Part 2 Listening Comprehension(25 minutes)

Section A Directions:

In this section, you will hear three news reports. 

At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. 

Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. 

After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices 

marked A), B), C）and D). 

Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Questions 1 and 2 will be based on the following news item.

News Item 1

A number of political analysts are looking at what to expect

 when Republicans assume committee chairmanships.

　One of them is Brett  D）Schaefer, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation`s Margaret

 Thatcher Center for Freedom in Washington D.C. 

He foresees cuts in discretionary spending programs where 

spending is not mandatory but determined each year by Congress.

　Schaefer says many of the expected cuts will come in the budgets 

of programs and groups including the United Nations 

and U.S.State Department that do not have strong domestic constituencies to defend them.

“There has been talk about reducing spending back to 2008 levels,” 

he says.“That would imply an immediate reduction across the board, 

but I would also expect a more conservative House （of Representatives）

to scrutinize funding for foreign aid and international programs in general,

 as they have been more skeptical and critical of those types 

of programs than Democrats traditionally have been.”

　Some possible cuts could be made by the State and 

Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee in the House,

 which determines funding for the State Department, 

USAID and programs involving foreign aid and humanitarian assistance.

1.Schaefer says many of the expected cuts will come in the budgets 

of programs and groups that do not have strong  to defend them.

2.Some  cuts could be made by the State and Foreign Operations 

Appropriations Subcommittee in the House.

Questions 3 and 4 will be based on the following news item.

News Item 2

The vendor is Chinese, the products are Chinese,

 but the market is here in Almaty, capital of Kazakhstan, 

the most prosperous of Central Asia`s five “stans,” or former Soviet Republics

　In Baraholka, the city`s largest bazaar, vendors offer blue jeans, humidifiers,

 mobile phone chargers, and fresh apples all from China.

The trading language is still largely Russian, a legacy of the old colonial power. 

But as Alira, a vendor here, says, the products are not.

　“Russian products?  We have no Russian products,” Alira says adamantly.

　China is doing more than selling pots and pans to Central Asia`s 62 million people. 

　The International Energy Agency reports China is displacing the United States 

this year as the world`s largest energy consumer.Over the next 25 years, 

China`s energy consumption is expected to double.

But the bulk of China`s imported oil and gas passes through vulnerable sea lanes.Hongyi Lai, 

a professor at the University of Nottingham, studies China`s global search for energy.

　“The importance of Central Asia for China is in terms of energy security,” 

says Lai.“It provides transport of oil and gas overland,

 not through sea lanes.So in this form, I think it is more secure for China.”

3.In Baraholka, vendors offer blue jeans, 

mobile phone chargers, and fresh apples all from China.

4.But the  of China`s imported oil and gas passes through vulnerable sea lanes.

Questions 5 and 7 will be based on the following news item.

News Item 3

Seated with the president were Vice President Joe Biden, 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, along with the Democratic chairman 

and ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,

 John Kerry and Richard Lugar.

Also there were former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright, 

James Baker and Henry Kissinger, former defense secretaries William Cohen and William Perry,

 former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft and former Senator Sam Nunn.

Calling ratification a national security imperative, 

the president said failure to do so would endanger the entire U.S. Russian verification regime.

“If we do not, then we do not have a verification regime.No inspectors, 

no insights into Russia`s strategic arsenal, 

no framework for cooperation between the world`s two nuclear superpowers.”

New START was signed earlier this year to replace the expired START treaty. 

It would reduce U.S.and Russian long range nuclear arsenals 

by as much as one third and provide mechanisms for verification by both sides.

During his just completed Asia trip, Mr.Obama told Russian President Dimitry Medvedev 

that achieving Senate approval is his top foreign policy priority.

Though it has broad bipartisan support, New START has faced resistance from Republicans,

 such as Senator Jon Kyl, who asserted it would harm U.S.missile defense efforts, 

and not allow for adequate U.S.verification of Russian compliance.

Saying arms control treaties have not traditionally been a partisan issue in Congress, 

Mr.Obama noted he agreed to add $4.1 billion to upgrade the U.S.nuclear weapons infrastructure, 

to address Republican concerns.Delay, he said, is not an option.

5.The president said failure to do so would endanger the entire U.S. Russian  framework.

6.Mr.Obama said that achieving Senate approval is his foreign policy priority.

7.Though it has   support, New START has faced resistance from Republicans.

Section B

Directions:In this section, you will hear two long conversations.

At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. 

Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. 

After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from 

the four choices marked A), B), C）and D). 

Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Now you will haer the two long conversations

Conversation One

W: Morning, this is TGC!

M: Good morning, Walter Barry here, calling from London. 

Could I speak to Mr. Grand, please?

W: Who`s calling, please?

M: Walter Barry, from London.

W: What is it about, please?

M: Well, I understand that your company has a chemical processing plant. 

My own company LCP, Liquid Control Products, 

is a leader in safety from leaks in the field of chemical processing. 

I`d like to speak to Mr. Grand to discuss ways in which we could help TGC 

to protect itself from such problems and save money at the same time.

W: Yes, I see. Well, Mr. Grand is not available just now.

M: Can you tell me when I could reach him?

W: He`s very busy for the next few days. 

Then he`ll be away in New York. So it`s difficult to give you a time.

M: Could I speak to someone else, perhaps?

W: Who, in particular?

M: A colleague, for example?

W: You are speaking to his personal assistance. 

I can deal with calls for Mr. Grand.

M: Yes, well, could I ring him tomorrow?

W: No, I`m sorry, he won`t be free tomorrow. Listen, let me suggest something.

You send us details of your products and services, 

together with references from other companies.

 And then we`ll contact you.

M: Yes, that`s very kind of you. I have your address.

W: Very good, Mr...?

M: Barry. Walter Barry, from LCP in London.

W: Right, Mr. Barry. We look forward to hearing from you.

M: Thank you, goodbye.

W: Bye.

8：What do we learn about the woman`s company?

9: What do we learn about the man?

10: What`s the woman`s position in her company?

11: What does the woman suggest the man do?

Conversation 2

M: Miss Yamada, did you ever think that you would find yourself 

living and working in the western world?

W: No, not really, although I`ve always listened to 

recordings of great orchestras from Europe.

M: So you enjoyed classical music even when you were very young?

W: Oh, yes. I was an only child.

M: You were born in 1955, is that right?

W: Yes,I began violin lessons at school when I was 6.

M: As young as that, did you like it?

W: Oh, yes, very much.

M: When did you first play on your own? I mean, 

when did you give your first performance?

W: I think I was 8…? No, Nine. I just had my birthday a week before, 

and my father had bought me a new violin. I played a small piece at the school concert.

M: Did you know then that you would become a professional violinist?

W: Yes, I think so. I enjoy playing the violin very much, 

and I didn`t mind practicing, sometimes three or four hours a day.

M: And when did you first come to Europe?

W: I was very lucky. When I was fifteen, 

I won a scholarship to a college in Paris. 

That was for a threeyear course.

M: How did your parents feel about that?

W: I think they were pleased and worried at the same time. 

It was the chance of a lifetime. 

But of course I would be thousands of miles from home.

 Anyway, I studied in Paris for three years and then went back to Tokyo.

12:When did Yamada give her first performance?

13:What do we know about the woman before she went to Europe?

14:What does the woman say about her music experience?

15:What does the woman say about her study in Paris?

Section C. Directions:

In this section, you will hear three short passages. 

At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. 

Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. 

After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C）and D). 

Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One 

What makes a person famous? This is a mystery that many people have carefully thought about. 

All kinds of myths surround the lives of well known people. 

Most people are familiar with the works of William Shakespeare, 

one of the greatest English writers of the 16th and 17th centuries. 

Yet how many know Shakespeare, the person, the man behind the works? 

After centuries of research, scholars are still trying to discover Shakespeare`s personal history.

It is not easily found in his writings. Authors of the time

 could not protect their works. An acting company, for example,

 could change the play if they wanted to. 

Nowadays, writers have copy rights to protect their work. 

Many myths arose about Shakespeare. Some said he had no formal education. 

Others believe that he began his career by tending the horses of wealthy men. 

All of these myths are interesting, but are they true? Probably not. 

Shakespeare`s father was a respective man in Stratford upon Avon, a man of the town council. 

He sent young William to grammar school.

 Most people of Elizabethan times did not continue beyond grammar school.

 So Shakespeare did have at least average education. 

Some parts of Shakespeare`s life will always remain unknown.

 The great London fire of 1666 burned many important 

documents that could`ve been a source of clues.

 We will always be left with many questions and few facts. 

16:What does speaker say about William Shakespeare?

17:What does we learn about Shakespeare`s father?

18:Why does the speaker say parts of Shakespeare`s life remain a mystery?

Passage 2

Wherever you go and for whatever reason, it`s important to be safe. 

While the majority of people you will meet 

when travelling are sure to be friendly and welcoming, 

there are dangers theft being the most common. Just as in your home country, 

do not expect everyone you meet to be friendly and helpful. 

It`s important to prepare for your trip in advance 

and to take precautions while you are travelling. 

As you prepare for your trip, make sure your have the right paperwork. 

You don`t want to get to your destination, only to find you have the wrong visa, 

or worse, that your passport isn`t valid anymore.

 Also, make sure you travel with proper medical insurance,

 so that if you are sick or injured during your travels, 

you will be able to get treatment. 

If you want to drive while you are abroad, 

make sure you have an international driver`s license. 

When you get to your destination, use official transport.

 Always go to bus and taxi stands. 

Don`t accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift.

 If there is no meter in the taxi, agree on the price before you get in.

 If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while travelling, 

make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside.

 Finally, remember to smile. 

It`s the friendliest and the most sincere form of communication.

 And it is sure to be understood in any part of the world.

19:What is mentioned as a most common danger when people go travelling abroad?

20:What is the most important thing to do when you prepare for your trip abroad?

21:What does the speaker suggest you do when you arrive at your destination?

Passage 3

The British are supposed to be famous for laughing at themselves,

but even their sense of humour has a limit, 

as the British retailer Gerald Ratner found out to his cost. 

When Ratner took over his father`s chain of 130 jewelry shops in 1984,

 he introduced a very clear company policy.

He decided that his shops should sell down market products at the lowest possible prices. 

It was a great success. The British public loved his cheap gold earrings and his tasteless silver ornaments. 

By 1991, Ratner`s company had 2,400 shops 

and it was worth over 680 million pounds. But in April of that year, 

Gerald Ratner made a big mistake.At a big meeting of top British businesspeople, 

he suited up and explained the secret of his success. 

People say “How can we sell our goods for such a low price?”

I say “Because they are absolute rubbish.” His audience roared with laughter.

 But the British newspapers and the British public were not so amused.

People felt insulted and stayed away from Ratner`s shops. 

Sales fell and 6 months after his speech,

 Ratner`s share price had fallen by 42%. The following year,

 things got worse and Gerald Ratner was forced to resign.

 By the end of 1992, he lost his company, his career and his house.

 Even worse, 25,000 of his employees had lost their jobs.

It had been a very expensive joke.

22:What did Gerald Ratner decide to do when he took over his father`s shops?

23:On what occasion did Gerald Ratner explained the secret of his success?

24:How did people feel when they leaned of Gerald Ratner`s remarks?

25: What does the story of Gerald Ratner suggest?