19- listening 3
1. A protest by over 5.000 nurses caused major traffic jams downtown yesterday morning. The nurses protested in front of County General Hospital to demand higher pay and an increase in staffing. They say that major budget cuts have resulted in unfair salaries. And because 20% of nursing staff was laid off last month, remaining nurses have to work longer hours and take care of more patients. Later in the day,' hospital management promised to consider their demands.
2. Over 20,000 people so far have visited the national museum to see the collection of works by the popular Colombian artist, Botero. That is the largest number of visitors the gallery has had for several years. This is the first time that Botero's work has been shown in this area, and the collection includes some of his best-known paintings and sculptures.
3. Several hundred people are fleeing their homes in Los Angeles. California. because of a forest fire burning out of control in the nearby hiils. The fire began five days ago. Hot weather, wind, and a very dry summer are helping the fire spread very quickly. Firefighters have come from as far away as Alaska to help put out the flames.
4. A customs official at Kennedy Airport was very surprised yesterday when he checked the baggage of a passenger and found over 50 live snakes, some of them very poisonous. The government believes that the passenger was planning to sell the snakes illegally in the US. They would have been worth up to $1,000 each. A few snakes escaped from the suitcases, but airport officials say that all of them were caught within an hour.
5. As a result of the heavy rain over the weekend, city officials fear there may be a flood. Many people living near the river have had to leave their homes. Over 30 families are now homeless. Most of them are staying with friends aad relatives. Volunteers worked throughout the weekend to place sandbags along the river.
6. A spokesperson for two of the country's largest airlines—Northern Airlines and Air International—has announced that the two airiines are discussing a possible merger for next year. If the merger goes ahead and the two companies combine, it could be bad news for travelers. Many business experts think that the new company would certainly raise ticket prices.
