艰难的听力-外国语学院

PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (30 MIN)
SECTION A MINI-LECTURE
In this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When   the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another   ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on ANSWER SHEET ONE. Use the blank sheet for note-taking.

Writing a Research Paper
I. Research Papers and Ordinary Essay
A. Similarity in (1) __________:
e.g. —choosing a topic
—asking questions
—identifying the audience
B. Difference mainly in terms of (2) ___________
1. research papers: printed sources
2. ordinary essay: ideas in one's (3) ___________
II. Types and Characteristics of Research Papers
A. Number of basic types: two
B. Characteristics:
1. survey-type paper:
—to gather (4) ___________
—to quote
—to (5) _____________
The writer should be (6) ___________.
2. argumentative (research) paper:
a. The writer should do more, e.g.
—to interpret
—to question, etc.
b. (7) _________varies with the topic, e.g.
—to recommend an action, etc.
III. How to Choose a Topic for a Research Paper
In choosing a topic, it is important to (8) __________.
Question No. 1: Your familiarity with the topic
Question No. 2: Availability of relevant information on the chosen topic
Question No. 3: Narrowing the topic down to (9) _________
Question No. 4: Asking questions about (10) ___________
The questions help us to work out way into the topic and discover its possibilities.

SECTION B INTERVIEW
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.

Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the interview.

1. What is the purpose of Professor McKay's report?
A. To look into the mental health of old people.
B. To explain why people have negative views on old age.
C. To help correct some false beliefs about old age.
D. To identify the various problems of old age

2. Which of the following is NOT Professor McKay's view?
A. People change in old age a lot more than at the age of 21.
B. There are as many sick people in old age as in middle age.
C. We should not expect more physical illness among old people.
D. We should not expect to find old people unattractive as a group.

3. According to Professor McKay's report,
A. family love is gradually disappearing.
B. it is hard to comment on family feeling.
C. more children are indifferent to their parents.
D. family love remains as strong as ever.

4. Professor McKay is ________ towards the tendency of more parents living apart from their children.
A. negative
B. positive
C. ambiguous
D. neutral

5. The only popular belief that Professor McKay is unable to provide evidence against is
A. old-age sickness.
B. loose family ties.
C. poor mental abilities.
D. difficulties in maths.

SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.

Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.
6. Scientists in Brazil have used frog skin to
A. eliminate bacteria.
B. treat burns.
C. Speed up recovery.
D. reduce treatment cost.

Question 7 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.
7. What is NOT a feature of the new karaoke machine?
A. It is featured by high technology.
B. It allows you to imitate famous singers.
C. It can automatically alter the tempo and tone of a song.
D. It can be placed in specially designed theme rooms.

Question 8 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.
8. China's Internet users had reached _________ by the end of June.
A. 68 million
B. 8.9 million
C. 10 million
D. 1.5 million

Question 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the question. Now listen to the news.
9. According to the WTO, Chinese exports rose _________ last year.
A. 21%
B. 10%
C. 22%
D. 4.73

10. According to the news, which trading nation in the top 10 has reported a 5 per cent fall in exports?
A. The UK.
B. The US.
C. Japan.
D. Germany.

 

PART I LISTENING COMPREHENSION (35 MIN)
Section A Mini-lecture
In this section you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture once only. While listening, take notes on the important points. You notes will not be market, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task for after the mini- lecture. When the lecture is over, you will be given two minutes to check your notes, and another ten minutes to complete the gap-filling task on Answer sheet one. Use the blank sheet for note- tanking.

Section B interview
In this section you will hear everything once only. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your colored answer sheet.
Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following five questions. Now listen to the interview
1. According to Nigel, most problems of air travel are caused by
A. Unfavorable weather conditions.   B. Airports handling capacity.
C. Inadequate ticketing service.      D. Overbooking.
2. Which of the following is not mentioned as compensation for volunteers for the next flight out?
A. Free ticket.   B Free phone call      C Cash reward       D Seat reservation
3. Why does Nigel suggest that business travelers avoid big airports?
A. Because all flights in and out of there are full.
B. Because the volume of traffic is heavy.
C. Because there are more popular flights.
D. Because there are more delays and cancellations.
4. According to Nigel, inexperience travelers are likely to make the following mistakes except.
A. booking on less popular flights.   B. buying tickets at full price.
C. carrying excessive luggage.      D. planning long business trips.
5. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
A. The possibility of discounts depends on a travel agent’s volume of business.
B. Longer flights to the same destination maybe cheaper.
C. It is advisable to plan every detail of a trip in advance.
D. Arranging for stopovers can avoid overnight travel.

SECTION C NEWS BROACAST

In this section you will hear everything once only. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet.
Question 6 is 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.
6. What happened on Monday?
A. A train crash occurred causing minor injuries. 

B. Investigator found out the cause of the accident.
C. Crews rescued more passengers from the site.
D. A commuter train crashed into a building.

Question 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Which of the following was not on the agenda of the G20 meeting?
A. Iraq debts    B. WTO talks     C. Financial disasters   D. Possible sanctions
8. The G20 is a(n)________ organization.
A. International   B European   C Regional   D Asian

Question 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions
9. The UN Charter went into effect after
A It was signed by the 50 original member countries.
B It was approved by the founders and other member countries.
C It was approved by the founding members
D It was signed by the founding members.
10. Which of the following best describe the role of the charter?
A. The Charter only describes powers of the UN bodies.
B. The Charter mainly aims to promote world economy.
C The charter is a treaty above all other treaties.
D The charter authorizes reforms in UN bodies. 

 

I Dictation

  Twelve cups of tea

 1. A young British woman had just arrived in Hong Kong from England

2. and had not yet learned anything about the Chinese culture.

3. One day she went to the house of a Chinese friend

4. and was immediately given a cup of Chinese tea.

5. She was not thirsty and also found this particular type of tea rather bitter.

6. However, since she had been given the tea, she felt she should drink it.

7. Hoping to finish it quickly so that she wouldn’t be worried about having to drink the tea that she did not like,

8. she started to drink as much of it as she could.

9. But as soon as her cup became half full, the host insisted on giving her more.

10. Numerous times she told the host that she had had enough, but it seemed to have no effect.

11. Her cup kept being filled and she kept on drinking.

12. During the time of the visit, she drank about twelve cups of tea!

13. Only later did she find out that she should have just left the tea

14. and that this would have indicated that she had had enough.

15. Influenced by her western culture, she felt it too rude to leave the tea

16. and could not understand why the host took no notice of her protests that she had had enough.

II Conversations & Passages

 

Keys：1-5 DAACA   6-10 DACBA

11-15 DCBCB    16-20 BBAAA

 

Long conversations

Questions 1 to 3 are based on the conversation you have just heard.

1. What is the possible relationship between the speakers?

A. Two passengers.   B. Two neighbours.

C. Two farmers.      D. A couple.

2. The people in the conversation are really ____ about the drought.

A. concerned         B. panicked

C. afraid             D. particular

      

3. What has happened to the soil?

  A. It has become hard to break.

  B. It has become soft for the plow.

  C. It is going to be baked though hard.

D. It is going to be an ongoing thing to get worse.

 

 

M: I think a drought has set in. It hasn’t rained a drop for months.

W: I think so, too, dear, but didn’t it rain last month?

M: It did rain last month, but the rainfall was only half the monthly average. I am afraid that we hadn’t enough for our crops and cattle.

W: Oh. That bad?!

M: That’s right. It’s really bad. I’m really concerned though not panicked yet.

 W: I don’t blame you. The pastures have browned out even before the summer hasn’t arrived.

M: Yeah, and the soil has been baked so hard that the plow can’t even break the soil.

W: Looks like it’s going to be an ongoing thing that would get worse each day.

M: Yeah. If it doesn’t rain, it’s going to get critical.

 

 

Questions 4 to 6 are based on the following conversation.

4. Who is the man they are talking about?

   A. Mary’s friend.      B. ED’s girlfriend.

   C. Mary’s boyfriend.   D. Jack’s girlfriend.

5. Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the conversation?

 A. ED is bothering her.  B. ED is well-behaved.

C. ED is very considerate.  D. ED is respectful of her.

6. It seems that the woman is all of the following EXCEPT ____.

   A. upset       B. jealous 

C. sensitive    D. considerate

 

 

W: Jack, I’m very upset about something. Can I talk with you? I’d like your opinion.

  M: What is it about? Oh, is it about ED?

  W: Yeah, sort of…

  M: So, what’s up?

  W: What do you think of ED, Jack?

  M: What do I think of him? You know him better than I do, don’t you?

  W: Please, don’t tease me. Just tell me.

  M: Well, remember the other day when you said that ED is a man who really shows you nothing but consideration?

  W: Uh-hunh…

  M: And remember you said that he really makes you happy?

  W: Yeah. Ed is indeed a gentleman. He has wonderful manners and is respectful of me. But I’m really bothered by his past!

  M: His past!? Was he an ex-con or something?

  W: No, no, no. That’s not what I mean. He used to have a girlfriend and he loved her very much. He almost married her if it were not for an accident.

  M: Oh, I see. But why are you so bothered? That’s already a history, isn’t it?

  W: I know. But I just can’t get it off my mind.

  M: Come on, Mary. You’re just being a little jealous, but that’s just fine. You know, when you love him, you’ve got to love his past, his everything… You’ve got to love him as a whole.

 

Questions 7 to 10

 

7. What is most probably the woman doing at the beginning of the conversation?

A. She is sweating all over.

B. She is sitting and talking.

C. She is singing a Salome song.

D. She is showing a book on dance.

 

8. Which of the following is NOT what the woman does here all day?

  A. She is trying to “cure” herself on raw vegetables.

  B. She is taking nothing but vegetables and nuts.

  C. She is spending all day walking about here.

  D. She eats some raw and fresh provided food.

9. It seems that the man is most likely a ____ man.

A. thin                B. fleshy

C. slender             D. delicate

10. What does Julia exactly expect of her advice to Larry at the end of the conversation?

 A. He would follow suit.

B. He would be sure of himself.

C. He could make prompt decision.

 D. He would be shamed of himself.

 

 

W: Can you do the “Salome” dance, Larry? I can.

M: How delightful!

W: Shall I do it now? Would you like to see me?... Isn’t that nice?... And now I am perspiring (wet;sweating) so splendidly. I shall go and take a bath.

  M: How long have you been here today, Julia?

W: Oh, I spend the day here now. I am making my own “cure”, and living entirely on raw vegetables and nuts, and each day I feel my spirit is stronger and purer. After all, what can you expect? The majority of us are walking about with pig corpuscles ( 细胞,血球) and oxen fragments in our brain. The wonder is the world is as good as it is. Now I live on the simple, provided food – a lettuce, a carrot, a potato, and some nuts are ample, rational nourishment. I wash them under the tap and eat them raw, just as they come from the harmless earth – fresh and uncontaminated.

M: Do you take nothing else all day?

W: Water. And perhaps a banana if I wake in the night. You overeat (吃得过多) yourself dreadfully (=awfully;horribly), shamelessly! How can you expect the Flame of the Spirit to burn brightly under layers of superfluous (=excessive; surplus) flesh? We need more physical movement to make our muscles firm; and more natural food to keep us healthy.

M: A good point. Fancy, everyone does the some as you do – eating less but dancing more! But that would give doctors little chance to display themselves.

W: Are you sure?

M: No.

W: Then you are sure to follow me, aren’t you?

M: Well, hardly…

W: You can either dance with me or not. You must be sure of what you are going to do.

 

 

Passages

Question 11-13 are based on the following passage.

 

  11. The speaker is talking about ____.

A. popular media and satellites

B. Plato, the Greek philosopher

C. the continent of Atlantis

D. the fantastic notion of Atlantis

 

12. Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the passage you have just heard?

A. More and more people are becoming less and less interested in fantasy.

B. Modern science and technology has almost left little room for fantasy.

C. Most of the fantasies are false, as humans have exhausted the unknown.

D. Media has almost created and distributed falsities in the place of fantasy.

 

13. Which of the following is true, according to the speech?

A. The Egyptian admired the Atlanteans.

B. The Egyptian admired the Athenians.

C. The Atheneans admired the Atlanteans.

D. The Atlanteans admired the Athenians.

 

Fantasy is a tough sell in the twentieth century. The world has been fully discovered and fully mapped. Popular media has effectively minimized the legend and the fantastic rumor, though to make up for this it has generated falsities not as lavish (=ample; generous; plentiful) but just as interesting. Satellites have mapped and studied the earth, leaving only a space frontier that is as yet unreachable. But standing out is a charming fantasy the modern world has yet to verify or condemn: the lost continent of Atlantis. The father of the modern world’s perception of Atlantis is Plato. The Greek philosopher spoke in his works Timaeus and Critias of a continent in the Atlantic Ocean larger than Africa and Asia Minor combined which rivaled Athens as the most advanced in the world. According to legend surrounding Plato’s dialogues, the island of Atlantis was violently thrown into the sea by the forces of nature, and its few survivors managed to swim ashore and relate their story. There the legend was passed by word of mouth until an Egyptian priest related the story to Solon, a character in Timaeus. The priest admired the achievements of prehistoric Athenians, because when the rulers of Atlantis threatened to invade all of Europe and Asia, the Athenians, on behalf of all Greeks, defeated the Atlanteans to avoid enslavement (=oppression).

 

Questions 14 to 16 are based on the following questions.

14. What is the speaker’s attitude towards heavy metal music?

 A. Negative.             B. Positive.

 C. Objective.            D. Acceptive.

15. Which of the following types of heavy metal music is believed NOT to be very wholesome (=healthful)?

A. Speed metal.        B. Death metal.

C. Thrash metal.       D. Light metal.

16. Death metal deals with all of the following images EXCEPT ____.

A. destruction             B. dome 圆屋顶

 C. suicide    doom=death  D. drugs 

 

 

Musical preferences are as diverse as the people who listen to it. Different types of music have different reputations. Heavy metal music is often labeled as “negative”. Yet others find it a harmless form of music. And, heavy metal music poses no threat to the well-being of its listeners.

Like other types of music, such as jazz, blues, and even rap, the distinct style of heavy metal music can be grouped into three main sections. One popular style of heavy metal is death metal. Death metal has a more dark sound and eerie ((因阴森怪诞而)引起恐惧的; 怪异的) style than other forms of heavy metal. The music itself is fast, heavy, and loud. The images that death metal portrays are death, doom, destruction, suicide, sex, and drugs. Some see these images as harmful or having a negative effect on the listener. Another form of heavy metal music is speed metal. Speed metal has a more upbeat sound than death metal and is not as depressing as death metal. It is fast paced and has a hard impact. The lead guitar follows a frenetic (=feverish; stormy) pace. This is in contrast to death metal which emphasizes rhythm guitar. The last type of heavy metal music is thrash (打谷, 打麦) metal. The name refers to both the thrashing sound of the music and the flailing (连续鞭打) movement of its listeners. The sound is very loud and has the same tone and style of speed metal. These styles however, attract certain people.

 

Questions 17 to 20

17. Steroids has been first used for the following medical purposes EXCEPT ____.

    A. alleviating pains             B. building up bodies

C. preventing conception (怀孕)  D. controlling inflammation

18. Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the passage you have just heard?

A. Steroids (类固醇) has contributed to illegal abusage.

  B. Steroids has contributed to a muscular body.

  C. Steroids has contributed to mental destruction.

  D. Steroids has contributed to physical deterioration.

19. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the benefits that steroids is supposed to have?

  A. Steroids heals the process of blood and tissue.

  B. Steroids does not stay in the body for long.

C. Steroids helps men to increase endurance.

 D. Steroids is cheaper than marijuana (大麻) or cocaine.

20. Which of the following people supposedly can NOT use steroids, according to the passage?

A. People who are going to be pregnant.

B. People who fall ill because of infection.

C. People who suffer from weakened hearts.

D. People who are ill from arthritis (关节炎) and asthma (哮喘).

   

 

In the past three decades, steroids have been becoming a serious problem more than ever in the athletic field. Steroids are anabolic drug “to build” growth hormones that include the male sex hormones and female sex hormones. Steroids were first developed for medical purposes. They’re used in controlling inflammation, strengthening weakened hearts, preventing conception, and alleviating symptoms. Unfortunately, research has shown that steroids have been abused in almost every kind of sport. Although steroids contribute to a muscular body, usage should remain illegal because they physically deteriorate and mentally destroy the body.

Many people are fascinated about steroids because of their ability to build up the body. Whether taken by injection or the pill it increases strength and endurance. Steroids also help in the healing process of muscular tissue by first injuring them, then the muscles heal quicker adding more fiber increasing their bulk. Many athletes turn to steroids more often because they’re cheaper than marijuana or cocaine. Steroids are also very hard to trace because of their water base composition. They can pass through the body within two days. All these benefits of steroids help athletes become more competitive and increase their chance of being a winner. Of course everybody wants better biceps (二头肌训练机) and triceps (三头肌训练机) but when using steroids to achieve this goal there is a large price to pay.

III News Reports

  20101209-BBC News with Marion Marshall.
Vocabulary：

collude v. 密谋；勾结  alleged=suspicious  undermine=destroy; weaken     cyberspace 网络空间

shadowy 模糊的；有影子的   muzzle vt. 使缄默；钳制···言论  whistle-blowing n.揭发；揭弊

liable =responsible

inmate n. 同狱犯人   blaze=fire    char=burn

retrieve v. 寻回；找回   capsule 航天舱   ferry=carry; transport

convert n. 改变宗教（或信仰、观点）的人；皈依者

rig v. (用不正当手段)操纵, 垄断  run-off n. 决定性竞选   contestation n. 争论

outright =complete     victor=champion; winner

asylum[?’sail?m] 庇护所  arousal n. 觉醒  heterosexual a. 异性恋的  pornography 色情描绘/表演  

degrading=disgraceful  可耻的

Exercises:

Item 1

1.     Supporters of the website Wikileaks have launched __________.

A.   a terrorist attack on the US government.   B. a cyber attack on the US government.

C. a cyber attack on financial institutions.      D. a terrorist attack on financial institutions.

2.    What can we know about MasterCard in this news report?

A.   It has issued much pressure to the credit card firm.

B.    It is a credit card company under the cyber attack.

C.     It cancelled the services from Wikileaks on Tuesday.

D.    It has closed its website for fear of the cyber attack.

3.    Which of the following is NOT true about Paypal according to this report?

A.   It had no direct contact with the US State Department.

B.    It is an online payment company.

C.     It said it had stopped process in donations to Wikileaks

D.    It has always been under the US government pressure.

 

4.    According to the Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, who should take the responsibility for leaking the diplomatic messages?

A.   The Australian founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange.

B.    The Foreign Ministry of the United States.

C.     Those who originally leaked the documents.

D.    Those who published the leaked documents.

 

5.    What was probably the cause of the fire at a prison in Chile?

A.   The deaths of more than 80 inmates at the prison.

B.    The blaze at the San Miguel jail outside Santiago.

C.     The bad intention of the prison guards.

D.    A fight between gangs.

6.    What are the relatives of the prisoners complaining outside the prison?

A.   That they haven't been given enough information about the situation.

B.    That they have to go through the painful process to know whether the prisoners are alive or dead.

C.     That there happened some clashes with the police at the prison.

D.    That some of the bodies are too badly burnt to identify them.

 

7.    Why has NASA now turned to the private sector?

A. Because Space X, has successfully launched and retrieved a commercial spacecraft from orbit.

B. Because this could be the America's future in outer space.

C. Because NASA is said to retire its aging fleet of space shuttles next year.

D. Because a new fleet of NASA vehicles was canceled by the Obama administration.

 

8.    Where did Antonio Martinez attempt to blow up?

A. An American government office.                B. An American military recruitment center.

C. The central building in the State of Maryland.    D. The state courtroom of Maryland.

9.    What do we know about Antonio Martinez according to the report?

A. He is an Iraqi American.

B. He was also accused of attempted murder.

C. His real name is Muhammed Hussain.

D. He converted himself to Islam when he was young.

 

10.  How did the canal authorities react to the intense rains?

A.   They decided to connect the canal to the Pacific.

B.    They decided to connect the canal to the Atlantic Oceans.

C.     They decided to temporarily shut the Panama Canal.

D.    They didn’t worry about the water levels or the potential effect.

 

11. Why has the Haitian President Rene Preval appealed for calm?

A.   Because of the violent protests against presidential election results in the capital.

B.    Because of the inequality in the presidential election.

C.     Because of the violence from the opposition parties.

D.    Because of the disagreement between the governing party and the opposition party.

12. Which of the following has been accused of rigging the count in this presidential election?

A. The opposition party.               B. The governing party.

C. Candidate Rene Preval.             D. The US State Department.

 

13. What do we know about the president of Ivory Coast?

A.   Laurent Gbagbo is the disputed president.     B. Alassane Ouattara is the disputed president.

C. Alassane Ouattara is the real president.       D. Laurent Gbagbo is the real president.

14. Which of the following is NOT true according to the report?

A.   A new administration has been appointed by the new president of Ivory Coast.

B.    The new administration has dismissed a call from ECOWAS.

C.     ECOWAS declared Laurent Gbagbo has won the presidential election.

D.    ECOWAS declared Alassane Ouattara to be the real president.

 

15.  What is the controversial topic in this news report?

A.   Whether gay asylum seekers are all genuine or not.

B.    Whether watching heterosexual pornography will arouse the gay’s sexual awareness.

C.     Whether the tests are degrading or not.

D.    Whether the authorities had obtained the applicants’ return consent or not.

 

Keys: 1-5 CBDCD 6-10 ADBBC 11-15ABACA

Item 1 00:03~01:04

Supporters of the website Wikileaks have launched a cyber attack on financial institutions seen as colluding with alleged attempts by the US government to undermine it. Mark Gregory reports.

Wikileaks is at the center of a battle in cyberspace. Shadowy groups of Wikileaks supporters with names like "Operation Payback" and "Anonymous" have mounted to determined assaults on websites, seen as colluding with perceived US government attempts to muzzle the whistle-blowing site. Much of the pressure's been directed to the credit card firm MasterCard, which suspended services to Wikileaks on Tuesday. MasterCard insists its website is still operational although several people have told the BBC that they've had trouble logging on. Meanwhile, in another development, the US State Department says it had no direct contact with PayPal, the online payment service, which earlier said it had stopped process in donations to Wikileaks as a result of US government pressure.

Item 2 01:04

The Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has defended the Australian founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange, saying the United States should be held responsible for the release of thousands of American diplomatic cables. Mr. Rudd said those who originally leaked the documents were legally liable, rather than Mr. Assange, who published them.

Item 3 01:23

A fire at a prison in Chile has killed more than 80 inmates. Officials said the blaze at the San Miguel jail outside Santiago was deliberately started during a fight between gangs. Gideon Long was at the prison.

There is a sense of real despair in grief here outside the jail. The authorities are going through the painful process of informing the people outside, around 4,000 or 5,000 people, whether their relatives, the prisoners, are alive or dead. With the tense atmosphere, there happened some clashes with the police. The relatives are complaining that they haven't been given enough information. The authorities are saying they are trying to do that, but some of the bodies are so badly charred. It's difficult to identify them.

Item 4 02:04

A private space company, Space X, has successfully launched and retrieved a commercial spacecraft from orbit, something only previously achieved by states. The American space agency NASA says the Dragon Capsule splash-landed in the Pacific Ocean, having twice orbited the Earth. Neil Boulder reports.

"Three. Two. One. Zero." The sound of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon Capsule into space. This could also be the sound of America's future in space, with private companies like Space X, ferrying cargo and crew into Earth orbit. NASA is said to retire its aging fleet of space shuttles next year. A new fleet of NASA vehicles was canceled by the Obama administration, so NASA's now turned to the private sector.

World News from the BBC.

 

Item 5 03:00

An American man, who attempted to blow up a US military recruitment center with a bomb he didn't know was a fake, has been charged. Court documents show the man, Antonio Martinez, is accused of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction at the center in the State of Maryland. He's also charged with attempted murder. Local news reports suggest the 21-year-old, who calls himself Muhammed Hussain, is a recent convert to Islam.

 

Item 6 03:25

The Panama Canal which connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans has been temporarily shut because of intense rains. The canal authorities said the rains had pushed water levels to historic highs, potentially affecting shipping.

 

Item 7 03:38

The Haitian President Rene Preval has appealed for calm as protests against presidential election results have turned violent in the capital Port-au-Prince. Opposition supporters have set fire to the headquarters of the governing party, which they accuse of rigging the count to ensure that its candidate Jude Celestin made it through to the second round run-off. The US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley has expressed concern.

"We urge all political actors and their supporters to remain calm and to work peacefully through the contestation period. They are providing electoral process to resolve, you know, any claims of irregularities."

 

Item 8 04:15

The administration appointed by the disputed president of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo has dismissed a call from the regional group ECOWAS for him give way to his rival Alassane Ouattara, following presidential elections. ECOWAS declared Mr. Ouattara the outright victor. But Mr. Gbagbo's government said it wasn't up to ECOWAS to decide who had won.

 

Item 9 04:35

The Czech Republic has been strongly criticized for using a controversial method of deciding whether gay asylum seekers are genuine. Applicants are monitored for sexual arousal or its absence as they watch heterosexual pornography. The European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency called the tests degrading. The authorities said they'd obtained the applicants’ return consent.

1,President Obama and Chinese president HUjintao have discussed the rising tension between South and North Korea .

2,Officials in Afghan say two suicide bombers have killed at least 50 people and wounded 100 others in the town of Galary .

3, Iran's top negotiator has started talks with the European Union foreign affair chief in Geneva swisterland .

4, Protests continue strikes in Ivory Coast on monday , both candidates in last week election continue say they have won .

5,India and France have signed an agreement with billions of dollars to build two unclear power plans in India .

6,Officials in Burma say a top American diplomat will arrive in Berma on tuesday for the first discussion since the release of demacracy leader Aun San Suu Kyi .

7,Cambodian prime minister says long difficult relations with Thailand have returned to normal .

8, Election observers in Egypt say there was a wide spread cheating in parliamentary elections on sunday.

9,Militants in Nigeria say they have attacked an oil pipeline in the southern part of the country .

10, Officials in Bangladesh say suspect Somalias have hijacted its ship off the Coast of India .

1,In Afghanistan NATO says an explosion killed two of its troops near a military base in the city Gadas .

2,Iranian state television says the country will use uranium concentrates produce in Iran for the first sunday in its unclear program .

3,An Pakistani  anti-terrorism count has gioven arrest orders for two police officers in an investigation ended  2007 killing a former prime minister Benazir Bhutto .

4, Egyptians are voting sunday in the country's second parliamentary eletions.

5,China state news agency says sunday that at least 6 people were killed and 34 others injured in an explosion at an internet cafe in Guizhou  province .

6,The American state department has blamed Chinese government moffcial for ordering computer attacks on the internet search engine called Google .

7,In Ivory Coast former South African president Thabo Mbeki has arrived in to help negotiate the country's political crisis .

1,In Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo  has been sworn in for a new term as world leaders protected the election wrong doing in the West Afghan nation .

2,President Obama returned to Washington saturday after visit with troops in Afghanistan .

3,Officials in Afghanistan say at least 13 Iranian visitors have been killed in a serious bomb attacks in the capital Bagdak.

4,Iran is accusing the international atomic agency sending spies in its unclear inpecror teams.

5,International fire fighting teams continue to battle what is called the worst fire in Israel history .

6,Vice president Jone Bidon is urging congress to extend  tax cutsfor the middle class.

7,In Brazil , president elected Dilma Rosseff has named ...as chief of nher office.

8,In Bangladesh , the Grameen Bank has denied wrongdoing puting milion dollars in a secondary bank account .

1,Hundreds of American diplomatic masseges released by the Wikileaks website show Afghanistan government has been corrupt at every level .

2,South Korea defence minister says that his country will answer any North korean military attack with air strikes .

3,The United States and Japan launched their largest ever miolitary exercise , Friday .

4,NATO says the Afghan border policeman responsible for the death of 6 American soldiers this week , shared a drink of tea with the victims , before killing them .

5,The United States unemployment rate increased 2 tenst of percent in November .

6,American Secretary of States Hillary Clinton is urging Iran to be honest with the international community about its unclear program.

7,International crews are arriving in Israel to help fight a deadly forest fire.

8,Australian investigators say an oil leak may has caused engine failure that badly damaged the Qantas Airbus A380 airplane last month .

9,Malaysia police confirmed friday that they have detained an Indonesian terrorist suspect .

1,American defence secretary Robert Gates is warning agaist failure of the International military effort in Afghanistan .

2,Vice-president John welcomed the president decision .

3，The Afghan government is welcoming the new American planed action for the war in Afghanistan.

4,On wednesday ,Pakistan's foreign ministry say it is looking forward to working closely with the United States.

5,Pakistani police say a suicide bomber caused an explosion near the entrance to the country's navy headquaters in Islamabad wednesday .

6,Islamist militants have claimed responsibility for a bomb that exploded on a Russian train.

7,Iranian officials have rteleased 5 Britans who were detained last week in the Persian Gulf .

8,An Iranian economist  has been sentensed to 9 years in prison for protecting the reelection of president  mahuda mahunida.

9,Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has arrived in China for a four days visit .

10,A Chinese Health Ministry Official says the HINI influence virus has kiiled 178 people in the country .

11,Finally , the Australian parliament has rejected a bill to cut the nation's carbon pollution .