英语新闻听力教程unit8
Unit 8 Business and Economy
Section A
warming up
1. signing up for booms
2. layoffs competitive
3. consumer spending upsurge
4. take over
5. opening up
6. inflation interest rates
7. subsidies
8. drop in profits
9. stake
10. stockholders
Section B
1. D 2.B 3.C 4.A 5.B
Tapescript:
1. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 104 points to 11,076 in active trading today. The NASDAQ closed up 12 at 2,262. And the S&P closed up 9 points today to 1,281. The S&P was down 5 points for the week.
2. American beef is back in the Japanese market and slated to return to South Korea soon. But for America’s beef exporters who lost two of the three largest markets in 2004 after a few cases of mad cow disease were discovered in the U.S., it is going to be an uphill struggle.
3. The executive board of the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington has agreed to write off more than three billion dollars in debt owed to it by some of the world’s poorest countries.
4. Ford Motor Company plans to close truck manufacturing plants in Virginia and Minnesota in 2008. the closure is a part of Ford’s effort to make its North American operations profitable again.
5. The New York Stock Exchange enters a new era tomorrow morning. For the first time in its history the exchange will become a for-profit entity that sells its own shares to the public.
Section C
Item 1
1. Exceeding his mandate.
2. Offering aid t less-developed countries.√
3. Failing to sign the new global trade agreement√
4. Making too many concessions.
5. Failing to negotiate a better price for EU farm produce. √
6. Failing to act in the interest of EU agriculture.
7. Suspending EU aid to agriculture. √
Tapescript:
The European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson is facing criticism from France and some other countries over negotiations on a new global trade agreement. At today’s EI foreigner ministers meeting Mr. Mandelson is being called on to clarify concessions he is said to have made to reduce EU farm subsidies as part of a deal to help less-developed countries. There were suggestions the cuts are more generous than those agreed by EU member states and that Mr. Mandelson is exceeding his mandate. He’s denied the accusation.
Item 2
Task 1
1. T 2.F 3.T 4.F 5.F
Task 2
1. a record high in part disruptions in supply
2.concern nuclear dispute civil violence
3. weren’t growing inventories
Tapescript:
Oil prices hit a record high of more than 71 dollars a barrel today in part because traders were worried about possible disruptions in supply. Analysts said there are concerns about the nuclear dispute with Iran and civil violence in Nigeria, both important oil suppliers. The rise in oil prices comes despite a new report from OPEC that predicts a weakening in world demand for oil. Analysts said it weren’t for concern about supplies, growi
ng inventories of crude oil would be forcing prices down.
Item 3
1. To pay 15 million dollars
2. Because the gyro chip has military applications.
3. The Arms Export Control Act.
4. A license required for foreign sales.
5. Handled the matter differently.
Tapescript:
6. Boeing has agreed to pay 15 million dollars to settle a dispute with the State Department over foreign sales of commercial aircraft equipped with a small gyro chip that has military applications. The chip is used in some missile guidance systems. The fine is among the largest ever paid by a company for violation of the Arms Export Control Act. Boeing failed to get the license required for foreign sales and then continued the sales even after the Sales Department told the firm to stop. Boeing spokesman says in hindsight the company should have handled the matter differently.
Section D
The IMF Report of Global (1) Economy
The Report It is released every (2)two years
It was released at a joint meeting with (3) the World Bank;.
It was released in (4) Singapore,
The IMF Forecast With a (5) 5.1 % growth, Year 2006 is (6) the 4th consecutive year of global economic growth; Year 2007 will witness a growth of (7) 4.9%; Both forecasts are slightly (8) higher than the April (9) estimates.
The IMF Warning Economic threats include:
? Rising inflation
? (10) Increasing oil prices,
? (11) Slowing of the U.S. housing market
The World Bank’s Criticism Singapore was criticized for (12) barring some activists from entering the country.
Tapescript:
The International Monetary Fund says the world economy will enjoy strong growth in 2006 marking the 4th consecutive year of expansion. The IMF released its twenty-year report on the global economy today at a joint meeting with the World Bank in Singapore. The lending agency predicts the world economy will grow 5.1 % this year and 4.9% in 2007. Both forecasts are slightly higher than previous estimates in April. The IMF also warns of some economic threats, including rising inflation, increasing oil prices and slowing of the U.S. housing market. Meanwhile the World Bank is criticizing Singapore for barring some invited activists from entering the country to attend the meeting.
Item 2
Task 1
1. B 2.A 3. D
Task 2
1. T 2.T 3. F 4.T 5.F
Tapescript:
The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has confirmed that deliveries of its giant new A380 airliner will be delayed by a further year. The Dubai-based airline Emirates, the largest customer for the new plane, said it would review its options following the announcement. Here is our business reporter Theo Legit.
It’s the latest in a series of delays which have called the credibility of the 14-billion dollar project into question. Airbus says it’s in discussions with its customers over how much compensation they will be paid. The company has announced plans for an aggressive cost-cutting program intended to save two and a half bi
llion dollars a year. However, it is yet to confirm whether this will involve job losses at its plants in Germany, France and Britain. The parent company of Airbus, EADS, says that the delays to A380 will cut 6 billion dollars from its profit over the next four years.
Item 3
1. Its reserves of foreign currency have hit one trillion dollars.
2. It has been build up by China’s huge trade surplus with the rest of the world.
3. They are another indication of China’s fast-growing economic influence.
4. 860 billion dollars. less than 100 billion dollars.
Tapescript:
China has passed another milestone in the growth of its global economic influence. Its reserves of foreign currency have hit one trillion dollars. This massive sum has been build up by the success of China’s exports which has created a huge trade surplus with the rest of the world. Our economic correspondent Andrew Walker reports.
This is yet another indication of China’s fast-growing economic influence. Japan with around 860 billion dollars has the next largest reserves. The figure for the United States is less than a tenth of China’s. This huge portfolio has been built up essentially as an indirect result of the surplus in China’s trade with the rest of the world.