If the earth gets hotter in the new century, what will happen to animals and the plants which animals depend on for survival? The question offers another way of looking at the greenhouse effect. People have talked about the general problem of global warming for some time. But they were usually worried about things like whether to buy a home on the coast(17). Biologists and others scientists turned their attention to plants and animals at an important meeting that took place last October. They reviewed evidence that plants and animals are sensitive to climate. Since the Ice age ended 2,000 years ago, and warmer temperatures returned to the northern latitudes, many species have migrated north(18). If the predictions about the greenhouse are correct, temperatures will rise by the same amount in the next 100 years as they did in the past 10,000. Will animals and plants be able to adapt that quickly to change in the environment? Many won't. Certain species will probably become very rare. Experts say plants under climate stress will very open to disease and fire(19). Forest fires may become more common. That in turn may harm animals that depend on the trees for food or shelter. Any preserves we set up to protect the endangered species may become useless as the species are forced to migrate along with their natural homes(20). Changes are part of life, but rapid change says scientist George Woodwill, is the enemy of life.

America's National Symbol – the Bald Eagle almost went extinct 20 years ago. But it has made a comeback. In fact, the US Fishing and Wildlife Service is considering the possibility of taking it off the endangered species list. Once, more than 50,000 pairs of bald eagles nested across the country. But by 1960, that number had fallen below 400. The chief killer was the widely used DDT. Fish soaked up DDT died and were washed up on shores where bald eagles feasted on them. DDT prevented eagle eggshells from thickening. The shell became so thin that they shattered before the babies hatched(14). Fortunately in 1972, a law was passed to ban DDT, which saved the bald eagle from total wipeout. And since then wildlife biologists have reintroduced bald eagles from Canada to America(15). The result was that last year US bird watchers counted 11,610 bald eagles in the country. If it were dropped from the endangered list, the bald eagles would still be a threatened species. That means the bird would continue to get the same protection. No hunting allowed, and no disturbing of nests. But bald eagles still face tough times. The destruction of their natural homes could be the next DDT causing eagle numbers to drop quickly(16).

A few months ago, millions of people in London heard alarms all over the town. Emergency services, the fire department, the police, hospitals and ambulances stood by, ready to go into action. In railway and underground stations, people read notices and maps which told them where to go and what to do in the emergency. This was Exercise Floodcall, to prepare people for a flood emergency(11). London wasn't flooded yet. But it is possible that it would be. In 1236 and in 1663, London was badly flooded. In 1928, people living in Westminster, the heart of London, drowned in floods. And in 1953, 100 people, living on the eastern edge of the London suburbs, were killed again in the floods. At last, greater London Council took action to prevent this disaster from happening again. Though a flood wall was built in the 1980s(12), Londoners still must be prepared for the possible disaster. If it happens, 50 underground stations will be under water. Electricity, gas, and phone services will be out of action. Roads will be drowned. It will be impossible to cross any of the bridges between north and south London. Imagine! London will look like the famous Italian city: Venice. But this Exercise Floodcall didn't cause panic among Londoners. Most people knew it was just a warning. One lady said, "It's a flood warning, isn't it? The water doesn't look high to me(13)."

6.
M: Maybe I ought to subscribe to the Engineering Quarterly. It contains a lot of useful information.
W: Why not read it in the library and save the money?
Q: What is the woman's advice to the man?

7.
M: I've been waiting all week for this concert. The performance is said to be excellent. And with our student discount, the tickets will be real cheap.
W: Ah-ah, I'm afraid I left my student ID card in the dorm.
Q: What does the woman imply?

8.
M: Mr. Smith, our history professor, announced that we'll be doing two papers and three exams this semester. I wonder how I'm going to pull through when two other courses have similar requirements.
W: Well, can't you drop one course and pick it up next semester?
Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?

9.
W: Renting a conference room at the hotel will cost us too much. We are already running in the red.
M: How about using our dining room for the meeting?
Q: What's worrying the woman?

1.
W: Raise your head a little bit and hold the saddle and smile a little. You look wonderful posing like that. Shall I press the shutter?
M: Wait a minute. Let me put on the cowboy hat.
Q: What are the speakers doing?

2.
M: I'm still waiting for my sister to come back and type the application letter for me.
W: Why bother her. I'll show you how to use the computer. It's quite easy.
Q: What does the woman mean?

3.
M: Hey, where did you find the journal? I need it too.
W: Right here on the shelf. Don't worry, John. I'll take it out on my card for both of us.
Q: What does the woman mean?

4.
M: Thank you for your helpful assistance. Otherwise, I'd surely have missed it. The place is so out of the way.
W: It was a pleasure meeting you. Goodbye!
Q: Why does the man thank the woman?

After the early period of settlement, the first sharp increase in immigration took place in the 1830s and 1840s. This brought to America crafts people from northern Europe who lost employment in the Industrial Revolution(17), and then a great number of Irish people who fled from famine. German political refugees arrived shortly after. Many immigrants from northern and western Europe settled on farms in the Middle West. The Irish became construction labors on roads, bridges and railroads. In the 1880s, a tremendous tide of immigrants began to come in. This time, largely from southern and eastern Europe. To most Americans, these newcomers seemed far more strange than the early settlers. Their languages, customs and ways of life were very different from those of Americans. The newcomers moved into the poorest neighborhoods of the large cities. They tended to stay together and cling to their old ways. As they were accustomed to poverty, they were willing to work for very low wages. This made other workers, especially those in labor unions afraid that the immigrants would thus lower wage levels and take jobs away from them(18). Indeed, organized labor became one of the chief opponents of continued immigration. This opposition finally led to the passing of immigration laws in the 1920s which restricted further immigration(19). In 1965, these unfair laws were replaced by a new immigration act which granted equal opportunity to foreigners regardless of the place or origin. Asians, like Koreans and Vietnamese, then began to arrive. Many of these newcomers have worked very hard to establish themselves in their new land(20).

The Asian elephant is one of the world's rarest animals. Unfortunately, its sad condition is not as well popularized as that of the African elephant. This is because Asian elephant's ivory supplies only a small percentage of the world's ivory trade, besides we know very little about Asian elephants. They live in the remote forests of southern Asian. And it's therefore very difficult to study them. Most knowledge of Asian elephants is from those that have been captured or tamed(15). Asian elephants are easier to tame than African elephants(14). The elephants you see in the circuses and zoos are nearly always Asian. The major reason for the decline of Asian elephants is the loss of their forests. The huge increase in human population has caused the destruction of Asian forests(16) for human occupation. As a result, Asian elephants are compelled to scatter in different areas. Originally, they lived all over the continent. But now there are only small isolated populations left. These isolated elephant populations are more vulnerable to extinction. Wild Asian elephants are threatened by illegal capture for taming. They are also killed for ivory and skin. In July, 1990, a British wildlife group uncovered a black market in elephant's skin gifts. Elephants are shot in the forests along the border between Thailand and Burma. And their skins are sold to factories and Bangkok. The skin is made into shoes, boots, suitcases, wallet, etc. for sale to tourists.

Graffiti is drawings or writings often found on a wall in public places. These drawings and writings are usually rude, humorous or political. The word "graffiti" comes from an Italian word meaning "a scratch". Graffiti provides the record of the past, because people have written on walls for centuries. Keep drawings are the earliest example we have of the art graffiti. Writing on walls is a way to comment the world we live in. Women's liberation groups in Britain, for example, have used graffiti to show their anger at the sex discrimination(11) of many advertisements where women's bodies are used to sell goods. Yesterday's graffiti can be today's tourist attraction. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, people found it was covered with graffiti from all over the world. Graves of famous people, like rock star Jim Morrison, are covered with written messages from fans. Graffiti is also a popular art form. Graffiti pictures have gained respect in artistic circles. Today, graffiti is likely to be found hanging inside modern New York apartments as well as in the downtown streets(12). In New York, graffiti pictures have been sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Graffiti artists have been paid to use their art to brighten up dull environments. But graffiti can bring us trouble. Things of natural beauty and important landmarks have been spoiled by mindless graffiti. The London underground authorities spend about 2 million pounds a year on removing graffiti from trains and stations. If you are caught doing it, you can be sent to a prison(13). In Britain, the maximum sentence for this type of crime is 10 years. Whether you think graffiti is mindless violence against property or a living art form, its popularity suggests that it is here to stay.

6.
W: I'm completely exhausted. Why don't we dine out tonight? I don't remember the last time you took me out for dinner.
M: That is not a bad idea. There is a new Mexican restaurant around the corner. They say it's good.
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?

7.
M: Shall we go to John's house-warming party this weekend? Everybody is invited.
W: Well, you know what John's party is like. Do you think I will go again?
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?

8.
M: The university is going to hold an interesting competition on computer programming. Many of my friends have signed up for it. How about you?
W: Do you think I could ever win anything if I took part in it?
Q: What do we learn from the conversation about the woman?

9.
W: You were being working like a horse. You should take a vacation.
M: Tell that to this stack of papers on my desk.
Q: What can be inferred from the conversation?