[00:00.45]Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension
[00:04.35]In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.
[00:12.59]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[00:17.38]Mark the correct answer to each question on Answer Sheet Two.
[00:23.68]SECTION A CONVERSATIONS
[00:28.77]In this section you will hear several conversations.
[00:33.46]Listen to the conversations carefully
[00:36.76]and then answer the questions that follow.
[00:40.08]Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.
[00:45.98]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds
[00:51.05]to answer the questions.
[00:53.43]Now, listen to the conversation.
[00:57.24]M: Hi there, I'd thought to drop in and find out exactly
[01:02.36]where I went wrong with this last paper.
[01:05.00]Do you remember marking it？
[01:06.91]W: Yes I do and... well, my impression was
[01:11.52]that you were trying to connect argument after argument
[01:15.44]without any grounds to support each assertion.
[01:19.83]M: But surely, you would agree
[01:21.19]that there simply isn't a lot of research
[01:23.36]out there to substantiate my arguments.
[01:26.10]W: Ah, but research is only one-way to back up an argument.
[01:30.71]M: May I know what other things I can use？
[01:33.62]W: For starters, your experiences.
[01:37.22]Experience forms the basis for conclusion.
[01:40.74]Then perhaps try to look at analogies to see all that can help.
[01:46.64]M: Are there any guidelines available on how I can use these？
[01:50.69]W: I did give a whole lecture on it dated February 3rd;
[01:54.93]you were there, weren't you?
[01:56.97]M: Whoops, that was one that fell on the week
[01:59.72]I couldn't be there.
[02:01.01]I had to rush back for personal reasons.
[02:03.98]W: Well, perhaps on your next paper you'll know that
[02:08.36]every argument you make needs legs
[02:11.24]or your paper will remain on the ground.
[02:14.61]M: Oh yeah, thanks, Mrs. Moser.
[02:16.85]It's all food for thought and you can bet the next one
[02:19.89]will have a solid base.
[02:21.64]W: That's the spirit.
[02:38.15]Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation.
[02:43.64]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds
[02:48.22]to answer the questions.
[02:50.54]Now, listen to the conversation.
[02:54.43]W: Good morning, may I help you？
[02:57.04]M: Yes, I'm a new comer here.
[02:59.22]I wonder if you can tell me
[03:00.70]about the different kinds of accounts
[03:02.44]available in this bank？
[03:04.54]W: Certainly. Please have a seat.
[03:07.61]We have mainly current and deposit accounts.
[03:11.14]For your current account,
[03:13.04]we will order your cheque books printed with your name
[03:16.28]and your account number for you.
[03:18.79]In the meantime, you can use a temporary cheque book
[03:22.85]provided by the bank. You will enjoy free banking
[03:27.09]so long as you keep your account in credit,
[03:30.26]but there would be account charges and interest
[03:34.05]should you go overdrawn.
[03:36.51]M: What about the deposit account？
[03:38.66]W: You earn interest from the account;
[03:42.30]the present rate is about 6%.
[03:45.34]But you are required to give seven days notice
[03:49.25]for normal withdrawals at the bank.
[03:51.63]For either account you will have a cashpoint card,
[03:55.51]which you use to draw cash
[03:57.45]from the bank's dispensing machines.
[03:59.85]M: I see. In that case, I'd like to open a current account
[04:03.98]and a deposit account.
[04:06.10]W: OK. Please fill out these forms...
[04:08.95]W: OK. Here is your temporary cheque.
[04:12.85]Your cashpoint cards will be ready in about ten days.
[04:16.88]And you will receive your personal numbers,
[04:19.83]known only to you, separately.
[04:22.84]M: Sounds good.
[04:24.10]W: That will be all.
[04:25.40]Thank you for choosing the Bank of England.
[04:27.74]Hope to see you soon.
[04:29.69]M: Thank you. Bye-bye.
[04:46.55]Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following conversation.
[04:51.58]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 20 seconds
[04:56.21]to answer the questions.
[04:58.42]Now, listen to the conversation.
[05:02.07]M: So, Susan, do you have anything planned for this Saturday？
[05:06.22]W: Uh, I'm kind of busy. Why do you ask？
[05:10.42]M: Oh, I was wondering
[05:12.02]if you'd like to get together and do something,
[05:14.26]like watching a movie
[05:15.60]or taking a walk down by the lake.
[05:18.11]W: I'd love to,
[05:19.96]but I'm really going to be busy all day on Saturday.
[05:24.14]M: What do you have going on that day？
[05:26.30]W: First, my mom asked me to help
[05:29.55]clean the house in the morning,
[05:31.30]and then I have a dentist appointment at 12:30.
[05:34.68]I can't miss that because I've canceled twice before.
[05:39.18]M: Well, what about after that？
[05:41.58]W: Well, I'm going to be running around all day.
[05:44.52]After the dentist appointment,
[05:46.68]I need to meet Julie at 2:00 to help her with her
[05:50.07]science project that's due on Monday morning at school.
[05:53.77]M: Okay, but are you free after that？
[05:56.89]W: Hardly. Then I have to pick up my brother
[06:00.04]from soccer practice at 4:30, and my mom asked me
[06:04.18]to cook dinner for the family at 5:30.
[06:07.18]I feel like a slave sometimes.
[06:10.26]Then, I have to clean the dishes
[06:12.71]and finish reading my history assignment.
[06:15.25]Who knows how long that'll take.
[06:17.81]M: Wow, sounds like you're going to have a full day.
[06:21.40]Well, let's just play a game or something.
[06:24.50]W: Sounds good, but give me a call before you come.
[06:28.59]My mom might try to come up
[06:31.84]with something else for me to do.
[06:53.80]SECTION B PASSAGES
[06:57.46]In this section, you will hear several passages.
[07:01.72]Listen to the passages carefully
[07:04.46]and then answer the questions that follow.
[07:07.70]Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage.
[07:13.38]At the end of the passage,
[07:15.22]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[07:19.62]Now, listen to the passage.
[07:23.67]The majority of Australia state and central governments
[07:28.07]have signed a deal to safeguard the country's water resources.
[07:32.09]A multi-million dollar scheme to revive
[07:34.82]one of its most important river basins has also been approved.
[07:38.82]Australia is the world's driest continent.
[07:41.96]There's general agreement that the country
[07:44.27]has to use water more efficiently.
[07:47.00]In many parts supplies are in crisis.
[07:49.65]At the heart of the initiative is a 350-million-dollar scheme
[07:55.20]to revitalize the Murray Darling river basin.
[07:58.78]It's one of the most important water courses in the country
[08:02.14]and stretches across four states in south-eastern Australia.
[08:06.52]In recent times, it's been badly affected
[08:09.02]by excessive irrigation and a lack of rain.
[08:12.42]There was a concern, however,
[08:14.36]that projects to help revive other struggling rivers will not be funded.
[08:18.39]A special commission is to be set up and will help
[08:21.90]develop the trade in water between the states and territories.
[08:25.90]Domestic consumers could soon face permanent restrictions,
[08:29.60]such as the perilous state of supplies in many parts of the country.
[08:34.64]Whilst there was broad agreement in Canberra,
[08:37.08]the Premier of Western Australia, Geoff Gallop,
[08:39.33]refused to sign the deal, insisting it did nothing
[08:42.27]to address the problems his region faces.
[09:00.72]Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage.
[09:06.60]At the end of the passage,
[09:09.04]you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
[09:13.49]Now, listen to the passage.
[09:17.47]Twenty five years ago Margaret Thatcher was elected
[09:22.06]as Britain's first woman Prime Minister.
[09:26.00]The Iron Lady's eleven years in power
[09:28.59]saw big changes in the country's economic,
[09:32.07]cultural and political life.
[09:35.57]When Margaret Thatcher came to power in May, 1979,
[09:39.91]Britain was a very different place to today.
[09:44.80]The trades unions were a political force to be reckoned with;
[09:49.05]government was involved in everything from generating power
[09:53.49]to making cars and many people looked to the state
[09:58.70]to provide their every need.
[10:01.39]Much of that changed during her eleven years in power.
[10:05.22]She neutered the labor movement,
[10:08.32]oversaw the privatization of large swathes of the economy,
[10:13.06]and encouraged people to take more responsibility
[10:16.80]for their own lives.
[10:19.17]Much of this was fiercely resisted
[10:22.33]but is now political orthodoxy in Britain.
[10:26.41]But she didn't win all the arguments.
[10:30.01]The National Health Service has been spared
[10:32.89]from comprehensive privatization
[10:35.64]and a policy of ever smaller government and lower taxes
[10:40.43]has been abandoned by her Conservative party.
[10:44.27]One thing that hasn't changed, however,
[10:47.88]is the argument over Britain's place in Europe.
[10:51.46]It still divides the Conservatives and could yet be the undoing
[10:56.43]of Britain's current Prime Minister Tony Blair.
[11:19.92]Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage.
[11:25.26]At the end of the passage,
[11:27.20]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[11:31.94]Now, listen to the passage.
[11:36.33]Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals,
[11:40.58]but they recently took considerable interest
[11:44.25]in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay's cat. Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay,
[11:48.84]a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat,
[11:53.08]Rastus, for a great many years.
[11:56.32]Rastus leads an orderly life.
[11:59.13]He usually takes a short walk in the evenings
[12:02.60]and is always home by seven o'clock.
[12:05.96]One evening, however, he failed to arrive.
[12:10.34]Mrs. Ramsay got very worried.
[12:13.14]She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.
[12:17.23]Three days after Rastus' disappearance,
[12:20.78]Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter.
[12:24.36]The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands
[12:28.31]and would be returned immediately
[12:30.82]if Mrs.Ramsay paid a ransom of 1,000 pounds.
[12:35.44]Mrs. Ramsay was instructed
[12:37.91]to place the money in a cardboard box
[12:40.76]and to leave it outside her door.
[12:43.87]At first, she decided to go to the police,
[12:47.51]but fearing that she would never see Rastus again
[12:51.46]—the letter had made that quite clear
[12:54.60]—she changed her mind.
[12:56.54]She withdrew 1,000 pounds from her bank
[13:00.14]and followed the kidnapper's instructions.
[13:03.18]The next morning,
[13:05.12]the box had disappeared but Mrs. Ramsay was sure
[13:09.04]that the kidnapper would keep his word.
[13:11.92]Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually
[13:15.02]at seven o'clock that evening.
[13:16.96]He looked very well, though he was rather thirsty,
[13:21.56]for he drank half a bottle of milk. The police were astounded
[13:27.04]when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done.
[13:29.89]She explained that Rastus was very dear to her.
[13:33.67]Considering the amount she paid,
[13:36.26]he was dear in more ways than one.
[13:53.69]SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
[13:57.89]In this section, you will hear several news items.
[14:02.46]Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[14:08.25]Questions 21 to 23 are based on the following news.
[14:14.99]At the end of the news item,
[14:17.17]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[14:21.70]Now, listen to the news.
[14:25.36]Haitian hunger strikers at the US naval base
[14:29.35]at Guantanama Bay, Cuba,
[14:31.49]have been refusing all fluids
[14:33.48]and medical treatment.
[14:35.43]15 of the 267 Haitians at the base
[14:39.65]say they are prepared
[14:41.24]to die if necessary to force the US
[14:44.00]to admit the rest of them.
[14:46.28]The Haitians are eligible
[14:47.67]to pursue political asylum in the US
[14:50.43]but have been barred from entry
[14:52.32]because most have the AIDS virus.
[14:55.31]The Clinton Administration
[14:57.03]says it will lift the ban on their entry
[14:59.67]but it's not known when.
[15:16.57]Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following news.
[15:22.95]At the end of the news item,
[15:25.49]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[15:29.49]Now, listen to the news.
[15:33.68]The top three US auto-makers
[15:36.27]have decided not to proceed
[15:38.16]with plans to file a trade complaint
[15:41.07]against Japanese auto-makers.
[15:44.44]General Motors, Ford and Chrysler
[15:47.78]had planned to accuse Japanese companies
[15:50.87]of dumping cars below market prices in the US,
[15:55.11]but they dropped the idea citing a pledge
[15:58.32]by the Clinton Administration
[16:00.21]to address the US-Japan trade imbalance.
[16:15.19]Questions 26 and 27 are based on the following news.
[16:21.33]At the end of the news item,
[16:23.93]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[16:28.06]Now, listen to the news.
[16:32.40]About 100 people are now known to have died
[16:36.09]in what have been described as the worst storms
[16:40.59]ever to hit the eastern US this century.
[16:44.17]The hurricane-force winds first struck the Gulf of Mexico,
[16:48.17]and have now spread across the Canadian border,
[16:51.35]continuing to bring record snowfalls,
[16:54.26]severe flooding and causing millions of dollars of damage.
[16:58.63]All major airports have now reopened
[17:02.57]and airlines are beginning to cope with the backlog of
[17:05.76]thousands of stranded passengers.
[17:08.70]The storm also paralyzed areas of Cuba
[17:11.38]where several people were killed
[17:13.49]and property and crops destroyed.
[17:26.25]Questions 28 to 30 are based on the following news.
[17:31.28]At the end of the news item,
[17:34.23]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[17:38.95]Now, listen to the news.
[17:42.99]Officials have caught three leopards in Mumbai.
[17:46.53]The big cats have killed 12 people during the last month,
[17:50.16]causing panic among local residents.
[17:52.66]It's a classic case of survival of the fittest
[17:56.42]and the fight for space between man and beast.
[17:59.66]All the more difficult in a city like Mumbai,
[18:02.36]whose burgeoning population
[18:04.25]is increasingly pushing deep into the forest.
[18:07.40]The forest, which is Mumbai's green lung,
[18:10.48]is also a wildlife sanctuary
[18:12.63]and the leopards' natural habitat.
[18:15.17]But, in the last few months,
[18:17.16]the big cats have increasingly emerged from the forest
[18:20.17]and into the urban jungle,
[18:21.72]killing 22 people including children.
[18:25.11]Residents are up in arms
[18:26.91]about what they call "official apathy",
[18:29.36]but forest officials say it's up to residents
[18:32.26]to take great care in the face of an unexpected threat.
[18:51.89]This is the end of listening comprehension.