7． 怎樣聽記新聞中的數(shù)字
這里主要談四位以上的數(shù)字和帶小數(shù)點(diǎn)的百分?jǐn)?shù)的聽記問題。
在收聽VOA英語廣播的過程中，聽眾時(shí)常會(huì)碰到許多數(shù)字，這是我國英語學(xué)習(xí)者的一大難關(guān)，四位數(shù)以上的數(shù)字更是如此。原因是英漢兩種語言的計(jì)數(shù)單位不完全一樣。它們的區(qū)別是：漢語中有"萬"和"億"這兩個(gè)計(jì)數(shù)單位，英語沒有；而英語的million（百萬）和billion（十億）這兩個(gè)計(jì)數(shù)單位，漢語里卻是在它們的前面加上十，百，千而構(gòu)成的復(fù)合計(jì)數(shù)單位，于是形成了英漢數(shù)字的不同表示法。
英漢兩種語言的計(jì)數(shù)單位是不一致的，英語每四位數(shù)，漢語每五位數(shù)要變更其計(jì)數(shù)單位的名稱，這就形成了四位以上數(shù)字的不同表示法。這些不同的表示法給英語學(xué)習(xí)者，尤其是給來辨別數(shù)量單位并接受信息的英語廣播聽眾帶來了很大的困難。
怎樣才能克服這一困難，做到準(zhǔn)確無誤地聽記英語新聞中出現(xiàn)的數(shù)字呢？根據(jù)我們的收聽和教學(xué)實(shí)踐，發(fā)現(xiàn)采取以下步驟，比較容易聽記：
1）根據(jù)美國英語中每逢四位數(shù)就要變更計(jì)數(shù)單位的規(guī)則，記數(shù)時(shí)采用國際習(xí)慣每隔三位數(shù)用一逗號(hào)分開，即1，000以上的數(shù)：先從后向前數(shù)，每三位數(shù)加一","，第一個(gè)","
號(hào)前為thousand，第二個(gè)"，"號(hào)前為million，第三個(gè)"，"號(hào)前為billion（在英國英語國家中為thousand million），然后一節(jié)一節(jié)表示。例如：123，456，895，167，讀成one hundred (and) twenty three billion four hundred (and) fifty-six million eight hundred (and) ninety-five thousand one hundred and sixty-seven.從這一讀法中不難看出：除了trillion，billion，和million外，其他數(shù)字都是百、十、個(gè)的反復(fù)使用。
2）以trillion，billion，million和thousand為中心，收聽時(shí)集中注意力聽清楚是多少個(gè)trillion，多少個(gè)billion，多少個(gè)million和多少個(gè)thousand，及時(shí)記下并在它們的后面分別用"，"分開，沒有具體數(shù)字的就打上"0"。當(dāng)然trillion的前面還有一些更大的計(jì)數(shù)詞，其規(guī)律都是一樣的。
3）注意數(shù)字的書寫表達(dá)方法。一般說來，英語數(shù)字的書寫方法有以下三種：
（1）如果數(shù)字能用一個(gè)單獨(dú)單詞來表達(dá)，就直接寫出該單詞。如："一"、"九"、"十五"、"八十"就分別寫作one，nine，fifteen和eighty。
（2）如果數(shù)字要用一個(gè)復(fù)合數(shù)詞或幾個(gè)數(shù)詞來表達(dá)，如："二十一"、"九十九"、"一百零一"、"一千八百七十六"等等，通常就寫出阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字"21"、"99"、"101"、"1，876"等等。
（3）如果數(shù)字是比較大的整數(shù)，常常要用阿拉伯?dāng)?shù)字加英語單詞一起來表達(dá)。如"一百六十萬"、"四十五億"就寫成"1.6 million"和"4.5 billion"等等。
另外，還有一些數(shù)字可以有兩種讀法。例如：
1，000可讀作one thousand或ten hundred，
4，500可讀作four thousand five hundred或forty-five hundred，
500，000可讀作five hundred thousand或half million。
在VOA的英語廣播中，如果數(shù)字達(dá)到或超過了billion，Special English和Standard English 的讀法通常都不一樣。如：The Chinese News Agency says China's population has grown to 1,031,882,511 persons. (St.) Standard English的播音員將這一數(shù)字讀作one billion thirty-one million eight hundred eighty-two thousand five hundred eleven。而Special English的播音員將這一數(shù)字讀作one thousand thirty-one million。又如：World Bank President A. W. Clausen says the bank will lend China 1,000,000,000 next year. (St.) Standard English的播音員將這一數(shù)字讀作one billion，而Special English的播音員將這一數(shù)字讀作one thousand million，這一讀法避免了使用billion這一沒有被VOA Special English Wordbook收進(jìn)的難詞。
數(shù)字中的另一難點(diǎn)是帶有小數(shù)點(diǎn)的百分?jǐn)?shù)，我們常常在經(jīng)濟(jì)、金融和其他涉及較精確的百分比的新聞中遇到。這些數(shù)字，特別是百分之零點(diǎn)幾的數(shù)字的讀法比較難懂，有的有幾種讀法，在一般的辭書和語法書中很難找到滿意的答案?，F(xiàn)根據(jù)錄音材料，從這摘錄一些含有這些數(shù)字的典型單句，按一定的規(guī)律排列如下，供讀者參考：
The report noted that the slowdown is less than the four and one half per cent (4.5%) drop in such economic activity during the last three months of 1981.
The second largest bank in the United States, the city Bank of New York, has raised its prime interest rates to sixteen and one half per cent (16.5%).
He (World Bank President A. W. Claysen) praised China's economic progress in the last two years, noting the Chinese economy has grown almost seven point five per cent (7.5%) in the time of world recession.
The Labor Department said almost 11 million Americans were out of work, about nine point eight per cent (9.8%) of the work force.
Almost 10 million persons in the US were unemployed in March. That means nine per cent (9%) of the American labor forces was out of work, and increase of two tenths of one per cent (0.2%) over February's rate.
Consumer prices in the US increased by only two tenths of one per cent (0.2%) in February.
Producer prices in the United States increased by one tenth of one per cent (0.1%) in April, the first rise since January. Government economists say producer prices rose at yealy rate of only four tenths of one per cent (0.4%) during the first four months of this year.
The Labor Department reports that producer prices increased by only one half of one per cent (0.5%) in October.
The Federal Reserve Board says industrial production dropped eight tenths of one per cent (0.8%) in October.
The Labor Department reports the prices in the US lowered only six tenths of one per cent (0.6%) last month. Prices has risen one fourth per cent (0.25%) in May and June.
The World has a huge supply of fresh water, rivers, rain water, lakes and underground wells. But experts say that only abut one third of one per cent (0.3% or 1/3%) of the world's total water supply is naturally safe for drinking.
總的來說，英語數(shù)字的聽記是英語學(xué)習(xí)者的一大難點(diǎn)，除了掌握一定的規(guī)律和技巧外，必須通過大量的聽說讀寫訓(xùn)練，才能達(dá)到比較迅速而準(zhǔn)確的目的。
8． 重視新聞#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#的核心作用
前面已經(jīng)介紹，新聞#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#是每條新聞的中心要點(diǎn)，它扼要地?cái)⑹隽嗣織l新聞的主要內(nèi)容，如果我們首先聽懂了#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#，理解了#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#的基本意思，那么隨著播音員一步一步地向縱深發(fā)展，我們就能對(duì)所播內(nèi)容有一個(gè)全面的了解。例如：
British Foreign Secretary Francis Pym has cancelled a visit to Saudi Arabia. He was to stop in Riyadh while on a tour of Persian Gulf capitals beginning later this week. Reports from London said the Foreign Office played down suggestion of a diplomatic rift and said only that the dates of Secretary Pym's trip were not convenient in Riyadh. However, the London Times published a letter by a senior Saudi Arabian official saying Britain has humiliatedArab countries. The letter said Britain's refusal last year to welcome an Arab delegation that included a PLO official should not go unpublished. (St.)
這條Standard English新聞的#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#說英國外交大臣取消了對(duì)沙特阿拉伯的訪問，這是中心內(nèi)容，后面敘述了原因。
在敘述的過程中，播音員常常用一句話對(duì)事件前一階段的情況進(jìn)行簡單地回顧或?qū)Ρ敬问录兄苯佑绊懙臍v史問題進(jìn)行扼要地說明。以喚起聽眾的回憶，引起聯(lián)想，幫助聽眾理解新聞。例如：
Teheran Iran says it will continue its fight against Iraq even though Iraq says it has withdrawn all its troops from Iranian territory. Iran promised to fight until all its demands are met by what it called the dying government of Iraq. Iran has demanded hundreds of millions of dollars in war damage payments from Iraq. Iran also wants the ouster and trial of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraq earlier announced that it has completed the withdrawal of all its troops from Iran. President Hussein had promised nine days ago that the troops would be withdrawn. He also declared a ceasefire by Iraqi forces. (Sp.)
這條Special English新聞最后的三句話就是對(duì)伊拉克前一階段的行動(dòng)與立場(chǎng)的簡要回顧，有助于聽眾理解目前伊朗的行動(dòng)，承諾和 要求。又如：
The Soviet Union has made an overture to Albania aimed at reestablishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. The offer mad public in Soviet Communist Party newspaper Pravda in an article marking the 38th anniversary of Albania's liberation from the Italian and German forces at the end of World War II. Albania broke relations with the Soviet Union eleven years ago accusing Moscow of interfering in its internal affairs. (St.)
這條Standard English新聞的最后一句話是對(duì)十一年前阿蘇斷交的原因進(jìn)行的交代。
從上面的例子可以看出新聞#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#的重要作用。因此，我們應(yīng)該給予特別重視。一般說來，Special English新聞可利用電頭來抓住#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#，播音員在讀完每一個(gè)電頭之后，都有1-3秒鐘的停頓，接著便是該條新聞的#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#。所以Special English的#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#是不難抓住的。
但Standard English就不一樣了。Standard English速度快，第一句話常常來得突然，要立即聽懂，并留下較深的印象的確比較困難。但只要有目的、有意識(shí)地堅(jiān)持進(jìn)行訓(xùn)練，達(dá)到抓住#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#的目的是完全可能的。剛開始收聽標(biāo)準(zhǔn)英語廣播時(shí)，我們可能連每條新聞之間的間隔都難以分清，這就需要充分利用播音員的語調(diào)所提供的信息。比如：第一條新聞，聽眾就可以從It is 00:00 (zero hour) Greenwich Mean Time and here is the news from the Voice of America. I'm so-and-so in Washington. 這條固定的開頭語中辨別出來。在每條新聞的末尾，播音員常常要降低聲調(diào)，然后經(jīng)過 一段相對(duì)來說較長的停頓（約1－2秒），再提高聲調(diào)，開始另一條新聞，如果聽眾這時(shí)能聽到新的新聞內(nèi)容，就說明下一條新聞開始了。經(jīng)過一段時(shí)間的訓(xùn)練，就能逐漸分清每條新聞的始末，進(jìn)而抓住新聞#英語聽力# #VOA英語廣播收聽技巧（3）#。