听力原文: There is an art exhibition here on campus which ties well of discussions we've had about folk art. It's an exhibition of wildlife art calendars from about a hundred years ago. Like most other folk art, the calendar pictures were not considered to be art in their own days. People just thought of them as a way of decorating a practical object. In fact, the calendar pictures were originally painted as advertising for various companies that made hunting or fishing produces, like guns or fishing rods. The calendars were handed out free to customers to thank them for their business. Most people just hung the calendars on their walls where the pictures faded in the sun and then tore the pictures off the calendar as each month passed. As a result, collectors today place of a lot of value on calendars that are complete and in good condition. Even though the people who used the calendars didn't regard them as art, the original paintings the prints were made from were often of good quality. In fact, many famous wildlife painters created calendar art at some point in their lives. To them, it was way of getting a work reproduced and showed around. One aspect of the exhibit that I find very interesting is the way these pictures reflect changing attitudes toward wildlife. The pictures in the exhibit often portray the thrill and adventure of hunting rather than any particular concern for wildlife preservation. But most of today's wildlife art shows animals in their natural surroundings without any humans in the scene. This modern wildlife art appeals to large numbers of nature lovers, even those who oppose the practice of hunting.
What is the talk mainly about?
A. How artists gained fame.
B. A schedule of art exhibits.
C. One form. of folk art.
D. The preservation of old paintings.
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听力原文: The planned return to Earth of the American space shuttle Discovery has been delayed for 24 hours, because of low cloud and rain at the Florida landing site. Two and a half years ago, Discovery's sister ship Columbia disintegrated on reentry. A. L. reports from Cape Canaveral.
The Astronauts were ready to come home. The spaces shuttle was performing well and the weather plane circling Cape Canaveral reported they were good to go. But in the end, mission control pulled a plug on discovery's two chances to land today because of low cloud. The shuttle plummets to earth at 17,000 miles an hour after reentering the atmosphere. And the commander has to guide it down in one attempt. Poor visibility on the runway was enough to scupper the landing; So the mission will enter its 14th day in orbit, and the crew will enjoy another 24 hours in space.
Why has the return of Discovery been delayed for 24 hours?
A. Because of mechanical faults aboard.
Because of unfinished work.
C. Because of the bad weather at the landing site.
D. Because of unknown reason.
SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
Directions: In this section, you will hear several news items. Listen to them carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
听力原文: For a second day, soldiers and volunteers dug into the rubble of homes to locate survivors and pull out the dead from towns and villages in Indian Kashmir. Rescue teams also began the trek to the more isolated regions affected by the quake as overnight rain cleared.
The quake struck close to the line of control dividing disputed Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
The Indian controlled area appears to have suffered less damage than that controlled by Pakistan but authorities say they cannot assess the damage accurately until they reach isolated areas.
Efforts to clear roads buried under landslides are in full swing. The army has opened the main highway that connects Kashmir to the rest of India, and teams of doctors and Red Cross volunteers are on their way.
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the news?
A. The quake had stricken the area between India and Pakistan.
B. The Indian controlled area seems to have suffered less.
C. The Pakistan controlled area appears to have suffered less.
D. The Indian army has opened the main highway that connects Kashmir to the rest of India.
听力原文: The Russian navy is carrying out a big rescue operation to save the lives of 7 men trapped in a diving vessel at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. 10 Russian ships and a Japanese ship have been sent to the scene off the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Russian news agency Tass quoted a Russian navy spokesman as saying that the Americans had also been asked to help. From Moscow, Steve Rosenberg has this report.
The incident happened off the Kamchatka Peninsula 9,000 kilometers east of Moscow. The deep-sea submersible which is normally used for underwater rescue operations was taking part in a military training exercise on Thursday morning, when its propeller got twisted in fishing nets, dragging the vessel to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. There are reported to be 7 submariners on board. The Russian navy has launched an urgent rescue mission. The fleet's commander has described the. situation as complex and serious. The trapped sailors, he says, have enough air and electricity to last for another 48 hours.
What is the news mainly about?
A military rehearsal
B. A rescue operation
C. A diving show
D. A sea exploration
SECTION B PASSAGES
Directions: In this section, you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
听力原文: Are electric cars the way of the future? Automobile manufactures are under pressure to develop ca rs that do not pollute. One powerful motive is a California law requiring that by the year 2000 ten percent of new car sells in the state be so called zero-emission vehicles. These cars must put no pollutants whatsoever into the atmosphere.
California is a huge market for the automobile companies, so they are working hard to meet these standards. So far the electric car seems to be the best alternative. So the big advantage of electric cars is that they don't pollute. However they will be in competition with gas-powered cars and that's where the weaknesses come out.
The big problem is that the batteries that power electric cars weigh a lot relative to the amount of power they deliver. For instance, in one prototype electric car, the batteries weighed 400 kilograms. And they provide enough energy to go 250 kilometers before recharging, which takes eight hours. Compare that to a moderately fuel-efficient conventional car, it can go 600 to 700 kilometers on a tank of gas and refilling takes just minutes. If there are other drains on an electric car's batteries besides the motor, headlights, air conditioning or a heater, its already limited range will be significantly reduced. So automobile engineers are trying to make more powerful batteries that would increase the cars' range and make them more attractive to buyers.
What is the talk' mainly about?
Automobile safety.
B. Increasing fuel efficiency.
California's pollution laws.
D. Electric-powered cars.