，谈话者可以立即改正。

On the contrary, writing is much more deliberate.相反，书写需要深思熟虑。

It require planning, editing and thus taking much more time to produce on the part of the writer.书写需要书写者打草稿，修改，然后再完整地写出来。