Ielts Listening Recent Actual Test Vol 4

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 13 - Vol 4 – Test 1

SECTION 1

Employee:          Good afternoon. Welcome to Matrix Printing. I’m John Smith. How can I help you?

CUSTOMER:           Good afternoon. I’m here to reprint a brochure for our hotel. There are some pages that need revising.

Employee:          Sure, how may I address you?

CUSTOMER:           Oh, I’m Mary Jane from Central Hotel Chains (Q1). Nice to meet you. I’ve got samples of the previous version.

Employee:          I assume it is your company’s advertising brochure?

CUSTOMER:           Yes.

Employee:          What exactly is the problem?

CUSTOMER:           Well, it was printed the year before, so some of the information is already out-of-date. There are also a couple of problems with the layout. Firstly, the letters of the address on the front page are far too small (Q2). It’s hard to see when glancing at the cover.

Employee:          How big do you need it to be?

CUSTOMER:           Increase the letters by 3 font sizes.

Employee:          Just a minute. Let me take notes of your requirements… OK, what else needs changing?

CUSTOMER:           The information regarding the pool should be deleted, because it is currently under renovation and is not available. (Q3)

Employee:          So all of the relevant descriptions on page 2 should be removed? What do we replace it with? We can’t just leave the whole page blank.

CUSTOMER:           Just fill it in with the introduction of our newly-opened gym. I’ve included all the relevant information here in this flash drive.

Employee:          Let me check…Um. I see. No problem then.

CUSTOMER:           What is also bothering us is that the description under the top photo on page 4 is incorrect. The wore lounge needs to be replaced with reception. (Q4)

Employee:          Fully noted. Is that all?

CUSTOMER:           No, there is more. Turn to page 5. We feel that showing merely the picture of our exterior and interior decoration does not fully represent the appeal of our hotel. On second thought, we’ve decided to use a picture with the view of the hotel. (Q5)

Employee:          Do you have the original copy of the picture?

CUSTOMER:           Yes, it is also enclosed in the flash drive.

Employee:          OK, we’ll reedit the whole layout of the photos.

CUSTOMER:           Great.

CUSTOMER:           Let’s turn to the next page.

Employee:          Yes, what’s wrong with that? It seems perfectly fine to me.

CUSTOMER:           At first sight, it seems fine. But according to the feedback of the customers, the prices do not stand out, so we want to change the print from black to red to make it pop out. (Q6)

Employee:          OK. I’ve made notes of all your requests. Is there anything else?

CUSTOMER:           I appreciate it. Just one final request. Could you translate the whole brochure into Spanish (Q7)? We have customers worldwide, you know, especially those from Latin countries.

Employee:          No problem. What about other languages, like Japanese, Chinese or German? These are our most popular target languages.

CUSTOMER:           I have to ask the manager about the Chinese version. There’s been a surging number of Chinese clients during recent years. However, we don’t need German or Japanese translations as we currently don’t have many customers from those two countries.

Employee:          Sure. Just keep me updated.

CUSTOMER:           So roughly when could we get the revised print? We need it before the end of July. (Q8)

Employee:          It’s late June now. Roughly it’ll take 3 weeks to reedit, so it will definitely be ready before the deadline.

CUSTOMER:           Great.

Employee:          To where shall we send the samples?

CUSTOMER:           The address is No. 9 Green Drive, Cliffton, NY21300. (Q9)

Employee:          How do you spell Cliffton?

CUSTOMER:           C-L-I-double F-T-O-N, Cliffton.

Employee:          And the telephone number?

CUSTOMER:           It’s 9-0-3-0-3-6-6-0-2 (Q10). Also, if you have any further questions, you can reach me through this number.

Employee:          OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2

Welcome to Byron National Park. 1 am Jim Carson, your tour guide for the trip. First. I’d like to give you some basic information about the park.

Covering 7,000 acres of land and spanning across 3 states, Byron National Park was established to protect the area’s most spectacular scenic values. With unique geologic features, natural history and native plant and animal life, it is an ideal destination for recreation as well as research purposes. The park has a breathtaking waterfall connecting the longest river in the country, but it is most renowned for having the largest sub-tropical rainforest worldwide (Q11). There are many layers of tall, medium and low vegetation growing with seasonal variations in the park. It is a place where the air seems green.

Ardent hikers can find an awesome array of options here. Apart from the dense green rainforest, tourists can also hike along the mountain trail. Despite the stunning view, taking photos is not advised on the way up, I’m afraid, as one might get distracted and the narrow trail by the sheer cliff is quite dangerous. When you reach the top of the mountain, there is nothing better than having a picnic under the trees with your family (Q12). Accompanied mostly by wildlife, walkers as well as cyclists may find the Bush Track a good choice for having a tranquil time to themselves. As your tour guide, I suggest that only expert hikers take the Creek Circuit (Q13), because its beautiful and inspiring scenery through the subtropical jungle is paralleled by its physical challenges.

A list of transport is available within the park. Bicycles are a popular choice as it is the most flexible way to get around. Electric trams are temporarily closed for maintenance. Boat trips down the river are an ideal way to spend a tranquil afternoon. Rest assured that transport within the park is covered in the bill. (Q14)

Extreme sports is another highlight of the park. They are for adventurous grown-ups, especially those who are comfortable with having a racing heart. Scary as it may sound, it is actually safe to participate in extreme sports under strict instructions and close supervision. Abseiling is available regardless of the weather (Q15). It is a fun way to overcome fear of heights, gain new skills and get an adrenaline rush. Bungee jumping and paragliding are also available except for during the summer.

At this point, you might worry about meals here. Well, even though there is only one restaurant in the park at the moment, the variety of dishes is astonishing. There are two meals included in the price. Just get your meal ticket at the reception before dining (Q16). Also, there is no need to make reservations or worry about availability since there are plenty of tables.

During your stay here, you might want to know what there is to do. Let’s turn to the plan so I can familiarise you with the layout of the park.

Most tourists would choose to stay in our guest house located in the southeast comer. It features 63 tastefully appointed guest rooms, many of which offer spectacular views of the park. You’ll find a home away from home at our guest house.

But for those who want to experience the natural beauty up-close, there is also a campsite. When you get out of the guesthouse, go straight ahead, turn right at the end of the road. To your left, there is a campsite amongst the trees (Q17) where you could spend a night under the stars together with owls and chipmunks.

If you look at the top left of the plan, you will notice a picnic area. You can either bring your own food or we can deliver food to you. Barbeque is an option. The Business Centre is situated directly opposite the picnic area (Q18). It provides flexible, fully serviced offices, conferencing suites, meeting rooms and is equipped with the latest multi-media facilities. Wired as well as wireless high speed Internet is available within the entire premises. The Centre is designed to cater to both individual travellers and corporate groups.

Visitors can also go to the museum which holds a vast collection, that exhibits local history and a natural habitat. You start from the guesthouse, just turn left at the first conjunction, then walk past the teahouse, turn right. You’ll see the museum after making the 3rd right (Q19). Have you found it?… Pretty easy, right?

To spend a delightful afternoon with a book and a fresh cup of coffee, you can go to the only cafe in the park. From the guesthouse you go straight, then take the 2nd right and you’ll see the cafe right in front of you. (Q20)

You might want to check out our all-season tennis court which offers instruction for all ages and skill levels. It is located right opposite the cafe… 

 

SECTION 3

TUTOR:   Helen and Paul, congratulations to you both for doing so well the past semester. You two have exhibited an impeccable performance during your first year in the nursing program. I’d like to get some feedback from the two of you to better improve the program and to provide guidance for our prospective students. I’d like to start with you, Helen. So first of all, which aspect of the program impressed you?

Helen:   Well, to be honest, when I was enrolled into the course, I was expecting a group of classmates my age. But as I stepped into the classroom for the first time, I was surprised by the diversity. Most were in their twenties, but there were also those in their thirties or even forties (Q21). As it turns out, the intergenerational communication has sparked intense debate and new thinking, and I think that’s something special about the program that I appreciate very much.

TUTOR:   What about you, Paul? What do you think of the program?

Paul:      For me the group project we carried out last semester is another key feature of the program. The whole class was divided into 8 different groups working on 8 perspective cases. Team building sessions were conducted in a collaborative way most of the time. Comprised of five members, our group studied acute pancreatitis. During the process, we broke the task into different parts and assigned them to each member. We were then able to tackle the complex problem by pooling our knowledge and skills. More importantly, stronger links were established between the group members. Because of the project, we’ve all become good friends. (Q22)

TUTOR:   That’s true. According to graduates, group projects prepare them for the work world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norm. So tell me, Paul, what else do you like about the program?

Paul:      I want to be a registered nurse working in a public hospital after graduation. So the internship provided is a valuable opportunity for clinical practice in a supportive learning atmosphere. However, I was amazed by the amount of written assignments since I thought the course should have focused more on practice-oriented learning. (Q23)

Helen:   Well, I have to disagree with you, Paul. The essays demonstrate your understanding of the course. For me, writing essays is a process that involves critical thinking which challenges me to develop my points more thoroughly. I thus managed to gain a diversity of perspectives.

TUTOR:   The program is designed to deliver basic and advanced theoretical knowledge of core concepts including health care systems concepts, together with practicum or clinical practice experience to bridge the classroom content to the practice setting. So I’m afraid written work is unavoidable. Also this year, we’ve added a module of law. How do you feel about that?

Helen:   At first we felt that learning law is kind of redundant and too time-consuming. After a few sessions, we realised that it is necessary in dealing with future medical disputes. (Q24)

TUTOR:   Do you have any suggestions for prospective students?

Paul:      What bothers me most is handing in essays on time. I almost missed the deadline once because there were three essays due within the same week. So rationalising your time is critical. (Q25)

Helen:   Well, that’s true. The lectures deliver so much useful information. I have poor memory so I kept making notes and revisiting them on a regular basis (Q26). To my surprise, at the end of the semester, I have learnt the key concepts by heart.

TUTOR:   How was the research? I heard that it was quite challenging. How did you manage to overcome the difficulties?

Paul:      That’s true. The majority of us had no clue how to carry out the research at first. Fortunately, when I was digging up reference materials at the library, I sought help from the librarian (Q27). She taught me about finding the appropriate resources and choosing the proper research methods.

TUTOR:   Have you checked out the online forum?

Helen:   Yes, it has become a habit for me to visit the forum regularly. In a sense, it extends classroom learning. It is where the students post academic problems that they come across and get support from the faculty members. (Q28)

Paul:      Some of my classmates didn’t do so well during the placement tests. I feel that background reading is necessary. (Q29)

TUTOR:   Lastly, do you have anything to say to the freshmen?

Helen:   I was really ambitious at first, trying to get straight A’s on my transcript. I made tons of notes and worked hard even on the optional assignments to get extra credit. I stressed myself out before having an emotional breakdown. After consulting my advisor, I found it important to set realistic goals (Q30). Don’t push yourself too hard. It is wise to sort out your priorities.

TUTOR:   Thank you for coming here today and providing valuable feedback on the program. Have a great summer break.

SECTION 4

Good morning everyone. Today’s lecture is about a type of adorable animal — the penguin. When you think of penguins, you may picture them surrounded by snow and ice. But not all penguins live where it’s cold—African penguins live in the southern tip of Africa. They are usually found within 40 kilometres of the shore and on a number of its surrounding islands.

African Penguins are also known as Jackass Penguins, because they make donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level (Q31). But their land habitat can get quite warm, so there are a number of ways for them to stay cool. They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun (Q32). The pink glands above their eyes can help them cope with the temperate climates. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean, which also helps keep them cool.

Being a type of small to medium sized penguin species, African penguins average about 60 centimetres tall and weigh up to 3.6 kilograms. They have a black stripe and a pattern of unique black spots on their chest. Males are larger than females and have larger beaks. Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren’t able to fly because of their heavy bones (Q33). Their wings are more like flippers that make them particularly suited for life in the water. When they’re on land, their flippers and their tails help them keep their balance and walk upright.

African Penguins begin to breed at the average age of four. When a male and female pair up, they tend to breed together for the rest of their lives. Most other penguins nest and lay their eggs out in the open, but African penguins have a different approach. They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators. (Q34)

The African Penguin survives on a diet that is comprised mainly of marine organisms. They feed primarily on fish like sardines, along with the occasional squid and shellfish. But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well (Q35). The streamlined body of the African Penguin allows it to move through the water like a rocket, capable of reaching a speed of around 20 kilometres per hour when hunting for food.

The African Penguin’s smaller size means that it has many predators both in the water and also on dry land. Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks (Q36). The biggest threat to them on land is not just towards the adult penguins. The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them. (Q37)

At risk from predators, young penguins are protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. They will leave the colony when they are between 3 to 5 months old and will return a few years later. The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter (Q38). This process is called molting and takes about three weeks to complete. During that time, they are unable to forage. Therefore prior to this, African penguins spend about five weeks laying down fat deposits.

They generally live between 10 to 15 years, however many do not reach their full life span. Their population has drastically declined. Approximately 120,000 African penguins remain in the wild, and their population has decreased by 90% in the past 60 years. They are considered to be vulnerable and have been listed as being endangered. Two major factors have contributed to their decline. They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution. (Q39)

With the limited number of breeding pairs, survivorship becomes difficult for African penguins. This makes them especially vulnerable as environmental conditions change or an outbreak of a disease occurs. For instance, avian malaria has caused 27% of the captive-breeding penguins’ deaths annually. The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive. (Q40)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 14 – Vol 4 Test 2

SECTION 1

Teacher:              Good afternoon. May I speak to Emma’s parent?

Father:                 Afternoon. I’m her Father. Who am I speaking to?

Teacher:              This is Emma’s teacher Jane Carson calling from the Art Centre. I’m just calling to talk about her drama class at the centre.

Father:                 Oh, thank you for calling. How’s Emma doing in drama class? You know she just transferred here last month, unlike the others in her class who have been taking the course the whole semester since June. So I’m a bit worried that she might not fit in so well.

Teacher:              There’s no need to worry. She exhibits a strong performance in her drama class.

Father:                 Is that so?

Teacher:              Yes. She didn’t adapt to the new environment as quickly as I originally expected, and seemed a bit shy at first. But a few days later, she made a couple of friends and became more talkative and also more involved in class. Emma really is a role model for others (Q1), because she has always been an active participant during class. She voices her own ideas and is very creative.

Father:                 I didn’t expect that. But I can tell that she really enjoys the course, because she’s been talking about it at home frequently these past few weeks.

Teacher:              That’s great to hear. Interest is always the best teacher. I also have to inform you that there’s been an adjustment in the timetable of the drama class next term.

Father:                 Why is that?

Teacher:              It’s not that the music room that we currently use isn’t available. As there are too many enrolling for the coming semester, increased class size means that space is limited to house the whole class (Q2). Also the new classroom we use is not available during the current timeframe, so I’m afraid we have to change the time for it.

Father:                 I see. So when would it be?

Teacher:              As you know, the current class begins at three fifteen. But the new time of the drama class would be a quarter to five. (Q3)

Father:                 I’m afraid I have errands to run during that time.

Teacher:              On the other campus the class still begins at three fifteen, but for the campus Emma goes to, it is the only time available for drama class.

Father:                 Oh. I see. I have to make adjustments to my chore schedule then. No problem.

Father:                 Miss Carson, I’m thinking about signing Emma up for another art course. I’m

thinking about dance class.

Teacher:              Dance class is a popular course here, a great choice for a child to shape up and have fun. But unfortunately, it is over-subscribed at the moment (Q4). I have to put you on the waiting list.

Father:                 That’s too bad. What else can I choose from then? Could you give me some advice?

Teacher:              Sure. Emma could take singing class (Q5) as well. This would improve her musicality.

Father:                 Sounds good. When is that?

Teacher:              It is held every Friday evening.

Father:                 That’s too bad. Emma already has a swimming class earlier that evening (Q5). It will be too late for her to come home if she takes this course.

Teacher:              There is also a vocal course (Q6) available. Emma’s got a great voice, I’m sure she’ll stand out in the class.

Father:                 Tell me about it.

Teacher:              The vocal course starts at 4.30 pm every Tuesday. It isn’t fully booked yet. Great teacher, experienced and beloved by students. The price is a bit higher though.

Father:                 How much is it?

Teacher:              It’s 110 dollars.

Father:                 Oh, that’s too much, way over our budget (Q6). We have to cover the extra cost if we choose it.

Teacher:              Or maybe Emma could take music class.

Father:                 What is it about? Learning about songs and musicals?

Teacher:              Well, the students have the opportunity to play different instruments like the piano, drum and so on. They can also learn how to write music under professional guidance. (Q7)

Father:                 That’s exactly what Emma is eager to learn. How much would it cost? (Q8)

Teacher:              It was 63 dollars last term. But this term it is 85 dollars (Q8), 22 dollars more than the original price.

Father:                 We can afford that. When does the course begin?

Teacher:              The course starts on September 7th.

Father:                 Can we start one week later, on September 14th? My daughter will be on a trip to France with her Mom on the 7th. (Q9)

Teacher:              No problem. And the teacher for the class is Jamal Curtis (Q10). Just contact him if you have any further questions regarding the course.

Father:                 Jamal Curtis? How do you spell Curtis?

Teacher:              Oh, it’s C-U-R-T-I-S. (Q10)

Father:                 Thank you.

 

 

SECTION 2

Good morning everyone and welcome to the Annual Ski and Snowboard Exhibition held from April 8th to 17th. I am Mary Granger, coordinator of the event this year. The 10-day event features many highlights. As a snow sports lover, I know you are looking forward to a great time here. Now I’d like to offer you some practical information about the whole event and what to expect from it.

This might be the first time coming here for some of you. So for those who are still wondering about the right accommodation, I recommend Sky Hotel. It has its own health and sports clubs just like most of the hotels here, but I love it because of its incredibly cozy beds which guarantees good rest after an exhausting day of exploration (Q11). If you haven’t brought your own equipment, like poles, boots and skis, they are available for purchase or rent at Ski Set or Snow Rental.

The exhibition this year provides a colorful look into the history of skiing and an inspiring peek into the future prospects of the sport. Apart from the fascinating photo exhibitions and the most up-to-date skiing gear like always, this year we have added four computers which can imitate the process of skiing, ensuring the same physical activity and sensations that appear during the skiing process on downhill slopes (Q12). But I have to warn you that it might be quite time-consuming to line up for the free trial experience.

Many have posed the question as to how to enter the skiing and snowboarding competition (Q13). Well, rather than filling out the back of the entrance ticket or bombarding the committee with emails, the most effective method is by checking out the exhibition newsletter delivered every month for availability (Q13). As the most beloved local event, the exhibition has also drawn attention from the press. Last year, massive media coverage was on the worrisome amount of snowfall. In order to avoid the same predicament, several artificial skiing slopes have been built. With more participants this year, we have lowered the entrance fee which has been widely reported by local newspapers. (Q14)

A bonus for our participants is the ski program. It offers a wide variety of lessons and sessions with qualified instructors ensuring that all ages and abilities are catered to from the first timers to seasoned amateurs. I strongly advise you to sign up for the program as it is offering an unprecedented 30% discount. That’s mainly because we are cooperating with the program organiser who promises affordable prices only for the participants of the festival this year. (Q15)

Now I would like to introduce to you the list of presentations during the following week so that you can better plan your schedule.

The first presenter Simon is one of our best ski instructors. As an experienced instructor, he will inform you about the dangers that face skiers and snowboarders (Q16). Accidents happen mostly to those who are careless or ignorant. Good risk management involves considering both the probability and consequences of an accident.

The next speech titled Solution is given by Jamie Kurt. A list of problems may occur to novice skiers and snowboarders, so he is going to offer useful information for first timers on choosing the appropriate gears, the right dress code and ways of protecting your skin (Q17). For instance, some of you may have rented the skiing equipment, but rental footwear is notoriously uncomfortable. Then Jamie will provide instructions to help make your footwear fit better.

The third speech is about a documentary introducing skiing and snowboarding and the difference between the two sports. It also depicts a group of snow lovers exploring new slopes with breath-taking views (Q18). The director Andy Fisher will be there, addressing the whole shooting experience.

The fourth talk is about the tricks of skiing, presented by Harry Tyson. It is most useful for those who have already tried skiing, yet still need more practice to master the sport. Harry will teach you how to turn more skillfully (Q19). A lot of people can keep their skis roughly parallel but there’s no point if you make it hard to work with and slide around out of control. Useful exercises will also be suggested to improve your parallel skiing technique so that you can tackle steeper slopes and enjoy yourself more.

Johnson Smith will be the last presenter, mainly addressing towards advanced skiers. He manages to apply snow climbing into skiing (Q20). Climbing in soft snow, you are floundering around. Walking becomes harder, so a good trick during climbing is to maintain a wider gait, approximately shoulder width, so that you are more stable while walking. This works for skiing as well.

SECTION 3

TUTOR:    Jerry, how did it go with preparing your lessons? Is there anything you would like to discuss?

Jerry:     Well, this is actually the first time that I have ever taught in an elementary classroom. After 8 years of learning pedagogy, I want to practice what I’ve learned in an instructive manner, but I’m a bit stuck right now. You know the topic 1 want them to research is a bit hard for pupils. I’m afraid that they won’t be able to handle it on their own. So I need new ideas on designing more effective teaching methods. Mr. Carter, do you have any suggestions?

TUTOR:    Well, you should probably read this book called Professional Learning, written by J.K. Simmons. He is a professor who just transferred here last semester but is already popular amongst the students for his creative teaching methods (Q21). There is an extensive range of learning approaches mentioned in the book including approaches for team research (Q22), which might be helpful to you.

Jerry:     You mean dividing the students into groups to do research? I’ve never thought of this before. How does it work?

TUTOR:    Professor Simmons has already demonstrated how efficient this approach can be. Basically it aims to increase cooperation between students so they can present the results in a collaborative fashion (Q23). It helps them to develop their own voice and perspective.

Jerry:     I’ll check out the book as soon as possible. It seems I can borrow some of the essential concepts and work them into my course design.

Jerry:     Well, I was thinking maybe I could use both observation and nonobservation as part of my teaching methodology. Could you take a look at my teaching plan?

TUTOR:    Sure. What kind of observational methods do you have in mind?

Jerry:     For the observational part, I intend to include two approaches. First, the pupils can assess each other’s behaviour (Q24). I feel that reviewing fellow students through criteria-based reference evaluation allows constructive feedback. It can also improve their understanding of the subject material.

TUTOR:    That’s a smart move for a large class that would be hard to observe all by yourself. Also, you might want to get the feedback from several different individuals rather than just one. So how do you plan to carry out the peer assessments?

Jerry:     Oh, every pupil will be required to write a diary, which includes group projects, presentations and in-class discussions. They’ll put down their remarks. I’ll collect them on a regular basis which can also help me see whether they can keep up or not. (Q25)

TUTOR:    Good, what else do you intend to do?

Jerry:     Besides that, I also plan to do video recording (Q26). I’ve already purchased a camera just in case I miss anything important. I can go back and review their performances anytime I want.

TUTOR:    Would you record every in-class activity?

Jerry:     No, I’ll just keep track of an in-class simulation (Q27), which would require every pupil to fully participate. Students will act as members of a City Council meeting, discussing issues like whether or not prohibition should be instated in the United States.

TUTOR:    This kind of teaching method is both inspiring and challenging. I can’t wait to see how yours work out. Do you send me a copy of the assessment afterwards, will you?

Jerry:     No problem.

TUTOR:    So what do you have in mind for the non-observational approaches?

Jerry:     Well, my plan is to quantify the statistics. Numbers do not lie. It is the most direct way to measure their performance. See how well they’ve learned.

TUTOR:    Where does the data come from?

Jerry:     I’ll evaluate the test results including the mid-term (Q28), final exam and pop quizzes, which would only take up about 40 percent of the overall assessment.

TUTOR:    Sounds like a lot of tests and assignments. Please remember that you don’t want to wear out your students. Keeping them engaged is the key to efficient learning. Once they are exhausted, they just stop trying.

Jerry:     Oh, I haven’t thought about that. You are right. I don’t want to frighten them with tons of assignments and exams. I’ll make note of that. Thanks for the advice.

TUTOR:    I remember last time you mentioned questionnaires, right?

Jerry:     That’s true. But it is not for my students. In fact, they have to design their own questionnaires and choose the respondents using the Internet (Q29). As a complement of other teaching activities, it would deepen the creative learning process.

TUTOR:    Is that all?

Jerry:     Oh, the pupils will have to conduct interviews of their own (Q30). And for this, they get to choose anyone they like, including relatives, friends and acquaintances to answer the questions.

TUTOR:    Seems to me that you have figured out most of your teaching methods. But you still need to polish some of the activities…

SECTION 4

Good afternoon and welcome to my talk on urban migration today. The world has experienced unprecedented urban growth in the recent decades. As much as 3% of Earth’s landmass has been urbanised, an increase of at least 50% over previous estimates. Today, people living in cities already outnumber those in rural areas and the trend does not appear to be reversing. In addition, cities have larger amounts of carbon consumption than rural areas. (Q31)

This is a result from two major aspects. First, with the increase of urban population around the world, the massive construction of urban infrastructure and residential housing is hard to avoid. Second, urban households have a higher rate of car ownership and use more gasoline products.

Even though rural exodus is often negatively judged, there are also benefits of migration shared by the local environment and the society as a whole. Well, firstly, global trends of increasing urban migration and population urbanisation can provide opportunities for nature conservations, particularly in regions where deforestation is driven by agriculture. As rural dwellers leave their homes, local forests are left to recover. (Q32)

What’s more, it is easier for city dwellers to get around. Living in the country means transport can be very difficult (Q33). For instance, after midnight there are no buses or taxis in the countryside. However, there is still a number of public transport modes to choose from in the city.

Finally, with more funds and advanced technology, cities endeavour to produce clean energy. New power plants have been built to take harmful methane gas created by the decomposition of rubbish, and convert it into electricity (Q34). By doing so, an important greenhouse gas is turned into useful energy rather than being directly emitted into the atmosphere.

The hustle and bustle of city life offers women: he opportunity to explore different professions and pursue their own careers. Women in cities work as engineers, managers and even football players. This change of roles has affected their marital status and family life. More women are choosing their careers over marriage, which raises the graph of late marriages. As a result, more are remaining single well into their late thirty’s. They want to be independent and earn money on their own. It is also easier for them to get a promotion while working in the city (Q35). Women are slowly achieving wider participation at work, while in rural areas the mindset is still very conservative.

However, cities also change the way that humans interact with each other and the environment, often causing multiple problems. In general, urban wages are significantly higher, so moving to the city is an opportunity to earn what was impossible in rural areas. However, the wage difference is often offset by the higher cost of living and absence of self-produced goods, including subsistence farming. A sizable proportion of new comers attach greater importance to money and gradually abandon their former way of life, thus risking losing their culture. (Q36)

These new city residents are also faced with another problem. According to statistics, crime rates are significantly higher in densely populated urban regions than in rural areas (Q37). For instance, property crime rates in our metropolitan areas are three to four times as high in comparison to the rates in rural communities. Immigrants, upon arrival into cities, typically move into the poor, blighted neighbourhoods because that is where they can afford to live. Crime in these areas is high and reflects poor living conditions, as these neighbourhoods experience great levels of poverty. This pattern also occurs for violent crimes, which is much more common in large urban areas than elsewhere.

In addition, traffic congestion and industrial manufacturing are prominent features of the urban landscape, which take their toll on the natural environment and those who depend on it. Air pollution from both cars and factory emissions affect the health of countless urban residents. (Q38)

Rural to urban migration can boost the urban economy. With a better economy, cities provide their residents with better welfare. But the concentration of services and facilities, such as education, health and technology in urban areas inevitably contributes to greater energy consumption (Q39). Another problem with life in the city is traffic congestion. It makes people late to work and thus stresses us out before we even get there (Q40). Deliveries can’t arrive on time. Gas costs money. The quality of life of those commuters starts to decline. What’s worse is that if congestion makes it harder to match the right workers to the best jobs, it is economically inefficient, as well.

Listening Recent Actual Test 15 – Vol 4 Test 3

SECTION 1

Receptionist:      Good morning. Sunset Hotel. How may I help you?

CUSTOMER:           Good morning. I just saw an advert in the paper about your hotel. Where exactly is it located?

Receptionist:      We are situated on Sunset Avenue, north of the beach (Example). Close to many scenic spots, it is an ideal choice for travellers interested in sightseeing.

CUSTOMER:           That’s great. Is there a vacant four-bed room? We’ll be travelling with our two sons aged 9 and 11, so it’s best that we are able to stay in one room.

Receptionist:      Let me check, just a moment…Um. we only have a few four-bed rooms, and I’m afraid they are fully booked at the moment. The earliest time available is August (Q1), but there might be some left in July if a previous customer cancels the reservation.

CUSTOMER:           Oh, that’ll do. How much would the room cost me?

Receptionist:      It’s 77.50 euros during peak time (Q2), but the price would be much lower during off-peak season. Only 50 euros.

CUSTOMER:           So if I book a room right now, is there any discount?

Receptionist:      Yes. We do offer a 30% discount for any reservation made one month ahead of schedule (Q3). It is a very reasonable price.

CUSTOMER:           That does sound tempting. Does the price include anything?

Receptionist:      The price includes two breakfast vouchers per room per day (Q4). You can use them at two different restaurants in our hotel. There’s also a 20-minute spa trial available, but you have to book it beforehand at the concierge or directly at the Spa Centre.

CUSTOMER:           Um, I’m wondering if there is a hairdryer in the room. It takes ages to dry my hair without one. Do I have to bring one?

Receptionist:      No, there is absolutely no need to bring that for each room is equipped with a hairdryer. But I have to inform you that towels are not provided (Q5). You’ll have to bring your own or hire some at the front desk.

CUSTOMER:           Oh, I see.

CUSTOMER:           Before making a reservation, can you tell me a little bit more about your hotel?

Receptionist:      Sure, no problem. We aim to please our guests by providing impeccable service and all the modem amenities, trying to make them feel at home. In the lounge, there are a list of books, ranging from contemporary literature to classic poetry, free for any guest to read (Q6). There is also a games room offering a number of indoor games (Q7) including popular board games like Monopoly as well as the beloved Table Soccer. A nice place to go to on rainy days.

CUSTOMER:           Are there computers available in the hotel? I might have a few emails to respond to during my stay there.

Receptionist:      I’m afraid we currently co not provide any for our customers. However, Internet is available within our hotel premises (Q8). Just use the room number and guest name to log in.

CUSTOMER:           That means I have to bring my own laptop then. All right. Um, because I’m travelling with my two sons, is there anything that they might be interested in?

Receptionist:      Yes, a popular activity here for children is collecting shells on the beach. Our hotel has a private beach (Q9). When there are very few visitors, you can take a stroll down the beach with your children and enjoy some quality family time undisturbed.

CUSTOMER:           That sounds nice, but you see my boys really love adventure. Is there something more exciting for them to participate in?

Receptionist:      We do have bicycles (Q10) ready for hire. You can cycle with the boys along the bush track by the hotel, which is an ideal place to explore the wonders of nature. But, because there’s only a limited number of bicycles, we apply a “first come first serve” rule.

CUSTOMER:           Got it. I think my boys would love it. How can arrange the payment, then? Can I pay by credit card?

Receptionist:      Of course. We take credit cards.

CUSTOMER:           Thank you. You’ve been a great help.

Receptionist:      My pleasure, ma’am.

SECTION 2

On behalf of Northfiels Sports Complex, I’d like to extend our warmest welcome to all here this evening. I’m George Dyson, founder of Northfiels Sports Complex. I’m giving this speech today to celebrate a special occasion. We started the business exactly a decade ago (Q11), and today, we have developed into a large firm with a sizable group of members. We’ve also been nominated the “Most Valuable Company” by Green Town at the yearly Business Awards which will be held next week. As experienced and qualified reporters, you are invited here to experience and witness this historical moment of Northfield Sports Complex together with us. (Q12)

Situated within the campus of Green Town University, Northfield Sports Complex is a modem, refreshing and fully-equipped facility for sports of all kinds. As part of its commitment to the local community, Northfield Sports Complex is available not only to school children but also to local residents. It offers a wide range of facilities including a 25-metre swimming pool, paved walking and jogging paths, a well-quipped fitness gym, all-weather pitches, indoor courts for table tennis, tennis and other sports, as well as a renowned skating rink. Different age groups can all find the right sports to participate in. That’s why local residents enjoy working out here. As a result, natives here are healthier than most of the people within our nation.

The whole town is very proud of having nurtured two world champions, who were once both trained right here in our skating rink. Thus it has become the ideal venue to learn to skate and have fun. But what I take pride in most of all is the skating rink that has stirred the interest of boys and girls here in local schools to skate (Q13). Since opening, an increasing number of pupils have been paying regular visits to the skating rink.

A new yoga classroom with trainers will be open next month for mothers with babies. They can bring their own yoga mat and work out together with their babies. This will be a great way for them to get healthy and meet other moms. There will also be a brand new gym open to the pensioners in the near future. Just this month a new swimming pool is open to all fitness levels with special offers for those without a job. (Q14)

Our complex is open daily from 8 am to 9 pm except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We intend to extend our business in the coming year. A list of equipment will be put up for sale ranging from exercising equipment like cardio machines to sports recovery and injury prevention facilities. (Q15)

Within our complex, we try our best to avoid injuries of any kind. We train knowledgeable staff to guide our clients through correct workout regimens.

For those who want to further ensure workout safety, they are welcome to apply to be a member of our standing committee (Q16). They are responsible for revising the safety guidelines and supervising its enforcement.

Now I would like to introduce some of our most popular sports facilities here at Northfield Sport Complex. Our 25-metre swimming pool is the centre piece of the complex. Combining modem, bright and airy surroundings with fully up-todate changing facilities, the pool is excellent for learning how to swim, improving techniques and, of course, competing in school competitions. It is also bookable for private functions, including pool parties, where lifeguards are available. (Q17)

Next, we have the only climbing wall throughout the whole town. Many would see rock climbing as a type of extreme sport, exposing great risk to those who participate. But actually, under proper guidance and with close supervision by the coach here, it is a perfect sport for the youth to increase their flexibility and strengthen their muscles. (Q18)

I have to mention our skating rink once again. As our most popular facility, it has been prominently featured in a TV commercial we’ve released recently. There is no other skating rink larger than ours within the whole nation. (Q19)

Also, our state-of-the-art gym is an inspiring place to train and keep fit in relaxed and friendly surroundings. The Technogym equipment enables our clients to measure their performance. If you book a one-on-one trainer, he or she might suggest a future training plan and help you train more systematically. (Q20) 

 

 

 

SECTION 3

Syria:     Hi, Greg. How did it go with the research on renewable energy? Have you found anything?

Greg:     Yes. But I think it’s about time we exchange our findings and discuss our next move.

Syria:     You read my mind. Right. I’ll start first. Germany is the very first country I dug into in order to find innovative means of creating clean energy because 15% of its national electricity supply conies from renewable sources. I found that apart from the traditional fossil fuel industry, there’s a German firm that has initiated a project using kites to generate power.

Greg:     Really, I’ve never heard of it before. How does it work?

Syria:     As a substitution for traditional fossil fuels that release toxic gas into the atmosphere, the power-generating kites can function in any weather (Q21). Compared to conventional wind turbines, such kites can produce twice as much energy because the overall power density is proportional to altitude.

Greg:     Sounds like an efficient way of producing power. Okay, now let me tell you what I have found. There is an American company manufacturing school buses and city buses depending solely on electricity instead of gasoline (Q22). The all-electric vehicles can save up to 20 gallons of fuel on a daily basis. This could reduce transport budgets by over $10,000 each year, not to mention maintenance savings.

Syria:     Wow, impressive. If only there were more of these electric vehicles around.

Greg:     Well, over the years, South Africa has attached great importance to clean energy. The nation encourages using propane gas, which can either be extracted from natural deposits or be produced organically. It is normally stored in gas canisters as a type of cooking gas. To reduce the number of kitchen accidents, a new type of composite gas canister made of fiber was introduced. It is much safer and less likely to explode even when engulfed in fire. (Q23)

Greg:     Now, about the survey, do you have any clues as to what kind of interviewees we should include?

Syria:     How about local companies doing business on clean energy products?

Greg:     Probably not the best choice of respondents. Remember the last time we asked corporate employees tc do the questionnaire, only about 5% of them were actually willing to participate.

Syria:     That wouldn’t be enough then. It seems we have to drop that idea. Then maybe we can ask the professors and administrative staff here to help us. They could provide their insights and understanding on energy production.

Greg:     It would be ideal if they would, but I’m afraid most of them are too busy to respond to the list of questions we’ve prepared. I guess the students here at the university would be more suitable. (Q24)

Syria:     You’re right. And it is a much bigger sample pool too. Also, I think we should include the locals. Their opinion is key to the promotion of renewable energy here in the town. (Q25)

Greg:     But wouldn’t it be difficult to collect data? There’s no way the two of us could go from door to door to interview all the residents.

Syria:     There’s no need to worry about that. We’ll make it telephone interviews. That way we’ll have enough time to get sufficient data.

Greg:     Good idea. What should we present in our speech?

Syria:     Due to lack of media coverage, the majority of people actually have a limited understanding on renewable energy (Q26). Most of them aren’t able to identify various types of renewable sources. So I feel we could start by clarifying what it is and the benefit of it compared to fossil fuels.

Greg:     That makes sense. We could start with wind energy. For centuries, wind has been used to do work. With the help of windmills, farmers used to pump water from wells or turn large grinding stones to grind wheat or corn. The windmills today generate electricity. The only problem is that it might not be windy all the time, so it is crucial to choose the appropriate site for wind farms. (Q27)

Syria:     Well, I think we can also include comparisons between clean energy and traditional energy resources like coal, oil and natural gas.

Greg:     Maybe we can look into the prospect of these conventional sources of energy (Q28). The rising cost of fossil fuels and the threat of climate change is a concern to many

Syria:     Totally. These traditional resources will deplete eventually. Renewable energy currently makes up less than 2% of the world’s primary energy supply, and although growing very rapidly, it is not on course to fill the fossil fuel gap.

Greg:     Nuclear energy is another type of energy we ought to mention. Nuclear power plants can produce dependable power constantly and release far less greenhouse gases than other traditional power plants. But most people feel that this type of energy is unsafe because radiation isn’t easily dealt with, especially in nuclear waste and maintenance materials. (Q29)

Syria:     What should we end the speech with?

Greg:     Have you heard about a new type of energy called hydrogen fuel? It is an infinitely renewable fuel that doesn’t have detrimental environmental effects. The only problem is that it is so expensive that only wealthy individuals can afford it. But I think overall the benefits overshadow its high cost.

Syria:     I think that even though this new type of renewable energy is too expensive to use at the moment, in the long run, its price will go down and become more accessible. (Q30)

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4

So what I’m going to talk about to you today is something called “aquaculture”. It has been responsible for the impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption. There’s also been a slight improvement in the state of certain fish stocks due to improved fishery management. Aquatic food production has transitioned from being primarily based on the capturing of wild fish to the culture of increasing numbers of farmed species. In recent years, a type of genetically modified salmon has been farmed in the New England region, produced by a Massachusetts based bio-tech firm. This type of fish is engineered to grow twice as fast as its conventional farm-raised counterpart.

As a result, this increases the speed of the local aquaculture industry development, and thus reduces the fishing pressure on wild stock. But local residents have expressed their concerns on the potential negative effects on the ecosystem. Should those GM fish ever escape into the sea (Q31), stronger, healthier and faster growing. These fish might cannibalize others or outcompete wild-type fish for food. Local decision makers and regulators have thus pushed forward a number of measures making it impossible for most GM fish to mate. A small percentage is able to breed only within confined pools.

Despite the economic boom of genetically engineered fish, culturing traditional types of fish is still mainstream among fish farmers. Most of them prefer fish with special features, such as tuna (Q32). It is a source of high quality protein with almost no fat. It also contains all essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue. With high nutritional value, this kind of fish will always be popular in the fish market.

For the fish farming industry, incidents of fish escaping the farms has been a troubling issue over the years. Due to bad weather, nets that used to hold the fish were often destroyed. Thousands of salmon worth nearly 220 thousand euros escaped from a fish farm in the Norwegian region in July, raising fear that they would breed with wild fish stocks. Cages were thus built to withstand storms (Q33). The frames of the cages are made of PE which is dedicated to marine use. This material has trustable strength, resilience and tenacity. To further strengthen it, strong nets without knots are used to support the cylindrical frame. (Q34)

A group of small villages on the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa have been trying to develop a local aquaculture industry sustainably. They use a land-based production system that is both economically and ecologically sound. Land-based recirculation can control ocean temperature and optimize growth for the fish that are used to warmer water. All organic waste from the fish is held on land with incoming water sterilized to avoid disease, which has historically plagued ocean based farms. The lack of disease means that no drugs are administered to the fish.

However, one problem facing the villagers is lack of suitable land on the coast (Q35) for this system. Hotels & beaches open to tourists take up most of the coastal area. Another problem facing local fishermen is the scarcity of young fish (Q36) used to breed the species. This predicament stems from overfishing during the previous decades. The local commercial fishing industry has been reduced by 50% for this reason and the aquaculture industry has yet to thrive.

The government has taken a set of initiatives to safeguard native aquaculture and the fishing industry. An open-air seafood market has been launched. Residents are encouraged to support local fish farming businesses (Q37) by purchasing marine products. As it turns out, there is a public demand for access to locally produced, sustainable sources of fresh seafood. Moreover, local fish farmers are aided to market seaweed and oysters, both of which have additional economic values. Seaweed is used in various ways in cosmetics (Q38). Seaweed extract is often found on the list of ingredients, constituting creams, soaps, shampoos, powders and sprays. It is said to be useful in various ways, including the relief of rheumatic pain and the removal of cellulite. Oyster is a source of seafood popular among the local hospitality industry (Q39). Served with caviar and champagne, it is one of the world’s ultimate luxury foods, appealing to gourmets with its succulent and delicate flavor. It thus appears to have the greatest potential for commercial culture.

Even though the national and international market has shown demand for marine products in Zanzibar, it is still challenging to survive in the competitive modern fishing industry. The government ought to restore the business by encouraging aquaculture, recreation and shipping (Q40). First, it could utilize modern fish farming technology to supply more high-quality marine products. Tourism is an effective stimulus to boost its sales and with better shipping capability, more products can be delivered abroad. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 16 – Vol 4 Test 4

SECTION 1

MAN:                    Hello, First Choice Car Rental! How may I help you?

Woman:              Oh, good morning. Um, I’m calling for some information about your car renting services. I’m an American (Example), and I will be going on a family holiday to your city from Ohio next month.

MAN:                    OK. no problem. It’s our pleasure to serve you. Could you please tell me your name and contact information first?

Woman:              I’m Caroline, that’s C-A-R-O-L-I-N-E, and my telephone number is 04196570156 (Q1).

MAN:                    OK. I’ve got that. And how can I send you our quotation, if you are satisfied with our arrangement? Is email all right, or should I send it by post? (Q2)

Woman:              The latter (Q2), please! I’m afraid I’d prefer to read it on paper.

MAN:                    That’s no problem.

Woman:              I’m considering renting a caravan for a week, but I don’t really know the price range for it, since I haven’t rented any car through that method before. I think it should be within my budget of $50.

MAN:                    You know, we have various caravans at different renting prices, according to the class of vehicle, facilities inside, mileage, etc. I’d recommend the ‘Explorer’, taking your budget into consideration, which is of good value and will cost you $39 per day (Q3). Is that OK?

Woman:              Of course, that’s fine for me! I know the ‘Explorer’. That could save me $11 each day! You know a family holiday will be costly. That van is perfect!

MAN:                    I’m glad that you like it. So do you have any particular requirements about your room in the van?

Woman:              Um, how many beds are there?

MAN:                    One twin bed.

Woman:              But there are three of us, my mum. daughter and me. So can we add another bed? (Q4)

MAN:                    No problem.

Woman:              For the facilities, I think a kitchen is the most important (Q5), and of course the stove.

MAN:                    In our vans, such as ‘Explorer’, there are all the basic bedding materials you need, like pillows and blankets, as well as some equipment for daily life. And many things can be added into your room according to your needs, such as a coffee maker.

Woman:              Well, I need to have a heater (Q6), in case it’ll be cold at night, and a microwave of course. (Q7)

MAN:                    All right, I’ve taken notes of all these things. Actually, all our vans should be taken from our company, which is not too far from the city centre, so we can pick you up from the centre for free. Is that OK?

Woman:              Oh, I’m afraid we’d better be picked up from the airport (Q8), as we are foreigners in your country and not familiar with the transport system. Is that alright?

MAN:                    Yes, it is no problem. With that comes the information for the insurance. I need the driver’s name and age.

Woman:              That is my daughter Chris, who is 19, the youngest driver amongst us three.

MAN:                    I’m sorry, but our company only accepts caravan drivers aged 25 or over, according to our regulations. So…

Woman:              Well, that would be me, Caroline, and I’m 49 years old. (Q9)

MAN:                    And where was your driving licence issued? I mean the country.

Woman:              I’ve got a licence in America, but I’ve also got one in Australia which is still valid. Is it better for me to register the local one from your country? (Q10)

MAN:                    Yes, that might be better. So your registration number is…

SECTION 2

Host:     Hello and welcome to today’s talk. Here with me is the famous botanist. Professor Alison Downing. So, Alison, tell us something about cocoa beans.

Alison:

Cocoa beans, also called cacao beans, are the primary constituent in making chocolate. Grown in tropical areas in South and Central America, West Africa and Asia, the cocoa tree is often raised on small, family-owned farms. When the harvested pods are opened to expose the beans, the pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo a process called ‘sweating’, where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. This is when the beans are harvested (Q11) and then the bags holding them are ready to be transported.

But the most important step in processing the cocoa bean is cleaning it. Once the beans are unloaded from the railroad cars, the packages are opened (Q12) and then weighed by machines. Then the pods are split, and the seeds or beans are covered with a sweet white pulp or mucilage. On arrival at the factory, the cocoa beans are sorted and put in a hopper to be cleaned more rigorously (Q13). The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for 4 to 7 days and must be mixed every 2 days. They are dried for 5 to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them.

Then the beans are ready to be roasted. Now, roasting takes place at a high temperature and then the beans are boiled in a heated chamber. During the roasting process the beans will be expanded and cracked (Q14). But prior to this, the beans are trodden and shuffled about using bare human feet. During this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer colour, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Now, back to what I was saying. After the beans are cracked, they need to be cooled (Q15). Then the roasted beans are sealed in pockets. (Q16)

Host:     Wow, that is not a simple process, is it? But someone told me that different roasting levels of coffee can lead to different kind of flavours.

Alison: Yes. Roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. The roasting process is what produces the characteristic flavour of coffee by causing the green coffee beans to change in taste. Unroasted beans contain similar if not higher levels of acids, protein, sugars, and caffeine as those that have been roasted, but lack the taste of roasted coffee beans due to the Maillard and other chemical reactions that occur during roasting. The vast majority of coffee is roasted commercially on a large scale, but small-scale commercial roasting has grown significantly with the trend toward ‘single-origin’ coffees served at specialty shops. Some coffee drinkers even roast coffee at home as a hobby in order to both experiment with the flavour profile of the beans and ensure the freshest possible roast. So here, I am going to introduce some of these roasted coffee beans and their special flavours.

Now, the First Crack is lighter-bodied, and has a higher acidity level with no obvious roast flavour, and is popular for its special mild taste (Q17). This level of roast is ideal for tasting the full original character of the coffee. The Green Beans are raw, unroasted coffee beans. They are strictly hard beans with a smoky flavour and are slightly acidic (Q18). We’ve also got French Roast. And the flavour that comes across in French roast coffee usually has more to do with the roasting process than the actual quality of the beans. By the time the beans are dark enough to qualify as French, most of their original flavour has dissipated. In its place come the flavours of caramelising sugar, bittersweet coffee, and often, a bit of chocolate (Q19). And finally, Espresso Smoky. That is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed through other methods, has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids, and has crema on top. As a result of the pressurised brewing process, the flavours and chemicals in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated (Q20). Espresso is also the base for other drinks such as a cafe latte, cappuccino, cafe macchiato, cafe mocha, flat white, or cafe Americano… 

 

SECTION 3

Student F = Student Female; Student M = Student Male

Lecturer:             Thank you all for coming here today to hear about the Moa, a kind of animal which has been extinct for a long time. Well, first of all we’ll look at what the Moa are. The Moa are nine species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. They were the dominant herbivores in New Zealand’s forest, shrubland and subalpine ecosystems for thousands of years, but around 500 years ago, they all went extinct. When I mention extinct animals during ancient times, you may immediately think of dinosaurs, which disappeared around 66 million years ago. Fossils of dinosaurs which we use to study are large in number, but not many of those of Moa remain, though both animals appeal to people today. (Q21)

Student F:           So the Moa sound more mysterious now. But sir, I’ve got a question about these flightless birds. How can we distinguish them from other birds?

Lecturer:             That’s a good question! Birds are commonly characterised by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of flight, and laying eggs, while the flightless Moa. until their extinction, were the largest birds in the world. Their heads are relatively small in relation to their bodies, and they are the only wingless birds lacking even the vestigial wings and substantial tail bones in their family. (Q22)

Student M:         That’s impressive. But were they born to be like that? I mean when they were chicks.

Lecturer:             Yes, absolutely! So let’s move onto the chicks. The eggs of Moa were laid in nests and incubated for about two months. The chicks would be well-developed upon hatching and probably would be able to leave the nests to feed on their own almost immediately. (Q23)

Student F:           I’ve heard that the male Moa are thought to have incubated the eggs. Is that true? (Q24)

Lecturer:             I think there is a possibility for that (Q24). I’ve read somewhere that the sex-specific DNA recovered from the outer surfaces of eggshells suggested that these eggs were likely to have been hatched by the male, but we still need to consult more.

But I have a question. There has been some occasional speculation that the Moa were still alive, because someone said they had caught sight of them in New Zealand in the late 19th century or even the 20th. Do you think it’s possible?

Student M:         I’m not amazed by that, since that kind of thing has been claimed several times, but I find it funny (Q25) because no reliable evidence of Moa tracks has ever been found, and experts still contend that Moa survival is extremely unlikely.

Student F:           So what was the reason for the Moa’s extinction? I wonder if it was global warming or some other factors related to their living environment.

Lecturer:             Well, before the arrival of human settlers in New Zealand, the Moa’s only predator was the massive Haas’s eagle. Then the Maori arrived sometime before CE 1300, and all Moa genera were soon driven to extinction by hunting (Q26). What a horrible thing!

Lecturer:             All right. Now let’s look at the features of some species of Moa. The South Island Giant Moa may have been the tallest birds ever known, and the second tallest of the nine moa species is the North Island Giant Moa, with the females being markedly larger than males both in weight and height. (Q27)

Student M:         And I’ve heard that the smallest of the Moa birds are the Coastal Moa. Is that right?

Lecturer:             Yes, you’re right. And have you heard about any other kinds of Moa before?

Student F:           I know the Crested Moa (Q28). The eggs they laid may be larger than others’.

Lecturer:             As they mainly lived in the remote interior of the Southern Island, their fossils are rare or absent in archaeological sites, and no egg remains have yet been identified. (Q28)

Student F:           Are there any species of Moa that have got more fossils?

Lecturer:             Yes, of course. A considerable amount of remains of the Stoutlegged Moa exist, due to the well-preserved properties of their habitat. Their skulls reveal relatively bad vision, a good sense of smell, and a very short bill. (Q29)

Then there is the Eastern Moa. They were remarkable in having very long and narrow windpipes, which probably enabled them to make louder, more resonant calls than those of other Moa (Q30), and have the greatest vocal abilities, so they could communicate when they could not see each other in the forest or at night. They used a range of senses, apart from sound in their search for food, such as their sense of smell and vision.

SECTION 4

Good morning, everyone. Today, I’m going to talk about the research project I’ve been involved in on time measurement.

Do you know how time is measured? Consider how we measure length, and how with time we encounter a difficulty. Before we could grasp it, it would slip through our fingers. In fact, as we can see, we are forced to have the recourse to measure something else—the movement of something in space, or a set of movements in space. All the methods that have been employed so far really measure time by a motion in space. The measurement of time is no easy matter; a scientific unit only arrives at after much thought and reflection.

As the most primitive form of measurement, the sun seems to be natural. Ever since man first noticed the regular movements of the sun and stars, we have wondered about the passage of time. Prehistoric people first recorded time according to the sun’s position. To start off, let us take noon, which is when the sun is on the meridian at the highest point of its course across the heavens, and when it casts the shortest shadow. But this measurement, which was regarded as a major one in ancient times, was less important than the natural events that occurred. (Q31)

The earliest natural events that had been recognised were in the heavens, but during the course of the year there were many other events that indicated significant changes in the environment. Seasonal winds and rains, the flooding of rivers, the flowering of trees and plants, and the breeding cycles or migration of animals (Q32), all led to natural divisions of the year, and further observation and local customs led to the recognition of the seasons.

Years later, precise measurements were invented, because the passage of time was extremely important for astronomers and priests who were responsible for determining the exact hour for daily rituals and for important religious festivals. Apart from the connection with religion (Q33), accurate time measurement was also related to the government (Q34), since they divided the day or the night into different periods in order to regulate work and various events. For thousands of years, devices have been used to measure and keep track of time. The current sexagesimal system of time measurement, dates back to approximately 2000 BCE from the Sumerians. It was found that the earliest ancient time keepers were mainly invented and used in Mesopotamia, where the water clock was introduced from, as well as in North Africa (Q35), especially in the area of ancient Egypt.

So now, I’d like to introduce you to some of the most well-known ancient timekeepers, as well as the disadvantages of them, for which they were replaced by various new forms of clocks that were used afterwards.

A sundial is a device that tells the time of day by the apparent positioning of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat plate and a gnomon which casts a shadow onto the dial. As the sun appears to move across the sky, the shadow aligns with different hour-lines which are marked on the dial to indicate the time of day. However, it was quickly noted that the length of the day varied at different times of the year (Q36), therefore there could have been a difference between ‘clock time’ and ‘sundial time’. In addition, the sundial was of no use at night, so a water clock was invented.

The water clock, or clepsydra, appeared to have been invented around 1,500 BCE and was a device which relied on the steady flow of water from or into a container. Measurements could be marked on the container or on a receptacle for the water. It was reliable, but the water flow still depended on the variation of pressure and temperature from the top of water in the container. (Q37)

As the technology of glass-blowing developed, from some time in the 14th century, it became possible to make sandglasses (Q38). Originally, they were used as a measure for periods of time like lamps or candles, but as clocks became more accurate they were calibrated to measure specific periods of time. The drawback however, as you can imagine, was the limited length of time they could measure. (Q39)

The last timekeeper to be introduced is the fire candle clock. Candle clocks take advantage of a simple concept: the slow and consistent nature of a burning wax candle. By utilising this process, our ancestors were able to keep steady track of the time. The clocks were created by engraving the length of the candle with evenly spaced markings. Each marking represented a single unit of time, and as the wax burned down, each hour would disappear. However, the draughts and the variable quality of the wax mainly influenced the time of burning (Q40). Like oil lamps, candles were used to mark the passage of time from one event to another, rather than tell the time of day…

 

 

 

TEST 5

SECTION 1

Student: = S: | Agent: = A:

A: Good morning.

S: Oh. good morning. Is this., .er...room number 316?

A: Yes. that’s right.

S: So, is this the Student Job Centre?

A: It certainly is. How may I help you?

S: Well, actually I’m looking for a job—a part time job. Do you have anything available at the moment?

A: Ah. yes...Are you a registered student? I'm afraid this service is only available to full-time students.

S: Yes, I’m doing my degree in Statistics Studies. Here’s my student card.

A: Right...well, let’s just have a look at what positions are available at the moment. There is a job for social workers, and the workplace is in the house of the disabled.

S: That would be fine for me. What are the hours like?

A: You’ll have to work every day and the payment is $9 per hour. However, the skills required are not very basic so 3 days of training is needed.

S: The pay is quite good, though I’m in my second year of study now and must attend some courses during the daytime. So, I’m afraid 1 can't make it for this one. Do you have any other positions? You know, ones that I could spare more class-free time on.

A: That’s not good then. Um...Let’s see...here, there is one for security guards in the supermarket.

S: What about the pay?

A: The salary is pretty standout for this one. It’s $25 per hour.

S: Great! That’s much higher than I would have expected. Are there any special qualities required?

A: It sure offers quite a good salary. Um...There's almost no requirement for this job except that you must wear a uniform, which is provided.

S: That's very nice, then. But what about exact working hours for this? I hope it’ll be OK for me.

A: The working time is from 9 am to 5 pm. and you only need to work 3 days each week.

S: That sounds like fun but unfortunately, I’ve got other arrangements during the weekdays, so that’s not possible either I'm afraid.

A: Mmm...well, I think we do have something else for you... Yes. here it is. There is a vacancy for a van driving position in a furniture company that might suit you.

S: What is the working time for this one? On the weekends?

A: No, it’s night work.

S: That’s good to hear cause I’m available for most of the late hours.

A: And the good thing for this is that you’ve got variable hours to choose from, though the payment is fixed.

S: Any other restrictions for this one?

A: Yeah, it requires the driver to have reliable driving skills, you know, in case of unnecessary damage or any unwanted possibilities of accidents.

S: Night work is perfect. But I don’t even have a driver’s licence, not to mention my horrible driving skills.

A: Hmm...no driver's licence...That makes it impossible at all then. All right. The last option that might suit you is a job as a data entry clerk. You'll be expected to work in a school. It’s actually a good place you know.

S: Lovely! And what about the working hours? Not on weekdays I hope.

A: Actually you’ll be working only on weekends. You get a fixed salary and you are expected to be familiar with keyboarding skills. That’s not the only limit though because I’m afraid personal transport is also a must.

S: That’s not a problem. I’ve got a bicycle to travel around with.

A: Great! Now, just fill out this form and we'll see what to do next.

S: Wonderful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2

Interviewer:                              

Today we’re pleased to have on the show Chris Evans from The Royal Caledonian Curling Club. Now, let's welcome Chris to tell us something about ice curling. Chris, please.

Chris:                               

Thank you. It’s my honour to briefly talk about ice curling here to all of you. So let’s start with what curling is. Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on an ice rink towards a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. Two curling teams consist of four players: the lead, the second, the third and finally the skip. The captain of the curling team, and its players will throw their stones in the order stated above. Each team has eight stones. The purpose is to accumulate the highest score in the game; points are scored depending on which stone is resting closest to the centre of the target area at the end of the game.

The ice surface on which the game is played or the rink in curling is called ‘the sheet’. It is covered with tiny droplets of water that become ice and cause the stones to ‘curl’ or deviate from a straight path. The curling players should slide the heavy, polished stones or rocks, across the ice curling sheet towards the house—a circular target marked on the ice, as I’ve mentioned before.

There are several pieces of equipment essential for a curling game, so a concise introduction will be given to you. The most important things are the curling brush, which is used to sweep the ice surface in the path of the stone; as well as the curling stone, which is sometimes called rock. The former is usually made of horsehair, and the latter is made of granite, mainly coming from Scotland.

Curling shoes are similar to ordinary athletic shoes except that the two shoes in a pair have dissimilar soles. The sole of the slider shoe, which is designed for the sliding foot, is typically made of Teflon, while the gnpper shoe for the hack foot has a special layer of rubber applied to the sole. During the curling game, you may also find a stopwatch attached either to the player’s clothing or the broom, which is used to time the stones over a fixed distance to calculate their speed.

Chris:                               

Now a word about the development of curling clubs. Curling is thought to have been invented in medieval Scotland, and outdoor curling was very popular in Scotland between the 16th and 19th centuries, as the climates provided good ice conditions every winter. Kilsyth Curling Club is renowned as the first club in the world, having been formally constituted in 1716. and widely influencing the ice curling development. In Kilsyth today, both Men's and Ladies’ sections are thriving, participating in all major competitions and having won championships in the British Open in the past.

The mother club of curling—Grand Caledonian Curling Club was instituted in 1838 for the purpose, not as such to attract people's interest, but to regulate the ancient Scottish game of curling by general laws. With these official rules, the young curlers could be trained in a more professional way. By 1842 the new national club had sought and obtained royal patronage, and it has ever since been known as The Royal Caledonian Curling Club.

However, many sports such as athletics and tennis were frowned upon as being too recreational and not practical enough. So the  crown banned them by law during the 1300s in the hope that men would instead practise the archery skills that were seen as vital to the country’s defence. And the ban was lifted in the 17th century. So. do you know the reason for curling being kept during the 16th century? Is it because it was so popular or because people from all ages like children could play it? The spirit of curling dictates that one never cheers mistakes, misses or gaffes by one’s opponent, and most importantly, all the team members should strictly follow the instructions of their captain, which is essential for men in battle.

Curling was brought to Canada from Scotland and some curling was played informally before 1800. Curlers often used iron curling •stones’, made from melted materials such as cannonballs rather than granite until the early 1900s, because there were transport problems importing granite stones from Scotland...

 

SECTION 3

Tutor: = T: | Greg: = G:

T: OK, Greg, so I finally managed to read the article you submitted—the one about the study of the wind farm in Australia.

G: You did? Great! What did you think of it?

T: Yeah. I was a little confused at first because of the background information you failed to present on the paper. I mean, it’s kind of important for you to give some general knowledge before you start actually writing on the main theme.

G: Oh, I was thinking of doing that during the presentation session, but now that you have mentioned it. I could add it to the beginning of the essay. I’ve done some research on that. To think about the different ways that people use wind. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest sources of power, as well as one of the oldest. Windmills began to be used in ancient Iran back in seventh century BC. They were first  introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power. For many centuries, people used windmills to grind wheat into flour or pump water from deep underneath the ground. During the 1970s. people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realised that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered and carried out into research for the first time.

T: Greg, why don’t you just put all of that information together and present that in the introduction part of your essay?

G: OK, I'll do that. What also intrigued me was that there were disadvantages about a windfarm. You see. all the conventional ‘green’ scenarios for reducing carbon emissions include a dramatic upscaling in renewable power generated by wind, both on and off shore. However, the environmental impacts of this large-scale industrial deployment, both of turbines and power lines, frequently in relatively natural areas, are often neglected by climate campaigners. For example, wind turbines have the reputation of generating noise as well as electricity, so as more electricity is produced, they can be really noisy. Another thing is that some new turbine blades kill a worrying number of birds, especially large birds like raptors.

T: But there must be a bright side, right?

G: Yeah, of course. According to figures pulled together by consultants of the Intelligent Energy Systems using data from the Australian Market Operator, wind energy accounted for 50 percent of demand in the state. That’s half of the power source. Besides, this one unexpected outcome really attracts lots of visitors and helps the local tourism.

T: That’s good to hear.

T: Oh. how about the structure?

G: Offshore wind farms consist of a number of connected elements. These include the turbines, foundations, array cables, offshore substation, export cable and onshore substation and infrastructure. Just a single one of these giant wind turbine blades produced by manufacturer Siemens is almost as big as the Airbus A380. the world's largest plane. That’s made in Europe. 

T: Impressive!

G: Actually at first there were protests among residents who claimed themselves to be victims of land loss and noise. Then policies came out really quick, and then they could get allowance from the government. From then on, things went smoothly.

T: What would happen in extreme weather conditions? I mean it could be dangerous if hurricanes occur.

G: A motorised operating mechanism enables the device to be switched back on remotely. All versions feature the modular design and share the same complete range of standard accessories. Thanks to its very extensive operating temperature range of -25 to 70 °C and its storage temperature range of -40 to 70 °C. it is ideally suited for use in wind turbines under extreme climatic conditions. Though they do have an option to lower the speed of it.      

T: Wonderful. Then what were the fans, or turbine blades made of? Is it a special kind of metal?

G: No. they were too heavy. Wind turbine blades must be strong, light and capable of operating for decades without much, if any, maintenance. Fiberglass is one of the main components of many large-scale wind turbine blades. The material is used because it is lightweight, easily shaped and not too expensive. Another material used to make longer turbine blades is timber. This material is too expensive to use amongst all the blades, but on the longer blades it's used to help reinforce them because it is stiff and light.

 

 

SECTION 4

So what I'm going to talk about to you today is something called Tea Tree Oil, which was first extracted from Melaleuca altemifolia in Australia. This species remains the most important, commercially. Several other species are cultivated for their oil extraction.

There is a very long history of tea tree oil’s use in aromatherapy. Traditionally, Melaleuca altemifolia leaves were crushed and the oil was inhaled by the Aborigines of Australia for the treatment of coughs, colds and also for the treatment of wounds. For instance, they chewed the young leaves to alleviate headaches, and took them to treat sore throats or skin ailments.

The Aborigines' world was discovered by Willem Jantszoon. a Dutch explorer, who was the first European to sail to Australia. In 1606. he reached the northern coast of Australia in his ship. Then several voyages of exploration followed in the first half of the seventeenth century. The Dutch found it a paradise on earth for man’s well-being, with timber, stone, and lime for building. There was also plenty of salt and the coast was full of fish. Besides, they found the characteristics of the diet there because they happened to meet ten naked, black Aborigines having a meal in the open air.

While the value of tea tree oil originated from Australia, it was gradually known and tested by the outsiders. In the middle of the eighteenth century. Sir Hugh Palliser, an officer of the British Royal Navy, who had been to Australia several times during that period, got serious injuries all over due to his experiences in several Wars. For more than the last fifteen or sixteen years of his life, he seldom laid down on a bed because of the constant pain in his leg. Then he tried tea tree oil, as it was said that tea tree oil could operate as a very powerful immuno stimulant for pre and post surgical care.

The use of the name Tea Tree, also called paper bark trees, probably originated from Captain James Cook’s description he made soon after he had arrived at the coast of New South Wales in 1770. At the time, he witnessed some Aborigines of Australia using one of the shrubs' leaves to make an infused drink in place of tea. 

In the 1920s. some human clinical research and the documentation of many benefits associated with tea tree oil were credited, which were made by Dr. Arthur Penfold, an Australian government chemist. He investigated the business potential of a number of native extracted oils, then reported that tea tree oil was promising, as it exhibited powerful antiseptic properties. But after World War II, the entry of antibiotics declined the use of natural products in medicine, which had a negative effect on the production of tea tree oil.

As such an important and valuable material in the world, how is tea tree oil produced? I think most of you are curious about this. Tea tree oil can be extracted in some different ways, but the most traditional way is steam distillation. Once harvested in winter, when the amount of required essence in oil meet the needs for production, the finely cut trees are transported to a steam distillation facility. The extraction is made by distilling the leaves in specially designed stainless steel stills along with the stems, to yield pure oil. The water-filled boiler is heated and constantly monitored to maintain the correct temperature. Both the steam and oil evaporate and then condense as they run through a pipe into the collecting container where the oil floats to the lid, while the water, because of gravity, goes steadily out the lower exit pipe. At the end of the hour, the oil is siphoned off through the upper pipe, while the condensed steam floats through the lower pipe towards the ground.

At the end of each distillation all the spent plant material is hauled out of the still pot by hand with a short rake, piled onto a trailer and spread where required as a thick woody mulch...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 6

SECTION 1

Interviewer: = I: | Lee: = L:

I: Excuse me.

L: Yes?

I: I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to do a questionnaire on your residency here in the North. It won’t take long.

L: No, that’s fine.

I: Lovely. First of all, may I get some information about yourself?

L: OK.

I: May I know your name and your age?

L: My name’s Lee, and I’m 19 years old now.

I: Great. And could 1 ask what your job is? Are you a student?

L: Actually, I’m going to continue my study in Business Management next month, but at the moment.

     I'm a salesman by profession.

I: Oh. right. And how long have you been living here, in the North?

L: Well, I have been in this city since I was 3 years old. but my family and I had lived in the east for 7 years at first. Now I am 19. so I have spent about 9 years living here till now.

I: Great. Which part of the northern area do you live in?

L: 1 live in Spring Park. Have you heard of it?

I: Yes. of course. So what about your accommodation? Do you live in a house or a flat or something similar?

L: I used to live with my family in a big house. And now I’m living in an apartment with two of my friends, who are my colleagues as well.

I: Oh. right. And one more question. What means of mansport will you take when you need to go somewhere?

L: Um. if it’s not too far away I’d prefer to go on foot or by bicycle. If there is a long way to go, 1 take the train or sometimes a cab. I rarely take buses, because I think the most important things to keep in mind are time and comfort.

I: Great. Thanks.

I: Now. let’s go to the second part of my questionnaire. I'd like you to tell me. how often do you dine out? Is it once a week or several times a year?

L: I'm afraid neither of those options agree with me. I don't often go out for dinner, maybe once a month. Every week seems too often for me.

I: OK. Then, where do you usually go for recreation?

L: I often go to places that other people go to. I sometimes go clubbing after work. You know there are some fantastic clubs nearby.

I: And if you do not have to work during the day. will you go for a show or something?

L: You know, there is a newly-built theatre that opened last month in Spring Park, but I rarely go there because it’s too expensive. I prefer to go to the cinema to see some of the latest movies.

I: Do you like doing sports? And what is your main form of exercise?

L: I like swimming, and I go to the gym occasionally, but I spend most of my spare time sailing.

I: Oh, right. Last question. Have you taken any part-time courses?

L: Yes. Because I'm really keen on cartoons, I'm doing a Japanese course during the weekends. But I'm still a beginner.

I: Wow, what a special language! Most people I know would like to learn Spanish or Latin. You must be brilliant! Well, thank you very much for your time.

L: No problem. Bye.

 

SECTION 2

Hello, I'm delighted to welcome you to our Mining Community, and very pleased that you're interested in the ores and pits of this area. 1 think you'll be pleasantly surprised w ith your special experience here. Now. let me start by giving you some warnings on safety rules and regulations.

Rule number one: always wear safety equipment. There is a litany of safety equipment that mining workers use for their protection, from helmets to safety glasses and gloves. It is essential that all workers wear the necessary safety equipment at all times. There have been countless stories of workers being saved  by helmets, which are the hard hats that you can see on the shelf beside you. So visitors wearing helmets is mandatory in the mining area, although you are free to take them off when you are in the mining museum and picnic area. You won’t need to pay any deposit though you should return them to the counter once you finish the visit. The helmets are offered in all sizes so choose a suitable one.

All right. Our mining Community is currently being refurbished for some of the main area. So please make a note of that and you'll know what to look out for. So. when you go in or out of the mine, please pay attention to the road for it has just been repaired because of the rough surface, and can be really slippery since it’s still wet. The history and process of tin mining are complicated and involve a lot of special words, but here you will see how it w as and still is done. After a short 5-10 minute walk, visitors can track round a numbered route with clear explanations. Most of the tour is in the open air. so nice weather helps. All areas are clearly posted w ith signs, but if you have problems travelling around or climbing up and down. you can turn to the staff here and we are happy to help. If you are interested. Blue Hills Tin Stream is a working water-powered tin streaming mill that gives visitors a very clear idea of how difficult it is to get tin out of rock. I hope you'll enjoy the informative indoor presentation and this self-guided tour. But you have to bear one thing in mind that smoking is forbidden throughout the Whole community, though you can take phones and of course use them. You’ll also be surprised that there will be more than just one place to go in the mine. The underground tunnel is now being refurbished and only relevant workers can access it. But it will soon be all finished and I believe it's a lovely place for you to explore around. Don't forget to wear protective clothing—it’s mandatory.

Now; let’s start by seeing where you can go. As you can see on our map in the brochure I've given you. we are here, at the reception block. We have a famous I mill which is used for making and processing materials such as steel and coal. To visit it. just go straight ahead north along the path in front of you and you’ll find it at the end of the path.

Now towards the east, go along the path from our starting point. Turn left at the corner and then turn right. There is a car park at the east end of the lane. To the west, there is a museum. Pass the shop around the crossroads, and it is just located at the west end of the road. And by the way, the shop is specialised in selling a variety of ore-related souvenirs, including keyrings, postcards, tin-made Lewis Chessmen, and even Roman Soldiers which are made from beautiful pyrite.

If you are interested in the laboratory where scientific experiments, analyses and research are carried out, it is situated at the southern part of the park, opposite of the shop. 1 bet you'll be happy to hear that this laboratory is also used for gold and crystal refinement. So don’t miss this one for the sake of it.

I assume by this time you’ll all need some rest and refreshments, so we have an excellent café which caters for delicious food and beverages at the other side of the road next to the shop. Of course if you want to spend some time in the fresh air. we have a perfect picnic area which is just right and northeast of the reception block. Further east there is a path leading to the northern part of the park, and at the end of it is the toilet.

Now most of the visitors would choose to use the mailbox and send the beautiful postcards to their friends. To reach it, just...

SECTION 3

Karen: = K: | Dave: = D:

K: Hi Dave, as you know, I’ve asked you to come here today to discuss the assignment for our Biology class. We must decide what we should do about this very important research work.

D: The Whale Survey? Yeah. 1 was also hoping to share some ideas with you. So, let’s start!

K: OK. I’ve dug into some journal articles to see what sort of questions we should consider. Most of them include watching time and strongly urge it to be the top concern. What do you say?

D: Yeah, the watching time should be carefully chosen since I’ve heard a lot of unnecessary failures concerning picking the wrong time when it all went stormy and murky and then nothing was seen during the whole field trip. I mean, they could have avoided that easily.

K: Right! Then we should also pay close attention to the sea's surface, because no one wants to encounter the failures you just mentioned.

D: I think we'd better hope for the best that it will be calm, with no choppy status.

K: What about the weather conditions?

D: That definitely should be taken into account as it correlates with all the former factors. Most important of all, as a sighting is made, position and environmental parameters are recorded on standardised sighting pro formats, including: time, visibility, position of the ship (using a global positioning system), wind speed, and wind direction.

K: Shouldn't there be a set limit for the visibility level, say 50 metres?

D: Cetaceans are really sensitive to sound. They are able to know that something's coming after them so they would hide in order to avoid possible danger. So, let's make it 100 metres, shall we?

K: Yeah, that might be better. Oh, in that case, we’d also need to pay attention to the appearance of the fishing boats, you know, for all the noise that they w ould make.

D: That’s right. Although observations were regularly made, we know very little about whale vocalisation and how they use sound in their behavioural and social interactions. So, to understand marine mammal's social interactions, we'll need to use passive acoustic recordings to track and assess the individual behaviours of w hales as well as to identify their appearance.

K: OK. Then what about scales?

D: Oh. for each sighting, the number of animals should be counted the group size, I mean. Also, we need to identify the species, possible age and sex of the individuals.

 

 

D:          Speaking of identifying species, we need to find out the unique physical features of each whale. Let's start with the sperm whale. The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale, yet it's only a quarter of that of the blue whale. Its unique body is unlikely to be confused with any other species and that distinctive shape comes from its very large, block-shaped head, which can be one-quarter to one-third of its length. The sperm w hale's flukes are triangular and very thick. It has a series of little bumps on the back of its fluke instead of having a dorsal fin. The largest bump is called the ‘hump' by whalers, and can be mistaken for a dorsal fin because of its shape and size.

Then there is the Northern right whale. Right whales have round bodies with arching rostrums, V-shaped blowholes and dark gray or black skin. The most distinguishing feature of a right whale is the rough patches of skin on its head which appear white due to parasitism by whale lice. It has no back fins at all.

The blue whale’s body can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath. It has a long tapering body that appears stretched in comparison to the stockier build of other whales. The head is flat, U-shaped and has a prominent ridge running from the blowhole to the top of its upper lip.

Lastly are the minke whales. They are the second smallest baleen whale. The minke whale is black, gray or purple in colour. Common minke whales are distinguished from other whales by a white band they have on each flipper. Their long back and tiny dorsal fin, two-thirds of the way; down their back is quite distinctive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4

Good morning, class. In the last few lectures, I’ve talked about the history of technology in the business area. But today I want to use Samuel Cunard as our case study, who was a shipping magnate that founded the Cunard Line.

Now; Cunard was born in Canada. When he first left home he was still a teenager. Then be came into a US company as a worker and learned how to  sail there. During the War of 1812. Cunard volunteered for service in the 2nd Battalion of the Halifax Regiment militia and rose to the rank of captain. He held many public offices, such as volunteer fireman and lighthouse commissioner, and maintained a reputation as not only a shrewd businessman, but also an honest and generous citizen. When he went to England, his friends cooperated with him and together they coined a shipping company. The company had instant wealth and could deal with more than one cargo for its major business was in North America and the Atlantic. From then onwards, Cunard became a highly successful entrepreneur in British shipping and one of a group of twelve individuals who dominated the affairs of England.

In 1838, the British government, impressed by the advantages of steam sailing for making regular passages, invited tenders to carry the transatlantic mails by steamer. Back then mail contact through steamships brought more punctuality, while other types of ships were always delayed. The journey times were •flexible', with a transatlantic crossing lasting for six weeks, and with no fixed times of departure or arrival. So it was never known when the mail would arrive or. since so many sailing ships foundered, whether it would arrive at all. What Cunard wanted, in line with the thrusting new technology of the Victorian age, was a maritime extension of the brand—new timetabled railways on land.

Cunard's experience in steamship operation, with observations of the growing railway network in England, encouraged him to explore the creation of a Transatlantic fleet of steamships, which would cross the ocean as regularly as trams crossed land, and that’s why he went to the United Kingdom seeking investors in 1837. He set up a company with several other businessmen to bid for the rights to run a transatlantic mail service between the UK and North America for £55.000 annually for 10 years. The bid was successful. Almost at the same time. Cunard cooperated w ith an English businessman and established the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the ancestor of the Canard Line.

In 1840 the company’s first steamship, sailed from Liverpool to Boston, Massachusetts, with Cunard and 63 other passengers on board, marking the beginning of regular passenger and cargo service. Establishing a long unblemished reputation for speed and safety, Cunard's company made ocean liners a success, in the face of many potential rivals who lost ships and fortunes. 

Cunard’s ships proved successful, and he then opened many branches but their high costs saddled Cunard with heavy debts by 1842, so some of them went bankrupt. But what Cunard needed then was a port. After a lot of consideration, he finally opted for Boston because he was very familiar with this city where he had once worked in.

Fortunately, by 1843, Cunard ships were earning enough to pay off his debts and begin issuing modest but growing dividends. But the city did more than give Cunard silverware. Winters can be tough here in Boston; for example, in the year of 1844, one ship sank because of the winter freeze. The ship hit ice bergs and caused a heavy loss to the company. Then the board recommended the company to move to New York, and it was a huge success and then became one of the biggest US shipping companies.

Cunard himself made safety his priority—and to this day Cunard has never been responsible for the loss of a single passenger or a single mailbag on the Atlantic run. Cunard's conservative nature enabled his company to see off rivals and to take a measured and steady approach when it came to the introduction of new technology like radio communication. In the early years of his career Cunard took a prominent part in community activities, and various charitable organisations as well as mercantile affairs which extended throughout the Atlantic provinces. Back then, there were hardly any entertainment facilities on board. In order to make sure that the passengers could have a comfortable journey, newspapers were printed on board.

Cunard was gratefully remembered for employing his capital in shipbuilding activities in the hard times of the 1830s because this enterprise had circulated money where there would otherwise be poverty and stagnation. His competitiveness and his obsession not to waste time were important characteristics of his personality. Prior to 1912, the shipping line had focused on speed and soon was renowned for its velocity and safety. Although early in life Cunard was imperious, he learned diplomacy and became a skillful and persuasive negotiator. His contemporaries admired him for the contribution to transatlantic communication by the line popularly called by his name. After that, for affluent transatlantic passengers, Cunard brought new levels of luxury to ocean travel—lavish suites, a swimming pool, gymnasium, ballroom, electricity and more, just like that of luxurious hotels. OK. So does anyone have any...

 

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 13 - Vol 4 – Test 1

SECTION 1

Employee:          Good afternoon. Welcome to Matrix Printing. I’m John Smith. How can I help you?

CUSTOMER:           Good afternoon. I’m here to reprint a brochure for our hotel. There are some pages that need revising.

Employee:          Sure, how may I address you?

CUSTOMER:           Oh, I’m Mary Jane from Central Hotel Chains (Q1). Nice to meet you. I’ve got samples of the previous version.

Employee:          I assume it is your company’s advertising brochure?

CUSTOMER:           Yes.

Employee:          What exactly is the problem?

CUSTOMER:           Well, it was printed the year before, so some of the information is already out-of-date. There are also a couple of problems with the layout. Firstly, the letters of the address on the front page are far too small (Q2). It’s hard to see when glancing at the cover.

Employee:          How big do you need it to be?

CUSTOMER:           Increase the letters by 3 font sizes.

Employee:          Just a minute. Let me take notes of your requirements… OK, what else needs changing?

CUSTOMER:           The information regarding the pool should be deleted, because it is currently under renovation and is not available. (Q3)

Employee:          So all of the relevant descriptions on page 2 should be removed? What do we replace it with? We can’t just leave the whole page blank.

CUSTOMER:           Just fill it in with the introduction of our newly-opened gym. I’ve included all the relevant information here in this flash drive.

Employee:          Let me check…Um. I see. No problem then.

CUSTOMER:           What is also bothering us is that the description under the top photo on page 4 is incorrect. The wore lounge needs to be replaced with reception. (Q4)

Employee:          Fully noted. Is that all?

CUSTOMER:           No, there is more. Turn to page 5. We feel that showing merely the picture of our exterior and interior decoration does not fully represent the appeal of our hotel. On second thought, we’ve decided to use a picture with the view of the hotel. (Q5)

Employee:          Do you have the original copy of the picture?

CUSTOMER:           Yes, it is also enclosed in the flash drive.

Employee:          OK, we’ll reedit the whole layout of the photos.

CUSTOMER:           Great.

CUSTOMER:           Let’s turn to the next page.

Employee:          Yes, what’s wrong with that? It seems perfectly fine to me.

CUSTOMER:           At first sight, it seems fine. But according to the feedback of the customers, the prices do not stand out, so we want to change the print from black to red to make it pop out. (Q6)

Employee:          OK. I’ve made notes of all your requests. Is there anything else?

CUSTOMER:           I appreciate it. Just one final request. Could you translate the whole brochure into Spanish (Q7)? We have customers worldwide, you know, especially those from Latin countries.

Employee:          No problem. What about other languages, like Japanese, Chinese or German? These are our most popular target languages.

CUSTOMER:           I have to ask the manager about the Chinese version. There’s been a surging number of Chinese clients during recent years. However, we don’t need German or Japanese translations as we currently don’t have many customers from those two countries.

Employee:          Sure. Just keep me updated.

CUSTOMER:           So roughly when could we get the revised print? We need it before the end of July. (Q8)

Employee:          It’s late June now. Roughly it’ll take 3 weeks to reedit, so it will definitely be ready before the deadline.

CUSTOMER:           Great.

Employee:          To where shall we send the samples?

CUSTOMER:           The address is No. 9 Green Drive, Cliffton, NY21300. (Q9)

Employee:          How do you spell Cliffton?

CUSTOMER:           C-L-I-double F-T-O-N, Cliffton.

Employee:          And the telephone number?

CUSTOMER:           It’s 9-0-3-0-3-6-6-0-2 (Q10). Also, if you have any further questions, you can reach me through this number.

Employee:          OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2

Welcome to Byron National Park. 1 am Jim Carson, your tour guide for the trip. First. I’d like to give you some basic information about the park.

Covering 7,000 acres of land and spanning across 3 states, Byron National Park was established to protect the area’s most spectacular scenic values. With unique geologic features, natural history and native plant and animal life, it is an ideal destination for recreation as well as research purposes. The park has a breathtaking waterfall connecting the longest river in the country, but it is most renowned for having the largest sub-tropical rainforest worldwide (Q11). There are many layers of tall, medium and low vegetation growing with seasonal variations in the park. It is a place where the air seems green.

Ardent hikers can find an awesome array of options here. Apart from the dense green rainforest, tourists can also hike along the mountain trail. Despite the stunning view, taking photos is not advised on the way up, I’m afraid, as one might get distracted and the narrow trail by the sheer cliff is quite dangerous. When you reach the top of the mountain, there is nothing better than having a picnic under the trees with your family (Q12). Accompanied mostly by wildlife, walkers as well as cyclists may find the Bush Track a good choice for having a tranquil time to themselves. As your tour guide, I suggest that only expert hikers take the Creek Circuit (Q13), because its beautiful and inspiring scenery through the subtropical jungle is paralleled by its physical challenges.

A list of transport is available within the park. Bicycles are a popular choice as it is the most flexible way to get around. Electric trams are temporarily closed for maintenance. Boat trips down the river are an ideal way to spend a tranquil afternoon. Rest assured that transport within the park is covered in the bill. (Q14)

Extreme sports is another highlight of the park. They are for adventurous grown-ups, especially those who are comfortable with having a racing heart. Scary as it may sound, it is actually safe to participate in extreme sports under strict instructions and close supervision. Abseiling is available regardless of the weather (Q15). It is a fun way to overcome fear of heights, gain new skills and get an adrenaline rush. Bungee jumping and paragliding are also available except for during the summer.

At this point, you might worry about meals here. Well, even though there is only one restaurant in the park at the moment, the variety of dishes is astonishing. There are two meals included in the price. Just get your meal ticket at the reception before dining (Q16). Also, there is no need to make reservations or worry about availability since there are plenty of tables.

During your stay here, you might want to know what there is to do. Let’s turn to the plan so I can familiarise you with the layout of the park.

Most tourists would choose to stay in our guest house located in the southeast comer. It features 63 tastefully appointed guest rooms, many of which offer spectacular views of the park. You’ll find a home away from home at our guest house.

But for those who want to experience the natural beauty up-close, there is also a campsite. When you get out of the guesthouse, go straight ahead, turn right at the end of the road. To your left, there is a campsite amongst the trees (Q17) where you could spend a night under the stars together with owls and chipmunks.

If you look at the top left of the plan, you will notice a picnic area. You can either bring your own food or we can deliver food to you. Barbeque is an option. The Business Centre is situated directly opposite the picnic area (Q18). It provides flexible, fully serviced offices, conferencing suites, meeting rooms and is equipped with the latest multi-media facilities. Wired as well as wireless high speed Internet is available within the entire premises. The Centre is designed to cater to both individual travellers and corporate groups.

Visitors can also go to the museum which holds a vast collection, that exhibits local history and a natural habitat. You start from the guesthouse, just turn left at the first conjunction, then walk past the teahouse, turn right. You’ll see the museum after making the 3rd right (Q19). Have you found it?… Pretty easy, right?

To spend a delightful afternoon with a book and a fresh cup of coffee, you can go to the only cafe in the park. From the guesthouse you go straight, then take the 2nd right and you’ll see the cafe right in front of you. (Q20)

You might want to check out our all-season tennis court which offers instruction for all ages and skill levels. It is located right opposite the cafe… 

 

SECTION 3

TUTOR:   Helen and Paul, congratulations to you both for doing so well the past semester. You two have exhibited an impeccable performance during your first year in the nursing program. I’d like to get some feedback from the two of you to better improve the program and to provide guidance for our prospective students. I’d like to start with you, Helen. So first of all, which aspect of the program impressed you?

Helen:   Well, to be honest, when I was enrolled into the course, I was expecting a group of classmates my age. But as I stepped into the classroom for the first time, I was surprised by the diversity. Most were in their twenties, but there were also those in their thirties or even forties (Q21). As it turns out, the intergenerational communication has sparked intense debate and new thinking, and I think that’s something special about the program that I appreciate very much.

TUTOR:   What about you, Paul? What do you think of the program?

Paul:      For me the group project we carried out last semester is another key feature of the program. The whole class was divided into 8 different groups working on 8 perspective cases. Team building sessions were conducted in a collaborative way most of the time. Comprised of five members, our group studied acute pancreatitis. During the process, we broke the task into different parts and assigned them to each member. We were then able to tackle the complex problem by pooling our knowledge and skills. More importantly, stronger links were established between the group members. Because of the project, we’ve all become good friends. (Q22)

TUTOR:   That’s true. According to graduates, group projects prepare them for the work world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norm. So tell me, Paul, what else do you like about the program?

Paul:      I want to be a registered nurse working in a public hospital after graduation. So the internship provided is a valuable opportunity for clinical practice in a supportive learning atmosphere. However, I was amazed by the amount of written assignments since I thought the course should have focused more on practice-oriented learning. (Q23)

Helen:   Well, I have to disagree with you, Paul. The essays demonstrate your understanding of the course. For me, writing essays is a process that involves critical thinking which challenges me to develop my points more thoroughly. I thus managed to gain a diversity of perspectives.

TUTOR:   The program is designed to deliver basic and advanced theoretical knowledge of core concepts including health care systems concepts, together with practicum or clinical practice experience to bridge the classroom content to the practice setting. So I’m afraid written work is unavoidable. Also this year, we’ve added a module of law. How do you feel about that?

Helen:   At first we felt that learning law is kind of redundant and too time-consuming. After a few sessions, we realised that it is necessary in dealing with future medical disputes. (Q24)

TUTOR:   Do you have any suggestions for prospective students?

Paul:      What bothers me most is handing in essays on time. I almost missed the deadline once because there were three essays due within the same week. So rationalising your time is critical. (Q25)

Helen:   Well, that’s true. The lectures deliver so much useful information. I have poor memory so I kept making notes and revisiting them on a regular basis (Q26). To my surprise, at the end of the semester, I have learnt the key concepts by heart.

TUTOR:   How was the research? I heard that it was quite challenging. How did you manage to overcome the difficulties?

Paul:      That’s true. The majority of us had no clue how to carry out the research at first. Fortunately, when I was digging up reference materials at the library, I sought help from the librarian (Q27). She taught me about finding the appropriate resources and choosing the proper research methods.

TUTOR:   Have you checked out the online forum?

Helen:   Yes, it has become a habit for me to visit the forum regularly. In a sense, it extends classroom learning. It is where the students post academic problems that they come across and get support from the faculty members. (Q28)

Paul:      Some of my classmates didn’t do so well during the placement tests. I feel that background reading is necessary. (Q29)

TUTOR:   Lastly, do you have anything to say to the freshmen?

Helen:   I was really ambitious at first, trying to get straight A’s on my transcript. I made tons of notes and worked hard even on the optional assignments to get extra credit. I stressed myself out before having an emotional breakdown. After consulting my advisor, I found it important to set realistic goals (Q30). Don’t push yourself too hard. It is wise to sort out your priorities.

TUTOR:   Thank you for coming here today and providing valuable feedback on the program. Have a great summer break.

SECTION 4

Good morning everyone. Today’s lecture is about a type of adorable animal — the penguin. When you think of penguins, you may picture them surrounded by snow and ice. But not all penguins live where it’s cold—African penguins live in the southern tip of Africa. They are usually found within 40 kilometres of the shore and on a number of its surrounding islands.

African Penguins are also known as Jackass Penguins, because they make donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level (Q31). But their land habitat can get quite warm, so there are a number of ways for them to stay cool. They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun (Q32). The pink glands above their eyes can help them cope with the temperate climates. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean, which also helps keep them cool.

Being a type of small to medium sized penguin species, African penguins average about 60 centimetres tall and weigh up to 3.6 kilograms. They have a black stripe and a pattern of unique black spots on their chest. Males are larger than females and have larger beaks. Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren’t able to fly because of their heavy bones (Q33). Their wings are more like flippers that make them particularly suited for life in the water. When they’re on land, their flippers and their tails help them keep their balance and walk upright.

African Penguins begin to breed at the average age of four. When a male and female pair up, they tend to breed together for the rest of their lives. Most other penguins nest and lay their eggs out in the open, but African penguins have a different approach. They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators. (Q34)

The African Penguin survives on a diet that is comprised mainly of marine organisms. They feed primarily on fish like sardines, along with the occasional squid and shellfish. But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well (Q35). The streamlined body of the African Penguin allows it to move through the water like a rocket, capable of reaching a speed of around 20 kilometres per hour when hunting for food.

The African Penguin’s smaller size means that it has many predators both in the water and also on dry land. Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks (Q36). The biggest threat to them on land is not just towards the adult penguins. The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them. (Q37)

At risk from predators, young penguins are protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. They will leave the colony when they are between 3 to 5 months old and will return a few years later. The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter (Q38). This process is called molting and takes about three weeks to complete. During that time, they are unable to forage. Therefore prior to this, African penguins spend about five weeks laying down fat deposits.

They generally live between 10 to 15 years, however many do not reach their full life span. Their population has drastically declined. Approximately 120,000 African penguins remain in the wild, and their population has decreased by 90% in the past 60 years. They are considered to be vulnerable and have been listed as being endangered. Two major factors have contributed to their decline. They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution. (Q39)

With the limited number of breeding pairs, survivorship becomes difficult for African penguins. This makes them especially vulnerable as environmental conditions change or an outbreak of a disease occurs. For instance, avian malaria has caused 27% of the captive-breeding penguins’ deaths annually. The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive. (Q40)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 14 – Vol 4 Test 2

SECTION 1

Teacher:              Good afternoon. May I speak to Emma’s parent?

Father:                 Afternoon. I’m her Father. Who am I speaking to?

Teacher:              This is Emma’s teacher Jane Carson calling from the Art Centre. I’m just calling to talk about her drama class at the centre.

Father:                 Oh, thank you for calling. How’s Emma doing in drama class? You know she just transferred here last month, unlike the others in her class who have been taking the course the whole semester since June. So I’m a bit worried that she might not fit in so well.

Teacher:              There’s no need to worry. She exhibits a strong performance in her drama class.

Father:                 Is that so?

Teacher:              Yes. She didn’t adapt to the new environment as quickly as I originally expected, and seemed a bit shy at first. But a few days later, she made a couple of friends and became more talkative and also more involved in class. Emma really is a role model for others (Q1), because she has always been an active participant during class. She voices her own ideas and is very creative.

Father:                 I didn’t expect that. But I can tell that she really enjoys the course, because she’s been talking about it at home frequently these past few weeks.

Teacher:              That’s great to hear. Interest is always the best teacher. I also have to inform you that there’s been an adjustment in the timetable of the drama class next term.

Father:                 Why is that?

Teacher:              It’s not that the music room that we currently use isn’t available. As there are too many enrolling for the coming semester, increased class size means that space is limited to house the whole class (Q2). Also the new classroom we use is not available during the current timeframe, so I’m afraid we have to change the time for it.

Father:                 I see. So when would it be?

Teacher:              As you know, the current class begins at three fifteen. But the new time of the drama class would be a quarter to five. (Q3)

Father:                 I’m afraid I have errands to run during that time.

Teacher:              On the other campus the class still begins at three fifteen, but for the campus Emma goes to, it is the only time available for drama class.

Father:                 Oh. I see. I have to make adjustments to my chore schedule then. No problem.

Father:                 Miss Carson, I’m thinking about signing Emma up for another art course. I’m

thinking about dance class.

Teacher:              Dance class is a popular course here, a great choice for a child to shape up and have fun. But unfortunately, it is over-subscribed at the moment (Q4). I have to put you on the waiting list.

Father:                 That’s too bad. What else can I choose from then? Could you give me some advice?

Teacher:              Sure. Emma could take singing class (Q5) as well. This would improve her musicality.

Father:                 Sounds good. When is that?

Teacher:              It is held every Friday evening.

Father:                 That’s too bad. Emma already has a swimming class earlier that evening (Q5). It will be too late for her to come home if she takes this course.

Teacher:              There is also a vocal course (Q6) available. Emma’s got a great voice, I’m sure she’ll stand out in the class.

Father:                 Tell me about it.

Teacher:              The vocal course starts at 4.30 pm every Tuesday. It isn’t fully booked yet. Great teacher, experienced and beloved by students. The price is a bit higher though.

Father:                 How much is it?

Teacher:              It’s 110 dollars.

Father:                 Oh, that’s too much, way over our budget (Q6). We have to cover the extra cost if we choose it.

Teacher:              Or maybe Emma could take music class.

Father:                 What is it about? Learning about songs and musicals?

Teacher:              Well, the students have the opportunity to play different instruments like the piano, drum and so on. They can also learn how to write music under professional guidance. (Q7)

Father:                 That’s exactly what Emma is eager to learn. How much would it cost? (Q8)

Teacher:              It was 63 dollars last term. But this term it is 85 dollars (Q8), 22 dollars more than the original price.

Father:                 We can afford that. When does the course begin?

Teacher:              The course starts on September 7th.

Father:                 Can we start one week later, on September 14th? My daughter will be on a trip to France with her Mom on the 7th. (Q9)

Teacher:              No problem. And the teacher for the class is Jamal Curtis (Q10). Just contact him if you have any further questions regarding the course.

Father:                 Jamal Curtis? How do you spell Curtis?

Teacher:              Oh, it’s C-U-R-T-I-S. (Q10)

Father:                 Thank you.

 

 

SECTION 2

Good morning everyone and welcome to the Annual Ski and Snowboard Exhibition held from April 8th to 17th. I am Mary Granger, coordinator of the event this year. The 10-day event features many highlights. As a snow sports lover, I know you are looking forward to a great time here. Now I’d like to offer you some practical information about the whole event and what to expect from it.

This might be the first time coming here for some of you. So for those who are still wondering about the right accommodation, I recommend Sky Hotel. It has its own health and sports clubs just like most of the hotels here, but I love it because of its incredibly cozy beds which guarantees good rest after an exhausting day of exploration (Q11). If you haven’t brought your own equipment, like poles, boots and skis, they are available for purchase or rent at Ski Set or Snow Rental.

The exhibition this year provides a colorful look into the history of skiing and an inspiring peek into the future prospects of the sport. Apart from the fascinating photo exhibitions and the most up-to-date skiing gear like always, this year we have added four computers which can imitate the process of skiing, ensuring the same physical activity and sensations that appear during the skiing process on downhill slopes (Q12). But I have to warn you that it might be quite time-consuming to line up for the free trial experience.

Many have posed the question as to how to enter the skiing and snowboarding competition (Q13). Well, rather than filling out the back of the entrance ticket or bombarding the committee with emails, the most effective method is by checking out the exhibition newsletter delivered every month for availability (Q13). As the most beloved local event, the exhibition has also drawn attention from the press. Last year, massive media coverage was on the worrisome amount of snowfall. In order to avoid the same predicament, several artificial skiing slopes have been built. With more participants this year, we have lowered the entrance fee which has been widely reported by local newspapers. (Q14)

A bonus for our participants is the ski program. It offers a wide variety of lessons and sessions with qualified instructors ensuring that all ages and abilities are catered to from the first timers to seasoned amateurs. I strongly advise you to sign up for the program as it is offering an unprecedented 30% discount. That’s mainly because we are cooperating with the program organiser who promises affordable prices only for the participants of the festival this year. (Q15)

Now I would like to introduce to you the list of presentations during the following week so that you can better plan your schedule.

The first presenter Simon is one of our best ski instructors. As an experienced instructor, he will inform you about the dangers that face skiers and snowboarders (Q16). Accidents happen mostly to those who are careless or ignorant. Good risk management involves considering both the probability and consequences of an accident.

The next speech titled Solution is given by Jamie Kurt. A list of problems may occur to novice skiers and snowboarders, so he is going to offer useful information for first timers on choosing the appropriate gears, the right dress code and ways of protecting your skin (Q17). For instance, some of you may have rented the skiing equipment, but rental footwear is notoriously uncomfortable. Then Jamie will provide instructions to help make your footwear fit better.

The third speech is about a documentary introducing skiing and snowboarding and the difference between the two sports. It also depicts a group of snow lovers exploring new slopes with breath-taking views (Q18). The director Andy Fisher will be there, addressing the whole shooting experience.

The fourth talk is about the tricks of skiing, presented by Harry Tyson. It is most useful for those who have already tried skiing, yet still need more practice to master the sport. Harry will teach you how to turn more skillfully (Q19). A lot of people can keep their skis roughly parallel but there’s no point if you make it hard to work with and slide around out of control. Useful exercises will also be suggested to improve your parallel skiing technique so that you can tackle steeper slopes and enjoy yourself more.

Johnson Smith will be the last presenter, mainly addressing towards advanced skiers. He manages to apply snow climbing into skiing (Q20). Climbing in soft snow, you are floundering around. Walking becomes harder, so a good trick during climbing is to maintain a wider gait, approximately shoulder width, so that you are more stable while walking. This works for skiing as well.

SECTION 3

TUTOR:    Jerry, how did it go with preparing your lessons? Is there anything you would like to discuss?

Jerry:     Well, this is actually the first time that I have ever taught in an elementary classroom. After 8 years of learning pedagogy, I want to practice what I’ve learned in an instructive manner, but I’m a bit stuck right now. You know the topic 1 want them to research is a bit hard for pupils. I’m afraid that they won’t be able to handle it on their own. So I need new ideas on designing more effective teaching methods. Mr. Carter, do you have any suggestions?

TUTOR:    Well, you should probably read this book called Professional Learning, written by J.K. Simmons. He is a professor who just transferred here last semester but is already popular amongst the students for his creative teaching methods (Q21). There is an extensive range of learning approaches mentioned in the book including approaches for team research (Q22), which might be helpful to you.

Jerry:     You mean dividing the students into groups to do research? I’ve never thought of this before. How does it work?

TUTOR:    Professor Simmons has already demonstrated how efficient this approach can be. Basically it aims to increase cooperation between students so they can present the results in a collaborative fashion (Q23). It helps them to develop their own voice and perspective.

Jerry:     I’ll check out the book as soon as possible. It seems I can borrow some of the essential concepts and work them into my course design.

Jerry:     Well, I was thinking maybe I could use both observation and nonobservation as part of my teaching methodology. Could you take a look at my teaching plan?

TUTOR:    Sure. What kind of observational methods do you have in mind?

Jerry:     For the observational part, I intend to include two approaches. First, the pupils can assess each other’s behaviour (Q24). I feel that reviewing fellow students through criteria-based reference evaluation allows constructive feedback. It can also improve their understanding of the subject material.

TUTOR:    That’s a smart move for a large class that would be hard to observe all by yourself. Also, you might want to get the feedback from several different individuals rather than just one. So how do you plan to carry out the peer assessments?

Jerry:     Oh, every pupil will be required to write a diary, which includes group projects, presentations and in-class discussions. They’ll put down their remarks. I’ll collect them on a regular basis which can also help me see whether they can keep up or not. (Q25)

TUTOR:    Good, what else do you intend to do?

Jerry:     Besides that, I also plan to do video recording (Q26). I’ve already purchased a camera just in case I miss anything important. I can go back and review their performances anytime I want.

TUTOR:    Would you record every in-class activity?

Jerry:     No, I’ll just keep track of an in-class simulation (Q27), which would require every pupil to fully participate. Students will act as members of a City Council meeting, discussing issues like whether or not prohibition should be instated in the United States.

TUTOR:    This kind of teaching method is both inspiring and challenging. I can’t wait to see how yours work out. Do you send me a copy of the assessment afterwards, will you?

Jerry:     No problem.

TUTOR:    So what do you have in mind for the non-observational approaches?

Jerry:     Well, my plan is to quantify the statistics. Numbers do not lie. It is the most direct way to measure their performance. See how well they’ve learned.

TUTOR:    Where does the data come from?

Jerry:     I’ll evaluate the test results including the mid-term (Q28), final exam and pop quizzes, which would only take up about 40 percent of the overall assessment.

TUTOR:    Sounds like a lot of tests and assignments. Please remember that you don’t want to wear out your students. Keeping them engaged is the key to efficient learning. Once they are exhausted, they just stop trying.

Jerry:     Oh, I haven’t thought about that. You are right. I don’t want to frighten them with tons of assignments and exams. I’ll make note of that. Thanks for the advice.

TUTOR:    I remember last time you mentioned questionnaires, right?

Jerry:     That’s true. But it is not for my students. In fact, they have to design their own questionnaires and choose the respondents using the Internet (Q29). As a complement of other teaching activities, it would deepen the creative learning process.

TUTOR:    Is that all?

Jerry:     Oh, the pupils will have to conduct interviews of their own (Q30). And for this, they get to choose anyone they like, including relatives, friends and acquaintances to answer the questions.

TUTOR:    Seems to me that you have figured out most of your teaching methods. But you still need to polish some of the activities…

SECTION 4

Good afternoon and welcome to my talk on urban migration today. The world has experienced unprecedented urban growth in the recent decades. As much as 3% of Earth’s landmass has been urbanised, an increase of at least 50% over previous estimates. Today, people living in cities already outnumber those in rural areas and the trend does not appear to be reversing. In addition, cities have larger amounts of carbon consumption than rural areas. (Q31)

This is a result from two major aspects. First, with the increase of urban population around the world, the massive construction of urban infrastructure and residential housing is hard to avoid. Second, urban households have a higher rate of car ownership and use more gasoline products.

Even though rural exodus is often negatively judged, there are also benefits of migration shared by the local environment and the society as a whole. Well, firstly, global trends of increasing urban migration and population urbanisation can provide opportunities for nature conservations, particularly in regions where deforestation is driven by agriculture. As rural dwellers leave their homes, local forests are left to recover. (Q32)

What’s more, it is easier for city dwellers to get around. Living in the country means transport can be very difficult (Q33). For instance, after midnight there are no buses or taxis in the countryside. However, there is still a number of public transport modes to choose from in the city.

Finally, with more funds and advanced technology, cities endeavour to produce clean energy. New power plants have been built to take harmful methane gas created by the decomposition of rubbish, and convert it into electricity (Q34). By doing so, an important greenhouse gas is turned into useful energy rather than being directly emitted into the atmosphere.

The hustle and bustle of city life offers women: he opportunity to explore different professions and pursue their own careers. Women in cities work as engineers, managers and even football players. This change of roles has affected their marital status and family life. More women are choosing their careers over marriage, which raises the graph of late marriages. As a result, more are remaining single well into their late thirty’s. They want to be independent and earn money on their own. It is also easier for them to get a promotion while working in the city (Q35). Women are slowly achieving wider participation at work, while in rural areas the mindset is still very conservative.

However, cities also change the way that humans interact with each other and the environment, often causing multiple problems. In general, urban wages are significantly higher, so moving to the city is an opportunity to earn what was impossible in rural areas. However, the wage difference is often offset by the higher cost of living and absence of self-produced goods, including subsistence farming. A sizable proportion of new comers attach greater importance to money and gradually abandon their former way of life, thus risking losing their culture. (Q36)

These new city residents are also faced with another problem. According to statistics, crime rates are significantly higher in densely populated urban regions than in rural areas (Q37). For instance, property crime rates in our metropolitan areas are three to four times as high in comparison to the rates in rural communities. Immigrants, upon arrival into cities, typically move into the poor, blighted neighbourhoods because that is where they can afford to live. Crime in these areas is high and reflects poor living conditions, as these neighbourhoods experience great levels of poverty. This pattern also occurs for violent crimes, which is much more common in large urban areas than elsewhere.

In addition, traffic congestion and industrial manufacturing are prominent features of the urban landscape, which take their toll on the natural environment and those who depend on it. Air pollution from both cars and factory emissions affect the health of countless urban residents. (Q38)

Rural to urban migration can boost the urban economy. With a better economy, cities provide their residents with better welfare. But the concentration of services and facilities, such as education, health and technology in urban areas inevitably contributes to greater energy consumption (Q39). Another problem with life in the city is traffic congestion. It makes people late to work and thus stresses us out before we even get there (Q40). Deliveries can’t arrive on time. Gas costs money. The quality of life of those commuters starts to decline. What’s worse is that if congestion makes it harder to match the right workers to the best jobs, it is economically inefficient, as well.

Listening Recent Actual Test 15 – Vol 4 Test 3

SECTION 1

Receptionist:      Good morning. Sunset Hotel. How may I help you?

CUSTOMER:           Good morning. I just saw an advert in the paper about your hotel. Where exactly is it located?

Receptionist:      We are situated on Sunset Avenue, north of the beach (Example). Close to many scenic spots, it is an ideal choice for travellers interested in sightseeing.

CUSTOMER:           That’s great. Is there a vacant four-bed room? We’ll be travelling with our two sons aged 9 and 11, so it’s best that we are able to stay in one room.

Receptionist:      Let me check, just a moment…Um. we only have a few four-bed rooms, and I’m afraid they are fully booked at the moment. The earliest time available is August (Q1), but there might be some left in July if a previous customer cancels the reservation.

CUSTOMER:           Oh, that’ll do. How much would the room cost me?

Receptionist:      It’s 77.50 euros during peak time (Q2), but the price would be much lower during off-peak season. Only 50 euros.

CUSTOMER:           So if I book a room right now, is there any discount?

Receptionist:      Yes. We do offer a 30% discount for any reservation made one month ahead of schedule (Q3). It is a very reasonable price.

CUSTOMER:           That does sound tempting. Does the price include anything?

Receptionist:      The price includes two breakfast vouchers per room per day (Q4). You can use them at two different restaurants in our hotel. There’s also a 20-minute spa trial available, but you have to book it beforehand at the concierge or directly at the Spa Centre.

CUSTOMER:           Um, I’m wondering if there is a hairdryer in the room. It takes ages to dry my hair without one. Do I have to bring one?

Receptionist:      No, there is absolutely no need to bring that for each room is equipped with a hairdryer. But I have to inform you that towels are not provided (Q5). You’ll have to bring your own or hire some at the front desk.

CUSTOMER:           Oh, I see.

CUSTOMER:           Before making a reservation, can you tell me a little bit more about your hotel?

Receptionist:      Sure, no problem. We aim to please our guests by providing impeccable service and all the modem amenities, trying to make them feel at home. In the lounge, there are a list of books, ranging from contemporary literature to classic poetry, free for any guest to read (Q6). There is also a games room offering a number of indoor games (Q7) including popular board games like Monopoly as well as the beloved Table Soccer. A nice place to go to on rainy days.

CUSTOMER:           Are there computers available in the hotel? I might have a few emails to respond to during my stay there.

Receptionist:      I’m afraid we currently co not provide any for our customers. However, Internet is available within our hotel premises (Q8). Just use the room number and guest name to log in.

CUSTOMER:           That means I have to bring my own laptop then. All right. Um, because I’m travelling with my two sons, is there anything that they might be interested in?

Receptionist:      Yes, a popular activity here for children is collecting shells on the beach. Our hotel has a private beach (Q9). When there are very few visitors, you can take a stroll down the beach with your children and enjoy some quality family time undisturbed.

CUSTOMER:           That sounds nice, but you see my boys really love adventure. Is there something more exciting for them to participate in?

Receptionist:      We do have bicycles (Q10) ready for hire. You can cycle with the boys along the bush track by the hotel, which is an ideal place to explore the wonders of nature. But, because there’s only a limited number of bicycles, we apply a “first come first serve” rule.

CUSTOMER:           Got it. I think my boys would love it. How can arrange the payment, then? Can I pay by credit card?

Receptionist:      Of course. We take credit cards.

CUSTOMER:           Thank you. You’ve been a great help.

Receptionist:      My pleasure, ma’am.

SECTION 2

On behalf of Northfiels Sports Complex, I’d like to extend our warmest welcome to all here this evening. I’m George Dyson, founder of Northfiels Sports Complex. I’m giving this speech today to celebrate a special occasion. We started the business exactly a decade ago (Q11), and today, we have developed into a large firm with a sizable group of members. We’ve also been nominated the “Most Valuable Company” by Green Town at the yearly Business Awards which will be held next week. As experienced and qualified reporters, you are invited here to experience and witness this historical moment of Northfield Sports Complex together with us. (Q12)

Situated within the campus of Green Town University, Northfield Sports Complex is a modem, refreshing and fully-equipped facility for sports of all kinds. As part of its commitment to the local community, Northfield Sports Complex is available not only to school children but also to local residents. It offers a wide range of facilities including a 25-metre swimming pool, paved walking and jogging paths, a well-quipped fitness gym, all-weather pitches, indoor courts for table tennis, tennis and other sports, as well as a renowned skating rink. Different age groups can all find the right sports to participate in. That’s why local residents enjoy working out here. As a result, natives here are healthier than most of the people within our nation.

The whole town is very proud of having nurtured two world champions, who were once both trained right here in our skating rink. Thus it has become the ideal venue to learn to skate and have fun. But what I take pride in most of all is the skating rink that has stirred the interest of boys and girls here in local schools to skate (Q13). Since opening, an increasing number of pupils have been paying regular visits to the skating rink.

A new yoga classroom with trainers will be open next month for mothers with babies. They can bring their own yoga mat and work out together with their babies. This will be a great way for them to get healthy and meet other moms. There will also be a brand new gym open to the pensioners in the near future. Just this month a new swimming pool is open to all fitness levels with special offers for those without a job. (Q14)

Our complex is open daily from 8 am to 9 pm except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We intend to extend our business in the coming year. A list of equipment will be put up for sale ranging from exercising equipment like cardio machines to sports recovery and injury prevention facilities. (Q15)

Within our complex, we try our best to avoid injuries of any kind. We train knowledgeable staff to guide our clients through correct workout regimens.

For those who want to further ensure workout safety, they are welcome to apply to be a member of our standing committee (Q16). They are responsible for revising the safety guidelines and supervising its enforcement.

Now I would like to introduce some of our most popular sports facilities here at Northfield Sport Complex. Our 25-metre swimming pool is the centre piece of the complex. Combining modem, bright and airy surroundings with fully up-todate changing facilities, the pool is excellent for learning how to swim, improving techniques and, of course, competing in school competitions. It is also bookable for private functions, including pool parties, where lifeguards are available. (Q17)

Next, we have the only climbing wall throughout the whole town. Many would see rock climbing as a type of extreme sport, exposing great risk to those who participate. But actually, under proper guidance and with close supervision by the coach here, it is a perfect sport for the youth to increase their flexibility and strengthen their muscles. (Q18)

I have to mention our skating rink once again. As our most popular facility, it has been prominently featured in a TV commercial we’ve released recently. There is no other skating rink larger than ours within the whole nation. (Q19)

Also, our state-of-the-art gym is an inspiring place to train and keep fit in relaxed and friendly surroundings. The Technogym equipment enables our clients to measure their performance. If you book a one-on-one trainer, he or she might suggest a future training plan and help you train more systematically. (Q20) 

 

 

 

SECTION 3

Syria:     Hi, Greg. How did it go with the research on renewable energy? Have you found anything?

Greg:     Yes. But I think it’s about time we exchange our findings and discuss our next move.

Syria:     You read my mind. Right. I’ll start first. Germany is the very first country I dug into in order to find innovative means of creating clean energy because 15% of its national electricity supply conies from renewable sources. I found that apart from the traditional fossil fuel industry, there’s a German firm that has initiated a project using kites to generate power.

Greg:     Really, I’ve never heard of it before. How does it work?

Syria:     As a substitution for traditional fossil fuels that release toxic gas into the atmosphere, the power-generating kites can function in any weather (Q21). Compared to conventional wind turbines, such kites can produce twice as much energy because the overall power density is proportional to altitude.

Greg:     Sounds like an efficient way of producing power. Okay, now let me tell you what I have found. There is an American company manufacturing school buses and city buses depending solely on electricity instead of gasoline (Q22). The all-electric vehicles can save up to 20 gallons of fuel on a daily basis. This could reduce transport budgets by over $10,000 each year, not to mention maintenance savings.

Syria:     Wow, impressive. If only there were more of these electric vehicles around.

Greg:     Well, over the years, South Africa has attached great importance to clean energy. The nation encourages using propane gas, which can either be extracted from natural deposits or be produced organically. It is normally stored in gas canisters as a type of cooking gas. To reduce the number of kitchen accidents, a new type of composite gas canister made of fiber was introduced. It is much safer and less likely to explode even when engulfed in fire. (Q23)

Greg:     Now, about the survey, do you have any clues as to what kind of interviewees we should include?

Syria:     How about local companies doing business on clean energy products?

Greg:     Probably not the best choice of respondents. Remember the last time we asked corporate employees tc do the questionnaire, only about 5% of them were actually willing to participate.

Syria:     That wouldn’t be enough then. It seems we have to drop that idea. Then maybe we can ask the professors and administrative staff here to help us. They could provide their insights and understanding on energy production.

Greg:     It would be ideal if they would, but I’m afraid most of them are too busy to respond to the list of questions we’ve prepared. I guess the students here at the university would be more suitable. (Q24)

Syria:     You’re right. And it is a much bigger sample pool too. Also, I think we should include the locals. Their opinion is key to the promotion of renewable energy here in the town. (Q25)

Greg:     But wouldn’t it be difficult to collect data? There’s no way the two of us could go from door to door to interview all the residents.

Syria:     There’s no need to worry about that. We’ll make it telephone interviews. That way we’ll have enough time to get sufficient data.

Greg:     Good idea. What should we present in our speech?

Syria:     Due to lack of media coverage, the majority of people actually have a limited understanding on renewable energy (Q26). Most of them aren’t able to identify various types of renewable sources. So I feel we could start by clarifying what it is and the benefit of it compared to fossil fuels.

Greg:     That makes sense. We could start with wind energy. For centuries, wind has been used to do work. With the help of windmills, farmers used to pump water from wells or turn large grinding stones to grind wheat or corn. The windmills today generate electricity. The only problem is that it might not be windy all the time, so it is crucial to choose the appropriate site for wind farms. (Q27)

Syria:     Well, I think we can also include comparisons between clean energy and traditional energy resources like coal, oil and natural gas.

Greg:     Maybe we can look into the prospect of these conventional sources of energy (Q28). The rising cost of fossil fuels and the threat of climate change is a concern to many

Syria:     Totally. These traditional resources will deplete eventually. Renewable energy currently makes up less than 2% of the world’s primary energy supply, and although growing very rapidly, it is not on course to fill the fossil fuel gap.

Greg:     Nuclear energy is another type of energy we ought to mention. Nuclear power plants can produce dependable power constantly and release far less greenhouse gases than other traditional power plants. But most people feel that this type of energy is unsafe because radiation isn’t easily dealt with, especially in nuclear waste and maintenance materials. (Q29)

Syria:     What should we end the speech with?

Greg:     Have you heard about a new type of energy called hydrogen fuel? It is an infinitely renewable fuel that doesn’t have detrimental environmental effects. The only problem is that it is so expensive that only wealthy individuals can afford it. But I think overall the benefits overshadow its high cost.

Syria:     I think that even though this new type of renewable energy is too expensive to use at the moment, in the long run, its price will go down and become more accessible. (Q30)

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4

So what I’m going to talk about to you today is something called “aquaculture”. It has been responsible for the impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption. There’s also been a slight improvement in the state of certain fish stocks due to improved fishery management. Aquatic food production has transitioned from being primarily based on the capturing of wild fish to the culture of increasing numbers of farmed species. In recent years, a type of genetically modified salmon has been farmed in the New England region, produced by a Massachusetts based bio-tech firm. This type of fish is engineered to grow twice as fast as its conventional farm-raised counterpart.

As a result, this increases the speed of the local aquaculture industry development, and thus reduces the fishing pressure on wild stock. But local residents have expressed their concerns on the potential negative effects on the ecosystem. Should those GM fish ever escape into the sea (Q31), stronger, healthier and faster growing. These fish might cannibalize others or outcompete wild-type fish for food. Local decision makers and regulators have thus pushed forward a number of measures making it impossible for most GM fish to mate. A small percentage is able to breed only within confined pools.

Despite the economic boom of genetically engineered fish, culturing traditional types of fish is still mainstream among fish farmers. Most of them prefer fish with special features, such as tuna (Q32). It is a source of high quality protein with almost no fat. It also contains all essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue. With high nutritional value, this kind of fish will always be popular in the fish market.

For the fish farming industry, incidents of fish escaping the farms has been a troubling issue over the years. Due to bad weather, nets that used to hold the fish were often destroyed. Thousands of salmon worth nearly 220 thousand euros escaped from a fish farm in the Norwegian region in July, raising fear that they would breed with wild fish stocks. Cages were thus built to withstand storms (Q33). The frames of the cages are made of PE which is dedicated to marine use. This material has trustable strength, resilience and tenacity. To further strengthen it, strong nets without knots are used to support the cylindrical frame. (Q34)

A group of small villages on the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa have been trying to develop a local aquaculture industry sustainably. They use a land-based production system that is both economically and ecologically sound. Land-based recirculation can control ocean temperature and optimize growth for the fish that are used to warmer water. All organic waste from the fish is held on land with incoming water sterilized to avoid disease, which has historically plagued ocean based farms. The lack of disease means that no drugs are administered to the fish.

However, one problem facing the villagers is lack of suitable land on the coast (Q35) for this system. Hotels & beaches open to tourists take up most of the coastal area. Another problem facing local fishermen is the scarcity of young fish (Q36) used to breed the species. This predicament stems from overfishing during the previous decades. The local commercial fishing industry has been reduced by 50% for this reason and the aquaculture industry has yet to thrive.

The government has taken a set of initiatives to safeguard native aquaculture and the fishing industry. An open-air seafood market has been launched. Residents are encouraged to support local fish farming businesses (Q37) by purchasing marine products. As it turns out, there is a public demand for access to locally produced, sustainable sources of fresh seafood. Moreover, local fish farmers are aided to market seaweed and oysters, both of which have additional economic values. Seaweed is used in various ways in cosmetics (Q38). Seaweed extract is often found on the list of ingredients, constituting creams, soaps, shampoos, powders and sprays. It is said to be useful in various ways, including the relief of rheumatic pain and the removal of cellulite. Oyster is a source of seafood popular among the local hospitality industry (Q39). Served with caviar and champagne, it is one of the world’s ultimate luxury foods, appealing to gourmets with its succulent and delicate flavor. It thus appears to have the greatest potential for commercial culture.

Even though the national and international market has shown demand for marine products in Zanzibar, it is still challenging to survive in the competitive modern fishing industry. The government ought to restore the business by encouraging aquaculture, recreation and shipping (Q40). First, it could utilize modern fish farming technology to supply more high-quality marine products. Tourism is an effective stimulus to boost its sales and with better shipping capability, more products can be delivered abroad. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening Recent Actual Test 16 – Vol 4 Test 4

SECTION 1

MAN:                    Hello, First Choice Car Rental! How may I help you?

Woman:              Oh, good morning. Um, I’m calling for some information about your car renting services. I’m an American (Example), and I will be going on a family holiday to your city from Ohio next month.

MAN:                    OK. no problem. It’s our pleasure to serve you. Could you please tell me your name and contact information first?

Woman:              I’m Caroline, that’s C-A-R-O-L-I-N-E, and my telephone number is 04196570156 (Q1).

MAN:                    OK. I’ve got that. And how can I send you our quotation, if you are satisfied with our arrangement? Is email all right, or should I send it by post? (Q2)

Woman:              The latter (Q2), please! I’m afraid I’d prefer to read it on paper.

MAN:                    That’s no problem.

Woman:              I’m considering renting a caravan for a week, but I don’t really know the price range for it, since I haven’t rented any car through that method before. I think it should be within my budget of $50.

MAN:                    You know, we have various caravans at different renting prices, according to the class of vehicle, facilities inside, mileage, etc. I’d recommend the ‘Explorer’, taking your budget into consideration, which is of good value and will cost you $39 per day (Q3). Is that OK?

Woman:              Of course, that’s fine for me! I know the ‘Explorer’. That could save me $11 each day! You know a family holiday will be costly. That van is perfect!

MAN:                    I’m glad that you like it. So do you have any particular requirements about your room in the van?

Woman:              Um, how many beds are there?

MAN:                    One twin bed.

Woman:              But there are three of us, my mum. daughter and me. So can we add another bed? (Q4)

MAN:                    No problem.

Woman:              For the facilities, I think a kitchen is the most important (Q5), and of course the stove.

MAN:                    In our vans, such as ‘Explorer’, there are all the basic bedding materials you need, like pillows and blankets, as well as some equipment for daily life. And many things can be added into your room according to your needs, such as a coffee maker.

Woman:              Well, I need to have a heater (Q6), in case it’ll be cold at night, and a microwave of course. (Q7)

MAN:                    All right, I’ve taken notes of all these things. Actually, all our vans should be taken from our company, which is not too far from the city centre, so we can pick you up from the centre for free. Is that OK?

Woman:              Oh, I’m afraid we’d better be picked up from the airport (Q8), as we are foreigners in your country and not familiar with the transport system. Is that alright?

MAN:                    Yes, it is no problem. With that comes the information for the insurance. I need the driver’s name and age.

Woman:              That is my daughter Chris, who is 19, the youngest driver amongst us three.

MAN:                    I’m sorry, but our company only accepts caravan drivers aged 25 or over, according to our regulations. So…

Woman:              Well, that would be me, Caroline, and I’m 49 years old. (Q9)

MAN:                    And where was your driving licence issued? I mean the country.

Woman:              I’ve got a licence in America, but I’ve also got one in Australia which is still valid. Is it better for me to register the local one from your country? (Q10)

MAN:                    Yes, that might be better. So your registration number is…

SECTION 2

Host:     Hello and welcome to today’s talk. Here with me is the famous botanist. Professor Alison Downing. So, Alison, tell us something about cocoa beans.

Alison:

Cocoa beans, also called cacao beans, are the primary constituent in making chocolate. Grown in tropical areas in South and Central America, West Africa and Asia, the cocoa tree is often raised on small, family-owned farms. When the harvested pods are opened to expose the beans, the pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo a process called ‘sweating’, where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. This is when the beans are harvested (Q11) and then the bags holding them are ready to be transported.

But the most important step in processing the cocoa bean is cleaning it. Once the beans are unloaded from the railroad cars, the packages are opened (Q12) and then weighed by machines. Then the pods are split, and the seeds or beans are covered with a sweet white pulp or mucilage. On arrival at the factory, the cocoa beans are sorted and put in a hopper to be cleaned more rigorously (Q13). The wet beans are then transported to a facility so they can be fermented and dried. They are fermented for 4 to 7 days and must be mixed every 2 days. They are dried for 5 to 14 days, depending on the climate conditions. The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them.

Then the beans are ready to be roasted. Now, roasting takes place at a high temperature and then the beans are boiled in a heated chamber. During the roasting process the beans will be expanded and cracked (Q14). But prior to this, the beans are trodden and shuffled about using bare human feet. During this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer colour, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and other countries. Now, back to what I was saying. After the beans are cracked, they need to be cooled (Q15). Then the roasted beans are sealed in pockets. (Q16)

Host:     Wow, that is not a simple process, is it? But someone told me that different roasting levels of coffee can lead to different kind of flavours.

Alison: Yes. Roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. The roasting process is what produces the characteristic flavour of coffee by causing the green coffee beans to change in taste. Unroasted beans contain similar if not higher levels of acids, protein, sugars, and caffeine as those that have been roasted, but lack the taste of roasted coffee beans due to the Maillard and other chemical reactions that occur during roasting. The vast majority of coffee is roasted commercially on a large scale, but small-scale commercial roasting has grown significantly with the trend toward ‘single-origin’ coffees served at specialty shops. Some coffee drinkers even roast coffee at home as a hobby in order to both experiment with the flavour profile of the beans and ensure the freshest possible roast. So here, I am going to introduce some of these roasted coffee beans and their special flavours.

Now, the First Crack is lighter-bodied, and has a higher acidity level with no obvious roast flavour, and is popular for its special mild taste (Q17). This level of roast is ideal for tasting the full original character of the coffee. The Green Beans are raw, unroasted coffee beans. They are strictly hard beans with a smoky flavour and are slightly acidic (Q18). We’ve also got French Roast. And the flavour that comes across in French roast coffee usually has more to do with the roasting process than the actual quality of the beans. By the time the beans are dark enough to qualify as French, most of their original flavour has dissipated. In its place come the flavours of caramelising sugar, bittersweet coffee, and often, a bit of chocolate (Q19). And finally, Espresso Smoky. That is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed through other methods, has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids, and has crema on top. As a result of the pressurised brewing process, the flavours and chemicals in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated (Q20). Espresso is also the base for other drinks such as a cafe latte, cappuccino, cafe macchiato, cafe mocha, flat white, or cafe Americano… 

 

SECTION 3

Student F = Student Female; Student M = Student Male

Lecturer:             Thank you all for coming here today to hear about the Moa, a kind of animal which has been extinct for a long time. Well, first of all we’ll look at what the Moa are. The Moa are nine species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. They were the dominant herbivores in New Zealand’s forest, shrubland and subalpine ecosystems for thousands of years, but around 500 years ago, they all went extinct. When I mention extinct animals during ancient times, you may immediately think of dinosaurs, which disappeared around 66 million years ago. Fossils of dinosaurs which we use to study are large in number, but not many of those of Moa remain, though both animals appeal to people today. (Q21)

Student F:           So the Moa sound more mysterious now. But sir, I’ve got a question about these flightless birds. How can we distinguish them from other birds?

Lecturer:             That’s a good question! Birds are commonly characterised by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of flight, and laying eggs, while the flightless Moa. until their extinction, were the largest birds in the world. Their heads are relatively small in relation to their bodies, and they are the only wingless birds lacking even the vestigial wings and substantial tail bones in their family. (Q22)

Student M:         That’s impressive. But were they born to be like that? I mean when they were chicks.

Lecturer:             Yes, absolutely! So let’s move onto the chicks. The eggs of Moa were laid in nests and incubated for about two months. The chicks would be well-developed upon hatching and probably would be able to leave the nests to feed on their own almost immediately. (Q23)

Student F:           I’ve heard that the male Moa are thought to have incubated the eggs. Is that true? (Q24)

Lecturer:             I think there is a possibility for that (Q24). I’ve read somewhere that the sex-specific DNA recovered from the outer surfaces of eggshells suggested that these eggs were likely to have been hatched by the male, but we still need to consult more.

But I have a question. There has been some occasional speculation that the Moa were still alive, because someone said they had caught sight of them in New Zealand in the late 19th century or even the 20th. Do you think it’s possible?

Student M:         I’m not amazed by that, since that kind of thing has been claimed several times, but I find it funny (Q25) because no reliable evidence of Moa tracks has ever been found, and experts still contend that Moa survival is extremely unlikely.

Student F:           So what was the reason for the Moa’s extinction? I wonder if it was global warming or some other factors related to their living environment.

Lecturer:             Well, before the arrival of human settlers in New Zealand, the Moa’s only predator was the massive Haas’s eagle. Then the Maori arrived sometime before CE 1300, and all Moa genera were soon driven to extinction by hunting (Q26). What a horrible thing!

Lecturer:             All right. Now let’s look at the features of some species of Moa. The South Island Giant Moa may have been the tallest birds ever known, and the second tallest of the nine moa species is the North Island Giant Moa, with the females being markedly larger than males both in weight and height. (Q27)

Student M:         And I’ve heard that the smallest of the Moa birds are the Coastal Moa. Is that right?

Lecturer:             Yes, you’re right. And have you heard about any other kinds of Moa before?

Student F:           I know the Crested Moa (Q28). The eggs they laid may be larger than others’.

Lecturer:             As they mainly lived in the remote interior of the Southern Island, their fossils are rare or absent in archaeological sites, and no egg remains have yet been identified. (Q28)

Student F:           Are there any species of Moa that have got more fossils?

Lecturer:             Yes, of course. A considerable amount of remains of the Stoutlegged Moa exist, due to the well-preserved properties of their habitat. Their skulls reveal relatively bad vision, a good sense of smell, and a very short bill. (Q29)

Then there is the Eastern Moa. They were remarkable in having very long and narrow windpipes, which probably enabled them to make louder, more resonant calls than those of other Moa (Q30), and have the greatest vocal abilities, so they could communicate when they could not see each other in the forest or at night. They used a range of senses, apart from sound in their search for food, such as their sense of smell and vision.

SECTION 4

Good morning, everyone. Today, I’m going to talk about the research project I’ve been involved in on time measurement.

Do you know how time is measured? Consider how we measure length, and how with time we encounter a difficulty. Before we could grasp it, it would slip through our fingers. In fact, as we can see, we are forced to have the recourse to measure something else—the movement of something in space, or a set of movements in space. All the methods that have been employed so far really measure time by a motion in space. The measurement of time is no easy matter; a scientific unit only arrives at after much thought and reflection.

As the most primitive form of measurement, the sun seems to be natural. Ever since man first noticed the regular movements of the sun and stars, we have wondered about the passage of time. Prehistoric people first recorded time according to the sun’s position. To start off, let us take noon, which is when the sun is on the meridian at the highest point of its course across the heavens, and when it casts the shortest shadow. But this measurement, which was regarded as a major one in ancient times, was less important than the natural events that occurred. (Q31)

The earliest natural events that had been recognised were in the heavens, but during the course of the year there were many other events that indicated significant changes in the environment. Seasonal winds and rains, the flooding of rivers, the flowering of trees and plants, and the breeding cycles or migration of animals (Q32), all led to natural divisions of the year, and further observation and local customs led to the recognition of the seasons.

Years later, precise measurements were invented, because the passage of time was extremely important for astronomers and priests who were responsible for determining the exact hour for daily rituals and for important religious festivals. Apart from the connection with religion (Q33), accurate time measurement was also related to the government (Q34), since they divided the day or the night into different periods in order to regulate work and various events. For thousands of years, devices have been used to measure and keep track of time. The current sexagesimal system of time measurement, dates back to approximately 2000 BCE from the Sumerians. It was found that the earliest ancient time keepers were mainly invented and used in Mesopotamia, where the water clock was introduced from, as well as in North Africa (Q35), especially in the area of ancient Egypt.

So now, I’d like to introduce you to some of the most well-known ancient timekeepers, as well as the disadvantages of them, for which they were replaced by various new forms of clocks that were used afterwards.

A sundial is a device that tells the time of day by the apparent positioning of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat plate and a gnomon which casts a shadow onto the dial. As the sun appears to move across the sky, the shadow aligns with different hour-lines which are marked on the dial to indicate the time of day. However, it was quickly noted that the length of the day varied at different times of the year (Q36), therefore there could have been a difference between ‘clock time’ and ‘sundial time’. In addition, the sundial was of no use at night, so a water clock was invented.

The water clock, or clepsydra, appeared to have been invented around 1,500 BCE and was a device which relied on the steady flow of water from or into a container. Measurements could be marked on the container or on a receptacle for the water. It was reliable, but the water flow still depended on the variation of pressure and temperature from the top of water in the container. (Q37)

As the technology of glass-blowing developed, from some time in the 14th century, it became possible to make sandglasses (Q38). Originally, they were used as a measure for periods of time like lamps or candles, but as clocks became more accurate they were calibrated to measure specific periods of time. The drawback however, as you can imagine, was the limited length of time they could measure. (Q39)

The last timekeeper to be introduced is the fire candle clock. Candle clocks take advantage of a simple concept: the slow and consistent nature of a burning wax candle. By utilising this process, our ancestors were able to keep steady track of the time. The clocks were created by engraving the length of the candle with evenly spaced markings. Each marking represented a single unit of time, and as the wax burned down, each hour would disappear. However, the draughts and the variable quality of the wax mainly influenced the time of burning (Q40). Like oil lamps, candles were used to mark the passage of time from one event to another, rather than tell the time of day…

 

 

 

TEST 5

SECTION 1

Student: = S: | Agent: = A:

A: Good morning.

S: Oh. good morning. Is this., .er...room number 316?

A: Yes. that’s right.

S: So, is this the Student Job Centre?

A: It certainly is. How may I help you?

S: Well, actually I’m looking for a job—a part time job. Do you have anything available at the moment?

A: Ah. yes...Are you a registered student? I'm afraid this service is only available to full-time students.

S: Yes, I’m doing my degree in Statistics Studies. Here’s my student card.

A: Right...well, let’s just have a look at what positions are available at the moment. There is a job for social workers, and the workplace is in the house of the disabled.

S: That would be fine for me. What are the hours like?

A: You’ll have to work every day and the payment is $9 per hour. However, the skills required are not very basic so 3 days of training is needed.

S: The pay is quite good, though I’m in my second year of study now and must attend some courses during the daytime. So, I’m afraid 1 can't make it for this one. Do you have any other positions? You know, ones that I could spare more class-free time on.

A: That’s not good then. Um...Let’s see...here, there is one for security guards in the supermarket.

S: What about the pay?

A: The salary is pretty standout for this one. It’s $25 per hour.

S: Great! That’s much higher than I would have expected. Are there any special qualities required?

A: It sure offers quite a good salary. Um...There's almost no requirement for this job except that you must wear a uniform, which is provided.

S: That's very nice, then. But what about exact working hours for this? I hope it’ll be OK for me.

A: The working time is from 9 am to 5 pm. and you only need to work 3 days each week.

S: That sounds like fun but unfortunately, I’ve got other arrangements during the weekdays, so that’s not possible either I'm afraid.

A: Mmm...well, I think we do have something else for you... Yes. here it is. There is a vacancy for a van driving position in a furniture company that might suit you.

S: What is the working time for this one? On the weekends?

A: No, it’s night work.

S: That’s good to hear cause I’m available for most of the late hours.

A: And the good thing for this is that you’ve got variable hours to choose from, though the payment is fixed.

S: Any other restrictions for this one?

A: Yeah, it requires the driver to have reliable driving skills, you know, in case of unnecessary damage or any unwanted possibilities of accidents.

S: Night work is perfect. But I don’t even have a driver’s licence, not to mention my horrible driving skills.

A: Hmm...no driver's licence...That makes it impossible at all then. All right. The last option that might suit you is a job as a data entry clerk. You'll be expected to work in a school. It’s actually a good place you know.

S: Lovely! And what about the working hours? Not on weekdays I hope.

A: Actually you’ll be working only on weekends. You get a fixed salary and you are expected to be familiar with keyboarding skills. That’s not the only limit though because I’m afraid personal transport is also a must.

S: That’s not a problem. I’ve got a bicycle to travel around with.

A: Great! Now, just fill out this form and we'll see what to do next.

S: Wonderful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2

Interviewer:                              

Today we’re pleased to have on the show Chris Evans from The Royal Caledonian Curling Club. Now, let's welcome Chris to tell us something about ice curling. Chris, please.

Chris:                               

Thank you. It’s my honour to briefly talk about ice curling here to all of you. So let’s start with what curling is. Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on an ice rink towards a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. Two curling teams consist of four players: the lead, the second, the third and finally the skip. The captain of the curling team, and its players will throw their stones in the order stated above. Each team has eight stones. The purpose is to accumulate the highest score in the game; points are scored depending on which stone is resting closest to the centre of the target area at the end of the game.

The ice surface on which the game is played or the rink in curling is called ‘the sheet’. It is covered with tiny droplets of water that become ice and cause the stones to ‘curl’ or deviate from a straight path. The curling players should slide the heavy, polished stones or rocks, across the ice curling sheet towards the house—a circular target marked on the ice, as I’ve mentioned before.

There are several pieces of equipment essential for a curling game, so a concise introduction will be given to you. The most important things are the curling brush, which is used to sweep the ice surface in the path of the stone; as well as the curling stone, which is sometimes called rock. The former is usually made of horsehair, and the latter is made of granite, mainly coming from Scotland.

Curling shoes are similar to ordinary athletic shoes except that the two shoes in a pair have dissimilar soles. The sole of the slider shoe, which is designed for the sliding foot, is typically made of Teflon, while the gnpper shoe for the hack foot has a special layer of rubber applied to the sole. During the curling game, you may also find a stopwatch attached either to the player’s clothing or the broom, which is used to time the stones over a fixed distance to calculate their speed.

Chris:                               

Now a word about the development of curling clubs. Curling is thought to have been invented in medieval Scotland, and outdoor curling was very popular in Scotland between the 16th and 19th centuries, as the climates provided good ice conditions every winter. Kilsyth Curling Club is renowned as the first club in the world, having been formally constituted in 1716. and widely influencing the ice curling development. In Kilsyth today, both Men's and Ladies’ sections are thriving, participating in all major competitions and having won championships in the British Open in the past.

The mother club of curling—Grand Caledonian Curling Club was instituted in 1838 for the purpose, not as such to attract people's interest, but to regulate the ancient Scottish game of curling by general laws. With these official rules, the young curlers could be trained in a more professional way. By 1842 the new national club had sought and obtained royal patronage, and it has ever since been known as The Royal Caledonian Curling Club.

However, many sports such as athletics and tennis were frowned upon as being too recreational and not practical enough. So the  crown banned them by law during the 1300s in the hope that men would instead practise the archery skills that were seen as vital to the country’s defence. And the ban was lifted in the 17th century. So. do you know the reason for curling being kept during the 16th century? Is it because it was so popular or because people from all ages like children could play it? The spirit of curling dictates that one never cheers mistakes, misses or gaffes by one’s opponent, and most importantly, all the team members should strictly follow the instructions of their captain, which is essential for men in battle.

Curling was brought to Canada from Scotland and some curling was played informally before 1800. Curlers often used iron curling •stones’, made from melted materials such as cannonballs rather than granite until the early 1900s, because there were transport problems importing granite stones from Scotland...

 

SECTION 3

Tutor: = T: | Greg: = G:

T: OK, Greg, so I finally managed to read the article you submitted—the one about the study of the wind farm in Australia.

G: You did? Great! What did you think of it?

T: Yeah. I was a little confused at first because of the background information you failed to present on the paper. I mean, it’s kind of important for you to give some general knowledge before you start actually writing on the main theme.

G: Oh, I was thinking of doing that during the presentation session, but now that you have mentioned it. I could add it to the beginning of the essay. I’ve done some research on that. To think about the different ways that people use wind. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest sources of power, as well as one of the oldest. Windmills began to be used in ancient Iran back in seventh century BC. They were first  introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power. For many centuries, people used windmills to grind wheat into flour or pump water from deep underneath the ground. During the 1970s. people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realised that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered and carried out into research for the first time.

T: Greg, why don’t you just put all of that information together and present that in the introduction part of your essay?

G: OK, I'll do that. What also intrigued me was that there were disadvantages about a windfarm. You see. all the conventional ‘green’ scenarios for reducing carbon emissions include a dramatic upscaling in renewable power generated by wind, both on and off shore. However, the environmental impacts of this large-scale industrial deployment, both of turbines and power lines, frequently in relatively natural areas, are often neglected by climate campaigners. For example, wind turbines have the reputation of generating noise as well as electricity, so as more electricity is produced, they can be really noisy. Another thing is that some new turbine blades kill a worrying number of birds, especially large birds like raptors.

T: But there must be a bright side, right?

G: Yeah, of course. According to figures pulled together by consultants of the Intelligent Energy Systems using data from the Australian Market Operator, wind energy accounted for 50 percent of demand in the state. That’s half of the power source. Besides, this one unexpected outcome really attracts lots of visitors and helps the local tourism.

T: That’s good to hear.

T: Oh. how about the structure?

G: Offshore wind farms consist of a number of connected elements. These include the turbines, foundations, array cables, offshore substation, export cable and onshore substation and infrastructure. Just a single one of these giant wind turbine blades produced by manufacturer Siemens is almost as big as the Airbus A380. the world's largest plane. That’s made in Europe. 

T: Impressive!

G: Actually at first there were protests among residents who claimed themselves to be victims of land loss and noise. Then policies came out really quick, and then they could get allowance from the government. From then on, things went smoothly.

T: What would happen in extreme weather conditions? I mean it could be dangerous if hurricanes occur.

G: A motorised operating mechanism enables the device to be switched back on remotely. All versions feature the modular design and share the same complete range of standard accessories. Thanks to its very extensive operating temperature range of -25 to 70 °C and its storage temperature range of -40 to 70 °C. it is ideally suited for use in wind turbines under extreme climatic conditions. Though they do have an option to lower the speed of it.      

T: Wonderful. Then what were the fans, or turbine blades made of? Is it a special kind of metal?

G: No. they were too heavy. Wind turbine blades must be strong, light and capable of operating for decades without much, if any, maintenance. Fiberglass is one of the main components of many large-scale wind turbine blades. The material is used because it is lightweight, easily shaped and not too expensive. Another material used to make longer turbine blades is timber. This material is too expensive to use amongst all the blades, but on the longer blades it's used to help reinforce them because it is stiff and light.

 

 

SECTION 4

So what I'm going to talk about to you today is something called Tea Tree Oil, which was first extracted from Melaleuca altemifolia in Australia. This species remains the most important, commercially. Several other species are cultivated for their oil extraction.

There is a very long history of tea tree oil’s use in aromatherapy. Traditionally, Melaleuca altemifolia leaves were crushed and the oil was inhaled by the Aborigines of Australia for the treatment of coughs, colds and also for the treatment of wounds. For instance, they chewed the young leaves to alleviate headaches, and took them to treat sore throats or skin ailments.

The Aborigines' world was discovered by Willem Jantszoon. a Dutch explorer, who was the first European to sail to Australia. In 1606. he reached the northern coast of Australia in his ship. Then several voyages of exploration followed in the first half of the seventeenth century. The Dutch found it a paradise on earth for man’s well-being, with timber, stone, and lime for building. There was also plenty of salt and the coast was full of fish. Besides, they found the characteristics of the diet there because they happened to meet ten naked, black Aborigines having a meal in the open air.

While the value of tea tree oil originated from Australia, it was gradually known and tested by the outsiders. In the middle of the eighteenth century. Sir Hugh Palliser, an officer of the British Royal Navy, who had been to Australia several times during that period, got serious injuries all over due to his experiences in several Wars. For more than the last fifteen or sixteen years of his life, he seldom laid down on a bed because of the constant pain in his leg. Then he tried tea tree oil, as it was said that tea tree oil could operate as a very powerful immuno stimulant for pre and post surgical care.

The use of the name Tea Tree, also called paper bark trees, probably originated from Captain James Cook’s description he made soon after he had arrived at the coast of New South Wales in 1770. At the time, he witnessed some Aborigines of Australia using one of the shrubs' leaves to make an infused drink in place of tea. 

In the 1920s. some human clinical research and the documentation of many benefits associated with tea tree oil were credited, which were made by Dr. Arthur Penfold, an Australian government chemist. He investigated the business potential of a number of native extracted oils, then reported that tea tree oil was promising, as it exhibited powerful antiseptic properties. But after World War II, the entry of antibiotics declined the use of natural products in medicine, which had a negative effect on the production of tea tree oil.

As such an important and valuable material in the world, how is tea tree oil produced? I think most of you are curious about this. Tea tree oil can be extracted in some different ways, but the most traditional way is steam distillation. Once harvested in winter, when the amount of required essence in oil meet the needs for production, the finely cut trees are transported to a steam distillation facility. The extraction is made by distilling the leaves in specially designed stainless steel stills along with the stems, to yield pure oil. The water-filled boiler is heated and constantly monitored to maintain the correct temperature. Both the steam and oil evaporate and then condense as they run through a pipe into the collecting container where the oil floats to the lid, while the water, because of gravity, goes steadily out the lower exit pipe. At the end of the hour, the oil is siphoned off through the upper pipe, while the condensed steam floats through the lower pipe towards the ground.

At the end of each distillation all the spent plant material is hauled out of the still pot by hand with a short rake, piled onto a trailer and spread where required as a thick woody mulch...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 6

SECTION 1

Interviewer: = I: | Lee: = L:

I: Excuse me.

L: Yes?

I: I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to do a questionnaire on your residency here in the North. It won’t take long.

L: No, that’s fine.

I: Lovely. First of all, may I get some information about yourself?

L: OK.

I: May I know your name and your age?

L: My name’s Lee, and I’m 19 years old now.

I: Great. And could 1 ask what your job is? Are you a student?

L: Actually, I’m going to continue my study in Business Management next month, but at the moment.

     I'm a salesman by profession.

I: Oh. right. And how long have you been living here, in the North?

L: Well, I have been in this city since I was 3 years old. but my family and I had lived in the east for 7 years at first. Now I am 19. so I have spent about 9 years living here till now.

I: Great. Which part of the northern area do you live in?

L: 1 live in Spring Park. Have you heard of it?

I: Yes. of course. So what about your accommodation? Do you live in a house or a flat or something similar?

L: I used to live with my family in a big house. And now I’m living in an apartment with two of my friends, who are my colleagues as well.

I: Oh. right. And one more question. What means of mansport will you take when you need to go somewhere?

L: Um. if it’s not too far away I’d prefer to go on foot or by bicycle. If there is a long way to go, 1 take the train or sometimes a cab. I rarely take buses, because I think the most important things to keep in mind are time and comfort.

I: Great. Thanks.

I: Now. let’s go to the second part of my questionnaire. I'd like you to tell me. how often do you dine out? Is it once a week or several times a year?

L: I'm afraid neither of those options agree with me. I don't often go out for dinner, maybe once a month. Every week seems too often for me.

I: OK. Then, where do you usually go for recreation?

L: I often go to places that other people go to. I sometimes go clubbing after work. You know there are some fantastic clubs nearby.

I: And if you do not have to work during the day. will you go for a show or something?

L: You know, there is a newly-built theatre that opened last month in Spring Park, but I rarely go there because it’s too expensive. I prefer to go to the cinema to see some of the latest movies.

I: Do you like doing sports? And what is your main form of exercise?

L: I like swimming, and I go to the gym occasionally, but I spend most of my spare time sailing.

I: Oh, right. Last question. Have you taken any part-time courses?

L: Yes. Because I'm really keen on cartoons, I'm doing a Japanese course during the weekends. But I'm still a beginner.

I: Wow, what a special language! Most people I know would like to learn Spanish or Latin. You must be brilliant! Well, thank you very much for your time.

L: No problem. Bye.

 

SECTION 2

Hello, I'm delighted to welcome you to our Mining Community, and very pleased that you're interested in the ores and pits of this area. 1 think you'll be pleasantly surprised w ith your special experience here. Now. let me start by giving you some warnings on safety rules and regulations.

Rule number one: always wear safety equipment. There is a litany of safety equipment that mining workers use for their protection, from helmets to safety glasses and gloves. It is essential that all workers wear the necessary safety equipment at all times. There have been countless stories of workers being saved  by helmets, which are the hard hats that you can see on the shelf beside you. So visitors wearing helmets is mandatory in the mining area, although you are free to take them off when you are in the mining museum and picnic area. You won’t need to pay any deposit though you should return them to the counter once you finish the visit. The helmets are offered in all sizes so choose a suitable one.

All right. Our mining Community is currently being refurbished for some of the main area. So please make a note of that and you'll know what to look out for. So. when you go in or out of the mine, please pay attention to the road for it has just been repaired because of the rough surface, and can be really slippery since it’s still wet. The history and process of tin mining are complicated and involve a lot of special words, but here you will see how it w as and still is done. After a short 5-10 minute walk, visitors can track round a numbered route with clear explanations. Most of the tour is in the open air. so nice weather helps. All areas are clearly posted w ith signs, but if you have problems travelling around or climbing up and down. you can turn to the staff here and we are happy to help. If you are interested. Blue Hills Tin Stream is a working water-powered tin streaming mill that gives visitors a very clear idea of how difficult it is to get tin out of rock. I hope you'll enjoy the informative indoor presentation and this self-guided tour. But you have to bear one thing in mind that smoking is forbidden throughout the Whole community, though you can take phones and of course use them. You’ll also be surprised that there will be more than just one place to go in the mine. The underground tunnel is now being refurbished and only relevant workers can access it. But it will soon be all finished and I believe it's a lovely place for you to explore around. Don't forget to wear protective clothing—it’s mandatory.

Now; let’s start by seeing where you can go. As you can see on our map in the brochure I've given you. we are here, at the reception block. We have a famous I mill which is used for making and processing materials such as steel and coal. To visit it. just go straight ahead north along the path in front of you and you’ll find it at the end of the path.

Now towards the east, go along the path from our starting point. Turn left at the corner and then turn right. There is a car park at the east end of the lane. To the west, there is a museum. Pass the shop around the crossroads, and it is just located at the west end of the road. And by the way, the shop is specialised in selling a variety of ore-related souvenirs, including keyrings, postcards, tin-made Lewis Chessmen, and even Roman Soldiers which are made from beautiful pyrite.

If you are interested in the laboratory where scientific experiments, analyses and research are carried out, it is situated at the southern part of the park, opposite of the shop. 1 bet you'll be happy to hear that this laboratory is also used for gold and crystal refinement. So don’t miss this one for the sake of it.

I assume by this time you’ll all need some rest and refreshments, so we have an excellent café which caters for delicious food and beverages at the other side of the road next to the shop. Of course if you want to spend some time in the fresh air. we have a perfect picnic area which is just right and northeast of the reception block. Further east there is a path leading to the northern part of the park, and at the end of it is the toilet.

Now most of the visitors would choose to use the mailbox and send the beautiful postcards to their friends. To reach it, just...

SECTION 3

Karen: = K: | Dave: = D:

K: Hi Dave, as you know, I’ve asked you to come here today to discuss the assignment for our Biology class. We must decide what we should do about this very important research work.

D: The Whale Survey? Yeah. 1 was also hoping to share some ideas with you. So, let’s start!

K: OK. I’ve dug into some journal articles to see what sort of questions we should consider. Most of them include watching time and strongly urge it to be the top concern. What do you say?

D: Yeah, the watching time should be carefully chosen since I’ve heard a lot of unnecessary failures concerning picking the wrong time when it all went stormy and murky and then nothing was seen during the whole field trip. I mean, they could have avoided that easily.

K: Right! Then we should also pay close attention to the sea's surface, because no one wants to encounter the failures you just mentioned.

D: I think we'd better hope for the best that it will be calm, with no choppy status.

K: What about the weather conditions?

D: That definitely should be taken into account as it correlates with all the former factors. Most important of all, as a sighting is made, position and environmental parameters are recorded on standardised sighting pro formats, including: time, visibility, position of the ship (using a global positioning system), wind speed, and wind direction.

K: Shouldn't there be a set limit for the visibility level, say 50 metres?

D: Cetaceans are really sensitive to sound. They are able to know that something's coming after them so they would hide in order to avoid possible danger. So, let's make it 100 metres, shall we?

K: Yeah, that might be better. Oh, in that case, we’d also need to pay attention to the appearance of the fishing boats, you know, for all the noise that they w ould make.

D: That’s right. Although observations were regularly made, we know very little about whale vocalisation and how they use sound in their behavioural and social interactions. So, to understand marine mammal's social interactions, we'll need to use passive acoustic recordings to track and assess the individual behaviours of w hales as well as to identify their appearance.

K: OK. Then what about scales?

D: Oh. for each sighting, the number of animals should be counted the group size, I mean. Also, we need to identify the species, possible age and sex of the individuals.

 

 

D:          Speaking of identifying species, we need to find out the unique physical features of each whale. Let's start with the sperm whale. The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale, yet it's only a quarter of that of the blue whale. Its unique body is unlikely to be confused with any other species and that distinctive shape comes from its very large, block-shaped head, which can be one-quarter to one-third of its length. The sperm w hale's flukes are triangular and very thick. It has a series of little bumps on the back of its fluke instead of having a dorsal fin. The largest bump is called the ‘hump' by whalers, and can be mistaken for a dorsal fin because of its shape and size.

Then there is the Northern right whale. Right whales have round bodies with arching rostrums, V-shaped blowholes and dark gray or black skin. The most distinguishing feature of a right whale is the rough patches of skin on its head which appear white due to parasitism by whale lice. It has no back fins at all.

The blue whale’s body can be various shades of bluish-grey dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath. It has a long tapering body that appears stretched in comparison to the stockier build of other whales. The head is flat, U-shaped and has a prominent ridge running from the blowhole to the top of its upper lip.

Lastly are the minke whales. They are the second smallest baleen whale. The minke whale is black, gray or purple in colour. Common minke whales are distinguished from other whales by a white band they have on each flipper. Their long back and tiny dorsal fin, two-thirds of the way; down their back is quite distinctive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4

Good morning, class. In the last few lectures, I’ve talked about the history of technology in the business area. But today I want to use Samuel Cunard as our case study, who was a shipping magnate that founded the Cunard Line.

Now; Cunard was born in Canada. When he first left home he was still a teenager. Then be came into a US company as a worker and learned how to  sail there. During the War of 1812. Cunard volunteered for service in the 2nd Battalion of the Halifax Regiment militia and rose to the rank of captain. He held many public offices, such as volunteer fireman and lighthouse commissioner, and maintained a reputation as not only a shrewd businessman, but also an honest and generous citizen. When he went to England, his friends cooperated with him and together they coined a shipping company. The company had instant wealth and could deal with more than one cargo for its major business was in North America and the Atlantic. From then onwards, Cunard became a highly successful entrepreneur in British shipping and one of a group of twelve individuals who dominated the affairs of England.

In 1838, the British government, impressed by the advantages of steam sailing for making regular passages, invited tenders to carry the transatlantic mails by steamer. Back then mail contact through steamships brought more punctuality, while other types of ships were always delayed. The journey times were •flexible', with a transatlantic crossing lasting for six weeks, and with no fixed times of departure or arrival. So it was never known when the mail would arrive or. since so many sailing ships foundered, whether it would arrive at all. What Cunard wanted, in line with the thrusting new technology of the Victorian age, was a maritime extension of the brand—new timetabled railways on land.

Cunard's experience in steamship operation, with observations of the growing railway network in England, encouraged him to explore the creation of a Transatlantic fleet of steamships, which would cross the ocean as regularly as trams crossed land, and that’s why he went to the United Kingdom seeking investors in 1837. He set up a company with several other businessmen to bid for the rights to run a transatlantic mail service between the UK and North America for £55.000 annually for 10 years. The bid was successful. Almost at the same time. Cunard cooperated w ith an English businessman and established the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the ancestor of the Canard Line.

In 1840 the company’s first steamship, sailed from Liverpool to Boston, Massachusetts, with Cunard and 63 other passengers on board, marking the beginning of regular passenger and cargo service. Establishing a long unblemished reputation for speed and safety, Cunard's company made ocean liners a success, in the face of many potential rivals who lost ships and fortunes. 

Cunard’s ships proved successful, and he then opened many branches but their high costs saddled Cunard with heavy debts by 1842, so some of them went bankrupt. But what Cunard needed then was a port. After a lot of consideration, he finally opted for Boston because he was very familiar with this city where he had once worked in.

Fortunately, by 1843, Cunard ships were earning enough to pay off his debts and begin issuing modest but growing dividends. But the city did more than give Cunard silverware. Winters can be tough here in Boston; for example, in the year of 1844, one ship sank because of the winter freeze. The ship hit ice bergs and caused a heavy loss to the company. Then the board recommended the company to move to New York, and it was a huge success and then became one of the biggest US shipping companies.

Cunard himself made safety his priority—and to this day Cunard has never been responsible for the loss of a single passenger or a single mailbag on the Atlantic run. Cunard's conservative nature enabled his company to see off rivals and to take a measured and steady approach when it came to the introduction of new technology like radio communication. In the early years of his career Cunard took a prominent part in community activities, and various charitable organisations as well as mercantile affairs which extended throughout the Atlantic provinces. Back then, there were hardly any entertainment facilities on board. In order to make sure that the passengers could have a comfortable journey, newspapers were printed on board.

Cunard was gratefully remembered for employing his capital in shipbuilding activities in the hard times of the 1830s because this enterprise had circulated money where there would otherwise be poverty and stagnation. His competitiveness and his obsession not to waste time were important characteristics of his personality. Prior to 1912, the shipping line had focused on speed and soon was renowned for its velocity and safety. Although early in life Cunard was imperious, he learned diplomacy and became a skillful and persuasive negotiator. His contemporaries admired him for the contribution to transatlantic communication by the line popularly called by his name. After that, for affluent transatlantic passengers, Cunard brought new levels of luxury to ocean travel—lavish suites, a swimming pool, gymnasium, ballroom, electricity and more, just like that of luxurious hotels. OK. So does anyone have any...