IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test Vol 1-2

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 01 – Test 29

SECTION 1

CLERK:	Good morning, ma’am, and welcome to “Australia’s Moving Experience”! How can I help you?
WOMAN:	Well, I... I hope you can help me. I'm so up in the air right now... I...
CLERK:	Just calm down, now. Let me guess: you’re moving and it has you a little confused.
WOMAN:	That’s it exactly. You see. I’m relocating to the United States next month and I’m having a hard time getting organised.
CLERK:	Here, fill out your name and address, and let me ask you a few questions. Oh, what should I call you?
WOMAN:	My name is Jane, Jane Bond. (Example)
CLERK:	OK, Jane, first of all, what’s your work phone number? In case I have any questions about things.
WOMAN:	My work phone is 94635550 (Q1). But please try not to call me too often there. My boss hates personal calls.
CLERK:	So does mine, ma’am, so does mine. And what address should we ship your things to?
WOMAN:	My new company is letting me stay temporarily at 509 Clark House (Q2), that’s C-L-A-R-K, 1137 University Drive in Seattle. (Q3)
CLERK:	Seattle? Beautiful city, I hear. Mountains right beside the ocean, almost. Cooler than Australia, too. OK, and when should we come pack your things?
WOMAN	I guess that would be on Monday, March 11th. (Q4)
CLERK:	Do you want any help with an after-packing clean-up? We do that for a small additional charge.
WOMAN:	Yes, that would be helpful. I promised the landlord I’d give her the keys back by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday (Q5), the 14th.
CLERK	Great, we’ll just schedule the clean-up for that day. That way, the place will smell clean and there’ll be no dust.
WOMAN:	Well, you do think of everything! Oh, how much is this going to cost?
CLERK:	Here is a list of our basic prices.
WOMAN	Oh dear, this seems rather expensive!
CLERK:	Yes ma’am, but you’re paying for the best. We’re careful and we’re fast. Like we say, the only thing we break are speed records getting you moved.
WOMAN:	Well… maybe that’s so… Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you. I don’t want my furniture shipped with me. I won’t be looking for an apartment till after I arrive in America. Would it be possible to put my furniture in storage here for a month (Q6), then have it sent along later?
CLERK:	Of course, we do that all the time. A couple of other things. Here at “A Moving Experience”, we try to pack your things logically. We don’t just throw stuff in boxes.
CLERK:	Do you have any special requests? You know, things you want packed in some special place, so you know where to find them?
WOMAN:	Like what?
CLERK:	Oh, I don’t know... Things like dishes maybe. Not to be rude, but you look like a lady who likes to eat.
WOMAN:	Ahhh! Yes, I need my dishes and things where I can find them quickly.
CLERK:	Great. We’ll put those dishes and cutlery in what we call the emergency pack (Q7). Can you think of anything else?
WOMAN:	Ummm, I do have an antique tea kettle (Q8) my great-grandmother gave my mother. I wouldn’t want to lose that. So I guess you’d better put that in storage with the furniture. (Q8)
CLERK:	Grandma’s tea kettle with the furniture, got it! Say, how about things like your alarm clock? You don’t want to miss your plane on the big day, right?
WOMAN	Well, you certainly think of everything! Yes, that’s right. I’ll also need my alarm clock where I can find it. (Q9)
CLERK	Fine, we’ll put that in your personal package (Q9). And of course, we’ll give you a list of where we pack everything. So, all you’ll have to do on Thursday, the 14th is grab your luggage on your way out the door. Um, I couldn’t help noticing the new CD player you’re carrying. Is that a Samsung?
WOMAN:	Why? Yes, it is. One of their best. Cost me nearly a hundred dollars, it did!
CLERK:	Do you want to take special care of it? I mean it’s brand new.
WOMAN:	Take care of it, but nothing special. You can just put it in storage with the furniture. (Q10)
CLERK:	That looks like everything we need here. I guess you’re all set.
WOMAN:	That was certainly quick. Thank you, young man. This has been a most moving experience!

SECTION 2

Good morning everyone, and welcome to the 2nd Annual Wullaballoo Conference on Mastering Computer Languages. I hope you all had a good trip. Before we get underway with today’s programme, let me fill you in as to what’s on tap for tomorrow, Sunday, February 19th.

At 9:00 a.m. right here in the Main Hall, we’ll be hearing a lecture from Dr John Smith about “Computer as Teacher’’ (Q11). Professor Smith, from the University of Melbourne (Q12), is a world-class expert in the field of computer-assisted education, and his talk promises to be both stimulating and informative.

Immediately afterwards, at 10:30, there will be a presentation of papers by various delegates. That, however, will take place in the Garden Room on the ground floor. If you don’t yet know, the Garden Room is also called the Ballroom, and we’ll be gathering at the west end, the slightly raised area called Level 2. Just look for the crowd. If you get lost, there are signs in the foyer.

After all that thinking, talking, and listening, I expect everyone will be a bit weary. So at 11:15, there will be a break for coffee, cookies, and other light refreshments. These will be available at the aptly named Refreshment Stand, placed by the door back here in the Main Hall. Also, if you choose to skip the formal lunch, you can buy a packed lunch at the stand for a reasonable price.

I strongly urge you, however, to join us at the formal lunch. That won’t be till one o’clock sharp, so you have time to stroll about town a bit. We’ll be eating at the Sea View Restaurant. The restaurant is located right here in the hotel, on the top floor (Q13). It’s a good dozen flights of stairs, so I suggest you take the lift on the ground floor (Q14), eh? If you’re not fond of fish, there is an all-you-can-eat barbecue available as well. They even offer wallaby meat!

After lunch, we’ll troop back downstairs to Level 2 in the Ballroom for the presentation of further papers, which will begin at 2:00 p.m. Please try to be on time. I know you’ll be a bit tired after lunch, but the Ballroom echoes so with people coming in late. Thank you in advance.

Once we’ve heard the papers, we’ll break for afternoon tea at 3:10 (Q15) p.m. No need to walk. The manager of the refreshment stand has graciously agreed to have tea served in the Ballroom. He’s even promised us some special scones, baked from a recipe of his dear old Scottish grandmother.

Then, tea being drunk and scones munched, we’ll retire here to the Main Hall for some closing remarks and questions. So, by 5:00 we should have the conference wrapped up. But the fun isn’t over! This is Australia mates! We’ll be flocking to the hotel’s own Palm Lounge (Q16) on the east side of the foyer for an informal reception. You can relax, mingle with the other delegates, and let your hair down a bit. This will run from 5:10 to 6:10, though you’re free to stay as long as you like. The lounge manager has informed me that, for the duration of the actual reception, you can have all-you-can-drink beer for $20.00 with purchase of an advance ticket.

And, yes, tickets can be purchased from any conference organiser or at the front desk anytime between now and the start of the reception. (Q17)

I suggest you come by tomorrow evening to pick up the tickets since the conference hall only holds 800 people. That way, you can also get your journey planned ahead of time and be sure not to miss this truly memorable conference. If you want cocktails, however, I’m sorry. You’ll have to pay for those at the regular price.

Oh my goodness! Speaking of paying, I see I forgot to tell you a couple of things. The first is about lunch. The charge for the lunch will be $15.00 for all you delegates (Q18). If you have guests with you, the cost is $25.00 for the general public, and $6.50 for children under the age of 10. That’s fifteen dollars each, not total for everyone! Another item is about the lunch menu. I very much urge you to try the fish. I mean, look at the restaurant’s name: Sea View. As the name suggests, it is a famous seafood restaurant (Q19). The chef is a Basque from Spain, and he really gets quite put out when people ignore his fish specialties for burgers or barbecue. If fish isn’t your thing though, try the steak – he makes an exquisite Filet mignon topped with bleu cheese and mushrooms.

Finally, if you’d like to buy a ticket, you can have both lunch and the unlimited beer for $35.00 (Q20). I should have mentioned that earlier, but I am a bit forgetful. Maybe I should avoid the beer after the conference, eh?

Well, I’ve said my bit. Are there any questions?

SECTION 3

Student:	Hello... Are you professor van diezen?
Professor:	Yes, i am. And who might you be?
Student:	Oh! Sorry, my name is tina. I’m a freshman here. They told me i should ask you for advice in choosing courses.
Professor:	Well, that’s part of what i’m here for. Please come in and sit down. Now, what are your questions?
Student:	I, i almost don’t know! Everything is so confusing! Like what is a “specialised course”?
Professor:	Oh, easy. A specialised course is one that is compulsory, meaning it’s a requirement for your major and regular, so you can’t place out by taking a proficiency exam. (Q21)
Student:	That sounds pretty strict. Then what are all these general courses? I seem to have to take so many.
Professor:	Nothing to be alarmed over. These are courses open to all students and not directly related to your major. The university offers these general courses to choose so that you can become more well-rounded individuals. For example, i see you're a microbiology major. So it might be a good idea to take some literature or history courses so that you can know something besides all science.
Student:	You mean these courses are, like, for fun?
Professor:	That might be one way to look at it, but don’t tell the literature professor such a thing. Think of a general course as the opposite of a specified course. A specified course is one that pertains directly to your major.
Student	So can i take any microbiology course i want?
Professor:	Let’s see. Oh, those courses used to be open to microbiology students only. The good thing is, now it’s open to students on a flexible schedule, so it’s not only for full-time students (Q22). So the answer is yes, if you have the instructor’s permission. May I ask you why you chose Microbiology?
Student:	Well, i also like plain old biology, too. You know, full- sized animals. I might even become a veterinarian. Could i take some biology classes?
Professor:	Well, they are open to full-time students only (Q23), which I believe is what you are. I don’t know how a freshman would get along with Microbiology, though. I mean, most of the students presently looking into it are from off-campus. (Q24)
Student:	Off-campus?
Professor:	Yes, you know, people who use it in their work at hospitals, laboratories, even a police detective. Why did you choose microbiology, if i may ask? I don’t think you quite answered that.
Student:	Well, eventually i want to be a doctor. At least my dad tells me so.
Professor:	If i may say so, young lady, you seem a little uncertain. Still, i think that might be a good idea for a career. Of course, if you’re thinking about being either a doctor or a vet, you should take some medical science classes before you even think of applying to med school.
Student:	Great! What should i take?
Professor:	There is one small problem. The new Medical Sciences building is under construction, so there are no experimental facilities available until next year. (Q25). I’m afraid you’ll have to wait. But don’t forget to take those courses at the first opportunity!
Student:	Oh, bummer. Is there any other course you’d recommend for someone like me?
Professor:	Well, since you seem to like animals, have you ever thought about looking into Environmental Science? (Q26)
Student:	No, i never really thought about it before. Is it worthwhile?
Professor:	Quite! In fact, it’s the fastest growing subject on this campus. (Q26)
Professor:	I’m sorry, i couldn’t help noticing the long list of classes you’ve written out there. May i have a look?
Student:	Oh, sure.
Professor:	Medical science, statistics, laboratory techniques, medicine, mathematics, computing. My, my, a bit of everything here.
Student:	Is it too much?
Professor:	For your first semester, yes. What I suggest is starting out by taking the compulsory courses (Q27). Like we said before, the Medical Science can wait. Consider taking that in your sophomore year. I think i’d put off computing, too. I recommend to all freshmen that I talk to get the compulsory Mathematics out of the way as early as possible (Q27), so take that one. It’ll be one less difficult course you have to focus on when the science lab opens next year, and you have to catch up on classes like laboratory techniques. Your major also requires Statistics so you have to balance two Maths classes, and no doubt you should take that (Q28). Otherwise, get your required Medicine course out of the way by taking something theory-based. (Q29) Oh, of course and your environmental science class if you’re interested. The others can wait, though i think computing is definitely a good idea, even though it’s not required. I see too, on your paper there, you seem to have had high marks on the entrance exam.
Student	Uhhh, yeah. I guess so.
Professor.	Don't be shy! Have you thought about applying for a scholarship?
Student	Do they have any? I mean, my dad is always complaining about how much money it costs him.
Professor.	In your department, there are actually three full scholarships available. They cover tuition and provide $1,500 cash.
Student:	$1,500 cash?! Party!
Professor	Please, Miss. The money is intended more as a textbook allowance (Q30), not party money. If you promise to behave,
Student:	Great, and thanks!

SECTION 4

We’ve been talking about choosing building materials in the last week. Now, a great many factors influence the choice of building materials. You can’t make a house of cards, right? And “people who live in glass houses…” and all that… Anyhow, today I’d like to say a few words about flooring.

Some artificial materials can be used, like plastic (Q31) for instance, which offer mixed blessings when used as a flooring surface. On the one hand, plastic is cheaper than nearly any other alternative, short of bare ground. Plastic also does not warp like wood. On the other hand, the best that can be said about plastic is that it “looks like” wood or stone. However, it cannot replace the real materials. As I have mentioned, I’m fixing up a new house. The decorator my wife hired told me, “Plastic does a great job of looking exactly like plastic.” Besides, it scratches easily, fades or discolours, and starts cracking within a year or two. So, if you’re fitting out a sleazy hotel or plan to live in a trailer park, go with the plastic. Really, though, for all intents and purposes, this leaves us with wood or stone as choices for flooring.

Stone and wood are alike in at least one respect: both go through processing (Q32) before they can be put to use. Since few of us cut our own lumber or quarry our own stone, this is not perhaps a pressing concern. Still, do-it-yourselfers would do well to remember to buy only properly seasoned (Q33) wood. Unseasoned wood warps and a warped floor quickly becomes firewood (and its owner quickly becomes poorer). Likewise, except for dull-hued materials like slate or sandstone, most stone floors are polished (Q34) before installation. The choice goes well beyond just wood or stone – each type requires many further considerations. A few special remarks are called for when considering wood, for example. As always, aesthetics, personal taste, and layout all play roles as well as the type of house or room. Oh, and certainly don’t forget the cost (Q35). When it comes to cost, a rule of thumb is that the softer and less exotic the wood, the lower the cost. In the US, for instance, pine is both ubiquitous and cheap. Mahogany is imported and exorbitantly expensive. If you’re on any kind of budget when remodeling, it’s really helpful to remember to go for the softer woods.

Aside from cost, there are still lots of different factors that are important in choosing the best flooring for the job. Continuing with the example of wood, one must consider the effects of each type of wood on the mood of the room. When selecting the best wood to use, particular attention needs to be paid to its grain patterns (Q36), texture, and colour. In rooms where relaxation or deep thought is the aim – say bedrooms or the study – dark, strong grained woods are the rule.

Here the grain ought to match the furniture for a feeling of homogeneity. In rooms where activity and motion are typical – the dining room or living room – lighter, finer-grained lumber is more suitable.

In such a setting, the wood grain might be useful in offering a contrast to the furniture. This leads to a feel of subconscious excitement, in keeping with the room’s function.

In either case, though, consult a decorator. It is a decorator’s job to know what materials to use to fit the function of the room. Though some things about putting together a room are subjective and based on one’s individual taste, materials appropriate to a room’s function are much more straightforward. A decorator takes the needs of the customer and uses a mathematical formula, rather than subjective words (Q37). Since feelings vary from person to person, verbal descriptions of wood types tend to be ambiguous. You want the wood you select, not something approximate! And if you do decide to do it yourself, remember that all wood must be treated with preservatives to enhance its appearance and preserve its natural beauty.

In the case of stone, or “quarry tile” as flat-cut flooring stone is properly called, a new set of considerations must be weighed up. Simple colour aside, the degree of reflection must be kept in mind. This is called the “reflectance rate”, which is expressed in a number between 0.0 and 1.0, depending on the amount of light it reflects.

At one end of the scale is polished silver. At a rating of 1.0, this shiny surface reflects nearly all of the light directed at it. Numbers closer to zero describe materials that absorb more light. Moving down the scale a bit, we see the plastic that has been painted white has a rate of 0.8 (Q38), which makes sense. We know that the colour white reflects all other colours while black absorbs all colours, and plastic itself is a relatively reflective material.

Materials that are denser and darker have reflectance rates much closer to zero. The quarry tile I mentioned a while ago has a rate of 0.1 (Q39). As you may know, quarry tile is generally dark brown and made from clay so it is quite dense. Of course, there is considerable variation among types of quarry tile because of the hue or treatment of the clay during its creation. Does anyone have any guesses as to what materials may have a rate of almost 0.0? We can guess most of these materials are black in colour, but plastic, wood, and even stone reflect some light. One material with a rate of almost 0.0 is black velvet (Q40). The texture produces almost no shine at all.

Carrara marble, despite its white hue, is actually lower in reflectivity than black onyx! In any case, the fact that tiles vary somewhat should not be forgotten. A highly reflective floor would not be suitable in a library; it would be indispensable in a ballroom (should your home be large enough to feature one). Again, a rule of thumb is that “light means lively”. Since form and material follow function, one should only use the more reflective materials in rooms where the cultivation and expression of energy is important. Bear in mind too that most types of stone cost more than all but the rarest of woods.

Of course, there is no reason why some rooms of a house should not feature wood floors or other stone tiles. You can even mix the two. A room with wood panels on the walls can have a beautiful stone floor. My bedroom has white birch walls and a light blue slate floor. The place looks like a Russian hunting lodge. Remember, though, go with what feels right for you. Good taste and the “laws” of interior design are the homeowner’s servants, not his master. It’s only beautiful when you decide it is. I mean, you’re the one who lives there, not the decorator, right? OK, are there any questions?

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 02 – Test 30

SECTION 1

Woman: Good morning. I’ve been looking at your holidays to Australia in your brochure (Example). I’m thinking of going during the second half of next month.

MAN: Good morning. As you can see from our brochure, we offer a wide variety of packages to various destinations in Australia. Is there anything in particular that interests you?

Woman: Yes, my husband and I are very interested in the holidays in the Outback.

MAN: These holidays are becoming increasingly popular. Would you like to arrange flights and accommodation with us, or just accommodation?

Woman: Can you arrange flights from Sydney?

MAN: Certainly.

Woman: OK, flights (Q1) and accommodation then.

MAN: Right. You said that you wanted to travel next month. Which date would you prefer? I should point out that there are no daily flights available, so if you have a flexible itinerary, that’s better.

Woman: Well, we arrive in Sydney on the 15th of April (Q2) and we were thinking of travelling to the Outback on the 18th of August, er… I mean April.

MAN: OK. There’s only one flight from Sydney to Alice Springs on the 18th, so I’ll book you on that. It leaves at 10 in the morning, which is quite convenient. Shall I book two seats for you?

Woman: Yes, please.

MAN: As for your stay in the Outback, you can see from the brochure that we offer three packages – budget, standard, and luxury. The budget package is about 500 Australian dollars. The standard package is about 700 and the luxury one is approximately 1,000, though it does depend on exactly what you would like regarding extras. Which one would you prefer?

Woman: Well, we can’t decide between the budget (Q3) and standard options.

MAN: Ah, well, actually, just looking at my computer here, on the date that you want to fly into Alice Springs, there is no standard accommodation available. It’s fully booked, I’m afraid.

Woman: That’s OK. We think that the cheapest (Q3) one should be fine for us. We don’t mind roughing it for a few days and we don’t expect to be spending much time at the accommodation. We prefer the outdoors.

MAN: Right. Let’s look at the room options. First of all, would you prefer a nonsmoking room? (Q4)

Woman: Yes. Neither of us smokes.

MAN: OK.

Woman: Oh, before I forget, could you book everything in my husband’s name, please?

MAN: Yes, of course. Are you paying by credit card?

Woman: Yes.

MAN: In that case, I’ll need your husband’s name exactly as it appears on the card.

Woman: Of course. It’s John A. Smyth (Q5). That’s Smyth with a “Y”.

MAN: John … middle initial “A” … surname Smyth, S-M-Y-T-H. Is that correct?

Woman: Correct.

MAN: Thank you. I’ll just check the price. The room will cost 100 dollars a night plus 10 dollars tax, so 110 dollars (Q6) per night in total. Is that OK?

Woman: Yes, that’s fine. Book us for three nights, please.

MAN: Most of the guests like to participate in some special activities and trips while they are staying in the Outback. Is there anything that interests you and your husband?

Woman: Yes, there are several things we’d like to see and do. We’d definitely like to visit the Cultural Centre. (Q7)

MAN: Yes, that’s very popular. It’s within walking distance of the accommodation and it’s free. It’s also a great place to pick up souvenirs of your trip.

Woman: We were thinking about visiting one of the nearby farms.

MAN: There are two farms nearby – a sheep farm and a kangaroo farm. There is also an opportunity to ride camels in the desert. Have you ridden a camel before?

Woman: No, but it sounds like fun. Could you give me some more details about the kangaroo farm and the camel ride? (Q8)

MAN: Certainly. The kangaroo farm includes information on how the animals are raised whilst the camel ride provides information on desert flora and fauna. Which would you prefer? You can arrange to see the kangaroos in the wild if you like, rather than on a farm.

Woman: That sounds perfect. OK, we’ll go on the camel ride and see the kangaroos in their natural habitat.

MAN: OK. I’ll arrange that for you. I forgot to mention that the journey also includes a stop at a place of aboriginal artwork. It’s a place well-known for its stone carvings of animals and mythical creatures.

Woman: That sounds great! Are the carvings in the desert? (Q9)

MAN: Yes.

Woman: Wonderful!

MAN: Well, that’s perfect then. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely trip, but remember that you need take care in the sun.

Woman: Yes. We’re really looking forward to our trip. We really want to try to experience the Dreamtime under the stars. (Q10)

MAN: Of course. That’s what a trip to the Outback is really all about.

Woman: Yes. Now, how about the cost…

SECTION 2

Continuing our broadcast of public service announcements, Worldwide Helpers announces upcoming vacancies (vị trí tuyển dụng) for a number of volunteer worker positions. All applicants must meet the following requirements.

First of all, applicants must be over 18 (Q11) years of age. The company apologises, but there can be no exceptions to this rule. Second, persons interested in these positions may not have police records (Q12). Minor traffic offences like a parking ticket are, of course, no problem. But, and I quote, “past and present drug users and sex offenders” need not apply. The employer will, of course, check with the police to verify your clean record.

In addition, applicants must supply references (Q13) from past or present employers or teachers along with their recent CV (Q14). These references must testify as to the applicant’s work habits and/or character. Remember, these are references from employers or teachers. A note from your dear old Mum won’t do. Worldwide Helpers assures me that they will contact these references to confirm they are genuine.

Although all positions are volunteer, the employer will reimburse some of your expenses. For example, they will pay for transportation (Q15) to and from the job site. Aside from that, the cost of phone calls is covered.

As for the positions themselves, there are three types. The first involves assisting persons confined to wheelchairs. For this position, volunteers must be physically fit and in excellent health. They must be able to lift at least 150 pounds. They should also have a current First Aid certificate from the Red Cross (Q16). But the most important requirement is that the volunteer must have his own car. On Tuesday afternoons (Q17), the volunteers take their clients to various scenic spots around the city to experience and enjoy nature.

If you don’t drive, but you’d still like to get involved, the centre has a number of openings for people to read to the blind. Readers must, of course, read English clearly. Persons with no foreign accent (Q18) are preferred. For these positions, you must be available on Monday mornings. Oh, wait, I see a note here. There is one opening for someone who can read Urdu. Apparently, there is a Pakistani blind person who’d like to hear his or her native language. But the other positions are all in English.

And finally, there are a limited number of volunteers needed to care for disabled children (Q19). I’m sorry, but the information I’ve been given does not say how many children or what disabilities they have. In any case, you are needed to care for the children for one week in August. Apparently, this will be at the close of the summer holiday. I would guess this involves helping them with the routine chores of daily life. Again, volunteers for this position must know basic First Aid, be in good health, and be able to lift up to 75 pounds. (Q20)

All applications for this position have to be submitted (nộp đơn) no later than Monday, August 8,h. Applications may be made either by regular postal service - the “snail mail” - or by e-mail. The mailing address is Worldwide Helpers, Post Office Box 651, East Surrey BY8 99C. Please write “ATTENTION: Mary Smith” on the envelope (phong bì). Or you can send e-mail to acrawfor@worldwidehelpers.org. That’s A-C-R-A-W-F-O-R at W-O-R-L-D-W-I-D-E-H-E-L-P-E-R-S dot org. So get out there and do something good!

OK, our next announcement is looking for someone to “facilitate” tiger breeding at the London Zoo. And, get this, it’s a “strictly volunteer” position. That means you don’t get paid! Oh my God... I’m sorry ladies and gentlemen, but I just have to laugh...

Facilitate: tạo điều kiện, dễ dàng, thuận tiện

SECTION 3

DAVE: Are you just leaving the library now? I saw you get there at 8:00 a.m.!

PETE: Yeah, I’ve been there all day.

DAVE: What for? They hired a cute new librarian or something?

PETE: I wish. No, it’s the presentation that I will give in Environmental Science the day after tomorrow.

DAVE: What’s it about? I heard you were really excited about the class. And Dr Schnee also calls you for the “arcane” questions, as he calls them.

PETE: It’s about environmental damage in the Yucatan.

DAVE: Excuse me, what? Or is that where?

PETE: Yucatan. It’s a state in Southeast Mexico.

DAVE: So what’s happening there?

PETE: Agriculture is having a really adverse (Q21) impact on the environment. There are too many farmers doing too much farming. It’s really destroying the forests and ruining the soil. Deforestation is a major problem there now.

DAVE: How did you learn about this? I don’t recall Dr Schnee saying anything about it in lecture.

PETE: Yes, but my brother went there last month, you know, to look at the old cities the Maya Indians built. That’s what first got me interested.

DAVE: Your brother Tom?

PETE: No, Dick, Harry’s twin. Anyway, he told me how few trees there were now and how much empty ground that grows almost nothing. He said the place looked more like the desert than jungle in some parts. It brought environmental damage (Q22). So I started looking for materials in the library. Here, look at this magazine.

DAVE: What’s in it?

PETE: It’s an old issue of “National Geographic”. It includes interviews with tourists (Q23) who’ve been there in the past few years. It’s pretty bad. See the photos?

DAVE: I see the photos, but one or two photos don’t prove anything.

PETE: Then read what the article says. Right there. The first thing it points out is how soil samples (Q24) show it is hard for anything to grow there. It says how an area of 21,000 square (Q25) kilometres has lost most of its forest in the past ten years. See, there are graphs. As the number of farmers increases, the acres of forest have decreased. It’s an inverse relation.

DAVE: So how big is that state? I’m sorry, but I’ve never really learned the metric system.

PETE: It’s bigger than the state of Massachusetts!

DAVE: That’s shocking! Anything else?

PETE: There’s lots of else. Scientists say there’s a “growing area” of about 10.5 square (Q26) kilometres where nothing can grow at all. It’s like the beginning of a desert.

DAVE: Oh yes. What Dr Schnee called “desertification”. But, why can’t anything grow there? I’ve never really studied soil chemistry.

PETE: I’m just starting to look into that subject, but my sister Marie is a geologist and she says the problem is that the soil has too much saline, with no plants helping to adjust the chemistry. Apparently, that’s a common problem with soil types throughout areas with rainforest. Once you lose the plant cover, it’s difficult to bring it back. Reforestation is almost impossible, even if the land is not being used for other purposes.

DAVE: Wait a minute. What is “saline”?

PETE: Saline is salt dissolved in water. Scientists who’ve gone there have taken measurements (Q27). They do this by gathering a sample of the soil (Q28) and running a simple test that shows the ionisation of the solution. The Geology Department in our own university has reviewed the soil at the site, too. They’re right. It looks pretty bad. The level of salinity is going up. But the plants that would solve that problem can’t be planted in soil like that. There is a narrow spectrum of salinity in which the plants will grow.

DAVE: And once you pass the threshold, there is no way to put the problem right?

PETE: Exactly. It’s possible that no one can do anything to stop the trend now. All because of human greed! I…

DAVE: Wait a second. How do you know these “scientists” can be trusted? What kind of reputation do they have? Are they reliable?

PETE: Oh they’re definitely reliable. They include four members of the faculty from the Geology Department right here at MIT. Here, study these photographs (Q29) and check the damage yourself. That’s what Dr Horst who wrote this book here did. He’s newly appointed, but Dr Schnee says he’s brilliant.

DAVE: So, where are you going now?

PETE: I’m headed over to the Geography Department to borrow a map (Q30) for my presentation. You know, this whole problem could have been avoided! The farmers there in the Yucatan…

DAVE: Uh, Pete??

PETE: What?

DAVE: Go take a break! Leave some studying for the rest of us.

SECTION 4

Good afternoon, and welcome to Insect Biology 101. I’d like to begin this course with a few remarks about good insects and bad ones. Bugs are all around us and that’s both a benefit and an annoyance – sometimes maybe even serious harm. First, let’s talk about the good things that insects do for us.

Probably the most important insect for humans, and maybe for all other life, is the bee. Bees help plants in the process of pollination, and thus are necessary to most flowers and fruit-producing trees (Q31). That is, they carry pollen from “male” flowers to “female”. If it weren’t for bees, we’d have very few food plants and no fruit either. In fact, there would be no “we”. No less a thinker than Albert Einstein pointed out that, without bees, humanity would be dead within a year or less. We’d starve. It’s that simple. That should maybe make us just a little humble.

A little less dramatic is the fact that bees also make the honey we eat. Moreover, they produce beeswax, which is useful in candles and it’s also used as a first-rate furniture polish (Q32). Sure, these may not be vital to our lives, but they can serve as reminders of how important bees are. That’s a point I keep coming back to in this course. Though, in all fairness, I should point out that butterflies aid in pollination as well as bees.

Now, here in Michigan, what’s the worst part of summer? Yep, that’s right – mosquitoes. But I’m talking about helpful insects, right? So let’s look at the dragonfly first. If there were no dragonflies, there would be even more mosquitoes! Dragonflies mainly eat mosquitoes (Q33) and also a few other insects. Yes, that’s right. They don’t just fly around, and they also help to eliminate harmful insects. So, the next time you see a dragonfly, don’t you dare kill it!

Now let’s talk a little about those harmful insects. Take the mosquitoes I just mentioned as an example. Not so many years ago, mosquitoes here in America weren’t just annoying. Some were even deadly. They carried malaria and yellow fever. My own ancestor, the Confederate General John Bell Hood, lived through the worst battles of Civil War only to die at age thirty-eight from yellow fever. A pest, not a bullet!

Well, besides the mosquitoes, in summer there is also a kind of insect that never seems tired. Right, that is the fly. Before I go on talking, I must mention an African fly called the Tsetse fly, which feeds on blood and can cause serious diseases in the people and animals that it bites. Besides, it is still a bearer of sleeping sickness (Q34), which affects around 300,000 people every year in Africa and can be treated only with toxic drugs that are hard to administer. Worse still, the drugs sometimes don’t work.

Other insects, of course, destroy food crops. In China, for instance, locusts continue to be a danger to the harvest in some areas. Less important, but still annoying, moths eat people’s clothes and dust mites slowly destroy carpets. Worse, but still in the home, termites or “white ants” eat wood – the wood of your house. If they are not stopped, they can eventually destroy the whole building (Q35). Usually they seriously damage a building before anyone even notices them. So, as we all know, insects can be a real trouble.

For some decades in the West, to kill insects with chemicals seemed a good remedy. Unfortunately, chemicals can only be used in a limited area for a limited time. It’s a small-scale (Q36) solution. The insects come back. Worse still, some of the poisons used like DDT were found harmful to the environment. Many kinds of wildlife, like hawks, were harmed. And people in chemical-using rural areas have one of the highest rates of liver cancer in the world. It’s no secret that the chemicals remain harmful to humans. (Q37)

Like all species, insects adapt to their changing environments at an amazing rate. When a new chemical is introduced to their habitat, the insects that survive are generally the ones with some way of resisting the harmful effects. They then breed with the other survivors, and just like that insects become resistant (Q38) to most poison in a few generations. An insect generation, remember, is a couple of months at most!

So, again we have to ask: what to do? Well, there are biological solutions. Some of these are pretty simple. One is destroying the insects’ habitat. You take away their home or food. Cleaning your kitchen is the best way to prevent roaches. No garbage: no food. Getting rid of marshes and swamps eliminates mosquitoes. Other solutions might include bringing in dragonflies or bats in areas where mosquitoes are many. This is a cheaper (Q39) alternative to chemicals. Biological methods like this also bring no extra pollution to the environment. But you have to be careful. If you change the environment too much, you might be hurting other forms of life accidentally.

One recent method of controlling insect populations involves interrupting their breeding cycle. What does that mean? It means “birth control for bugs”. Insects are provided with food that makes them unable to reproduce. Since they can’t have babies, the population disappears, or nearly so. And since no young are born, resistance is not a problem with no young insects developing increased resistance.

Interrupt the life cycle (Q40), eliminate the bug! It’s clear that we must have an understanding of the life cycle of the insect. At least, that’s the plan. We’ll go into more details as this course goes along. Now I will stop here to see whether you have any questions or not.

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 03 – Test 31

SECTION 1

CR: Hello, and welcome to “Under Pressure Enterprises”, Customer Service Department. This is Kelly. How may I help you?

H: Yes, I’m calling about one of your rice cookers I just purchased. (Example)

CR: What seems to be the problem, sir?

H: Seems? There’s no seeming about it! The blasted thing shoots hot steam all over the place, that’s what! It nearly scalded my hand when I went to open it. Why it could have killed the cat or something. It could have exploded and killed my wife and me!

CR: Sir, sir, please calm down. As long as the steam escapes the cooker, it won’t explode.

H: So you’re telling me there’s no problem! Are you calling me a liar?

CR: Sir, no one is calling you a liar.

H: Yes! So I demand a full refund!

CR: Under Pressure will be happy to refund your money, sir. Now I just need some basic information.

H: OK, OK. Sorry. I do tend to get a little hot under the collar. My wife tells me to slow down… So, what do you need to know?

CR: Sir, don’t worry. I just need to ask you the model number of the cooker.

H: Hmmm… where are my glasses? Ah, here! Let’s see… ah. It’s R242. (Q1)

CR: R242. OK, and how much did you pay for the product?

H: 89.99 (Q2) pounds. It was on sale, I guess I should tell you.

CR: Thank you, that’s honest of you. Now, where did you buy the cooker? Which store and which branch?

H: At that big Electric Life appliance store downtown.

CR: The City Centre Branch? (Q3)

H: That’s the one.

CR: And you say the problem is that the steam escapes?

H: Yes, it does!

CR: No problem, sir. If there’s steam escaping, clearly the cooker is broken or defective. So we have an R242 cooker with an escaping steam (Q4) problem. It was bought from Electric Life’s City Centre Branch for 89.99. Is that correct?

H: Yes, that is correct.

CR: Oh, I nearly forget. When did you buy the cooker?

H: Just as soon as my wife got the crazy idea she’ll live longer if she stops eating good English food: roast beef and mash. No, all she says she wants is rice and vegetables and sauces you’d not soak your feet in!

CR: Sir, sir! When did you buy it?

H: Oh, there I go again. Let’s see… we bought it just six months ago! We hardly used it either. But six months? Is that too long? I mean for the warranty?

CR: Very well, that’s well within the warranty period. Now, what’s your name and address?

H: Name and address! What for?

CR: Sir, it is company policy. If you want your money, you must inform me. Money you say? Oh, my name is Herbert Hewitt and my address is 84 Park Road. (Q5)

CR: Is that here in Coventry?

H Yes. The postal code is B0241DJ (Q6). But I don’t think sending things in the mail is very secure or very efficient. I mean…

CR: Don’t worry, Mr. Hewitt, don’t worry. We can credit the money to your credit card (Q7). You do have one, don’t you?

H: Yes, that’s how we paid for the cooker.

CR: Oh, yes. We still have the number on computer. I only need to ask your card’s expiry date.

H: I’m afraid I never give that sort of information out. I mean, once you have that, anyone could go charging things and…

CR: Sir! I said your expiry date, not your card’s password.

H: Oh, er, yes. Foolish me. Of course, you didn’t say “password”. Let’s see. That will be April 2008. (Q8)

CR: April 2008. Very well, your card still has nearly two months left to go. We’ll get that refund (Q9) right to you, probably by five o’clock this evening.

H: You had better! If I don’t get my money… wait, wait. Yes, I know I’m losing my temper again. I really am sorry. I haven’t had my medicine today.

CR: And sir, just one more question for our record. How often do you go shopping at the City Centre Branch?

H: Oh, well it’s hard to say. I suppose maybe once a month (Q10). But I can tell you this, if I don’t get my refund, I’ll never shop there again! (He hangs up the phone.)

CR: (sigh) I think it’s time to start looking for another job!

SECTION 2

Hello everyone, and welcome to the University of New South Wales.

The first thing I’d like to do at today’s Orientation Session is get you all oriented! That means tell you the location of some useful facilities and services. So, first of all, take out the maps we gave you all as you came in the door. The map is the big yellow sheet of paper.

As you can see on the map, North is at the top, South at the bottom, et cetera. Which way is North? Well, look through that window on my left, your right. See the rising sun? That would have to be East. So North must be directly behind me.

Now, we are at the campus’s Main Gate. The Recreational Facilities are on my right hand and its opposite is the Student Centre (Q11). No questions? Good. Pretty easy, right?

OK, did everyone eat breakfast at the Student Food Service this morning? Was the food good? Yes, yes. I am joking. I’ve eaten there, too.

So after a meal like that, you must be eager to go to a doctor. Right?

Well, I have good news for you: the Student Health Centre is located about half a kilometre straight north of here (Q12). Look on your maps. You see the street on the east side of this building? Ned Kelly Avenue?

Just follow that about 500 metres, and the Health Centre will be on your left at the third cross street. (Q12)

Now, I know you all just got here. So you must be wondering how to tell your folks you’ve arrived safely, how much you miss the dog, and how you already need more money. If you don’t have an Iphone, you probably are wondering where to find a computer. Well, I have good news. If you go straight out of its door and walk down the Garden Street, you’ll see the Internet Unit on your left side, just next to the Gym (Q13). The hours are posted on the door, and the computers are free, but you must bring your student ID card with you. Like I tell everyone, if you need help with anything, you can probably find it right here in the Student Centre.

Do you see the four buildings there between the Student Centre and the library? Those are the dormitories. The men’s dorms are the two on the south; the women’s the two on the north.

OK, I’m sorry to have to tell you, but the university has been doing a lot of repairs and remodelling, and it’s not all done yet. So there may be some small problems with your dorm rooms. Maybe the window doesn’t open. Maybe an air conditioner is missing or does not work. If there are any problems, you can go to the Complaint Office, which is right beside the Teaching Building between the Parker Street and the Crammer Street (Q14). Just tell them your problem and they should have it fixed by the time you graduate in four years. I’m joking, but please be patient. There are a lot of little things they need to take care of.

Tired of the school food? No? Give it a week. Or maybe you just need a place to get coffee in the wee hours of the night during one of those marathon study sessions. Either way, you definitely have to check out the little Cafe just past the women’s dormitories (Q15). They’ve got free Wi-Fi, so a lot of students saddle up with coffee and a bagel for hours on end to get work done.

As for the dorm rooms, I have some bad news and some good news.

The bad news is the rooms are small and you’ll probably be sharing space with at least three other students. The good news is that each room has its own bathroom (Q16). What’s good about sharing a bathroom with three strangers? Hmmm… good question. OK, call it bad news and worse news.

Hey, maybe try this for good news: each dorm has a kitchen. If you want to make snacks or meals, you can do it there. You can buy food containers (Q17) at any campus convenience store, so you can store your food in the kitchen. But a word of warning: you should definitely write your name on your food containers. Sad to say, there are food thieves among your fellow students. Speaking of thieves, a word about security. I mean this is Australia and we do get drunken bushrangers wandering onto campus. Each of you will be given a key for your dorm room. Don’t lose it. You have to pay for any replacement and fill out a bunch of papers, too. Red tape, huh? Your key does not work for the front door of your dorm, however. To the right of each door, there is a keypad with numbers. When you move in, they will tell you the code (Q18) you use to enter the door. Please do not tell the code to people who do not live in the dorm.

Let’s see. Have I forgotten anything? Oh, yes. Most of you are not rich, correct? So when your clothes get dirty, you can’t just throw them away and buy new ones. That means you have to learn to do laundry. Or, men, that means you have to hurry up and get married.

If you decide to wash those clothes and not get married, there are laundries in each dorm. Where? Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. The laundry for each dorm is in the basement (Q19). Some real good news this time: if you are a student, it is free. You do have to buy your own soap, however. The laundry closes, by the by, at 11:30.

And, now that I’ve mentioned 11:30, please remember the dorm doors are locked at Q20 11:30 p.m. Your code will not work. If you want to get in, you’ll have to call the night watchman. Don’t worry, you can get that number at the Dorm Office. Yes, the Dorm Office and the Complaint Office are the same office. All right, then. Before we continue, are there any questions?

SECTION 3

(Knocking at the door)
PROFESSOR:	Come in!
BETTY:	Professor Dundee? We’re ready to make our presentation.
PROFESSOR	Oh, yes. I did say one o'clock, didn’t I? Please, sit down. So, who goes first? Bruce? Or you, Betty?
BETTY:	I guess I could. Bruce is always a little shy.
PROFESSOR:	Not after he’s had a lager for lunch, eh Bruce?
BRUCE:	Heh, heh. No, Betty really should go first.
BETTY:	OK. Well, I’m reporting on the effects of different marketing strategies on the cheese and oil markets. Different strategies obviously affect the sales volume differently. I looked at the sales in two countries, New Zealand and Colombia.
PROFESSOR	And what did you find, pray tell?
BETTY:	Well, in New Zealand, the sales of both oil and cheese have declined pretty steadily (Q21). And in fact, the sales have decreased more quickly than the population. On the other hand, in Colombia, the volume of sales for both products has remained the same. (Q22)
PROFESSOR:	Wait, so you said sales in New Zealand have been going down?
BETTY:	Correct. Suppliers have introduced two new upscale brands of each product, which are a bit expensive but very tasty. The big ad agencies are trying out a new series of ads that shift the focus from health to great taste. They think that will get sales moving up in New Zealand, where the population is less affluent and generally less health-conscious.
PROFESSOR:	Brilliant. Thank you. And Bruce?
BRUCE:	Uhhh... Yeah. My report is about chocolate sales in Italy and Germany. The two countries’ marketers have found out that you have to market chocolate differently in each country.
PROFESSOR:	For example?
BRUCE:	In Italy, “Kostig”, the most expensive brand, pays shop owners to put the candy just about knee-high for an adult.
PROFESSOR:	I don’t see...
BRUCE	For little kids, that’s about eye level! That bright red candy is the first one they see, so they buy it! Even better, they start telling their moms to buy it, too!
PROFESSOR:	So, you mean...
BRUCE:	Well, I mean, in Italy if you locate your product at the right location of shelves, sales do great (Q23). They say it doesn’t matter much what brand of chocolate you’re selling. As for Germany…
PROFESSOR:	“Das Land der Schokolade”.
BRUCE:	Huh?
PROFESSOR	That’s German. It means “The Land of Chocolate”. Germans love the stuff, so people make a joke and call Germany that.
BRUCE;	Oh... Uh, right...
PROFESSOR	So, you were saying?
BRUCE:	Well, like you pointed out, Germans love chocolate. But they’re thrifty. For a long time, the biggest selling brand was “Schmutzig”, mostly because it was the second cheapest, but didn’t taste too bad. (Q24)
PROFESSOR:	Again brilliant! A pretty good job, both of you. Tell me, what do you plan to investigate next week?
BETTY	I’m especially interested in the effects of colour (Q25) on sales of products, so I’ll be looking at ads for cosmetics and cleaning products in the local market. You know, like the distinct orange colour of Mr. Muscle, lavatory cleaning products. (Q26)
PROFESSOR	And you, Bruce?
BRUCE:	I’m focusing on the effects of different containers (Q27) on sales of cookies. So I’m going to look into packaging for cookies and how the materials (Q28) they use will affect the image (Q29), and in turn sales. You know, most containers are paper, but some expensive cookies come in metal boxes. The shiny metal boxes catch people’s attention and the image remains in the memory longer.
PROFESSOR	Well, it sounds like you two are all set. But as always in this course, I urge you both to pay much more attention to the advertisement (Q30) extensions. That’s often the key. Alright, any questions for me before you go.
BETTY:	No, I think I’m all set. Thanks!
BRUCE:	Me too. Thanks, Professor Dundee. See you later.

SECTION 4

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our exhibition, “Two Centuries of the Bike”.

Let’s stroll around the exhibition, shall we?

Although there were a few early efforts back in the 1700s, you didn’t really see many bikes till, say, the 1830s in England. Bikes were a response to the rapid growth of cities early in the 19th century. Cities like London were getting too big to walk across! The early bike let people travel with less effort (Q31) than walking. Plus a bike was a lot cheaper than a horse!

Think of it. No one invented a bike for, what, five thousand years of human history? Why did people do it then? Probably because this was the start of the Machine Age: people wanted machines to do all the work.

There were some drawbacks, however. For one thing, there were no pedals. You simply pushed yourself along using your feet. Kind of like today’s skateboard. That meant you went fairly slowly. And uphill, you actually worked harder, pushing that two-wheeler. Plus, the wheels were made of wood covered with metal, as you can see from this model. So the downside was that the ride was quite uncomfortable (Q32) on most roads. Only a few gadget lovers had or used them.

By the 1860s (Q33), though, improvements were being made. As you can see from this specimen, metal frames had become the rule. They’re more durable than wood, and they don’t warp in the rain. The biggest improvement however was the development of the chain and sprocket system. They are connected (Q34). This meant you did not push the bike. You used pedals just like today. You had to try harder to balance, so it took some practice to figure out how to use the pedals. But it made the ride so much easier. As a result, the good thing was that you could ride a lot more smoothly (Q35) and with very little effort.

By the 1880s, another big change was the use of rubber wheels (Q36). These became pretty common at that time. Though the first ones were solid rubber, the ride was a good deal more comfortable than the old iron and wood system. This is a big consideration because the faster you go, the more you feel every bump. Air-filled tyres – “pneumatic tyres” – didn’t really come into use till around the year 1900, as you can see from this exhibition over here. That made the ride even more comfortable.

So, by 1890 or so, people were going a lot faster and a lot more smoothly. There was one problem when you were going quickly and comfortably: “OH NO! HOW DO I STOP?” Yes, we all laugh now.

But for a long time, the only way to stop was drag your feet. That didn’t work very well and it would be dangerous if you were going fast. In the crowded cities of those years – New York, Chicago, and so on, you would get killed if you couldn’t stop for, say, a streetcar.

Plus look at this bike. The front wheel is nearly a metre and two thirds tall! They made them that way so you could see over people and wagons. But you couldn’t drag your feet. This model is called a “velocipede” – a “speed pedal”. Another characteristic of the bike in this period is that it has two equal-sized wheels, which signalled a big change in bikes.

For with the velocipede, brakes appeared. If you wanted to stop, you just pushed the pedal backwards. Doing that stopped the back wheel of the bike. This technique worked a lot better than dragging your feet or jumping off the high seat there! This meant that bikes became a great deal safer (Q37). It would have been safer if people wore helmets, but the first bicycle helmet wasn’t invented until years later, and even then it was little more than a leather ballcap. It really wasn’t until the 1970s that the bike helmet was modified to provide some real protection.

Before continuing on to look at developments since the 1890s, let’s say a word more about safety. Everyone knows if you’re going downhill, you can get going dangerously fast. To go more than a hundred kilometres an hour isn’t all that difficult! But even on level ground it’s easy to go too quickly. On a city street, today’s bicycles can be ridden at a speed of over forty miles an hour, over a short distance. That’s about sixty-four kilometres an hour. Remember you’re on a bike, not in a car. There’s nothing to protect you. People are killed in single-bicycle accidents every day, just from hitting the road.

A good rule to remember is, if you’re going faster than the cars, slow down. And please wear a helmet. Nearly one quarter of the epilepsy cases come from head injuries in accidents on bikes and motorcycles. I didn’t mean to scare you, but safety is everyone’s business.

What? Now that’s a good question. Why are today’s bikes so much faster? Well, it’s not just that today’s athletes are faster. The answer is partly mechanical. If you look closely here, at the back wheel you’ll see a number of gears. Changing gears is what makes those fast speeds possible (Q38). You can shift gears depending on the terrain and how hard you wish to pedal. So you can put it on a higher gear for downhill, and a lower gear for uphill travel to make it easier to climb that slope (Q39). You’ll notice this gear-shifting mechanism is attached at the back wheel, and when the rider shifts on the handlebar gear shifter, the chain moves to the appropriate sprocket (Q40). And, speaking of changing gears, let’s look over here at our “Tour de France” exhibit…

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 04 – Test 32

SECTION 1

Woman:	Hello, how may i help you?
Man:	Well, i’ve been seeing these yellow boxes in front of a lot of houses in my neighbourhood. I just wondered what they were for. I noticed your phone number on all of them, so i called. Could you tell me about your business?
Woman:	We do do recycling (Example), but we’re not a business. Gaea’s Guardians is a non-profit group. We encourage recycling as a way of protecting the environment.
Man:	I don’t know. I mean it is a good idea. But i really don’t read the newspaper every day or anything.
Woman:	And we don’t come collect newspaper every day! In fact, we only do pickups every other week. (Q1)
Man:	Oh, well then maybe i could help. I mean in my neighbourhood, there’s too much rubbish lying around everywhere. I'd like to help out, i guess.
Woman:	That’s great, sir. You’re doing the right thing. Ok, i need to get your contact information. What is your name, please?
Man:	Peter Wisrough … (Q2)
Woman:	Peter... How do you spell your last name? W-i-s-r-o-w?
Man:	No, actually it’s w-i-s-r-o-u-g-h.
Woman:	Oh, i’m sorry. I’m a terrible speller.
Man:	You’re a good speller. It’s just that my family are terrible pronouncers!
Woman:	You’re quite a card, peter! Ok, now what’s your address?
Man:	No. 168 Bridge Road (Q3). That’s here in London. How about if I have any questions?
Woman:	I’m sending you a copy of our booklet, too. The booklet has our phone number and our e-mail address, helpline@blackcat.com (Q4), that’s H-EL-P-L-I-N-E at B-L-A-C-K-C-A-T dot com. But I nearly forgot to ask, what’s your postcode?
Man:	BS97PU. (Q5)
Woman:	Ps97bu?
Man:	No. That’s b as in “boy”-s-9-7-p as in “peter”-u.
Man:	So, I’m guessing those yellow (Q6) boxes I saw are for recycled newspapers?
Woman:	Yes, that is correct, and it’s free of charge.
Man:	Wow, that's good news! Do you recycle anything besides newspaper?
Woman:	Oh yes, we recycle most everything. Glass, plastic, paper...
Man:	Oh, so i can put like glass and plastic bottles in the box?
Woman:	Sorry again. Things like that you have to bring to our collection centre.
Man:	And where is that?
Woman:	Our main centre isn’t that far from you. It’s actually right on the East Side of Central Park. (Q7)
Man:	That new blue building?
Woman:	That’s the one!
Man:	Cool. Hey, what’s with all those different coloured boxes outside that place?
Woman:	Oh, that’s for the different materials we recycle. The blue is for metal (Q8), the green is for glass and plastics, and the yellow of course is for paper.
Man:	Hm, okay. I’ll try and manage to keep all that straight.
Woman:	Oh, no need, they're each labelled.
Man:	Great. So which one would I put magazines in?
WOMAN:	Actually, they don’t go in any of the bins. Unfortunately, magazines can’t be recycled because of the material they’re made of. It’s such a waste. So would you be interested in volunteering?
MAN:	Um, I’ll think about it. Could you send me some more info?
WOMAN:	Absolutely. Along with the newspaper box, I’ll be sending you our booklet, “Savvy” (Q10), that is S-A-double V-Y. It tells you about what you can do to protect the environment in your daily life. Plus it lists things you can do as a volunteer with our group.
MAN:	Hey, that’s cool, thanks!
WOMAN:	My pleasure. Do you have any other questions or concerns?
MAN;	Nope, that's it!

SECTION 2

Welcome everyone to today’s seminar on “CV and Interview Skills”.

Remember, your CV is probably the most important document you will ever write. It opens the door to your career! And that job interview is probably the most important meeting you will ever attend. It’s like stepping through that open door. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get down to work, shall we?

First of all, I cannot possibly tell you everything you need to know about writing a resume in the time we have. But let me tell you that there are dozens of great websites on the Internet (Q11). These will give you all the suggestions you need. If you look at the paper I gave you, you will see a list of the dozen most popular sites.

I can mention a couple of important points, however. One is that your CV or resume should not be too long (Q12). A page is about right. Why?

HR departments do not have time to read long documents. Too many people are sending too many CVs! After all, the economic crisis of 2008 is still very much alive. Everyone needs a job now.

No matter how short you make that resume, though, you do not want to forget to tell HR how to contact your references. References are people who will give you a recommendation for a job. That’s usually an ex-boss or a professor who knows you well. Do not use relatives! I don’t care how much your mum loves you.

Also, when you send that CV, be sure to include a typed (Q13) cover letter.

A cover letter is a letter where you, basically, are asking for a job. It’s like introducing yourself. Make it brief. The real information about you is on that CV of yours. And, please make sure the letter is typed!

It doesn’t matter if your handwriting is beautiful or not. Companies only read typed letters.

Another point about CVs is you should try to have an attractive layout (Q14). Maybe use different typefonts or colours to highlight information. Some people include a photo. You can find dozens of examples on the Internet. Whatever layout you decide to use, however, avoid all spelling and grammar errors (Q15). I used to be an HR manager. If I saw a mistake, that CV went into the garbage.

Something you write in a CV is a description of your skills and experiences (Q16) in an interesting way. Mention training, too. I mean these are what get you hired! Do not just say, “I have lots of experience.” or “I have many skills.” Tell that boss what you did, for what company, and when. Better, tell him how well you did it! Don’t just say, “I sold houses.” Say, “I sold two million pounds worth of houses in my first year.” That is, say something to make the person reading excited and curious.

Finally, speaking of CVs, it’s sad. But some people actually forget to provide a contact number (Q17). That’s pretty silly. You wrote a great CV, you have HR dying to meet you… and they don’t know how. You forgot your phone number! Oh sure, if you apply online, they have your e-mail address. But you just showed them you’re forgetful. Why are they going to want to talk to you after that?

Alright, moving on to the actual interview, I’ll go over what you need to know by the end of it, and what you can discuss and negotiate on later once it looks like you’ll be offered the job. First, there’s working hours. It’s not that necessary to hammer out the hours off the bat, especially since it’s easy to come off as lazy when the first thing you bring up is how much you’re going to have to work. You can also find out more about possible promotions later on. It is important,

however, to get a feel for how much you’ll be paid. You should make sure the salary range is commensurate with what you’re worth, and if you’re not, you can move on to better opportunities (Q18). Being sure you’re going to make what you want to live on is much more important than issues like your pension – you’re all so young that your pension is not going to matter for quite a long time.

You should find out about what skills you must know for the job and what they’ll teach you. In addition, if the company will provide training, you should find out how long the training period is and whether it is paid (Q19). Beware of any jobs that want you to train for a long time without appropriate compensation. Speaking of compensation, find out about holidays as well (Q20). Do you get paid vacation time? Are you allowed to take personal days? Do you have to work on national holidays?

Once you work out these main issues, you can move on later to details like the location and expected attire and whatnot.

Wow, that’s a lot of information! Let’s take a break so you can think everything over and ask any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to come and see me if you need any clarification on all this stuff!

SECTION 3

FRANK:	Hello, are you Dr Lindsey? The Returning Students Advisor?
DR LINDSEY:	Yes, that’s right. Are you Frank? Your appointment wasn’t till 2:00, but that’s OK. Please come in and have a seat.
FRANK.	Thanks, I like to arrive early whenever I have anything to do.
DR LINDSEY:	That’s certainly a praiseworthy habit. Let me see, it looks like you’ve taken a long break from school, and I understand you wanted to have a chat about what you should study if and when you return for further classes. (Q21)
FRANK:	It’s such a big challenge. I don’t know if I’m crazy for doing this or not!
DR LINDSEY	Believe it or not, I know exactly what you mean. Before I began working here at the university, I taught primary school for nearly ten years. It takes a lot of courage to go back to school!
FRANK:	I feel more shy and scared than the primary students I teach! In the schools I taught, I found today’s youngsters are very sure of themselves (Q22). In terms of intelligence, I have a lot to teach them. And the maturity level of much of my class leaves something to be desired. But in terms of confidence, wow! A lot more confident than I am now, that’s for sure!
DR LINDSEY:	Stop fretting:băn khoăn “A brave man is a coward who refuses to run.” Let’s talk about your strong points. You seem an intelligent man. What is it you would like to study?
FRANK:	You see, I’ve been teaching children for a few years, but I think I’d be happier teaching adults. (Q23)
DR LINDSEY	I think teaching students in middle school is much more satisfying because they end up being much more grateful for your work. If I may ask, what got you interested in teaching adults?
FRANK:	A lot of things, I guess. I met my future wife back in my first year of college. She always complains that I was more interesting then. She says that now I talk like I’m seven years old! That’s probably from being with children all day.
DR LINDSEY	Ha ha ha! Again I know just what you mean. My husband used to say the same thing about me when I taught kindergarten. Anything else?
FRANK	Well, yes. Fairly often now I run into former students and we talk (Q24). Some of them are getting close to being grown up. I guess I think more and more about how people develop over time. So, I’m interested in the results of education, you know, the final stages.
DR LINDSEY	I see. Well, coming back to the university can be both difficult and very rewarding. There are some problems unique to returning students, you know, older students like yourself. What do you think is your greatest weakness?
FRANK:	Well, I actually think my confidence is getting better. I’m definitely overcoming my introversion and starting to be much more comfortable in front of a class. To tell the truth, I’m afraid I’m rather behind the times about many things (Q25). It’s more difficult for me to chase after the popular things youngsters are fond of – such as Iphone, Twitter, if you name it!
LINDSEY:	I think I understand.
LINDSEY	How old are you, 35? People at your age still go back to school for further education. I was a bit the same way. (Q26) I mean I didn’t study at the university till after I had a family: a husband and one child. My point of view was a lot different from your average eighteen-year-old girl’s, I can tell you!
FRANK:	Gee, that sounds pretty rough. A family and college? Clearly you weren’t unsuccessful though!
DR LINDSEY	It was, Frank. It truly was. My first term at school was extremely stressful (Q27). But excuse me! You’re not here to listen to my life story. We’re talking about your plans. Is there anything unique I should know about you or your past experience or plans?
FRANK:	I’m afraid not. There is nothing interesting about my career or plans. It’s really not too impressive. (Q28)
DR LINDSEY	Now, I forbid (cấm, cản trở) you to talk like that. This is your one life, and if you’re not interested, why bother living it? Don’t be so humble, Frank. Humble: (adj) khiêm tốn, nhún nhường, từ tốn – (v) lăng mạ
FRANK:	OK, OK. My wife says I’m a wimp.
DR LINDSEY	Let's talk about your dreams a bit. You want to teach adults, you said. What would you like to teach them?
FRANK:	Well, when I first came to college, I really liked Languages and Literature. A lot of people have told me that for practical reasons, it would be more rewarding to choose Business Management as my major, but I made up my mind to study Liberal Arts once I got the idea of going back to school. (Q29)
DR LINDSEY	I must say it’s refreshing to meet someone who knows there's more to an education than computers and finance. Let’s have a look at the university course catalogue …
FRANK:	Excuse me, Dr Lindsey. Before we do that, could I maybe ask you some questions about changes in university life? I think I need to discuss that so I know what to expect.
DR LINDSEY. Privilege Đặc ân Đặc quyền	Of course. I’m here to help you. The biggest thing to get used to is the change in technology. Professors present things on huge screens, many of which are interactive computerised whiteboards. You can write on them still and use them like a touch screen. They’re really handy! No more sloppy scribbled notes on the projector. Let’s see, I doubt you’ll be living in student housing, so I won’t go into all the improvements there. (Q30) Another major change that you’ll enjoy is the plethora of resources available for students. As a student, you have 24-hour access to the gym, and library privileges that include the use of school computers to scan, copy, and print, and of course the Media Library, which contains movies from all genres and most of the movies listed on AFI’s Top 100 Movies of All Time. The dining facilities are also not what they used to be. They offer choices for all diets, and you can expect a hot meal any time of day.
FRANK:	Wow, things really have changed! I'll be sure to utilise: sử dụng all those great facilities in my time here. Thanks for all your help. Dr Lindsey. I think that’s all the questions I have for now.

SECTION 4

OK and welcome back. During the short break we just took, several of you approached me with questions. So, before going on with the orientation talk, I’d like to address those queries. As I’ve found, if one person asks a question, probably a dozen others are wondering about the same thing!

The first question is whether Wassamatta U. employs modules technology (Q31) as an instruction method. The answer is yes, we do. At least that’s what the university catalogue says. If some of you don’t understand what “modules technology” is, don’t worry. I googled the word but couldn’t find it. Apparently, though, it’s a method of broadband, wireless access. At least that’s what an American company’s website told me. But again, don’t worry. If you need to know something more, your professor can tell you.

Another question someone asked me was what tomorrow’s workshop on “Research Methods and Skills” was about. Well, research skills include any method you can imagine for finding and presenting any information you need. That’s not just schoolwork, either. Writing English – the native language for most of you – and finding a job (Q32) are also research skills. And, yes, those will be addressed in tomorrow’s workshop.

As you know, Wassamatta U. is one of this country’s premier universities for the study of “the dismal science”, economics. Some of you, it seems, want to get a jump on their classmates. During the break, half a dozen of you came up and asked me where to find economics tomes. I know it’s odd, but this school’s library holdings are divided up between two libraries. Economics books are in the old library (Q33). If you look out of the window behind me, you can see it. It’s the red brick building.

Oh, before I forget, you economics types also need a lot of maths, am I right? Well, those Maths books are neither in the old library nor in the new one. They can be found in the Maths Department (Q34) Building. Why am I telling you this? Doesn’t “the Invisible Hand” guide economists? Maybe it’s good you asked: in 2008, that Hand shoved most of the world economy off a cliff, didn’t it?

Now I realise that most of you couldn’t bring a computer printer or a photocopier from home. So I’m sure you’re already wondering where you can copy things like term papers, Internet articles, and things like that. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that there are a number of places you can make copies. These include both libraries and the Student Union Building.

Now the bad news. I am sorry to say, most classroom buildings and academic departments do not have copiers students can use. So most of the large buildings you see around campus do not have copiers for students (Q35). The copiers there are reserved for professors and office staff. Oh, yes! I nearly forget to tell you. If you need to have printing done, all the copiers available to students are laser printers (Q36). Plus, for your convenience, you can pay using prepaid cards. You can get those in the Student Union Building.

That just covers the questions put to me. If you have more, please see me during the next break at 2:15. Right now, though, I’d like to start to give you a rundown on the various facilities here on campus. That way, you won’t get lost so easily in the weeks to come.

I have been told that this year’s incoming class features a large number of married students and parents. So, you must be wondering where to put the baby while you’re in class. OK, right now, we are in the Student Union Building, right? Remember the big doors in front where you all came in? If you go out of the building, you can see the Nursery is just on the other side of this building (Q37). It’s only about twenty metres away! Convenient, eh?

Next, we’re all from different places around the country. Some of you are from other countries. That means we’re pretty likely to get sick during the first months of school as we expose each other to many new viruses. So, where’s the doctor? Of course, you need to find the Medical Services Centre which is on the right as you leave the building (Q38). Remember, that’s the second building on the right.

And if you look out of that window, you can see a lot of antennae and satellite dishes on the roof. So that’s what we call the Media Centre. (Q39)

Yeah, I know, I think it’s confusing, too. The Media Centre is next to the Medical Centre. The chairwoman of the Journalism School on the first floor doesn’t like it when people who wander in there mistake her for a nurse!

Chances are you’ll have at least one Maths class while you’re here.

That red building there just outside to the left is the Maths Department Building. I know, it looks about as old as the subject as Maths, but I assure you that the inside is equipped with state-of-the-art classroom equipment including interactive chalkboards and surround sound in every room.

Oh, can you see the back building there? Yes, behind the Media Centre. Quite new, isn’t it? That’s the new library, just decorated. (Q40)

They’re back-to-back, you might say. If you look just to the left of it at the lower, older-looking building, you’ll find the old library. It’s nice and quiet – perfect for those marathon study sessions during exam week. Since the weather is so nice, why don’t we stop looking at our maps but go for a walk around the campus?

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 05 – Test 33

SECTION 1

Agent:	Good afternoon and welcome to habitat hunters. You must be joseph.
Renter:	Yes, that’s right. You said on the phone that i could come by at 2:00. Sorry, i’m a little early.
Agent:	No problem at all. In calgary’s market, you have to move fast if you want a good apartment?
Renter:	Actually, i’d settle (giải quyết) for almost anything. I’ve been here ten days and the hotel is ruining me. My father has me on a strict budget.
Agent:	Sit right down here now, sir. Let’s talk a little about the places before we go have a look. Now, we have four apartments available.
Renter:	Ok, could you tell me more about those four apartments?
Agent:	Sure. The first one is on Beatle Road, just a block off campus. It’s a 3-bedroom with a bathroom (Q1) and a living room and a great Italian restaurant right next to it.
Renter:	How much?
Agent:	Well, it’s $435 (Q2) a month, including Internet and utilities.
Renter:	Okay, that sounds reasonable. Any drawbacks to the house?
Agent:	There’s a really big garden, but it hasn’t been taken care of over the years and is just too big to clean up nicely.
Renter:	Hmm. That sounds okay. Tell me about the next option.
Agent:	The other 3-bedroom apartment is on oakington avenue on campus. It is right near the building where you have classes, and the kitchen and living room are newly furnished.
Renter:	Wow, that sounds like a pretty good option.
Agent:	Well, it is a cool apartment, but since it’s a dormitory, the living room, bathroom, kitchen, and washing machine (Q3) are all shared. It would be nice not to have to buy living room furniture, though.
Renter:	And how much is this one?
Agent:	$400 per month for a bedroom with an air conditioner. For a bedroom without an air conditioner, you would pay less, $340 for it.
Renter:	Yikes, even with the air conditioner, it sounds really inconvenient (Q4) to have to share facilities. I’ll never cook if I have to walk down the hall to use the kitchen.
Agent:	Yeah, that’s true.
Agent:	Anyway, the next place is a 2-bedroom on mead street.
Renter:	Oh, i like mead street - that’s off campus, right?
Agent:	Yep. It’s pretty cool, but it only has 2 bedrooms, plus a living room and a study (Q5).
Renter:	But i want to live together with my two friends.
Agent:	So you could make the study into a small bedroom if you end up living with them.
Renter:	Also, we guys want a tv and dvd player since we're all so much into movies.
Agent:	Well, this place has a great tv and vcr, but no dvd player.
Renter:	No dvd? That’s so weird. Are any other facilities provided?
Agent:	As you said, weird enough, it also comes with a washbasin. (Q6)
Renter:	Is there a washing machine? I think we need that more than just a washbasin.
Agent:	I’m afraid there’s no washing machine in the apartment.
Renter:	Wow, that’s so old-fashioned! Maybe it’s not the best choice for three college guys. How much is it?
Agent:	Well, it’s $600 per month, but of course it would be cheaper if you made it into 3 bedrooms instead of 2.
Renter:	Where is this apartment located?
Agent:	It’s 2500 mead street, where there are a lot of bars.
Renter:	It would be affordable, but it would get pretty noisy. And that sounds really expensive for an old place in a noisy area. How about the last place?
Agent:	This one’s on-campus in the devon close complex. It's a one-bedroom, so it will be a little quieter than the mead street place.
Renter:	One bedroom, huh? That could be good for focusing on my studies. What else does it have?
Agent:	It comes with a living room and a study, and includes a really nice lamp in the study that has a bunch of different settings (Q8). You know what else is cool? There’s a dining hall downstairs so all evening meals (Q9) are free. You can purchase breakfast and lunch, but meals after 6 p.m. are free. Wow, this place sounds too good to be true. Is it really expensive?
Renter:	Wow, this place sounds too good to be true. Is it really expensive?
Agent:	It’s alright – $500 per month, but there’s no bathroom. (Q10)
Renter:	What? No bathroom?
Agent:	Well, there’s no bathroom in the apartment, but there’s one at the end of the hall.
Renter:	Hmm. Thanks, i think now i just have to decide whether i want to live alone or not.
Agent:	Yeah, which one do you prefer?
Renter:	I think i'd choose either this apartment or the one on beatle road.
Agent:	Ok. You’d better think about it, and then you can contact me asap.
Renter:	Fine, thanks for your help!
Agent:	You’re welcome...

SECTION 2

Hi folks, my name is Loretta Johnston, and I’m here from the Baltimore Department of Public Waste. Thank you for coming out to our community meeting tonight. I’ve got a few words to say about the waste collection here in Baltimore.

First, there’s the sorted collection bins themselves. They’re made of sturdy, solid material, so none of your trash can seep out or puncture the bin. Also, since these things sit out on the curb overnight rain or shine, they have to be waterproof (Q11). We can’t have water getting up in it and filling up the bin. Remember to pay attention to which bin is which, and sort your waste accordingly. You should have a blue or green bin for recyclable garbage, a yellow bin for unrecyclable garbage, and a red bin for toxic waste. Our citywide waste management is divided into two services. The first is commercial waste collection, or trash collection from buildings. The majority of building (Q12) waste is paper, which goes in the blue or green bins. You’ll notice in your office buildings there are signs that warn you not to overfill (Q13) these bins. All that paper adds up, and an overflowing bin is infinitely harder for collectors to carry to the truck and empty.

Aside from paper, another large source of building waste is metals.

Metals such as tin and aluminium can be put in the yellow recycle bins, but metals like lead and copper should be disposed of in the red bins. These heavy (Q14) metals are harmful to the environment and exacerbate our city’s existing pollution problem.

That’s about all the information you need for building waste. Moving on to the second service, household waste collection is probably what you primarily think of when you think of what we do here…

Many of the same guidelines apply – the sorting is the same, et cetera.

Please remember to keep garbage like kitchen waste in a plastic (Q15) bag.

It makes collection easier and lessens the abominable rotten-trash smell.

So after we take your trash away, what happens to it? We take all the garbage to one of a number of garbage disposal plants, each of which is located in the middle of an open (Q16) space of some sort. No one wants to have their home or office right next door to a waste disposal plant, right? Waste is collected and then disposed of once every four weeks. (Q17)

A lot of trash can build up in that time, so we’re in the process of developing a plan to fund collection more frequently. Ideally it would be collected weekly, but we will likely have to settle for biweekly. The garbage trucks make their rounds to clear the bins at night in order to avoid traffic. (Q18)

I’m sure you’ve seen how much waste your own household produces in a given week. Now imagine all the trash produced by all the households in Baltimore. It’s a lot, right? It may surprise you that this amount is only marginal compared to commercial waste. Yep, the main waste producers are actually businesses (Q19), industrial facilities, retail, and offices. Hard to believe humans produce that much waste, right? No wonder we have pollution problems!

Anyway, after all incoming waste is sorted, recyclables are sent to a recycling plant, while garbage and toxic waste are transported to their respective areas of the plant for treatment. Items such as stones (Q20), which should not be disposed of in our bins, are separated out and discarded.

Once the trash has undergone the treatment process, it is compacted and disposed of with all the other trash and finally, when the landfill space is full, it is buried deep underground and in time something new is built on the land.

That’s everything about waste collection. Thank you for listening. Are there any questions?

SECTION 3

RICKY:	Hi, Julie, it’s Ricky.
JULIE:	Hi, Ricky, how are you? I noticed you weren’t in Psychology today.
RICKY:	I’m feeling sick, so I didn’t go to school today. Would you mind telling me what I missed in class?
JULIE:	Sure thing. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well! Anyway, we spent most of the class talking about a new essay that Professor Johnson assigned. You need to choose one of the bold headings from the note system (Q21) and research it.
RICKY:	Wow, I picked the wrong day to miss class, huh?
JULIE:	You sure did.
RICKY:	Could you tell me the specific (cụ thể, riêng, đặc biệt) requirements of this paper?
JULIE:	Sure. You need to find scientific research (Q22) that supports your claim as one of your references. It can be from some of the case studies we discussed in class, or you can find your own. Or even better, you can conduct your own research! I’m sure that would get you an A.
RICKY:	Have you decided what you’re going to do yet? Also, where are you getting your references?
JULIE:	Yeah, I’m going to research facial recognition by infants. I’ve already found a few experiments in scientific journals (Q23). That would probably be a good start for you – there are tons of journals in the library.
RICKY:	Great idea, thanks. I’m considering writing my essay on the effects of one of the psychotropic drugs we talked about in class. I’m sure there is lots of stuff about it on the Internet. Are we allowed to use information from the Internet? (Q24)
JULIE:	Sure, you can use that as long as it’s not your main source for information. You’ll probably want to cite some of the experiments we went over.
RICKY:	Good idea, thanks. I’m gonna try to find some information from a bunch of different sources.
RICKY:	Are there any specifications on how the essay should be written?
JULIE:	Yeah, Professor Johnson wants it double-spaced (Q25). It should be between 6 to 10 pages long.
RICKY:	6 to 10 pages? That’s so much! It’s going to take forever.
JULIE:	I know. The whole class groaned when he said that. Anyway, you also need to put the title in italics (Q26), and…
RICKY:	Wait, each section heading, or just the main heading?
JULIE:	Only the main heading should be in italics. I think section titles are supposed to be in the same format, but maybe in bold. You’ll have to check that in class next time.
RICKY:	Oh okay. So I take it that the report has to be typed (Q27) since there are so many requirements. What are the other formatting requirements?
JULIE:	Yep, it’s got to be typed. Aside from that, there are still a few more specifications. You should number each page, Make sure it goes up in the top right (Q28) corner.
RICKY:	Okay, I’ll make sure to write that down. I always forget to number the pages. Do we need to title and date each page, too?
JULIE:	You need the shortened title on every page, but no need to include the date. That should just be on the cover page.
RICKY:	Okay, thanks.
JULIE:	No problem. Also, make sure the margins are 3.25 (Q29) pixels wide..
RICKY:	What? I’m not even sure how to do that.
JULIE:	It’s okay, I can show you. It’s really easy. I think that’s all the directions he gave us. A lot of formatting requirements, but we have the freedom to research many things that we like, so that’s good. Oh, I almost forgot – remember to put down your ID number (Q30) on your report.
RICKY:	Thanks so much for your help. I’ll see you in class Monday!
JULIE:	No problem, glad I could help. See you later.

SECTION 4

Good morning and welcome to yet another lecture in Environmental Science. I don’t think I am telling you a secret when I mention that water is a big worry here in Australia. The stuff is scarce. Perhaps that’s why we drink so much beer, eh?

Seriously, though, a safe and reliable (Q31) source of water is one of the great concerns of people everywhere. Moreover, as the world population grows, the pressure on existing water supplies grows greater and greater. Think about it. Our economic system demands that there be more and more consumers. The growing number of people has been tied to climate change, including droughts. So more people means less water. But our economic system demands a high birth rate. Forget about oil. Soon enough you will see wars for water. Mark my words.

But today, I’m going to confine my remarks to Australia. As noted already, here down under, the water supply is extremely scarce (Q32). The only drier continent is Antarctica – and remember, no one really lives there anyway. Moreover, in recent years, the wind patterns have changed. Rain that used to fall on the country now falls out to sea hundreds of miles to the south.

Now, when I speak of people needing water, most of you probably think of drinking. Certainly everyone needs water for drinking. But surprising as it may sound, drinking is not anywhere near being the main use for water. Most water is actually used for washing (Q33). When you take a shower, you probably use well over a hundred litres of water. Every time you flush your toilet, that’s about eight litres. But most people drink no more than two litres or so per day.

So, where to get water? It could be obtained from rainwater, but often rainfall consists of other harmful pollutants that evaporated with the water. In fact, acid rain, an intense example of this, causes harmful effects on the wildlife of the habitat on which it falls. Water from underground could also be used, though it is more difficult to contain and often must go through an extensive cleansing process. The purest water is found in rivers, creeks, lakes, and dams (Q34). And, sad to say, Australia has precious few of these. Really, how many of your home towns have rivers? Year-round rivers, I mean. The soil tends to be sandy, so water soaks into the ground. Many places are rocky too, so 87% of the rainfall is lost to evaporation. That’s almost twice the evaporation rate in my native Canada!

Speaking of rain, we already heard how rainfall is diminishing here in Oceania. The quantity itself isn’t the only problem, either. Going back to the problems with obtaining rainwater, a further problem is that rain is a useful source of water only if air pollution (Q35) is fairly mild. Again, you’re in a situation where you can’t win. You need water where most people live. People tend to build cities where rainfall is adequate. But then modern cities tend to feature polluted air which renders the rain far less easily usable. OK, let’s take a look at the table here, you’ll see it showing the relative pollution of rainfall in the world’s cities. The more people, the dirtier the rain.

This is becoming a huge concern for people in the West, who want their water to be pure and safe (Q36). Though reliable drinking water is important everywhere, the concern in the West is reflected in all the government regulations and political campaigns aimed at solving this problem. In contrast, there are not as many demands made on the governments in Asian and African cultures to improve the water, as their focus is on other issues.

Now, whatever the source of water, we can never afford to forget that all water is highly vulnerable to contamination (Q37). Whether we’re getting it from the ground, from bodies of water, or rainfall, it is susceptible to a variety of toxins. In fact, that’s why we clean it before using it: water carries with it filth and dirt. This problem shows up in a number of different ways.

As humans and all other animals need water to survive, it’s no surprise to us that one of the most important domestic uses of water is for drinking. Yet if you have old-fashioned lead pipes, you may slowly be poisoning yourself by drinking (Q38) that nice clear water. The industrial pollution, farm chemicals, and leaky landfills are well-known sources of contaminants as well. So what is being done to ensure we Australians a safe and steady supply of drinking water? There are a lot of initiatives that make admirable efforts to remedy this issue. We’ll be talking about this when we meet again on Thursday. But, as a preview, I can tell you that so far the amount of real solutions that have been produced is not nearly adequate. Traditionally, we’ve been very free in this country. That means that every person and every province tend to go its own way. So the mechanisms for water management are, in a word, insufficient. (Q39)

To begin seeing how this is so, I want you to read something before our next class. Though a lot of previous data on water usage and water management are inconclusive and have thus caused quite a concern, we can learn a lot from the content of reports written on the subject.

The basis for the government’s water policy is the 1989 White Paper reporting on “Water Use: Present and Future”. If you compare the numbers offered in the paper with those in the text, you’ll find that the report is rather untrustworthy (Q40). Truth being told, I’m being too kind when I say that!

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 06 – Test 34

SECTION 1

AGENT:	Good morning. City House Services. How may I help you?
CUSTOMER:	Good morning. I’d like to arrange to have my house cleaned.
AGENT:	Certainly. I just need to ask a few questions. First, could I take your name?
CUSTOMER:	Yes, it’s Barbara Hill. (Example)
AGENT:	Thank you. Next, is your house in London?
CUSTOMER:	Yes, it’s in Kingston in Southwest London. (Q1)
AGENT:	OK, Southwest London and... er, what's the postcode?
CUSTOMER:	SW105.
AGENT:	And what is the square footage and what rooms will we be cleaning?
CUSTOMER:	The whole house is 268 square feet, and there is no need to clean all the rooms. I only want to have my bedrooms cleaned.
AGENT:	OK, how many bedrooms does the house have?
CUSTOMER:	Three bedrooms. Oh no, sorry, we used to have three bedrooms, but we only have two bedrooms now.
AGENT:	Are those single bedrooms or doubles?
CUSTOMER:	Doubles. (Q2)
AGENT:	Fine, two doubles...
CUSTOMER:	There is one more room which needs cleaning. It was used as a bedroom before, and now we have converted it into an office. (Q3)
AGENT:	I understand. Three rooms have got to be cleaned, and are all of those rooms upstairs?
CUSTOMER:	Yes. Then, downstairs we have a kitchen-diner, conservatory, and lounge (Q4). The kitchen-diner is quite large and has the usual equipment – cooker with oven, refrigerator, cupboards, and worktops. The conservatory has a lot of plants, but there’s no need to take care of them. The lounge has a leather three-piece suite and a large coffee table.
AGENT:	Thank you. And do you keep any pets?
CUSTOMER:	Yeah, I really love keeping them. I’ve got two dogs and three cats.
AGENT:	OK, then if our staff come over to offer the service, please take your pets away. Have you looked at our services packages?
CUSTOMER:	Yes, I have one in front of me.
AGENT:	Excellent.
AGENT:	Any extra services you need (Q5) – switching bed linen, working in the garden, cleaning the glass in the conservatory, that kind of thing?
CUSTOMER:	Err… no… err… actually, replacing the bed linen (Q5) …yes… that would be good.
AGENT:	No problem. I’ll just make a note of that. How about curtains (rèm), mats (thảm), and carpets? What would you like us to do with those items?
CUSTOMER:	The curtains… I’ll have to think about that. I think we should have the carpets cleaned really well every quarter (Q6). Mats can just be done with the laundry.
AGENT:	Of course. How about clothes? We can have our staff wash and iron them, or we can have them taken to a dry cleaner’s.
CUSTOMER:	Washing and ironing. No, just ironing (Q7). That’ll be OK..
AGENT:	OK, fine. I know quite a bit about what you want now. I should let you know that we locate on 12 Amyes (Q8) Road, that’s A-M-Y-E-S.
CUSTOMER:	Em.
AGENT:	And we work from Monday to Sunday except Tuesday and Wednesday. Could you let me know when is convenient for you?
CUSTOMER:	Next Friday… err… no, that’s no good. My son invites his friends over in the afternoon that day. Perhaps next Thursday or next Saturday. Let me check, OK, next Thursday. (Q9)
AGENT:	When is it convenient for US to come over and provide the service? Is it OK if we come in the morning? Or we may come in the afternoon? It depends on your schedule.
CUSTOMER:	I’m OK with any time. Just give me a call to let me know you’re coming before you arrive.
AGENT:	Sure, we will.
CUSTOMER:	By the way, how long would it take for the service?
AGENT:	We usually work 1-3 hours for house cleaning, and the work will take three hours at most. And of course, if it takes more than three hours (Q10), you should pay extra for it.
CUSTOMER:	Er... fine.
AGENT:	So, let me just do some calculations...

SECTION 2

Hi everyone, and welcome to Sydney Airport. Today, I’ll be giving you the inside information on the day-to-day operations of the Australian Quarantine Service here. We hope to provide you with a better understanding of why such heavy security regulations are necessary by educating you (Q11) on how we operate and why we do the things we do.

We’re not here to try to persuade you to fly through Sydney Airport, though we hope you’ll find your experience relatively stress-free and comfortable.

First things first, our personnel. Can anyone guess how many people work at Sydney Airport? We have 200 alone working in Terminal 2, so can you guess how many in the whole airport? I heard someone say 360, that’s getting closer… What? Did someone say 2,000? That’s way too high. Sydney Airport actually employs 440 people (Q12). A lot, right? And about half of those employees work in security-related matters..

Moving on to our not-so-human employees, let’s come and see our favourite pooch, Milton. Milton is our best drug-sniffing dog on the force. He’s friendly to most people – you can even come pet him at the end of our tour. Burnouts beware, though, he’ll find everything.

Notice that even though there are so many of us around him, Milton stays quite calm. This is the precise reason he was chosen for the job. (Q13)

Dogs that are chosen are not predisposed to sniff out different narcotics – that’s something we teach them already.

So here’s a part of the airport most people never notice – the cargo transport terminal. This is where packages are shipped to and from.

Normally we ship around 4,400 packages per month. In this airport alone, over 52,000 packages were shipped in and out over the past year (Q14). We ship to and from 170 different countries. Not bad, eh? Probably it will go up to over 72,000 packages this year. And despite over 100 flights in and out of here daily, the number of lost or delayed packages is impressively low. If you send your package through here, rest assured we’ll get it where it’s going.

Let’s move on to the area most of us are familiar with, the passenger terminals. In order to be allowed into this area, you must pass through security with your ticket and if you’re travelling internationally, your passport. If you’re travelling domestically, you just need a legal form of ID. If you don’t have those, you will not be allowed to pass through security and board your flight.

During the security scan, your carry-on items will be checked for dangerous items such as weapons, sharp objects, and liquids that exceed our specified limit. If you attempt to pass any of the prohibited items on this list posted at the entrance, Qyou are still allowed to board the plane, but you’ll be given a warning (Q15) and your item will be confiscated.

Don’t worry, we will not arrest you for having too much shampoo in your bag, or anything like that.

We also search your carry-ons and parcels for any perishable items.

We prohibit the transportation of local vegetation and prohibit parcels containing any insects in them. You may or may not have learned about this in Biology class, but when some plants are introduced to a new environment, they spread wildly and wipe out the current species around it. It is important to control the introduction of new plants into an ecosystem, so we must prohibit the transport of any fertile seeds. (Q16)

So what happens to parcels containing possibly suspicious items? It’s of course something we do not take lightly here. If an object passes through the scanner that appears suspicious in any way, it is separated out for manual search by a member of our trained security personnel. If an illegal plant or simple sharp object like a pocket knife is found, it is simply disposed of in our biohazard waste containers (Q17), and the package itself is returned to the sender (or passenger, if it is for a passenger flight). More serious weapons are reported to higher authorities for investigation.

As far as parcel security, the material of the parcel is important. For shipped goods, the most common material used (and the most widely accepted) is paper (Q18). Make sure it is packed sturdy enough, with no rips or tears. We’ve definitely had packages rip open before due to haphazard packing. A more common problem, though, is the package labels (Q19). When an item does not make it to the right place, this is the most common reason. The label may not be in the right place or marked clearly enough.

If you’re receiving any items from abroad that must be declared, please remember our guidelines in order to ensure the timely delivery of your item. Make sure it is packed correctly, and we ask that you notify customs between 2 and 10 (Q20) days within the item’s scheduled arrival date.

Okay, before we move on, are there any questions?

SECTION 3

Mr Smith:	Welcome! Please come in and gather over here around the tables. My name is Adam Smith, and I’m the librarian here. I’ll show you around today and explain how to use these facilities. Hopefully when I’m done with it, you’ll know the ropes, and please feel free to let me know of any questions or concerns that you may have. Now, we’re at the gate of the library. Upon entering into the door, you’ll find that the restrooms are on your left-hand side, and opposite them is a Photocopy Room. Many of you are wondering about the check-in and check-out process. What you have to do is go to the Circulation Desk, which is to the east of the Photocopy Room. The Reading Room is a really large area in the centre of the library, just to the north of the Circulation Desk (Q21). I’m sure you won’t miss it. If you’re here to do research, this is where you should bring books to look through. However, if you’re here to do any group projects or other interactive activities, I advise you to use one of the study rooms, which are just to the east of the Reading Room. Moving on to the southeast corner, we have the Periodicals Section, just next to the study rooms (Q22). We have a collection of different newspapers and magazines in this section. You can get last week’s weather reports, or all the top stories five years ago – our periodicals can be traced back 20 years to the time when our school library was built. Ah, our first question! Yes?
STUDENT:	Can we check out magazines from the library?
MR. SMITH:	I’m sorry, but you cannot take any periodicals out of the library. You’re welcome to read them for as long as you want while you’re here, but you cannot check them out.
STUDENT:	I wonder if there is any place where we can get some food in the library. Do we have a store here?
MR. SMITH:	Of course. The Food Service Centre is just metres away from the study rooms. It’s on the northeast corner as you look at the map (Q23). The Food Service Centre offers different kinds of snacks though it’s not big. Well, moving on along to the west, you will Find the Video Resource Centre on your right hand (Q24). We have educational videos and documentaries, as well as major motion pictures. We ask that you pay attention to the tag on the video that you pick up, as many of our documentaries are for on-site viewing only and may not be taken out of the library. To the west of the Video Resource Centre is our Satellite TV Station (Q25). Here we stream the news from Channel 19 for most of the day.
STUDENT:	How many channels does it have?
MR. SMITH:	(laughs) It does have nearly 200 channels, but we generally will give top priority to channels with some big events, like presidential addresses or other breaking news. During the coverage of the presidential debate, students will take a break from studying and flock to watch it. Last but perhaps most important is the Enquiry Desk. It’s just on the left-hand side when you walk into the library (Q26), so it’s impossible to miss it. If you have any questions about how to use equipment or where to find something, come and ask the assistant. Don’t be shy, because that’s what they’re here for!
MR. SMITH:	Speaking of questions, one of the questions we get asked is how to actually check out a book once a student has picked one out. If it’s a fiction or non-fiction book, look for the pink and yellow (Q27) check-out card inside the back cover of the book. You can also find information about the book on these cards, including its publishing date, genre, ISBN, and a log of dates it’s been checked out before. Present this card to me or any library assistant, and we’ll stamp it and then the book can be kept for three weeks. You can find general information on a field of study by using one of our subject (Q28) guides. We have them on paper here, but any of our computers will allow you to search within fields as well.
STUDENT:	What if the library doesn’t have a resource we’re looking for?
MR. SMITH:	Great question, I’m going to address that. Our library is in a network with a number of other universities in the area, so if there is something you’re looking for and it’s available somewhere in the area, we’ll be able to get it for you. However, there are universities (Q29) which are not part of the network, so we do not share resources with them. If you want more information about the library and its resources, you’ll find it in a labelled blue folder (Q30) on my desk in the enquiry section. Okay, so that’s a lot of information all at once, and I don’t expect you to remember it all. The most important thing is, please be respectful of the staff and if you need help with anything at all, come and ask me or one of the assistants. Alright, any questions?

SECTION 4

Good morning. Today, we will continue our study of Crocodylus niloticus by talking about its living habits. We’ve already discussed the evolutionary attributes that set it apart from its crocodile relatives. Does everyone remember that?

Yes, it has an extremely narrow snout, and three or four rows of protective scales on its back, as compared to two rows on other members of the Crocodylus genus.

Let’s take a look at how these carnivorous man-eaters live, where they live, and finally, whether they really deserve their vicious reputation.

To start, I’d like to address a great question posed to me by a student during yesterday’s office hours. We talked about the distribution of crocodiles in Africa and saw that they are highly concentrated in the South and West of the continent. This student noticed that on the map displaying the distribution of crocodiles across Africa, there were no crocodiles in the Northern Region, and found no mention in the literature of the existence of crocodiles in the North of Africa (Q31). Why might there be no crocodiles in North Africa? Let’s save this question for later in the lecture.

To find out more about the social habits of the African crocodile, one researcher named Tara Shine of the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland conducted a survey of the wetlands in Mauritania and received reports of 46 crocodiles living in one group, or float as we say when referring to crocodiles, though the usual number is a little less than half of that. (Q32)

In general, crocodiles are more highly concentrated in wet, subtropical environments near bodies of water and rich vegetation (Q33). While South American crocodiles thrive in cool rainforests, the African crocodile is more equipped for heat. Though they can survive at the hot temperatures found in some deserts, they are not equipped to handle dry climates and thus cannot survive in places like the Sahara Desert of North Africa. As cold-blooded animals, crocodiles’ core temperatures fluctuate from their average of 38 degrees Celsius as external conditions change, thus they need to avoid extreme temperatures. Others live an underwater life, keeping a body temperature close to that of the water. As their own unique method of regulating their body temperatures, some African crocodiles have made dens by digging holes in the ground to provide themselves with a cool, dark place to retreat from the hot African sun. (Q34)

Speaking of the hot African sun, let’s go back to the question asked at the beginning of the lecture. We know that there used to be crocodiles in Northern Africa, yet today there are none. What are some possible explanations for this?

Some students have suggested that the African crocodile has evolved from a desert creature into a wetland creature, thus causing them to migrate south for more appropriate condition. Others presume that the crocodile was hunted out of Northern Africa by a fiercer predator. While these are intelligent guesses, the real story is a little bit different.

The key to this migration is that the Sahara Desert did not always cover the North of Africa. About 8,000 years ago, the land was fertile wetlands perfect for breeding crocodiles. Over time, though, the area dried out and the wetland slowly turned to desert, leading the African crocodile to migrate south to the marshlands they call home today. (Q35)

Some crocodiles did, however, adapt to living in dry conditions. In Mauritania, some crocodiles have learned to survive in an area where they can go up to 8 (Q36) months with no water by spending the driest of times in what’s called a torpor, or short period of hibernation. To utilise every bit of rainfall, these desert crocodiles dig underground caves that collect runoff, thus staying cool and hydrated.

During the mating period in November and December, males attract females to their viciously protected territory through a number of behaviours that range from snapping their jaws all the way to sending infrasonic pulses through the water. Afterwards, the female digs a hole up to 60cm in depth (Q37) to store the eggs for an 80-day incubation period. The female protects these eggs during the period, and sometimes even helps crack the eggs with her snout at the end.

These teeth-gnashing carnivores are softer than we think. Although these vicious creatures have attacked humans on a few occasions, the residents are not afraid of (Q38) them. In fact, they show a great deal of reverence towards these wondrous creatures. Some say that crocodiles bring water to their habitat, so if they leave, they will bring the water with them. Obviously this is not true, but it demonstrates the admiration the inhabiting people have for crocodiles.

Generally, crocodiles do not predate on humans. They attack (Q39) when humans populate the crocodiles’ habitat, instilling fear and uneasiness in the crocs. Like any other species, crocodiles are known to attack when feeling fear.

There’s still a lot more to be discovered about the African crocodile.

Researchers want to know more about the population size, how many crocodiles inhabit Africa in all, how they form separate floats, etc.

There is still also much to learn about migration patterns (Q40), and relations to other populations of crocodiles now found in other parts of the world.

Next time, we’ll examine a few specific case studies of crocodile populations in Southern Africa.

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 07

SECTION 1

(Man: = M: | Woman: = W:)

Man:	Hello?
Woman:	Hi, good morning, this is Talia from Parrot Bay Travel Agency. Is Robert Goddard (Example) there?
Man:	Yes, speaking.
Woman:	I’m so sorry that I made such an early phone call, and I’m calling to ask a few questions about your most recent vacation – could I have five minutes of your time?
Man:	Sure thing.
Woman:	Great, thanks. Now, I see here that you visited Melbourne. Was this your first visit to Melbourne?
Man:	No (Q1), I have actually been there twice before.
Woman:	I see. Now, what would you say was your favorite part about Melbourne?
Man:	Well, I did like seeing the exotic wildlife, and there are great sites to see, but I have to say I was most impressed by the amazing weather (Q2).
Woman:	Yeah, the weather there is amazing. Which of the sites listed as part of our official tour did you see, and of those, which was your favorite?
Man:	First I saw the theatre, which was beautifully designed. It was not nearly as cool as the Town Hall (Q3) though – the building is a huge part of Melbourne’s history. Definitely my favourite. I saw the aquarium too, but wasn’t too impressed.
Woman:	I see. Yes, people often have great reviews of Town Hall. Now I would like to ask you about your dining experience. Did you enjoy the food there?
Man:	Absolutely -I loved it!
Woman:	I’m glad to hear it. Could you tell me a little bit about what you most enjoyed about the food?
Man:	Being such an international city, I loved the variety (Q4) – I could find any type of food I wanted. Whether I wanted seafood, burgers, or anything else, you name it and they had it.
Woman:	Did you drive to Melbourne?
Man:	No, I flew. I thought about going by train, but in the interest of time I decided to go by plane (Q5).
Woman:	Right, I see.
Woman:	And would you mind telling me whether you are under 20, between the ages of 20 and 40, or older than 40?
Man:	Er, it would be nice if I were still under 20. My vacation probably would have been quite different. Actually though, I just turned 41 last week (Q6).
Woman:	Oh, happy birthday! So did you treat yourself and fly first class?
Man:	Ha! No way. I would love to have a budget that high. I’m more in the mid-range (Q7) income level. I wasn’t always though – I spent much of my life in a low-income household.
Woman:	I see. That answers my next question then, of income level. And what was the purpose of this visit?
Man:	I had to go there on business a lot before and decided I would go there for tourism (Q8) this time.
Woman:	I see. And what is your occupation (nghề nghiệp)?
Man:	I am mainly a computer programmer (Q9). I also write for a travel magazine on the side, which is why I visited Melbourne before, but it’s not my main source of income.
Woman:	I see. Wow, it sounds like you work a lot!
Man:	Yes, I am very busy, which is exactly why I took a nice week-long vacation to Melbourne.
Woman:	I completely agree. Would you care to comment on your accommodation?
Man:	My hotel was good value (Q10). Staying in the city can get really expensive, so it was nice to find such a good price for the location and quality. I’m glad I didn’t end up in some cheap motel in the middle of nowhere.
Woman:	I’m glad you didn’t either. Well, thank you for taking part in our survey, and I’m glad you enjoyed your vacation!
Man:	No problem. Take care!

SECTION 2 **

Unveil: tiết lộ - influx: đổ vào, đám đông – intersection: ngã tư

Thank you all for coming to our community meeting. As you know, we are excited to unveil our improvement plan as we look forward to the influx of tourists in the summer months. I’ll start with a quick overview of the main points of interest in the area for anyone who may not quite know his or her way around yet, and then I’ll get into the improvements made.

First off is my favorite, the Science Museum, which is on the corner of Saint George Road (Q11). If you have not visited it yet, I encourage you to go before the busy season. It is absolutely spectacular – there is even a flight simulator you can try out!

Just west of the Science Museum is the National History Museum (Q12). It’s a site not to be missed as well, with each floor devoted to a different era in our nation’s history. There are special exhibits for children with interactive games and fun history lessons, too.

If you’re looking for parking, it is available on the intersection of Queen Street and South King Street in the Car Park (Q13). Standard hourly and daily rates do apply. The best place for souvenirs is the Shopping Mall, though it gets extremely busy during peak times. You can get there from the tube, or the entrance on Timber Road, just south of Cornwell Road (Q14). This area has students everywhere, usually from the Primary School across the street from the Shopping Mall (Q15). Classes often take field trips and engage in guided tours through the area. So that’s the overview of the main sites and hopefully by now I’ve given you a general idea of the area.

Now I’m going to outline the improvements we have made in our efforts to make the experience even better for each and every one of our visitors. You probably noticed when you first drove into the Car Park this morning, that there is now additional signage to help avoid confusion. The directions were not entirely clear at first, so we have increased the number of one-way signs indicating the correct direction of traffic flow (Q16). Not far from there, in line with our mission of giving back to the community, we constructed a brand new playground for the Primary School (Q17). It is really something to be excited for – the equipment is state-of-the-art and includes swings, a small climbing wall, and even an obstacle course.

Now we’ll head north and take a look at the Science Museum. In response to our feedback from past visitors to the museum, there is now free information available (Q18) outlining not only upcoming IMAX showings, but also natural wonders like meteor (sao băng) showers, eclipses , and other cool natural events. The Science Museum isn’t the only Museum improving the experience of its visitors. The National History Museum has added an entire new wing to its facility to accommodate the large crowds (Q19) of people gathering to see the Civil War exhibit, inventions timeline exhibit, and other wonderful sections of the museum. The increase in space will definitely give a more calm, comfortable experience for visitors (Q19).

Meteor: sao băng – eclipses: nhật thực

And finally, remember when there was actually a line at the mall entrance from the Tube Station? It was terrible trying to get anywhere from the Tube because foot traffic got so backed up sometimes. We have addressed that by adding another entry point into the mall from the other end of the platform to disperse the crowd (Q20). So those are the major improvements we have made. Clearly having too many people that want to visit and enjoy what our community has to offer the public is a good problem to have, and I am confident that we have made the changes necessary to accommodate (chứa, cung cấp) the growing interest in the area.

As always, we welcome any questions, comments, or concerns about the new improvement plan. In a few minutes I will open up the floor for questions but you can also contact me or any other board member by email or through the city website. Thank you for coming, and I now encourage you to stay for the Questions and Answers panel occurring between now and 10.30…

SECTION 3 **

TUTOR:	So you were both given your project assignments for your senior thesis today, right?
JANE:	Yes, and we already have to submit our topics next week!
MARK:	But how could they give us a grade this soon?
TUTOR:	No, next week’s due date will not be counted towards your final grade. The teachers are just going to read your topic and give you feedback (Q21).
JANE:	Oh, I see. So first we should come up with our topics, and then what?
TUTOR:	Well, once you know what you want to study, you need to think about how you’ll study it. You need to decide on your research methods. The methods will be the main part of your paper (Q22).
MARK:	What about the results section?
TUTOR:	Well, I can give you feedback on that, but you will be the one carrying out an experiment and thus will have to produce the results on your own. What I would like to do today is practice writing research papers before you even begin your report. I’ll give you samples of old data from past experience, and you can practice writing results and drawing conclusions.
JANE:	I think that would be really helpful.
MARK:	Yeah, it sounds like a lot of extra work, but I’m sure it will make our actual project easier.
TUTOR:	You are exactly right. So let’s get started. First, let’s try this simple experiment on fruit flies. Read the information, and then take 25 minutes to summarise a results and conclusion section. That’s really important – pay attention to the time limit (Q23). Fruit fly: ruồi giấm
JANE:	OK, does it still have to be 6,000 words?
TUTOR:	No, don’t worry about that.
MARK:	What if we get off topic?
TUTOR:	I wouldn’t worry too much – you will have so much information to write about that it should be easy to stay on topic.
JANE:	But what about other sources?
TUTOR:	Well for this assignment, you can use the one from your textbook. In your actual paper, you should find old experiments that support your topic.
MARK:	So do we need to find different types of sources? For instance, should I be conducting lots of interviews to use in my paper?
TUTOR:	No, there’s no need to conduct lots of interviews (Q24) or anything like that.
MARK:	OK, I’m ready to get started. I’m still a little confused though, on how we should format our paper.
TUTOR:	Don’t worry about it for now, but on your final paper, make sure to pay attention to the format (Q25). It should follow the guidelines exactly.
JANE:	Oh man, I’m starting to understand why they give us all semester to do this. Are there any other small details like that that we should know about?
TUTOR:	Not a whole lot, make sure you provide two copies (Q26) – one for your teacher of course, but one for yourself as well. And of course, you know the due date, right?
MARK:	Uh, it’s April 11, right?
JANE:	What? No! It’s May 11. Right?
TUTOR:	Yes. The due date is May 11 (Q27). Write it down!
MARK:	Oh wow. Yeah, I need to note it. Also, I’m having trouble finding information on my topic. What if I can’t find enough good sources?
TUTOR:	It’s alright to change (Q28) your topic. Just make sure to do it before the beginning of April.
MARK:	Oh really? Wow, I’m definitely going to change it then.
TUTOR:	Just make sure to write a note (Q29) to your teacher letting him or her know.
JANE:	Okay. So getting back to writing this sample paper, where do we start? Should I just explain the experiment and what happened?
TUTOR:	Well, you need to start with your hypothesis – what you think will happen – and then describe your procedure (Q30). Then you can write up the results and your conclusions.
JANE:	Oh boy, I don’t know if I can handle any more instructions…

SECTION 4 **

Hello class, and welcome back to Marketing Strategies. This week I will expand upon last week’s lecture by talking about factors you should consider when creating advertising materials and the effects they can have on your product sales.

Lesson one: limit your advertising to the geographic area of your target market. Though you may have a product that people want in a large area, the distance (Q31) that customers are willing to travel is a significant factor in their choice of where to purchase that product.

Take this example – if you are really hungry and decide you want a burrito, would you choose the restaurant that is a block from your apartment, or the one that is just as good – or even slightly better – across town? Of course you’ll pick the closer restaurant.

Next, there’s the method of communication to your target market. How do you decide among radio ads, TV commercials, fliers, or even word of mouth?

While we often think of the visual presentation of ads, there is much more to advertising than the look. Studies show that consumers are much more likely to remember advertising slogans if there is also a sound (Q32) played. Did you know that your sense of smell is closely linked with memory? Think about Mandy’s Candy Store up the road. Every time you walk past it, you can just smell (Q33) the chocolate, right? I bet you can almost smell it now. Just mentioning the name brings about the smell memory, and in turn a chocolate craving. What better way to sell chocolate bars?

Obviously sometimes appealing to the senses isn’t the most practical way to advertise. For example, it is a good idea to come up with a marketing strategy that adapts to the product, especially digital products. The flexibility (Q34) of this kind of product is extremely important, so it is very common for advertisers to form one single layout for all of their ads – the visual, the medium, even the majority of the content – and simply update the ad each time they come out with a new version.

Remember, advertising is all about stirring up the right feeling in your potential customers, whether by stimulating the senses, appealing to intellect, and so on. Once the customer experiences the ad, the important thing is his or her reaction (Q35). Someone could love the ad you made, but unless he or she considers buying the product, you have failed to get the reaction you were looking for.

So once you have successfully reached your target customer and you have his or her business, often you will want to expand to a larger market. More often than not, the same marketing strategies you used in your small campaign may not work for a larger audience. The larger you scale your product, the more factors you must consider. For instance, Apple operates worldwide, so they must tailor their advertising for each market they enter. Often you’ll see Apple ads on international flights that appear not only in English, which is the lingua franca of most regions, but also in the native language (Q36) of the majority of passengers. I traveled to Russia last week, and it was really interesting to see the same Nike ad that I have seen a hundred times – except this time it was in Russian!

Okay, going back to the medium of the advertisement, even after choosing to create print ads (instead of radio announcements, television commercials, etc) there is more to consider. If you print your ad in a newspaper, it will be read by a far different audience than if you print your ad in a popular magazine. Would you put an ad for the new Justin Bieber album in a newspaper? Probably not, because that product is most suitable for youths. Let’s face it – do you know anyone under the age of 25 that buys a newspaper (Q37)? No!

Now let’s try a few strategy exercises. Imagine you are a company that is aiming to improve the environment (Q38) by making products that reduce human waste. How would you advertise your product? Clearly it would send the wrong message if you put up fliers or other materials that cause lots of waste paper. Consider instead putting commercials on the Health Channel, or buying ad space on websites like UNESCO.

Or here’s another example: What is one great place to advertise suntan lotion? How about a swimming pool (Q39)? It has the exact group of people that need the product.

Alright, one last thing. Let’s say you’re filming a commercial for a water filter pitcher. What would be good scenery to use for the background? Think about somewhere calm and relaxing with clean, fresh water. Can’t you see how much more effective a commercial with the beautiful scenery and flowing rivers of a national park (Q40) would be than, say, water dripping from a tap?

So to wrap things up today, think about the geography of your target market, the type of marketing material you should use, and the most effective way to appeal to the customer in order to make a successful ad campaign.

That is all I have for you all today. Make sure to read through chapter 8 for Monday if you have not done so already. OK, now I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have…

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 08

SECTION 1 *

Employer:	Hello, is this John Murphy?
Applicant:	Hi, yes it is.
Employer:	Hi John, this is Ed Heisenburg from the Wild Dunes Spa and Resort calling about your application for our lifeguard (Example) position. Do you have a few minutes to talk?
Applicant:	Yes, absolutely.
Employer:	Great. Could you give me your address?
Applicant:	Sure. My address is 45 Elsinore (Q1) Court.
Employer:	I’m sorry, was that Eleanor? Could you spell that for me?
Applicant:	Sure – it’s Elsinore. E-L-S-I-N-O-R-E.
Employer:	Okay, thanks. And is this the number we should reach you at in the future? 099885767?
Applicant:	No, this is my home phone, but let me give you my mobile phone number instead: 077896245 (Q2). Call me on that one.
Employer:	Okay – I’ll make a note of that. Could you tell me your availability?
Applicant:	Sure. I am usually available during afternoons or weekends.I would prefer not to be scheduled on weeknights because I work part-time as a waiter (Q3).
Employer:	That shouldn’t be a problem, since we don’t stay open very late anyway. And do you have any other employment experience?
Applicant:	Yes, I have worked at a few other places. I was the baseball coach (Q4) at Ridgemont High School last season.
Employer:	I see. And do you have any other experience that you would like us to note on your application?
Applicant:	Yes. Last year I worked at the beach as a rescue diver (Q5).
Employer:	Rescue diver? That sounds intense!
Applicant:	Well, it’s really just like being a lifeguard, except in the ocean instead of a pool. So kind of like being a lifeguard at the world’s largest pool.
Employer:	Haha. I see.
Employer:	So could you tell me about the relevant skills you have? I’m guessing a lot, given your experience.
Applicant:	I am CPR certified and have 2 years of diving experience (Q6).
Employer:	Great! It sounds like you are well qualified for this position. When does your CPR certification expire (hết hạn)?
Applicant:	Hm. I think in November, but let me quickly check my CPR card … actually, it expires in October (Q7).
Employer:	Okay, so regardless you have it through the end of the summer. When is your ideal time to work?
Applicant:	Since I work in the restaurant on weeknights, I like weekends best – specifically Saturday mornings (Q8).
Employer:	I see. We do already have a lot of staff available on Saturdays, but I do need an early morning shift lifeguard. How early could you work Saturday morning?
Applicant:	I can get there by 6.00 (Q9) if need be.
Employer:	You’ll be happy to know we open a little later than that, but I’ll put you down for Saturday mornings here.
Applicant:	Oh awesome (tuyệt vời)! I can’t wait to get started.
Employer:	How about you come in next Saturday, the 12th?
Applicant:	That sounds good.
Employer:	Great – we can figure out other shifts for you to work when you come in then. One last thing – just out of curiosity, where did you hear about us?
Applicant:	I heard your ad on the radio (Q10) while I was driving this morning.
Employer:	You know, I think you’re the first person who has responded to our radio ads. It’s almost always people who have seen us in the newspaper.
Applicant:	Yeah, I don’t have time to read through the newspaper every morning. I have plenty of time in the car to listen to radio ads.
Employer:	That makes sense. Well, thanks for your time, and we’ll look forward to seeing you on the 12th.

SECTION 2 **

GEOFFREY:

Good evening, I’m Geoffrey Miller, from the University of Nottingham Student Union. And in this week’s free class, Carlos Garcia is going to tell us about safety around campus. Over to you, Carlos.

CARLOS:

Thank you, Geoffrey. And thank you for all of your attendance today. Also, I would like to thank the student union here at the university for organising this lecture (Q11). Well, I have been serving and protecting the city of Nottingham for over 20 years now as a member of the police department. Does anyone know what type of crime is the most prevalent on campus? I heard someone say drugs and alcohol – that actually isn’t too much of an issue. Violence? Nope. Actually, the biggest thing we worry about here is theft (Q12). The nature of crime on Nottingham’s campus is quite different from that of the surrounding areas.

Crime rates across the East Midlands are very difficult to control. We would like to see the rate stay the same for this calendar year, but it has been increasing steadily over the past three years. On campus, however, I’m happy to say that the overall crime rate has fallen this year (Q13). You wouldn’t think so if you have seen the extremely exaggerated stories in the media. The media has done nothing but cause more concern about crime in our area (Q14). Even the crime shows you see today are a little bit farfetched (xa vời), but at least viewers know they are not real events. We would really like to see more factual (thực tế) news articles out there so the public can have a rational (hợp lý) sense of the safety level of our society.

OK, let’s move on to what to do when you see a crime. Do not get involved if at all possible, and do not draw too much attention to yourself by running away in a conspicuous manner. (conspicuous: dễ thấy, hiển nhiên) Though most likely (and hopefully) you will not have to experience this situation, if you are being mugged please do not try to resist. Instead, be compliant and, seek help after the incident (Q15). Incident: tình cờ, bất ngờ, có thể xảy đến

Like I said, though, it is highly unlikely that you will find yourself amidst (ở trong = among) a crime, but it is important to be prepared should it ever happen. We find that educating students and staff on the correct precautions to take is the best way to increase your safety (Q16). Just remember to be smart when you’re out late at night, and avoid any area or person that looks suspicious. I know it sounds obvious, but I cannot stress this enough.

It is also not a bad idea to have your mobile phone with you at all times, but be careful. If you are chatting on your smart phone on your way home, you are a prime target for thieves. I’d like to see a show of hands – how many people have left work or the library after 10 p.m. to go home before? A lot of you, right? If you do have to go home late at night, please don’t walk home alone.

More often than not there is someone there that will be walking the same direction as you at some point. Walk home with a friend or coworker. Even if you must use your phone to call someone that is nearby to walk with you, it is always safer to walk home with someone (Q17).

So when you’re walking home, you may feel more comfortable with some sort of self-defense, such as pepper spray. Now, it’s your call whether you want to carry something like this or not. However, I absolutely advise against carrying a knife or any other offensive (tấn công) weapon. All too often they can be used against you if you are disarmed (bị tước vũ khí), putting yourself in more danger (Q18). For all those interested, the recreation (giải trí, tái tạo, tiêu khiển) centre offers a free self-defense class to all students every Thursday evening. While obviously an introductory self-defense class may not equip you to fight off villains like a regular superhero, it does come in handy sometimes. After taking a self-defense class, you will surely be more aware of possible dangers (Q19) and how to deal with them.

So hopefully now you have a more complete understanding of the nature of crimes committed on your campus, and how to avoid being a victim. I know most students at the University of Nottingham are not the criminal types, but remember that there is no barrier like a wall (Q20) or something keeping nonstudents out. There is no army force securing the borders, and I doubt anyone wants it that way. The campus is generally a safe place, but it is not immune to small crimes once in a while.

Alright. That’s all I have to say for today. Stay safe!

SECTION 3 **

T:	Hi Bobby, go ahead and sit down. Tell me about your research project.
B:	Well, I decided to research football, and keys for success on a football team.
T:	That sounds great. What are the guidelines for the test? Did the teacher talk to you about it in class? handout: bản nháp, draft: phác thảo
B:	No, everything is on a handout (Q21) that was passed out. It says that the first draft is due at the end of next week, and the second and third are due later on in the month. I don’t understand why we have to keep revising and fixing it. Is this assignment really that important?
T:	Well, this project is a major requirement for passing 11th grade English and will go on your permanent record (Q22).
B:	Oh really? Does that mean it will affect what English level I am placed in next year?
T:	Well, not exactly. You need a good grade to move on, but it is your overall grade and teacher recommendation that determines what level of English you are placed in next year. Anyway, tell me about your topic choice. Do you play football?
B:	Well, actually it’s because my father loves the sport (Q23). He watches it every weekend.
T:	Cool! It’s a good idea to report on something you’re interested in.
T:	I see you worked hard calling players and the head coach to talk, so let’s see what information you got.
B:	Well, you have to listen carefully to the first call on the recording. It’s really hard to hear because the background noise is louder than the person’s voice (Q24).
T:	Yes, it is a bit tough (khó khăn) to discern (nhận thức, phân biệt). I’m afraid the player’s answer is too short (Q25) as well. You will have to interview him again and try to get him to give a better answer.
B:	Okay. I thought that might happen. I will call him again tomorrow.
T:	Moving on, let’s look back at this question. You asked, “Tell me about a time when you learned a major life lesson through playing football, and explain how that has shaped the person and player you have become now, and how you hope to pass on that lesson.” It is a great idea for a question, but in an oral (bằng miệng) interview it is far too complex (Q26). I would advise you to break it up into multiple parts to get a better response.
B:	I guess you’re right – I wouldn’t want to have to provide an answer to a question like that. I will simplify it. I found that when I asked players this question, it took too much time (Q27) because they were truggling to answer the question completely. In fact, this is the question Joe Billings was answering when the tape ran out.
T:	He did tend to ramble (lạc đề, lan man) on all the questions, didn’t he?
B:	He sure did.
T:	I would recommend that when you go back and interview players again that you use a more sophisticated recording device. This recording is spotty, which indicates that the equipment wasn’t working consistently (nhất quán) (Q28).
B:	Okay. I guess it probably wasn’t the best idea to use the sound recorder on my phone. Hey, could you give me some feedback on the content of the report itself?
T:	Sure! Let’s start by focusing on your topic. While I like that you chose to cover football, it seems inexplicit (không rõ ràng) (Q29). The keys for success of a player and team is quite an interesting topic, but what is your thesis (luận đề, luận văn)? That is to say, what conclusions can you draw from your research? I would suggest coming up with a strong thesis statement and then shaping your report based on that.
B:	Is it really too vague (mập mờ, k rõ ràng)? I put a whole lot of facts into it. I list the top 10 goal-scorers in football history, and later on provide statistics for a few of the most famous coaches and their records as coaches.
T:	I think that’s great that you included these facts, but I think you focused too much on the facts (Q30) and not enough on connecting these facts to make your point.
B:	Ah, I see. Okay. So it looks like I have quite a bit of work to do before the deadline!

SECTION 4 **

Good morning. Today I am going to cover the daunting (làm nản lòng, khó khăn) task of giving a quality speech – a thought that makes most of us cringe (rụt rè, sợ sệt). In fact, 90% of all people feel nervous about public speaking, about 10% of whom are described as genuinely terrified. Hopefully when we are finished here today, you all will be in the 10% of the population who do not feel nervous at all.

Did you know that lecturers tend to get more nervous (Q31) if the speech they are giving is an important one? It makes sense, right? You probably wouldn’t be nearly as nervous to address your residence (ký túc xá) hall about the proper use of the recycle and compost (phân trộn) bins as you might be if you were asked to give the graduation speech to your entire 5,000-student class.

So what is it that makes some people completely comfortable in front of crowds? Some people think that the ability to give a good speech is a gift (Q32) that others are simply born with. This is almost never the case. Public speaking can be learned with practice.

The first, most important thing you can do to improve your confidence in delivering a speech is to prepare a quality speech. Honestly, while the content of your speech is relatively important, the audience will really only remember the last (Q33) sentence you say. It is a good idea to structure the rest of your speech to lead up to this last point to really drive your message home. This is a good way to ensure that your speech is well-organised (Q34).

Once you are confident in the quality of the speech you have written, the rest is just about your stage presence. Let’s go through some do’s and don’ts of public speaking.

First, you want to command (điều khiển, chỉ huy) the attention of the room. Do not – I repeat, do not proceed with your speech until the audience is paying attention (Q35). Even Martin Luther King, Junior’s I Have a Dream speech wouldn’t have made any difference in the world without the undivided attention of his audience.

To continue with the I Have a Dream example, one of the reasons that MLK was such an effective orator was his ability to speak with passion and engage with his audience. That sort of charisma (sự lôi cuốn) does not come from reading straight from paper. Don’t get me wrong – it is a good idea to write your main ideas down on a note card, sheet of paper (Q36), or something. But one factor that will consistently lead to a boring, forgettable speech is writing down your entire speech. Do not write your full (Q37) speech down. If you are constantly reading your paper, you are not making eye contact with your audience, and thus failing to really express the feeling that goes with your ideas.

I advise you write one or two (Q38) ideas, so If you suddenly draw a blank you have something to jog your memory. If you’ve written a good speech that you believe in, those ideas should be sufficient to keep you on track.

Once you have those ideas written down, give your speech a few practice runs in front of the mirror, into your sound recorder on your phone, or with a friend before it comes time to address a crowd. That way you can hear how the ideas come across, make sure there are no abrupt (đột ngột) transitions (chuyển tiếp), and find out whether you’re talking too fast or too slow. Timing is important – make sure you time (Q39) yourself before hand to see how long your speech is. That is pretty much it! With practice you’ll be able to deliver an expert speech that engages and even maybe inspires your audience. Just remember – speak with emotion. No one wants to listen to someone reading from a script (Q40).

As I come to a close in my speech, I’ll point out that I have employed all of these tips that I have covered. I practiced my speech ahead of time and timed it, and I can even show you my one small index card with just three simple bullets on it. It’s as easy as that!

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 09

SECTION 1 **

Police:	Hello, London Police Department.
Anna:	Yes, I would like to report a robbery.
Police:	Alright, just a minute while I pull up the form. OK, could you give me your first and last name?
Anna:	Anna Grieg (Q1).
Police:	Greg? G-R-E-G?
Anna:	No, Grieg. G-R-I-E-G.
Police:	Got it. Alright moving on: gender – female. Date of birth?
Anna:	15th of March (Q2), 1980.
Police:	Alright, thanks. Just a few more personal information questions and then we can address your claim.
Anna:	Alright.
Police:	What is the address?
Anna:	4 Ellendale (Q3) St. That’s E-L-L-E-N-D-A-L-E.
Police:	Oh right, Ellendale Street: Yeah we’ve had a lot of break-ins in that area lately. And the postal code? Break-ins: đột nhập
Anna:	W5 2AT (Q4).
Police:	And are you a citizen of the UK?
Anna:	No.
Police:	Okay, what type of citizenship do you have? Citizenship: quyền công dân, quốc tịch
Anna:	Well, I lived in the United States for most of my life, but I am actually of Grenadian nationality.
Police:	Okay, so is that the country that issued your passport?
Anna:	Yes.
Police:	Alright.
Police:	And what is the crime you are reporting?
Anna:	I already said – a robbery!
Police:	Oh, right. Sorry, this is about the hundredth robbery report I’ve filled out today. Have you had any prior break-ins? Hundredth: thứ 100 – robbery: vụ cướp
Anna:	Um, in the building or just my flat? The unit below mine got broken into last year.
Police:	No, just your flat.
Anna:	Oh – then no (Q5). Not here.
Police:	Alright, let’s see here. Can you think of anything that was out of the ordinary around your building, or anyone who may have had reason to do this?
Anna:	No, it seemed like just a normal evening. I didn’t see anyone suspicious, and can’t think of anyone that would target me specifically.
Police:	How long has this been your place of residence?
Anna:	Hm, let me think. I moved in on February 1, and it’s October, so it’s been about 8 months (Q6) already. Wow, time flies!
Police:	And that is just for Ellendale, yeah?
Anna:	Yes. I have lived in the UK for just over 1 year.
Police:	I see. Can you give me the first and last name of all members of the household?
Anna:	Actually, I live alone (Q7).
Police:	OK – so no other occupants. And can you give me a brief account of what happened?
Anna:	I left to go to a dinner party at 6 p.m., and when I returned at 11 I found the place ransacked (lục tung) and a lot of my things gone.
Police:	Any sign of forced entry?
Anna:	Yes, the back door (Q8) was wide open, and it looked like someone used a crowbar (crowbar: xà beng) to force it open.
Police:	I see. And just to be clear, was the door locked when you left?
Anna:	Of course!
Police:	Hey, you would be surprised how many reports we get where people have failed to lock their doors. Now I need you to list any missing items valued above £200.
Anna:	So far I’m missing my computer, my purse with my wallet in it, and the TV.
Police:	OK. Let’s start with the computer. What is the estimated value?
Anna:	£500.
Police:	And what is the serial number?
Anna:	G4168770 (Q9).
Police:	Thank you, and a visual description?
Anna:	It is a black 13-inch Pemdas Cloudbook. There is an Oxford sticker on the lid (nắp).
Police:	OK, and could you give a description of the purse?
Anna:	Sure. It’s a Claude Frieda shoulder bag and the material is silver-colored cloth (Q10).
Police:	Price?
Anna:	£300.
Police:	Okay. That concludes my report. I’ll submit it and we’ll let you know of any developments.

SECTION 2 **

T:	Hi, Mark. Hi, Gina. What can I help you with?
M:	So we were hoping you could help us with this extracurricular project.
T:	Sure – what is the topic?
G:	Attending business school.
T:	This sounds like a great idea. So you’re going to explain the requirements for getting into business school?
M:	Not exactly. It will be more broadly about the experience – the academics, accommodation, and social experience that comes with being a part of the business school (Q11).
T:	I see. So would your audience be the general public?
G:	Well, we would probably want more to focus on members of the institution – we would especially like to reach individual applicants to the business school (Q12).
T:	I see. Now what form will this information be? You could give a talk to all the summer courses – all you would need is permission from the course director. Or you could pass out information outside the student union.
M:	Those are both good ideas. What about sending out pamphlets (tờ rơi, thư rác) in the mail?
T:	Most college students never check their mail. Maybe you could make a video and show it on campus?
G:	That’s a great idea. We’ll do the video (Q13).
T:	Great. And as members of the business school, do you have an incentive (kích thích, khêu gợi) to attract new students? If so, this idea is a great way to do that.
M:	No, the idea actually came about because of how much students like us worry about their studies (Q14).
G:	Yeah – when! got into business school, there were a lot of things I had not prepared for, so the video would cover a lot of things Mark and I wish we had known upon entering business school.
T:	Right.
T:	What would you talk about first?
M:	The first and probably most important section would be academics.
T:	Good idea. So would you provide guidance on what courses to take?
G:	We want to focus especially on the approaches professors take – their teaching methods (Q15). It is far different than what students are used to in high school, and even in liberal arts college. Liberal: tự do
T:	Good idea. And how long do you think you would spend explaining academics?
M:	We’ll probably spend 7 minutes on it.
G:	We also have some ideas for talking about housing, food options, and stuff like that. We’re not really sure how to tie (kết nối, rang buộc) it all together though.
T:	I think it would be suitable to title that section accommodation (Q16) – what do you think?
M:	That could work. We’ll definitely describe the different dining options at the cafeteria, and then walk students through flats and the grueling (mệt mỏi) process of finding one near the business school campus.
G:	Okay – so we would cover specifics on the cafeteria, as well as flats (Q17)?
M:	I think those are both helpful. We could spend about 6 minutes on accommodation, and be sure to touch on those specifically.
T:	Great. Is there anything else you would talk about?
G:	We definitely want to go over the social aspect of attending school here.
T:	Of course. I think it’s good to have a little fun once in a while when you’re working so hard in school.
M:	I think we are going to introduce new students to the disco (Q18) that so many upperclassmen know and love. Maybe we’ll include a few other places too, but that’s the main one.
G:	We’re also going to invite students to the international evening (Q19) taking place in the first week of school as a great chance for our large international student population to meet a lot of other new students.
T:	It can definitely be hard to meet people as an international student. I think that is a great idea. You may want to spend slightly longer on this section than the other two.
M:	Hm… How about 8 minutes?
G:	That sounds reasonable. So overall, the introduction should take 3 minutes, and then the conclusion should take 4, giving us a total of 28 minutes.
T:	I wouldn’t rash your introduction. Maybe give it between 4 and 6 minutes. The conclusion, though, can be shorter since it’s just a quick refresher of each of the topics. Give that not more than 2 minutes (Q20). Rash: liều lĩnh, dại dột, hấp tấp
M:	Okay. So in total the video should take about the same time, just more intro and less conclusion?
T:	Precisely.
G:	Alright – we are going to get to work on our video. Thanks for your help!

SECTION 3 **

Dany:	So tell me about your research project, John.
Jone:	I created a questionnaire for the study to determine people’s opinions of the relative feasibility of earning a living in Brisbane (Q21). Fesibility: thi hành, thực hiện
Dany:	Oh, cool. How is it scored? Are they all multiple choice questions?
Jone:	Well, the questions consist primarily of yes/no responses. There are two free response questions at the end. Participants will use a computer to fill in their answers (Q22); that way it is really easy to analyse the data afterward.
Dany:	Great! It sounds like you have a pretty solid idea of what you should do. Just don’t forget to submit a copy of your plans to Professor Curran by the 15th.
Jone:	Oh, I almost forgot!
Dany:	Hm, you don’t do it for high grade or appraise, but he can review and give you feedback (Q23). Appraise: đánh giá, thẩm định
Jone:	Right, that will be helpful – he has been conducting studies like this for 30 years now.
Dany:	Yep, oh and I’m curious – are you going to be in the room giving subjects directions for the questionnaire?
Jone:	Well, I think the instructions will be provided by another representative who will not be analysing the data (Q24). I want them to feel they can answer and be completely anonymous, so I will not be in the room. Anonymity is really important for this study.
Dany:	I agree. Good idea. You should tell the representative to remind (remind: nhắc nhở) subjects to fully consider both sides of each issue (Q25). Sometimes it’s really easy to immediately check “yes” or “no” without stopping to think about it completely.
Jone:	That’s so true! It’s like a race to finish the questionnaire first or something. I’ll make sure to include that in the instructions. This report has to be perfect!
Dany:	Wow, what’s the big deal? I know it’s part of your grade and all…
Jone:	Well it’s that, but also a well-executed study could grab the attention of faculty in the department, which would be a huge deal. Falcuty: năng lực, tác dụng, tài năng.
Dany:	So…for attention?
Jone:	No silly! I mean I could really gain the respect of professors who may later take me on as a graduate student in their labs (Q26).
Dany:	Oh, I see.
Dany:	Let me take a look at the survey. Wow, this looks great! The map of the median income by region is a great tool – where did you find it? (Q27)
Jone:	Well thanks! I read a lot of sources and just noticed this one in a small psychology journal called Modern Psychology (Q27). It’s more helpful than the photo I added, but I think the photo is just so interesting. It was in the newspaper last year during that huge wage strike (Q28). Strike: đình công
Dany:	It’s great. Probably not necessary, but it looks great. I don’t understand – what is WKRX’s involvement here?
Jone:	Oh – the radio station agreed to sponsor the study if I play their station in the room (Q29).
Dany:	Wow, interesting. So you don’t have to pay for any of this?
Jone:	Exactly.
Dany:	Nice! Where did you get that idea?
Jone:	Last month at the Psychology Club Council meeting someone talked about how easy it is to get sponsorship from local businesses, so I listened to their advice and called around! (Q30)
Dany:	I’ll have to remember that. Well, this all looks great. Good luck!

SECTION 4

Good afternoon. In the last few lectures we’ve been covering the social and political pressures that influenced the rise of the rebellion (nổi loạn, bạo động) of 1679. Today I would like to focus on the Pleasanton Town Market.

Now, why are we talking all about some market? It’s not like it was the first market ever, or even a particularly large market. The Pleasanton Town Market is important because it is often mentioned in the literature found in the library (Q31). If you have ever been there, you have probably seen all of the handcrafted items sold there now. But what was originally bought and sold in the town market?

In the beginning, the market sold products such as meats, furs (lông thú), and simple tools. Over time, though, it became known as the place to find quality livestock (Q32). People came from all over the world to find the biggest and best cows, pigs, and chickens. In fact, the profits from the Town Market became the savior (vị cứu tinh) of a plummeting (suy thoái, lao dốc) economy during a time of much turmoil (hỗn loạn, xáo trộn, náo loạn) . Not to be confused with the reconstruction era, a period of rapid development came about in the 1660s as a result of the market’s vendors (vendors: người bán, nhà sản xuất) contributing their profits to building up much needed public facilities and defense (Q33), which would later make a huge impact on the outcome of the war.

For many years, the market flourished and began to draw in large tourism crowds in addition to the throngs (đám đông) of livestock (chăn nuôi) customers. However, as revolutions in farming came about, more people moved to farms far from the city centre. Customers grew more and more reluctant (không sẵn lòng, miễn cưỡng) to travel all the way to the town centre for their meats when they could easily choose to buy from local farmers near them for a fraction of the price (Q34).

With such a fall in the profits of the town’s major profit generator, some quality town planning was needed. In the mayoral election of 1668, a young man of little fame just barely (ít, vừa đủ) claimed the popular vote – none other than the now legendary John C. Wiley.

Wiley’s first decision as mayor of Pleasanton was to deal with the quickly failing Town Market. The building with the large clock was a landmark that had symbolised growth in Pleasanton for a generation. Wiley decided to use the notoriety of the Town Market to set an example. During the historical Rotterdam Rebellion, Wiley gave all those involved lifetime prison sentences in the very same building (Q35). It stayed a prison for about 50 more years until they transported all remaining prisoners to other facilities and turned it into the historical monument today.

Now that you know the basics of the history of the Pleasanton Town Market, I will introduce your next group project. I want you, to make a short film based on the real historical events that occurred in Pleasanton before and during the uprising (sự mọc lên, trồi lên, sự nổi dậy).

I will give you some class time to look through the library’s reference section, but you will be responsible for conducting further research outside of class. I suggest starting by looking for information on the market (Q36) itself. You’ll find plenty of information – in fact, some students complain that there is actually too much information on it.

On your own time, you could find family members of old war veterans (cựu chiến binh) to conduct interviews (Q37). Sometimes they provide wonderful insight that you wouldn’t find in proper history books, but be careful – an interview that is riddled with bias (thành kiến, thiên vị) is useless (Q38).

I myself have some very old photographs (Q39) here that you are welcome to take a look at for some inspiration. I’m lucky enough to own this one of Jim Wiley himself! Very interesting to see, but does not provide enough information to add much to your film.

Feel free to take this film into whatever direction you choose; You could even do a crime (Q40) thriller based on real outlaws. All you would have to do is look through the newspaper archives (archives: công văn) in the crime section during that time period. Try to get as much detail as you can, but you may end up having to draw your own conclusions.

Okay, that’s enough from me, so let’s go on to…

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 10

SECTION 1

P:	Hey Jim, it’s Peter.
J:	Oh hey Peter. What’s up?
P:	I thought I’d call so we could hammer (phê bình, chỉ trích) out the details for *next year’s lease.*
J:	That’s a good idea. Did we ever decide on how to split the total rent?
P:	Well, I was thinking since my room is bigger I probably should pay a little more, so I could pay £110 and you could pay £80 (Q1). Does that sound okay?
J:	Considering that my old apartment cost me £100 for a smaller room, I’m definitely alright with that! Hey, I was looking at a map of the area, and can’t seem to find a bus stop near it. Do you know where we would catch the bus?
P:	Well, the bus is actually pretty far from us, but we have that garage (Q2) that we can park our cars in.
J:	Wow, that’s great! Convenient parking is hard to find, so we’re lucky we have that. Okay, so we have a whole lot of things we’ll need to buy when we move in – how do you want to split that up?
P:	I was wondering – do you still work at the supermarket (Q3)?
J:	Yep, every Tuesday and Saturday.
P:	Would you be able to buy things from there if I send you a shopping list?
J:	Sure, I can do that.
P:	Great. Then I can take care of whatever else we need that you wouldn’t get at a supermarket. If you want, I’ll pick you up from work that day and we can go to the apartment together.
J:	That would be great, thanks.
P:	No problem – that way we can split the cost of petrol (Q4).
J:	Works for me. It’s so expensive these days, isn’t it?
P:	It’s downright obscene (tục tĩu).
J:	So let’s figure out what appliances we need. Do we have a microwave (lò vi sóng)?
P:	Yes, the landlord’s providing that for us. Hey, do you still have that space heater (Q5) though? We need one for the kitchen since it’s not connected to the central heating.
J:	Oh, right, I’ll bring that. Anything else?
P:	well, i have some dining room and living room furniture i can bring, so that should take care of most of the big stuff. you know what we do need though? could you bring a toaster (q6)? Toaster: lò vi sóng
J:	I actually don’t have one. It doesn’t come with the microwave?
P:	No, the landlord is only supplying the microwave. It would really help if you could bring one.
J:	Okay, I’ll pick one up at the store. You know, I also have this cool antique rotary phone that would be a cool addition to the apartment. Sort of as decoration and utility. antique rotaty phone: điện thoại bàn quay số cổ
P:	Oh cool! The only thing is, we’d have to put it in the kitchen, unless you want it in your room.
J:	Why not put it in the living room?
P:	The living room is too loud to have a phone conversation. The noise sort of carries, so if one person is trying to watch TV or have friends over the person on the phone won’t be able to hear.
J:	Hm, okay, well I guess kitchen (Q7) it is then. Any other big things we need? That seems like everything.
P:	That’s all I can think of. And of course, move-in is –
J:	June 1st (Q8). I can’t wait. We’ll be able to watch the big game in our new apartment – it’s going to be awesome!
P:	Yeah, we can move in in the morning and then Friday night (Q9) we can sit back and cheer on Liverpool.
J:	I have an exam (Q10) in the morning, but will be done around 11 a.m. and can move in after. Wait…Liverpool? You’re joking, right? I thought you were a Manchester United fan?
P:	MAN U? No way! Liverpool all the way!
J:	Oh no. I don’t know if I can live with a Liverpool fan…

SECTION 2

Welcome to all of you…Can everybody see and hear me?… Good…I’m Sarah Conor, an HR representative of Earn and Learn. I have been asked today to talk to you about our company. So, for those of you who don’t know very much about the company, let me start by giving you some basic information about it.

Earn and Learn started nearly twenty years ago. It is not a charity but a forprofit company that enables promising entrepreneurs to make money (Q11) while traveling. During the past ten years, it has grown rapidly and has gained great influence in most countries of the world.

We have a partnership with the school (Q12) and take a large number of recent graduates from the business school. So if you are a recent graduate I’d say you can consider applying to our company.

Before your application, you might be curious about what sort of places you could go to. There are four main locations, but you also have the freedom to submit a different location and if they can make the necessary arrangements, you can go. The first country Earn and Learn established locations in was the U.S., where you may choose from multiple locations, as long as you can commit to their more rigid schedule of August to December (Q13).

Also, you could do the Australia (Q14) internship. That one is really cool – you work at a wildlife shelter and learn about the business practices of nonprofit organisations. You do have to be willing to commit 8 months for that one (Q14), though. Perhaps that’s a long time to be so far away, but I would say it is really an amazing opportunity.

I don’t know whether some of you are in decent physical shape. If so, the South Africa (Q15) internship is another exciting one – you learn a lot about sustainable farming – but you would be doing some of Q15 the manual labor involved in maintaining a farm. Indeed, it’s hard work, but I think you would definitely be able to do it. It may be wise to wait until after their summer is over so it’s not so terribly hot.

In addition, there is a most recently established location in India (Q16). This one gives you more of a study abroad feel, given that they arrange a host family for you to stay with (Q16). In the other locations, you live in an apartment with other interns, so this is definitely a unique experience.

Regardless of where you go, at the end of the program you get a Global Traveling Certificate, as long as you can explain your experience. You can provide a written log of what you did (Q17). I recommend writing journal or blog entries about what you do every day, or a weekly summary of each day. Of course you don’t have to write up a formal report or anything like that. And you need to apply for it once you have returned (Q18).

Some students may want to know whether this is a paid internship. Actually you have to pay for the flight there yourself. But you have the opportunity to create your own small business, which could earn you money if it’s successfi.il. So basically you pay for it all up front, but when you’re there you can find ways to make money. That is to say, you pay for two thirds of the cost up front as a deposit, and then give the final installment one month prior to your return (Q19).

Finally, I have to remind you that you need a health check (Q20) before you go, to make sure you’re not going to spread any communicable diseases. In addition, before you go, you don’t have to attend any meetings or workshops. You’ll meet everyone you’ll be working with once you get there.

Okay, well, that’s all I’ve time for today. Thanks for listening and I’m happy to take any questions if you have them…

SECTION 3

Student:	Hi, Professor Timmons? Do you have a few minutes? I was hoping to talk about what I missed on Thursday.
Professor:	Hello, come in. Sure, sit down. Could you tell me your name please?
Student:	Margaret, sir. Margaret Parkinson. I apologise for missing your class but I had to go to the hospital.
Professor:	I’m sorry to hear that! Everything is OK now though, I hope?
Student:	Yes, thanks.
Professor:	Glad to hear it. So on Thursday I outlined the research project that will account for 30% of your grade. All students will be divided into groups and will give a well-researched presentation to the class covering a specific topic relevant to student life.
Student:	Oh, that sounds interesting – can we choose just any topic that pertains to life as a student, like how to start your own student organisation?
Professor:	Well, though I’m sure that would be an informative presentation, I have already chosen a list of topics which I will assign. As an example, I assigned one group the topic of student loans (Q21). They are to research not just the prevalence of students who have loans to pay for their tuition, but information as to how best to manage these loans and possible scholarships that could alleviate some of the financial burden. Alleviate: giảm bớt
Student:	That one sounds particularly interesting to me – could I request that topic? I could easily find out a lot about it by stopping by the Finance Office (Q22) on my way to class.
Professor:	Unfortunately, that one is already taken by another group. I have, however assigned you to a group and given you all one of two choices.
Student:	Oh, I see. What are the choices?
Professor:	The first is discussing smoking (Q23). Trends in the number of student smokers compared with the general population, popular reasons students take up smoking, and more healthy alternatives to smoking.
Student:	Hm, that one could be interesting. I’m not a smoker myself, but will see what my group thinks. If we did choose this topic, we would rather not put our fellow (đồng bọn) students on the spot to interview them – where else could we gather information?
Professor:	How about where the cigarettes are sold?
Student:	Oh, that’s a great idea. I could interview the manager of a supermarket (Q24) and find out the average age of people buying cigarettes, or how much they buy, that sort of thing?
Professor:	Precisely.
Student:	Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. And what was the other topic?
Professor:	The other topic is the practice of natural medicine (Q25). It sounds far more specific than the others, but it is more an exercise of outlining a career path. If your group chooses this, you would cover the specifics of becoming a Doctor of Natural Medicine, how to become licensed to practice natural medicine, what the career outlook is, etc. you could find much of the information you need on this in the Careers Office (Q26).
Student:	Wow, that would be really helpful not just in learning about natural medicine, but in how to approach researching any career path.
Professor:	That’s the idea. I want groups to really think outside the box to find information on their topics. They should interview multiple sources.
Student:	Okay, now I think I have the general idea.
Student:	When is the presentation due?
Professor:	I expect each group to send me an email attachment (Q27) of the plan ahead of time – by October 10th – so that I can ensure that you are on the right track.
Student:	Oh, that’s actually really reassuring (yên tâm). I would hate to spend so much time on a presentation only to find we had taken it in the wrong direction! So when is the presentation?
Professor:	I let groups choose from the list of time slots I have between November 1st and November 5th (Q28).
Student:	Okay, how about the 3rd? I’ll have to check with my group, of course, but maybe we could write a tentative time? (tentative time: thời gian dự kiến)
Professor:	Sure, let me take a look. I’m actually booked completely through the 3rd and 4th now. How about sometime in the afternoon of the 5th?
Student:	Great! How about 2 o’clock?
Professor:	No problem. I’ll pencil your group in.
Student:	Okay, thanks. And to clarify (làm rõ), what exactly is due in the first phase?
Professor:	Before the October deadline, I want your group to have compiled (tổng hợp) resources and then to provide some initial data analysis (Q29) to support your claims.
Student:	Okay, so data analysis is due the 10th of October, and then the um, the
Professor:	Presentation (Q30)? Yes. The final phase is simply giving the presentation on the 5th of November.
Student:	Alright, I think I have all the information I need. Thanks!
Professor:	You’re welcome. See you in class tomorrow.

SECTION 4

Today I’d like to tell you about how U.K. architects are playing their part to address the issue of global warming. You have seen many of these iconic buildings while going about your everyday life, but you may not know how they are affecting your tomorrow.

In 2003, construction was completed on the famous Swiss Re Building, or more informally called the Gherkin, a true masterpiece commissioned by the law (Q31) offices of Foster and Partners.

This is not the first ambitious endeavor (nỗ lực) of the firm – they are renowned for their various philanthropic (từ thiện), environmental efforts. The Gherkin, with its cutting edge green initiative and sharp design, is gaining recognition as an icon in modern architecture. You can pick it out of the London skyline (đường chân trời) by its unorthodox (không chính thống) cigar (Q32) shape.

While its appearance is the obvious attribute at which to marvel (ngạc nhiên, kì diệu), there is far more to this building than meets the eye. And let’s face it – there’s a lot about this building that meets the eye. The building helps reduce the city’s carbon footprints (Q33) in a number of ways.

Just a quick note – in case you’re not familiar with the term ‘carbon footprints,’ get used to it! It’s a buzzword (từ thông dụng) you’ll hear relentlessly (không ngừng) to talk about reducing emissions. Think of it as the amount of harmful greenhouse gases that are given off into the environment by a single person, organisation, or product.

So going back to the Gherkin Building – perhaps the most obvious as well as the most significant eco-friendly feature is the glass windows, which allow light (Q34) to pass through the building, both reducing heating costs and brightening up the workspace.

The ingenuity (ngây thơ, chất phác, thật thà, khéo léo) behind the various eco-friendly aspects of the Gherkin has seen its fair share of publicity both from serious and silly sources. In a recent April Fool’s Day edition, one e-publication printed a story detailing plans to replace 50% of the current exterior (bên ngoài) with grass (Q35), which would not only make large steps in the name of sustainability, but also give the building the green hue (màu, sắc) that would truly earn it the nickname of the Gherkin. The only drawback is, as you may have guessed, that this story was an April Fool’s Day joke and completely made up.

In all seriousness though, the building is setting a new standard of design that other architects and city planners just cannot ignore. The building’s bold and cost-efficient design has won a number of architecture awards, including the Stirling Prize, the London Region Award, and the Emporis Skyscraper Award among others. The design comfortably accommodates a large number of offices while keeping maintenance and operation costs down, striking a superb balance between nature (Q36) and the workplace.

Nature is well arid good, as long as the weather is nice outside. Given London’s notoriously bad weather, the architects knew they must devise a quality temperature regulation system, and that they did. A special system designed to reduce the building’s reliance on air-conditioning (Q37) was devised that cuts consumption in half compared to standard office buildings. There are atria that link each floor vertically to one another, forming spiraling spaces up the entire building. They serve not just as social common spaces but also act as the building’s lungs (Q38), distributing clean air from the opening panels in the facade through the entire building.

The building isn’t all business though – it has its fair share of fun as well. At the very top, a clubroom (Q39) offers a picturesque entertainment spot for company functions, private parties, etc., with a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.

The creation of such an innovative structure has many wondering what the future of urban planning and architecture may be. Well, if the other projects currently commissioned by Foster and Partners are any indication, the entire city (Q40) constructed with similarly eco-friendly buildings is not far in the distance. The Masdar City development aims to create a desert city that produces zero waste and removes as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it puts in – a huge feat in protecting our earth.

The Gherkin is a truly impressive feat, yet it is not the only one worth noting. Now to move on to another green initiative, I’ll tell you about the Eden Foundation Building, found in Cornwall…

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 11

SECTION 1

J:	Hello?
A:	Yes, I’d like to speak with Janet Evans (Example), please.
J:	Speaking.
A:	Hi Ms. Evans, this is Jim Rodriguez calling from Farrelly Mutual about your recent homeowner ‘s insurance inquiry.
J:	Yes, hi. Thanks for returning my call.
A:	My pleasure. I understand you are potentially interested in insurance for a bungalow located a bit out of town. Could you give me the address? Bungalow: biệt thự
J:	Sure, it’s 49 Greenway (Q1) Court. Greenway is one word.
A:	Thank you. Alright, and would you prefer to be contacted via email or phone?
J:	Either one is fine – maybe try emailing me first and as an alternative I can give you my phone number.
A:	Great – and what is your email address?
J:	pk2@cat.com (Q2).
A:	Hm, did you say “cat,” as in the animal?
J:	Yes. It is the acronym (từ viết vắt) for the construction company I work for – I’m sure you’ve seen them around.
A:	Yes, I have. And could you give me your primary phone number, and the best time to reach you?
J:	Sure – the number is (020) 4251-9443. I am generally unable to answer my phone at work, but anytime after 5.30 p.m. (Q3) is fine.
A:	I will make a note of that here. Now I’m going to ask you a little bit about the property itself so we can make an accurate estimate of the cost of insuring your home. Could you tell me the size of your house?
J:	Um, well, I don’t have the exact measurements, but I’m pretty sure it’s right around 80 (Q4) square metres. Should I measure it and call you back later?
A:	No, that’s completely alright. I’ll write 80 square metres for now to get the estimate and then an agent will come get the exact measurements later on if you decide to purchase our insurance.
J:	Okay, great.
A:	And what material is your house made of? For example, wood, brick, stucco (vữa)…
J:	It’s mainly brick (Q5).
A:	Great – that will give you a lower rate than most other materials since it is so strong.
J:	Wonderful!
A:	And do you have any sort of home security, Ms. Evans?
J:	Um, we don’t have a fence (hàng rào) or anything yet, but we have an alarm system (Q6) that we use regularly.
A:	Good.
A:	Now I’ll go through a number of things we offer coverage for, and I’d like you to tell me which items you want your policy to cover.
J:	Okay.
A:	We’ll start with the building itself first – would you like us to cover incidental damage to the structure to your house?
J:	Absolutely.
A:	Splendid (lộng lẫy). And the contents inside your house – we usually cover all items with an appraised (thẩm định, định giá) value above £200. Would you like us to cover theft and damage beyond natural wear-and-tear? I will let you know that the second option here will come with a considerable increase in your rates.
J:	I think I’d just like the contents of the house to be covered against theft then.
A:	Alright – and would you like any other insurance – fire, flood, etc?
J:	Yes – I definitely want flood (Q7) coverage. It rains a lot here, and the drainage (thoát nước) system in the area is not the greatest.
A:	Okay. I am calculating your quotation (giá hiện hành) now. It will just take a second. (Two seconds pause) It looks like your annual insurance rate will be £148.30 (Q8).
J:	Thanks, that seems somewhat reasonable. I would like to take some time to think about it. How long does it take to begin receiving coverage after signing up?
A:	It depends on the time of year – it can take anywhere from two to six weeks. I would say if you sign up by July 1st, you could start your coverage by August 1st (Q9).
J:	I see. Okay, thanks for your help. Should I call you back at this number when I have made my decision?
A:	Yes, please. And so that we can look up your account faster, I’ll give you a reference number that you should provide when calling. Ready?
J:	Yep!
A:	It’s TR278Q (Q10).
J:	Got it. Thanks!
A:	Thank you, and have a nice day!

SECTION 2 **

Hey if you’re just joining us on WKPX “The Sound”, welcome. We’re here in the studio with Matt and Cam in the morning, and this morning we’re talking about keeping the kids occupied on summer vacation. Folks, there’s a new kid in town in the world of summer fun. Get ready for the Pool for the People, a pool and outdoor venue created by – that’s right – the people.

Scheduled to open in November, the ideas for everything from the design of the pool right down to the items sold in the snack bar have been decided upon by a sample of 1,050 members of the public. The public selected two top proposals from over a dozen (Q11) created by renowned (renowned: nổi tiếng) architect Ned Mosby, and the final design is truly something else. The pool is shaped like a fishbowl (bể cá), sinking down into the ground, and there’s – you guessed it – a real, live fish tank in the centre! It’s certainly the centre of attention in the Bridgewater area (Q12).

Now, you are probably wondering how much an extravagance (xa hoa, hoang phí) like this must cost right? Well, have no fear. At just £15 for adults and £10 for kids, it’s an affordable way to entertain the kids in those dog days of summer. The only problem now is the possibility that it will in fact become too popular! The pool is only so large, so swarms (bầy đàn, đám đông) of people coming to enjoy it may cause quite a crowd in its first summer of opening (Q13).

There will be an opening party for a select audience, and in line with the pool’s mission, the people have decided on all the arrangements. They collectively decided on actress Rebel Wilson to host the festivities scheduled for later this month, and even dictated (bắt buộc, quyết định) the playlist by ranking their top 10 songs from a list of hundreds.

There is some discrepancy (sự khác biệt), however, on the sculpture design for the foyer at the entrance (Q14). The people elected a jellyfish sculpture to greet entering visitors, but given last week’s vicious (xấu xa) attack by a box jellyfish on a local youth, coordinators (điều tra viên) fear it will bring too much fear to patrons (người khách quen).

The theme of the clubhouse is set to be “international waters” with a different section representing each continent, designed by the legendary local artist Roberta Anuzzi. Representing Asia in the reception area will be a mosaic (bức điêu khắc đc khảm) made up of prominent (nổi bật) animals indigenous (bản địa) to the continent – a camel, a panda, and the Siberian white tiger, to name just a few (Q15).

In the West lounge, feel the cool, icy vibes (rung cảm) of the Transantarctic (xuyên nam cực) Mountains of Antarctica (Q16). Makes you cold just thinking about it, doesn’t it? Just seeing a wall with a mural (bức tường) of the glacial (băng) mountains is almost enough to cool you off on a December afternoon. Almost.

Why not make the trip to the pool a social studies lesson at the same time? The theme in the lady’s lounge room for Africa may not be what you expected. A safari? Drum music? The Nile River? No, did you know that Africa was home to the first jewelry (Q17)? I sure didn’t.

By contrast, as you may expect, North America’s theme for the card room is as modern — even futuristic (tương lai) – as it gets. Anuzzi created for North America a sort of absurdist (absurdist: người theo chủ nghĩa vô lý) print interestingly juxtaposing (cạnh nhau, xen kẽ) the moon landing of 1969 with an abstract depiction of humans living on Mars. Seems to me like an interesting commentary on the future of space exploration (Q18). And in the men’s lounge room, the ancient forts of Sparta, Rome, Greece, and other European civilisations fittingly exhibit the strength and combatant characteristics of these societies (Q19).

Finally, the cafe and breakfast room area is an enchanting (say đắm, mê hoặc) round room that draws all attention to its centre – where there is a strikingly (nổi bật) realistic sculpture of a volcano. The delicious food may actually be only the second most exciting part of this room in comparison to the 9-foot statue complete with brightly colored molten lava to characterise South America (Q20). Honestly, it is like a museum visiting each room of the clubhouse. Why not make the trip to the pool an educational one for the kids? We’re going to take a quick commercial break here at WKPX, but we’ll be back in 10 with more on what’s touted to be the Summer’s Hottest Place to beat the heat…

SECTION 3 **

T:	Before we start, Jimmy and Kathy, thanks for coming in today to talk about your current research paper! Well, I will also give you some suggestions for your future presentation later.
J:	That’s great!
T:	Okay, I have read the introductory chapter (Q21), and so far I like where you’re going with your research, you two.
K:	Thanks! What did you think of the procedure section?
T:	I haven’t gotten there yet. I will get to that and the results and discussion section in a bit.
J:	Oh. If you haven’t read the rest, are you just saying you like the introduction?
T:	No – the layout is really well done (Q22). You have each section clearly marked and have the header and footer perfectly formatted, and your title page is right on the money. A lot of students have trouble with that one.
J:	To be honest, we did refer a lot to the example we received in class.
T:	That’s good to do for spacing and layout, as long as you’re not also copying the information. The background information is a little sparse, though. You may want to add to it.
K:	You think so? I was more worried about whether I had enough data.
T:	You definitely need more background information. I would think about finding some more online articles or doing more research in the campus library (Q23).
J:	That’s a good idea – we can go tomorrow. I find it too tough finding the subject matter in the online journal database.
T:	I also like being able to flip through the physical journal as opposed to trying to scroll down on a computer.
K:	Me too. Oh, I almost forgot. I’ve included all of my citations in the abstract, but could you help me with the bibliography (Q24)? I should be using a bibliography, right? Not an appendix?
T:	Sure, I can help with that. Yes – for this type of scientific research paper, list all sources that you cite in the body of your paper in a bibliography. Go to the website I gave you last time to see the exact way to list each source.
K:	Okay, thanks. I’ll do that. We still have a lot of things to fix up.
T:	Yeah, but there’s a lot of good stuff here to work with. So enough about the paper, how is the presentation going?
K:	Well, it’s alright. I am going to go try out the new presentation software (Q25) while Jimmy’s working on the bibliography.
J:	Yeah, we are hoping to make an animation of an actual pump but still have a lot to learn about how to do that.
K:	Who would have thought before we started this project that we would be able to recreate the motion of a pump? This stuff is just so interesting.
T:	So glad to hear it!
J:	Yeah, I am glad I took engineering this semester. I would definitely like to keep up with it.
T:	You know, there’s an organisation called the Machine Engineer Society. You should look into joining it. You would need to score well in your engineering class (Q26) to qualify, but I think you can do it.
K:	Hm, interesting. I will definitely check it out. I would really like to get in contact with some professionals in the engineering field to find out more. I don’t really know anyone in the field now, though.
J:	I think if you keep meeting people in your classes and professors you’ll be able to get in contact with some really helpful people (Q27).
T:	Well said, Jimmy. If engineering pumps is something you both are specifically interested in, make sure you stay up to date on new developments. In fact, you could visit the local water treatment facility periodically to see what new developments are going on (Q28).
K:	Hm, that may be a good way to get some practical experience.
T:	Well, I don’t think they would let you handle any equipment by just visiting the facility. If you really want to get your hands dirty, so to speak, I would recommend instead seeking a summer internship (Q29).
K:	Wow, you have so many helpful suggestions for getting a leg up. Now if only you could tell me how to get my work published!
J:	Haha, wouldn’t that be nice.
T:	Well, honestly, all you really need to do is once you have a dissertation, present it. Present it often and to many audiences, and once you get feedback, adjust it. You’ll get published one day (Q30).
K:	Wow, this meeting has been truly inspiring. Thanks for your help!

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Tonight I’m going to present an overview of the research on amber (hổ phách). Okay, I’ll start by giving a brief introduction about amber, then talk about the formation of amber, and then describe amber’s applications in different fields. First of all, what is amber? Amber is not a stone, but is ancient, fossilised (hoá thạch) tree resin (nhựa cây), which is the semi-solid amorphous (vô định hình) organic substance secreted in pockets and canals (ống) through epithelial cells of the plant. And why is resin produced? Although there are contrasting views as to why resin is produced, it is a plant’s protection mechanism (cơ chế). The resin may be produced to protect the tree from disease and injury inflicted by insects (Q31) and fungi (nấm).

Amber occurs in a range of different colors. Besides the usual yellow, orange, and brown, other uncommon colors are also associated with it. Interestingly, blue amber, the rarest Dominican amber, is highly sought after. It is only found in Santiago, Dominican Republic. There are several theories about what causes the blue color in amber. The most common one links it to the occurrence of volcanic dust (Q32) that was present when the resin was first pressed out from hymenaea protera millions of years ago.

At this point, you might be curious about how amber is formed. Molecular (phân tử) polymerisation (quá trình polime hoá), resulting from high pressures and temperatures produced by overlying sediment (trầm tích), transforms the resin first into copal. Sustained heat (Q33) and pressure drives off terpenes and results in the formation of amber. Copal that I’ve just mentioned is also a tree resin but it hasn’t fully fossilised to amber. More generally, the term copal describes resinous substances in an intermediate (Q34) stage of polymerisation and hardening between “gummier” resins and amber.

So where can we find amber? It can be found on sea shores (bờ biển) (Q35). The main producer worldwide is Russia. In fact about 90% of the world’s available amber is located in the Kaliningrad region of Russia, which is located on the Baltic. Here, the resin is washed up on the coast after being dislodged from the ocean floor by years of water and ocean currents. However, exposure to sunlight (Q36), rain, and temperate extremes tends to disintegrate (phân huỷ) resin. This also indicates that amber is not really an ideal fossil preservative for most uses.

We’ve already learned that amber is made of tree resin. It often includes insects that were trapped within the tree many millions of years ago. A piece with a visible and well-arranged insect is generally valued much higher than simple, solid amber. One Dominican amber source reported finding a butterfly with a five-inch wing spread; this is both a large and unusual find; most butterfly specimens (mẫu vật) have no more than a two-inch wingspan. Inclusions in Dominican amber are numerous – 1 inclusion to every 100 pieces; Baltic amber contains approximately 1 inclusion to every 1,000 (Q37) pieces.

Now that you have a basic knowledge of amber, I’d like to talk a bit about amber’s applications in different fields. First, amber is appreciated for its color and beauty. Good quality amber is used to manufacture ornamental objects and jewelry, for instance using a variety of exclusive first class quality natural Baltic amber with silver (Q38) to make natural amber jewelry. But due to the biodegradation (quá trình phân huỷ sinh học) of Amber fossils, people with amber jewelry have to take special care of it, to ensure that the amber is not damaged.

It was previously believed that amber worn on the neck served to protect one from diseases of the throat and preserved the sound mind. Kalistrate, a famous doctor in the Roman Empire wrote that amber powder (bột) mixed with honey (Q39) cures throat, eye and ear diseases, and if it is taken with water, eases stomachache. While the mystery around that use of amber has not been cleared, one thing is sure: it will help effectively to defeat small malaises.

Amber has even been used as a building (Q40) material. Amber created the altar in St. Brygida Church in Gdansk, Poland. In St. Petersburg, Russia, the walls of the famous Amber Room were lined with intricate carvings and inlaid designs. This palace room is being reconstructed from photographs, and can be visited at the Catherine Palace, located in the town of Tsarskoye Selo. And finally, the fourth use of amber is that…

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 12

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A:	Hello, Elite Travel, this is Emily speaking, how may I assist you today?
E:	Hi, I have a group visit to plan, and I wonder whether you could help me decide on which hotel to book. I have narrowed it down to either the Winchester, the Royal Hotel, or the Star Hotel. I am wondering if you have a recommendation.
A:	I would be happy to help! Those three are excellent choices. If everyone is booking hotel rooms independently, an easy way to do it is online booking. The Star Hotel offers online bookings at no additional charge.
E:	It sounds fine!
A:	Yeah, and you can even book the gorgeous sea view rooms (Q1) if you act quickly.
E:	Hm, I will consider that. It would be great since we are mostly first-time visitors to the area to get a nice view of the water. Now, are there handicap accessible rooms?
A:	Yes, all three options have access for the physically disabled (Q2).
E:	Great. I should also mention that we will be on a tight schedule, so we won’t have much time to go out for meals. Which of these hotels serve food?
A:	There is a limited continental breakfast menu at the Star and at the Winchester. For a full restaurant and room service, the Royal Hotel is your best bet (Q3).
E:	Oh wonderful! Could you tell me more about the restaurant?
A:	Absolutely. In the morning there is a gourmet buffet or a la carte item, and after 11 a.m. lunch is served in the dining room. Dinners are in a nice, low-key but high quality setting in the hotel’s private dining room (Q4) and Fridays feature the house jazz band.
E:	How lovely! Is there a group discount?
A:	No, sorry. Not at the Royal hotel. Let me check on the others, though. Could I place you on hold for just a second?
E:	Sure, thanks.
A:	It looks like there is one at the Winchester – 15% off when you book 8 or more rooms (Q5).
E:	Really? Sold! We’ll book at the Winchester. Wait – is it suitable for children though? We’ll have a few little ones in our group, and it would be great to have a way to keep them occupied.
A:	Yes. In fact, it has a play place (Q6) that kids just love, with slides, and swings and everything. Definitely a good hotel to bring the kids.
E:	Okay, great.
E:	So now I know where we’ll be staying, what next? Should I go ahead and book transportation and assign rooms and everything?
A:	Well, for now, there are only a few things for you to take care of. We will hold a block of rooms for you as soon as you send a deposit (Q7). I recommend booking as soon as possible, so you probably want to send the invitations (Q8) as soon as you know how many rooms to hold.
E:	Oh, right. Okay, I’ll send the invitations and put down the deposit. Is there anything else I should take care of?
A:	Great! And don’t worry about this now, but sometime before you arrive do let US know if you’ll be requiring our transport (Q9) service to and from the airport.
E:	I’ll make sure to let you know. Does that incur a service charge? Or perhaps a tip, or some presents to show our gratitude for the personal car service?
A:	Oh, don’t worry about it. It is a free service, so if you would like to tip you are welcome to do so, but hotel drivers do not accept gifts (Q10).
E:	Thanks for your help!
A:	My pleasure. Enjoy your stay at the Winchester!

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Ladies and Gentlemen of Durham, start your engines! Skip Gordon here inviting you to the eleventh annual Durham County Car Exhibition! That’s right, it’s that time of year again! Mark your calendars – the pre-opening event kicks off on the 18th, and the exhibition officially opens to the public on Saturday, March 19th (Q11). Take it from me – you won’t want to miss Durham’s most attended public event of the year 5 times running. You don’t have to be a motor head to appreciate the finest cars both new and old in existence today, but it helps! Be one of the 70,000 (Q12) people to see everything from big rig monster trucks to good old fashion classic hot rods.

Get your tickets now! Admission is £10 for adults and £5 (Q13) for children during off-peak times, and £20 for adults and £10 for children and senior citizens on weekends and for full-day passes.

Come see vintage classics, bid in the auctions, and even test out a few on the Winner’s Circle Racetrack. An insider tip – weekends are the exact time when all of the best attractions take place, but to avoid Saturday crowds join us this Sunday (Q14). You’ll see me – Skip Gordon – and all your friends from WKXP there this Sunday at our very own booth, so stop by and say hi and you might just win a prize of your own.

A new attraction this year will be the addition of a new car category – electricity (Q15), namely the electric car class. See displays from Toyota, Honda, and – you guessed it – Tesla! Watch as the first generation of fully electric cars compete on style, ride, and watch the main entertainment as there’s going to be a fabulous show of racing car (Q16) to see who takes home fastest battery powered car. While not typically known for their speed, this new class is guaranteed to surprise you.

Get tickets before they sell out! Last year’s tickets sold out fast, so we upped the attendance this year. That’s right, more seats! But don’t wait – act now and save! (Q17) That’s right – if you buy your tickets before this Friday, you’ll get two for the price of one. That’s right, TWO for the price of one!

And don’t worry kids, just like last year, there’s something specially for you! Wreak havoc on the road with the Kids Krazy Cars ride, and then Race around the Tiny Tykes Track in your favorite child-sized race car (Q18). Meanwhile Mom and Dad can take a spin in a ride a bit more than their size. We’re rolling out a massive dirt track so you can get behind the wheel and test drive something a little more adventurous. Put the pedal to the metal in a 4 by 4 SUV (Q19) as you go over bumps and navigate through twists and turns – you’ll want to buckle up!

You heard it here – act now to get in on the fun at thé Durham County Car Show before it’s too late. Come for prizes, good prices, and good old fashioned family fun. We had a lucky draw for a NEW car last year (Q20), but this year our main event is the Monster Truck Rally, where one lucky fan will win a chance experience the thrill from behind the wheel – well, next to the wheel as they ride with legendary driver Smash Tate! Feel the speed first hand and talk to a living legend in a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

For tickets, go online to www.durhamcountycars.com, or call 1-888-CAR-SHOW now. We’ll see you there! And always remember to buckle up!

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S:	Hi, Professor Jamison, I was hoping we could talk this week about choosing courses for next semester.
T:	That sounds great! Any idea yet what you would like to take?
S:	Well, I was hoping you could kind of tell me. There are so many to choose from. I don’t even know where to start!
T:	Sure. Well, first thing’s first. Do you know what you will major in? It is important to take courses that are relevant to your career path (Q21).
S:	Well, I think I want to major in Biology. I want to go to medical school, so it seems like it would make sense.
T:	I agree – if you like Biology, it is definitely a good idea to focus on that since so many of the requirements overlap.
S:	Okay, so I should take a few Biology classes then?
T:	Yes. Let’s start there. You should pick one or two Biology classes. Not just any Biology classes, though! If possible, read online or talk to senior fellows and find out about the structure of the courses (Q22). You don’t want to end up signing up for two classes that require labs in the same semester – you’ll spend so much time in the Biology Department that you won’t see the light of day.
S:	Oh right, good idea. I heard labs can be as long as 4 hours.
T:	That is true. And another thing – make sure the topic is either relevant to your major, or something you are interested in learning about (Q23). It sounds obvious, but do not just take a class because you heard it was easy, or because it does not require attendance.
S:	Of course not. Though it would be really nice to have at least one class, that’s a little bit less rigorous than the ones I’m taking this semester. I barely sleep as it is with all this studying.
T:	That may have more to do with your study habits, though I don’t disagree that your schedule is really difficult this semester.
T:	So any idea which Biology classes you may decide on for next semester?
S:	Well, I was thinking of taking Human Physiology – it sounds relevant and interesting.
T:	I think it is an interesting class, but I would recommend against it. You are already in Human Anatomy, which also covers Physiology so it would be repetitive, and probably not the best use of your time (Q24).
S:	If I already know some of the stuff, I could take it to boost my GPA a little bit.
T:	Um, you could maybe do that, except the professor that teaches it is famous for giving out the fewest A’s of any professor.
S:	Oh wow. Never mind.
T:	Now, changing subjects, have you decided yet on your research topic?
S:	Well, I actually decided. I don’t want to do a research paper. I’m going to do a dissertation instead. I think I will much more enjoy coming up with a thesis and finding all the details to support it (Q25).
T:	I see. Didn’t you already do some of the research though? What happened to that?
S:	Well, I started doing research. Then the more data I collected, the more complicated things got (Q26). I realised I would have to take a lot more steps to randomise the sample, and then I realised I would need to control for more factors.
T:	I see. What kind of data collection did you do?
S:	I interviewed employees at the water treatment facility after Professor Dickinson recommended it (Q27).
T:	I understand. Well, the research paper could be much more outside work, but it may be worth it if that is what you are interested in.
S:	No, I am a lot happier just doing the dissertation.
T:	That’s fine with me. Just remember, you need to finish your first draft and send it in soon. It’s already the middle of February!
S:	Oh wow, it is, isn’t it? I just have to finish it by the end of March (Q28), right?
T:	Yep, but don’t forget! The date will really sneak up on you.
S:	OK, I’ll make sure to set reminders in my calendar. And who do I talk to about registering my dissertation?
T:	You should go to the Department Office, and then talk to the secretary (Q29).
S:	I thought I needed to talk to the Department Head.
T:	Not for registering. If you need help developing your dissertation, that’s when you should go to the Department Head.
S:	Oh, I see. And who would I see about getting access to the database of past research on my topic?
T:	That you can find in the computer (Q30) lab, specifically in the office – you’ll have to ask a lab technician to give you access.
S:	Okay. Well, I’ll go ahead and get started on that then. Thanks!

SECTION 4

Good morning, everyone. In today’s lecture, I’m going to talk about the role of sleep in humans and animals. Of all the biological processes in the animal kingdom, sleep is perhaps the most important. A human can survive for almost two weeks without eating, but did you know that one week without sleep can be fatal (tử vong, chí mạng, điềm xấu, k thể tránh khỏi) ? It’s even worse for animals, especially for those who must avoid predators. Without sleep, an animal is much less capable of avoiding an attack (Q31) – this is the case for all animals, whether they are reptiles (bò sát) , mammals (Q32) or fish. Let us look now at how different animals sleep, reasons for their ways of rest, and the potential problems they might encounter (gặp, đụng độ, chám trán, giao chiến).

In marine life, sleep must be balanced with breathing. For example, the dolphin must float to the surface as it sleeps in order to breathe (Q33). Like other large sea mammals, they keep one eye open and one half of the brain awake at all times to maintain some amount of consciousness required to breathe and to watch out for possible threats. They sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep.

Birds also have unusual sleeping patterns, mostly due to being constantly on edge (Q34) in the presence of numerous predators. They usually sleep quite lightly -for example, Swainson’s Thrush, also called Olive-backed Thrush, is a medium-sized thrush that takes hundreds of naps during the day, each of which lasts just a few seconds. While migrating, migratory birds tend to function well on micronaps.

Horses, on the other hand, do most of their sleeping standing up. Scientists think that horses develop their habit of sleeping upright as a defense mechanism, a way of protecting themselves against predators, and a standing position keeps a horse in a constant state of readiness (sẵn sàng) to race away if danger should approach.

Also, horses do occasionally take short naps (chợp mắt) lying down. Horses are heavy animals with big muscles, but their bones (Q35) are surprisingly delicate (tinh vi, tinh xảo, mỏng manh), so lying in one position for a long time could well injure a horse. Just like humans, animals can also have sleeping problems (Q36). Dr. John Hedricks and Adrian Morrison from the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, determined that certain diseases were primarily associated with the sleep states in animals. In their research they emphasised that because so much in this area still remains unclear, animal models were very important for studies of sleep disorders (disorder: rối loạn). The physiology of sleep in animals is similar to that of humans.

But why do we humans sleep? Researchers and scientists believe it helps us organise our memories (Q37) of the day – that sleep acts as a kind of filing system for the brain. Without it, our thoughts become disorderly and confused, which leads to increased likelihood of accidents and a tendency to say and do bizarre (kỳ quái) things. Researchers also believe that sleep plays a key role in learning (Q38). We sleep so that the brain can integrate (tích hợp, thêm vào) new knowledge and form new associations. Because of the similar sleeping pattern to that of humans, rats (Q39) are often studied in order to increase our knowledge of human physiology. In one study, rats were kept awake for almost two weeks, and their behavior was observed. Researchers found the sleep-deprived rats (deprived: tước đoạt) could hardly remember anything of what they had been taught that day. For example, one rat had been taught to recognise pictures of various Parisian landmarks in order to receive food – pressing a button below a picture of the Louvre would result in food being released and so forth. However, when deprived of sleep, they would press buttons seemingly at random.

In addition to rats, the fruit fly, a small insect that feeds and breeds on spoiled (hư hỏng) fruit, also has been used as a model organism and thousands of scientists around the world work on it. But why was the fruit fly chosen to be studied? It was for practical reasons. The most important one is that the relationship between fly and human genes is so close that the sequences of newly discovered human genes, including genes that show a susceptibility (mẫn cảm, nhạy cảm), can often be matched against their fly counterparts. This provides an indication of the function of the human gene and could help in the development of effective drugs to help people with sleeping disorders. Therefore, many scientists today choose to study the genetic structure (Q40) of the fruit fly, which could make a particularly important contribution to the understanding of developmental processes in humans.

In conclusion, sleep is a necessary part of life not just for humans, but for the entire animal kingdom. Now, I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have…

Thứ Bảy, 21 tháng 8, 2021

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IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test Vol 1-2

IELTS Listening Recent Actual Test 01 – Test 29

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Special

Ielts Readind Pratice Actual Test 44-89 IeltsTainingOnline