Conversation Two

　　M：I really don’t know what to do this summer. I can’t afford to just sit around, and there don’t seem to be any jobs available.

　　W: Why don’t you try house-sitting? Last summer my friend Margaret house-sat for the Dodds when they went away on vacation. Mr.Dodd hired Margaret to stay in their house because he didn’t want it left empty.

　　M: You mean the Dodds paid Margaret just to live in their house?

　　W: It wasn’t that easy. She had to mow and water the houseplants. And when Eric house-sat for Mr.Cohen, he had to take care of his pets.

　　M: House-sitting sounds like a good job. I guess it’s a little like baby-sitting — except you’re taking care of a house instead of children.

　　W: The student employment office still has a few jobs posted.

　　M: Do I just have to fill out an application?

　　W: Margaret and Eric had to interview with the homeowners and provide three references each.

　　M: That seems like a lot of trouble for a summer job.

　　W: The homeowners want some guarantee that they can trust the house-sitter. You know, they want to make sure you’re not the type who will throw wild parties in their house, or move groups of friends in with you.

　　M: House-sitters who do that sort of things probably aren’t paid.

　　W: Usually they are paid anyway just because the homeowners don’t want to make a fuss. But if the homeowners report it, and then the house-sitter wouldn’t be able to get another job. So why don’t you apply?

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

　　22. What does the man want to do this summer?

　　23. What did the Dodds do when they went away last summer?

　　24. What is one responsibility the house-sitter probably wouldn’t have?

　　25. How do homeowners determine the reliability of a house-sitter?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 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 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage One

　　How much paper do you use every day? Probably you can’t answer that question quickly. In 1990 the world’s use of paper was about one kilogram for each person in a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person in a year. Some people say that the amount of paper a country uses shows how advanced the country is. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden certainly use more paper than other countries.

　　Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the west, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Chinese first made paper about 2,000 years ago. China still has pieces of paper which were made as long ago with that. But Chinese paper was not made from wood of trees. It was made from the hair-like parts of certain plants.

　　Paper was not made in southern Europe until about the year 1100. Scandinavia — which now makes a great deal of the world’s paper—did not begin to make it until 1500. It was a German named Schaeffer who found out that one could make the best paper from trees. After that, the forest countries of Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States became the most important in paper making. Today in Finland, which makes the best paper in the world, the paper industry is the biggest in the land. New paper making machines are very big, and they can make paper very fast. The biggest machines can make a piece of paper 300 meters long and six meters wide in one minute.

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　26. What was Chinese paper made from?

　　27. When did paper begin to be made in Europe?

　　28. Which country makes the best paper in the world?

　　Passage Two

　　Professional sports are very popular in the United States, and they are big business. The most popular sports are baseball, football and basketball. Each has its own season, and millions of supporters. Professional teams are named for the cities where they are located. Their strongest supporters live in these cities. When a team plays in a championship game, most people in the city follow the game with interest and enthusiasm.

　　Basketball is well-known around the world. Professional basketball games in the United States are played indoors during the winter months. From November to April one can find a professional basketball game several nights a week in most large American cities.

　　Basketball is an American sport. It has been called the national pass-time. The game is played in the evenings nearly every day of the week and on weekends as well. The season begins in April and finishes with the World Series in October.

　　Football has become the most popular professional sport in the U. S. It is played on Sundays during the fall from August to January. American football is different from international football, which Americans call soccer. Both games require strength and special skills.

　　Professional Athletes are very well paid. The most famous athletes make millions of dollars for their playing skill. America’s best athletes have higher salaries than the country’s president.

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　29. Why is basketball called the national pastime?

　　30. What do you know about American football?

　　31. When is professional football played?

　　Passage Three

　　Good evening. I know many of you students are the proud owners of your first motor vehicle and this evening I want to talk to you about some of the things you can do to make sure your car or motorbike isn’t stolen. I will start with a few facts and figures to put you in the picture. Car theft is a wide spread problem. In this country alone one car is stolen every 32 seconds. That’s almost a million cars each year. And of those, 40% are never recovered. And don’t think that just because your car might be a bit old and beaten-up looking no one will steal it? Any car can be stolen. Anywhere.

　　Most thefts occur in residential areas, often the front of the house or even from inside the garage. Some areas that are especially dangerous are shopping centers and parking lots, particularly at sports events.

　　Most car thieves don’t need to break into the car. They usually gain entry through unlocked doors and many times they find the key in the ignition. In fact, one in five stolen cars had the keys left in the car. Isn’t that amazing? Twenty percent of drivers left the keys in the ignition of an unlocked car!

　　Who steals cars? Well, there are basically two kinds of car or bike thieves: joyriders aged about 15 to 21, and professionals. This last group usually needs less than one minute to break into a locked car and they often steal cars to use in other crimes such as robberies. You are much less likely to get your car back if it’s stolen by a professional, and if it’s stolen by a joyrider chances are it’ll be a wreck when you do get it back. Joyriders have a very high accident rate.

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.

　　32. How many stolen cars can be recovered each year?

　　33. Which of the following is the place where car theft most likely occurs?

　　34. How can car thieves commit the crime?

　　35. Who usually steals cars?

　　Section C

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear a passage three times. When the passage is read for the first time, you should listen carefully for its general idea. When the passage is read for the second time, you are required to fill in the blanks numbered from 36 to 43 with the exact words you have just heard. For blanks numbered from 44 to 46 you are required to fill in the missing information. You can either use the exact words you have just heard or write down the main points in your own words. Finally, when the passage is read for the third time, you should check what you have written.

　　Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please. On (36) behalf of the Hospitality Department, may I first of all welcome you to the City Zoo. Now I’d like to explain the (37) program we’ve arranged for you here this afternoon. There’ll be three animal shows. The first show will begin at three o’clock in the (38) marine arena. You’ll certainly be (39)fascinated by the dolphins’ and the (40) killer whales’ funny — and sometimes (41)silly —actions. After that comes the second show. This is feeding the monkeys and apes at four o’clock, in the primate center. Please don’t feed the animals with any (42) sweets, or biscuits or fruits you may have brought with you, because these can upset the animals’ normal diet. You can, of course, (43) assist the staff in feeding the apes and monkeys with specially prepared food, and in playing with the monkeys, too. (44)The last show will begin at 4:30 in the giant bird cage. Dr. Smith will be with you as your guide, he’ll point out to you more than 300 species of birds from Central America and South America. (45)If you have any questions about these shows or other forthcoming events at the zoo, (46) please ask the people at the information desk at the main entrance. They’ll be very happy to help you. I hope you’ll enjoy your visit. Thank you.