AUTHENTIC LISTENING 2

Poaching threatens survival of African elephants

Twenty thousand elephants were 1. _________________________________ in Africa last year, the
report shows. That figure far exceeds 2. _________________________________ of the elephant
population. In some regions of Africa elephants are threatened with extinction.
The report also documents a clear increase in the number of large seizures - amounts of over 500kg -
of ivory in Africa. For the first time there were more such seizures in Africa than in Asia, an
indication, the report suggests, of the involvement of 3. _________________________________ in
the illegal ivory trade.
And while elephant conservationists do believe that increased ivory confiscation is a sign that 4.
_________________________________ is improving, they also point out that demand for ivory
remains very high, and that even in some of the monitored elephant populations, poaching is actually
increasing.
Internet piracy warnings
Anyone who is found to have illegally downloaded material will be sent an 5.
_________________________________ on where to find legitimate sources of entertainment
online.
But these messages will be capped for a year and there will be no penalties for offenders. It's 6.
_________________________________ from what the entertainment industry originally called for.
When the controversial Digital Economy Act was introduced in the final days of the Labour
government in 2010, it included measures to cut off people's internet connections for 6.
_________________________________.
This new three-year scheme is a compromise.
Latest 7. _________________________________ suggest nearly a quarter of all content consumed
online is illegally downloaded, including more than a billion music tracks within a year.
Egyptian statue sells for nearly £16m
The 4,000-year-old 8. _________________________________ of an official called Sekhemka is
about 75 cm tall. It shows him sitting, reading a scroll with his much smaller wife kneeling beside
him.
It's been sold to help fund an extension to the town's museum.
Those protesting at the sale included the Egyptian government. 9.
_________________________________ to Britain told the BBC a museum should not act like a
shop that sells items for profit. Others argue that the sale might jeopardise Northampton's status as an
10. _________________________________ and the grants which it gets as a result. But the
council's leader, David Mackintosh, said the statue hadn't been on display for four years and no one
had asked to see it in that time.
Museums generally fight shy of 11. _________________________________ from their collections
partly because sales might discourage people from donating items in future. But in recent years a
number of cash-strapped council museums have sold things or tried to.
In this case, the Marquis of Northampton, whose family gave the statue to the town in 1890, argued
that the sale would 12. _________________________________ of the gift. He's now reached a deal
and will get just under half of the proceeds.
Mafia plot: Tower of Pisa
This trial is attempting to get to the bottom of the scheming of the Mafia more than twenty years ago.
And it's just heard from someone who may know a great deal.
He's Gioacchino La Barbera, a Mafia man involved in the killing of a 13.
_________________________________. But he switched sides. And he's a witness now for the
prosecution.
He said that after murdering the magistrate, the Mafia looked for 14.
_________________________________. And it plotted to blow up the magnificent, ancient tower in
Pisa. The Mafiosi were aiming to strike a 15. _________________________________ at the height
of their war with the state.
La Barbera said the plot only failed because the authorities found a 16.
_________________________________ that was earmarked for the job. Of course, the credibility of
this kind of witness has to be questioned. He's a man whose life has been steeped in 17.
_________________________________.
On the other hand, at about the same time as the alleged plot in Pisa, the Mafia did bomb the famous
Uffizi art gallery in Florence. It was clearly in the mood to strike at the kind of 18.
_________________________________ that are the pride of Italy.
Pompeii under threat
The 19. _________________________________Italian culture minister, Dario Franceschini, is
already facing a huge challenge: how to save one of the world's most treasured 20.
_________________________________.
He's summoned officials from Pompeii to Rome to report on the state of the site, and explain why the
wall of a tomb and part of 21. _________________________________ of the Temple of Venus fell
down after days of heavy rain this weekend.
This is not the first time that the site has suffered damage. There was an 22.
_________________________________ in 2010 after a series of wall collapses in Pompeii. The
ancient city was 23. _________________________________ in ash in 79 AD after a volcanic
eruption, and rediscovered in the 18th Century.
Critics say that, having survived for two millennia, one of Italy's most popular attractions is now
being neglected.
Poaching threatens survival of African elephants
Twenty thousand elephants were illegally killed in Africa last year, the report shows. That figure far
exceeds the growth rate of the elephant population. In some regions of Africa elephants are
threatened with extinction.
The report also documents a clear increase in the number of large seizures - amounts of over 500kg -
of ivory in Africa. For the first time there were more such seizures in Africa than in Asia, an
indication, the report suggests, of the involvement of transnational organised crime in the illegal
ivory trade.
And while elephant conservationists do believe that increased ivory confiscation is a sign that law
enforcement is improving, they also point out that demand for ivory remains very high, and that even
in some of the monitored elephant populations, poaching is actually increasing.

Internet piracy warnings

Anyone who is found to have illegally downloaded material will be sent an alert offering advice on
where to find legitimate sources of entertainment online.
But these messages will be capped for a year and there will be no penalties for offenders. It's a far
cry from what the entertainment industry originally called for.
When the controversial Digital Economy Act was introduced in the final days of the Labour
government in 2010, it included measures to cut off people's internet connections for repeated
misuse.
This new three-year scheme is a compromise.
Latest industry figures suggest nearly a quarter of all content consumed online is illegally
downloaded, including more than a billion music tracks within a year.

Egyptian statue sells for nearly £16m

The 4,000-year-old limestone statue of an official called Sekhemka is about 75 cm tall. It shows him
sitting, reading a scroll with his much smaller wife kneeling beside him.
It's been sold to help fund an extension to the town's museum.
Those protesting at the sale included the Egyptian government. Egypt's ambassador to Britain told
the BBC a museum should not act like a shop that sells items for profit. Others argue that the sale
might jeopardise Northampton's status as an accredited museum and the grants which it gets as a
result. But the council's leader, David Mackintosh, said the statue hadn't been on display for four
years and no one had asked to see it in that time.
Museums generally fight shy of selling artifacts from their collections partly because sales might
discourage people from donating items in future. But in recent years a number of cash-strapped
council museums have sold things or tried to.
In this case, the Marquis of Northampton, whose family gave the statue to the town in 1890, argued
that the sale would breach the terms of the gift. He's now reached a deal and will get just under half
of the proceeds.

Mafia plot: Tower of Pisa

This trial is attempting to get to the bottom of the scheming of the Mafia more than twenty years
ago. And it's just heard from someone who may know a great deal.
He's Gioacchino La Barbera, a Mafia man involved in the killing of a prominent magistrate. But he
switched sides. And he's a witness now for the prosecution.
He said that after murdering the magistrate, the Mafia looked for more targets. And it plotted to blow
up the magnificent, ancient tower in Pisa. The Mafiosi were aiming to strike a major psychological
blow at the height of their war with the state.
La Barbera said the plot only failed because the authorities found a cache of explosives that was
earmarked for the job. Of course, the credibility of this kind of witness has to be questioned. He's a
man whose life has been steeped in organised crime.
On the other hand, at about the same time as the alleged plot in Pisa, the Mafia did bomb the famous
Uffizi art gallery in Florence. It was clearly in the mood to strike at the kind of historic monuments
that are the pride of Italy.

The newly appointed Italian culture minister, Dario Franceschini, is already facing a huge challenge:
how to save one of the world's most treasured archaeological sites.
He's summoned officials from Pompeii to Rome to report on the state of the site, and explain why the
wall of a tomb and part of an arch of the Temple of Venus fell down after days of heavy rain this
weekend.
This is not the first time that the site has suffered damage. There was an international outcry in 2010
after a series of wall collapses in Pompeii. The ancient city was completely buried in ash in 79 AD
after a volcanic eruption, and rediscovered in the 18th Century.
Critics say that, having survived for two millennia, one of Italy's most popular attractions is now
being neglected.