United Nations Day

The 24th of October is celebrated as United Nations Day. h is a day that belongs to everyone. And it is celebrated in most countries of the world. Some countries celebrate for a week instead of a day.

In many parts of the world, schools have special programs for the day. Boys and girls in some communities decorate a UN tree. In other communities, young people put on plays about the UN. Some libraries exhibit children's art works from around the world. Schools celebrate with the songs and dances of other countries or give parties where foods of other countries are served. No matter how the day is celebrated, the purpose of these celebrations is to help everyone understand the UN, and the important roles it plays in world affairs. The UN encourages people to learn about other lands and their customs. In this way, people can gain a better understanding and appreciation of peoples all over the world.

PART Ⅲ LISTENING COMPREHENSION

SECTION A STATEMENT

1. During this morning's test, I couldn't do the last four questions, but I did the first five.

2. According to Jane there is no better cheese than Swiss cheese in our local supermarket.

3. Before going to the gas station to have his tank filled, John had his emergency brake checked and fixed at the service station near the local cinema.

4. Betty would rather that her husband didn't send away the cleaning lady, but he will anyway.

5. Fred would have paid twice as much as he did for his car if the salesman had insisted, as he really needed a car.

6. The idea of permanent education is practical because people are never really too old to go on learning. Of course there are certain limits but these are not age limits.

7. It is getting much easier to travel nowadays, but increasingly harder to get away from people, and that is perhaps the most difficult thing for holiday makers.

8. According to Tom, William lost his job not because he was always sick and usually went to work late, but because he made a big error in last month's accounting and the boss was angry with him.

SECTION B CONVERSATION

9. W: Do you know that Mark turned down that job offer by a travel agency?

M: Yeah, the hours were convenient, but he wouldn't have been able to make ends meet.

10. W: Can we eat somewhere else? Very few small restaurants like this serve good food.

M: I know, but there isn't anywhere else in this town. Look! The waiter is coming over for our order.

11. W: Mary is fluent in English and she's just started to learn Japanese.

M： I hear she also knows a few words in Chinese and French.

12. M: John must have been joking when he said that he was going to live in Boston.

W: Don't be so sure. He told me that he was looking for an agent to sell his house.

13. W: Excuse me, I wonder if the bus would come at all. It's already 10:45.

M: Oh, I'm afraid you've just missed the last one which left 5 minutes ago.

14. W: Hi, John, haven't seen you for a quite few days. I heard you've been sick. How are you feeling now?

M: They must confuse me with my brother, Jack. Anyway, he is feeling better now.

15. W: After the way it is being used, the photocopier is not going to make it through the rest of the year.

M: The year! It's supposed to be good for four!

16. W: Look at all those cars and trucks lined up for the ferry. There must be at least 40 ahead of ours.

M: True, I think it will take quite a while for us to be on board.

SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST

News Item One (17-18)

Haitian hunger strikers at the US labor base at Guantannamo Bay, Cuba, have begun refusing all fluids and medical treatments. 15 of the 267 Haitians are at the base. 7 are prepared to die, if necessary, to force the US to admit the rest of them. The Haitians are eligible to pursue political asylum in the US, but have been barred from entry because most have the AIDS virus. The Clinton Administration says they would lift the ban on their entry, but it is not known when.

News Item Two (19)

The top three US auto-makers have decided not to proceed with plans to file a trade complaint with Japanese auto-makers. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler had planned to accuse Japanese companies of dumping cars below market prices in the US, but they dropped the idea, citing a pledge by the Clinton Administration to address the US-Japan trade imbalance.

News Item Three (20-21)

About 100 people are now known have died in what has been described as "the worst storm" ever to hit the eastern US this century. The hurricane-force winds first struck the Gulf of Mexico and have now spread across the Canadian border, continuing to bring reckless snowfalls, severe flooding, and causing millions of dollars in damage. All major airports have now reopened and airlines are beginning to cope with a backlog of thousands of stranded passengers. The storm also paralyzed areas of Cuba, where several people were killed, and property and crops destroyed.

News Item Four (22)

France has carried out another underground nuclear test in the South Pacific. It is the fifth in the region since September. The test was conducted at the Moruroa atoll on Wednesday. Paris has come under strong criticism for its nuclear testing programme, especially from Asia-Pacific countries. A State Department spokeswoman in Washington expressed disappointment at the latest French test. France has promised to sign a global test ban treaty after it completes its current series of nuclear tests in the Pacific.

News Item Five (23)

The association representing British airline pilots says that there is an urgent need to raise levels of air safety throughout the world. In the statement,the association, known as Bobo, warns that unless air safety improves travelers face a perilous future. The association also said that the standard of training must be raised among fly crews and air traffic controllers as the sky has become ever more crowded.

News Item Six (24-25)

The Western European Union, the defense organization linking most countries of the European Community, is meeting in Luxembourg to discuss ways to reinforce economic sanctions against the Serbs by tightening controls on the River Danube. It is expected to approve of a proposal to send patrol boats manned by armed police and customs officers with power to search and turn back ships suspected of breaking the sanctions.International efforts to isolate Serbia have been undermined by ships carrying oil and other illegal supplies from the Black Sea region along the Danube into the former Yugoslavia after ignoring attempts by the local authorities to stop them. It is reported that most of the illegal traffic of goods is believed to be arriving in Serbia over land from Greece and former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonian.