四級(jí)新聞聽(tīng)力

1、Test1Questions1and2willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.1Inastatement,theUSpresidentsaysheistakingtheaction,becausetheconflictinDarfurthreatensthenationalsecurityandforeignpolicyoftheUnitedStates.TheassetfreezeisbeingimposedonfourSudaneseidentifiedbythe.SecurityCouncilasbeinginvolvedinorganizingandcarr

2、yingoutcruelandviolentactionsinDarfur.ThepresidentsordercomesdaysbeforeralliesareplannedinWashingtonandthroughouttheUnitedStatestoprotestthethree-yearwarinDarfur.2CelebritiessuchasAcademyAwardwinningactorGeorgeClooneyarescheduledtospeakattherally.Clooney,whojustreturnedfromatriptotheDarfurregion,tol

3、dreportersinWashingtontheworldsstattentionneedtobefocusedonwhathecalledthe“firstmassivemurderofthe21century.”Whyisthe.presidenttakingactionsinDarfurWhoisscheduledtospeakattherallyQuestions3and4willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.InOctobertheUgandanoppositionleader,KizzaBasigye,returnedtoKampalatoprepa

4、reforthepresidentialelectionsnextyear.Threeweekslaterhewasarrested.TheUgandangovernmentsayshemustanswerthecharges,buthissupporterssayitsanattemptbyUgandanPresidentMusevenitoPreventDr.Basigyerunningagainsthim.4Theincidentisthreateningtodarkenthecountrysfirstmulti-partyelectionsintwodecades.Westernnat

5、ionswhichprovideessentialeconomicsupporttoUgandahaveheldupUgandaasarolemodelintheregion,oppositionleadersarecallingonthemtotakeastand.InthiseditionofAnalysis,LucyWilliamsonlooksatwhetherUgandasrelationshipwithitsdonorsisfeelingthestrain.3.WhydidKizzaBasigyereturntoKampala4.WhatistheconsequenceofBasi

6、gyesincidentQuestions5and7willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.5Upto32peoplewerekilledintwobombattacksMondayintheSyriancityofHoms,neartheborderwithLebanon.Thesecondattackkilledpeoplewhogatheredtoseethedamageofanearliercarbomb.Asuicidebomberenteredthecrowdandexplodedabombhiddeninclothing.Theattackstookp

7、laceintheal-Zahraadistrict,inthecentralpartofthecity.6State-controlledmediasay19peoplewerekilledinthetwobombings.TheSyrianObservatoryforHumanRightssays32peoplewerekilled.Manyotherswerehurt.ItwasthesecondmajorattackinHomssincethegovernmentandrebelforcesreachedacease-fireagreementthismonth.Thegovernme

8、ntwilltakebackareasofthecitycontrolledbyrebels.7OnDecember12,twobombingskilledatleast16people.Thoseattacksalsotookplaceintheal-Zahraadistrict.TheIslamicStateterroristgroupclaimedresponsibilityfortheattacks.TheWallStreetJournalnewspaperreportsthatmanypeoplewholiveintheneighborhoodaremembersoftheAlawi

9、tesect.Thenewspaperreportstheareaisoften“attackedbyanti-governmentrebelsarmedwithrocketsandvehiclebombs.”WhatdowelearnaboutthebombattacksfromthenewsreportWhatdidthestate-controlledmediasayWhathappenedonDecember12Test2Questions1and2willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.ThenumberofAmericansovertheageof65i

10、sexpectedtodoublebetweennowand2030.Thisnextgenerationofretireeswillbethehealthiest,besteducated,andmostwealthyinAmericanhistory.1Butmanyofthemwonthavearetirementbenefittheirparentsgenerationfoughthardtoget.Itissomethingknownasadefined-benefitplan,or“pension”.Retiredworkerswhohaveapensioncontinuetobe

11、paidacertainpercentageoftheirhighestannualsalary-usuallyanywherefromonetothreepercent-multipliedbythenumberofyearstheyworkedforthecompany.PensionsfirstbecamepopularduringWorldWar,whenafederally-approvedwage-freezemeantunionshadtonegotiateforretirementbenefits,insteadofpayincreases.2Pensionsreachedth

12、eheightoftheirpopularityinthelate1970s,whenmorethan60percentofAmericanshadone.WhatproblemdoesthenextgenerationofretireeshaveWhendidpensionsreachtheheightoftheirpopularityQernmenthealthandsafetyofficialsareinvestigatingthecauseoftherecentexplosionataWestVirginiacoalmine,whichkilled12miners.3Theaccide

13、ntwasapparentlyanerrorinanindustrywhichhasprideditselfonminersafetyatatimeofextraordinaryexpansion.Minecompaniesoperatein27states,fromWestVirginiaintheeasttoMontanainthewest,producingatotalofaboutonebilliontonsayear,ormorethanathirdoftheworldscoalsupply.The.economyisdependentoncoalproduction.Coal-fi

14、redpowerplantsgenerateabout50percentofthenationselectricity.Morethanhalfthenationscoalisminedundergroundbythousandsofmenandwomenwhodailyriskinjuryanddeath.4Buttheoccupationhasbecomemuchsafersincethelate1960s,whenthe.Congresspassedlawsrequiringfederalmineinspetions.Whatdowelearnabouttherecentexplosio

15、natacoalmineWhatmadetheminingindustrysaferinthelate1960sQuestions5and7willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.Whenitcomestodieting,losingweightfastholdssomeappeal.Maybethatswhy.News&WorldReporthasaddedaFastWeight-LossDietcategorytoitsannualrankingsofbestdietplans.AndoneofthedietsthatcomesoutontopistheHeal

16、thManagementResources(HMR)program.5HMRisamealreplacementdietthatcanbedoneonyourownathomeorundermedicalsupervision.Insteadofmade-at-homemeals,dieterscanorderlow-caloriemilk,soups,nutritionbarsandmultigraincereal.The.Newsreviewerssay6theplussidetotheHMRdietisitsquick-startoptionandtheconvenienceofhavi

17、ngmealsdeliveredtoyou.Thedownsideis“themilklacksvariety,”anditstoughtoeatoutwhileonthisdiet.7“Acommonmisunderstandingisthatlosingweightquicklyisnothealthynotsustainable,andwilljustleadtofutureweightre-gain,”wroteCarolAddy,thechiefmedicalofficeratHMR,inarelease.Butshesays,tothecontrary,“numerousstudi

18、esdemonstratethatfollowingalifestylechangeprogramwhichpromotesfastinitialweightlosscanresultinbetterlong-termsuccess.”WhatistheHMRprogramWhatistheadvantageofHMRprogramWhatsthecommonmisunderstandingaboutlosingweightfastTest3Questions1and2willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.ThenumberofgirlsmarriedinAfri

19、caisexpectedtodoubleinthenext35years,expertssay.1Thatmeansalmosthalf,or310milliongirls,by2050willbemarriedbeforetheyreachadulthood,saysaUnitedNationsreport.TheAfricanUnionsaysitwantstoendchildmarriageinAfrica.DelegatesatasummitinZambiaareexpectedtoset18yearsoldasthelowestlegalageformarriageacrossthe

20、contient.Marriagebeforeage18isalreadyagainstthelawinmostAfricancountries.YettheUNsaysmorethen125millionAfricanwomenandgirlsalivetodayweremarriedbeforethofthelaw.2AfricanUnioncharwomanNkosozanaDlaminiZumasayslocalculturethatundervaluesgirlsandwomenistoblame.Povertyandlackofeducationarealsoresponsible

21、,expertssay.1.WhatdowelearnfromtheUnitedNationsreport2.WhatisthereasonforchildmarriageinAfricaQuestions3and4willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.Wasteproductsfromapopularalcoholicdrinkcouldbeusedinthefuturetomakebiofuel.Researcherssaythenewfuel,basedonwhisky,couldreducedemandforoil.Theysayusinglessoilc

22、ouldcutpollutionthatstudieshavelinkedtoclimatechange.Scotlandisthelargestproducerofwhiskyintheworld.AndaScottishprofessorhasfoundhowtotakethewasteproductsfromdistillingwhiskyandturnthemintoaformofalcoholcalledbiobutanol.Biobutanolcanbeusedasafuel.Whiskycomesfromgrain,suchascornandwheat.MartinTangney

23、isdirectoroftheBiofuelResearchCentreatNapierUniversityinEdinburgh.Hesayslessthan10percentofwhatcomesoutcanbeconsideredwhisky.4Therestismainlyoneoftwounwantedproducts:strongbeerandwheat.Tangneysaysthetwobyproductscanbeproducedtocreateanewmaterial:biobutanol.WhatisthenewsreportmainlyaboutWhataretheunw

24、antedproductsinmakingwhiskyQuestions5and7willbebasedonthefollowingnewsitem.Forseveralyears,humanresourcesdirectorPeteTapaskarsaysitsbeenachallengetofillallthejobsathissuburbanChicago-basedtechnologycompany.5Gettinghighskilledpeopleisstillachallenge.ElizabethSueisprincipalpolicyanalystfortheChicagoMetropolitanAgencyforPlanning,whostudiesChicagosrecentimmigrationtrends.Shesaid“Theyareslowlymovingintothesouth,especiallyTexas,andAtlanta,Georgia.6Whatweareseeingrightnowisasubstantia