[00:00.35]PART I DICTATION
[00:03.54]Listen to the following passage.
[00:06.35]Altogether the passage will be read to you four times.
[00:10.58]During the first reading, which will be done at normal speed,
[00:14.66]listen and try to understand the meaning.
[00:17.47]For the second and third readings,
[00:20.19]the passage will be read sentence by sentence,
[00:22.95]or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds.
[00:27.35]The last reading will be done at normal speed again
[00:30.47]and during this time you should check your work.
[00:33.80]You will then be given 2 minutes
[00:35.95]to check through your work once more.
[00:38.91]Please write the whole passage on ANSWER SHEET ONE.
[00:42.95]Now, listen to the passage.
[00:45.92]Characteristics of a Good Reader
[00:50.28]To improve your reading habits,
[00:52.84]you must understand the characteristics of a good reader.
[00:56.67]First, the good reader usually reads rapidly.
[01:00.63]Of course, he does not read
[01:02.87]every piece of material at the same rate.
[01:05.69]But whether he is reading a newspaper
[01:07.64]or a chapter in a physics text,
[01:10.34]his reading rate is relatively fast.
[01:13.90]He has learned to read for ideas
[01:16.18]rather than words one at a time.
[01:18.80]Next, the good reader can recognize
[01:22.00]and understand general ideas and specific details.
[01:26.82]Thus he is able to comprehend the material
[01:29.94]with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest.
[01:34.80]Finally, the good reader has at his command
[01:38.00]several specific skills, which he can apply
[01:41.28]to reading problems as they occur.
[01:44.31]For the college student, the most helpful of these skills
[01:48.06]include making use of the various aids
[01:50.86]to understanding that most textbooks provide
[01:54.26]and skim reading for a general survey.
[01:59.93]The second and third readings.
[02:02.77]You should begin writing now.
[02:06.02]Characteristics of a Good Reader
[02:20.23]Characteristics of a Good Reader
[02:39.31]To improve your reading habits,
[02:57.01]To improve your reading habits,
[03:14.19]you must understand
[03:15.45]the characteristics of a good reader.
[03:32.35]you must understand
[03:33.17]the characteristics of a good reader.
[03:50.44]First, the good reader usually reads rapidly.
[04:10.13]First, the good reader usually reads rapidly.
[04:27.99]Of course, he does not read
[04:30.54]every piece of material at the same rate.
[04:47.39]Of course, he does not read
[04:49.75]every piece of material at the same rate.
[05:07.09]But whether he is reading a newspaper
[05:09.45]or a chapter in a physics text,
[05:26.82]But whether he is reading a newspaper
[05:28.83]or a chapter in a physics text,
[05:45.73]his reading rate is relatively fast.
[06:04.14]his reading rate is relatively fast.
[06:21.88]He has learned to read for ideas
[06:24.07]rather than words one at a time.
[06:41.62]He has learned to read for ideas
[06:43.52]rather than words one at a time.
[07:01.02]Next, the good reader can recognize
[07:03.65]and understand general ideas and specific details.
[07:22.02]Next, the good reader can recognize
[07:25.78]and understand general ideas and specific details.
[07:45.21]Thus he is able to comprehend the material
[08:01.90]Thus he is able to comprehend the material
[08:21.77]with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest.
[08:41.16]with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest.
[09:00.17]Finally, the good reader has at his command
[09:18.45]Finally, the good reader has at his command
[09:34.75]several specific skills, which he can apply
[09:39.89]to reading problems as they occur.
[09:57.06]several specific skills, which he can apply
[10:00.07]to reading problems as they occur.
[10:17.45]For the college student, the most helpful of these skills
[10:35.99]For the college student, the most helpful of these skills
[10:54.32]include making use of the various aids to understanding
[11:00.72]that most textbooks provide
[11:17.46]include making use of the various aids to understanding
[11:21.64]that most textbooks provide
[11:38.69]and skim reading for a general survey.
[11:56.09]and skim reading for a general survey.
[12:13.86]The lasting reading.
[12:16.81]Characteristics of a Good Reader
[12:20.22]To improve your reading habits,
[12:22.22]you must understand the characteristics of a good reader.
[12:25.99]First, the good reader usually reads rapidly.
[12:29.90]Of course, he does not read
[12:32.19]every piece of material at the same rate.
[12:34.78]But whether he is reading a newspaper
[12:37.00]or a chapter in a physics text,
[12:39.78]his reading rate is relatively fast.
[12:43.14]He has learned to read for ideas
[12:45.46]rather than words one at a time.
[12:48.05]Next, the good reader can recognize
[12:51.36]and understand general ideas and specific details.
[12:56.50]Thus he is able to comprehend the material
[12:59.48]with a minimum of effort and a maximum of interest.
[13:03.99]Finally, the good reader has at his command
[13:07.43]several specific skills, which he can apply
[13:10.65]to reading problems as they occur.
[13:13.61]For the college student, the most helpful of these skills
[13:17.13]include making use of the various aids
[13:20.08]to understanding that most textbooks provide
[13:23.38]and skim reading for a general survey.
[13:26.49]Now, you have two minutes to check through your work.
[15:33.16]That is the end of Part I DICTATION.
[15:39.51]PART II LISTENING COMPREHENSION
[15:43.56]In Sections A, B and C you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.
[15:51.09]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[15:55.82]Mark the correct answer to each question on Answer Sheet Two.
[16:01.63]SECTION A CONVERSATIONS
[16:05.43]In this section you will hear several conversations.
[16:10.20]Listen to the conversations carefully
[16:13.66]and then answer the questions that follow.
[16:16.93]Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following conversation.
[16:24.38]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds
[16:29.55]to answer the questions.
[16:31.88]Now, listen to the conversation.
[16:36.10]W: Hi, Mike, do you have a minute to spare?
[16:39.77]M: Yes, Sherry, how can I help you?
[16:42.62]W: Well, I have been getting music noises coming
[16:46.11]from your apartment and it seems like
[16:49.14]it is always during 9 am to 12 am
[16:52.96]when I am trying to study.
[16:54.92]Is it possible to tune down and contain the noise
[16:58.72]to your apartment then?
[17:00.98]M: Oh, I'm so sorry about that.
[17:03.23]I hadn't been back to my apartment for two weeks and in fact,
[17:06.78]I just got back today.
[17:08.59]It must be my new roommate then.
[17:10.83]I forgot to tell him how thin the walls are around here,
[17:13.85]so it may be my fault.
[17:15.66]W: I realize that.
[17:17.40]Could you have a word with him and get him to lower the volume
[17:21.46]because it is disturbing during the night.
[17:24.58]It's not that I don't enjoy that kind of music.
[17:28.23]It's just... Well, you know how it is around this time of the year
[17:32.73]with midterms and everything.
[17:34.90]M: Oh, no problem, and I tell you what.
[17:37.84]I won't even mention that it was you who complained.
[17:41.06]W: Well, Mike, I appreciate it
[17:44.65]but I'm afraid that this is not the only issue
[17:47.86]I want to bring up.
[17:49.68]Your new roommate is also taking up 2 parking spaces
[17:55.32]in the parking lot.
[17:56.85]As you know,
[17:58.13]we are kind of short in parking spaces here.
[18:01.64]M: Really, I didn't know that!
[18:03.93]That's selfish of him to do so.
[18:05.98]Well, Sherry, not to worry.
[18:08.11]You bet I will give him a piece of my mind tonight.
[18:11.25]W: I just hope you can settle things peacefully.
[18:14.69]I don't want to be the villain causing you guys to have a stir up.
[18:19.29]I know how it is to live with someone who drives you around the bend.
[18:23.57]M: Oh, don't worry.
[18:25.33]Yeah, it's not like it's the most pleasant thing to do
[18:28.60]and it's not that I want to, but I want to set the rules clear.
[18:32.25]There are other issues I have that go beyond
[18:34.94]what you're just mentioning
[18:36.86]but I don't think you need to hear about them.
[18:39.25]W: All right, I hope you can settle all of this soon.
[18:43.25]Sorry to give you all these bad news now.
[18:46.44]M: Oh, don't worry, Sherry.
[18:48.39]This will be all settled without a hitch.
[19:06.43]Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation.
[19:11.26]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds
[19:16.05]to answer the questions.
[19:18.36]Now, listen to the conversation.
[19:21.61]W: Oh, hi Dave. Long time no see!
[19:24.91]M: Hi Maria. I was in the neighbourhood,
[19:27.31]so I thought I'd drop by.
[19:28.94]W: Come on in.
[19:30.09]M: Thanks.
[19:30.96]W: Take a seat. By the way, what's your major anyway?
[19:35.01]M: Hotel management.
[19:36.87]W: Well, what do you want to do once you graduate?
[19:40.72]M: Uh... I haven't decided for sure, but I think I'd like to work for a hotel
[19:45.94]or travel agency in this area. How about you?
[19:49.59]W: Well, when I first started college, I wanted to major in French,
[19:54.69]but I realized I might have a hard time finding a job using the language,
[19:59.80]so I changed majors to computer science.
[20:03.15]With the right skills, landing a job in the computer industry
[20:07.45]shouldn't be as difficult.
[20:09.46]M: So, do you have a part-time job
[20:12.20]to support yourself through school?
[20:14.51]W: Well, fortunately for me, I received a four-year academic scholarship
[20:20.52]that pays for all of my tuition and books.
[20:23.74]M: Wow. That's great.
[20:25.81]W: Yeah. How about you? Are you working your way through school?
[20:29.86]M: Yeah. I work three times a week at a restaurant near campus.
[20:34.10]W: Oh. What do you do there?
[20:36.33]M: I'm a cook.
[20:37.84]W: How do you like your job?
[20:39.44]M: It's okay.
[20:40.65]The other workers are friendly, and the pay isn't bad.
[20:58.49]Questions 7 to 10 are based on the following conversation.
[21:03.31]At the end of the conversation, you will be given 20 seconds
[21:07.61]to answer the questions.
[21:09.65]Now, listen to the conversation.
[21:13.36]W: Hi, I'm new here,
[21:15.59]so I was wondering how I could go about applying.
[21:19.05]M: Well, if you're a regular student you can use your student I.D.
[21:24.04]as a borrower card.
[21:25.64]If not, you would apply at the loan office.
[21:28.48]W: What exactly can I borrow? I mean,
[21:33.33]can I take anything out from the library?
[21:36.70]M: Well, you can borrow almost everything including books
[21:40.45]and multimedia materials.
[21:42.30]But you cannot take out any serial like journals and magazines
[21:46.47]and you may not take out any books or multimedia
[21:49.67]if they have a not-for-loan status.
[21:52.46]W: Can you tell me something about the recall system here?
[21:56.46]My friend tells me if a book gets recalled,
[22:00.12]you have to bring them back right away, is that true?
[22:03.26]M: Oh, certainly not right away,
[22:05.82]but you do have to take it back within seven days of the recall notice.
[22:09.86]The reason we have this system
[22:12.19]is because that sometimes students need certain material urgently.
[22:16.28]W: But what if you're not around to receive it?
[22:19.29]M: If we cannot contact you by phone or by letter,
[22:22.25]we will contact the department that you are registered in
[22:25.00]and have a recall notice delivered to your teacher.
[22:27.60]W: Just a question before I run to class.
[22:31.41]how much are the fines, by any chance?
[22:34.40]M: Thirty cents a day.
[22:36.56]So, take care not to be late.
[22:58.40]SECTION B PASSAGES
[23:02.54]In this section, you will hear several passages.
[23:06.98]Listen to the passages carefully
[23:09.58]and then answer the questions that follow.
[23:12.43]Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage.
[23:18.40]At the end of the passage,
[23:20.10]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[23:24.51]Now, listen to the passage.
[23:28.45]Located in New South Wales, one of Australia's most agriculturally,
[23:34.90]industrially and culturally rich areas,
[23:38.31]Charles Stuart University (or CSU) is an institution
[23:43.79]of higher learning founded by the Australian government.
[23:47.54]The faculties such as the Faculty of Arts, Commerce, Education,
[23:53.79]Health Studies and Science & Agriculture offer courses
[23:58.40]from Bachelor Degree to Ph.D levels.
[24:02.32]The university is named in honor of the great explorer
[24:06.06]Captain Charles Stuart.
[24:08.41]CSU has an excellent teaching staff,
[24:12.52]facilities and services on all campuses
[24:15.51]and is at the leading edge in delivery
[24:18.92]of information technology services.
[24:22.12]It offers a balance between theory and practice in its courses
[24:26.72]and collaborates with universities from several other countries
[24:30.77]in joint teaching and research, and therefore it has earned a reputation
[24:36.42]for producing graduates prepared for entry into the workforce.
[24:40.92]CSU attributes much of its success to the factors such as small classes,
[24:47.78]an accessible academic staff,
[24:50.74]a relaxed country location as well as its extensive modern facilities.
[24:56.79]Over the next two years approximately $20 million
[25:02.48]will be spent on capital improvements.
[25:05.03]Conveniently located, without pollution, crime,
[25:10.52]overcrowding or high living costs, enjoying cool winters and dry,
[25:17.03]sunny summers and friendly people,
[25:19.78]Charles Stuart University attracts students from all over the world.
[25:39.37]Questions 14 to 17 are based on the following passage.
[25:45.26]At the end of the passage,
[25:47.30]you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
[25:51.76]Now, listen to the passage.
[25:55.52]Certain urban problems are common to both developed
[25:59.77]and developing countries, for example, poor housing,
[26:03.66]unemployment, traffic jams and pollution.
[26:06.93]But there are problems which are peculiar to developing countries
[26:11.23]and this is due to the need of these countries
[26:13.69]to provide a basic structure necessary for industrialization.
[26:18.05]The provision of this structure is the urbanization process itself.
[26:22.33]There are five main consequences of uncontrolled urbanization:
[26:26.89]Firstly, people move from the country to the city
[26:30.45]because they see the city as a more desirable place to live in.
[26:34.15]Secondly, rural areas thus become less populated
[26:38.29]and this causes a decrease in the production of food.
[26:41.84]Thirdly, there is a high urban population growth rate.
[26:46.34]Fourthly, there is a dramatic pressure
[26:49.34]on the supply of social services,
[26:51.34]especially those services related to education and health,
[26:55.65]and finally uncontrolled urbanization
[26:58.59]leads to an excess of labor supply in the cities.
[27:02.21]There are a few policies which could slow
[27:05.06]this kind of uncontrolled urbanization in developing countries.
[27:09.88]A more equal land distribution should be promoted.
[27:13.59]In this way farmers would be more motivated to stay on the land.
[27:18.15]Also, the supply of social services in the rural areas
[27:22.56]has to be improved,
[27:24.20]particularly in the field of health and education.
[27:27.87]Most importantly,
[27:29.82]it is necessary to give financial assistance to agriculture,
[27:33.42]especially to the small landowners.
[27:56.18]Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage.
[28:01.90]At the end of the passage,
[28:03.58]you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.
[28:08.18]Now, listen to the passage.
[28:12.28]So far, the robot seems to be the best servant in the house.
[28:18.39]You can programme it to different tasks: polish the floors,
[28:23.73]dust the shelves, clean the windows.
[28:26.98]And a few kinds of robot have many other functions.
[28:31.18]When a guest arrives at the door,
[28:33.73]it can say, "Can I help you,please?"
[28:36.88]and take their caps.
[28:38.72]If you give the right instructions,
[28:41.08]it can even serve dinner to you at the table.
[28:44.69]If someone breaks into the house,
[28:47.64]the robot will sound the alarm and "speak" to the thief.
[28:52.46]It is programmed to "notice" any signs of fire
[28:56.31]or changes to "tell" its owner about them.
[29:00.70]What is more, it has a basic vocabulary of 250 English words.
[29:07.96]But if necessary, it can speak any language.
[29:12.17]Many owners will be sad when this servant friend stops working
[29:17.03]and leaves themselves alone.
[29:19.29]But if you want,
[29:20.84]you can increase its working hours
[29:23.09]and have it with you for twenty-four hours a day.
[29:26.80]One robot of this kind recently took a holiday and came to London.
[29:33.04]He stayed in an expensive hotel,
[29:36.07]and took a walk to the famous palace.
[29:38.84]"This is my birthday," he said,
[29:41.24]"I'm happy to be here."
[29:43.30]It certainly must make a change from cleaning floors
[29:47.00]and answering doors.
[30:03.65]SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
[30:08.05]In this section, you will hear several news items.
[30:12.49]Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[30:17.79]Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news.
[30:24.47]At the end of the news item,
[30:26.93]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[30:31.10]Now, listen to the news.
[30:35.05]A court in Zimbabwe is due to deliver its verdict today
[30:41.43]in the trial of a journalist
[30:43.29]who works for the British newspaper the Guardian.
[30:46.24]The trial is seen as a test case for the country's strict new media laws.
[30:51.44]Andrew Melltrin, an American,
[30:53.93]who's lived in Zimbabwe for over 20 years,
[30:56.99]is accused of publishing an untrue story
[30:59.89]and faces up to two years in prison if found guilty.
[31:03.45]A dozen other journalists have also been charged
[31:06.85]with fantasies relating to the new laws.
[31:09.26]In court, Mr. Melltrin's defence
[31:11.86]argued that his story was published in Britain.
[31:14.62]It was beyond jurisdiction of Zimbabwe in laws.
[31:28.54]Questions 23 and 24 are based on the following news.
[31:34.18]At the end of the news item,
[31:36.89]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[31:40.84]Now, listen to the news.
[31:43.83]An underground train derailed at a station in central Paris yesterday,
[31:49.95]injuring 23 people and just missing another underground train
[31:55.20]standing on the opposite track.
[31:57.56]French emergency services said the train was travelling
[32:02.55]at 35 kilometres per hour
[32:05.36]when it derailed as it entered the station.
[32:08.57]No one had been killed and no one
[32:11.30]was trapped in the train during the accident.
[32:14.36]Ambulances rushed to the scene and doctors
[32:18.17]began treating casualties in the station and at a nearby cafe.
[32:23.22]Some people had broken limbs
[32:25.60]and others had suffered bruising.
[32:28.22]None was in a critical condition.
[32:30.67]Last night it was not known why the train came off the tracks.
[32:45.99]Questions 25 and 26 are based on the following news.
[32:52.09]At the end of the news item,
[32:54.30]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[32:58.50]Now, listen to the news.
[33:02.54]"Five people died, two were missing,
[33:05.75]and at least 18 were injured on Wednesday
[33:08.71]when an Italian patrol vessel collided with a dinghy
[33:12.53]filled with refugees crossing the Adriatic Sea from Albania,"
[33:16.98]authorities said.
[33:18.59]"The victims were believed to be Albanians
[33:20.89]from either Albania or Kosovo,"
[33:23.84]said authorities from Italy's tax policy division,
[33:27.34]which, along with the coast guard, patrols the nation's coast.
[33:31.89]The cause of the collision was not immediately known.
[33:34.85]Three Albanians, believed to have smuggled the refugees,
[33:39.55]were arrested a few hours after the accident.
[33:52.91]Questions 27 and 28 are based on the following news.
[33:59.06]At the end of the news item,
[34:01.17]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[34:05.52]Now, listen to the news.
[34:09.57]Germany was due to strike a deal yesterday
[34:13.11]to close down its 19 nuclear power plants,
[34:17.02]making it the first major industrial nation
[34:20.27]to commit to withdrawing from nuclear energy.
[34:24.01]Talks between Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government
[34:27.61]and the chiefs of the German energy industry were to begin at 8:30 pm.
[34:33.66]Closure of Germany's 19 reactors,
[34:37.47]which provide around a third of the country's electricity needs,
[34:41.53]was a key pledge of the Greens,
[34:44.14]the junior partner in Schroeder's coalition government.
[34:58.00]Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news.
[35:03.36]At the end of the news item,
[35:05.60]you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions.
[35:09.94]Now, listen to the news.
[35:13.80]The Western European Union,
[35:16.55]the defense organization linking most countries
[35:19.48]of the European community,
[35:21.79]is meeting in Luxembourg to discuss ways
[35:24.68]to reinforce economic sanctions
[35:27.42]against the Serbs by tightening controls on the river Danube.
[35:32.37]It is expected to approve proposals to send patrol boats
[35:36.88]manned by armed police and customs officers with powers
[35:41.27]to search and turn back ships suspected of breaking the sanctions.
[35:46.66]International efforts to isolate Serbia have been undermined
[35:51.66]by ships carrying oil and other illegal supplies
[35:55.52]from the Black Sea region
[35:57.12]along the Danube into the former Yugoslavia,
[36:00.76]often ignoring attempts by local authorities to stop them.
[36:05.57]It is reported that most of the illegal traffic of goods
[36:10.28]is believed to be arriving in Serbia over land from Greece
[36:14.88]and the former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia.
[36:28.61]This is the end of listening comprehension.