評論
打印
Listening Comprehension 2
Question 6 to 10 are based on the following news.
Washington, the United Sates
President Barack Obama is set to announce a $3billion plan to boost food security and farm productivity in Africa, US officials say.
They say the initiative is aimed at alleviating shortages as world food supplies are being stretched by rising demand in Asia's emerging markets. Food security is expected to be on the agenda of this weekend's G-8 meeting.
The summit near Washington is being dominated by Europe's debt crisis and a possible Greek exit from the euro zone.
The head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Rajiv Shah, said the move shows the administration's commitment to boosting world food production as rising wealth in Asia drives consumption.
【文章大意】
文章講述奧巴馬政府投入三十億美元刺激非洲的食品安全和生產。美國國籍開發署的領導人拉吉夫·沙阿稱，隨著亞洲經濟推動著消費，政府的這一舉動顯示了對于促進世界糧食生產的承諾。
boost：v. 促進，增加
initiative：n. 倡議；主動權
alleviate：n. 減輕
agenda：n. 議程
Madrid, Spain
Spain's government called for calm Friday, a day after rating agency Moody's downgraded 16 Spanish banks in the latest sign of distress in Europe. Among those who saw their ratings lowered were the countries two largest banks.
At a Cabinet meeting Friday, Spanish ministers agreed that the top priority regarding the economy is controlling the deficit.
The downgrades come amid rising concerns about the political and economic turmoil in Greece, and the potential ripple effect of that crisis on nations like Spain and Italy that are struggling with low growth and big debts.
Moreover, the real-estate crisis that began in 2008 is ongoing, and unemployment has risen to very high levels, with rising risks to white-collar employment affecting the outlook for banks' household lending.
【文章大意】
穆迪公司將16家西班牙銀行的等級調低之后，西班牙內閣會議通過當前經濟最緊要的是控制赤字。
top priority：當務之急
turmoil：n. 混亂
Sao Paulo, Brazil
President Dilma Rousseff plans to cut and simplify taxes for electricity producers, two senior officials told Reuters, as part of a strategy to reduce Brazil's high business costs and stimulate its struggling economy.
Brazil has been on the brink of recession since mid-2011 as high taxes, an overvalued exchange rate and other structural problems squeeze what had previously been one of the world's most dynamic emerging economies.
Rousseff has in recent months announced targeted tax cuts for stagnant sectors such as the automotive industry, embracing an incremental approach to reform that has drawn criticism from investors who say more drastic changes are needed.
【文章大意】
這篇文章講述巴西政府為企業減稅從而刺激經濟。
be on the brink：瀕臨
squeeze：v. 壓榨
stagnant：adj. 停滯的；不景氣的
drastic：adj. 激烈的；猛烈的
New York, the United States
Children from racial and ethnic minorities now account for more than half the births in the US, according to estimates of the latest US census data.
Black, Hispanic, Asian and mixed-race births make up 51% of new arrivals in the year ending in July 2011.
It puts non-Hispanic white births in the minority for the first time.
Sociologists believe the ongoing economic slowdown has contributed to a greater decline in birth rates among white people.
The US Census Bureau recorded 2million babies born to minorities in the year to July 2011, just over half of all births, compared with 37% in 1990.
US birth rates have been declining, but the drop has been larger for white people.
The nation's minority population now makes up 36% of the total US population.
【文章大意】
本文的關鍵詞是新生兒數量，通過一系列的數字分析，講述了在經濟危機下，美國的白人新生兒數量下滑。
【評析】
文章沒有過多的生詞，但要求考生需要把握對于數字的敏感度。
London, the United Kingdom
Oil prices slipped towards $107 a barrel on Friday as investors fled risky, growth-sensitive assets on fears that Greece would leave the euro, although short-covering provided some support for Brent.
Brent crude was down 16 cents to $107.33 a barrel after slipping to its lowest level for the year at
$106.40 earlier in the session.
Traders and analysts said short-covering was providing a floor for Brent futures, but the overall trend remains to the downside given the uncertainty over what will happen with Greece.
【文章大意】
文章講述英國布倫特的原油價格下跌。
slip down：下滑
short-covering：空頭回補
Questions:
6. Which of the following is not expected to be on the agenda of this weekend’s G-8 summit meeting near Washington?
7. After Moody lowered the ratings of Spanish banks, what is the top priority regarding the economy as agreed by Spanish ministers?
8. What dose Brazilian President plan to do to stimulate its struggling economy?
9. What can we know from the news about the new-born population in the United States?
10. At what price did Brent Crude Oil end Friday on London market?
