Section B  Audio-visual Tasks

Task3  Spot Dictation

Listen to a passage three times and whilelistening, you are to put the missing word in each numbered blank according towhat you hear.

Stem cells have qualities that may make them (1) highlyuseful in the treatment of many diseases. The stemcells from embryos are the most useful. They are able to develop into all thekinds of (2) tissuesof the body. Scientists believe stem cells may be used to cure many diseases.

President Bush (3) approved limited federal governmentsupport of research on special human cells. The research involves stem cellstaken from (4) fertilizedhuman eggs called embryos.

Many groups disagreed with the president'sdecision. Many scientists and some (5) lawmakers believe there should be no limits placedon stem cell research. Yet stem cell research (6) presents special problems. Some ofthe problems are scientific. Some are not.

Another important part of the (7) debate over stemcells involves religious beliefs. Many religious groups oppose all embryonicstem cell research. They consider it the same as taking human life. Otherreligious groups accept the research with several (8) restrictions because it may lead tocures for some diseases.

The debate over embryonic stem cell research is (9) complex and willcontinue for some time. Scientists hope that stem cells will some day be usedto treat disease. Yet new (10) technologies must still be developed before suchtreatments can be used. However, experts say no (11) solutioncanbe reached easily because this research involves (12) morality as well as medicine.