SLP Listening

Questions

B52 Bombers in Laos

Question 1 Why was Laos bombed?

a) Due to political reasons
b) Because of economic reasons
c) On account of the government
d) Because it was used to supply troops and supplies

The Presidential Election

Question 2 What group of people is important now in the election?

a) The African Americans
b) The military
c) The general population
d) The unemployed

New British Citizens and the English Language

Question 3 Which of the following statements is true?

a) Immigrants do not have to have English classes
b) Immigrants have to only do the oath in English and not classes
c) The fifteen immigrants had to go to classes
d) Immigrants in the UK do not have classes but they do in the USA

Violent Protests

Question 4 Why did the protests start in Benghazi?

a) Because of government announcements
b) Due to similar protests in Cairo
c) On account of terrorists
d) Because of violent individuals

Violence in Lebanon

Question 5 Who possibly killed a man on the streets?

a) The army
b) Criminals
c) The police
d) Civilians
Transcripts

B52 Bombers in Laos Source: BBC

Tom Heap: So, How did this long, slim country come to attract the attention of the B52
Bombers? Professor Matthew Jones teaches American History at Nottingham University..

Matthew Jones: Well Laos has no intrinsic, sort of, economic or political importance for the
superpowers or the great powers who had interests in South East Asia. But, it was
geographically located between North Vietnam and Thailand, and North Vietnam was
determined from 1954 onwards to promote the unification of the rest of Vietnam under
communist control, and began to use Laos to supply the insurgency in South Vietnam.

Tom Heap: So, in order to supply their forces in the South, they used Laos as a corridor.

Matthew Jones: First of all in the form of recruits and supplies, but increasingly from
around 1964-1965 onwards in the form of actual troops who travelled down the Huccini
trail in Laos.

The Presidential Election Source: CNN

Four years ago the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC and the state's African
American voters were key to the president's historic win. But Virginia's conservative roots
are deeply embedded in the rural regions. Norfolk Naval Base, large numbers of military
retirees and civilian defence workers also keep the state competitive for republicans.

Mick Romney is clearly counting on the latter group to help him carry the state. He's been
hammering the president over possible defence cuts he says will increase Virginia's
current 5.9% unemployment rate.

Sixteen days from the election the race is tight. An ARG pole of likely Virginia voters found
Romney with a one-point edge over the president.

New British Citizens and the English Language Source: The Guardian

Hugh Muir: Heather Bradley, you just supervised the making of fifteen British citizens, they
all went through English classes. How important an element is that in what they do?

Heather Bradley: I think it's extremely important. If people are going to fulfill properly and
feel part of Britain, I think it's very very important that they're able to speak English. English
is a great unifier and a great... something that brings people together; and I think they will
be at a great disadvantage in society if they aren't able to speak English, and we very
much encourage them to do so and of course they have to take the oath today in English -
and that's very important.

Hugh Muir: Of course, we can't do more than persuade them, but there are moves to
nudge people into speaking English. Is that something that you support?
Heather Bradley: I think it would be. I mean I think the experience of the United States is
very good. In the United States it's always very important for people becoming American
citizens that they can speak English and I think that manifests itself in the fact that they
then feel a much greater part of the community in which they live.

Violent Protests Source: CBS

Based on the best information we have to date, what our assessment is of the present, is
in fact what (it) began spontaneously in Benghazi as a reaction to what had transpired
some hours earlier in Cairo, where of course as you know there was a violent protest
outside of our embassy sparked by this hateful video.

But soon after that spontaneous protest began outside of our consulate in Benghazi, we
believe that it looks like extremist elements - individuals - joined in that effort with heavy
weapons, of the sort that are unfortunately readily now available in Libya - post-revolution -
and that it spun from there into something much, much more violent.

Violence in Lebanon Source: ABC

Tony Eastley: The Lebanese army is urging political leaders to calm their followers after
violence was triggered by the assassination last week of a top intelligence official.

The army has warned that Lebanon is going through a critical period.

There are those groups supporting the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad and those
backing the Syrian rebels who are trying to oust him.

It's driving a wedge deeper into the Lebanese community.

Middle East correspondent, Matt Brown, reports from Beirut.

Matt Brown: With the army out in force, the streets of Beirut echoed with depressingly
familiar sounds…

(Sound of gunfire)

One man was reportedly killed - possibly by the army - but other exchanges of gunfire did
not escalate.

In the northern city of Tripoli, however, it was a different story. Gunmen roamed the street
wielding rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles.

Sunni Muslims who support the rebels in Syria have often clashed here with members of
the Alawite sect - an offshoot of Shia Islam.
Answers

1) D
2) B
3) C
4) B
5) A