SECTION C NEWS BROADCAST
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY. Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Mark the correct answer to each question on your coloured answer sheet. Question 6 is based on the following news. At the end of the news item,you will be given 10 seconds to answer the question
Now listen to the news.
The death toll rose to 74 on Tuesday in Japan’s deadliest rail crash in decades as crews pulled more victims from the wreckage. Investigators focused on whether excessive speed or the driver’s inexperience had caused the train to derail and slam into an apartment building. The 7-car commuter train carrying 580 passengers left the rails Monday morning in Amagasaki, a suburb of Osaka, about 250 miles west of Tokyo, it injured more than 440 people.
Questions 7 and 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item,you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.
20 of the world’s top economies promised to help Iraq lower its debt and to help restart global trade talks after a 2-day meeting in Mexico on Monday. Officials from the group of 20, G20 Nations, also discussed the possibility of sanctioning countries that refused to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Possible sanctions were not outlined at the meeting. In a declaration released at the end of the meeting, ministers called on World Trade Organization, WTO members, to restart the trade talks that collapsed in Kankoon last month. Nations must quickly reenergize the negotiation process, recognizing that flexibility and political will from all are urgently needed, it said. G20 ministers also talked about the possibility of creating a Voluntary Code of Conduct to govern negotiations between creditors and countries on the verge of defaulting on debt. The code would outline the steps that should be taken to prevent a financial crisis. Created in 1999 to avoid financial disasters and to keep the global economy stable, the G20 is made up of the European Union and 19 other countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Japan and the US.
Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 20 seconds to answer the questions.
Now listen to the news.
The United Nations celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Charter on Monday, the speakers addressing the UN General Assembly. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the UN had both successes and failures in carrying out the pledges in the Charter. The UN Charter is the constitution of the organization. It was signed in San Francisco on June 26th, 1945 by the 50 original member countries. It took effect on October 24th, 1945 after being improved by the 5 founding members: China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States and the majority of the other countries that signed the Charter. The Charter is a constitution on trading or countries that signed it are bound by its articles. It states that the Charter comes first above all other treaties. Its main purposes include the prevention of new conflict, building peace and protecting human rights and social progress. The most important chapters are these dealing with enforcement powers of UN bodies. They describe, for example, the Security Council’s power to investigate and mediate disputes. They also describe its power to authorize economic, diplomatic and military sanctions as well as the use of military force to resolve disputes. The UN, late last year, revealed a proposal to overhaul the organization, including the Security Council. This could be the most comprehensive UN reform since its foundation. This is the end of listening comprehension, please proceed to the next part.