Dictation 12-15

Dictation 12 Rainy Britain
Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, /but many parts of the country this June/ are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before./
Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks,/ roads have been closed and many people have been evacuated/ from their homes because of the floods./
The worst hit area seems to be the north of England./ There have even been fatalities as people got stuck in the rain /or were washed away by the floodwaters./
Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK/ and it is said that over a month’s worth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days./
The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain’s famous June events./ The Glastonbury festival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival /and while it is traditionally quite rainy and muddy there,/ this year was particular bad./
Dictation 13 Christmas traditions
There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, and some British people like to go on holiday, /go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. /But most people’s idea of a traditional Christmas /involves spending a few days with their family/ ----sometimes their extended family./
The day is the most exciting for the children./ They may have spent weeks or even months dreaming of the presents they want most. /Since the beginning of December, they may have opened their advent calendars, /finding a new festive picture, chocolate, or small gift,/ to count down each day until 25th December. /
On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings,/ ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus. /Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, /as well as a carrot for those hungry reindeer./
Dictation 14 Olympic Slogan
Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. /“One World, One Dream” was finally selected /from more than 210,000 entries from around the world./ Beijing’s original bid to host the 2008 games/ had a different slogan “New Beijing, Great Olympics”./ The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely/ from the city of Beijing itself to the spirit of the Olympics/-----unity, friendship amongst nations and progress./ It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan /captured the traditional Chinese values of peace and harmony./
The Olympics hasn’t always had a slogan attached to each host country. /In fact it wasn’t until 1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea/ that the first slogan appeared./ “Harmony and Progress” was chosen/ and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years./
Dictation 15 Sunbed
In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine,/ there appears to be an ever increasing number of very tanned young people./
So just how are they achieving their golden tans? /Some are opting for the sun-free option/ and are getting their tan from a bottle./ However, it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, /of which there are thousands in the UK./
While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, /in the UK there seems to be a growing desire for tanned skin. /So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? /Often, they are trying to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers’ wives./ Research from the British Sunbed Association suggests that/ many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier./
This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK./ They firmly state that being tanned is not a sign of health./。