Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard。

　　23. What is the key reason that the United States isn't a welfare state。

　　24. Why does the poor have to attend municipal clinics and hospitals?。

　　25. Which of the following is true about Blue Cross?

　　Section B

　　Directions: In this section, you will hear 3 short passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear some questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A)， B)， C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre。

　　Passage One

　　Welcome to Yellowstone National Park. Before we begin our nature walk today, I’d like to give you a short history of our National Park Service. The National Park Service began in the late 1800’s. A small group of explorers had just completed a month-long exploration of the region that is now Yellowstone. They gathered around a campfire, and after hours of discussion, they decided that they should not claim this land for themselves. They felt it should be accessible to everyone. So they began a campaign to preserve this land for everyone’s enjoyment. Two years later, in the late nineteenth century, an act of Congress signed by President Ulysses S. Grant proclaimed the Yellowstone region a public park. It was the first national park in the world. After Yellowstone became a public park, many other areas of great scenic importance were set aside and in 1916 the National Park Service was established to manage these parks。

　　As park ranger, I am an employee of the National Park Service. In a national park, park rangers are on duty at all times to answer questions and help visitors in any difficulty. Nature walks, guided tours, and campfire talks are offered by specially-trained staff members. The park service also protects the animals and plants with the parks。

　　Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard。

　　26. Who is the speaker?

　　27. According to the speaker, who originated the idea of a public park?

　　28. According to the speaker, what is one of the duties of a park ranger?

　　Passage Two

　　I’m sure almost every one of you looked at your watch or at a clock before you came to class today. Watches and clocks seem as much a part of our life as breathing or eating. And yet, did you know that watches and clocks were scarce in the United States until the 1850’s?

　　In the late 1700’s, people didn’t know the exact time unless they were near a clock. Those delightful clocks in the squares of European towns were built for the public—after all, most citizens simply couldn’t afford a personal timepiece. Well into the 1800’s—in Europe and the United States—the main purpose of a watch, which, by the way, was often on a gold chain, was to show others how wealthy you were。

　　The word “wristwatch” didn’t even enter the English language until nearly 1900. By then the rapid pace of industrialization in the United States meant that measuring time had become essential. How could the factory worker get to work on time unless he or she knew exactly what time it was? Since efficiency was now measured by how fast a job was done, everyone was interested in time. And since industrialization made possible the manufacture of large quantities of goods, watches became fairly inexpensive. Furthermore, electric lights kept factories going around the clock. Being on time had entered the language—and life—of every citizen。

　　Questions 29 to 31 are based on the passage you have just heard。

　　29. What was true of watches before the 1850’s?

　　30. According to the speaker, why did some people wear watches in the 1800’s?

　　31. What effect did industrialization have on watch-making?

　　Passage Three

　　More than a quarter of the world adult population are still unable to read and write. They are called illiterates. A worldwide campaign to change this situation has been launched by the United Nations, and the year 1990 has been designated as International Literacy Year。

　　The message from the United Nations is that illiteracy must be ended for the good of both the individual and Third World development. Illiteracy does more than limit an individual’s freedom to live a full and independent life. Governments of Third World countries where 98 per cent of illiterates live, find their national development programs are being held back by an under-educated and illiterate workforce。

　　Illiteracy is not only a problem of the developing countries. Adults in western nations are often too ashamed to admit they can’t read and write. Therefore, they are unable to go to classes to change the situation。

　　The success of International Literacy Year will depend largely on the political will of governments to provide equal opportunities in education. Women make up 60 per cent of the world’s adult illiterates. More schools are needed in rural areas and slums. But one of the biggest tasks now facing international organizations is how to persuade hundreds of millions of illiterates that learning to read and write will actually benefit them。

　　Questions 32 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard。

　　32. What percentage of the world population is illiterate?

　　33. Which year was designated by the United Nations as the International Illiteracy Year?

　　34. Why is the campaign against illiteracy more important to Third World countries?

　　35. Which is the key factor in the success of the International Literacy Year?