What happened to the OPEC meeting last week?Today we tell you more about the effects of falling oil prices. Lower demand for oil and too much supply have sent prices to their lowest levels in five years. Last week, OPEC decided to keep production at current levels. Representatives of the 12-nation group met in Vienna, Austria. They were unable to reach agreement on changing OPEC’s production targets. Lower oil prices are causing economic hardship in some OPEC members. The president of Venezuela announced last week that he and other government officials should take pay cuts as part of budget reductions. The Reuters news service says the reductions are meant to answer the lower oil prices. It says Venezuela gets 96 percent of its export earnings from oil sales. The nation has among the highest inflation rates in Latin America. Russia is a major oil exporter, but does not belong to OPEC. Oil exports are important to Russia. The value of Russian money has lost about 40 percent of its value this year compared to the American dollar. Observers have blamed the drop on falling profits from oil exports, and Western sanctions to punish Russian actions in Ukraine. But economists say the fall in oil prices is helping economies in Asia. Andrew Colquhoun is with Hong Kong-based Fitch Ratings. He said that “Most Asia-Pacific economies are oil importers and therefore the decline in oil prices is equivalent to a kind of income gain for them. “ In a recent report, Fitch Ratings said China and most major Asian economies would effectively earn more money from sustained lower oil prices. Thailand spends 15 percent of national income on oil, the largest percentage in the area. Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia all are moving to reduce oil price supports, or subsidies, which are often a major part in government spending. But some experts say it is a matter of time before prices recover. Jack Gerard is president of the American Petroleum Institute. He says demand for oil will rise, and prices will find an equilibrium. Representatives of the 12-nation group met in Saudi Arabia. They reached consensus on changing OPEC’s production targets. They decided to keep production at the existing levels. They decided to dramatically cut oil production.

When one’s knowledge and abilities can not match his work demands, the stress may happen.Occupational stress is stress involving work. According to the current World Health Organization’s (WHO)definition, occupational or work-related stress is “the response people may have when presented with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope. “ Distress is a prevalent and costly problem in today’s workplace. About one-third of workers report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as the number one stress in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that distress is the major cause of turn over in organizations. With continued distress at the workplace, workers will develop psychological and physiological dysfunctions and decreased motivation in excelling in their position. Increased levels of job stress are determined by the awareness of having little control but lots of demands in the work area. The Kenexa Research Institute released a global survey of almost 30,000 workers which showed that females suffered more workplace distress than their male counterparts. According to the survey, women’s stress level were 10% higher for those in supervisory positions, 8% higher stress in service and production jobs than men, and 6% higher in middle and upper management than men in the same position. Men and women are exposed to many of the same stressors. However, women may be more sensitive to interpersonal conflict whereas men might be more sensitive to things that waste time and effort. Furthermore, although men and women might not differ in overall strains, women are more likely to experience psychological distress, whereas men experience more physical strain. People suggest two explanations for the greater psychological distress of women. First, the genders differ in their awareness of negative feelings, leading women to express and report strains, whereas men deny and inhibit such feelings. Second, the demands to balance work and family result in more overall stressors for women that leads to increased strain. 正确错误

What do hydrological disasters include?Hydrological disaster is a violent, sudden and destructive change either in quality of earth’s water or in distribution or movement of water on land below the surface or in atmosphere. Flood and limnic eruption are hydrological. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of “flowing water“ , the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may result from the volume of water within a body of water, such as a river or lake, which overflows or breaks levees, with the result that some of the water escapes its usual boundaries. While the size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow melt, it is not a significant flood unless the water covers land used by man like a village, city or other inhabited area, roads, expanses of farmland, etc. A limnic eruption occurs when a gas, usually CO₂, suddenly erupts from deep lake water, posing the threat of suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising gas displaces water. Scientists believe landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. To date, only two limnic eruptions have been observed and recorded: In 1984, in Cameroon, a limnic eruption in Lake Monoun caused the deaths of 37 nearby residents. At nearby Lake Nyos in 1986 a much larger eruption killed between 1, 700 and 1,800 people by asphyxiation. Earthquake and flood. Flood and limnic eruption. Avalanche and limnic eruption. Flood and avalanche.

Latin American and Chinese officials have opened two days of talks on trade and investment. The first China / Latin America and the Caribbean Foreign Ministers’ forum is 【L1】______in Beijing, which are set to end on Friday. 【L2】______of government, including the presidents of Ecuador and Venezuela, traveled to China for 【L3】______. On Thursday, they and 30 ministers heard President Xi Jinping set a trade goal of 【L4】______in 10 years. He also said he expects China’s 【L5】______to reach $ 250 billion dollars in the next 10 years. Trade between China and Latin America has 【L6】______ from $ 10 billion to $ 257 billion in the past ten years. Oil, copper, 【L7】______, soybeans and fresh fruit are among the goods traded. Jean-Pierre Cabestan is a professor of 【L8】______at HK Baptist University. He told that China is using its 【L9】______to support its 【L10】______in Africa. Before the meeting, the Chinese president 【L11】______his support for Venezuela in its efforts 【L12】______. The South American nation receives almost all of its 【L13】______ from oil exports. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met Wednesday in Beijing with President Xi. Mr. Maduro said he 【L14】______of $ 20 billion in new Chinese investment in the country. 【L15】______, officials from China and four other countries met to discuss creation of a new bank. The four were Brazil, India, Russia and 【L16】______. The officials discussed what has been called the 【L17】______. It would lend money to developing nations in the same way as the 【L18】______does. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said the 【L19】______would start by providing a total of $50 billion in capital. The bank would be 【L20】______.Latin American and Chinese officials have opened two days of talks on trade and investment. The first China / Latin America and the Caribbean Foreign Ministers’ forum is taking place in Beijing, which are set to end on Friday. Four heads of government, including the presidents of Ecuador and Venezuela, traveled to China for the opening ceremony. On Thursday, they and 30 ministers heard President Xi Jinping set a trade goal of $ 500 billion dollars in 10 years. He also said he expects China’s direct investment to reach $ 250 billion dollars in the next 10 years. Trade between China and Latin America has jumped from $ 10 billion to $ 257 billion in the past ten years. Oil, copper, iron ore, soybeans and fresh fruit are among the goods traded. Jean-Pierre Cabestan is a professor of international relations at HK Baptist University. He told that China is using its economic influence to support its diplomatic and strategic goals in Africa. Before the meeting, the Chinese president restated his support for Venezuela in its efforts at reforms. The South American nation receives almost all of its foreign currency from oil exports. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met Wednesday in Beijing with President Xi. Mr. Maduro said he secured a promise of $20 billion in new Chinese investment in the country. Last July, officials from China and four other countries met to discuss creation of a new bank. The four were Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa. The officials discussed what has been called the New Development Bank. It would lend money to developing nations in the same way as the International Monetary Fund does. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said the BRICS nations would start by providing a total of $ 50 billion in capital. The bank would be based in Shanghai.

A new computer program is being praised as a life-changer for blind people. The new program is known as the KNFB Reader app. It can help users listen to an audio read-back—the sound—of printed material. Blind people say the KNFB Reader app will make life much easier. They say it will help with everything from reading restaurant menus to studying papers in the classroom. The application software program costs $ 99. It is the product of a long relationship between the National Federation of the Blind and Ray Kurzweil. He is a computer scientist and an employee of Google, which specializes in Internet-related services. The Google website says the technical development of the app resulted from the work of K-NFB Reading Technology Incorporated and Sensotec NV, a company in Belgium. Ray Kurzweil demonstrated the app at the National Federation of the Blind’s yearly meeting in June. The KNFB Reader makes use of new pattern recognition and image-processing technology, and new hardware for smartphones. People using the app can adjust, or change the position, of the camera and read printed materials out loud. Users say the app has given some people greater independence. The Reuters news service says they made the comments on social media sites such as Twitter. One user, named Gordon Luke, reported that he was able to use the app to read his voting card for the recent referendum in Scotland. Ray Kurzweil told Reuters that the app will be available for Android mobile devices in the coming months. He said he may also build a version of the app for Google Glass. Google Glass is a small computer screen that can be connected to eyeglasses. It is able to take photographs, record video and play sound. Ray Kurzweil added that “ Google Glass makes sense because you direct the camera with your head. “ Mr. Kurzweil started working on what he called “reading machines“ in the early 1970s. The idea came after speaking with a blind person who expressed frustration with the lack of technology to assist blind people. Mr. Kurzweil’s first reading machine was the size of a washing machine. It cost $ 50, 000. The technology has continued to improve over the past 20 years. The new smartphone app can recognize and take printed material in one language and change it to another language. But it was not available on a mobile device until now. In the past, it cost more than $ 1, 000 to use the software app with a camera and a mobile phone. The release of the KNFB Reader app comes at a time when the technology industry is facing criticism. Critics say the industry is too concerned about making software programs for sharing photos and video games. In San Francisco, activists have blocked buses operated by companies such as Google and Apple. They also have protested near the homes of some technology company executives. They say these business leaders are increasing the cost of living and not doing enough to help fix the problems of San Francisco. Bryan Bashin leads the non-profit group Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. He is also blind. He says the KNFB app shows the positive impact that technology can have. He says there are times in his life when he wishes the KNFB app were available to him. He adds that the ability to gain information quickly with something that fits in your pocket at a fast speed will be, what he calls, “ a game changer. “

Who earned college degrees last year?One-third of Americans between ages of 25 and 29 earned college degrees in the last year. One-second of Americans between ages of 25 and 29. One-third of Americans between ages of 24 and 29. One-second of Americans between ages of 24 and 29. One-third of Americans between ages of 25 and 29.

Where does the speaker most probably live?I enjoy my life, especially the various forms of entertainment such as an orchestra, Broadway show or a street performer and high end shopping. In Washington, D. C. In New York City. In Los Angeles. In Las Vegas.

Which of the following statements about the Tesla factory is true?Tesla Motor’s forthcoming battery factory in northern Nevada is expected to create over 20, 000 jobs, making a dent in the 7. 7% unemployment rate and helping the struggling housing market. Nevada has 95, 000 unemployed. The four counties nearest to the planned Tesla in northern Nevada have 18, 296 unemployed, according to Nevada state demographer. It’s said Tesla will create up to 6, 500 new on-site jobs with an average wage in excess of $ 25 per hour. Tesla expects to employ 6, 500 workers by the eighth year the factory is open. It’s reported that 16, 000 indirect jobs will also be created — generating an economic impact of nearly $ 40 billion over 20 years. 16% of the jobs are expected to be in retail trade; 13% in wholesale trade; 12% in construction and administrative and support services. Professional, scientific, and technical services at 11% ; food services at 8% and Health Care at 8% . It’s also expected that in next 3 years, the “Tesla bump“ will increase the state’s population by about 4, 000 people — with a total increase of 35, 000 in the next two decades, an increase of about 1. 3 percent of the state population of 2. 8 million. Tesla is also expected to help the Nevada housing market, where one in 520 homes is in foreclosure — one of the worst rates in America. Over the next two decades, the state expects to pick up 28, 000 immigrants looking for housing — meaning some 10, 500 new households. Near the factory will likely see the greatest spike in home purchases and rentals. Some 17, 000 units went vacant in the past 10 years. The influx of residents also is expected to generate an increase in sales and property tax revenue and could also create an indirect improvement in services such as health care. The factory is expected to create enough lithium-ion battery packs for 500, 000 electric cars by 2020. It’s said Tesla will create and secure a new “manufacturing base“ in northwestern Nevada that has the potential for even more spin off sectors. It has been created to reduce unemployment and to help stock market. It will provide 9, 500 jobs for the local community. It is a factory that produces lithium ion battery. Its average wage is $ 15.

Which of the following statements about Venezuela is NOT correct?

What’s partly to be blamed for the dropping of Russian Ruble value?

How did the fall in oil prices affect Asia?

What’s the likely future for oil price according to Jack Gerard?