【答案解析】[听力原文] (Woman) Housing is currently in a steep slump following an extended five- year boom powered by the lowest mortgage rates in a generation. Sales of both new and existing homes, which set records for five straight years, have been falling.
【答案解析】[听力原文] Most of us tend to believe that competition is good, and that competition fairly handled can generally stimulate more efficiency in production, greater efforts to improve products and lower prices for consumers.
【答案解析】[听力原文] Illegal immigrants put pressure on public schools and hospitals, strain state and local budgets, and bring crime to our communities. Yet the vast majority are decent people who work hard and lead responsible lives.
【答案解析】[听力原文] More people are displaced by natural disasters than by wars. The death toll from this once-in-a-century earthquake has reached 23,000, and it has left 2.5 million people without shelter.
【答案解析】[听力原文] Share prices received a shock yesterday when the government increased interest rates to five per cent. As a result, the Dow-Jones dropped by three hundred and forty points closing at twelve thousand one hundred, its lowest level for ten weeks.