【正文】 ogram in Eureka, 32 kilometers southwest of St. Louis, the United States, to restore the endangered Mexican gray wolf, the rarest and most genetically distinct subspecies of gray wolf in North America. After more than a century of assault (攻擊，襲擊) by humans, the wolf population had dwindled to（減少到） no more than a handful by the 1970s in Mexico and the American southwest. The research center, popularly known as the Wolf Sanctuary*, was founded in 1971 by Marlin Perkins, a worldrenowned（世界知名的） naturalist and former director of the St. Louis Zoo, and his wife Carol. Besides the Mexican wolf, the sanctuary works with the endangered red wolf （赤狼）, maned wolf（鬃狼）, swift fox（草原狐） / and African wild dogs（豺狗）. In the late 1970s, the last seven known wolves were captured in the wild or taken from zoos to begin the breeding program（育種計劃）. In 1981, the first captivebred（人工繁殖的，圈養(yǎng)的） litter （幼狼） of Mexican gray wolves produced in the federal program was born at the Wild Canid Center, and the first release into the wild（放生） took place in 1998. The program is now about halfway to meeting its goal of a wild population of at least 100 wolves covering more than 12,800 square kilometers. Though in captivity（在繁殖場） themselves, Francisco and Sheila taught their pups so well that many are thriving in the wild. They were ideal parents. They raised 25 babies, taught them good survival skills and sent many of them off to live on their own. Nine of Francisco and Sheila39。s Tyson Research Center. The wolves live in large outdoor enclosures with minimal human contact. They learn to hunt, raise young, live in natural family packs, and to be suspicious of people all necessary skills for surviving in the wild. Decisions about mating, movement among the 45 captivebreeding facilities and releases into the wild are made by a USMexican mittee of scientists, landowners and others. They also maintain a genetic database. A wolf with rare genes until it has successfully reproduced will never be released because of the high mortality rate（死亡率） in the wild. It39。 in recent weeks, five have died. Despite the losses, released wolves are reproducing. The recovery program is gradually moving away from freeing captiveborn wolves, as the population of pups born free takes off （增加）. Scientists want to let nature decide what39。s not through natural selection. A: Prelistening Question The wolf is a large member of the canine family. Most of the adult grey wolves weigh in the vicinity of 75 to 125 pounds (34 to 56 kilograms). Wolves live in family groups called packs. A pack is usually made up of a male parent, a female parent, their pups and a few other adult wolves that are the older brothers and sisters. Wolves can run up to 40 miles an hour and can easily cover 50 miles a day. The wolf has developed the capacity to survive in the most inhospitable of climates. The wolves in the high arctic endure several winter months of perpetual darkness. Even in February when the sun returns to the north, temperatures of 40176。 in a protected wolf park or a controlled area of land, a wolf can live to be up to 16 years old. B: Sentence Dictation Directions: Listen to some sentences and write them down. You will hear each sentence three times. C: Detailed Listening 1 Directions: Listen to the passage and plete the information about a Mexican gray wolf research center. 1) The research center39。s offspring were among the first 11 captiveborn Mexican gray wolves released in 1998. Both parent wolves have since died Francisco at age 14 in December. Sheila at age 16 in June 2000 but they lived, as captive wolves often do, roughly twice as long as wolves in the wild. The Wild Canid Center is ideated on 25 isolated hectares within. Washington University39。s 22 rides（游樂設施） and three game arcades （設有投幣游戲機的游樂場）provided jobs for up to 300 people. Astroland has been the biggest amusement center on Coney Island, which is a favorite holiday destination for Americans in the New York area since the 19th Century. It is the birthplace of the hot dog and is known for its kitschy rides, street performers, sand beaches and familyfriendly（適合家庭的） atmosphere.But Astroland39。s announced closure, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said hope is not yet lost, and that city officials are trying to step in（做短時間的非正式訪問） and get a oneyear renewal of Astroland39。s called the Highline. It39。s an oasis in a sea of concrete. The walkway includes more than 100 species of plants inspired by the wild landscape left after the trains stopped running. New construction is everywhere. Apartments, office towers, restaurants and even a museum have sprouted alongside the promenade. The first section of the Highline was inaugurated in May, after 15 years of planning and political battles. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with benefactors cut the ribbon（剪彩）.The first two sections of the Highline cost $152 million. Of that, $44 million was raised by the public. For those who visit, it seems it was well worth the wait and the money.Exercise A Directions: Listen to the news item and plete the summary. This news item is about the opening of a walkway in New York. Exercise B Directions: Listen to the news again and plete the following passage. After 15 years of planning and political battles, the first section of the Highline was inaugurated in May, The first two sections of the Highline cost $152 million. Of that, $44 million was raised by the public. It39。s an oasis in a sea of concrete. The walkway includes more than 100 species of plants inspired by the wild landscape left after the trains stopped running. New construction is everywhere. Apartments, office towers, restaurants and e