News Report One
主题：救火
Source: Trumbull times
Title: 6 displaced after fire breaks out in Main Street building in Norwalk
Six people had to move away from their home to another place after a fire broke out in a building on Main Street Saturday, officials said. Firefighters responded to the three-story building shortly after 1 p.m. for a reported structure fire, according to Norwalk Deputy Fire Chief Adam Markowitz. Markowitz said crews encountered heavy smoke coming from the second floor when they arrived. A team of about 25 firefighters then spent about 25 minutes extinguishing the flames. Officials described the structure as a mixed-use building that features commercial businesses on the first floor and residential on the second and third floors. Town records list four apartments in the building. Due to smoke and heat damage, the four apartments were declared uninhabitable and the six residents had to move to another place, officials said. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire. The Norwalk Fire Marshal is investigating the cause and origin of the fire.
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
1. Why did the six residents have to find another place to stay?
2. What does the news reports say the Norwalk Fire Marshal is doing?
News Report Two
主题：出生季节与患焦虑症或抑郁症的风险无关
Source: British Psychological Society
Title: Season of birth is not related to risk of developing anxiety or depression
A new study has cast doubt on historic research suggesting that the season or month of someone’s birth is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health conditions. The study looks at symptoms of anxiety and depression among more than 70,000 older adults in Europe. A number of past studies have found a link between season of birth and mental health diagnoses. Researchers have suggested that such links could arise from various things. These include nutrient intake, sun exposure, climate and disease exposure, varying across the course of the year. However, evidence has been mixed and more recent studies have suggested that factors such as social class or economic background, have more to do with these diagnoses than month of birth. Overall, the new study found no significant relationship between participants’ month of birth and symptoms of depression or anxiety. There was some variability in some countries. In Poland, depressive symptoms fluctuated a little depending on birth month. In the Czech Republic the same was true of anxiety symptoms — but, on the whole, there was no systematic pattern.
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.
3. What have a number of past studies found about season of birth?
4. What did the new study find about the relationship between participants’ month of birth and symptoms of depression?
News Report Three
主题：警犬克隆
Genetic researchers in China have made a clone of a star police dog. The clone was born in a laboratory in Beijing in December. Tests show that the clone and her mother are almost identical genetically. The mother dog helped solve multiple murders and many other crimes. The clone has already performed better than traditionally bred dogs on several tests. If the clone continues to perform as well as expected, it could mean a huge reduction in the training time for police dogs, which usually takes about 5 years. The ultimate goal of scientists is to produce clones of talented police dogs that can be trained in months instead of years. However, this goal is not yet possible due to the current costs of the technology. This is not the first time a clone has been made of a star police dog. In South Korea. Six clones began working with the police in 2008.
Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.
5. What do the researchers tests show about the cloned dog?
6. What is the scientists’ purpose in cloning police dogs?
7. Why does the news report say the scientist’s goal is not yet possible?
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