介绍： 一、听力练习
1.
A. 800.
B. More than 250.
C. 560,000.
D. 9,400.

2.
A. The coronavirus pandemic.
B. The housing shortage.
C. The increasing working cost.
D. The unfavorable weather condition.

二、听力文本
The Australian Outback town of Quilpie is home to 800 people. The town hoped its offer of free land migh...

介绍： 一、听力练习
1.
A. 800.
B. More than 250.
C. 560,000.
D. 9,400.

2.
A. The coronavirus pandemic.
B. The housing shortage.
C. The increasing working cost.
D. The unfavorable weather condition.

二、听力文本
The Australian Outback town of Quilpie is home to 800 people. The town hoped its offer of free land might draw five new families to the community. In less than two weeks, the town has received more than 250 requests for information about the offer from around Australia and other countries around the world. The town leaders came up with the idea to deal with a housing shortage. The lack of housing made it difficult to fill jobs in the remote area of western Queensland state. People who buy land, build a house on it for less than $560,000, and live in it for six months can receive a $9,400 payment, known as a grant. The idea for the grant offer came from Justin Hancock, head of the town council. The 30-year-old spent six months in a retirement home when he first arrived in Quilpie this year because of the area's housing shortage. Quilpie has recently needed workers in healthcare and education. It also needs people who can fix cars and prepare meat and many other kinds of workers. Questions about the free land program came from as far away as Britain, India, Hong Kong and New Zealand. But home buyers need to be Australian citizens or permanent residents to be a candidate for the grant. Real estate prices have increased greatly across much of Australia throughout the coronavirus crisis. Lockdowns in the largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, and low interest rates have sent people to search for larger homes in smaller towns. Most of the interest in coronavirus-free Quilpie has come from the state capital, Brisbane, a city of 2.4 million on the Pacific Ocean 1,000 kilometers to the east. But there is also interest from Melbourne, Newcastle, and Western Australia state.

Question 1: According to the news report, how many requests for information about the offer has the town received for from around Australia and other countries around the world in less than two weeks?

Question 2: According to the news report, what made it difficult to fill jobs in the remote area of western Queensland state?

三、重点词汇
1. real estate: property in the form of land or buildings 房地产；不动产

四、背景知识
澳大利亚昆州的Quilpie小镇投入12.5万澳元补助金为人们免费赠送土地，以吸引年轻人来当地就业。 Quilpie郡市政厅（Quilpie Shire Council）正在提供12500澳元资金给任何在此购买土地并建新住宅且能至少居住6个月的人。由于各块土地售价低至12500澳元，市政厅的这一政策意味着房主可以免费获得土地。 Quilpie郡市政厅的首席执行官Justin Hancock已在该镇居住了8个月，表示很难在澳洲其他任何地方找到比这更好的交易。议会收到逾259个有关此计划的查询。（背景知识来自于https://www.sohu.com/a/494476807_120501171）

五、参考答案
Question 1: B
Question 2: B