听力原文：Although it is a normal part of banking, excessive interest rate risk can pose a significant threat to a bank's earnings and capital base.

W: I’m really lucky you stopped and offered me a lift. I’ve been waiting for about two hours but no one seemed to be going my way. M: Are you a student？ W: Yes, I’m a biology student in London University. I’m going up to Edinburgh for the festival, but it’s so expensive on the train that I decided to try and hitch a lift. M: Well, you are lucky because I should have been going yesterday, but something happened to delay me so I postponed my trip until today. W: Is it all right if I put my bag on the back seat？ M: Yes, of course. W: It started to rain just as I left the house this morning and my clothes and shoes are wet through. Would you mind if I take off my shoes？ M: No, of course not. I don’t mind. Go ahead. W: Thanks. M: Oh, don’t forget to put your seat belt on! You can get fined nowadays, you know, for not wearing your seat belt. W: Yes, sorry, I forgot. Could I open this window？ M: Well, I’d rather you don’t if you don’t mind. It gets very draughty when you open that window. But you can open the back window. W: Is it all right if I go to sleep for a while？ M: Yes, of course. I’ll wake you up when we reach the next service station. I’ll need some coffee then. (23) A．Because she has a company for the drive. B．Because she can attend the festival. C．Because the man stopped and offered her a lift. D．Because the man provided a shelter from the rain.

(29) A．He can work better without a computer. B．He is working with a new computer. C．He has never used a computer in his work. D．He needs a computer for his work.

(30) A．The committee voted against the proposed project. B．The committee approved against the proposed project. C．The committee considered the short report well written. D．The committee was convinced by the documented report.

B：Yes, it's a shame. The man's purpose in visiting was to______. A．take a course. B．see the city. C．go to the park. D．take a rest.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered quicker work to complete construction of Israel's West Bank separation barrier, especially in the area of Jerusalem. Israel began building the nearly 700 kilometer long barrier two years ago, but only a third has been completed. Israeli officials say that's way too slow. "Let's just get it done," said Cabinet Minister and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."This is a security fence, it is not a political border, it is not meant to keep people in like the Berlin Wall, it is meant to keep terrorists out." It is not clear how the government will speed up construction of the barrier in light of previous rulings by the Israeli Supreme Court. In the past, the Court has ruled that the government is illegally confiscating West Bank land and creating hardship for Palestinians. Israeli analyst Dan Schueftan told VOA that many Israelis believe the court is favoring the Palestinians over Israeli security. "And the more they take decisions in this direction, the more Israelis will question the wisdom of the Supreme Court." So by ordering rapid construction of the barrier, Mr. Sharon is responding to public opinion. But the Palestinians say it's a land grab. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat: "The only thing that's growing on the ground now is more Israeli settlements, more walls, and more dictations and more harming of the Palestinian people." The International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled last year that the barrier is illegal and must be torn down. But after more than a hundred suicide bombings during the past four-and-a-half years of conflict, Israel is determined to build the barrier as quickly as possible. The Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that ______. A．building West Bank barrier is legal B．building West Bank barrier is illegal C．building West Bank barrier is reasonable D．building West Bank barrier is welcomed

听力原文： The key question for any only child is this: Why were you an only child？ It's a key question for at least two reasons. If your parents had wanted several children, but could have you only, they are most likely to pour into you all the energy and attention that had been intended for several children. I call this the "Special Jewel" phenomenon. Only children, or special jewels often arrive when their parents are older-- usually in their thirties. These special jewels can become very spoiled and serf - centered. On the other hand, you may be an only child be cause your parents planned for only one and stuck to their plan. Your parents may give you a very strict and well-structured education to make you a little adult. Many only children grow up feeling unhappy because they always had to be such little adults. (33) A．Those who are themselves spoiled and self-centered. B．Those who expected to have several children but could only have one. C．Those who like to give expensive jewels to their children. D．Those who give birth to their only children when they are below 30.

But there was a time when Les Angeles was nothing more than a tiny Indian village. The Spanish expedition searching for Monterey Bay camped there the night of August 1,1769. Twelve years later, other Spaniards started a settlement at the village, which remained unchanged for decades. Yankee sea traders used the settlement as a port, and the California gold rush brought some new economic life to the village, but the town remained quite small. It was not until the completion of the transcontinental railroads in 1869, and the discovery of oil in the 1890s, that the population began to grow. Later, during the two world wars, Los Angeles experienced move growth, in part because of the new airplane industry. At about the same time, the arrival of two New York motion picture producers in search of sunny weather marked the beginning of an entertainment industry that has become a multibillion-dollar industry today. In just the past 100 years, this tiny sea village has grown into the sprawling metropolis that we know today. (27) A．European expeditions in the 1700s. B．Famous sites in Los Angeles. C．The growth of Los Angeles. D．The entertainment industry.

"I am studying the report, and I will make a recommendation to the Security Council very shortly. And I am likely to indicate that we proceed with status talks," he said. When asked when he might make his recommendation, Mr. Annan replied, "maybe sooner than you think." The secretary-general appointed senior Norwegian diplomat Kal Eide last June to study progress on the U.N. standards. Diplomats who have seen the report say it sharply criticizes both majority ethnic Albanians and minority Serbs in the province for the slow pace of progress, but nevertheless concludes that future status negotiations should begin. The Security Council is expected to take up the Kosovo question the last week of October. If the 15-member body agrees, talks on Kosovo's future status could begin in November. According the news, the UN has set standards for Kosovo on ______. A．minority rights and democracy B．minority rights and publicity C．economy and politics D．justice and democracy

(24) A．He doesn't want to correct the mistake. B．I saw him take one of those. C．He always seems to do everything right. D．I never used to see him working.

M: I think so. It’ll be especially helpful if you can check the same story in the newspaper. Q: What does the man mean？ (18) A．Watching TV is better than reading a newspaper. B．The newspaper may give more information. C．TV is more interesting than a newspaper. D．A combination of reading and listening is more effective.

W: Look at the sky. Don't you think there's going to be a storm？ Q: What does the woman mean？ (14) A．She will not go to the park. B．She will go to the park. C．She likes to take a walk. D．She is too tired to take a walk.

W: If you have your receipt, I can give you credit for the purchase. But I can't repay you. Q: Where did the conversation probably take place？ (18) A．In a restaurant. B．In a department store. C．In a private home. D．In an art supply shop.

There are only two animals that have larger brains than man, the whale and the elephant. Yet, in proportion to his size, man's brain is larger. (19[C])Man's usually weighs about three pounds or a little more, and this is about one-fortieth of the weight of his whole body. The whale's body, on the other hand, is a thousand times heavier than its brain, while the elephant's body is about five hundred times as heavy. But a man who has a large brain is not necessarily more intelligent than one whose brain is smaller. We know that geniuses have existed who have had very large brains, but there have been others whose brains were rather small. Idiots have been known to have very large brains. (20[D])We do not understand precisely why some people are more intelligent than others. Whether our brains are relatively large or small is less important than that we try to do our very best. This article is mainly about ______. A．the weight of a whale's brain B．the brains of geniuses C．the size of a person's brain and his intelligence D．the intelligence of the elephant

The most important part of dog-care is cleanliness. Not only does the dog have to be kept clean, but his environment should also be clean. The bed he sleeps in can be made with anything like a rug or a dog mattress. Proper feeding is also important for your dog's health. A dog should be fed in the same place and on a regular schedule. If your dog refuses to eat, don't force him. Remove his food and don't feed him again until his next regular feeding. Food should never be left before a dog for more than 30 minutes. One important thing that many dog owners forget is exercise for the dog. Vigorous exercise helps build strength and keeps the dog healthy. A regular walk at a fixed time of the day is enough to help a smaller dog live a healthier end happier life. Large dogs, though, require a run in an open fid& There are other things that are also important for a dog's health — things like bathing, care of the teeth and nails, keeping them away from insects as much as possible. But if you observe the three main points covered above, your dog will give you a great amount of pleasure. (23) A．Until he eats it. B．All day. C．At lease 30 minutes. D．No more than 30 minutes.

(9) A．The company is a sun-rising firm so it is worthwhile to extend the loan. B．The company has some accounting problems, some improvement is needed. C．The company is short of funds because it is sun-rising. D．The company has some accounting problems because it is sun-rising.

W: Either one will do for me. You should make a quick decision because I'm not going to wait for you to make up your mind. Q: What does the woman suggest the man do？ (8) A．Hurry up and make the decision. B．Hurry up and make a reservation. C．Choose a Chinese restaurant. D．Go to both restaurants since both are good.

M: Then what about half an hour later in front of the library？ It's nearer to your house. Q: What can we learn from the conversation？ (16) A．They will meet at 8:00. B．It's impossible for them to meet each other. C．Both of them will be a half hour late. D．They will meet at the woman's house.

M: So what？ Theirs is even worse. Q: What does the man mean？ (19) A．He doesn't like messy people. B．He doesn't know where their house is. C．He sees no need to clean the house. D．He can think of no worse time for their friends to come.

M: I certainly do, yet not so much as the pop music. Q: What kind of art does the man prefer？ (2) A．The man likes the classical art in a higher degree. B．The man likes the modem art better. C．The man likes neither modem nor classical art. D．The man likes both modem and classical art.

M: Well, when learning a foreign language, I would surround myself in the language, the target language, that I wanted to learn. W: Surround oneself in the language？ I think it is difficult to do that. Can you explain how you do it？ M: Uh, for example, I would watch a movie in that language, uh, which would help me keep motivated to learn vocabulary and phrases. W: That sounds interesting. M: Yeah, you'll have a lot of fun by doing so. W: I see. A little hit of practice every day is very important to language learning. M: Yes. Regular practice is also better than practicing a lot in one day. Learning a language well needs patience and perseverance. W: Then what else did you do to learn a foreign language？ M: Well, I would keep a situational notebook. W: What is that used for？ M: Ur, for example, in a restaurant, you use a certain phrase over and over again, and so if you can remember just one particular phrase in each setting, then you can immediately speak that language and have more confidence and you get more out of learning the language, I think. W: Really？ I'll try that. Thank you for your advice. M: You're welcome. (23) A．He's offering some suggestions about learning foreign languages. B．He's asking the woman for help to improve his English. C．He's discussing with the woman how to listen to a language regularly. D．He's talking about the importance of taking notes in foreign languages learning.

W: Does it have three bedrooms？ M: No. There are two. The master bedroom is quite spacious though. Maybe you could let the children share the larger room, and you and your husband could use the smaller one. W: I suppose I could do that. M: A three-bedroom apartment will be difficult to find. W: Yes, I know. Believe me, I have been looking for over a week. The few three-bedroom apartments that I have found are either extremely expensive or the owner won't allow children as tenants. M: Well, the owner allows two children in this apartment complex. W: Aren't you the owner？ M: No. I am the manager. I live here, too, on the first floor of this building. W: Oh. That's nice. Then if anything gets broken... M: Just leave a note on my door. W: You said that the rent would be 350 dollars a month. Does that include any of the utilities？ M: Yes. It includes gas. Your furnace and stove axe gas, so, as you can imagine, your other utilities, electric and water, are quite inexpensive. W: This sounds better and better. But before I sign a lease I would like my husband to see it. M: Why not stop by with him this evening？ W: How late are you open？ He doesn't get off work until five. M: Come by at six. I will still be in the office. I am sure that you are eager to move from the hotel, and if we get the paper work out of the way tonight, you can move in tomorrow. W: Oh, that would be wonderful. (23) A．The woman's husband. B．The owner of the apartment. C．The apartment manager. D．The tenant who occupies the apartment now.

M: I'm so sorry that I didn't realize I was bothering anyone else. I can promise that it won't happen again. Q: Why does the woman complain that the music is quite annoying？ (7) A．Because the man's taste in music is bad. B．Because the man plays the music at night. C．Because the man plays annoying music. D．Because the man plays the music at a high volume.

M: Well.. .I'm breaking up with Cathy. Q: What does the man mean？ (17) A．He has his leg broken. B．He wants to join the party. C．He parts with his girlfriend. D．He gets along well with Cathy.

A．He does not earn as much money as his classmates． B．He does not work as well as his classmates． C．He does not get enough pay for his ’hard work． D．He does not have enough time for his study．