Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear three 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

　　Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　16. A) She is both a popular and a highly respected author.

　　B) She is the first writer to focus on the fate of slaves.

　　C) She is the most loved African novelist of all times.

　　D) She is the most influential author since the 1930’s.

　　17. A) The Book Critics Circle Award. C) The Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

　　B) The Nobel Prize for literature. D) The National Book Award.

　　18. A) She is a relative of Morrison’s. C) She is a skilled storyteller.

　　B) She is a slave from Africa. D) She is a black woman.

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　19. A) They are very generous in giving gifts.

　　B) They refuse gifts when doing business.

　　C) They regard gifts as a token of friendship.

　　D) They give gifts only on special occasions.

　　20. A) They enjoy giving gifts to other people.

　　B) They spend a lot of time choosing gifts.

　　C) They have to follow many specific rules.

　　D) They pay attention to the quality of gifts.

　　21. A) Gift-giving plays an important role in human relationships.

　　B) We must be aware of cultural differences in giving gifts.

　　C) We must learn how to give gifts before going abroad.

　　D) Reading extensively can make one a better gift-giver.

　　Passage Three

　　Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　22. A) She tenderly looked after her sick mother.

　　B) She developed a strong interest in finance.

　　C) She learned to write for financial newspapers.

　　D) She invested in stocks and shares on Wall Street.

　　23. A) She inherited a big fortune from her father.

　　B) She sold her restaurant with a substantial profit.

　　C) She got 7.5 million dollars from her ex-husband.

　　D) She made a wise investment in real estate.

　　24. A) She was dishonest in business dealings.

　　B) She frequently ill-treated her employees.

　　C) She abused animals including her pet dog.

　　D) She was extremely mean with her money.

　　25. A) She carried on her family’s tradition.

　　B) She made huge donations to charities.

　　C) She built a hospital with her mother’s money.

　　D) She made a big fortune from wise investments.

　　Tape Script of Listening Comprehension

　　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.

　　Kenyan police say one person was killed and 26 injured in an explosion at a bus station in central Nairobi. The blast hit a bus about to set off for the Ugandan capital Kampala. Last July, the Somali group al-Shabab said it was behind the blasts in the Ugandan capital which killed more than 70 people. Will Ross reports from the Kenyan capital.

　　The explosion happened beside a bus which was about to set off for an overnight journey from Nairobi to the Ugandan capital Kampala. Some eyewitnesses report that a bag was about to be loaded on board, but it exploded during a security check. Windows of the red bus were left smashed, and blood could be seen on the ground beside the vehicle. Just hours earlier, Uganda’s police chief had warned of possible Christmas-time attacks by Somali rebels.

　　1. What is the news report mainly about?

　　2. When did the incident occur?

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

　　Woolworths is one of the best known names on the British High Street. It’s been in business nearly a century. Many of its 800 stores are likely to close following the company’s decision to call in administrators after an attempt to sell the business for a token ￡1 failed.

　　The company has huge debts. The immediate cause for the collapse has been Britain’s slide toward recession, which has cut into consumer spending. However, the business had been in trouble for years.

　　Known for low-priced general goods, Woolworths has struggled in the face of competition from supermarkets expanding beyond groceries and a new generation of internet retailers.

　　Many of the store group’s 25,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs. Some profitable areas such as the DVD publishing business will survive.

　　3. What do we learn about Woolworths from the news report?

　　4. What did Woolworths attempt to do recently?

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

　　Cairo is known for its overcrowded roads, irregular driving practices and shaky old vehicles, but also for its air pollution. In recent months, though, environmental studies indicate there have been signs of improvement. That’s due in part to the removal of many of the capital’s old-fashioned black and white taxis. Most of these dated back to the 1960s and 70s and were in a poor state of repair.

　　After new legislation demanded their removal from the roads, a low interest loan scheme was set up with three Egyptian banks so drivers could buy new cars. The government pays about $900 for old ones to be discarded and advertising on the new vehicles helps cover repayments.

　　The idea has proved popular with customers ― they can now travel in air-conditioned comfort and because the new cabs are metered, they don’t have to argue over fares. Banks and car manufacturers are glad for the extra business in tough economic times. As for the taxi drivers, most are delighted to be behind the wheel of new cars, although there have been a few complaints about switching from black and white to a plain white colour.

　　5. What change took place in Cairo recently?

　　6. What helped bring about the change?

　　7. Why do customers no longer argue with new cab drivers?