新闻英语听力News28thMarch2012.doc

BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am ELEMENTARY: QUESTIONS1. Who will attend the talks with ACAS and the Unite union? representatives from the _ _2. When are oil tanker drivers threatening to go on strike?3. Who are being trained to step in and take over, if necessary?4. What are experts warning against?5. Where is Totals Elgin platform?6. What highly flammable substance is leaking from the platform?7. Which word means the opposite of accidentally?8. What is there no imminent threat of, according to Total, despite the burning flare?9. What did news of the burning flare cause in some quarters?10. What is the name of Scotlands environment secretary?11. What should Total be providing, according to the environment secretary?12. When is the flare expected to go out, according to Total?13. How far is the gas leak from the burning flare?14. What is blowing the gas away from the flame, according to the Total spokesman?15. How much did the UKs economy shrink by between October and December 2011?16. How many bishops currently sit in the House of Lords?17. What may that figure shrink to in future?18. What are officially suffering from a drought?19. What situation are Yorkshire Waters reservoirs in?BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am ELEMENTARY: ANSWERS1. Who will attend the talks with ACAS and the Unite union? representatives from the oil companies2. When are oil tanker drivers threatening to go on strike? over Easter3. Who are being trained to step in and take over, if necessary? dozens of RAF drivers4. What are experts warning against? panic buying5. Where is Totals Elgin platform? in the North Sea6. What highly flammable substance is leaking from the platform? gas7. Which word means the opposite of accidentally? deliberately8. What is there no imminent threat of, according to Total, despite the burning flare? an explosion9. What did news of the burning flare cause in some quarters? surprise10. What is the name of Scotlands environment secretary? Richard Lockhead11. What should Total be providing, according to the environment secretary? more information12. When is the flare expected to go out, according to Total? within a few hours13. How far is the gas leak from the burning flare? 90 metres14. What is blowing the gas away from the flame, according to the Total spokesman? the wind15. How much did the UKs economy shrink by between October and December 2011? 0.3%16. How many bishops currently sit in the House of Lords? 2617. What may that figure shrink to in future? 1218. What are officially suffering from a drought? parts of East and South Yorkshire19. What situation are Yorkshire Waters reservoirs in? Theyre full.BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am INTERMEDIATE: GAP-FILL1. The conciliation service ACAS has _ representatives _ the Unite union and the _ companies for talks.2. ACAS hopes to resolve a _.3. This dispute could result _ a strike by tanker _ over _.4. Dozens of _ drivers are _ trained to _ _ if needed.5. Experts have _ against panic buying.6. The Elgin _ in the _ _ is leaking highly flammable gas.7. The operator of the platform says a flare on the installation was left burning _.8. Total said it was _ off gas from the production process.9. It _ that there was no imminent threat of an _.10. The news that a flare was _ burning _ a platform where flammable gas was still escaping caused _ in some quarters.11. Jake Malloy, a _ organiser, said the situation seemed to be at the mercy of the _.12. _ environment secretary _ _ said Total _ be providing more information.13. The oil company said the flare had reduced in _ and was expected to _ _ within a few _.14. A spokesman said there was no immediate _ of an explosion.15. He said the gas leak was _ _ from the flare and being _ away from the flare by the _.16. The latest _ on the state of the economy show that it _ by more than expected in the final _ of 2011.17. GDP _ by _% between October and _.18. The initial estimate was _%.19. A committee of MPs and peers has agreed that bishops _ retain a place in the House of Lords when it becomes a mainly elected _ chamber.20. At the moment _ bishops sit in the House of Lords.21. The committee is recommending that there should only be _ in future.22. The Government is expected to _ the recommendation.23. The Environment Agency says parts of _ and _ Yorkshire are officially suffering from a drought.24. Yorkshire Water says it _ yet anticipate restricting water use.25. This is because _ reservoirs are still _.BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am INTERMEDIATE: ANSWERS1. The conciliation service ACAS has invited representatives from the Unite union and the oil companies for talks.2. ACAS hopes to resolve a dispute.3. This dispute could result in a strike by tanker drivers over Easter.4. Dozens of RAF drivers are being trained to step in if needed.5. Experts have warned against panic buying.6. The Elgin platform in the North Sea is leaking highly flammable gas.7. The operator of the platform says a flare on the installation was left burning deliberately.8. Total said it was burning off gas from the production process.9. It stressed that there was no imminent threat of an explosion.10. The news that a flare was still burning above a platform where flammable gas was still escaping caused surprise in some quarters.11. Jake Malloy, a union organiser, said the situation seemed to be at the mercy of the weather.12. Scotlands environment secretary Richard Lockhead said Total should be providing more information.13. The oil company said the flare had reduced in size and was expected to go out within a few hours.14. A spokesman said there was no immediate danger of an explosion.15. He said the gas leak was 90 metres from the flare and being blown away from the flare by the wind.16. The latest figures on the state of the economy show that it shrank by more than expected in the final quarter of 2011.17. GDP fell by 0.3% between October and December.18. The initial estimate was 0.2%.19. A committee of MPs and peers has agreed that bishops should retain a place in the House of Lords when it becomes a mainly elected second chamber.20. At the moment 26 bishops sit in the House of Lords.21. The committee is recommending that there should only be 12 in future.22. The Government is expected to accept the recommendation.23. The Environment Agency says parts of East and South Yorkshire are officially suffering from a drought.24. Yorkshire Water says it doesnt yet anticipate restricting water use.25. This is because its reservoirs are still full.BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am ADVANCED: TRUE/FALSE1. ACAS is a conciliation service which tries to resolve disputes.2. ACAS has invited representatives from the Unison union and the oil companies to talks.3. A dispute could result in a strike by oil platform workers over Easter.4. Dozens of ARF drivers are being trained to step in if necessary.5. Experts have warned people not to start panic buying.6. The Elgin platform in the Norse Sea is leaking highly flammable gas.7. The operator says a flare on the platform was left burning on purpose.8. Total said it was burning off gas from the reduction process.9. It stressed that there was no imminent threat of an explosion.10. The flare is burning above a platform where flammable gas is escaping.11. This news caused shock in some quarters, according to the reporter.12. Jake Malloy, a union organiser, said it seems the situation is at the mercy of the management.13. Richard Loghead is Scotlands environment secretary.14. He criticised Total for not providing enough information.15. Total now says the flare was left burning on purpose.16. However, it said the flame was getting smaller.17. It also said it was expected to go out by Friday.18. A spokesman said the gas leak is 19 metres from the flame and the gas is being blown away from the flame by the wind.19. The latest figures on the state of the economy show that it contracted by more than expected in the final three months of 2011.20. GDP fell by 0.3% between October and December, 0.1% more than originally estimated.21. A committee of MPs and beers has agreed that bishops should retain a place in the House of Lords when it becomes a largely elected second chamber.22. There are currently 26 bishops in the House of Lords.23. The committee wants this figure cut to 12 in future.24. The Government is expected to reject the committees recommendation.25. The Environment Agency says the whole of Yorkshire is officially suffering from a drought.26. Yorkshire Water will have to restrict water use now.27. Despite the drought, Yorkshire Waters reservoirs are still full.BBC RADIO 4 NEWSWednesday, 28th March 201210.00am ADVANCED: ANSWERS1. ACAS is a conciliation service which tries to resolve disputes. (T)2. ACAS has invited representatives from the Unison union and the oil companies to talks. (F the Unite union)3. A dispute could result in a strike by oil platform workers over Easter. (F a strike by tanker drivers)4. Dozens of ARF drivers are being trained to step in if necessary. (F RAF drivers)5. Experts have warned people not to start panic buying. (T Experts have warned against panic buying.)6. The Elgin platform in the Norse Sea is leaking highly flammable gas. (F in the North Sea)7. The operator says a flare on the platform was left burning on purpose. (T deliberately = on purpose)8. Total said it was burning off gas from the reduction process. (F from the production process)9. It stressed that there was no imminent threat of an explosion. (T)10. The flare is burning above a platform where flammable gas is escaping. (T)11. This news caused shock in some quarters, according to the reporter. (F surprise, not shock)12. Jake Malloy, a union organiser, said it seems the situation is at the mercy of the management. (F at the mercy of the weather)13. Richard Loghead is Scotlands environment secretary. (F Richard Lockhead)14. He criticised Total for not providing enough information. (T Richard Lockhead said Total should be providing more information.)15. Total now says the flare was left burning on purpose. (F deliberately = on purpose) 16. However, it said the flame was getting smaller. (T but had reduced in size)17. It also said it was expected to go out by Friday. (F and was expected to go out within a few hours)18. A spokesman said the gas leak is 19 metres from the flame and the gas is being blown away from the flame by the wind. (F 90 met