听力原文2009
Dictation:
For many people in the west, New Year’s Eve is the biggest party of the year. It’s time to get together with friends or family and welcome in the coming year. New Year’s parties can take place in different places. Some people hold a house party; others attend street parties, while some just go for a few drinks with their friends. Big cities have large and spectacular fireworks displays. There is one thing that all New Year’s Eve parties have in common, the countdown to midninght. When the clock strikes 12, people give a loud cheer and sing songs. It’s also popular to make a promise in the New Year. This is called a New Year’s resolution. Typical resolutions include giving up smoking and keeping fit. However the promise is often broken quite quickly and people are back into their bad habits within weeks or days.

PART II    LISTENING COMPREHENSION
SECTION A CONVERSATIONS
Conversation One
W: Hi, Mark, how are you?
M: Actually, I am really fed up, Linda. It's Jane. (Q1)
W: Jane? Who's Jane?
M: Oh, nobody really. Just a most stunningly attractive girl in my year school.
W: Oh, is that all? So what's the problem?
M: Well, the thing is I just don't know how to make her notice me. Or ....
W: Wait a minute. I've got a brilliant idea. Why don't you try talking to her?
M: But I wouldn't know what to say. I ....
W: Look. She is in your chemistry class, isn't she? You are good at chemistry. You could offer to help her with her chemistry homework. How about that?
M: Not bad. Just one problem.
W: What?
M: She is better than me at chemistry.  (Q3)
W: Ok, then. Well, there is that party at John's at Friday night. You could invite her. M: Just another small problem. John's her boyfriend. (Q2 and Q3)
Conversation Two
W: Yes. Can I help you?
M: Yes. You see, I've bought this personal stereo at your shop 3 days ago. And I'm afraid it hasn't really matched up to what I was told about.
W: I see, what exactly is the matter?
M: Well, first of all, there is this large scratch across the front of it. (Q6)
W: But you should have noticed that when you bought it.  (Q4)
M: But it was in the box and all sealed up.
W: Well. I'm sorry, but it really is your responsibility to check the goods when you buy them. How are we to know that it wasn't you who made the scratch?
M: But that's ridiculous. But anyway, it's not the most important thing. I really am not happy about this other thing. (Q6)
W: And what is that?
M: Look. It says here that the noise from it should be undetectable by other people. W: Yes, that's right.
M: But people can hear it, and it's really embarrassing on the bus and underground. W: Well, I'm sorry, but it must be the way you are wearing the headphones.
M: Look. I know how to put earphones in my ears. Thank you very much. (Q5) But what I want to know is, what you are going to do about it at all?
W: Well, I suppose we could exchange it for another model, if you really aren't happy with it. M: No, I certainly am not.
W: Well, if I could just have the receipt.  (Q7)
M: Oh yes. Well, there is a slight problem about the receipt.
Conversation Three
W: Hello, Happy Time Catering Services, Vitoria speaking. How can I help you?
M: Hello, Victoria. This is Joe Smith from country holidays. I wondered if you could do some cate?ring for us next week, we are having a small reception. (Q8)
It's to launch our summer holiday advertising campaign. Will you be free?
M: When exactly is it? Mr. Smith?
W: April 21st, that's Thursday. Oh, sorry, no. It should be Friday. (Q9)
M: Oh, yes I can do that where will you be holding it?
W: We thought we'd have that at head office and use the conference room, because there is enough room for everyone there.
M: Ok. What sort of things would you like?
W: Just a light lunch I think, so that people can eat while they move around and talk to each other.
You did some thing similar for us last year. We'd be happy to have the same menu again. (Q10) NI: Right. I'll look at my diary and see what you had last time. Oh, I nearly forgot to ask you how
many should I cater for?
W: Well, I think most people will be able to come, perhaps around 30.
No, let's say 35, to be sure.
W: Right, thank you for getting in touch, Mr. Smith. I'll send you confirmation of the arrangements by the end of this week.
M: Ok.
SECTION B PASSAGES
Passage A
For shopaholics, the post-Christmas period means only one thing-sales. Across the country, prices are slashed on clothing, electronics, home furnishings and more. But London is the place for
serious shopping, and you can certainly pick up some amazing bargains. (Q11 ) The sales start on Boxing Day , 26th December and continue for the month of January , but the keenest 'bargain hunters get them early to be first through the doors. In Oxford Street, queues formed outside shops ahead of predawn openings for the start of the sales. At Brentcross in north London, more than 1000 people were queuing at 3?: 30 a. m. for the next clothing store sale which began at 4 a. m. Some 'people even camped outside the shops to be the first in the line( Q12) . Some people are taking their friends shop?ping with them and buying their Christmas presents in the sales—a practical but an unromantic way of making sure you get the gift you really want. For a less exciting but less stressful shopping experi?ence , online retailers are also getting in on the act with January sales of their own. The most organ?ized of all are those who are already doing their present shopping for next Christmas in the January sales. ( Q13)
Passage B
Ballroom dancing used to be seen as something rather unfashionable that old people might do ( Q14 ). For the past five years , though , the popularity of ballroom dancing has soared thanks to a reality TV show ( Q15 ) .
Strictly Come Dancing is one of the big TV shows. Millions of people tune in every Saturday night to watch the show, which airs from September right up to Christmas. In the show, a number of professional ballroom dancers each dances with a celebrity. Every week they have to learn a different ballroom dance and perform it live on TV on Saturday night. ( Q16 ) The show demonstrates how glamorous ballroom dancing is. The celebrities get to wear colorful dresses and suits to dance in and it looks like a lot of fun. The TV programme also shows what good exercises it can be to ballroom dance and what hard work is involved in learning the dances and performing them properly. Dance schools around the country have seen a boost in the number of people wanting to learn how to dance. And it's not only old people who are interested. Lots of children and young people in their twenties are keen to learn ( Q17 ) .
Passage C
Recently, a couple in New Zealand were forbidden from naming their baby son 4real. Even though New Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with a number are not allowed ( Q18) . They decided to call him Superman instead.
In many countries around the world , unusual. names for children are becoming more popular, es?pecially since the increasing trend for celebrities to give their children unusual names. Some parents choose names, which come from popular culture ( Q19 ) . For example, there have been 6 boys named Gandalf after the character in the Lord of the Rings novels and films. Equally, names related to sports are fairly cohunorL ( Q19). Since 1984,  36 children have been called Arsenal after the foot?ball team. Other parents like to make up names or combine names to make their own unique version ( Q19 ) . A method demonstrated by Jordan, the British model, who recently invented the name Theamy for her daughter by combining the names Thea and Amy ( the two grandmothers) . She was quoted as saying that the accent and _rouble letters were added to make the name "more exotic".
Other countries have much stricter rules when it comes to naming children. Countries including Japan, Denmark, Spain, Germany and Argentina have an approved list of names from which parents must choose ( Q20) .
SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
News Item One ( questions 21 to 23)
11 fishing boat crew who had been stranded since October in a remote part of Russia's Far East have been rescued after sheltering nearly three months at an abandoned military base. The eight men and three women took refuge at the base after their small boats collided on Oct. 10th ( Q21 ) . Their attempts, to fix one of the boats did not succeed and they had to remain at the abandoned base where there were only flour and cooking fat ( Q22 ) . Other supplies at the base, which was abandoned in 2003 , included Christmas ornaments , and the crewmembers put them up on a small tree inside their quarters. But supplies began running low and early this week , five set off on foot across snowfields. On Friday, after four days of trudging, they reached a working military radio station. The center called rescuers and helicopters were sent to take the 11 to the regional capital ( Q23 )
News Item Two ( questions 24 and 25)
Spain's King Juan Carlos, with 32 years on the throne ( Q24 ) , turns 70 Saturday. But after years of undeniable adulation among Spaniards for putting down an attempted coup in 1981,  he's recently faced more difficult times. Small groups of leftists have burned his photo, and fiery criticism has also come from the right with one leading conservative radio host calling for him to step down. Juan Carlos fired back with a rare public defense of his reign in a recent speech. " It's been the lon?gest period of stability and prosperity in Spain ever in a parliamentary monarchy , " the king said ( Q25 ).
News Item Three ( questions 26 and 27)
It goes against religious taboos in Iraq to involve women in fighting, but three recent suicide bombings carried out by women could indicate insurgents are growing increasingly desperate. On Nov. 4th , a woman detonated an explosive vest ( Q26 ) next to a US patrol in Diyala's regional cap?ital, Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad , wounding seven US troops and five Iraqis ( Q27 ) . On Dec. 7th, a woman attacked the offices ( Q26 ) of a Diyala-based Sunni 'group fighting al-Qaida in Iraq , killing 15 people and wounding 35 ( Q27 ) . Then , on Dec. 31st , a bomber in Baqouba ( Q26 ) detonated her suicide vest close to a police patrol, wounding five policemen and four civilians.
News Item Four ( questions 28 to 30)
Chinese government is poised to conduct its first national 'survey of pollution sources in February to help control environmental deterioration in the country ( Q28 ) . The study will identify and collect data on sources of industrial, agricultural and residential pollution for two months. Last year, China's environment was facing a grave situation, with several major rivers and lakes clogged by industrial waste. China's environmental cleanup is compromised by' more than two decades of rapid economic growth , and a lack of technology especially ( Q29 ) . Every province , autonomous region and munici?pality has set up a census office and will report to a main center (30) staffed by officials from govern?ment departments. Data will be reviewed multiple times before being put into a database and will be analyzed in the second half of 2008. Findings will be examined and approved by mid 2009.