单选题 Directions: In this section, you will hear 10 short news items. After each item, there will be a pause. During the pause, you must read the question and the three choices marked A, B and C, and decide which is the best answer.

单选题 What does the giant golden key symbolize?

A. Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games.
B. The Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games.
C. The large market of the Olympic brand.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] Amid pomp and ceremony, China launched the 2008 Olympics. Together with a Chinese counterpart, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, used a giant golden key to symbolically open what he called the most important market in the world. In his speech, he emphasized the power of the Olympic brand in China's emerging market.

单选题 According to the charity group Plan International, how many children are deprived of two or more basic needs?

A. 600 million.
B. 350 million.
C. 315 million.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] The charity group Plan International says 600 million Asian children are deprived of one of the seven basic needs used to define poverty, including food, safe water, shelter, health and education. And it says 350 million children, equivalent to the population of the European Union, are deprived of two or more basic needs, classifying them as absolutely poor.

单选题 How long was Alan Johnston kidnapped?

A. Nearly 14 months.
B. Nearly 4 weeks.
C. Nearly 4 months.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] British news reporter Alan Johnston says his kidnapping by Palestinian militants was like being buried alive. A militant group called the Army of Islam held the reporter for nearly four months. His release came early Wednesday in the Gaza Strip.

单选题 How many terrorists were killed in Wednesday operation?

A. 35.
B. 9.
C. 10.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] The United States military says coalition forces in Iraq have killed 35 militants. The military said coalition forces killed ten terrorists early Wednesday in operations in al-Anbar Province and the northern city of Mosul. It also said nine suspects were detained in operations against supporters of the group A1-Qaeda in Iraq.

单选题 How many parties are competing in the elections?

A. 14.
B. 40.
C. 65.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] Election officials in East Timor say none of the political parties taking part in the elections last Saturday won a majority of the vote. Fourteen parties are competing for places in the nation's 65-seat parliament. Party leaders have already begun the process of forming a coalition government. Election officials said 90 percent of the votes have been counted.