下载文档原格式
第3課【内容1・その1】自然を楽しむ日本の文化、花見。
新しい年度が始まりました。
新たな門出を迎える人、また、春の陽気とともに、気分をリフレッシュさせる人など、それぞれの春を迎えているでしょう。
今回は、桜の木の下でお酒を飲みながら、どんちゃん騒ぎをするという、日本の花見文化について、お話ししていきましょう。
花の鑑賞、花の下での飲食、大勢で楽しみ騒ぐ群衆の三つの要素を合わせ持つ、日本独特の文化である花見は、安土桃山時代、秀吉の吉野、醍醐の豪華絢爛な宴を頂点として、広く行われました。
秀吉は文禄3年（1594年）2月25日、京を出発して、文禄3年2月27日、吉野山に到着。
それから5日間、歌を詠み、能を舞い、吉野山の桜を楽しんだと言われています。
秀吉は醍醐寺の三宝院の景観をことのほか愛し、春になると、この地で観桜の宴を開きました。
そのため、秀吉が近隣諸国の王（※諸国の大名）に、山城、河内、大和から取り寄せた桜700本を移植したと言われています。
現在も醍醐寺に、その桜は見事に花を咲かせているんですよ。
庶民が花見に熱狂するようになったのは江戸時代からで、それまでは上流社会だけの文化でした。
江戸の桜は、ほとんど奈良県の吉野山から移植したもので、［徳川（とくがわ）］家康（いえやす）、秀忠（ひでただ）、家光（いえみつ）など、花好きの将軍によって、植栽が盛んに行われ、参勤交代で江戸は品種交流の場ともなり、数々の名所もでき、花見は一般化していきました。
花見といえば、主に桜となり、山野の花見は桜狩と称して、時代が降（くだ）るにつれ、花見は公家から武家、近世には都市住民のものとなり、今日に至っています。
【その2】なぜ、日本人は春になると、桜の下でお花見をし、お酒を飲み、ごちそうを食べたくなるのでしょうか。
古代日本人は、山の神様と言われるサ神樣にいろいろ祈願しますのに、ただでは申し訳ありませんから、まず、種々（くさぐさ／シュシュ）のお供え物をしました。
４番大学の英語セミナーの説明会で係りの人が話しています。
参加したい学生はまず何をしなければなりませんか。
男：えー、夏休みの上級英語セミナーについて説明します。
セミナーに申込みたい人はインターネットでテストを受けてください。
テストの点数によって参加できるかどうか決まりますから必ず今週中に受けておくようにしてください。
結果は来週、学生課の前の掲示板で発表しますのでそちらで確認してください。
セミナーの申込みは結果が出た後にします。
参加費の振込みも同様です。
申込み期間が短いので気をつけてください。
参加したい学生はまず何をしなければなりませんか。
４番在大学的英语研讨会说明会上负责人在说话。
想参加的学生必须要做什么呢？参加したい学生はまず何をしなければなりませんか。
～たい（第三题出现过，复习一下）表示想要实现某行为的要求或强烈愿望~なければなりません（第三题出现过，复习一下）应该，必须，有必要性，义务男：说明一下关于暑假的高级英语研讨会。
上級英語セミナーについて説明します~について关于…，就…另一个郑重说法是～につきまして想要申请参加研讨会的人员请在网络上接受测验。
テストを受けてください～てください。
表示请求或命令，请….根据测验的分数决定能否参加，所以请务必争取在这周内接受测验。
テストの点数によって参加できるかどうか決まりますから必ず今週中に受けておくようにしてください。
①~によって根据…. 视情况而定②～かどうか是否，是…还是（不）…..（第三题出现过，复习）③今週中：表示时间的名词+中（ちゅう）在一段时间内④~ておく（提前预先做某事）（第一、三题也出现了，复习一下。
）⑤～动词ようにする要做到…，设法做到。
将行为、状况成立作为目标进行努力结果在下周于学生科前的公告栏上公布，敬请确认。
研讨会的申请在结果出来后申请。
参加费用的转账也是一样。
申请期间很短敬请注意。
想参加的学生必须要做什么呢？原文解析跟音频同时发布在公众号“三月采苓”，敬请关注。
３番会社で男の人と女の人が歓迎会について話しています。
女の人はこの後まず何をしますか。
男：再来週の新入社員の歓迎会、僕が準備することになってたでしょう？ちょっと手伝ってほしいんだけど・・・。
女：うん、いいよ。
男：営業課全員に出られるかどうかを聞いてくれる？もう店は決まってて、だいたいの人数は伝えてあるんだけど、そろそろ最終的な人数をお店に連絡しなきゃならないんだ。
女：わかった。
男：全員に聞いたら店に電話して人数を連絡しといてくれる？その店、今日は休みだから明日以降でいいよ。
それからメンバーが決まったら僕にもメールで教えて、参加する人確認したいから。
女：うん。
他になんかない？男：歓迎会で何をするか内容を決めなくちゃいけないんだけど、それは自分でやっておくよ。
じゃ、よろしく。
女の人はこの後まず何をしますか。
３番在公司男士和女士在谈论关于欢迎会的事。
女士在此之后首先做什么呢？男：下下周的新进员工欢迎会，是我来准备吧？希望你能帮帮忙。
ちょっと手伝ってほしいんだけど。
～てほしい希望别人做某事女：嗯、可以啊。
男：帮我问一下营业科全部人员是否能出席？店已经选好了，也告知了大概的人数，但是差不多要告诉店里那边最终的人数了。
①出られるかどうか出る→出られる（可能形）②～かどうか是否，是…还是（不）…..伝えてあるんだけど③～てある状态持续、表被动④だけど但是⑤お店に連絡しなきゃならないんだなければなりません→なければならない→なきゃならない（なきゃ是なければ的口语、通俗说法）应该~（表示…是必要的/有义务的）⑥～てくれる别人主动为我做某事（第一题也出现了，复习一下。
）⑦のです。
解释说明→んです（礼貌会话）→ならないんだ女：好的，明白了。
男：问过全员之后给店里打电话告诉他们人数好吗？那家店今天休息所以明天以后也可以。
还有决定好人员后发邮件告诉我，因为我想确认一下参加的人员。
①聞いたら/決まったら假定形，一般翻译为如果…的话②連絡しといてくれる。
《新日本语能力考试3级N 3》--听解模拟题一． 問題ニ、聴解スクリプト問題11番：男の人と女の人が話しています。
教室はどうなりましたか。
女：きのう、教室たいへんだったのよ。
男：どうしたの？女：風がガラスを割るほど強かった。
男：じゃあ、窓のガラスは…。
女：そうよ、一いち枚まい落おちて、インクも倒たおれて、地じ面めんに流ながれていったのよ。
男：え、どうして？女：インクがちょうどその下したにあったんだが。
誰だれかが蓋ふたをしめるのを忘わすれたの。
男：あ、そうか。
教室はどうなりましたか。
纸张、玻璃、衬衣一类东西的读法一いち枚まい（一张、一件） 二に枚まい 三さん枚まい 四よん枚まい 五ご枚まい 六ろく枚まい七枚しちまい・ななまい 八はち枚まい 九きゅう枚まい 十じゅう枚まい 十じゅう一いち枚まい 十じゅう二に枚まい 百ひゃく枚まい 千せん枚まい 万まん枚まい 何なん枚まい2番：男の人と女の人が話しています。
だれが手袋を編みましたか。
女：その手て袋ぶくろ、暖あたたかそうですね。
どこで買かったんですか。
男：これはお兄さんが……女：ああ、お兄さんが買ってくれたんですか。
男：いいえ、お兄さんが友とも達だちに編あんでもらったものです。
僕ぼくのじゃないんですよ。
女：そうなんですか。
とても上手ですね。
2番：だれが手袋を編みましたか。
（１） この男の人の友達（２） この女の人の友達（３） この女の人のお兄さんの友達（４） この男の人のお兄さんの友達3番：（１） １０００円（２） １００円（３） ９００円（４） １１００円3番：男の人と女の人が話しています。
女の人は最後いくら出しましたか。
男：はい、お客きゃくさん。
全ぜん部ぶで１０００円です。
女：はい、これちょうどです。
男：あっ、１０００円になると、現げん金きん一いち割わりをお返かえしします。
女：ほんとう？ありがとうございます。
女の人は最後いくら出しましたか。
問題２1番：テレビで女の人が贈り物について話しています。
沪江日语绿宝书之日文原版模拟题N3听力原文聴解問題１1番正解 2女の人と男の人が午後の会議について話しています。
男の人はこのあとすぐ、何をしなければなりませんか。
女：午後の会議、時間が変更になったから、2時からの使用予約、取り消しといてって。
男：えっ、本当？女：ええ、部長に急に来客があるとかで、3時からにしてほしいって。
男：えー、困るなぁ。
僕も3時半に来客の予定なんだけど…。
その会議、30分で終わるかなぁ…。
女：う一ん、3時半ね。
部長の話はいつも長いからね…。
でも、とにかくお願いね。
男：はい、はい。
男の人はこのあとすぐ、何をしなければなりませんか。
1 会議室を2時からに予約し直す2 会議室を3時からに予約し直す3 会議室を3時半から予約し直す4 3時半からの予約を取り消す2番正解 4男の人と女の人がコピー機のことについて話しています。
男の人はこのあと何をしますか。
男：あれ？またかなぁ…。
女：どうしたんですか。
男：う一ん、紙がつまっちゃったみたいで…。
女：そのコピー機、最近よくつまるんですよね。
きのうも山田さんが困ってました…。
コピー機は総務の担当だから、川上さんに言ったほうがいいですね。
男：困るなぁ。
急いでる時に限ってなんだから…。
女：一度、修理に来てもらったほうがいいですよね？男：そうだね。
サービスセンターに電話すればいいのかな。
えっと、電話番号は…。
女：そこのコピー機の横のシールに書いてありますよ。
あ、でも、直接じゃない方が…。
男：そっか、そうだね、そうしよう。
男の人はこのあと何をしますか。
1 サービスセンターに電話する。
2修理の人にお願いする3山田さんに話をする4川上さんに連絡する3番正解３女の人はリサイクルでベットボトルを出したいときに、何をしなければなりませんか。
男：こんにちは、先週引っ越して来られたので、ちょっとごみの分け方を…。
女：あっ、はい。
何でしょうか。
男：あの、ベットボトルなんですが、ラペルを取って出してください。
28五、真题解析之N3問題1 課題理解1番女の学生と先生が話しています。
女の学生はレポートのどこを直しますか。
女：先生、レポートを書いたんですが、これでよろしいでしょうか。
先生：あ、もう書いたんですか。
早いですね。
内容は後で見ますね。
女：タイトルの書き方はこれでいいですか。
先生：うーん、問題ないですよ。
これでいいでしょう。
女：ありがとうございます。
先生：他は、名前も書いてあるし、番号も書いてあるし。
でも、名前は名字も書いてください。
それから、科目名が間違っていますね。
この授業は世界の文学ですよ。
日本じゃなくて。
女：あっ、すみません。
先生：それを直して、もう一度出してください。
女：はい。
女の学生はレポートのどこを直しますか。
正解：4解题要点：女学生要修改报告的哪里？名字要把姓氏也写上，然后科目写错了，应该是世界文学。
2番会社で男の人と女の人が話しています。
女の人はどうやってドアを開けますか。
男：佐藤さん、今日からお仕事をお願いすることになりました。
よろしくお願いします。
女：よろしくお願いします。
男：まず、部屋の入り方を説明します。
部屋の出入り口には安全のために、鍵がかけてあり、関係者以外は入れないようになっています。
女：はい。
男：私たち社員は暗証番号を押すか、人差し指で機械に触れてドアを開けるんですが。
佐藤さんはアルバイトですので、こちらのカードをお使いください。
このカードを機械に入れると、ピーと音が鳴って、ドアが開きますので。
女：はい。
女の人はどうやってドアを開けますか。
正解：4解题要点：佐藤是打工的，使用卡开门。
将卡放在机器上就会发出噼的声音，门就开了。
3番女の人と男の留学生が話しています。
男の留学生は土曜日、何をしなければなりませんか。
女：あ、リーさん。
今週の土曜日にこの町でお祭るがあって、私たち店を出すんだけど。
よければ、ちょっと手伝ってもらえない？男：お祭りですか、いいですね。
何を手伝いましょうか。
聴解問題１問題１では、まず質問を聞いてください。
それから話を聞いて、問題用紙の１から４の中から、最もよいものを一つ選んでください。
１番ア．のりイ．ボールペンウ．ノートエ．ふうとうオ．コピー用紙1 アイウ2 アウエ3 アウオ4 アエオ２番1 赤ちゃんのふく2 赤ちゃんのおもちゃ3 友達のふく4 友達のバック３番1 友達にれんらくする2 レストランをよやくする3 旅行の計画を立てる4 ひこうきをよやくする４番1 映画をみる2 にもつをだす3 本屋に行く4 ご飯を食べる5番1 かさをよういする2 リビングのエアコンをけす3 台所の電気をけす4 台所のまどをしめる6番1 アンケートをとる2 行く場所をさがす3 何をするか決める4 しょくじする店をきめる問題2問題２では、まず質問を聞いてください。
そのあと、問題用紙を見てください。
読む時間があります。
それから話を聞いて、問題用紙の１から４の中から、最もよいものを一つ選んでください。
1番1 来週の月曜日2 来週の火曜日3 来週の水曜日4 来週の木曜日2番1 いろいろな国の料理が作れるから2 平日に教室があるから3 一人で作れるから4 料金が安いから3番1 朝早い仕事だったから2 時給が安かったから3 物を作る仕事したかったから4 ほかの仕事を経験したかったから4番1 インターネットを使うこと2 メールをすること3 プリンターを使うこと4 DVDを見ること5番1 申し込みの締め切りがすぎたから2 二回目の参加だから3 一ヶ月後に帰国するから4 来日して半年以上になるから6番1 新しい店で働けること2 車を使って仕事ができること3 商品がたくさん売れること4 村の人が喜んでくれること問題３問題３では、問題用紙に何も印刷されていません。
この問題は、全体としてどんな内容かを聞く問題です。
話の前に質問はありません。
まず話を聞いてください。
それから、質問とせんたくしを聞いて、１から４の中から、最もよいものを一つ選んでください。
沪江日语绿宝书之2011年12月新日本語能力試験3級听力原文問題1問題1では、まず質問を聞いてください。
それから話を聞いて問題用紙の１から４の中から、最もよいものを１つ選んでください。
1番教室で女の先生と男の学生が話しています。
男の学生はこの後すぐ何をしますか。
女老师和男学生在教室里说话。
男学生在这之后会马上做什么呢？女：それでは、今日の授業は終わりです。
宿題の作文は来週忘れずに出してください。
男：先生、何か手伝いましょうか？下课了，老师提醒大家不要忘记下周交作文。
男学生问“有什么可以帮忙的吗？”。
女：ああ、どうもありがとう。
私はパソコン片付けるから、うーん、じゃあ、黒板、消してくれる？男：はい、後、CDプレーヤ、先生の部屋に持って行きましょうか？女：CDプレーヤは次の授業でも使うから、そのままにしておいて、ありがとう。
老师说她会自己整理电脑，让男学生帮忙擦黑板。
男学生接受了擦黑板的任务，接着继续问“需要把CD 机放到老师的办公室吗”。
女老师说“CD机下堂课也要用的，所以就那样放着好了”。
于是我们可以知道，这之后男学生要做的就是擦黑板。
Ｑ：男の学生はこの後すぐ何をしますか。
正解：32番男の人と女の人が話しています。
男の人は友達のお見舞いに何を持っていきますか。
男人和女人在说话。
男人会带什么去探望朋友呢？男：鈴木さんが入院してるって知ってた？女：うん、私、昨日お見舞いに行ってきたんだ。
思ったより元気そうだったよ！男：あっ、本当、よかった。
僕も今日行くつもりなんだけど、お見舞いって何持って行けばいいと思う？两人聊到了铃木住院的事情。
女人说自己昨天去看望过铃木了，他还挺精神的。
于是男生说自己也想要在今天去探望下，不知带什么去比较好。
从这里可以知道，下面就是开始讨论探病的礼物了。
女：私は花を持って行ったけど、鈴木さん、入院生活が退屈だって言ってたから、雑誌か何かがいいんじゃない？男：そっか、じゃあそうしよう、後果物でも持っていこう。
Unit 9Section OnePart 1 Spot DictationAs the bulge of the baby boom pushes into (1) middle age - the 30-to-50-year-olds are now the (2) largest age group in this country - our outlook on getting older is (3) changing. In fact, experts are finding today that getting older is getting better, in very (4) real ways.Most people in their middle years are at the (5) peak of their working lives. This is the time of (6) competence when people get a great deal of (7) satisfaction and security out of realizing they have something to (8) offer others.As you get older, you're more (9) secure in your relationships. The longer you've been married, the more likely it is that you are going to (10) stay married.It takes a long time to become a (11) person. The older you get, the more (12) unique you become. You become (13) clearer about what you think, what you like and don'tlike. You know who you are.One of the things we fear about growing older is increasing(14) isolation. If you let it, your world can (15) shrink. But if you make the effort, (16) midlife can be a time of more personal relationships. If you (17) nourish your relationships, by the time you've reached midlife you have a rich network -lifelong friends, (18) acquaintances, colleagues, an extended family.While older people are free to spend their time the way they want, they also know they have (19) less of it. That makes them more aware of how precious timeis and more (20) discriminating about how they use it.ExerciseDirections: Listen to the passage and fill in the blanks with what you hear. (Refer to Tapescript)Unlike air travel, which is regulated internationally, rail travel is in many cases controlled nationally. The degree of safety of rail travel is therefore highly variable from country to country, depending on the degree of regulation and the quality of regulation in the country concerned. In Britain and the United States rail passenger deaths work out at an average of less than 10 rail passenger deaths per year. Unfortunately, the rail passenger deaths per year statistics in the less developed parts of the world are considerably higher than the rail passenger deaths per year statistics are in the western world.In the UK over the last 25 years, there has been an average of one train accident for every million miles run. Because individual trains carry such a large number of passengers compared with the number of passengers carried in cars, buses and planes, this actually means that the degree of risk is, comparatively, one which is almost non-existent.By far the greatest cause of railway accidents is human error, either in controlling or responding to signals. Recent improvements in the numbers ofaccidents are in large measure due to the introduction of automatic and computerized signalling equipment. Radio communication systems between drivers and control centres have also proved influential in reducing accidents. With the continuing development of radio communication systems and automatic signalling systems we can look forward to further reductions in what are already impressively low accident rates.ExerciseDirections: Listen to the passage and write down the gist and the key words that help you decide.1)This passage is about rail travel safety.2)The key words are highly variable. degree and quality of regulation: Britainand the United States. less than 10 rail passenger deaths per year: less developed parts. higher: UK. last25 years. one train accident for every million miles run: cause. human error: automatic. computerized signaling. radio communication systems. reduce accidents.Section Two Listening Comprehension ~Part 1DialogueAdolescenceInterviewer: So, you say Eric's what you'd consider pretty strict but pretty fair? So, for example, when he tells you to do Interviewer: somethingJora: Well, he's strict and I get angry when he doesn't want me to do stuff. But afterwards I can almost always see why he said it, y'know?Interviewer: Yeah.Jora:And there's only a couple of incidents where, well, that were totally,y'know, that I didn't understand at all.Interviewer:Hmm. Not a bad record.Eric:No. Vh, 'cos I'm sure I've made some mistakes.Interviewer: Is ... how would you compare your mom? Is she less strict than your dad? Mm-hmm. Well, she's less strict, but it's, it's like I can't win, y'know? The stuff that my dad's not strict about, my mom's strict about, and·the stuff that my mom's not strict about, my dad is. And, well, like my dad doesn't let me see PG-13* or R movies, but my mom does. She, well, she rents R-rated* movies, and lets me watch them and all, but my dad won't even let me see PG-13.Eric:Well, uh, that's not really true. It depends on what it is. My rule with PG-13 is either I've had to have seen it first or, you know, talked to someone who I trust ... who's seen it.Interviewer:So, your mom's looser about movies. Uh, what's shestricter about?Jora: Chores, junk food, buying me specific things -Interviewer:When you say buying you things, do you mean -Jora: Like when we go to the store.Interviewer:She doesn't want to pay for them?Jora: She doesn't want to pay for things. She wants me to buy my own friends' presents, you know, stuff like thatInterviewer:So, do you get anallowance?Jora: Yeah, I do.Interviewer:So,Jora, what do you think about your dad? Do you think he's a pretty good dad? I mean, how does he compare with your friends' fathers? Jora: Urn, my dad is very strict, but he's ... he's .. , he's pretty good. He ... he's very nice and he lets me do just enough so I don't get too angry.ExerciseDirections: Listen to the dialogue and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).l.T 2.T 3.F 4.T 5.T 6.F 7.T 8. TPart 2 PassageA Brief History of Banking1)Situated usually at a table or in a small shop in the commercial district, thebankers aided travelers who came to the town by exchanging foreign coins for local money.2)It wasn't long before the idea of attracting deposits and securing temporaryloans from wealthy customers became an important source of bank funding.3)The banking industry gradually spread outward from the classicalcivilizations of Greece and Rome into northern and western Europe.4)The early banks in Europe were places for safekeeping of valuable items aspeople came to fear loss of their assets due to war, theft, or expropriation by government.5)As the 19th century began, the development of large, professionally managedbanking firms was centered in a few leading commercial centers, especially New York.When did the first banks appear? The first bankers lived more than 2,000 years ago. They were money changers, situated usually at a table or in a small shop in the commercial district, aiding travelers who came to the town by exchanging foreign coins for local money or discounting commercial notes for a fee in order to supply merchants with working capital.The first bankers probably used their own capital to fund their activities, but it wasn't long before the idea of attracting deposits and securing temporary loans from wealthy customers became an important source of bank funding.Loans were then made to merchants, shippers, and landowners, at rates of interest as low as 6 percent per annum to as high as 48 percent a month for the riskiest ventures * ! Most of the early banks of any size were Greek in origin.The banking industry gradually spread outward from the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome into northern and western Europe. Banking encountered religious opposition during the Middle Ages, primarily because loans made to the poor often carried high interest rates. However, as theRenaissance began in Europe, the bulk of bank loans and deposits involved relatively wealthy customers, which helped to reduce religious opposition to banking practices.The development of new overland trade routes and improvements in navigation in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries gradually shifted the center of world commerce from the Mediterranean region toward Europe and the British Isles, where banking became a leading industry. The Industrial Revolution demanded a well-developed financial system. In particular, the adoption of mass production methods required a corresponding expansion in global trade to absorb industrial output, requiring new methods for making payments and credit available. Banks that could deliver on these needs grew rapidly.The early banks in Europe were places for safekeeping of valuable items (such as gold and silver bullion) as people came to fear loss of their assets due to war, theft, or expropriation by government. In England during the reigns of.Henry VIII and Charles I, government efforts to seize private holdings of goldand silver resulted in people depositing their valuables in goldsmiths' shops, who, in turn, would issue tokens* or certificates, indicating that the customer had made a deposit at these businesses. Soon, goldsmith tokens or certificates began to circulate as money because they were more convenient and less risky to carry around. The goldsmiths also offered certification of value services - what we today might call property appraisals*. Customers would bring in valuables tohave an expert certify that these items were indeed real and not fakes - a service many banks still provide their customers.When colonies were established in North and South America, Old World banking practices were transferred to the New World. As the 19th century began, state governments in the United States began chartering* banking companies. The development of large, professionally managed banking firms was centered in a few leading commercial centers, especially New York. The federal government became a major force in US banking during Civil War.Exercise A Pre-listening QuestionA bank is, actually, a business organization, usually a limited company, which trades mainly in money, receiving and holding deposits and paying sums out of them by order of the customer, lending money at interest, discounting bills of exchange, moving from one place to another, acting as customer's agent in buying and selling securities, serving as trustee or executor, and performing various extra services for customers, e.g. arranging travel and insurance andadvising on tax and investment.Exercise B Sentence DictationDirection: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times ..Exercise C Detailed ListeningDirections: Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.l.B 2.A 3.C 4.D 5.D 6.A 7.C 8. BExercise D After-listening DiscussionDirections: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.1)The early banks in Europe were places for safekeeping of valuable items(such as gold and silver bullion) as people came to fear loss of their assets due to war, theft, or expropriation by government. In England during the reigns of Henry VIII and Charles I, government efforts to seize private holdings of gold and silver resulted in people depositing their valuables in goldsmiths' shops, who, in turn, would issue tokens or certificates, indicating that the customer had made a deposit at these businesses. Soon, goldsmith tokens or certificates began to circulate as money because they were more convenientand less risky to carry around. The goldsmiths also offered certification of value services - what we today might call property appraisals. Customers would bring in valuables to have an expert certify that these items were indeed real and not fakes - a service many banks still provide their customers.2)(Open)Section Three NewsNews Item 1Greenland Ice SheetA US Space Agency study finds that Greenland is melting around the edges. The loss to the world's second largest ice sheet - more than 50 cubic kilometers per year - is enough to raise global sea level by 0.13 millimeters. NASA scientist Bill Krabill says the data indicates a process of change that does not immediately threaten coastal regions."The more important thing is to consider it as a signal of global climate change and to monitor it in case it starts to accelerate."Eighty-five percent of Greenland is covered by ice and is more accessible for scientific study than Antarctica, which is under the world's largest ice sheet."Greenland, the way it's positioned - much more north south, and the southern tip of Greenland protrudes* into the more temperate* latitudes* - it may react much quicker to global climate change than Antarctica does."Exercise ADirections: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.This news item is about the rapid thinning of the ice sheet on Greenland.Exercise BDirections: Listen to the news again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).l.F 2.F3.T 4.T5. TCoolingAntarcticaA new study says Antarctica, the southernmost continent, has cooled measurably in recent years. The findings are a departure from global trends that show significant warming during the last century.University of Chicago Professor Pete~ Doran monitors the pulse* of Antarctica. He and other researchers have plotted* climate trends in the region. They are working with data from weather stations in Antarctica's DryValleys, a perpetually snow-free, mountainous zone, and from stations across the continent.Their records show a decrease by 0.7 degrees Celsius per decade in the DryValleys since 1986 and a similar cooling trend across the continent since 1978.Doran said, "Antarctica is somewhat isolated because there is a big ocean current* that constantly circles around the continent and actually sort of isolatesit, and that's what makes it cold. And, that may be a factor in why we are seeing Antarctica cooling is that slight disconnect from the rest of the globe, and it's not behaving in the same way."Exercise ADirections: Listen to the news item and complete the summary.This news item is about the result of a new study which suggests Antarctic cooling.Exercise BDirections: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions.1. A new study says Antarctica, the southernmost continent, has cooled measurably in recent years.2. Professor Peter Doran and other researchers have plotted climate trends in the region.1.Antarctica's DryValleys is a perpetually snow-free, mountainous zone.2.The records show a decrease by 0.7 degrees Celsius per decade in theDryValleys since 1986 and a similar cooling trend across the continent since 19783.There is a big ocean current that constantly circles around the continent, soAntarctica is somewhat isolated from the rest of the globe, and does not behave in the same wayNews Item 3Climate ChangeTAPESCRIPT AND KEYThe UN study predicts global temperatures will increase by nearly six degrees Celsius during this century. It says this will lead to increased flooding, drought, a rise in sea levels, and other climatic effects.The study says all regions of the world will suffer adverse* effects of climate change. The panel's co-chairman, James McCarthy, says some plant and mammals will be irreversibly* damaged; others will become extinct.Mr McCarthy says millions of people will be made homeless in low-lying countries such as Bangladesh because of sea level rise. Some islands will disappear completely. Economic losses will be incalculableIn addition, the report says crop and water loss will lead to more famine* in dry areas of the world, such as Africa.Exercise ADirections: Listen to the news item and complete the summaryThis news item is about a study report on the dangers of global warming. Exercise BDirections: Listen to the news again and complete the following outline.Global WarmingI.Global temperatures increaseA. Global temperatures will increase by nearly six degrees Celsius.II. Unfavorable effectsA. Increasedflooding drought with crop and water lossa.Some plants and mammals will be irreversibly damaged or becomeextinct.b.More faminein dry areas of the world, such as Africa.B. A rise in sea levels,and other climatic effectsa)M illions of people will become homelessin low-lying countries such asBangladesh.b)Some islands will disappear completely.c) Economic losses will be incalculable.Section Four Supplementary ExercisesPart 1 Feature ReportGlobal WarmingBy the year 2100, authors of a new study say, there could be a major increase in global temperatures if nothing is done to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The predictions are contained in an article appearing in the current issue of the journal Science.Writing in Science, Tom Wigley of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and Sarah Raper, of the University of East Anglia in England, described the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel * on Climate Change.The IPCC is a United Nations group made up of hundreds of climatologists*and geologists* from around the- world. It concluded that, if greenhouse gases - such as carbon dioxide and methane* - are allowed to continue to migrate into the earth's upper atmosphere unchecked, temperatures near the ground could rise between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.However, what policymakers want to know according to MrWigley is the likelihood, or probability that temperatures will be at the low end of that range or exceed the range. So, he and a colleague Sarah Raper developed a formula for figuring out how large the temperature increase might be."One of the things we did was that we tried to work out what one would call the fifty-percent confidence interval *. The temperature range that corresponds to fifty-percent probability for warming lies within that range. But the fifty-percent confidence interval is roughly 2.4 to 3.8 degrees Celsius. And what that means is there's a 25 percent probability, or one chance in four, that, by 2100, the warming - the global warming - will exceed 3.8 degrees Celsius." Atmospheric scientist Tom Wigley says he used a computer model that refined the global warming range. The investigators plugged* in several different variables* that might occur throughout the century, such as the emissions of different greenhouse gases, to come up with the narrower range.But another study published in the journal Science challenged the IPCC's prediction that temperature will rise between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100. John Reilly is with the global climate change program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Mr Reilly says the IPCC range containsno uncertainty analysis."It makes a difference whether you think there's a 60-percent chance it's going to rain today or a 30-percent chance it's going to rain today."Mr Reilly says mathematicians at MIT have made some calculations of their own, and come up with a different global warming range.MIT's John Reilly estimates the average rise in global temperatures will be 2.5 degrees Celsius if nothing is done by the end of the century.Exercise ADirections: Listen to the news report and complete the summary.This news report is about different predictions of global warming range by 2100. Exercise BDirections: Listen to the news again and answer the following questions.1)IPCC stands for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UnitedNations group made up of hundreds of climatologists and geologists from around the world.2)The IPCC concluded that, if greenhouse gases - such as carbon dioxide andmethane - are allowed to continue to migrate into the earth's upper atmosphere unchecked, temperatures near the ground could rise between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.3)What policymakers want to know according to MrWigley is the likelihood, orprobability that temperatures will be at the low end of that range or exceed the range.4)They conclude that by 2100, the global warming will exceed 3.8 degreesCelsius.5)MIT's John Reilly and his colleagues estimate the average rise in globaltemperatures will be 2.5 degrees Celsius if nothing is done by the end of the century.International Financial Markets1)Policymakers try to stimulate growth through either expansionary monetaryor fiscal policy.2)With the increase in size and mobility of capital internationally, a substantialamount of national debts may be to foreigners, denominated in foreigncurrencies.3)Once the supply of international reserves is threatened, the country'scentral bank may be forced to step aside, allowing the currency todepreciate.4)The domestic economy may weaken severely following the currency crisis, ifother countries have pursued similar macroeconomic strategies, or facesimilar macroeconomic conditions.5)International financial markets impose a powerful disciplining force, muchthe same as stock market investors reward and penalize companies for good and bad performance.An important aspect in the transformation of international financial markets comes from the speed, severity*, and scope of market reactions. Policymakers who try to stimulate growth through either expansionary monetary or fiscal* policy must face an external constraint imposed by a pegged* exchange rate or a limit on how much can be borrowed from foreigners. Throughout most of the post-World War II period, imbalances resulting from differences in national economic policies or macroeconomic* performance were slow to develop. Capital mobility was limited, and there was less opportunity for capital flight. At some point, the overstretched country would devalue by 10 percent, 20 percent, or so and the cycle would start again - with no great headlines, no great drop in national income, and no knock-on* effects to neighboring countries.Over the last 10 years, the nature of international financial adjustment has changed. With the increase in size and mobility of capital internationally, a substantial amount of national debts may be to foreigners, denominated in foreign currencies, and in practice these debts are often short-term. As long as foreigners feel confident about the macroeconomic performance of a country, existing short-term debts are rolled over and new capital flows may follow thus furthering the expansion.However, any event that shakes confidence (a corporate failure, a bank failure, a commodity price drop, a political speech, or a scandal) could halt theflow of capital and jeopardize* the rollover* of debt on existing terms. A scenario of this sort triggers* a demand for international reserves, which are in limited supply at the central bank. Once the supply of international reserves is threatened, the country's central bank may be forced to step aside, allowing the currency to depreciate without any assurance of where the next stable anchor will be. We can call this a currency crisis. Because bank debts are in foreign currencies, the devaluation worsens bank balance sheets and banks may be forced to stop lending or call in existing loans to raise cash. Domestic banks are likely to fail if these steps are unsuccessful. Thus, the domestic economy may weaken severely following the currency crisis. If other countries have pursued similar macroeconomic strategies, or face similar macroeconomic conditions, these events underscore the impact that a vast pool of capital may have when it is mobile across borders and denominated in a foreign currency.International financial markets impose a powerful disciplining force - rewarding good policies and outcomes, and penalizing* poor policies and outcomes - much the same as stock market investors reward and penalize companies for good and bad performance. This new international investment climate raises important questions for the pricing of foreign securities and for investors and macroeconomic policies.Exercise A Pre-listening QuestionThe most conspicuous function of money is that it can be used as a means of making payment forgoodsand services. In a more scientific term, it is generally accepted as a medium of exchange.Exercise B Sentence DictationDirections: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times.(Refer to Tapescript)Exercise C Detailed ListeningDirections: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Discuss with your classmates why you think the statement is true or false.T 1. The speed, accuracy, and scope of market reactions lead to another the transformation of international financial markets.(An important aspect in the transformation of international financialmarkets comes fromthe speed, severity, and scope of market reactions.)F 2. Through the most of the Second World War, capital mobility was limited.there were hardly any possibilities for capital flight.(Throughout most of the post-World War II period, there was lessopportunity for capitalflight.)3. To some degree, the overstretched country -at that time would devalue by Tat least 10percent in the circulation of capital.(At some point, the overstretched country would devalue by 10 percent, 20 so.)-T 4. Over the last decade, the nature of international financial has changed.(Over the last 10 years, the nature of international financial adjustmentT 5. Existing short-term debts can be put off as long as foreigners feel certain macroeconomic situation of a country.(As long as foreigners feel confident about the macroeconomicexisting short-term debts are rolled over.)F 6. Any event that shakes confidence could promote the flow of capital.(Any event that shakes confidence could halt the flow of capital.)F 7. Once the supply of international reserves is threatened, appreciation of thefollow.(Once the supply of international reserves is threatened, the country'scentral bank maybe forced to step aside, allowing the currency to depreciate without anyassurance ofwhere the next stable anchor will be.)8. The disciplining force which rewards good performance and penalizes bad Tperformanceis much alike in international financial markets and stock markets.(International financial markets impose a powerful disciplining force -rewarding good poli-cies and outcomes, and penalizing poor policies and outcomes - much thesame asstock market investors reward and penalize companies for good and badperformance.)Exercise D After-listening DiscussionDirections: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions.1)Once the supply of international reserves is threatened, the country's centralbank may be forced to step aside, allowing the currency to depreciate without any assurance of where the next stable anchor will be. We can call this a currency crisis. Because bank debts are in foreign currencies, the devaluation worsens bank balance sheets and banks may be forced to stop lending or call in existing loans to raise cash. Domestic banks are likely to fail if these steps are unsuccessful. Thus, the domestic economy may weaken severely following。
Section I Listening Comprehension(25 minutes)Directions:This section is designed to test your ability to understand spoken English. You will hear a selection of recorded materials and you must answer the questions that accompany them. There are two parts in this section, Part A and Part B.Remember, while you are doing the test, you should first put down your answers in your test booklet. At the end of the listening comprehension section, you will have 3 minutes to transfer your answers from your test booklet onto your ANSWER SHEET I.If you have any questions, you may raise your hand NOW as you will not be allowed to speak once the test has started.Now look at Part A in your test booklet.Part AYou will hear 10 short dialogues. For each dialogue, there is one question and four possible answers. Choose the correct answer-A, B, C or D, and mark it in your test booklet. You will have 15seconds to answer the question and you will hear each dialogue ONLY ONCE.Example:You will hear:W: Could you please tell me if the Beijing flight will be arriving on time?M:Yes, Madam. It should be arriving in about ten minutes.You will read:Who do you think the woman is talking to?[A] A bus conductor.[B]A clerk at the airport.[C] A taxi driver.[D]A clerk at the station.From the dialogue, we know that only a clerk at the airport is most likely to know the arrival time of a flight, so you should choose answer [B] and mark it in your test booklet.Sample Answer: [A] [B] [C] [D]Now look at question 1.1. What does the woman mean?[A] She invites the man to a pot luck next weekend.[B] She asks the man to help her with the gardening.[C] She is not free today.[D] She agrees to meet the man next Saturday.2. What will the man do?[A] Join his friends.[B] Play a card game.[C] Catch up with others.[D] Do more studying.3. Where did this conversation most probably take place?[A] At the bookstore.[B] At a department store.[C] At a club.[D] At a school.4. How much will the man pay for two tickets?[A] $8.[B] $24.[C] $18.[D] $36.5. What do they decide to do?[A] The man will bring some food back for dinner.[B] They will go to their friend ' s home for supper.[C] The woman will fill the refrigerator before supper.[D] They will eat out for dinner.6. How does the woman feel at the end of the conversation?[A] Angry.[B] Relieved.[C] Upset.[D] Sarcastic.7. What is the man going to do this morning?[A] Paint the bookshelf.[B] Fix the table.[C] Wash the car.[D] Go to the beach.8. How many students were absent from the test?[A] 15.[B] 20.[C] 25.[D] 30.9. What do we learn from the conversation?[A] The man needs three weeks to do something before leaving for Europe.[B] Something prevents the man from going to Europe.[C] The woman is leaving for Europe in just three weeks.[D] The man is excited about his trip to Europe.10. What do we learn from this conversation?[A] The man is giving a party.[B] The woman is staying at home.[C] The man is going to lower the music volume. .[D] The woman is invited to join the man.。
2004年日语三级听力原文問題Ⅰ１番お父さんと女の子が話しています。
この女のこのテストは、どれですか。
男性：テスト、どうだった？女性：難しかった。
男性：じゃ、70てんぐらい？女性：７０点は無理だよ。
でも、前よりよかったよ。
男性：前は、何点だったんだ？女性：５０点。
男性：ふーん。
この女のこのテストは、どれですか。
答え：３２番男の人と女の人が話しています。
女の人は、きのう、何をしましたか。
男性：佐藤さん、昨日もテニスしたんですか。
女性：あ、昨日ですか。
したかったんですけど、仕事に行かなければならなくて．．．男性：ああ、そうですか。
日曜日でも休めないんですね。
女性：ええ。
本当は、うちで掃除も洗濯もしなければならんかったのに．．．男性：大変ですね。
女の人は、きのう、何をしましたか。
答え：４３番男の人と女の人が、パーティーで話しています。
今、料理はどうなっていますか。
男性：そのサンドイッチ、おいしそうだね。
女性：すごいおいしいわよ。
早く食べないと、もうすぐなくなりそうよ。
男性：あ、ほんとだ。
もう、少ししかないね。
女性：お寿司の方は、まだたくさん残っているのにね。
今、料理はどうなっていますか。
答え：４４番男の人は女の人が話しています。
男の人は、女の人にどうするように言いましたか。
男性：じゃあ、あした１１時ごろうちへ来てください。
女性：電車を降りて、そこからバスに乗るんですね。
男性：ええ。
バス停まで、迎えに行きますから。
女性：はい、電車に乗る前に電話しますね。
男性：あ、それより、バスを降りてから電話してください。
男の人は、女の人にどうするように言いましたか。
答え：３５番女の人と、男の人が話しています。
時計は、どこにかけますか。
時計はやっぱり見やすいところがいいわよね。
男性：テレビの上はどう？女性：うーん、便利だけど、ゆっくりテレビが見られないわね。
男性：本棚の上は？女性：ちょっと、高すぎるなあ。
男性：その木の上は？女性：木が大きくなったら見えなくなるわよ。
大学英语听力教程第三册（第二版）听力原文UNIT1 Is the Earth Being Squeezed DryPart1 Getting readyB The Amazon forests are disappearing because of increased burning and tree removal. In September, satellite pictures showed more than 20000 fires burning in the Amazon. Experts say most of these fires were set by farmers. The farmers were attempting to clear land to grow crops. The World Wildlife Fund says another serious problem is that too many trees in the Amazon rain forest are being cut down. The World Wildlife Fund says the fires show the need for urgent international action to protect the world's rain forests. The group warns that without such action some forests could be lost forever.2. Environmental issues swell to the full in Berlin this week, for the UN spongsored conference on global warming and climate change is the first such meeting since the Rio summit three years ago. With scientists and governments now generally ready to accept that the earth climate is being affected by emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, over a hundred countries are sending delegations. But how much progress has been made implementing the greenhouse gas reduction target agreed on at Rio? Simon Dary reports...Part2 The earth at riskI: Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of documentaries called "The Earth at Risk" which can be seen on Channel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a different continent, doesn't it, Brian?B: That's right. We went to America, both North and South and then we went over to Africa and South-East Asia.I: And what did you find in each of these continents?B: Starting with Africa, our film shows the impact of the population on the environment. Generally speaking, this has caused the Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bit of a vicious circle we find. People cut down trees for firewood and their domestic animals eat all the available plants — and so consequently they have to move south as the Sahara Desert expands further south. I mean, soon the whole of Mali will become a desert. And in East Africa: here the grasslands are supporting too many animals and the result is, of course, there's no grass — nothing for the animals to eat.I: I see. And the next film deals with North America?B: That's right. In the USA, as you know, intensive agriculture requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to grow, I mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. And growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just blows away. This is also true for any region that is intensely farmed — most of Europe, for example.I: And what did you find in South America?B: In South America (as in Central Africa and Southern Asia) tropical forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. This is done so that people can support themselves by growing food or to create ranches where cattle can be raised to be exported to Europe or America as tinned meat. The problem is that the soil is so poor that only a couple of harvests are possible before this very thin soil becomes exhausted. And it can't be fed with fertilizers like agricultural land in Europe.For example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size of Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way for an iron ore mine. Huge numbers of trees are being cut down for exports as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA to make things like luxury furniture. These forests can't be replaced — the forest soil is thin and unproductive and in just a few years, a jungle has become a waste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants (which we can use for medicines, for example) and animals — one animal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour. These forest trees also have worldwide effects. You know, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The consequence of destroying forests is not only that the climate of that region changes (because there is less rainfall) but this change affects the whole world. I mean,over half the world's rain forest has been cut down this century.Part3sectionA I-Interviewer B-Brian CowlesI: So, Brian, would you agree that what we generally think of as natural disasters are in fact man-made?B: Yes, by and large. I mean, obviously not hurricanes or earthquakes, but take flooding, for example. Practically every year, the whole of Bangladesh is flooded and this is getting worse. You know, the cause is that forests have been cut down up in Nepal and India, I mean higher up-river in the Himalayas. Trees would hold rainfall in their roots, but if they've been cut down all the rain that falls in the monsoon season flows sraight into the river Ganges and floods the whole country. The reason for flooding in Sudan is the same — the forests higher up the Blue Nile in Ethiopia have been destroyed too.I: Well, this all sounds terribly depressing. Um ... What is to be done? I mean, can anything be done, in fact?B: Yes, of course it can. First, the national governments have to be forward-looking and consider the results of their policies in ten or twenty years, not just think as far ahead as the next election. Somehow, all the countries in the world have to work together on an international basis. Secondly, the population has to be controlled in some way: there are too many people trying to live off too little land. Thirdly, we don't need tropical hardwood to make our furniture — it's a luxury people in the West must do without. Softwoods are just as good, less expensive and can be produced on environment-friendly "tree farms", where trees are replaced at the same rate that they are cut down.I: And, presumably, education is important as well. People must be educated to realize the consequences of their actions?B: Yes, of course.I: Well, thank you, Brian.sectionB I-Interviewer B-Brian CowlesI: So, Brian, would you agree that what we generally think of as ... er... as er ... natural disasters are in fact man-made?B: Yes, by and large ... er ... I mean, obviously not hurricanes or earthquakes, but take flooding, for example. I mean, practically every year, the whole of Bangladesh is flooded and this is getting worse. You know, the cause is that forests have been cut down up in Nepal and India ... I mean ... higher up-river in the Himalayas. Trees ...er ... would hold rainfall in their roots, but if they've been cut down all the rain that falls in the monsoon season flows straight into the river Ganges and floods the whole country. The reason for flooding in Sudan is the same — the forests higher up the Blue Nile in Ethiopia have been destroyed too.Part4The world is warming up. We know this because average temperatures are the highest since scientists started measuring them 600 years ago. The increase is about 0.2℃every year. This may seem very slight, but we know that slight changes in temperature can have a big effect on other things. Most scientists now believe this global warming is due to human activity.Jeff Jenkins is head of Britain's Climate Prediction Center. He explains how global warming can happen."Sunlight strikes the earth and warms it up. At the same time heat leaves the earth, but part of that is trapped by carbon dioxide and other gases in the earth's atmosphere. That has been happening ever since the earth was formed. But the fear is that increasing amounts of carbon dioxide produced by industrial processes and transport and so on will lead to a greater warming of the earth's surface. So that's the golbal warming that people are concerned about."People are most concerned about the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are oil, coal, wood and so on. When these burn, they produce the gas carbon dioxide. Many scientists agree that an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and some of the gases in the atmosphere will increase the amount of warming. Computers are being used to predict what this may mean. They showed that there could begreat changes in rainfall and the rise in the sea level as ice caps in the north and south poles melt. This could have a serious effect on agriculture according to Prof. Martin Perry of University College in London. He says it could become more difficult to grow food in the tropics at lower latitudes nearer to the equator."The most clear pattern emerging is the possibility of reduced potential production in lower latitude regions, and most generally speaking, increased potential in higher latitude regions. Lower latitude regions are already warm, to put it extremely simply, and plants there are quite near their limits of heat and drought stress. An increase in temperature or reduction in moisture would place limits on crop growth."Woman: Global warming could reduce food production in lower latitude regions. Lower latitude regions are already warm. Global warming could put more stress on plans and place limits on crop growth.Food production is only one area that could be affected. There could also be health and social problems. Prof. Antony MacMichael of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believes that some rural areas are already suffering. And the insects and bacteria could spread disease more easily."Already a number of rural populations around the world are suffering from the decline of agricultural systems. Climate change would add to this. And we would expect that it would accelerate the flood of environmental refugees around the world. But it includes not just the food production systems, but the patterns of distribution of insects and infective agents around the world. It includes likely effects on patterns of hear-related food poisoning, water contamination and diarrhea diseases, lots of things like this that would respond sensitively to changes in climate."Woman: Global warming could affect the distribution of insects. Global warming could change patterns of heat-related food poisoning.Many countries now agree that something must be done to reduce the danger of global warming. But a worldwide agreement on lowering the production of carbon dioxide has been difficult to reach. This is because many economies depend on fossil fuels like oil. Scientists believe it's now the politicians in every region of the world who need to take action.Part5 Environment has taken rather a back seat politically since the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro nearly 5 years ago. But the problems that meeting highlighted had not gone away. One environmental think tank — the International Food Policy Research Institute — has been looking at the future of water and its report reflects growing concern at the huge leap in usage over the past few years.In some parts of the world, water consumption has increased five fold. And the institute, known by its initials IFPRI, says shortages could soon become the trigger for conflict and a major barrier to feeding the world's growing population. Here's Richard Black of our Science Unit."It's often been said that water rather than oil will be the cause of warfare in the next century. According to the IFPRI report, the time when that happens might not be far away. The number of people affected by water shortage will increase ten fold over the next 30 years, it says, which could well lead to large scale conflicts.The main reason why water is becoming a scarce resource is agriculture, which now accounts for 70% of water consumption worldwide, 90% in some developing countries. Countless farmers have switched from growing indigenous crops for the home market to high yield export varieties, which inevitably need far more water. But the IFPRI report says that in some regions water shortage is now the single biggest impediment to feeding the population. Water scarcity also leads to water pollution. In the Indian State of West Bengal, for example, over extraction of water from bore holes has led to arsenic poisoning which is estimated to have affected two million people so far. But the IFPRI report calls for better water management worldwide including financial incentives to encourage conservation."Unit 2Unit2Part1A: Hello, I'm calling on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund.B: The what?A: The World Wildlife Fund. If you've got a few minutes I'd like to tell you what that means.B: Oh, all right.A: We work to conserve natural areas that contain endangered wildlife. The seas, for example, have become polluted by the industrialized world; whales are being hunted to extinction; turtles are rolled off their eggs when they come ashore to breed or are slaughtered for their meat and oil …B: Oh.A: Crocodiles are killed to make handbags and shoes; walruses are hunted for their ivory.B: I see.A: Seals are bludgeoned to death to provide fur coats and the threat of extinction hangs over several species of whale, dolphin and porpoise.B: Really.A: We are now campaigning to provide sea sanctuaries for some of these endangered species.B: Very interesting.A: Aided by our campaign, protected nesting sites for turtles have already been set up. As you can see, this is very valuable work and I wonder therefore if you'd like to make a donation?Part2 John James Audubon was an American artist in the early 1800s, who illustrated birds in their natural habitats. The Society named after him was founded in the late 1800s by conservationists concerned with the decline of birds, which were being killed so their feathers could be used in the manufacture of women's hats.Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, more than 40 000 volunteers will be outside counting birds from today until January 3rd. V olunteers from all 50 states of the United States, every Canadian province, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and Pacific islands have begun to count and record every individual bird and bird species observed during the two and one half week period of the count.Jeffrey LeBaron is the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count editor. He says the count is the longest-running bird census in ornithology.This year, according to Mr. LeBaron, more than 1 600 separate bird counts have been scheduled. Some would have as few as 10 people taking part, others with hundreds. The logistics of the Christmas bird count, he adds, are simple."Each individual count is in a circle. It's a 15 mile diameter circle, um, around the exact center point. And it's always the exactly same area that's done every year, usually, even on the same weekend during the count period. And what the ideal would be, which is virtually impossible, is this census: every single individual bird within that circle on the count day."Mr. LeBaron says experienced bird counters can get a good idea of the total bird populations within the count circle based on the number of birds they actually see. The editor points out, however, that the counts are not only for experienced bird watchers."Anybody that is interested or concerned can become involved. Beginners will go out in a party with experienced individuals who know both the area and the birds in the area, in the field where more eyes and ears are better. And then anybody can point out a bird, and someone in the field will always be able to identify the bird."Part3A —Alan Tu R — Rick Troud D — Deborah Duffield P — Peter JonesJ — Jean Michel Cousteau[Alan Tu is an announcer for Colorado Public Radio; Peter Jones is a reporter for Colorado PublicRadio. The other speakers are identified in the report.]A: A planned aquatic park in Denver is raising the ire of animal rights activists who object to a proposal to include a captive dolphin display. Although officials for Colorado's Ocean Journeys say they have yet to make a final decision on the issue, local and national activists have already instigated a "No Dolphins in Denver' campaign. As Colorado Public Radio's Peter Jones reports, the battle lines have been clearly drawn.P: Rick Troud, a former navy dolphin trainer based in Florida, is taking an active role in the "No Dolphins" campaign.R: Average age in the wild ranges anywhere in some of the studies between 30 and 40 years of age. In captivity, you can expect a dolphin to live maybe 5.13 years, and every 7 years in captivity, the dolphin population is dead.P: According to Troud, there are many reasons why dolphins can't live full lives in captivity.R: If you take a look at where the real dolphin is in the real ocean, you find the dolphin who swims 40 miles a day, is very family-oriented. These animals are separated from their mothers; that's a stress. You put them in a concrete tank where their sonar bounces off of walls, they can't swim in the same amount of time and direction that they can in the wild.P: Environmentalist and ocean explorer, Jean Michel Cousteau:J: There are some animals which reject captivity right away, and they're very suicidal. I've had one of those in my own arms for many days. The next morning when I came to take care of him, he was dead. And what he'd done was to swim as fast as he could from one end of the pool on ... to the other side and destroyed his head by hitting the wall. They have a very sophisticated brain. I don't think we have any rights to play with the lives of these animals.P: Cousteau's anti-captivity position is challenged by Dr. Deborah Duffield, a biology professor at Portland State College in Oregon. Her 1990 study compared captive dolphins to the wild population of Sarasota Bay, Florida. Among other findings, the study showed little if any difference in the average age of death. And Duffield says life is generally getting better for captive dolphins.D: The census data say that every time I do a census, I've got older and older animals in it as well as this normal age distribution that we've been looking at. So my feeling is that the trend in captivity has been that the group of animals that we're following are getting older, and if they continue to do that over the next five years, they will then indeed be older than the wild population.P: There is also a debate over the educational benefits of keeping marine mammals in captivity. According to Duffield, captive dolphins play an important role in our basic understanding of the animals.D: I firmly believe that we cannot learn anything about organisms that we share this world with if we do not understand how they live in an environment, and what they do, and that watching them go by in the wild will not do it. I cannot tell what an animal needs, unless I know how it operates, how it breeds, what it needs metabolically, and I can't learn that from animals in the wild.P: But Troud says the dolphin displays are anti-educational because the animals' natural behavior patterns are altered by captivity.R: In the wild, you don't have dolphins who beat each other to death. There are no dolphins that I've ever seen stranded on the beach, who are suffering from fractured skulls, fractured ribs or fractured jaws, as is the case in captivity.P: The Ocean Journey board will take all factors into consideration before making a final decision on whether to include dolphins in the park. For Colorado Public Radio, I'm Peter Jones.Part4Mr. LeBaron says there are about 9 300 different known species of birds. Larger numbers of them live in the warmer climates. For example, more than 300 different species have been counted in Panama, while far fewer species are native to colder climates. Aside from their esthetic value, Mr. LeBaron says birds are important to the environment because they can signal changes in it."Birds are one of the best indicators that we have of the quality of the environment within the given area. Whether it is a relatively local area, or even primarily on the worldwide bases, they areone of the first things to be altered. They are quite sensitive to a habitat alteration or to other threats. And often times when birds are disappearing out of the area, it just means there is a degradation of the quality of the habitat within that area which will adversely affect everything in there including humans."National Audubon Society editor Jeffrey LeBaron calls the world's bird populations a source of wealth that humans must protect."People get so much pleasure out of looking at birds and listening to birds. And if they start disappearing just the er, the quality of life, um, may be not physically, but the mental quality of life can be degraded quickly."Jeffrey LeBaron says that while the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas bird counts show a decline in some species, many types of birds are actually increasing their populations.Part5Scientists have cataloged more than one and one-half million of the species that exist on Earth today. By some recent estimates, at least 20 times that many species inhabit the planet..Up to 100 species become extinct every day. Scientists estimate that the total number of species lost each year may climb to 40 000 by the year 2000, a rate far exceeding any in the last 65 million years..Around the world more than 3 500 protected areas exist in the form of parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. These areas cover a total of about 2 million square miles (5 million square km, or 3% of our total land area)..Today, more than 200 animal species in the United States are classified as endangered. More than 1 000 animal species are endangered worldwide..Little-noticed aquatic animals are in big trouble. In North America, a third of our fish species, two-thirds of our crayfish species and nearly three-quarters of the mussel species are in trouble.Unit 3Unit3 part1 Looking here at Wednesday's weather forecast for Europe. It's certainly clear that winter is starting to take its grip on the continent. Berlin on Wednesday, mostly cloudy and very cold, and -2 degrees for your high. Brussels, Belgium, a little warmer at one degree, partly sunny. London, 5 degrees for your high, mostly cloudy throughout the day. In Paris, your high temperature is 0 degrees on Wednesday, partly cloudy as well. Rome, 8 degrees for your high, with periods of clouds and sunshine. And Vienna, Austria, -2 degrees on Wednesday, cloudy and of course cold. Athens, Greece, a little warmer at 10 degrees, periods of clouds and sunshine on Wednesday. Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1 degree for your high, mostly cloudy. Istanbul, 5 degrees, and partly sunny. And Kiev, Ukraine, -7 degrees, and you can expect snow. Moscow, -9 degrees on Wednesday, also snowy. And in Prague, the Czech Republic, -4 degrees with snow flurries, so sounds like typical of weather for that area of the world. Let's look at what we have here in Washington D.C., no snow yet, but it will be coming.As 1998 ends and people look forward to the last year of the century, the World Almanac spoke with experts about what comes next. Almanac editorial director says the experts believe the next century will bring lots of changes."Warm, of course, that our climate is going to continue getting warmer. That's the subject, by the way, of another new article on the 1999 World Almanac. The greenhouse effect, exactly what causes it, and what steps to be taken to, um, perhaps, to alleviate global warmings. I've seen recently that 1998 is going to go down as the warmest year ever on record. And so that's going to be a major issue of the next century, and possible tremendous consequences of the global warmings, whether it is rising sea levels affecting the coastal areas; changes in climate zones affecting what crops can be grown, and inwhat regions. This is potentially a very significant trend to be watched."Major ocean storms in the northern part of the world usually develop in late summer or autumn over waters near the equator. They are known by several different names. Scientists call these storms cyclones when they happen just north or south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. In the western Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, these storms are called typhoons. In the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, they are called hurricanes.Part2 Satellite readings confirm that conditions are right for another El Nino, a cyclic weather pattern that affects the global climate."El Nino's normally show up about twice a decade and it lasts about 12 to 18 months, bringing warmer weather to parts of the earth. Some regions become wetter than usual, others drier. The El Nino, which began in 1991 has lingered through this year. Although several years might have been expected to pass before the next one, an American-French satellite observing the oceans has found a sign that El Nino may come back quicker than expected."'These kinds of things still happen.' This is Brig Jacker, an oceanographer of the US Naval Research Laboratory in Mississippi."'Every year is unpredictable. One year might be El Nino year, one year might not. Generally El Nino's come in four year cycles. But there's nothing to say that you can't have two El Nino years in a row.'"El Nino's begin with the decline of winds pulling cold water away from South America's west coast to around the equator. This allows warm water in the western Pacific Ocean to expand eastward toward the America's. At the same time, the clouds and rain over the warm water move eastward too. Radar aboard the American-French satellite detected the hint thatsuch water movement began in early August and reached South America two months later. It saw a ripple called a 'Calvin wave' moving slowly eastward. Such pulses sometimes give rise to El Nino conditions in the eastern equatorial Pacific."El Nino's can change the weather around the world, but how much depends on its strength. A strong one in 1982 and 1983 has been linked to droughts in Australia and Indonesia, rains and flooding in South America, and unseasonably warm weather in much of the United States. But even the mild El Nino that began in 1991 has caused trouble. It has been associated with devastating floods in the US southeast last year and in the US midwest this year. El Nino's are hard on the South American fishing industry. The warm waters prevent nutrients rich cold water from rising to the surface, causing fish stocks to become depletive. Mr. Jacker said a new El Nino apparently would be mild but he is not betting on it yet."The US Naval oceanographer says predictions are difficult because the strength of El Nino depends on how winds affect the 'Calvin wave' that has moved across the Pacific."Part3It’s about an hour’s drive from the outskirts of San Jose, California, near the upper side of the state’s hig h-technology region known as “Silicon Valley”. As a visitor drives up the narrow winding road past red flowers, and eucalyptus trees, one of the first two seismographic stations in the world, it’s almost a surprise to glimpse the largest dome of Lick Obser vatory’s eight telescopes. Overlooking the world of computer age manufacturing are telescopes from the turn of the century which help shape our understanding of the universe.The huge dome, housing Lick Observatory’s giant, one meter wide reflecting telescope, is one of the few instruments in motion this morning on Mount Hamilton. At the 1260-meter summit of Mount Hamilton is a small village of 55 permanent residents, some of them students in a one-room school house. But most at the research complex are visiting astronomers catching their first hours of sleep in an old dormitory after a night’s work at the telescopes. Reminton Stone, director of operations at Lick Observatory has worked at the top of Mount Hamilton for three decades. Now a part of the University of California, Lick Observatory got its name from a wealthy businessman who never studied。
