Keywords. baby boy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the world's six billionth inhabitant, social and ecological problems,

　　birth control, global count, humanity.

　　Vocabulary. overnight, inhabitant, deliver, symbolize, ecological, acclaim, momentum,

　　impact, demographer, predict, count, level off, agency, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United Nations,

　　Kosovo, Sarajevo, the UN Secretary General.

　　A. Now listen to a news report on the world's six billionth inhabitant.

　　Answer the following questions by supplying the missing information.

　　A baby boy born in Bosnia-Herzegovina overnight has officially been named the world's six billionth inhabitant.

　　Although several another babies are likely to have been born at the same time elsewhere in the world,

　　The United Nations had declared that the first child to be delivered at the Kosovo hospital in Sarajevo today would symbolize the passing of the mark.

　　The UN Secretary General is visiting the mother and her son as a UN attempt to draw attention to the social and ecological problems of rapidly expanding the populations.

　　The boy who came into the world a short time ago in Bosnia to such an international acclaim will be sharing a birthday with a few hundred thousand people.

　　And in the next year, another 8 million will be joining him on the planet.

　　The earth population has doubled since 1960, and with more than a billion young people just entering their productive years, the population growth has plenty of momentum.

　　But birth control programs are beginning to have an impact.

　　Demographers predict that by the middle of the new century, the global count will level off as something under ten billion.

　　The UN population agency has presented today's achievement as a success for humanity, pointing out that people are living longer and healthier lives than any generation in history.

　　B. Now three sentences chosen from the passage will be read to you.

　　Listen carefully and match colum A, the numbers with column B, the relevant information.

　　The boy will be sharing a birthday with a few hundred thousand people and in the next year, another 8 million will be joining him on the planet.

　　The earth population has doubled since 1960, and with more than a billion young people just entering their productive years.

　　Demographers predict that by the middle of the new century, the global count will level off as something under ten billion.

　　C. Now listen to the a faster presentation of the material. Check your answers.