Step by Step2000 第二册UnIt 10 News(Ⅰ)

Part I Warming up

Tapescript.

A

1. EU -- The European Union, is the result of a process of cooperation and integration 1 which began in 1951 between six countries. Today it has fifteen member states and its mission is to organize relations between the member states and between their peoples in a coherent manner and on the basis of solidarity 2.

2. FAO- Food and Agricultural Organization, was established in 1945 as an autonomous 3 organization related to the United Nations. Its headquarters is in Rome.

3. IMF- International Monetary 4 Fund, is an autonomous body affiliated 5 with the United Nations. Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

4. OECD -- The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, also known as a rich man's club, was formed in 1961 with its secretariat in Paris. It groups 29 member countries in an organization to discuss and develop economic and social policy.

5. WHO- The World Health Organization; is a specialized 6 agency of the United Nations. WHO was formed in 1948, with its headquarters in Geneva.

6. WTO -- The World Trade Organization, was formed on January 1st, 1995 as successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs 7 and Trade (GATT). It is the only global international organization dealing 8 with the rules of trade between nations, with its secretariat in Geneva.

B.

Tapescript:

1. APEC -- The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, established in 1989, has since become the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic cooperation among Asia-Pacific economies. Its secretariat is located in Singapore.

2. ASEAN -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, was formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to promote political and economic cooperation among the member countries. Now it encompasses 9 all ten countries of Southeast Asia by admitting Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.

3. NATO -- The North Atlantic Treat~, was created by a treaty signed in 1949 among Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. Greece, Turkey and Germany later joined the organization.

4. NASA -- The National Aeronautics 10 and Space Administration, is a government agency in the U. S.

5. OPEC -- The Organization of Petroleum 11 Exporting Countries, was created in 1960. Among its members are Algeria, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia.

6. UNESCO- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is an agent of the UN with its headquarters in Paris.

7. UNICEF -- The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, an integral part of the United Nations system, was created at the end of World War II to relieve the suffering of children in war torn Europe. For more than 53 years UNICEF has been helping 12 governments, communities and families make the world a better place for children. Its headquarters is in New York.

C

Tapescript

1. Arab leaders have ended an emergency summit in Cairo.

2. Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji has arrived in the Middle Western City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the fourth stop on his 9-day visit to the United States.

3. FINLAND- Citizens have elected their country's first woman President of the Social Democratic Party.

4. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have met for the first time in two months.

5. AT THE UNITED NATIONS -- Portugal and Indonesia have reestablished diplomatic relations.

6. South Korean President Kim Dae Jung has been named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

7. Tens of thousands of people in France have held demonstrations 13 against growing unemp1oment.

8. Two French newsmen held hostage for two and one half months are flying home to France.

9. Two hundred more families separated by the Korean War have been reunited.

Part II News items

A.

Now listen to the first pair. Complete the summary for the news items and answer the questions you hear on the tape.

1. The news items are about the talks between Palestinian leader and Egyptian President on Middle East peace efforts and Mr. Arafat's view on the opening of the U.S. embassy in east Jerusalem.

2.

a. WHEN? On Tuesday.

b. WHAT? It sealed off a West Bank village near Nabulus.

Tapescript:

1. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has met in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak. They discussed Middle East peace efforts. Later, Mr. Arafat said the United States should open its embassy for Palestinians in east Jerusalem. Last month, President Clinton said he was considering moving the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. On Tuesday, Mr. Clinton travels to Cairo for talks with Mr. Mubarak.

2. Palestinian leader Yasser Ararat met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Saturday to review the status of Israeli Palestinian peace negotiations 14. On returning to Gaza from the Egyptian port city of Alexandria, Mr. Arafat suggested the United States open its embassy for Palestinians in east Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has sealed off a West Bank village near the town of Nfibulus. Witnesses say the sound of guns could be heard as Israeli helicopters circled over Ashila Ashamalia.

Questions.

a. When will Mr. Clinton travel to Cairo?

b. What was the Israeli army doing at the same time?

B Now Listen to the second pair of news items. Complete the news summary and answer the questions you hear on the tape.

l. The news items are about the building of a railroad and a road that link Pyongyang and Seoul.

2.

a. WHEN? On Monday.

b. WHAT? A special road that 'will connect Northeast Asia to

Europe through China and Russia.

c. WHAT? They will remove underground bombs/clear land

mines at the border.

d. WHEN? In one year.

Tapescript

1. SOUTH KOREA -- Work will begin Monday on a new railroad and a road that will link Pyongyang in North Korea and Seoul in South Korea. The first railroad was cut at the beginning of the Korean War 50 years ago. South Korean President Kim Dae Jung has called the new !ink "a special road that will connect Northeast Asia to Europe through China and Russia. ' Thousands of soldiers on both sides will put down their weapons to help with the 20-kilometer transportation project. Officials said the soldiers will remove tens of thousands of underground bombs.

2. South Korea begins work in just hours on a railway and highway, linking the capitals of the two Koreas, a sign of growing reconciliation 15 after a half century of hostility 16. Starting on Monday, thousands of soldiers from both the North and South put aside their weapons to help with the work. Among other things, the soldiers must clear land mines within the demilitarized zone at the border. The project should be completed in one year.

Questions.

a. When will the project begin?

b. What does President Kim Dae Jung call the new link?

c. What will the soldiers on both sides do to help with the work?

d. When will the project be finished?

C Here is the final pair of news items. Listen carefully, complete the news summary and answer the following questions you hear on the tape.

1. The two news items are about the talks among the Presidents of South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe on the political and economic problems in Zimbabwe.

2. a. WHAT? The land reform program.

b. HOW MANY? Most of the 4,500 farms/several thousand

farms.

c. WHY? Because the government wants to give them to the

blacks who have no land.

Tapescript:

1. HARARE -- South African President Thabo Mbeki has arrived in Zimbabwe for talks with President Robert Mugabe. They are to discuss the political and economic problems of Zimbabwe Nigerian President Olusegtm Obasanjo is expected to join the talks when he arrives in Harare later Thursday. Officials say the main discussion will be about Zimbabwe's disputed land reform program. The government plans to seize most of the 4,500 farms owned by whites and give them to blacks who have no land.

2. Presidents of South Africa and Nigeria are meeting in Harare with their Zimbabwean counterpart for talks focusing on the country's social and economic crisis. Officials say Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's controversial land reform program will be on the agenda. His government has identified several thousand white-owned farms it plans to redistribute to landless blacks without compensations for the owners.

Questions:

a. What will the main discussion be about?

b. How many farms does the government plan to seize from the whites?

c. Why does the government plan to seize those farms?

Part III Israel early elections

A. The political situation in Israel

Former Prime Minister:

Mr. Benjamin Netaanyaahu

Mr. Barak winning a victory over Netanyahu in 1999

Ariel Sharon's visit to a holy place in Jerusalem, resulting in violence in the West Bank and Gaza

Mr. Barak losing support for his failure

a. to end the violence in the West Bank and Gaza, and

b. to reach a final peace agreement with the Palestinians

Mr. Barak's announcement

to call early elections in April or May

Possible candidates for Prime Minister:

a. Ehud Barak: leader of the Labor 17 Party

b. Ariel Sharon: leader of the Likud Party

c. Benjamin Netanyahu: a Likud Party member

B. Now Listen to the news report again and answer the following questions with key words.

1. How many people died in the violence in the West Bank and Gaza?

about 300 people

2. When did Israel occupy the West Bank and Gaza?

in 1967

3. What proposals did Mr. Barak offer to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat? Did Yasser Arafat accept them? Palestinian rule/over 90%/the West Bank and Gaza/rejected

4. Why did Ariel Sharon visit Jerusalem?

show Israeli control/Holy City

5. What do the Palestinians want?

a permanent agreement Palestine/east Jerusalem/capital

Tapescript:

Israel has begun to prepare for early elections expected in April or May. Prime Minister Ehud Barak agreed to call early elections in a surprise announcement this week. Parliament had threatened to dismiss his government and force new elections.

Mr. Barak has lost support for failing to end the violence in the West Bank and Gaza. About 300 people have died so far, mostly Palestinians. Israel took control of those areas in the 1967 war. Palestinian protesters demand an end to Israeli occupation.

Mr. Barak is also blamed for failing to reach a final peace agreement in talks near Washington in July. Mr. Barak offered Palestinian rule over 90 percent of the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat rejected his proposals.

Mr. Barak is a former general who campaigned for office on promises to work for peace. He heads the Labor Party. Israelis elected him to a four-year term in May of 1999. Mr. Barak won a huge victory over former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr. Netanyahu withdrew from politics after his defeat. But observers say he is preparing for a return. In fact, they say he could defeat Ariel Sharon, the leader of the opposition 18 Likud Party, as that party's candidate for Prime Minister.

Many people blame Ariel Sharon for the current situation in the Palestinian territories. The violence began in September, after he visited a holy place in Jerusalem sacred to both Muslims and Jews. With him were hundreds of Israeli soldiers and police. He said he wanted to show Israeli control over the Holy City,

For the past several weeks, Prime Minister Barak had been seeking an emergency coalition 19 with Likud in an effort to end the violence. But he refused to give Mr. Sharon the power to veto peace efforts. Ariel Sharon is strongly disliked among Arabs for his part in Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon.

Mr. Barak will remain Prime Minister until the elections. Experts say in order for him to win a second term, he must reduce the violence in the West Bank and Gaza. They say he also needs a major peace deal with the Palestinians.

The Palestinians say they want a permanent agreement, one that would create an independent Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital.

Part 4 Short talks on listening skills

Listen to the short talks entitled "The 'Inverted 20 Pyramid' in News Reporting." Some important words are taken away from the written passage. Supply the missing words.

The "Inverted Pyramid" in News Reporting

Broadcasting news in English has some particular characteristics, such as its style, it's structure, the choice of words, and the logical order of presentation, etc.

The standardized 21 narrative 22 procedure in news reporting is often called the "inverted pyramid." That is to say, the most important information is usually included in the news lead. And a news lead, in a sense, is also a condensed form of a ccomplete news story. Each succeeding sentence becomes less significant, providing further information on the "who," "what," "when" or "how."

If we want to sum up a certain news item, we can take words from either inside or outside the news stories. We can say, for example, "this news item is about somebody's view on something" or "it's about the relationship betweem country A or country B." Other words such as comments, remarks, attitudes, analysis can also be very useful.

Apart from current news, radio reports on some breakthroughs in science and technology also help update our knowledge about the world. However,vocabulary has proved to be a problem that often hinders our understanding of the new information. Therefore, in order to enhance our ability in listening, words that frequently appear in some popular science programs should be carefully stutied. Beside, if we have a close examination of the experiment reports, we may find that they are often devided into different parts or paragraphs on the "subjects," the "test or experiment procedure,"the "observations," the "findings or results" and so on. This kind of knowledge also helps us in following the latest developments in science.