【正确答案】
The factory system that developed around 1800 changed working conditions markedly. The employer no longer worked side by side with his employees. He became an executive, and, as machines took over manufacturing tasks, skilled workmen saw themselves relegated to the status of common laborers. In bad times they could be replaced by newcomers at lower wages.
As the factory system grew, workers began to form labor unions to protect their interests. The first union to hold regular meetings and collect dues was organized by Philadelphia shoemakers in 1792. Soon after, carpenters and leather workers in Boston and printers in New York organized too. Union members would agree on the wages they thought were fair, pledge to stop working for employers who paid less, and pressure employers to hire union members only.
Employers fought back in the courts, which commonly ruled that Concerted action by workers was an illegal conspiracy against their employer and the community. But in 1842 the Massachusetts Supreme Court held that it was not illegal for workers to engage peacefully in union activity. This ruling was widely accepted, and for many years afterwards unions did not have to worry about conspiracy charges.

【答案解析】[解析] 第一遍听音时掌握主题，记录factory system，union等关键词，这样易于把握与主题相关的employer，employees等词。 注意employer与employees的读音和拼写区别。 relegated to之间不完全爆破，根据语法知识可以判断要用过去分词作themselves的宾语补足语。 at lower wages辅音之间不完全爆破。 注意地名的正确拼写。平时需要对常见地名的拼写进行练习。 在放第二遍录音时，需要写下agree，pledge，pressure这三个并列关键词，注意听音时的短暂停顿。 听音时注意别漏听冠词an。如果因为连读没有听清，最后检查时可根据语法知识补上。conspiracy不容易听出来，可以根据concerted action，illegal等进行推测。 注意专有名词的拼写。