[11:27.31]Section B
[11:29.15]Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages.
[11:34.17]At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions.
[11:37.89]Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.
[11:41.93]After you hear a question,
[11:43.79]you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).
[11:51.02]Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
[11:57.14]Passage One
[11:59.21]With the development of science, scientists have discovered more about the world.
[12:05.01]Scientists say world coastal areas must prepare now for a rise in sea levels.
[12:12.13]No matter what action is taken, scientists say there are already enough greenhouse gases
[12:18.90]in the atmosphere to cause a major warning.
[12:22.08]As a result, scientists and government officials are focusing
[12:27.00]on how society might adapt to rising sea levels,
[12:31.37]changing agricultural zones, changing climates and other problems.
[12:36.87]Already, state and local governments along the coast of the United States
[12:42.89]are starting to plan for a possible long-term rise in the sea level,
[12:47.92]and a few have taken action to cope with it.
[12:51.31]Agricultural researchers are developing heat-resistant and draught-resistant crops
[12:57.76]that might replace traditional crops if the climate changes.
[13:02.36]How long it will take for maximum warming to be reached
[13:06.52]is uncertain because the oceans slow such warming.
[13:10.45]Most scientists expect the maximum warming to take place by the second half of this century.
[13:17.12]If levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere double, sea levels will rise;
[13:23.47]estimates of the average rise are from 1.5 feet to 6.5 feet.
[13:29.49]Some leading experts expect a rise of 1 meter, a little more than three feet.
[13:35.56]Questions 16 to 19 are based on the passage you have just heard.
[13:41.03]16. What must world coastal areas prepare for according to scientists' opinion?
[14:03.79]17. According to the passage, what has caused the rise in sea levels?
[14:25.79]18. What are the agricultural researchers developing?
[14:47.88]19. When will the maximum warming take place?
[15:08.05]Passage Two
[15:10.12]As more women in the United States move up the professional ladder,
[15:15.15]more are finding it necessary to make business trips alone.
[15:19.31]Since this is new for many, some pieces of advice will certainly be helpful.
[15:24.77]If you are married, it is a good idea to encourage your husband and children
[15:30.14]to learn to cook a few simple meals while you are away.
[15:34.07]They will be much happier and probably they will enjoy the experience.
[15:39.10]If you will be eating alone a good deal, choose good restaurants.
[15:43.47]This will be good for your digestion.
[15:45.66]You may also find it useful to call the restaurant in advance and state
[15:50.81]that you will be eating alone.
[15:52.22]You will probably get better service and almost certainly a better table.
[15:57.37]Finally, and most importantly, anticipate your travel needs as a business woman;
[16:03.27]this start with lightweight luggage which you can easily carry.
[16:07.10]Take a folding case inside your suitcase; it will come in handy for dirty clothes,
[16:13.12]as well as for business documents and papers you no longer need on the trip.
[16:18.37]And make sure you have a briefcase so that you can keep currently required papers separate.
[16:24.82]Obviously, experience helps,
[16:27.11]but you can make things easier on yourself from the first by careful planning,
[16:32.04]so that right from the start you really can have a good trip!
[16:36.20]Questions 20 to 22 are based on the passage you have just heard.
[16:41.78]20. Who does the passage intend to address?
[17:00.42]21. What advice is given for married business women?
[17:22.95]22. Why is a briefcase necessary for people who are on business trips?
[17:43.57]Passage Three
[17:44.77]After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994,
[17:49.58]earthquake scientists had good news to report:
[17:53.41]the damage and death toll could have been much worse.
[17:57.40]More than 60 people died in this earthquake.
[18:00.69]By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity
[18:04.29]that shook America in 1988 claimed 25 000 victims.
[18:09.98]Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m.
[18:17.64]on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city's highway.
[18:21.57]In addition, changes made to the construction methods in Los Angeles during the last 20 years
[18:28.14]have strengthened the city's buildings and highways, making them more resistant to quakes.
[18:34.37]Despite the good news, engineers today are determined to come up with a new design
[18:39.40]that would offer even greater security to buildings during earthquakes.
[18:43.78]In the past, people used steel and rubber,
[18:47.28]materials that bend without breaking to make buildings resistant to earthquakes.
[18:52.31]The new design would install computers in the building
[18:55.59]and the computers would help the buildings adjust itself during the earthquake.
[18:59.75]Such buildings would be called smart buildings and could be very expensive to build.
[19:05.54]However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.
[19:11.66]Questions 23 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.
[19:17.03]23. How many people were killed in the earthquake in Los Angeles in 1994?
[19:38.92]24. What did people use in the past to make buildings resistant to earthquakes?
[19:57.56]25. What is the passage mainly about?