UNIT1Part1SpotDictationHousesintheFutureWell,Ithinkhousesinthefuturewillprobablybe(1)quitesmallbutIshouldthinkthey'llbe(2)well-insulatedsothatyoudon'tneedsomuch(3)heatingand(4)coolingasyoudonow,soperhapsveryeconomical(5)torun.Perhapstheywilluse(6)solarheating,althoughIdon'tknow,inthiscountry,perhapswe(7)won'tbeabletodothatsomuch.Yes,Ithinkthey'llbefullof(8)electronicgadgets:thingslikeveryadvancedtelevisions,videos,perhapsvideoswhichtakeup...thescreen(9)takesupthewholewall.Ishouldthink.Yes,you'llhavethingslike(10)garagedoorswhichopenautomaticallywhenyou(11)driveup,perhapselectronic(12)sensorswhichwill(13)recognizeyouwhenyou,whenyoucometothefrontdooreven.Perhaps(14)architectsanddesignerswillbeabitmore(15)imaginativeabouthowhousesaredesignedandperhapswiththe(16)shortageofspacepeoplewillthinkofputtinggardens(17)ontheroofand,andmayberoomscanbe(18)expandedand,and(19)contracted*dependingonwhatyouusethemfor,soperhapsthere'llbeabitmore(20)flexibilityaboutthat.Part2PassageTheOscarStatuetteTheOscarstatuette,designedbyMGM's*chiefartdirectorCedricGibbons,depicts*aknightholdingacrusader's*sword,standingonareeloffilmwithfivespokes,signifyingtheoriginalbranchesoftheAcademy:Actors,Writers,Directors,Producers,andTechnicians.Bornin1928,yearswouldpassbeforetheAcademyAwardofMeritwasofficiallynamed"Oscar".Industryinsidersandmembersofthepresscalledtheaward"theAcademystatuette","thegoldentrophy"or"thestatueofmerit".Theentertainmenttradepaper,WeeklyVariety,evenattemptedtopopularize"theironman".Thetermneverstuck.ApopularstoryhasbeenthatanAcademylibrarianandeventualexecutivedirector,MargaretHerrick,thoughtthestatuetteresembledheruncleOscarandsaidso,andthatasaresulttheAcademystaffbeganreferringtoitasOscar.Nohardevidenceexiststosupportthattale,butinanycase,bythesixthAwardsPresentationin1934,HollywoodcolumnistSidneySkolskyusedthenameinhiscolumninreferencetoKatharineHepburn'sfirstBestActresswin.TheAcademyitselfdidn'tusethenicknameofficiallyuntil1939.Sinceitsconception,theOscarstatuettehasmetexactinguniformstandards-withafewnotableexceptions.Inthe1930s,juvenileplayersreceivedminiaturereplicas*ofthestatuette;aventriloquist*EdgarBergenwaspresentedwithawoodenstatuettewithamoveablemouth;andWaltDisneywashonoredwithonefull-sizeandsevenminiaturestatuettesonbehalfofhisanimatedfeatureSnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs.Between1942and1944,insupportofthewareffort,Oscarsweremadeofplaster.AftertheWar,winnersturnedinthetemporaryawardsforgoldenOscarstatuettes.ThetraditionalOscarstatuette,however,hasn'tchangedsincethe1940s,whenthebasewasmadehigher.In1945,thebasewaschangedfrommarbletometalandin1949,AcademyAwardstatuettesbegantobenumbered,startingwithNo.501.Approximately50OscarsaremadeeachyearinChicagobythemanufacturer,R.S.Owens.Iftheydon'tmeetstrictqualitycontrolstandards,thestatuettesareimmediatelycutinhalfandmelteddown.EachawardisindividuallypackedintoaStyrofoam*containerslightlylargerthanashoebox.Eightofthesearethenpackedintoalargercardboardbox,andthelargeboxesareshippedtotheAcademyofficesinBeverlyHillsviaairexpress,withnoidentifiablemarkings.OnMarch10,2000,55AcademyAwardsmysteriouslyvanishedenroutefromtheWindyCity*totheCityofAngels.Ninedayslater,52ofstolenstatuetteswerediscoverednexttoaDumpster*intheKoreatownsectionofLosAngelesbyWillieFulgear,whowaslaterinvitedbytheAcademytoattendtheOscar2000ceremoniesasaspecialguest.Forei...
