涉及到听力段落，主要就是听力新闻和听力讲座这两个分值较高的题型。我们以新闻为例：英语新闻一般采用结构简短的句子，但为了在一个句子中包含尽可能多的新闻事实或信息，使用了大量的复合句和带扩展结构的简单句。
复合句
1)含宾语从句的复合句
这类复合句大多接在say，ask，report，quote，deny，confirm等动词后，句子的内容往往是间接引语，许多命题的设置都是针对句子中的细节内容。如：
On its Web site，the White House Budget Office says the program to send astronauts to the moon is behind schedule over budget and overall less important than other space investments．
After hours of heated debate，speaker Mahmoud al Mashhadani announced that the vote is scheduled for Wednesday，and can be put forward provided parties in the parliament would reach an agreement on the pact．
Egyptian economic sources said the two sides will discuss the possibility of setting up a joint business council when the Egyptian-Spanish Higher Committee meets in the first half of September in Madrid，Spain．
2)含定语从句的复合句
在英语新闻中也经常出现含有定语从句的复合句。这类句子结构复杂、信息量大，是新闻听力中的难点。听这类句子时，要注意抓住句子的主体部分，即句子的主、谓、宾。例如：
AT＆T，which is the only wireless operator in the U．S．selling the iphone，has been the target of much criticism over this past year，as many iPhone subscribers，particularly in densely populated urban areas，have complained about dropped calls，slow Internet access，and poor service．
句中的定语从句说明了AT&T是什么类型的公司。
Eleven fishing boat crew who had been stranded since October in a remote part of Rassia’s Far East have been rescued after sheltering nearly three months at an abandoned military base．
这个句子中的定语从句说明了渔船船员的情况。
使用扩展的简单句
由于时间限制，英语新闻文体在语法方面的一个重要特点是句型的高度扩展，且结构严谨，将丰富的信息压缩在有限的篇幅中。常见的方法有使用同位语、分词短语等语言成分扩展简单句。
1)同位语
在英语新闻中，句子不仅要简洁精练，而且还要尽可能多地传递信息，因而不可避免地大量使用同位语。特别是交代人物身份、职业、年龄的词语，交代组织机构的地点、性质的词语，以及交代城市的位置、远近、特点的词语通常都用同位语来表示。如：
The words and music are an updated version of “We Are the World”，a song that raised at least$30 million for African humanitarian programs 25 years ago．
A song that raised at least$30 million for African humanitarian programs 25 years ago是We Are the World的同位语，对We Are the World进行解释说明。
Four American teenagers，all children of U．S．military personnel，have been arrested on charges of attempted murder after a woman was knocked off her motorbike with rope strung across two poles，Japanese police said．
all children of U．S．military personnel是Four American teenagers的同位语，指出这四个美国少年的背景。
2)分词短语
英语新闻经常使用分词短语把次要内容融在一个句子里，这种结构可以使句子简单，主谓分明，而且能使每句话尽可能多地包含信息。许多考题的答案往往就隐藏在分词结构中。例如：
That year，the terrorists’ group attacked the athletes’ village，eventually killing 11 Israeli athletes and coaches．
句中包含了一个现在分词短语killing 11 Israeli athletes and coaches，补充说明恐怖组织袭击村庄的结果。
On December 7th，a woman attacked the offices of a Diyala-based Sunni group，fighting al-Qaida in Iraq，killing 15 people and wounding 35，then on December 31，a bomber in Baqouba，detonated her suicide vest close to a police patrol，wounding five policeman and four civilians．
这个句子包含四个分词知识：fighting al-Qaida in Iraq，killing 15 people，wounding35和wounding five policeman and four civilians，补充说明了攻击造成的后果。