我们生活在数的世界里，每时每刻都与各种数字打交道。从人口数量、价格、速度、高度、产量、时刻、年代、日期到比例、温度、银行账号、电话号码，生活中充满了数字，正因为如此，数字与计算在英语听力教学中占有相当的比重。培养自己的耳朵对英文数字保持敏感是听力训练中一项必不可少的基本功。那么怎样才能快捷有效地掌握这一技能呢? 我们应从掌握数字的正确读法开始。能流利地读出各种数字是记忆数字的前提。
(1)基数词的读法
我们先从基数词人手。首先掌握三位以内数字的读法，因为它是多位数字的基础，一旦熟练掌握，再借助一个逗号，便可轻松应付四位以上任何庞大的数字。我们可以通过例子来说明这一点。
①3-5位数的读法
202读作：two hundred(and)two
234读作：two hundred(and)thirty-four
1， 234读作：one thousand two hundred(and)thirty four
但是在读法上须注意以下几点：
a ．在英式英语中，一个数的最后两位(十位和个位) 得用"and\''，但美式英语中则不用。如：3，077读作：US ：three thousand seventy-seven．
b ．不定冠词"a" 只在数的开头才和hundred ，thousand 等连用。试比较：
146读作：ahundred(and)forty-six
2，146读作：twothousand ，one hundred(and)forty six
c.1，000这个整数我们说athousand ，在and 前我们也说a thousand ，但是在一个有百位数的数目前就得说one thousand试比较：
1,031读作：a thousand，(and)thirty-one,
1,150读作：one thousand，one hundred(and)fifty
d.hundred ，thousand 和million 这几个词的单数可以和："a" 者"one" 连用，但是不能单独使用。在非正式文体中"a" 比较常见；当我们说话比较准确的时候就用"one" 试比较： I Want to live for a hundred years．
The journey took exactly one hundred days．
e. 我们常常说eleven hundred(1，100) ，twelve hundred(1,200)等，而不说one thous and one hundred ．从1，100到1,900之间的整数，这种说法最常见。
5位以上数字的读法
11，234读作：eleven thousand two hundred(and)，thirty-four
155,721读作：one hundred(and)fifly-fivethous and seven hundred(and)twenty-one
6，155，702读作：six million one hundred(and)fifly-five thous and seven hundred and two 26，000，008读作：twenty-six million and eight
326，414，718读作：three hundred(and)twenty-six mil-lion，four hundred(and)four teen thous and，seven hundred(and)eigh-teen
4，302，000，000读作：four billion three hundred(and)two million
由以上一组数字可以看出，多位数由右向左每3位有一逗号，这个逗号的作用非同小可，在记忆数字时，它可以帮我们很大的忙!
逆向第一个逗号读thousand ；向左再推三位，第二个逗号读million ；第三个逗号读billion ；第四个逗号就是trillion 。这几个逗号的作用在于，当我们听到若干thousand 时，立即写下这个数，并在其后打一个逗号，并留出3位；当听到若干million ，则写下数字，并在其后打一逗号，留出6位；听到若干billion ，方法同上，在后面留出9位，后面的million 、thousand 依此法类推，让所有数字各就其位。
例如，当你听到"twenty thous and andfour\''写出20，"and four"意为后一组仅有个位，即：004，那么，这个数字完整地写下来就是20，004；若听到"six million twenty thousand four hundred and twenty-three，" 则第一步先写：6，020，再将最后一组423写在第一个逗号后面。完整的翠字为6，020，423。若听到"One billion，one hundred and four million，twenty thousand four hundred and twenty-three"：主第一步写出1，104，第二步接下去写第三组020，第三步二写423，这样得到的完整数字便是 1，104，020，423，由此：见这个三位一逗号的作用有多大。只要我们在平时的训练中加强对三位数读写的训练，能分辨"ty" 与"teen\''，并能借助这个不可缺少的" 逗号" ，无论数字多么大，也不会对我们造成障碍。
Unit One Numbers 数字听写训练
1.Look at the calendar below.Circle the birthdays that you hear.
In my family there are seven people.My father's birthday is on July 29th.
My mthe's birthday is on November 24th.My older sister's birthday is on May 14th.
My older brother's birthday is on June 30th.My younger brother's birthday is on October 24st.
My younger sister's is on April 10th,and my birthday is on December lst.
2.Listen to the tape and write as much information in the chart as you can.
Bart:Listen,Carolyn,I just remembered.I need to got to the bank to cash some traveller's cheques.
What time to they close?
Carolyn:The bank close at three-thirty.
Bart:It closes at three-thirty,right.
Carolyn:And opens at nine-thirty.
Bart:And opens at nine-thirty in he moming,ah that's good.
And also-um-I need some stamps,to send some postcards.
Um-what time does the post office close?
Carolyn:Well,the post office doesn't close until five-thirty,so lyou have plenty of time. Bart:Yeah,that's no problem,right,OK,
And-um-another question I had was-what is the best way to travel around London? Carolyn:Oh...buess are by far the best way to travel.
Bart:Yeah,and do they run all night and...?
Carolyn:Er-yes,as a matter of fact they do,they start at five...
Bart:They start at five,yeah.
Carolyn:...and run to midnigh...
Bart:Yeah.
Carolyn:..and then other buses run throughout the night until morning,finishing in the morning.
Bart:OK,From special please,you mean?
Carolyn:Yes.
Bart:Yeah,right,Good,and what about the Underground,is that-er-the same?
Carolyn:Underground's about th same.
Bart:Yeah,starts at five and...
Carolyn:Finishes at midnight.
Bart:..finishes at midnight,right.
Robin:You know,the only times you really need to get right are the pub opening times. arolyn:Pub licensing hours are ridiculous.
They open about ten to ten-thirty,close at three,
open in the afternoon about five-thirty,
and close again at eleven p.m.
Bart:Eleven!
Carolyn:Yes,eleven!
Bart:You mean I can't drink after eleven o'clock?
Carolyn:No.
Bart:Oh,that's amazing!I...I can't believe that!
Number three
Look at the pictures.You will hear people talking about when five ofthe situations shown below will take place.
Match the conversations with the correct pictures and write down when they will be. Sue:By the way,Aidan,can you tell me when the French history exam is?
Aidan:It's next week on Tuesday,a week today but there's a notice up for it if you have a look.
Fred:Oh,by the way,what time's that meeting on Monday?
Julie:Oh,it's in the afternoon.Three o'clck.
Fred:Right.
Mechanic:Hello.
Mr Cowin:Hello,I'm phoning about my car.
Mechanic:Er,What's the name,sir?
Mr Cowin:Em.Cowin.
Mechanic:Cowin,just a minute.Ah,yes,Er,should be ready late tomorrow.
Bob:When's the talk?
Jenny:It's next Wednesday,it's been changed.
Isla St.Clair:Isla St.Clair here and I just want to tell you that this Saturday morning on BRMB
I 'll be on the radio with Ed Doolan and the team just after eight o'clock.
Hope you can join us.
Number 4
Listen to the tape and fill in the missing information in this table.
A British Rail.Exeter.
B Is that a real person or a recorded message I'm speaking to?
A I'm real,madam.
B Thank goodness for that! I want to get to Oxford as early as possible tomorrow morning.
A There's a train that leaves Exeter at 7:07,arriving at Reading at 9:04.
B Oh dear,that's very early!
A The next train is not until 8:45.
B In that case I'd better take the early one.
A You have to change at Reading,and your connection will arrive in Oxford at 9:55.
B How much is a single?
A Second class?
B Yes,please.
A It's ￡19.15.
B Thank you very much.
Nnmber 2
A National Express.
B Oh,you've answered at last!
A I'm sorry sir,we're very busy.Can I help you?
B I want to get to Heathrow Airport tomorrow morning from Bath.
I have to be here at 12:30.
Which coach should I catch?
A There's coach that leaves Bath at 10:45,which gets to Heathrow at 12:40.
B No,that's bit tight,I'm afraid.What time's the one before that?
A They run every hour,so you should take the 9:45 in that case.
B And what's the return fare,please?
A ￡12.75.
B That's all I need to know.Thanks very much.
A All Mini Cabs.
B Can you tell me how much you would charge for a trip to Gatwick Airport?
A When do you wan to go?
B Well,it's a night flight leaving at 11:45 so I have to be there an hour beforehand. How long does it take to get to Gatwick from here?
A About 40 minutes,Just a minute,I'll work out the price.
That'll be ￡26.
B Fine,Can you pick me up at ten o'clock tonight then?
No,you'd better make it a quarter to ten,to be on the safe side,
A Right,your name and address please?
Number 5
Write the numbers that you hear
Population
Here are the latest population figures.
There are about 56 million people living in the United Kingdom.
There are around 230 million people living in the United States.
There are about 15 million people living in Australia.
There are nearly 24,4 million people living in Canada.
There are about 3,1 million people living people in New Zealand.
There are about 268 million people living in the USSR.
There are about 800 million people living int India.
There are around I billion people living in China.
Distance
Here are some figures relating to distance.
It's about 8,300 km from New Youk to London.
It's about 15,800 km from New York to Tokyo.
It's around 19,200 km from New York to Beijing.
It's about 12,700 km from New York to Moscow.
It's about 17,500 km from New York to Sydney.
Areas(figures in this passage are only for lisening comprehension)
Here are some figures indicating area.
The size Canada is about 3,8 million square miles.
The size of the USSR is 8.6 million square miles.
The size of Japan is about 145.000 square miles.
The size of China is 3.6 million square miles,and the size of USA is the same,3.6 million square miles.
Number 6 Listen and write the answer.
1.Nine plus three
2.Twenty-one times two
3.Fiften minus eight
4.Seven times five
5.One hundred divided by four.
6.Eighty-three minus fifty-six
Number 7 Listen t each problem and write your answer on each line.
1.Here is a supermarket in the United States.
You want to but five peaches.
One peach costs 45 cents.How much are five peaches?
2.You are in a post office in Japan.One air mail stamp costs 150 yen. You need three stamps.How much are these stamps?
3.You are driving on a highway in Italy.Your speed is 60 km per hour. You drive for four hous.How far do you go?
4.You are in London at a Chinese-restaurant with six friends.
The cost for each person is five pounds.