新闻英语听力News12thMarch2012.doc

BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Monday, 12th March 2012
10.00am

ELEMENTARY: QUESTIONS

1. How many people have government forces killed in the Syrian city of Homs, according to opposition groups? up to _________
2. How many dead bodies can be seen in one video released by opposition groups? at least _________
3. What are the bodies covered in?
4. What gangs carried out the killings, according to Syrian state television? _________ _________ gangs
5. Where is Idlib?

6. What did an American soldier do in the Afghan province of Kandahar yesterday?
7. What did the soldier do with the bodies?
8. Which group has promised to take revenge for the killings?
9. How did it describe the massacre? as ‘a _________-soaked and _________ crime’

10. What has the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, done?
11. When was it planned to withdraw all international troops from Afghanistan?

12. Which court has Tony Nicklinson asked to make a decision?
13. Who does he want to end his life if his suffering becomes too much?
14. Which syndrome does he suffer from? ‘_________-_________ syndrome’
15. Where is he completely paralysed from?

16. Who is a man holding hostage?
17. Where is he holding her hostage?
18. How old is the man?
19. What is he armed with?

20. Who have been told not to sign new contracts?
21. What did the initials GMC stand for?
22. Which culture does the GMC want to encourage? a culture of _________

BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Monday, 12th March 2012
10.00am

ELEMENTARY: ANSWERS

1. How many people have government forces killed in the Syrian city of Homs, according to opposition groups? up to 47
2. How many dead bodies can be seen in one video released by opposition groups? at least 11
3. What are the bodies covered in? blood
4. What gangs carried out the killings, according to Syrian state television? armed terrorist gangs
5. Where is Idlib? It’s in northern Syria.

6. What did an American soldier do in the Afghan province of Kandahar yesterday? He shot dead 16 villagers.
7. What did the soldier do with the bodies? He burned/burnt them.
8. Which group has promised to take revenge for the killings? the Taliban
9. How did it describe the massacre? as ‘a blood-soaked and inhumane crime’

10. What has the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, done? She has paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan.
11. When was it planned to withdraw all international troops from Afghanistan? by 2012

12. Which court has Tony Nicklinson asked to make a decision? the High Court
13. Who does he want to end his life if his suffering becomes too much? a doctor
14. Which syndrome does he suffer from? ‘locked-in syndrome’
15. Where is he completely paralysed from? the neck down

16. Who is a man holding hostage? a pensioner
17. Where is he holding her hostage? at her home in the West Midlands
18. How old is the man? He’s 40.
19. What is he armed with? a knife

20. Who have been told not to sign new contracts? doctors across the UK
21. What do the initials GMC stand for? General Medical Council
22. Which culture does the GMC want to encourage? a culture of openness
BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Monday, 12th March 2012
10.00am

INTERMEDIATE: GAP-FILL

1. Opposition groups in Syria say the government has carried _________ a massacre of up to _________ people in the _________ of Homs.
2. Opposition groups have released videos showing _________.
3. The BBC reporter says ‘The videos released make for _________ viewing.’
4. In one at _________ 11 dead bodies can be _________, including at least four _________ children.
5. The bodies are covered in _________.
6. The numbers killed _________ be verified.
7. Syrian state television blamed the deaths on _________ terrorist groups.
8. There are also reports of continued fighting in the _________ _________ of Idlib.
9. Just a day ago Kofi Annan, the international envoy to Syria, _________ Syria to try and _________ _________ a ceasefire.

10. The Afghan parliament has called for a public trial of the US soldier who shot dead _________ _________ yesterday in Kandahar province, before burning _________ bodies.
11. The Taliban has vowed to _________ revenge for what it described as ‘a _________-soaked and inhumane crime’.

12. On a _________ visit to Afghanistan, the _________ chancellor Angela Merkel has said she can’t be _________ that troops will be _________ from Afghanistan by _________, as promised.
13. She added, however, that Germany wanted to achieve that _________ and was _________ towards it.

14. The _________ of a man fighting for the _________ to an assisted suicide has said it’s the _________ _________ to end his suffering.
15. Tony Nicklinson is asking the _________ Court to decide whether a _________ who ended his life would have a defence against murder.
16. Tony Nicklinson suffers from ‘_________-_________ syndrome’.
17. This means _________ completely paralysed _________ the _________ down.

18. Police are negotiating for a _________ day with a man who’s holding a _________ hostage at her _________ in the _________ Midlands.
19. The man, who’s _________, is armed with a _________.

20. Doctors across the _________ have been told not to _________ contracts that prevent them raising concerns about _________ standards of care.
21. The advice is from the General _________ Council.
22. The GMC says it wants to encourage ‘a culture of _________’.
BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Monday, 12th March 2012
10.00am

INTERMEDIATE: ANSWERS

1. Opposition groups in Syria say the government has carried out a massacre of up to 47 people in the city of Homs.
2. Opposition groups have released videos showing bodies.
3. The BBC reporter says ‘The videos released make for grim viewing.’
4. In one at least 11 dead bodies can be seen, including at least four young children.
5. The bodies are covered in blood.
6. The numbers killed cannot be verified.
7. Syrian state television blamed the deaths on armed terrorist groups.
8. There are also reports of continued fighting in the northern city of Idlib.
9. Just a day ago Kofi Annan, the international envoy to Syria, visited Syria to try and push for a ceasefire.

10. The Afghan parliament has called for a public trial of the US soldier who shot dead 16 villagers yesterday in Kandahar province, before burning their bodies.
11. The Taliban has vowed to take revenge for what it described as ‘a blood-soaked and inhumane crime’.

12. On a surprise visit to Afghanistan, the German chancellor Angela Merkel has said she can’t be sure that troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by 2014, as promised.
13. She added, however, that Germany wanted to achieve that goal and was working towards it.

14. The wife of a man fighting for the right to an assisted suicide has said it’s the only way to end his suffering.
15. Tony Nicklinson is asking the High Court to decide whether a doctor who ended his life would have a defence against murder.
16. Tony Nicklinson suffers from ‘locked-in syndrome’.
17. This means he’s completely paralysed from the neck down.

18. Police are negotiating for a second day with a man who’s holding a pensioner hostage at her home in the West Midlands.
19. The man, who’s 40, is armed with a knife.

20. Doctors across the UK have been told not to sign contracts that prevent them raising concerns about poor standards of care.
21. The advice is from the General Medical Council.
22. The GMC says it wants to encourage ‘a culture of openness’.
BBC RADIO 4 NEWS
Monday, 12th March 2012
10.00am

ADVANCED: TRUE/FALSE

1. Opposition forces in Syria say the government is to blame for the massacre of up to 47 people in the city of Homs.
2. Opposition groups have released videos showing government troops killing civilians.
3. The reporter says ‘The videos released make for grime viewing.’
4. In one video at least 11 dead bodies can be seen, including at least four young children.
5. Syrian state television denied the deaths had taken place.
6. It said the bodies had been filmed in an effort to show the government in a bad light.
7. There are also reports of continued fighting in the northern town of Idlib.
8. Yesterday Kofi Anna, the international envoy to Syria, visited the country to try to get a ceasefire in place.

9. The Afghan parliament has asked for a public trial of the US soldier who shot dead 16 villagers yesterday in Kandahar province before burying their bodies.
10. The Taliban has promised it will take revenge for ‘a blood-soaked and inhuman crime’.

11. The German chancellor Angela Merkel has just visited Afghanistan, following a promise made last month.
12. She said she can’t be sure that troops will be pulled out of Afghanistan by 2014.
13. She added that Germany would prefer troops to remain in place.

14. The wife of a man fighting for the right to an assisted suicide has said it’s the only way to end his suffering.
15. Tony Nicklinson’s case is being heard by the Crown Court.
16. Mr Nicklinson is asking the court to decide whether a doctor who ended his life would have a defence against murder.
17. Mr Nicklinson suffers from ‘rocked-in syndrome’.
18. The syndrome means he cannot move from the neck down.

19. Police are negotiating for a second day with a man who’s holding a pensioner hostage at his home in the West Midlands.
20. The newsreader says ‘The man, who’s faulty, is armed with a knife.’

21. Doctors across the UK have been told not to sign contracts that prevent them from raising concerns about poor standards in cars.
22. The advice is from the GMC – the General Medical Council.
23. The GMC says it wants to encourage a culture of ‘open all hours’.

BBC RADIO 4 NEWS Monday, 12th March 2012 10.00am

ADVANCED: ANSWERS

1. Opposition forces in Syria say the government is to blame for the massacre of up to 47 people in the city of Homs. (T ‘Opposition groups in Syria have accused the government...’ i.e. have blamed the government)
2. Opposition groups have released videos showing government troops killing civilians. (F ‘They’ve released video footage showing bodies.’ i.e. The bodies of people who’ve been killed, not the killings taking place.)
3. The reporter says ‘The videos released make for grime viewing.’ (F ‘grim viewing’)
4. In one video at least 11 dead bodies can be seen, including at least four young children. (T)
5. Syrian state television denied the deaths had taken place. (F ‘Syrian state television acknowledged the deaths...’)
6. It said the bodies had been filmed in an effort to show the government in a bad light. (T ‘in an effort to discredit the government’)
7. There are also reports of continued fighting in the northern town of Idlib. (F ‘in the northern city of Idlib)
8. Yesterday Kofi Anna, the international envoy to Syria, visited the country to try to get a ceasefire in place. (T He visited Syria ‘to try and push for a ceasefire’.)

9. The Afghan parliament has asked for a public trial of the US soldier who shot dead 16 villagers yesterday in Kandahar province before burying their bodies. (F ‘before burning their bodies’)
10. The Taliban has promised it will take revenge for ‘a blood-soaked and inhuman crime’. (F ‘a blood-soaked and inhumane crime’)

11. The German chancellor Angela Merkel has just visited Afghanistan, following a promise made last month. (F ‘On a surprise visit to Afghanistan...’)
12. She said she can’t be sure that troops will be pulled out of Afghanistan by 2014. (T ‘she can’t be sure that troops will be withdrawn from the country by 2014’ to withdraw = to pull out)
13. She added that Germany would prefer troops to remain in place. (F ‘She added that Germany wanted to achieve that goal (i.e. the withdrawal of troops by 2014) and was working towards it.’)

14. The wife of a man fighting for the right to an assisted suicide has said it’s the only way to end his suffering. (T)
15. Tony Nicklinson’s case is being heard by the Crown Court. (F the High Court)
16. Mr Nicklinson is asking the court to decide whether a doctor who ended his life would have a defence against murder. (T)
17. Mr Nicklinson suffers from ‘rocked-in syndrome’. (F ‘locked-in syndrome’)
18. The syndrome means he cannot move from the neck down. (T ‘which means he’s completely paralysed from the neck down’)

19. Police are negotiating for a second day with a man who’s holding a pensioner hostage at his home in the West Midlands. (F ‘at her home’ The pensioner is a woman.)
20. The newsreader says ‘The man, who’s faulty, is armed with a knife.’ (F ‘who’s 40’)

21. Doctors across the UK have been told not to sign contracts that prevent them from raising concerns about poor standards in cars. (F ‘that prevent them raising concerns about poor standards of care’)
22. The advice is from the GMC – the General Medical Council. (T)
23. The GMC says it wants to encourage a culture of ‘open all hours’. (F ‘a culture of openness’)
Distributed with kind permission from the BBC © The Listening Business 2012