听力材料

Text 1
Pandas are one of the most precious animals in the world. They live only in a small area in the mountains of south-western China.
There are only 500-1,000 pandas in the wild and the number is falling down all the time. There are about 100 more in zoos and research stations.
Although they are protected, pandas are still killed for their skins. Because their skins are very valuable.
Pandas live in mountain forests, and can only eat bamboo. As the place they live in is getting smaller and smaller, pandas are in danger of dying from lack of suitable food.
Zoos are making efforts to raise and produce pandas, but this is very difficult. Also, baby pandas weigh only 100 grams at birth, so they need to be looked after very carefully. Since 1963 about 50 baby pandas have been born in zoos, and about half of them are still alive today.

Text 2
M: Today, I’m interviewing nine-year-old Mary about her feelings on how people can help save the environment. So, Mary, how can we save the environment?
W: By saving water.
M: Well, how can we do that?
W: By not using too much water when we wash dishes, take a both, and when we water the plants outside.
M: Oh, I think I can do that. What else?
W: When drinking or eating something outside, you should not litter the ground because littering makes our planet dirty. Do you like seeing rubbish all over the ground?
M: No, I don’t. Do you have any final suggestions?
W: Yes. We shouldn’t waste paper because trees are being cut down to make the paper. By recycling paper, we save the forests where animals live.
M: So, how can children recycle paper, I mean, every day?
W: Well, for example, when I was in kindergarten, I used to save the newspapers so that I could make things out of them, like paper trees, instead of just throwing them away. Now, the children in our neighborhood collect newspapers once a month to take them to a recycling center.
M: That’s great. Well, thanks for your ideas.

Text 3
W: Tell me, Peter, what makes Harrods so famous?
M: Well, it’s the biggest department store in the UK. And its Food Hall and Egyptian Hall are very famous.
W: What is special about the Food Hall?
M: It sells many different kinds of food. For example, it has 250 kinds of cheese from all over the world.
W: That’s amazing. And why is the Egyptian Hall so famous?
M: Well, when people see it, they feel they are in another world. It looks like an Egyptian building from 4,000 years ago.
W: Is it true that Harrods produces its own electricity?
M: Yes, it is. 70%—enough for a small town.
W: Really? Tell me, how many customers do you have on an average day?
M: About 13,000 people come on an average day. But during the January sales, the number increases to 300,000 customers a day.
W: How much do they spend?
M: Well, on average, customers spend about 1.5 million pounds a day. During the January sales the record for one day is 9 million pounds.

Text 4
W: Sunshine Travel Agency here. Can I help you?
M: Yes, please. This is John Smith speaking. I’m planning to fly to London next month. What’s the price of your flight at the moment?
W: Well, that…that depends. Do you want to fly first or economy class? When will you be going? Would you like a one-way or return ticket?
M: Well, I’m going to visit my parents there. And I’ll probably stay for a week or so. Just a flight…ah…economy class, I suppose.
W: And when is it you would like to leave?
M: On Friday, 9th June.
W: Then I can get you return tickets. That’s on China Airline and it will cost you 5,600 RMB.
M: What would it be if I flew the Pacific Airline?
W: Now, let’s see. That’s less than ten days’ time. OK, it’s only slightly more, 5,900 RMB, in fact.
M: Well, I’ll have to think about it.
W: There is one thing with the Pacific Airline flight. The time might be more convenient for you, because it leaves rather late in the morning at 11:40. That’s Flight CP432.
M: And the other one? When is that?
W: That’s much earlier at 7:40. That means you’re in London in the morning whereas the Pacific Airline flight lands at about noon local time.
M: Ah… I’ll have to think at about that. Ah…What about the return flight? Could you tell me?

1. south-western China     2. their skins     3. suitable food   4. at birth  
5. since 1963    6. 9 years old   7. Mary   8. save the environment 
9. too much water   10. shouldn’t waste paper  11. Food Hall  12. in another world   
13. electricity   14. customers and sales  15. Friday, 9th June 
16. To visit his parents  17. China Airline    18.￥5,900  19. At about noon