LISTENING B1

Guest Worker Program(before 2003) TEMA 1 - 2 BOOK III B1

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Farmers need lots of workers to help them on their farms. They often hire people from Mexico to do work. People that the farmers hire are all supposed to be citizens of the United States.

A citizen is a person that legally lives in a country. It is against the law to hire workers that are not citizens. Sometimes illegal citizens are hired anyway. They will work for less money.

Farmers say that it can be hard to tell if a person is an illegal worker. Papers that prove a person is a citizen often look real even if they are not. Some farmers do not care if their workers are illegal. Hiring illegal workers saves them money.

Many farmers want a deal to be made. The deal would be between Mexico and the United States. It would be called a “Guest Worker” program. This program would help both the farmers and workers. It would let them legally work together.

Farmers in California need lots of workers. Lots of people in Mexico want to work in California. Farmers hope that the United States and Mexico will start a “Guest Worker” program. This program would make working together legal for everyone.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Judge Decides Part of Pledge is Unconstitutional TEMA 3 - 4 BOOK III B1
(9/15/2005)

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Some people do not believe in God. People who do not believe in God are called atheists. Some atheist families are not happy that children recite the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. They do not like it because it refers to one nation “under God.” One atheist man filed a lawsuit on behalf of three families. The lawsuit was filed to try to stop the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited in public schools.

The atheist man filed a similar case on behalf of his daughter a while ago. He lost the case. The courts thought that he might be right, but they decided not to rule. They said that it was unclear if he had legal custody of his daughter.

This time a judge ruled that public school children should not be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in class. The judge said that it was unconstitutional. He agreed to sign a restraining order stating that children could not recite the Pledge in the three school districts involved in the lawsuit.

The school districts were disappointed with the judge’s decision. They wanted there to be a full-court review of the case. They said that they would continue to recite the Pledge of Allegiance until they were ordered to stop.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Family Costs are Increasing TEMA 5 - 6 BOOK III B1
(9/29/05)

Read the story. Click the "LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Many people live in California. They have to pay more and more to live there. It is hard for them to make enough money to live. A new study says that basic costs are going up quickly. Workers cannot keep up with the rising costs.

A group found that families must make $51,177 per year to live in there. That is $24.60 per hour. That barely pays for housing, food, taxes, and other expenses.

The Bay Area is the most expensive area. A family of four needs to earn $79,946 to pay basic needs. The state says that people who earn $20,000 are very poor. In the Bay Area, a family needs to earn four times that amount to live.

Families need to understand these numbers. Some people are thinking about how much money a family needs. They also think about what jobs people should get. Then they can know how much money they need to support a family.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Police Arrest Parents TEMA 7 - 8 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the "LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Sometimes kids skip school. This means that they do not go to school. Kids need to go to school to learn.

People from the school call the parents of these kids. They want to tell the parents that their kids are missing school a lot. Some parents do not seem to care.

People from the school also try to set up meetings with these parents. Some parents do not come to the meeting. They do not seem to be worried that their kids are skipping school.

The police and workers at the schools are unhappy that the parents do not do something. They think that parents should be responsible for keeping their kids in school. They decided to do something to make the parents responsible.

The police looked for these parents. Many of them were found and they were arrested.

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Kidnapping Alert TEMA 9 - 10 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the >LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Sometimes children are kidnapped. Kidnapping is like stealing a child. It is important that kidnapped children are found and brought home as soon as possible.

The sooner the public knows about a kidnapping the sooner they might be able to help. Some people decided to start a program that would alert the public about kidnappings right away. This program is called Care Alert.

The Care Alert program gives television and radio stations important information about a recently kidnapped child. These stations will then tell the public what happened in hopes that someone might be able to help. Anyone that may have seen something about the kidnapping could then call the police.

Sometimes one parent of a child kidnaps his or her own child. These kidnappings are not usually used in the Care Alert program. The Care Alert program is only used when a stranger has taken a child.

When a child is kidnapped he is in a lot of danger. It is very important to find him as soon as possible. It is hoped that this new Care Alert program will save children’s lives.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Down Payment for Homes TEMA 11 - 12 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the "LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

When a family does not have very much money, it is hard for them to buy things. One thing that is important to have is a place to live. But owning a home can cost a lot of money.

There is a company that helps people get a house to live in. Part of the deal is that the family helps to build the house. This helps to keep the cost of the house down.

In one city, there are a number of houses going up that are built by families. One man is building a house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. He always wanted a house for his family.

His wife and his father are helping to build the house. They are pounding in the nails and putting up all of the boards. The wife was scared to go up on the roof. Now she climbs up there and helps to build it.

The company that helps the family wants the family to spend a lot of hours building their own home. The company helps to pay for the supplies. It also helps to pay for the land. The family then pays back the money later.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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City Pays Late Utility Bills TEMA 13 - 14 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the "LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Utility bills are the bills you pay for things like gas and electricity. Gas and electricity are what heat and cool your home. They also give you light. It is important to pay your utility bills. If you do not pay your bills the services will be turned off.

One local apartment complex had its gas and electricity turned off. People living there thought that there was problem with the equipment. They had no electricity, hot water, or air conditioning. They were very upset when they found out why it was all shut off.

The man in charge of the seventy apartments did not pay the utility bill. This was not the first time it happened. The city already had to pay the bill two other times. If the city did not pay the bill, the tenants would not have any power.

The tenants needed their power to be turned back on. The utility company said that it might be a day before that could be done. The tenants were very frustrated.

The landlord was asked why he had not paid the bill. He said that there was a mix-up. He also said that the apartments would be going up for sale. The city will be able to collect their $50,000 in unpaid bills when the complex sells.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Body Scan TEMA 15 - 16 BOOK III B1

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Sometimes it takes many years for diseases to be found. Now there is a way to look for them before someone is feeling sick. Some illnesses can be found and treated very early by having a body scan.

Body scans allow doctors to look into a person’s body. They can see bones, tissue, and blood vessels. By looking into a person’s body like this doctors can sometimes see how healthy a person is.

People that have a family history of illness might want to have a body scan. Others that are young and healthy would probably not need one. Some people have body scans because it makes them feel more secure.

Many doctors do not think everyone should have body scans. Body scans are expensive. They are often not necessary. Sometimes body scans can be wrong. When this happens it can cause a lot of unnecessary worry.

Body scans can be very useful to doctors and patients. They can help find diseases at early stages. If diseases are found early they can be treated more easily. It would be a good idea to talk to a doctor before spending money on one.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Organ Donations TEMA 17 - 18 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Sometimes people get sick. Sometimes a part of their body is not working right. Sometimes these parts or organs stop working. These organs might be the heart, the liver, or the kidneys. Some sick people need a new organ to take the place of the one that is not working right.

When a person dies, some of their organs can be used in other people. The family of the dead person can choose to give the working organs to people who need them.

A senator wants to make a law that will help keep records of people who want to give their organs. He thinks it will be easier for the relatives of a person who dies to make the decision. The relatives would still have the choice whether or not to give the organs.

Good organs are needed everywhere. There are not enough organs in California.

More people need to know about the need for organs. Many of the people who need them are not white. But people from other races are not giving enough of their organs. Without enough organs from people of all races, it is hard to find organs for all people who need one.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Stop Carjacking TEMA 19 - 20 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

Your car can be stolen at anytime. This is called "carjacking." Carjacking can happen anywhere but there are ways to keep your car from being taken.

When you leave your car, lock all the doors and close the windows. When you drive, lock your doors and keep the windows rolled up.

Do not stop to help a car that has broken down. Instead call a service station or police to tell them where the car is.

When stopped at a light, leave enough room between you and the car in front of you. This will leave you room for escape.

Be suspicious of anyone approaching the car with fliers, asking for change or directions. Be ready to leave quickly, even if it means running a red light or stop sign.

While driving, if struck from behind or in any suspicious way, stay in your vehicle with the doors locked and windows closed until the police arrive. Turn on your car's emergency flashers.

If you're very suspicious, get the other vehicle's license number and drive to the nearest police station or a well-lighted area with lots of people.

If you think you are being followed, drive immediately to an area with lots of lights and people. If possible, drive to the nearest police station.

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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Biosphere TEMA 21 BOOK III B1
(before 2003)

Read the story. Click the LISTEN" button at the bottom of the page to hear the story. When you are done, click the "NEXT" button.

People who fly in space have to eat food that they bring from earth. In the future, these people will grow their own food.

Scientists are getting ready for the future by living in a biosphere in Arizona. In 1989, eight people began living inside the biosphere. They were sealed off from the outside world. They grew their own food.

A scientist said that we will need some kind of life system on another planet.

A new project is called Biosphere Two. Many different areas will be put in the biosphere. It will copy the oceans, the tropics, and a rain forest. A small desert and a tiny swamp will also be put in. A greenhouse will help them grow food.

They will try to grow all of the food they need with no help from outside. If they can do this, then it could be done on another planet that does not have any plants growing on it.

The idea has been tried already on a small scale. On a desk in an office, two tiny shrimps have lived two years in a sealed globe.

Exercice

1. PICK OUT THE VERBS AND THE PHRASAL VERBS, ADJECTIVES, NOUNS, ADVERBS.
2. WRITE A COMPOSIITONS OF 300 WORDS ABOUT IT
3. MAKE 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT TEXT FOR THE NEST CLASS

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