Section B
Passage One
Some of the planet's most precious animals and plants are disappearing, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN). [26]The group, based in Switzerland, works with governments and experts to protect endangered species. On September 12, the IUCN released its Red List, a list of species at greatest risk of extinction. The list includes 41,415 animals and plants. The IUCN says that habitat destruction, hunting and other factors threaten one in four mammals, one in eight birds and one in three amphibians. Who is to blame? [27]Scientists believe that 99 percent of threatened species are at risk because of human activity. "We are losing animals and plants at a high rate," says Julia Marton, Director General of the IUCN. "We need to change our behavior." Warmer oceans and over-fishing are affecting sea life. This year for the first time corals made their appearance on the list. [28]The gharial, a crocodile living in India and Nepal, has lost almost 60 percent of its population in the last 10 years. It is a victim of habitat destruction. Still, the news is not all bad. Thanks to efforts made to protect it, the Mauritius echo parakeet, a bird once endangered, has seen an increase in its population. [29]"This shows that protection methods can work," says Marton. "That's the message we want to send to young people."

Questions 26 to 29 are based on the passage you have just heard.
26. What is the IUCN aimed at?
正确答案：D
解析：原文提到IUCN之后就解释了它的主要作用：protect endangered species，故D正确。D中的threatened是原文中endangered的同义词，在后文也出现过。
27. According to scientists, who is to blame for the endangered species?
正确答案：C
解析：原文中有一处自问自答：“怨谁？科学家认为99%动植物面临灭绝的危险是因为人类活动。”故选C。
28. Why does the speaker mention the crocodile living in India and Nepal?
正确答案：B
解析：根据选项可预测问题有关某两个国家的某种动物的情况，听到文中的India and Nepal时要知道选项中的It指The gharial，此词不懂没关系，根据紧接着听到的a crocodile即可大致明白。答案基本上是随后一句的重现。
29. What does the bird example show according to Julia Marton?
正确答案：A
解析：原文最后提到了一种原本濒临灭绝的鸟类经过保护后数量得到了增长，Marton说：“这表明保护方法是有用的。”A是原文的同义表达。短文结尾处常出题。