{{I}} Questions 29 ～ 30 are based on the following news from the BBC or the VOA. At the end of the news item, you will be given JO seconds to answer the two questions. Now listen to the news.{{/I}}

According to the magazine report, there are ______ on board the cargo planes.

{{B}} Questions 27 and 28 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.{{/B}}

{{I}} Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to an, ewer the questions. Now listen to the news.{{/I}}

{{I}} Questions 8 to 10 are based on the following conversation. At the end of the conversation, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now listen to the conversation.{{/I}}

Questions 21 to 23 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.

SECTION A MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS PASSAGE ONE Students of United States history, seeking to identify the circumstances that encouraged the emergence of feminist movements, have thoroughly investigated the mid-nineteenth- century American economic and social conditions that affected the status of women. These historians, however, have analyzed less fully the development of specifically feminist ideas and activities during the same period. Furthermore, the ideological origins of feminism in the United States have been obscured because, even when historians did take into account those feminist ideas and activities occurring within the United States, they failed to recognize that feminism was then a truly international movement actually centered in Europe. American feminist activists who have been described as "solitary" and "individual theorists" were in reality connected to a movement—utopian socialism—which was already popularizing feminist ideas in Europe during the two decades that culminated in the first women"s rights conference held at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Thus, a complete understanding of the origins and development of nineteenth-century feminism in the United States requires that the geographical focus be widened to include Europe and that the detailed study already made of social conditions be expanded to include the ideological development of feminism. The earliest and most popular of the utopian socialists were the Saint-Simonians. The specifically feminist part of Saint-Simonianism has, however, been less studied than the group"s contribution to early socialism. This is regrettable on two counts. By 1832 feminism was the central concern of Saint-Simonianism and entirely absorbed its adherents" energy; hence, by ignoring its feminism, European historians have misunderstood Saint-Simonianism. Moreover, since many feminist ideas can be traced to Saint-Simonianism, European historians" appreciation of later feminism in France and the United States remained limited. Saint-Simon"s followers, many of whom were women, based their feminism on an interpretation of his project to reorganize the globe by replacing brute force with the rule of spiritual powers. The new world order would be ruled together by a male, to represent reflection, and a female, to represent sentiment. This complementarity reflects the fact that, while the Saint-Simonians did not reject the belief that there were innate differences between men and women, they nevertheless foresaw an equally important social and political role for both sexes in their Utopia. Only a few Saint-Simonians opposed a definition of sexual equality based on gender distinction. This minority believed that individuals of both sexes were born similar in capacity and character, and they ascribed male-female differences to socialization and education. The envisioned result of both currents of thought, however, was that women would enter public life in the new age and that sexual equality would reward men as well as women with an improved way of life. PASSAGE TWO When school officials in Kalkaska, Michigan, closed classes last week, the media flocked to the story, portraying the town"s 2,305 students as victims of stingy taxpayers. There is some math to that; the property-tax rate here is one-third lower than the state average. But shutting their schools also allowed Kalkaska"s educators and the state"s largest teachers" union, the Michigan Education Association, to make a political point. Their aim was to spur the passage of legislation Michigan lawmakers are debating to increase the state"s share of school funding. It was no coincidence that Kalkaska shut its schools two weeks after residents rejected a 28 percent property-tax increase. The school board argued that without the increase it lacked the $1.5 million needed to keep schools open. But the school system had not done all it could to keep the schools open. Officials declined to borrow against next year"s state aid, they refused to trim extracurricular activities and they did not consider seeking a smaller—perhaps more acceptable—tax increase. In fact, closing early is costing Kalkaska a significant amount, including $600,000 in unemployment payments to teachers and staff and $250,000 in lost state aid. In February, the school system promised teachers and staff two months of retirement payments in case schools closed early, a deal that will cost the district $275,000 more. Other signs suggest school authorities were at least as eager to make a political statement as to keep schools open. The Michigan Education Association hired a public relations firm to stage a rally marking the school closings, which attracted 14 local and national television stations and networks. The president of the National Education Association, the MEA"s parent organization, flew from Washington, D.C., for the event. And the union tutored school officials in the art of television interviews. School supervisor Doyle Disbrow acknowledges the district could have kept schools open by cutting programs but denies the moves were politically motivated. Michigan lawmakers have reacted angrily to the closings. The state Senate has already voted to put the system into receivership and reopen schools immediately; the Michigan House plans to consider the bill this week. PASSAGE THREE I had an experience some years ago which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves. One January, I had to officiate at two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community. Both had died "full of years", as the Bible would say; both yielded to the normal wearing out of the body after a long and full life. Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence calls on the two families on the same afternoon. At the first home, the son of the deceased woman said to me, "If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today. It"s my fault that she died." At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, "If only I hadn"t insisted on my mother"s going to Florida, she would be alive today. That long airplane ride, the abrupt change of climate, was more than she could take. It"s my fault that she"s dead." When things don"t turn out as we would like them to, it is very tempting to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending. Priests know that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty. Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course—keeping Mother at home, postponing the operation—would have turned out better. After all, how could it have turned out any worse? There seem to be two elements involved in our readiness to feel guilt. The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens. That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds. The second element is the notion that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen. It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault. The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood. Psychologists speak of the infantile myth of omnipotence. A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it. He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks. He cries, and someone comes to attend to him. When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him. Very often, we do not completely outgrow that infantile notion that our wishes cause things to happen. PASSAGE FOUR The theory of stellar evolution predicts that when the core of a star has used up its nuclear fuel, the core will collapse. If the star is about the size of the sun, it will turn into a degenerate dwarf star. If it is somewhat larger, it may undergo a supernova explosion that leaves behind a neutron star. But if the stellar core has a mass greater than about three solar masses, gravitational forces overwhelm nuclear forces and the core collapses. Since nuclear forces are the strongest repulsive forces known, nothing can stop the continued collapse of the star. A black hole in space is formed. Because of the intense gravitational forces near the black hole, nothing can escape from it, not even light. If we were to send a probe toward an isolated black hole, the probe would detect no radiation from the black hole. It would, however, sense a gravitational field like the one that would be produced by a normal star of the same mass. As the probe approached the black hole, the gravitational forces would increase inexorably (不可阻挡地). At a distance of a few thousand kilometers, the gravitational forces would literally be torn away from the side furthest away from the black hole. Eventually, at a distance of a few kilometers from the black hole, the particles that made up the probe would pass the point of no return, and the particles would be lost forever down the black hole. This point of no return is called the gravitational radius of the black hole. But how can we hope to observe such an object? Nature, herself, could conceivably provide us with a "probe" of a black hole: a binary star system in which one of the stars has become a black hole and is absorbing the mass of its companion star. As the matter of the companion star fell into the black hole, it would accelerate. This increased energy of motion would be changed into heat energy. Near the gravitational radius the matter would move at speeds close to the speed of light, and temperatures would range from tens of millions of degrees to perhaps as much as a billion degrees. At these temperatures, X and gamma radiation are produced. Further, since the matter near the gravitational radius would be orbiting the black hole about once every millisecond, the X radiation should show erratic, short-term variability unlike the regular or periodic variability associated with neutron stars and degenerate dwarfs. The X-ray source Cygnus X-1 fulfills these "experimental" conditions. It is part of a binary star system in which a blue supergiant star is orbiting an invisible companion star. This invisible companion has a mass greater than about nine times the mass of the Sun, and it is a strong X-ray source that shows rapid variations in the intensity of its X-ray flux. Most astronomers believe that Cygnus X-1 is a black hole but this belief is tempered(使暖和) with a dose of caution. The idea of a black hole is still difficult to swallow, but theorists can think of no other object that could explain the phenomenon of Cygnus X-1. For this reason, in most scientific papers, Cygnus X-1 is referred to simply as a black hole "candidate".

SECTION E MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS In this section there are four passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. For each multiple choice question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. PASSAGE ONE Ruth Handier invented something in 1959 which became so quintessentially American as to be included in the official "America"s Time Capsule" buried at the celebration of the Bicentennial in 1976: the Barbie doll. In the early 1950s, Handler saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adult female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like. Inspired by her daughter"s fascination with adult paper dolls, Ruth Handler suggested making a three-dimensional doll through which little girls could act out their dreams. In 1959, Mattel introduced the Barbie doll (named after the Handlers" daughter), a pint-sized model of the "girl next door." Soon enough Barbie sprouted a coterie of friends and family. Ken (named for the Handlers" son), Barbie"s boyfriend, appeared in 1961. Meanwhile, the longtime Southern California resident defied prevailing trends in the toy industry of the late 1950s when she proposed an alternative to the flat-chest baby dolls then marketed to girls. "I believed it was important to a little girl"s self-esteem," Handler has said, "to play with a doll that has breasts." Barbie, a teenage doll with a tiny waist, slender hips and impressive bust, became not only a best-selling toy with more than 1 billion sold in 150 countries, but a cultural icon analyzed by scholars, attacked by feminists and showcased in the Smithsonian Institution. "My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be," Handler wrote in her 1994 autobiography. "Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices." Ruth Handler undeniably invented an American icon that functions as both a steady cynosure for girls" dreams and an ever-changing reflection of American society. By 1966, Handler was 50 and Mattel ruled the highly competitive toy world: it controlled 12% of the $2-billion toy market in the United States. By 1970, however, her world began to unravel. Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. New corporate managers began to diversify Mattel away from toys, and their machinations ultimately resulted in the Handlers" ouster from the company they had founded. Although best known for her pivotal role as Barbie"s inventor, Handier devoted her later years to a second, trailblazing career: manufacturing and marketing artificial breasts for women who had undergone mastectomies. Herself a breast cancer survivor, she personally sold and fitted the prosthesis and crisscrossed the country as a spokeswoman for early detection of the disease in the 1970s, when it was still a taboo subject. The Nearly Me prosthetic breast was made of liquid silicone enclosed in polyurethane and had a rigid foam backing. Her goal was to make an artificial breast so real that "a woman could wear a regular brassiere ( =bra) and blouse, stick her chest out and be proud." She said of the prosthetics business. "It sure rebuilt my self-esteem, and I think I rebuilt the self-esteem of others." By 1980, sales of the Nearly Me artificial breast had surpassed $1 million. In 1991, Handler sold the company to a division of Kimberly-Clark. She died on April 27th, 2002. The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to the Stop Cancer Organization. PASSAGE TWO If you"d like to add a slice of your heritage to your wedding ceremony, you"re not alone. Millions of couples are embracing their ancestry and choosing to incorporate some of the best traditions from around the world in their ceremonies here at home. Here are some of the most interesting wedding traditions you might find if you attended a wedding in a Scandinavian country. If you or your family are from one of these countries, why not try adding some phrases from your ancestor"s native tongue in your wedding vows for a truly memorable touch? Origin of the original Britons, the Vikings, and Hamlet, Scandinavia is a cluster of countries with a unique set of wedding customs. In Denmark, an arch of pine limbs called a Gate of Honor is built in front of the bride"s home. At some point in the reception, the groom will leave the room and all the male guests will get to kiss the bride. When he returns, she will depart and the female guests will kiss the groom. In Viking times, the groom would pay a price for the bride, and the bride"s family would provide a dowry. These combined funds were then given to the couple at the end of the marriage ceremony in order to provide a starting point for the newlyweds. Today, the parents will tuck money into the bride"s shoes. The father contributes silver to the left shoe and the mother contributes gold to the right shoe. Also, the shoes are left untied in belief that this will ensure easy childbirth in the future. Truly traditional Viking weddings are always held on Friday, which was considered the day of Frigga and therefore sacred. The couple is often sanctified at the beginning of the ceremony with a sprinkling from a fir bough dipped in wine. Rings may be presented by the bride and groom to each other on the tip of a ceremonial sword, and vows are often recited while both hands hold the hilt, re-minding the couple that marriage is a lifelong commitment that is equally binding on both male and female. Chris Simeral is the creator of The Ultimate Wedding Vow Toolkit, the wedding-coordinator—approved home—study course for couples personalizing or renewing their wedding vows. Sign up for the free wedding vow mini-course at http://www.weddingvowtoolkit.com. PASSAGE THREE With the breakneck speed at which today"s businesses move, there"s one mantra we"d all do well to remember: change is constant. Even so, few businesses equip their employees with strategies for dealing with change. It"s often up to savvy employees to negotiate changes on their own. Few companies can guarantee they won"t need to redeploy workers or have them work a different shift. In fact, a quick search of the jobs on Yahoo! Hot Jobs found that 977 contained the words "subject to change." When approached with changing roles and responsibilities, resist the urge to protest by pointing to your original job description. Employers expect their employees—unless they are under an employment contract—to be flexible, tackling whatever task they"re given with zeal. It"s OK to be concerned that you may lack some of the key skills and experiences required for the new position. If so, consider asking for additional training at a local college or other professional development organization. If classes are not in the budget, ask if you can expense instructional books related to the new job or visit your local library. Part of the fun of writing this newsletter is hearing all your stories. One came across my desk recently that I think gets to the heart of today"s tip. An employee was told that her company was adding a new managerial position that she would report into. Initially undaunted, she decided to interview for the managerial job (good for her), but when notified that she didn"t get the job, she shut down (bad for her). When I say "shut down", I"m being literal. She no longer speaks to co-workers. She does what her job description says—but nothing else. Having been a manager for more than a decade, I can tell you that this employee has forced herself into a dead end. It"s not enough to do your job while sending the message that you"d rather be "anywhere but here". Companies don"t stop and tend to bruised egos. The only way to win in this employee"s situation is to come to terms with the circumstances and adopt a professional demeanor, or move on. In fact, change can happen because you"re the best. Companies often redeploy star performers in an attempt to turn around problem areas. Management may also hope that a star employee"s good habits will rub off on others. Companies sometimes impose change on a strong performer expressly for that employee"s benefit. Smart executives move star employers to give them broader experience of operations and departments and to help groom them for senior management roles. Try not to focus on why you were tapped to change, but how you will turn it to your advantage. Don"t dwell too long on the topic or complain. The key is to be curious without appearing to be resistant. Convey that you"re eager to learn new skills and take on new challenges—and that more information will help you be more effective. Embrace your new role with enthusiasm and optimism. Re-member that change is ultimately what you make of it. PASSAGE FOUR The Battle of Normandy was fought during World War Ⅱ in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving nearly three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in occupied France. Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase, or the establishment of a secure foothold, was known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day (June 1,1944) and ended on June 30, when the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19. The battle began months before the invasion, when Allied bombers began to pound the Normandy coast and farther south, to destroy transportation links, and disrupt the German army"s build-up of their military strength. More than 300 planes dropped 13000 bombs over Normandy in advance of the invasion. Six parachute regiments, with more than 13000 men, also went ahead to cut railroad lines, blow up bridges, and seize landing fields. Gliders also brought in men, light artillery, jeeps, and small tanks. With the invasion of Normandy, General Dwight D. Eisenhower faced a task of magnitude and hazards never before attempted. He would have to move his forces 100 miles across the English Channel and storm a heavily fortified coastline. His enemy was the weapon-and-tank-superior German army commanded by Erwin Rommel, one of the most brilliant generals of the war. Less than 15 percent of the Allied forces coming aboard the ships had ever seen combat. An invading army had not crossed the unpredictable and dangerous English Channel since 1688. Once the massive Allied force set out, there was no turning back. The Allies boasted a 5000-vessel armada that stretched as far as the eye could see, transporting both men and vehicles across the channel to the French beaches. In addition, the Allies had 4000 smaller landing craft and more than 11000 aircraft. By nightfall on June 6, more than 9000 Allied soldiers were dead or wounded, but more than 100000 had made it ashore and secured French coastal villages. Within weeks, supplies were being unloaded at Utah and Omaha beachheads at the rate of more than 20000 tons per day. By June 11, more than 326000 troops, 55000 vehicles, and 105000 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches. By June 30, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19. Military intelligence was an important part of the Normandy invasion. British and American cryptographers working in London deciphered coded messages that the German believed to be unbreakable. Messages could quite often be delivered to Eisenhower within two and a half hours of the time the Germans had sent it. In addition, reconnaissance teams took infrared pictures of Omaha Beach while avoiding German patrols. There is no official casualty figure for D-Day. It is estimated that more than 425000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded, or went missing during the battle. That figure includes more than 209000 Allied casualties. In addition to roughly 200000 German troops killed or wounded, the Allies also captured 200000 soldiers. Captured Germans were sent to American prisoner-of-war camps at the rate of 30000 per month, from D-Day until Christmas 1944. Between 15000 and 20000 French civilians were killed during the battle. In the end, the invasion of Normandy succeeded in its objective by sheer force of numbers. By July 1944, some one million Allied troops, mostly American, British, and Canadian, were entrenched in Normandy. During the great invasion, the Allies assembled nearly three million men and stored 16 million tons of arms, munitions, and supplies in Britain. The occupation of Normandy was crucial for the Western Allies to bring the war to the western border of Germany. If the Normandy invasion had not occurred, there could conceivably have been a complete possession of northern and western Europe by Soviet forces.

The man stops to take his dog outside to do exercise because

Inside the classroom, some learners seem to take advantage of what's going on (31) others. It looks as if they are more (32) with the process of learning than their classmates. Teachers are aware of this too. They will (33) say that successful students possess some of all of the following characteristics. A willingness to listen: good learners listen to what's going on-not just in the sense of paying attention, but also in terms of really listening to the English that is being used, (34) it (35) with eagerness and intelligence. A willingness to experiment: many good learners are not afraid to " have a (n) (36) " They are prepared to take risks, to try things out and see how it works. (37) , not all successful language learners are (38) , but the (39) to use the language is an important one. A willingness to ask questions: (40) some teachers can become irritated by students who (41) difficult questions, the urge to find out why is part of a successful learner's (42) Good teachers frequently (43) students to ask if they don't understand something. Good learners do this, judging when it is (44) to do so and when it is not. A willingness to accept correction, good learners are prepared to be corrected if it helps them. They are keen to get feedback from the teacher and (45) what they are told. But this only (46) where teachers are able to offer constructive criticism (47) castigating them for being wrong. Giving feedback involves praising students for things they do well, and offering them the ability to do things better (48) they were less successful. It (49) teachers in judging their students' responses to correcting so that they can act (50) .

{{I}} Questions 21 and 22 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.{{/I}}

U.S. President and the President of Indonesia agreed to

Which of the following details about Ellen is CORRECT?

{{I}} Questions 29 and 30 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the questions. Now, listen to the news.{{/I}}

Threats from nomadic people in the north were (31) throughout Chinese history. They were continually attacking the Chinese northern (32) . With each new emperor, came endless debate about how to (33) the barbarians. There were four options: (34) offensive campaigns to drive them away or to destroy them; create defensive garrisons; develop diplomatic and (35) ties with them, or build a wall to keep them out. All the options were (36) at various times. Experience showed that (37) campaigns were too costly and very risky, (38) defensive garrisons could not respond quickly enough (39) lightning attacks along a long border. The third option would seem to be a very (40) one and it was in fact tried successfully (41) a couple of occasions. Wall building became the most favored option in many dynasties. The three dynasties which (42) the most walls were the Qin, the Han and the Ming. The effectiveness of the Great Wall in history is still a controversial (43) Historical records show that the wall (44) at many times (45) repel invaders. Only on two occasions when a dynasty weakened from (46) were invaders from the north (47) advance and conquer. (48) , scholars think the Chinese wall builders were themselves responsible for the unrest on the border. The nomads were people who did not farm, so they (49) trade with China for many essentials. When the Chinese refused to trade with them, they had no option (50) raid border towns.

Section A Multiple-Choice Questions Text A The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women against travel to several countries in the Caribbean and Latin America where the Zika virus is spreading. Infection with the virus appears to be linked to the development of unusually small heads and brain damage in newborns. Some pregnant women who have been to these regions should be tested for the infection, the agency also says. Here are some answers and advice about the outbreak. What is the Zika virus? A tropical infection new to the Western Hemisphere. The Zika virus is a mosquito-transmitted infection related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile virus. Although it was discovered in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947 and is common in Africa and Asia, it did not begin spreading widely in the Western Hemisphere until last May, when an outbreak occurred in Brazil. Until now, almost no one on this side of the world had been infected. Few of us have immune defenses against the virus, so it is spreading rapidly. Millions of people in tropical regions of the Americas may have had it. How is the virus spread? Mosquitoes, but not every species. Zika is spread by mosquitoes of the Aedes species, which can breed in a pool of water as small as a bottle cap and usually bite during the day. The aggressive yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, has spread most Zika cases, but that mosquito is common in the United States only in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and in Hawaii-although it has been found as far north as Washington in hot weather. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is also known to transmit the virus, but it is not clear how efficiently. That mosquito ranges as far north as New York and Chicago in summer. Although the virus is normally spread by mosquitoes, there has been one report of possible spread through blood transfusion. How do I know if I"ve been infected? Is there a test? It"s often a silent infection, and hard to diagnose. Until recently, Zika was not considered a major threat because its symptoms are relatively mild. Only one of five people infected with the virus develop symptoms, which can include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. Those infected usually do not have to be hospitalized. There is no widely available test for Zika infection. Because it is closely related to dengue and yellow fever, it may cross-react with antibody tests for those viruses. To detect Zika, a blood or tissue sample from the first week in the infection must be sent to an advanced laboratory so the virus can be detected through sophisticated molecular testing. Is there a treatment? No. The C.D.C. does not recommend a particular antiviral medication for people infected with the Zika virus. The symptoms are mild-when they appear at all-and usually require only rest, nourishment and other supportive care. How does Zika cause brain damage in infants? Experts are only beginning to figure it out. Scientists do not fully understand the connection. The possibility that the Zika virus causes microcephaly-unusually small heads and damaged brains-emerged in October, when doctors in northern Brazil noticed a surge in babies with the condition. It is not known exactly how common microcephaly has become in that outbreak. About three million babies are born in Brazil each year. Normally, about 150 cases of microcephaly are reported, and Brazil says it is investigating more than 3,500 reported cases. But reporting of suspected cases commonly rises during health crises. Is there a vaccine? How should people protect themselves? Protection is difficult in mosquito-infested regions. There is no vaccine against the Zika virus. Efforts to make one have just begun, and creating and testing a vaccine normally takes years and costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Because it is impossible to completely prevent mosquito bites, the C.D.C. has advised pregnant women to avoid going to regions where Zika is being transmitted, and has advised women thinking of becoming pregnant to consult doctors before going. Travelers to these countries are advised to avoid or minimize mosquito bites by staying in screened or air-conditioned rooms or sleeping under mosquito nets, wearing insect repellent at all times and wearing long pants, long sleeves, shoes and hats. Text B Brothers Aaron, Finn and Ryan Freeman-Hayden set off for St. Colman"s School in Ballindaggin full of excitement and nerves last week where they were welcomed by principal Frank Murphy and teacher Ms. Wickham. The brothers are no strangers to the limelight having made a very dramatic entrance into the world in December 2010 when their heavily pregnant snow-bound mum Mandy had to be rescued by a 4x4 jeep ambulance. Mandy was facing a scary home birth alone at the time because the treacherous and icy weather made them almost impossible to reach. Even an airlift from a Waterford-based air ambulance was ruled out, when sub zero conditions grounded the chopper, and two jeep ambulances, along with two ordinary ambulances were dispatched to aid the terrified mum-to-be. At the time Mandy said she was "absolutely petrified. I thought there"s no way I can have triplets here at home. John was talking to them on the phone and they told him to get towels and hot water ready as a last resort". The triplets weren"t due until the end of January but doctors at Holles Street had arranged for her to have a scheduled section on December 15 when she would have been 34 weeks. However the three boys were far more impatient and eager to meet their parents arriving when Mandy was 32 weeks pregnant. Fortunately the triplets were born healthy. Aaron arrived first weighing at 4.4 lbs, followed by Finn at 4.11bs and finally the third baby Ryan at 8.57 a.m. at 3.55 lbs. They continued to thrive after their dramatic start to life and have been a great joy to the family. Mandy, who is originally from Dublin, lives in Mountain View, Ballindaggin with the triplets and their 13-year-old daughter Chloe. Mandy said the boys were very excited about starting school and had settled in fantastically. "They are as happy as Larry there. It"s great. There"s not a bother on them." However it was no mean feat getting the three boys ready for school and Mandy said she had to get organised early in the summer. "It was a lot of work and money getting them ready because naturally there"s three of everything so there was a lot of work to it. But I started early in the summer so it wasn"t too bad." Text C When a Chinese scholar boarded a flight for Honolulu at the end of August, he was carrying precious cargo: a long-hunted fountain pen that once belonged to Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz. On the deck of the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay 70 years ago, Adm. Nimitz took two pens from his pocket and signed Japan"s surrender, putting a formal end to World War Ⅱ. One of them—a Parker fountain pen given to Adm. Nimitz by a friend and California banker named Y.C. Woo—soon vanished. The missing Parker pen"s journey from the admiral"s pocket to a Chinese museum and now temporarily back to the U.S. culminates a four year quest by an implausible cast of characters, including Mr. Woo"s grandson and a former attorney general of Hawaii. Tracking the pen down and returning it to the USS Missouri has proved a mission in transcending the politics that define U.S-China relations today. "The stroke of these pens ended the war," said Mike Weidenbach, curator of the USS Missouri memorial in Honolulu. Seven decades after World War Ⅱ"s close, the U.S. and China still diverge over how to commemorate it. This week, Beijing is hosting a massive military parade to mark the anniversary of the war"s end. Chinese state television has been filled with reminders of the wartime atrocities of Japan, now a U.S. ally. "With all these other things going on out there that are negative, here"s an opportunity to look at friendship and comradeship of two nations that fought side by side in World War Ⅱ," said Michael Lilly, the former Hawaii attorney general, who helped negotiate with China to bring the Parker pen to the U.S. The pen"s journey began in another era. Following Japan"s invasion of China, the Woo family fled Shanghai in 1940, said Y.C. Woo"s grandson, Paul Woo, who began searching for the pen in 2011. They immigrated to San Francisco, where Y.C.Woo served as managing director of Bank of Canton. The Woo family then moved to Berkeley, becoming neighbors with Adm. Nimitz and his wife. The two couples developed a close friendship—relationship documented by Adm. Nimitz"s biographer, naval historian E.B. Potter. As the Pacific war closed in on Japan during the summer of 1945, Mr. Woo gave the Parker pen to Adm. Nimitz as a gift, according to Mr. Woo"s grandson and the biography. Adm. Nimitz signed two copies of the Japanese surrender document on Sept. 2, 1945, one with an old favourite pen and the other with Mr. Woo"s gift. With the war finally finished, the admiral returned the Parker pen to Mr. Woo. The other one is kept at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Adm. Nimitz was one among several U.S. officials to sign the surrender documents that day; another was Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Back in China, Mr. Woo was related to Chiang Kai-shek through marriage, and later sent him the Parker pen as a gift, according to Paul Woo. It remains unclear what happened to the pen as Chiang retreated from their base in Nanjing, eventually fleeing to Taiwan. Paul Woo—who is the director of career services at the University of Chicago Law School—recalls his grandfather"s friendship with Adm. Nimitz, and has memories of visiting the retired admiral"s home as a child. When he began the search for the pen, he assumed it was buried away somewhere in Taiwan. Mr. Woo sought help from Taiwanese authorities in Chicago. But he learned over time the pen had never reached Taiwan. As the hunt continued, it became clear the missing Parker pen was, in fact, at a museum in Nanjing. Others began hearing about Paul Woo"s search. "I said, "OK, how do we get the pen here?"", said Mr. Lilly, the former attorney general who also serves as a founding director of the USS Missouri Memorial Association. The organization aimed for a large celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the war"s conclusion, and worked with urgency to bring wartime relics back to the ship. About 20 veterans, including some aboard the USS Missouri, were set to attend a ceremony on Wednesday, according to the group. "We realized we don"t have any more time," said Mr. Weidenbach. "The 70th is going to be last time that World War Ⅱ veterans of any number are still going to be alive." Mr. Lilly wrote the Chinese Embassy in Washington about bringing the pen to Hawaii. After a few weeks, an official there responded positively, he said. A loan agreement with the Nanjing museum was eventually reached. The Nanjing museum official who carried the pen from China, Ouyang Zongjun, said it was a reminder of U.S.-China wartime cooperation and confirmed details of its history. For Mr. Woo, tracking down the pen has been a deeply personal journey, and a chance to learn details of his immigrant family"s history that were seldom discussed when he was young. "My family is very, very humble," he said. "I don"t think anyone in the family knew too much until after grandfather died." Mr. Woo today sees the pen as a symbol of peace that "trumps questions of nationalism," he said. Despite his grandfather"s ties to U.S. and to the Chiang government, China remains the Parker pen"s rightful home today, he said. "Maybe that"s just," said Mr. Woo, after reflecting on China"s millions of wartime casualties. "It belongs to all Chinese regardless of whether you"re in Taiwan or in the mainland."

Section A Multiple-Choice Questions Text A A cassette deck plays an audio tape from the woman who died Tuesday and she is asked, "How do you feel about dying?" "I"m looking forward to it." Two days before her death, an 80-year old cancer patient made this audio tape. She said she was suffering, and no longer able to do things she enjoyed, such as gardening in her back yard. The unidentified woman says, "Somebody saying that I—to sit in a chair, waiting to die—that"s not right, because I was always able to get around and do things and now suddenly I"m in a position I can"t even walk very good and I have trouble breathing." Tuesday evening, in the presence of family members in her home, the still unidentified woman swallowed a lethal dose of drugs. Barbara Coombs Lee says, "She took some medication that prevented any nausea and vomiting. She took her dose, the lethal dose of medication. She followed it with a shot of brandy and she fell asleep almost immediately." The killing dose of barbiturates was legally prescribed by a doctor. Under Oregon"s law, first in the nation, doctors may assist a patient to kill him or herself if that patient makes it clear that"s what they want and if they have less than six months to live. The woman talked with three physicians before finding one to help her die. Barbara Coombs Lee says, "Her original attending physician said he was not interested in participating and so she went to another attending physician. She actually went to a third attending physician because the second person, although was not opposed, he was not actually willing to meet her needs as she saw them." Coombs did not attend the suicide. But she has been a leading advocate for Oregon"s death with dignity act, passed by voters in 1994, and overwhelmingly reaffirmed in a ballot measure last November. Oregon"s Roman Catholic church fought the law. Archbishop John Vlazny says, "We are very fearful more people are going to feel that what we are trying to tell them it"s better to die than to burden us with your weakened life. That"s a great fear I personally have." It"s been five months since Oregon"s Death with Dignity law took effect. This is the first suicide to be reported under the law. The report led to disclosure of still another, doctor-assisted death. A woman told the Portland newspaper, The Oregonian, that a family member suffering from cancer killed herself prior to Tuesday"s suicide. Text B In North Beach in San Francisco, where some pretty super food gets served every night "Absolutely very super food!" "I really like the taste" are comments by two diners. But we"re not just talking about taste. Research now shows some foods, including tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil—are among the superfoods. Superfoods are packed with powerful chemicals that may offer your body great protection against chronic disease. "Including cancer, obesity, and heart disease. Vibrantly colored red yellow orange and green all giving you different types of phytochemicals!" Natalie Ledesma is a registered dietician at U.C.S.F. She says compounds found in superfoods—called phytochemicals—can reduce the risk of cancer, boost the immune system, and even protect the heart. She showed us what everyone should try to eat each week for optimal health. On her shopping list? Herbs! Dark green ones (herbs), like rosemary and thyme, and any intensely colored spice, like tumeric or red pepper. "Both of those have anti-inflammatory properties." Tumeric may reduce the risk of leukemia, skin, and liver cancers. Hot peppers may reduce the risk of colon, stomach, and rectal cancers. Also on the list: green veggies, but not just any green veggies. "Brussel sprouts are part of the cruciferous (十字花科植物) vegetable family that has significant anti-cancer properties," said Ledesma. "That family also has a very favorable effect on hormone metabolism." Other cruciferous veggies include cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. And don"t forget the tomato. "It is probably the best source of lycopene, which is one of the phytochemicals that has shown significant anticancer properties, especially with prostate and potentially lung and breast cancer as well," said Ledesma. As for fruit, citrus contains Vitamin C, limonoids, and phenols, which inactivate cancer cells and strengthen the immune system. Cantaloupes, mangos, and carrots contain cancer-fighting carotenoids. And berries are bursting with flavonoids and ellagic acid—antioxidants that protect against cancer, ulcers, and viruses. Natalie recommends organic. "Organic fruits and veggies have shown not only to have lower pesticide toxicities and lower pesticide levels, but also now have been shown to have higher phytochemical content," she said. Don"t forget the fatty fish or flaxseed—both are excellent sources of Omega Three fatty acids that inhibit the growth of cancer cells and boost the immune system, olive oil, which may reduce breast, prostate, or colon cancer, and soy. "Soy has protective effects for heart disease as well as osteoporosis, potentially," Ledesma said. And finally onions, garlic, and shallots. They may protect the heart, fight cancer, and help with asthma. Text C Every second, 1 hectare of the world"s rainforest is destroyed. That"s equivalent to two football fields. An area the size of New York City is lost every day. In a year, that adds up to 31 million hectares—more than the land area of Poland. This alarming rate of destruction has serious consequences for the environment; scientists estimate, for example, that 137 species of plant, insect or animal become extinct every day due to logging. In British Columbia, where, since 1990, thirteen rainforest valleys have been clear-cut, 142 species of salmon have already become extinct, and the habitats of grizzly bears, wolves and many other creatures are threatened. Logging, however, provides jobs, profits, taxes for the government and cheap products of all kinds for consumers, so the government is reluctant to restrict or control it. Much of Canada"s forestry production goes towards making pulp and paper. According to the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, Canada supplies 34% of the world"s wood pulp and 49% of its newsprint paper. If these paper products could be produced in some other way, Canadian forests could be preserved. Recently, a possible alternative way of producing paper has been suggested by agriculturalists and environmentalists: a plant called hemp. Hemp has been cultivated by many cultures for thousands of years. It produces fiber which can be made into paper, fuel, oils, textiles, food, and rope. According to its proponents, four times as much paper can be produced from land using hemp rather than trees, and many environmentalists believe that the large-scale cultivation of hemp could reduce the pressure on Canada"s forests. However, there is a problem: hemp is illegal in many countries of the world. This plant, so useful for fibre, rope, oil, fuel and textiles, is a species of cannabis, related to the plant from which marijuana is produced. In the late 1930s, a movement to ban the drug marijuana began to gather force, resulting in the eventual banning of the cultivation not only of the plant used to produce the drug, but also of the commercial fiber-producing hemp plant. Although both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp in large quantities on their own land, any American growing the plant today would soon find himself in prison—despite the fact that marijuana cannot be produced from the hemp plant, since it contains almost no THC (the active ingredient in the drug). In recent years, two major movements for legalization have been gathering strength. One group of activists believes that ALL cannabis should be legal—both the hemp plant and the marijuana plant—and that the use of the drug marijuana should not be an offense. They argue that marijuana is not dangerous or addictive, and that it is used by large numbers of people who are not criminals but productive members of society. They also point out that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol or tobacco. The other legalization movement is concerned only with the hemp plant used to produce fibre; this group wants to make it legal to cultivate the plant and sell the fiber for paper and pulp production. This second group has had a major triumph recently: in 1997, Canada legalized the farming of hemp for fiber. For the first time since 1938, hundreds of farmers are planting this crop, and soon we can expect to see pulp and paper produced from this new source.

What is the woman's attitude to her new job?