Advanced Listening Transcripts
Lesson 1
Practice Test 1
Part 1
You will hear a phone conversation between the manager of a community centre and a woman who is enquiring about art classes in the centre.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
Manager: Bramley Community Centre. How can I help?
Woman: Oh hi. I'm calling about the art classes that the centre offers. I had a quick look at your website. I think one of the classes is called something like 'Movement and Light'?
Manager: That's right. The focus is on painting in the style of the French Impressionists.
Woman: Yes, I saw that in the description. But l've got a few questions if you don't mind.
Manager: Sure, go ahead.
Woman: Well, do I need to bring anything to the class? Or is everything supplied?
Manager: Not quite. What you'd need to do is get yourself some brushes - I'd suggest a range of them, you know, in different sizes.
Woman: All right. Yes, I guess it would make sense to bring your own. I'll make a note of that.
Manager: And you know what the fee for the class is?
Woman: For one term - it's $170 isn't it?
Manager: That's right. But if you sign up for two terms, it actually works out cheaper.
Woman: How much would that be?
Manager: $285. And we do find that a lot of people sign up for a couple of terms - it's such a great class.
Woman: OK, I'll give it some thought. And that's on Monday evenings, isn't it?
Manager: Yes, from 6p.m. to 8p.m. In room 15.
Woman: And who's the tutor?
Manager: The tutor? He's a local artist. You might have heard of him. Steve Ramdhanie.
Woman: Oh possibly. How do you spell that surname?Manager: It's R-A-M-D-H-A-N-I-E. Got that?
Woman: Yes, thanks. Now, you've also got a class called 'Clay Basics'. It's a pottery class, right?
Manager: Yes, that's right.
Woman: Do we get to use a pottery wheel?
Manager: Yes you do.
Woman: Oh great. But we'd be making something simple, I hope. I can't imagine producing a vase or anything with a handle.
Manager: No, in the first term, you'd just be producing two or three bowls. That means learning how to shape and glaze them.
Woman: Sounds great. I guess it would be a bit of a messy activity. You wouldn't want to wear your smart clothes, would you??
Manager: Best not to. I'd recommend wearing something old - that you didn't mind getting dirty.
Woman: Well, I have a shirt like that that I could use. l'd just roll up the sleeves, I guess.
Manager: And the fee for that class is $180 per term.
Woman: All right.
Manager: And the class runs on Wednesdays, 6.30 to 8.30p.m. Oh hang on, l've got that wrong.
Woman: It's on a Thursday, isn't it?
Manager: Yes, my mistake. What else can I tell you? Oh yes, the tutor's name is Theresa Clark. Her works on display in reception here.
Woman: Oh great. I'll have a look.
Manager: Yeah, if you've got time.
pause
Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
Woman: Um, now the other class I thought looked interesting was 'Sketching Architecture.
Manager: Oh, yes. For that one everyone goes down to the local park, because it's surrounded by so many beautiful old buildings.
Woman: Oh, right. Like the old post office.
Manager: Well, I think you begin by drawing the library. There's a good view of it from the park, l believe.
Woman: OK, nice. Actually, come to think of it, I think l've seen the sketching class down in the park when I've driven past. Don't they all take a fold-up chair with them?
Manager: I believe so.
Woman: Is there anything else I ought to know?
Manager: Well, the people who do the class - they tend to make a sandwich for themselves, and bring that along. So, l'd recommend you do that too.
Woman: Good idea. I get grumpy when I'm hungry.
Manager: All right, that's $160 per term for that class, and it's on Fridays, from 11 a.m. till 1.
Woman: So, if the classes are in the park - that's quite a big area. Where do we actually meet?
Manager: Good point. Everyone usually heads along just before 11a.m., and they meet each other at the top of Victoria Street, at the Station Road end.
Woman: So, on the corner? Great. And the tutor is...?
Manager: Annie Li.
Woman: You know what, I'll have to think about the other two, but l'd definitely like to enrol for Annie's class. I'm happy to pay now.
Manager: In that case, you're going to need Annie's cell phone number in case you're running late or the class gets cancelled.
Woman: I see. OK, what's the number, please?
Manager: It's 021 785 6361. Just text her if there's a problem. Now, how would you like to pay? We can...
Part 2
You will hear the manager of a factory talking to office staff about renovation work at the factory complex.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
Manager: Good afternoon. First of all, I want to say thank you for your patience for the last six months. As you know, all the office staff had to move to temporary offices while the renovation work at the factory complex was taking place. But finally that work is finished, and everyone can return to the factory complex, and their new office space. We're hoping everything will go smoothly but - there's a couple of things we'll need you to do during your first week back.
You'll be pleased to know that your files and folders have been placed at your desk, so there's no need for you to go hunting around for any records. Um, a couple of people have asked whether their old pass will still work at the security gate - or will they need to get their photo done and update their personal details. I can assure you that the old pass will still get you through the gate. No problem. Once you've had a chance to settle in to the new offices, please take the time to view a training video for the operating system we're now using. We think it's going to manage all our programmes far more efficiently. Obviously, the sooner you can get this done, the better. Also for next week, because the renovations have meant a complete redesign of some of the company's buildings, you'll need to attend a session on things like - what to do if you hear the fire alarm go off, and where to meet if you have to evacuate the buildings. We'll let you know as soon as we have a definite time for that. It's going to be a busy week for everyone, but hopefully the kind of challenge that can help bring the team together. We'll make a time for you to report back to me on Friday.
All right, we've also taken some steps to improve the physical environment in your offices. Bigger windows mean that the offices are a lot brighter - and that's better for your eyes. Inside we've replaced some dividing walls with coloured glass panels. They look great. We've also invested in some adjustable chairs. You can lower or raise them to whatever height feels right for you. What else? We've now got some quality insulation in the ceilings and walls that'll make everything a lot warmer. Also - another thing - we've set aside several rooms for project work. That will allow a team to get together around the same table. We feel that more opportunities for face-to-face discussion will benefit the whole company. So, when you…
pause
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
Manager: OK, so let's look at a plan of the factory complex, and see how it's changed. You can see that the main entrance is at the top of the map, Ellerslie Road is on the left-hand side, and the warehouse is at the bottom. OK, let's start with one of the new buildings - the conference centre, perhaps. If you look at the lower half of your plan, on the right, there are two long buildings that are parallel to each other. The conference centre is the one with a view of the river. Hopefully that's something visitors to the factory complex will appreciate - especially on a sunny day when it's clear outside.
Now, what about the new office space? As you know, the offices used to be in that large building right alongside Ellerslie Road, and that could get a bit noisy at times. So what we've done is move the office space further away from the road - into the building that directly joins on to Reception. This should mean employees can benefit from a quieter working environment, as well as the other improvements I mentioned earlier. We also decided to move the Stores building, so it could be a lot closer to the warehouse.
So now, if you were going to enter the factory complex from the Ellerslie Road entrance, Stores would be the building immediately on your left. The warehouse staff have already commented that having the Stores here is much more convenient. Yes, I'm sure it's going to save a lot of time.
Finance was another building that had to be relocated. They just didn't have enough space before. So, you can see the main entrance on the plan. right? And below that is the roundabout. Then there's the road that goes from the roundabout directly to reception. Well, the Finance building is about halfway along that road. On the plan, the factory's just above it.
The café, just so you know, is in the same place as before. It's not ideally located for the factory workers, that's true, but it's not too far if you're heading down from Reception, or up from the warehouse. But what we've done is try to make the environment a bit more pleasant. So, whereas before you looked straight from the café onto the large car park, now there's a line of trees separating them. I think you'll agree that this was a good decision - putting in the trees, I mean.
It was also necessary to relocate the IT department. Of course, for some of their work, they can do it remotely, but from time to time, the IT people do need to visit the different buildings around the factory complex. For that reason, we've given the IT department a more central location. It's that square building you see right in the centre of the plan - one of the closest buildings to the larger car park. Something l'd like to say about ...
Part 3
You will hear two health studies students, Lucy and Sam, talking about the topic of vitamin supplements.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
Lecturer: OK, we've looked at the history of vitamin supplements and thought about why people take them. We've also considered the reasons why some health professionals are critical of the vitamin supplement industry. Now work with a partner and discuss the key issues.
Lucy: Sam, shall we work together?
Sam: Sure. Let's go over the history.
Lucy: Well, before the 1900s, when someone became weak and tired, and it wasn't clear why, doctors assumed they were suffering from an infection - like a virus.
Sam: Or they'd been in contact with something poisonous or harmful. Something they'd handled or eaten. Doctors had no other explanation for it.
Lucy: But in the early 1900s, that changed. That researcher in the US -Joseph Goldberger, - he realised people who basically lived off corn - they were getting ill because they weren't eating anything else.
Sam: Exactly. And other researchers were realising the same thing. Like, in places where people only ate white rice - they were suffering from a disease called beriberi.
Lucy: So the researchers concluded that there must be something missing - that the stuff some people were eating had no nutritional value. And from there, researchers began to identify vitamins - like A and B - for the first time.
Sam: A huge scientific breakthrough.
Lucy: So doctors, the public, ...everyone got to hear about vitamins - first that they existed, and second, you needed them to be healthy.
Sam: But it was governments that were really worried about vitamin deficiency. Certainly in the US and in the UK, at least.
Lucy: What do you mean?
Sam: Well, in the 1930s those governments were worried about people's general health, because everyone was suddenly buying canned fruit, artificial butter, meat in tins...that kind of thing. It became very common. And so newspapers were featuring lots of government reports about how serious this was.
Lucy: I see.
Sam: And then, some people saw a business opportunity.
Lucy: Naturally.
Sam: In the 1940s, companies started making and selling vitamin supplements in bottles. And they decided the easiest way to market them was to target housewives.
Lucy: Why was that? Because housewives were responsible for keeping families healthy?
Sam: I'd say so. In the weekly magazines housewives read, the companies made exaggerated claims about what the supplements could do, and they showed pictures of rats in a laboratory before and after they were given vitamins. The 'before' pictures showed the rats looking very sick.
Lucy: So they scared the housewives into buying their product.
Sam: Apparently.
Lucy: But vitamins were still expensive, weren't they? It wasn't until the 1950s that more people could afford to buy them.
Sam: Why was that?
Lucy: Well manufacturers had discovered how to produce vitamins artificially and in enormous quantities in their factories.
Sam: I suppose that's what goes on with any product. It starts expensive until manufacturers adapt their technology. Were there any developments in the 1960s?
Lucy: Companies changed their promotional strategy to increase their sales. They used movie stars to say how effective the supplements were.
Sam: That's still true today. Celebrity endorsement really seems to work. Someone on the TV says vitamins have made them healthier and immediately more consumers go out and buy them.
pause
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
Lucy: So apparently the number of Australians taking vitamin supplements has doubled in the last decade.
Sam: Incredible. I suppose so many fitness-related articles recommend them.
Lucy: I wouldn't say that that's the reason. According to the research I read, many Australians are just taking a more active approach to staying well. They don't want to rely on their doctor for everything, so they're turning to vitamins. They can take those themselves and feel they're doing something positive. So it doesn't have anything to do with the fact the price has dropped because so many companies are making supplements.
Sam: I doubt it. Even people in lower socio-economic groups are buying them, apparently.
Lucy: Most of my own research has been about the US vitamin supplement industry. Did you know the industry is under no obligation to prove that their supplements actually work. I don't think that's right.
Sam: How do you mean?
Lucy: Well, in the US, the Food and Drug Administration department regards vitamin supplements as a food. With medicine - manufacturers have to demonstrate that their products really can improve people's health, before they go on sale.
Sam: But you said vitamins are classed as a food.
Lucy: Yes, so the industry can sell whatever vitamin supplements they like, you know: 'This one will improve your brain function' - even if there's nothing to support their claims.
Sam: That Danish experiment - thousands of people took part in that.
Lucy: Yes, the scientists wanted to see if high doses of vitamins really could prevent medical problems like heart disease. Or just reduce the chances of people getting a simple cold.
Sam: But the 'high dose' people were just as likely to get sick as the people not taking any vitamins. That's not to say that scientists now know everything about vitamins.
Lucy: No. Like you say, investigations and long-term trials need to continue before they can be certain about what taking vitamin supplements can actually achieve.
Sam: But in the meantime, do we need stricter regulation of the supplement industry? Do you think people would stop buying and taking vitamins if they were told it's a waste of time?
Lucy: Hardly. No one likes being told what they can or can't buy... especially where health is concerned.
Sam: Fair enough. I guess if the government made it harder to get certain products, like say, fish oil with vitamin D, people would protest.
Lucy: They certainly would. What I think is that...
Part 4
You will hear a student giving a presentation about the way that different insect species are being threatened.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Student: So today I'm going to be talking about the way that different insect species are being threatened. In other words, the reasons why some insect populations are declining - and might even become extinct in the 21st century. I'll also talk about the consequences - if extinction occurs - and some possible ways to prevent that.
Let's start with the reasons. First of all, when we look at what's going on in Europe, we can see a huge decline in certain species of insect. This is partly because farmers no longer allow certain plants to grow in their fields. But farmers are not entirely to blame. The gardens that people have nowadays don't always contain the kind of plant that insects need. So perhaps we need to rethink what we're putting there. In more tropical regions of the world, for example, the Amazon rainforest, scientists have noticed that the number of beetle and butterfly species also appears to be diminishing. They put this down to climate change, rather than say, the fragmentation of habitat - but more research has to be done. And then, there's the use of pesticide, and of course, this happens everywhere in the world. Pesticide is designed to kill a range of insects that farmers don't like, but it also kills bees, which they need. Pesticide might not kill bees directly, but we know that it impacts on their spatial skills - meaning they cannot make sense of what they see around them - and also their memory. This means that they cannot remember how to get back to their hive.
So why worry about whether insects become extinct? Well, the consequences would obviously be terrible not just for them, but for us. Pretty much everywhere on the planet, with the exception of Antarctica, insects are at the bottom of the food chain. They're absolutely vital, because if there were no insects, there would also be no birds or lizards or mammals. Then there's the role that insects play in crop production. We use them to pollinate our fruit and vegetables, and it would be impossible to manage without them. It's also worth remembering that scientists are now studying plants to find out whether they might be a source of medicine in the future. If these plants disappear because of insect extinction, that would be another lost opportunity.
So, there's some possible ways we could prevent insect extinction, some more controversial than others. I think it's a given that governments have to do something about the sale of pesticides; in fact, some countries have already passed laws to ban certain products. That's a good move forward. But ordinary people can also make a difference. If we cut down on how much meat we ate, some of the land now used for grazing could be turned back into insect-friendly environments.
I'd like to finish with a positive story. There's a place in California called the Antioch Dunes. In the 1900s, people looked at the dunes and the sand that formed them and thought 'that sand is a great raw material'. And because they needed to build houses, they removed tons and tons of the sand and turned it into bricks. It wasn't really until the 1960s that biologists suddenly realised that the Antioch Dunes had actually been home to some unique species of plant and insect. But by this time, there was only one species of butterfly left. The metalmark butterfly. And a major problem for the metalmark was that it required a certain plant to survive -something called the naked-stem buckwheat. It was on this plant that it laid its eggs, so yes, you can see why the buckwheat was important. Well, in the end, the only way that the biologists could get the buckwheat to start growing properly was to replace the sand. That was a great first step, but the metalmark butterfly is still endangered.
In the last decade, a significant number of butterflies and plants have been destroyed in the Antioch Dunes by fire. So now, the biologists are limiting the number of visitors who can wander around the dunes. That's fair enough, I think. All right, the final point I want to make about the project to restore the Antioch Dunes area is to do with how much land is required: when we think about the concept of conservation we often assume we need to set aside a large amount of it. And that might be true for some large species. But in this case, relatively little land was required. But the important thing is to leave it undisturbed. OK...
Practice Test 2
Part 1
KAEDEN: Hello Charlotte. I'm Kaeden, one of the supervisors. Welcome to the team.
CHARLOTTE: Hi Aiden.
KAEDEN: It's Kaeden.
CHARLOTTE: I'm so sorry.
KAEDEN: Don't worry. People often get my name wrong; they never know how to spell it. It's K-A-E-D-E-N, in case you ever need to write it.
CHARLOTTE: I'll try and remember.
KAEDEN: So, there are a few practical things you need to sort out this morning. Then I'll show you what you're going to do today.
CHARLOTTE: The email I received said to go to the front desk, to show my letter of appointment and pick up my badge.
KAEDEN: You'll need that for the staffroom and other areas of the supermarket where shoppers aren't allowed. So, after you've finished at the front desk, I'll take you to the staffroom. Put your coat and rucksack in one of the lockers there. Take whichever one is free.
CHARLOTTE: Will I have a key?
KAEDEN: Yes. Try not to lose it. At the end of the day, leave it in the door for the next person to use.
CHARLOTTE: Will do.
KAEDEN: You also need to go to the HR department to see Tiffany. She's really helpful.
CHARLOTTE: I was told to bring my passport with me. HR need to take a note of the number in it.
KAEDEN: That's right. Or you can show your ID card.
CHARLOTTE: I don't have one of those.
KAEDEN: OK. Tiffany will give you a uniform. They have lots in different sizes, so you just tell her what you need. I won't come with you to HR – I've got to go and sort something else out. Problem with a bread slicer.
CHARLOTTE: Is the HR office near the staffroom?
KAEDEN: The staffroom's on the first floor, and HR are a couple of floors above that, on the third floor. There's a staircase outside the staffroom.
CHARLOTTE: OK.
KAEDEN: When you've finished with HR, come and find me in the bakery section of the shop.
CHARLOTTE: I'm looking forward to getting started.
KAEDEN: I'll just give you my phone number, in case you can't find me. Have you got your phone there?
CHARLOTTE: Yes . . . OK, ready.
KAEDEN: It's oh-four-one-two double-six-five nine-oh-three.
CHARLOTTE: OK, done.
pause
KAEDEN: So, Charlotte, your tasks today are in the bakery section, on the sushi counter, and on the meat and fish counters. The first job is to check sell-by dates on the bread and cakes. If any of the dates are today's, put a new price label on the packaging.
CHARLOTTE: What if any of the labels are yesterday's dates, or older? Do I throw those items away?
KAEDEN: Yes, but that shouldn't happen – we check the stock every day. When something needs a new price label, put a yellow one on the package, next to the original price.
CHARLOTTE: OK.
KAEDEN: After that, you'll go to the sushi takeaway counter.
CHARLOTTE: Will I be preparing boxes of food?
KAEDEN: For today, you'll just be helping the staff.
CHARLOTTE: Yes, of course.
KAEDEN: You'll see lots of flat cardboard boxes at one end of the counter. Beneath those is where we keep the plastic boxes – we run out of those really quickly, so you should bring more from the storeroom.
CHARLOTTE: Is that my only task on the sushi counter?
KAEDEN: No. You also need to clean the area where they prepare the dishes. There are cloths and bottles of spray by the sink. Oh, and please make sure you clean that too.
CHARLOTTE: Sure. That's important, isn't it?
KAEDEN: Absolutely. But you mustn't wash up knives. You have to do some training before you're allowed to touch sharp objects.
CHARLOTTE: What should I do if there are any?
KAEDEN: Ask someone to put them in the dishwasher.
CHARLOTTE: OK, thanks. I don't want to get anything wrong.
KAEDEN: Don't worry. You'll be fine. And I'll be around to help.
CHARLOTTE: Right.
KAEDEN: Finally, the meat and fish counters. You need to clean the area where staff serve customers, including wiping the weighing scales.
CHARLOTTE: OK. Anything else?
KAEDEN: The fish is laid on ice, but when that starts to melt, you'll need to get more from the cold-room.
CHARLOTTE: I know the staff on the food counters wear a hat. Will that be the same for me?
KAEDEN: You won't be serving customers directly, so no. But make sure you put on thermal gloves when you take anything out of the cold-room. The temperature's low enough in there to get frostbite from touching things.
CHARLOTTE: Understood.
Part 2
My name's Liz Fuller and I'm a running coach with Compton Park Runners Club.
Welcome to my podcast. If you're thinking about taking up running – I'm here to help.
There are many training programmes available online which aim to help people build up to running 5 kilometres. Some of them are great and thousands of people of all ages are taking part in 5-kilometre races across the country as a result. People like them because they're easy to follow and don't push them too hard. However, they don't work for everyone – especially if you suffer from something like a heart condition or asthma, because they're aimed at people with average fitness and running ability. Another thing is that everyone is different – and if you have any specific questions related to your needs, there's no one to provide any answers.
I have a couple of simple tips I always give to new runners. I expect you've been told to run very slowly until your fitness increases – well, I find that can prevent progress. You should run at a speed that feels comfortable, but time yourself and try to run a bit faster each time. Listening to music can be very helpful – it takes your mind off things and helps your body get into a rhythm. I'd say that is better than running with a friend – especially as most people are competitive and that's not what you want when you're just starting. I don't think the time of day is especially important – some people are better in the evening, while others are morning people – but you need to be consistent, so aim to train regularly – twice a week is enough to begin with.
pause
New members often say to me that they've been put off running either because they lack confidence, or they don't have time, or they think they dislike running. Ceri, for example, joined the club two years ago at the age of 40. She'd always enjoyed running at school but wasn't sure if she'd be able to do it. She was worried about being left behind and being the slowest runner. But she says she was made to feel so welcome she soon forgot all about that.
James had always hated the idea of running but a friend encouraged him to come along for a taster session and he hasn't looked back. He never misses a training session despite having a really demanding job.
Leo was worried about having to commit himself to training sessions every week and wasn't sure he'd be able to fit training into his busy schedule. But after experiencing a lot of stress at work he came along to us and gave it a go. Now he says he feels much more relaxed and he looks forward to his weekly run.
Mark is quite typical of our new members. He's never considered himself to be a sporty person and it was only when he retired that he decided to take up the challenge of trying to run 5 kilometres. It took him months to find the courage to contact us but felt reassured immediately as there were other people his age who were only just taking up running for the first time.
My own journey hasn't been easy. I did my first marathon when I was 37, after having had two kids. My husband had been running marathons for years, but I never dreamed I'd be doing one with him. I managed to complete it in four hours, but I felt like giving up halfway through – it was only the support of the spectators that kept me going.
I do think signing up for a race of whatever length is motivating – whether it's 5K or 25K – because it's good to have something to work towards and it gives you a sense of achievement. I did my first 10K after only six months, which was certainly very challenging and not something I'd necessarily recommend. But after you've been training for a few weeks, it's worth putting your name down for a 5K – some people find they only need a few practice runs before taking part in a race, but I'd give yourself a couple of months at least.
Well, I hope that's given . . .
Part 3
KIERAN: So Jane – you’ll be off to Denmark soon to do your work placement.
JANE: Yes, I’m really looking forward to it and I’ve just started packing up all my books to put in storage.
KIERAN: Well, I hope they don’t get spoilt.
JANE: It’s OK – my grandfather works in a bookshop and he told me how to pack them.
KIERAN: Oh, that’s helpful.
JANE: He says you have to support the spine otherwise the paper can come away from the cover.
KIERAN: Yeah – that’s obvious.
JANE: He also told me to pack them flat in the box not on their side – again because they can bend and if you leave them like that for, say, a year, it’s quite hard to get them back to their normal shape.
KIERAN: Well, it’s pretty clear that ruins them, but a lot of people just can’t be bothered to protect their books.
JANE: He always says it’s such a shame that publishers don’t use better-quality paper.
KIERAN: It’s the acid in the paper that causes the problem, isn’t it?
JANE: Yeah – that’s why old books go yellow. You know some of the books my grandfather’s given me are like that already.
KIERAN: Oh . . .
JANE: I should dump them really if they’re going to deteriorate further, but I’d feel bad. They’ll always remind me of him. He’s quite a collector, you know.
KIERAN: Well, if they’re important to you . . .
JANE: Yeah – I’d regret just throwing them away.
KIERAN: You know, maybe it’s because I was taught to treasure books . . . but I hate seeing students force open the pages – of paperbacks. They press so hard they end up breaking the spine.
JANE: I know, but unfortunately, paperbacks aren’t designed to last a long time and people know that. Hardbacks aren’t quite as weak.
KIERAN: Yeah, they’re different, I suppose. But I still don’t think people value hardbacks like they used to.
JANE: Well, they aren’t decorative, are they, like other objects. Plus, nowadays, people don’t keep them out on shelves as much as they used to.
KIERAN: That’s such a pity. When I visit someone – if they have, say, a colourful book on a table, it’s the first thing I’m drawn to.
JANE: I agree – and book covers can be a work of art in themselves. Some are really eye-catching.
KIERAN: I’ve always been taught to handle books carefully. If you watch someone take a book off a shelf, well, they usually do it wrong.
JANE: Ah, my grandfather says, you should put your hand right over the top of the book . . . or if you can’t do that, pull the other books on the shelf aside so that you can hold the whole cover.
KIERAN: When did you learn all this?
JANE: He watched me pull a heavy book off the shelf when I was small, and it fell on the floor and broke apart.
KIERAN: Oh dear!
JANE: I can still remember it!
KIERAN: You know what I really like?
JANE: What?
KIERAN: The smell of new books.
JANE: Me too.
KIERAN: My parents used to laugh at me when I was a kid because I loved putting books up to my nose. Almost as much as reading them!
JANE: New books aren’t cheap, though, are they?
KIERAN: I guess we’re lucky we can buy them.
JANE: My grandfather stocks second-hand books as well as new ones and they don’t smell quite as good.
pause
KIERAN: I'd love to have a bookshop like your grandfather. What's it like?
JANE: Well, it's quite big – it's got two floors and an attic, and he stocks all kinds of books really.
KIERAN: I guess he treasures things like first editions and other rare books.
JANE: Yeah – you might think he'd keep those in the attic or somewhere.
KIERAN: . . . so they'd be hidden?
JANE: Yeah. But he likes people to know that he has them. So, he puts them out in the shop but makes sure you need a ladder to get them.
KIERAN: Right. That would prevent any thefts!
JANE: Uhuh.
KIERAN: Does he stock books for children?
JANE: He does. He particularly likes to encourage kids to read; he always says that he used to sit under the stairs as a child with a pile of books and read them all.
KIERAN: Is that where he keeps them, then?
JANE: Not exactly – he's got a dedicated area on the ground floor with cushions so that parents can enter with their toddlers, go there and spend some time reading to them.
KIERAN: Oh cool.
JANE: And then there's a place for pushchairs by the front door. And a café if anyone needs refreshments.
KIERAN: That's good to know.
JANE: As I said, it's a big shop and there's a storage area out the back as well.
KIERAN: Oh, what does he keep there? Books he wants to throw away?
JANE: He hardly ever throws anything away – he just leaves unwanted books by the front door for customers to take.
KIERAN: Well, that's very nice.
JANE: Yeah – and books people or institutions have requested, they all go at the far end.
KIERAN: Oh.
JANE: He thinks it's best to keep these out of the main shopping area as they're boxed and new.
KIERAN: Did you get your coursebooks from him?
JANE: Naturally. He stocks books for a lot of the colleges. He used to keep these books on the first floor, but now there's a new university in my hometown, he's moved them downstairs to attract the students. They're actually part of the coffee shop, on low shelves all around it.
KIERAN: Pretty central then. You'll have to take me there some time!
Part 4
Tree planting now dominates political and popular agendas and is often presented as an easy answer to the climate crisis, as well as a way for business corporations to offset their carbon emissions. But unfortunately, tree planting isn't as straightforward as some people think. When the wrong trees are planted in the wrong place, it can do considerably more damage than good, failing to help either people or the environment.
Reforestation projects are currently being undertaken on a huge scale in many countries and it's crucial that the right trees are selected. A mix of species should always be planted, typical of the local natural forest ecosystem and including rare and endangered species in order to create a rich ecosystem. It's important to avoid non-native species that could become invasive. Invasive species are a significant contributor to the current global biodiversity crisis and are often in competition with native species and may threaten their long-term survival.
Restoring biodiversity that will maximise carbon capture is key when reforesting an area, but ideally any reforestation project should have several goals. These could include selecting trees that can contribute to wildlife conservation, improve the availability of food for the local community and maintain the stability of soil systems. Meeting as many of these goals as possible, whilst doing no harm to local communities, native ecosystems and vulnerable species, is the sign of a highly successful tree-planting scheme. To ensure the survival and resilience of a planted forest, it's vital to use tree seeds with appropriate levels of genetic diversity: the amount of genetic variation found within a species essential for their survival. Using seeds with low genetic diversity generally lowers the resilience of restored forests, which can make them vulnerable to disease and unable to adapt to climate change.
Choosing the right location for reforestation projects is as important as choosing the right trees. Ultimately, the best area for planting trees would be in formerly forested areas that are in poor condition. It's better to avoid non-forested landscapes such as natural grasslands, savannas or wetlands as these ecosystems already contribute greatly to capturing carbon. It would also be advantageous to choose an area where trees could provide other benefits, such as recreational spaces. Reforesting areas which are currently exploited for agriculture should be avoided as this often leads to other areas being deforested.
pause
Large-scale reforestation projects require careful planning. Making the right decisions about where to plant trees depends on having the right information. Having detailed and up-to-date maps identifying high-priority areas for intervention is essential. Drone technology is a useful tool in helping to prioritise and monitor areas of degraded forest for restoration. In Brazil, it's being used to identify and quantify how parts of the Amazon are being devastated by human activities such as rearing cattle and illegal logging.
A good example of where the right trees were picked to achieve a restored forest is in Lampang Province in Northern Thailand. A previously forested site which had been degraded through mining was reforested by a cement company together with Chiang Mai University. After spreading 60 cm of topsoil, they planted 14 different native tree species which included several species of figs. Figs are a keystone species because of the critical role they play in maintaining wildlife populations. They are central to tropical reforestation projects as they accelerate the speed of the recovery process by attracting animals and birds which act as natural seed dispersers. This helps to promote diversity through the healthy regrowth of a wide range of plant species. Unlike the majority of fruit trees, figs bear fruit all year round, providing a reliable food source for many species. At this site, for example, after only three rainy seasons, monkeys started visiting to eat the fig fruits, naturally dispersing seeds through defecation.
Reforestation projects should always aim to make sure that local communities are consulted and involved in the decision-making process.
The restoration of mangrove forests in Madagascar is an example of a project which has succeeded in creating real benefits for the community. Destruction of the mangrove forests had a terrible impact on plant and animal life, and also badly affected the fishing industry, which was a major source of employment for local people living in coastal areas. The reforestation project involved hiring local people to plant and care for the new mangrove trees. Millions of mangrove trees have now been planted which has resulted in the return of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The mangroves also act as a defence against the increased threat of flooding caused by climate change. What's more, the local economy is more stable and thousands more Madagascans are now able to send their children to school.
One other important point to consider . . .
Lesson 2
Practice Test 3
Part 1
You will hear a man who is looking for a new apartment to rent, talking to a landlady who is showing him round an apartment.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.
Mary: Hello, Andrew, isn't it?
Andrew: Hi, yes that's right. And you must be Mrs. Jones.
Mary: Yes I am, but please call me Mary. Come in and I'll show you the apartment.
Andrew: Great, thanks. I'll just make a few notes as we go around, if you don't mind
Mary: That's fine. So first, a few general points, Andrew. You probably saw in the advert that the apartment is partly furnished.
Andrew: That's OK – I've got a bit of furniture myself.
Mary: And also, please, pets are not permitted in the apartment.
Andrew: No problem – I don't have any.
Mary: Well, shall we start in the kitchen, it's through here.
Andrew: Oh, it's nice and big, isn't it?
Mary: Yes, a good size for a one-bedroom apartment. It's got everything you'll need. The dishwasher is quite old now but it's very reliable. And I've just replaced the fridge, so that's never been used.
Andrew: Great. It all looks really good.
Mary: Well, follow me through into the lounge, Andrew. Here we are.
Andrew: I like the wooden floorboards. But I might want to put down a rug on the floor as well, if that's OK.
Mary: Oh yes, of course.
Andrew: I've also got lots of books.
Mary: Well, as a matter of fact, I've just arranged for a builder to come and put up a set of shelves on that wall there. So that'll be convenient for your books.
Andrew: That'll be great. Then, is that the bedroom through there?
Mary: Yes, that's right. Come through.
Andrew: There's a nice big wardrobe, and a chest of drawers.
Mary: Yes, plenty of storage.
Andrew: But if I wanted a lamp beside my bed, I guess I'd need to provide that myself
Mary: Yes, you would.
Andrew: That's no problem, I've got one that'd do.
Mary: And then this is the bathroom. It's only a small space, so there's no bath: just a shower.
Andrew: And the water heating, that looks like it's gas, right?
Mary: Yes, electricity is more expensive in my view.
Andrew: You're probably right.
Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
Andrew: Well, I really like the apartment, Mary, and I'd like to take it if that's OK with you?
Mary: Yes, absolutely Andrew, I'd be delighted. So why don't we have a look at the tenancy form. We're supposed to fill that in together.
Andrew: Yeah, sure.
Mary: Now, I've got a form here. So first of all, I need some of your details. What's your full name Andrew?
Andrew: It's Andrew Connaught. That's spelt: C-O-N-N-A-U-G-H-T.
Mary: Great, got that. And what's the best way to contact you Andrew?
Andrew: Well, you've got my mobile number.
Mary: Yes, I know. But an email address would be good as well, in case I need to send you documents.
Andrew: Oh right, I see. Well my email is andrew171 at interglobe.com – spelt: I-N-T-E-R-G-L-O-B-E
Mary: Great, OK thanks. Then, I really need an identification number of some sort.
Andrew: Oh, dear. I haven't got my passport with me.
Mary: A driver's licence number will do
Andrew: Oh right, I've got that, hang on. It's: E 738 2991 TP
Mary: Right, good. So, now just a few tenancy details. When would you like to move in?
Andrew: Well, as soon as possible, really.
Mary: Right, well like I mentioned, there's a builder coming, that's on the 4th of April. So, really, any time after that's fine.
Andrew: The 4th is a Friday, isn't it? And that weekend I'm going away. So how about the 7th of April?
Mary: Yes, that works well. Now, you'll have seen from the advertisement that the rent is $315 per week.
Andrew: Yes, that's OK.
Mary: And there's also a bond to pay before you move it. It's like a deposit – and you'll get it back at the end of your tenancy.
Andrew: How much is that?
Mary: Well, I try to be reasonable. A typical bond for a 1-bedroom in this part of the city is $500. But I only ask for $450.
Andrew: OK, that should be fine.
Mary: Now what I'll do Andrew is email you my bank account details and you can...
Part 2
You will hear a radio announcer talking about entertainment events that are taking place this weekend.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
Melanie: OK so, next up on this morning's show – Dan Johnson's going to tell us what's on in the city this weekend. Dan.
Dan: Well thanks Melanie and there's certainly a great program of entertainment this weekend – something for everyone. So first, it's the Writers' Festival again, and just like last year the Festival has attracted more than 250 writers from around the world. The writers will be talking about their latest books and there's always an opportunity for audience members to ask the writers about their work. In the past the Festival has been based at the Victoria Theatre, which wasn't really big enough. So this year they're going to be using a number of other venues as well. More information and tickets are available from the website.
Now something I'm really looking forward to is Wearable Art on Saturday evening. This fashion show's always been held in the capital, so it's very exciting that it's coming to our city for the first time and I've already got my ticket. And they've just announced a 20% discount on all tickets, to encourage a good turnout. Tickets can be bought online, or at the door.
Something slightly different is Ocean Times – that's on Sunday morning at Bright's Beach. Now you might be thinking it's the wrong time of year to go to the beach for a swim or build sandcastles with the kids, and you'd be right. But what's happening is, there's going to be a number of large tents put up on the beach, for workshops, displays and presentations. It's a chance for the whole family to learn about the science of the ocean and marine eco-systems and how to protect them. Sounds like a good way to spend your Sunday.
Now, you may already have seen the advertising for the Artscape Exhibition. This is an outdoor exhibition of sculptures and installation art that officially opens this evening and you can go along whenever suits you over the weekend. It's being held up at the Sanctuary Reserve and the idea is, you wander wherever you want around the Reserve, enjoying the artworks in a natural environment. I'd recommend you take a warm coat, though, because it can get quite windy up there.
Now, the Civil Theatre is open for tours this weekend, too. This is a great chance to go backstage at the city's largest theatre and see all its secrets. This event is only held once a year so these opportunities to tour the Civil aren't too frequent. I went last time and can tell you it's well worth it.
Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
Dan: OK, so what I'll do now is just run through a few more events that are on over the weekend. So every Friday night, of course, is the Night Market – a great place to eat delicious street food from around the world. If you haven't been before, it's in the old Smith Street warehouse, just a short walk from Central Station. This is often really popular so get there in good time to be sure you beat the rush.
There's also the local Buskers' Festival, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. This is a chance for buskers and street performers from across the city to perform at an organised event. If you're interested in going along please note – it was going to be in King's Square, but actually it's now going to be held down on the waterfront, where there'll be plenty of space for everyone.
Now later this afternoon it's Stand Up For Kids. This is a stand-up comedy show aimed particularly at children aged from 5 to 10. This is being held in the hall at Swanson College at 4 p.m. today. Just bear in mind that the roads around the college can get pretty congested at that time on a Friday, so allow plenty of time to get there. But it's bound to be a great show and the hall at Swanson is huge so you shouldn't find it hard to get a seat.
Then it's Sunday Unplugged on Sunday afternoon, with a number of local bands playing at the old post office building in Morningside. There's a great range of acts this week – check online for details. Though it's the usual issue with the old post office venue – no parking at all in that part of the central city. And the train service is suspended on Sunday for repairs, so if you're taking the bus, leave early.
And on Saturday evening it's the Ignite Dance Finals. This is the final of the inter-school dance competition so I know there'll be a huge turnout. If you haven't already got your ticket I'd do so without delay to avoid disappointment. It's being held in the Ridgeway Theatre, same as last year, so there'll be a great atmosphere.
Now one other...
Part 3
You will hear two early education students called Maia and Daniel talking about research into how babies and children learn.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
Maia: So, Daniel, shall we compare a few ideas for our assignment on how babies and children learn?
Daniel: Good idea, I've started the reading. One thing I read about was these ‘learning videos’.
Maia: Oh yeah, I read about learning videos. The baby watches a short film with some basic vocabulary, maths and science, and they learn as they watch – that’s the idea. Certainly, babies will pay attention to videos for long periods of time.
Daniel: Yeah, but there’s been research to show that babies don’t learn effectively from screens. Actually, they learn by interacting with their parents and other caregivers – that’s the best approach.
Maia: Mmm, it’s interesting. Another issue with learning videos is that babies ought to have play time.
Daniel: You mean in a group?
Maia: Not necessarily, it can be alone, actually. But what’s important is that they investigate their own environment. They should examine the objects around them and experiment. So they discover information for themselves. And they don’t get that sitting in front of a film.
Daniel: That’s a good point. Then, I also thought I’d write about the present research in my assignment.
Maia: Oh yeah, I read a bit about the present research. And it’s true, isn’t it? When you give a baby a present or gift, some of them are more interested in the wrapping paper than the present itself.
Daniel: But it’s not some of them. The research shows that pretty much every baby prefers the paper to the present, whether male or female – it’s just a human characteristic.
Maia: Really? I’d thought there’d be more exceptions.
Daniel: Apparently not. It seems that playing with the paper, or ribbons, or box, stimulates the baby’s senses. They touch everything, climb into the box, put the ribbon into their mouths. And brain scans have shown that sight, sound, touch, smell and taste are all stimulated in this way.
Maia: It’s amazing the research has produced so much specific information, just from studying presents! I hadn’t expected that. The results cover so many different aspects of baby behaviour.
Daniel: Yeah, exactly. But it shows us that babies learn by playing.
Maia: So we shouldn’t stop wrapping up babies’ presents.
Daniel: No, definitely not!
Maia: Then, I also read about babies and second languages. There was a really interesting bilingual experiment in Spain. They tried teaching English to a group of 280 Spanish children in different preschools.
Daniel: So the research subjects were in different schools?
Maia: Yes, but the researchers deliberately selected teachers who all had the same education. They’d been trained to use a style that focused on play and social interaction. So because of that, the experiment was standardised across all the schools, that’s really important.
Daniel: Yeah, I agree, that was a great idea.
Maia: The subjects were aged between 7 months and 3 years old. And the children were given a one-hour English lesson for 18 weeks.
Daniel: Did they seem to enjoy the lessons?
Maia: I don’t have any information on that. But at the end of the experiment, each child could produce an average of 74 English words or phrases.
Daniel: But did they remember them?
Maia: Well, follow up testing showed that the classes had a long-term benefit, yes.
Daniel: Wow, that’s remarkable, especially considering some of the children were so young.
Maia: I think so too. It really shows how babies and small children can learn through playing.
Daniel: Yeah, I wonder if other schools will try the same thing in future.
Maia: It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
Daniel: So, Maia, let’s discuss some more ideas about how babies learn. What other research have you read about?
Maia: Well, I read about Dr Pritchard’s study. In her experiment, babies were given toys to play with. And their caregivers sometimes repeated the same movements as the baby, and sometimes did something different. And Dr Pritchard monitored the baby’s electrical brain activity. The results showed that babies were happiest when parents or caregivers imitated their behaviour.
Daniel: Maybe that could be used as a teaching tool?
Maia: Yeah, absolutely.
Daniel: Then I read about a study of 3-year-olds. This was interesting. The researchers experimented by doing things like dropping a pen or knocking something off a desk.
Maia: And did the children do the same thing?
Daniel: No, what they often did though, was pick up the pen. They wanted to give someone assistance if they could, if they thought someone else had a problem. So I think that shows how babies are more likely to learn by working with caregivers and teachers, rather than in isolation.
Maia: Then have you heard of Professor Michelson?
Daniel: Is he a linguist?
Maia: You’re thinking of someone else. Professor Michelson did a study where babies had to push buttons. Some buttons switched on a light and some didn’t. And after a little experimentation, the babies nearly always pushed a button that switched on a light.
Daniel: You mean, they knew the light would come on?
Maia: Professor Michelson thinks so. He believes they recognised that a certain thing would happen, as a result of a certain action. So maybe that has implications for learning.
Daniel: Interesting. I also looked at a study in the United States. This showed that babies as young as 16 months have some knowledge of how language is structured. In a simple sense, they seemed to know the function of nouns and verbs. And the researchers believe this is linked to the way they learn the meaning of new words.
Maia: Oh, really? Amazing they start so young. I’d like to read about that…
Part 4
You will hear an engineering student giving a presentation about a female engineer called Sarah Guppy.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Student: Well, hi everyone. In my presentation today I'm going to be talking about Sarah Guppy, a female engineer in Britain in the 19th century.
So, first some background. Um, so in Britain at that time, there weren't many women engineers. But the 19th century was a time of great change in Britain and women were becoming increasingly active in many aspects of society. So one example would be Jane Harrison, who was a linguist and an expert on ancient civilisations. Jane Harrison is credited with being the first woman to be employed as an academic at a British university. And slowly women were being employed in more fields during this period. Let me just give you a few statistics to illustrate. Um, so, by the end of the 19th century, there were thousands of female musicians and actors and more than half in each group were women. When it came to the professions, the numbers were much lower. So dentists – there were 140 women, and there were 212 women who were employed as doctors at the end of the century.
OK, so moving onto Sarah Guppy herself. Sarah was born in 1770 in the city of Birmingham into a family of merchants. Aged 25 she married Samuel Guppy and moved to the city of Bristol. Then in 1811 she patented her first invention. This was a method of building bridges that were so strong they could withstand even severe floods, which might otherwise have destroyed the bridge. Her idea was used by the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel when he built the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. Sarah was not directly involved in this project as an engineer. However, she is known to have constructed models representing the entire structure, and these were of great assistance to Brunel when he built the Clifton Suspension Bridge. What's more, Sarah was involved in the project to build the Clifton Suspension bridge in another way, too. Together with her husband, Sarah was an important investor in the project, and did well out of it financially.
Now listen and answer questions 36 to 40.
Student: However, Sarah's talents as an engineer and designer went beyond bridges. One of her inventions was the so-called 'barnacle buster'. This was a device that increased the speed at which ships could sail, by preventing tiny creatures like barnacles growing on them. Sarah also had an interest in railways. Now, the 19th century was a time when a huge number of railway lines were being built across Britain. Frequently, this involved digging 'cuttings', where the railway line was cut into a hill. And Sarah encouraged trees and vegetation to be planted in cuttings to reduce the problem of erosion – a technique that is still commonly used today.
I'd also like to mention that some of Sarah Guppy's machines are quite amusing when we look back at them today. One that stood out for me was a machine that made tea, kept toast warm and boiled an egg all at the same time, so you could sit down for a typical British breakfast without waiting for anything. It's quite strange to look at but I guess it might have been convenient! Then there was one area where Sarah was really ahead of her time because she designed an early type of equipment that's very common today. This was a sort of gym machine that you could keep at home. And in the last 150 years or so that's an industry that has really taken off.
OK, so in conclusion, what can we say about the career of Sarah Guppy? She certainly wasn't the only woman engineer in 19th century Britain. I mean, for example there was Ada Lovelace, who is sometimes described as the first computer programmer and Hertha Marks Ayrton, a mathematician and electrical engineer. But still, Sarah's contribution was highly unusual. Just by way of illustration, it's worth noting that it wasn't until 1908 – 54 years after Sarah's death – that a woman studied engineering at university and graduated as an engineer for the first time. Now one other thing...
Practice Test 4
Part 1
WOMAN: Hi Coleman, how are you?
COLEMAN: Good, thanks.
WOMAN: I wanted to have a chat with you because our friend Josh told me that you've joined a guitar group and it sounds interesting. I'd really like to learn myself.
COLEMAN: Why don't you come along? I'm sure there's room for another person.
WOMAN: Really? So – who runs the classes?
COLEMAN: He's called a 'coordinator' – his name's Gary Mathieson.
WOMAN: Let me note that down. Gary. . . How do you spell his surname?
COLEMAN: It's M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N.
WOMAN: Right, thanks.
COLEMAN: He's retired, actually, but he's a really nice guy and he used to play in a lot of bands.
WOMAN: Thanks. So how long have you been going?
COLEMAN: About a month now.
WOMAN: And could you play anything before you started?
COLEMAN: I knew a few chords, but that's all.
WOMAN: I'm sure everyone will be better than me.
COLEMAN: That's what I thought, too. When I first spoke to Gary on the phone, he said it was a class for beginners, but I was still worried that everyone would be better than me, but we were all equally hopeless!
WOMAN: Oh, that's reassuring. So where do you meet?
COLEMAN: Well, when I joined the group, they were meeting in Gary's home, but as the group got bigger, he decided to book a room at the college in town. I prefer going there.
WOMAN: I know that place. I used to go to tap dancing classes there when I was at secondary school. I haven't been since, though and I can't remember what road it's in ... is it Lock Street?
COLEMAN: It's just beyond there at the bottom of New Street near the city roundabout.
WOMAN: Yes, of course.
COLEMAN: The guitar club is on the first floor in Room T347.
WOMAN: Right. And when do you meet? Is it at the weekend?
COLEMAN: We meet on Thursdays. It used to be 10.30 and that suited me well, but now we meet at 11. The class that's in there before us asked if they could have the room for another 30 minutes.
WOMAN: Oh, I see. Well, I'd love to come, but I don't have a guitar.
COLEMAN: Well, you can always buy a second-hand one. There's a website called ‘The perfect instrument’ that sells all kinds of guitars, violins and so on. I'm sure you'll find something there.
pause
WOMAN: So what's a typical lesson like with Gary?
COLEMAN: Well, he always starts by getting us to tune our guitars. That takes about five minutes.
WOMAN: Uhuh.
COLEMAN: Some people have an app they use, but others do it by ear. Gary goes round and helps them. And while he's doing that, he tells us what he's going to do during the lesson.
WOMAN: Right.
COLEMAN: First, we usually spend about ten minutes doing some strumming.
WOMAN: So is that using ... what are they called ... plectrums?
COLEMAN: No – we just use our thumbs.
WOMAN: Much easier.
COLEMAN: Gary reminds us where to put our fingers for each chord and then we play them together. Sometimes we all just start laughing because we're so bad at keeping time, so Gary starts clapping to help us.
WOMAN: Do you learn to play any songs?
COLEMAN: Yes – we do at least one song with words and chords. I mean that's harder than you think.
WOMAN: Oh, I'm sure it is!
COLEMAN: That part of the lesson takes about 15 minutes. He often brings a recording of the song and plays it to us first. Then he hands out the song and if there's a new chord in it, we practise that before we play it together – but really slowly.
WOMAN: Do you do any finger picking?
COLEMAN: That's the last ten minutes of the lesson, when we pick out the individual notes from a tune he's made up. It's always quite simple.
WOMAN: That must be hard, though.
COLEMAN: It is, but people like it because they can really concentrate and if we're all playing well, it sounds quite impressive. The only trouble is that he sometimes gets us to play one at a time – you know, alone.
WOMAN: That's scary.
COLEMAN: It is, but I've got used to it now. At the end he spends about five minutes telling us what to practise for the following week.
WOMAN: Well, thanks Coleman. I'll go and have a look at that website, I think.
Part 2
I never really planned to be a lifeboat volunteer when I came to live in Northsea. I'd been working in London as a website designer, but although that was interesting, I didn't like city life. I'd been really keen on boats as a teenager, and I thought if I went to live by the sea, I might be able to pursue that interest a bit more in my free time. Then I found that the Lifeboat Institution was looking for volunteers, so I decided to apply.
The Lifeboat Institution building here in Northsea's hard to miss, it's one of the largest in the country. It was built 15 years ago with funds provided by a generous member of the public, who'd lived here all her life. As the Lifeboat Institution is a charity that relies on that kind of donation, rather than funding provided by the government, that was a huge help to us.
When I applied, I had to have a health assessment. The doctors were particularly interested in my vision. I used to be short-sighted, so I'd had to wear glasses, but I'd had laser eye surgery two years earlier so that was OK. They gave me tests for colour blindness and they thought I might have a problem there, but it turned out I was OK.
When the coastguard gets an alert, all the volunteers are contacted and rush to the lifeboat station. Our target's to get there in five minutes, then we try to get the boat off the dock and out to sea in another six to eight minutes. Our team's proud that we usually achieve that – the average time across the country's eight and a half minutes.
I've recently qualified as what's called a 'helmsman', which means I have the ultimate responsibility for the lifeboat. I have to check that the equipment we use is in working order – the crew have special life jackets that can support up to four people in the water. And it's ultimately my decision whether it's safe to launch the boat. But it's very rare not to launch it, even in the worst weather.
As well as going out on the lifeboat, my work involves other things too. A lot of people underestimate how quickly conditions can change at sea, so I speak to youth groups and sailing clubs in the area about the sorts of problems that sailors and swimmers can have if the weather suddenly gets bad. We also have a lot of volunteers who organise activities to raise money for us, and we couldn't manage without them.
pause
The training we get is a continuous process, focusing on technical competence and safe handling techniques, and it's given me the confidence to deal with extreme situations without panicking. I was glad I'd done a first aid course before I started, as that's a big help with the casualty care activities we do. We've done a lot on how to deal with ropes and tie knots – that's an essential skill. After a year, I did a one-week residential course, led by specialists. They had a wave-tank where they could create extreme weather conditions – so we could get experience at what to do if the boat turned over in a storm at night, for example.
Since I started, I've had to deal with a range of emergency situations.
But the work's hugely motivating. It's not just about saving lives – I've learned a lot about the technology involved. My background in IT's been useful here, and I can use my expertise to help other volunteers. They're a great group – we're like a family really, which helps when you're dragging yourself out of bed on a cold stormy night. But actually, it's the colder months that can be the most rewarding time. That's when the incidents tend to be more serious, and you realise that you can make a huge difference to the outcome.
So if any of you listeners are interested. ...
Part 3
BELLA: Hi Don – did you get the copy of the article on recycling footwear that I emailed you?
DON: Yeah – it's here ... I've had a look at it.
BELLA: So do you think it's a good topic for our presentation?
DON: Well, before I started reading it, I thought recycling footwear, well, although it's quite interesting, perhaps there isn't enough to say about it, cos we put shoes in recycling bins, they go to charity shops and that's about it.
BELLA: ... but there's much more to it than that.
DON: I realise that now and I'm keen to research the topic more.
BELLA: That's great.
DON: One of the things I didn't realise until I read the article was just how many pairs of trainers get recycled!
BELLA: Well, a lot of young people wear them all the time now. They've become more popular than ordinary shoes.
DON: I know. I guess they are very hard-wearing, but don't they look a bit casual for school uniform? I don't think they're right for that.
BELLA: Actually, I think some of them look quite smart on pupils ... better than a scruffy old pair of shoes.
DON: So do you keep shoes a long time?
BELLA: Yes. Though I do tend to wear my old pairs for doing dirty jobs like cleaning my bike. I must admit, I've recycled some perfectly good shoes, that haven't gone out of fashion and still fit, just because they don't look great on me any more. That's awful isn't it?
DON: I think it's common because there's so much choice. The article did say that recent sales of footwear have increased enormously.
BELLA: That didn't surprise me.
DON: No. But then it said that the amount of recycled footwear has fallen: it's 6 percent now compared to a previous level of 11 percent. That doesn't seem to make sense.
BELLA: That's because not everything goes through the recycling process. Some footwear just isn't good enough to re-sell, for one reason or another, and gets rejected.
pause
BELLA: So let's find some examples in the article of footwear that was rejected for recycling.
DON: OK. I think there are some in the interview with the recycling manager. Yeah – here it is.
BELLA: Mmm. Let's start with the ladies' high-heeled shoes. What did he say about those?
DON: He said they were probably expensive – the material was suede and they were beige in colour – it looked like someone had only worn them once, but in a very wet field so the heels were too stained with mud and grass to re-sell them.
BELLA: OK ... and the leather ankle boots. What was wrong with them?
DON: Apparently, the heels were worn – but that wasn't the problem. One of the shoes was a much lighter shade than the other one – it had obviously been left in the sun. I suppose even second-hand shoes should look the same!
BELLA: Sure. Then there were the red baby shoes.
DON: Oh yes – we're told to tie shoes together when we put them in a recycling bin, but people often don't bother.
BELLA: You'd think it would have been easy to find the other, but it wasn't. That was a shame because they were obviously new.
DON: The trainers were interesting. He said they looked like they'd been worn by a marathon runner.
BELLA: Yeah – weren't they split?
DON: Not exactly. One of the soles was so worn under the foot that you could put your finger through it.
BELLA: Well, we could certainly use some of those examples in our presentation to explain why 90 percent of shoes that people take to recycling centres or bins get thrown into landfill.
DON: mmm. What did you think about the project his team set up to avoid this by making 'new' shoes out of the good parts of old shoes?
BELLA: It sounded like a good idea. They get so many shoes, they should be able to match parts. I wasn't surprised that it failed, though. I mean who wants to buy second-hand shoes really? Think of all the germs you could catch!
DON: Well, people didn't refuse them for that reason, did they? It was because the pairs of shoes weren't identical.
BELLA: They still managed to ship them overseas, though.
DON: That's another area we need to discuss.
BELLA: You know, I used to consider this topic just from my own perspective, by thinking about my own recycling behaviour without looking at the bigger picture. So much happens once shoes leave the recycling area.
DON: It's not as simple as you first think, and we can show that by taking a very different approach to it.
BELLA: Absolutely. So let's discuss ...
Part 4
For my project on invertebrates, I chose to study tardigrades. These are microscopic – or to be more precise – near-microscopic animals. There are well over a thousand known species of these tiny animals, which belong to the phylum Tardigrada. Most tardigrades range in length from 0.05 to 1 millimetre, though the largest species can grow to be 1.2 millimetres in length. They are also sometimes called ‘water bears’: ‘water’ because that's where they thrive best, and 'bear' because of the way they move. ‘Moss piglet’ is another name for tardigrades because of the way they look when viewed from the front. They were first discovered in Germany in 1773 by Johann Goeze, who coined the name Tardigrada.
As I say, there are many different species of tardigrade – too many to describe here – but, generally speaking, the different species share similar physical traits. They have a body which is short, and also rounded – a bit like a barrel – and the body comprises four segments. Each segment has a pair of legs, at the end of which are between four and eight sharp claws. I should also say that some species don't have any claws; what they have are discs, and these work by means of suction. They enable the tardigrade to cling on to surfaces or to grip its prey. Within the body, there are no lungs, or any organs for breathing at all. Instead, oxygen and also blood are transported in a fluid that fills the cavity of the body.
As far as the tardigrade's head is concerned, the best way I can describe this is that it looks rather strange – a bit squashed even – though many of the websites I looked at described its appearance as cute, which isn't exactly very scientific. The tardigrade's mouth is a kind of tube that can open outwards to reveal teeth-like structures known as 'stylets'. These are sharp enough to pierce plant or animal cells.
So, where are tardigrades found? Well, they live in every part of the world, in a variety of habitats: most commonly, on the bed of a lake, or on many kinds of plants or in very wet environments. There's been some interesting research which has found that tardigrades are capable of surviving radiation and very high pressure, and they're also able to withstand temperatures as cold as –200 degrees centigrade, or highs of more than 148 degrees centigrade, which is incredibly hot.
pause
It has been said that tardigrades could survive long after human beings have been wiped out, even in the event of an asteroid hitting the earth. If conditions become too extreme and tardigrades are at risk of drying out, they enter a state called cryptobiosis. They curl into a ball, called a tun – that's T-U-N – by retracting their head and legs, and their metabolism drops to less than one percent of normal levels. They can remain like this until they are re-introduced to water, when they will come back to life in a matter of a few hours. While in a state of cryptobiosis, tardigrades produce a protein that protects their DNA. In 2016, scientists revived two tardigrades that had been tuns for more than 30 years. There was a report that, in 1948, a 120-year-old tun was revived, but this experiment has never been repeated. There are currently several tests taking place in space, to determine how long tardigrades might be able to survive there. I believe the record so far is 10 days.
So, erm, moving on. In terms of their diet, tardigrades consume liquids in order to survive. Although they have teeth, they don't use these for chewing. They suck the juices from moss, or extract fluid from seaweed, but some species prey on other tardigrades, from other species or within their own. I suppose this isn't surprising, given that tardigrades are mainly comprised of liquid and are coated with a type of gel.
Finally, I'd like to mention the conservation status of tardigrades. It is estimated that they have been in existence for approximately half a billion years and, in that time, they have survived five mass extinctions. So, it will probably come as no surprise to you, that tardigrades have not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and are not on any endangered list. Some researchers have described them as thriving.
Does anyone have any questions they'd like to ask?
Lesson 3
Practice Test 5
Part 1
You will hear a conversation between the organiser of a short film competition and a man who is interested in taking part in this event.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.
Man: Oh hello, is this the right number to call for the short film competition?
Woman: Yes. How can I help?
Man: I know the competition's been running for ten years, but I've never taken part before. I want to be clear on the rules. Is 20 minutes the maximum length of the film?
Woman: That's correct. So, shall I run through some of the other rules for entry?
Man: That'd be great. I'll make some notes.
Woman: All right, so the deadline for getting the whole film made and sending it in to us is on Wednesday May the 15th.
Man: Oh really? I thought the submission date was some time at the end of June. The 30th.
Woman: That's when the judges announce the winners.
Man: Right, I guess I don't have as much time to make this film as I thought.
Woman: Now, just so it's clear, one of the rules is about the team of people you have working with you. Will you be doing most of the filming yourself?
Man: Probably yes.
Woman: OK, but perhaps you'll be needing some technical support with editing, and the audio?
Man: I imagine so.
Woman: That's fine, but you can't employ any professional actors, I'm afraid. They all need to be new to acting - having a go for the first time.
Man: I see. Not a problem. Now I know that one of the rules is about the things you need to include in your film.
Woman: That's right. Last year all films had to include a scene with a broken pair of glasses.
Man: What about this year?
Woman: Well, it's been decided that one of your main characters has to be a child. Or, if you prefer, it could be an animal instead – but we have to see them in a number of scenes, OK?
Man: All right. I'll have a think about that. I'm not sure which one would be easier to work with.
Woman: It can certainly be a challenge – but that's what the competition is all about. Now, it's not just our rules you need to think about. You might also need to get permission – say, for example – if you decided you wanted to add some music to the film.
Man: That sounds complicated. I suppose I could use a local band – people I know that would help out. I wouldn't need permission in that case.
Woman: Good idea. Then you don't need to worry about the legal side of things.
Man: All right. That's clearer. Actually, is that right that the film doesn't need to be in English?
Woman: Yes. Because if a film wins the competition in this country, it could end up being part of an international competition. But if you're going to use another language, you've got to provide subtitles. And those do have to be in English, and 100% accurate. If they're not, your film won't be accepted in the competition.
Man: Seems fair.
Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
Man: I don't suppose you could give me any advice – about making the film, I mean.
Woman: Of course. Um, in my opinion, it's the script that you should concentrate on. That comes first. Work out what everyone's going to say, and go from there.
Man: OK, thanks for that. And I read somewhere that you shouldn't have too many characters or locations.
Woman: Yeah, I'd agree with that.
Man: I also read that – with short films, the judges have their preferences. I mean, they seem to like films with a serious message, like a documentary. I guess I shouldn't do a comedy because not everyone laughs at the same thing.
Woman: Yes, stay away from that kind of film. A story with a clear beginning, middle and end – that's what the judges look for.
Man: I was thinking I could look at some of the films from last year's competition – you know – to give me a better idea of what to do.
Woman: Yes, you could certainly do that. If you go to our website, have a look at last year's winner. His name was Greg Hyslop.
Man: How do you spell that last name?
Woman: Sure. It's H-Y-S-L-O-P. His film was actually one of the shorter ones, but the judges really liked it.
Man: Actually, I'm wondering if I've seen that one already. Isn't it about an artist – someone who no one appreciates but then she ends up selling lots of her paintings?
Woman: That's right. If you want to have another look, the film is called Imagine. It really holds your attention.
Man: Thanks. I'll have another look after this call.
Woman: So, you know what the prizes are? It's $500 for third place, up to $2000 for the overall winner. And of course, the winning films are shown in a theatre, so the public can see them too.
Man: That would be an amazing thing to happen. So that would be the Bridge Theatre, would it, in the city centre?
Woman: Yes. That's my favourite theatre, actually. Lovely view of the river. So, do you have any more....
Part 2
You will hear a man talking to a group of volunteers who are involved in conservation work in an area called Eskdale Wood.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
Organiser: Hello everyone. Thanks for volunteering to help with our conservation work in Eskdale Wood next weekend. A big group like this means we can really achieve a lot.
Let's start with the tasks we need to get done. I'm happy to say that since the last clean-up of the wood, the litter hasn't returned. So that's one job we can forget about. But - because of the recent storm, there's been damage to some older trees. A few big branches have come down and they're blocking the paths. We need volunteers to pull them off and pile them up somewhere else, so they're not in the way. While you're working, have a look at the bird boxes we placed in the wood last summer. We're sure that most of them have been used, so that was a job worth doing. The storm has also blown down the fences on the north side of the wood – so we'll need you to give a hand with repairs. There'll be someone there to supervise – so you'll get that job done quite quickly.
What do you need to bring with you? Gloves are essential. You don't want to end up with cuts and dirt all over your hands. If you don't have a good pair already, I'd suggest popping into town and buying a pair from the garden centre. They seem to have a good range. Now, the forecast is for cloud – but at least it'll be a dry weekend. You can leave your sunscreen at home. As usual, we'll be handing out any tools you need at the start of the day. Spades, saws, hammers – it'll all be supplied. There are parts of Eskdale Wood which are still muddy after the storm, so I'd recommend boots. You'll need to supply your own, and I'd put them on in the car park, if I were you, before you enter the woods. And um, thanks to some funding from the local residents committee, we've got a bit of money for snacks, so I'll be bringing some sandwiches with me for everyone.
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
Organiser: Right, some of you have expressed an interest in taking part in this year's bird count. The bird count is really useful ... it tells us which native birds are doing well, or if their numbers are declining – and we can also find out if there are any new species of birds – birds that don't normally inhabit the woods. So, if you decide to take part in the bird count, there are a few things you need to do.
Nowadays, people don't tend to record what they see on paper. It's all done through a mobile app. To get one of those, you'll need to go online and find a website like e-Bird or NestWatch. If you've never signed up with them before, register your details, and they'll send a mobile app to your phone. Once you've got that sorted, you need to consider exactly where you're going to count the birds. You might decide to spend the day, say, just in a single field – or you might want to cover a wider area. It's up to you. Stay away from privately owned land – because you'd need to get authorisation for that. Um, the next thing to do is get some other people to come along and help you – a group that are also interested in birds ...and er, that are capable of using the technology. Yes, because, by yourself, it's easy to miss the birds that might be in the trees behind you. Then, on the day of the bird count, you need to give all your helpers a print out – showing pictures of the birds you're hoping to see. The pictures should be clear enough so people can really distinguish between similar looking species – so yes, the document should be in colour, really. Also remind people that the bird count is not a race to find the most birds possible. It's supposed to be a group effort, with everyone staying in the same place. What else? OK, at the end of the day, once all the counting's been finished, get together with the rest of the group. How many birds of one species has everyone seen? Compare notes. It doesn't really matter if your totals are slightly different. Just get everyone to work out and decide – more or less – what the probable number was. Finally, when you're ready to submit all the data you've collected, have a look at the pictures you've taken. Choose the best one – you want a sharp image of a single bird, rather than an image of a whole lot of birds in the distance. Upload it with your data – and you never know – you might get a prize if yours is the best shot. All right, let's...
Part 3
You will hear two art history students, Chloe and Oliver, talking about the research they have done on the restoration and reproduction of old paintings.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.
Oliver: Ok Chloe, let's put the presentation together. What do you want to include in the introduction?
Chloe: Well, we're looking at the restoration of old paintings, and the reproduction. So we should begin with a definition – to show how those two things are different.
Oliver: Is that necessary? Let's start in a visual way. Show some paintings that have been restored, and talk about why it was necessary. So, for instance a painting that was damaged by water, and another one by insects – or by sunlight.
Chloe: OK, let's go with that. It'll get everyone's attention.
Oliver: After the introduction, we should tell everyone about our museum visit.
Chloe: Yes, it was great to see people restoring paintings in front of us. Did you know that most of the restorers we met didn't have a degree in art history? They'd done things like chemistry and archaeology. I never would have imagined that.
Oliver: Me neither. I had no idea those kind of skills would be useful.
Chloe: Apparently, a painting can take a year to clean.
Oliver: I guess it would. And one guy I spoke to told me they're always experimenting, reading up on different ways to clean the paintings.
Chloe: So, would you be interested in a career in art restoration? You know you don't actually need to be able to draw – so it might suit you!
Oliver: Very funny. Look, I think it would be a great job but I wouldn't choose to do it. You get to work in interesting places – that's true. I mean, sometimes you'd be working in a public place – like restoring the paintings high up on a church ceiling.
Chloe: With the public watching.
Oliver: I wouldn't mind that. But the thing is, when someone owns the painting you're working on, you've got to get it right. What if they didn't like the colours you'd used? Too much pressure.
Chloe: True. Since we visited the museum, I've been researching other restored paintings. One was a Dutch landscape. It'd been hanging in a museum for over 100 years – and everyone just thought it was a nice scene of people on the beach. And then a restorer started cleaning it, and discovered someone had painted over a whale.
Oliver: A whale?
Chloe: Yes. The original artist had painted a whale on the beach, and later – I suppose the painting was bought by someone who thought the whale ruined a pretty scene, and they paid another artist to cover it up.
Oliver: You must be right. Not everyone judges a painting in the same way, obviously. Anyway, we'll have plenty to say about restoration. What about digital reproduction?
Chloe: Yeah, digital technology is having quite an impact on the art world. We can now reproduce famous paintings – and you can see something that looks just like the original.
Oliver: I guess the difference between a digital reproduction and a fake painting is no-one's pretending it was painted by the original artist. And what I like about digital reproduction is you could potentially make lots of copies – so a wider audience can see them.
Chloe: Maybe. I'd rather look at the real painting.
Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
Chloe: OK, so if we're talking about digital reproduction of art, we have to mention the company Factum Arte, and how they reproduced famous paintings that had been lost or damaged – so they can go on public display.
Oliver: Good idea.
Chloe: Let's note down the challenges the team faced. What about Vincent van Gogh's Six Sunflowers? The original painting was destroyed. The team had a photo of it, but it wasn't very clear.
Oliver: Right. They couldn't see how Van Gogh had used his brush. They knew the National Gallery had a nearly identical sunflower painting by Van Gogh – and so they had to ask the gallery whether the team would be allowed to study and scan it – so they could reproduce the brushstrokes in the right way.
Chloe: They got approval in the end.
Oliver: What about The Concert? The original was stolen, right?
Chloe: The team had a photo they could use, but the problem was – it was a photo of The Concert after someone had tried to touch it up with fresh paint.
Oliver: And they'd done a terrible job, hadn't they?
Chloe: Yes. But the team were happy with the reproduction in the end. We should mention the Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill.
Oliver: Churchill hated that portrait. So his wife burnt it, and nothing was left.
Chloe: So, the Factum Arte team had to search for the pencil sketches the artist had also made of Churchill as part of his preparation.
Oliver: For me, I was most interested in The Water Lilies.
Chloe: By Claude Monet. In that case, the painting wasn't lost, but the top layer of paint had turned completely black because of smoke from a fire. The team had to work out what the colours beneath that layer had been.
Oliver: And then there was Myrto – a painting by Tamara de Lempicka. No-one knows for sure what happened to the original. At least the team had a black and white photo they could work from.
Chloe: But they needed to know what colours Lempicka would have used. And most of her other paintings are held in private collections. Because of that, they couldn't go and see them. That's a shame because...
Part 4
You will hear a student giving a presentation about the challenges of living in space.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Student: Hello everyone. So I'd like to tell you about some of the challenges of living in space. We'll start with the International Space Station – or ISS, as it's often called. The ISS has been in space – in orbit around the Earth – since 1998. Over 200 astronauts have lived on board and one of the biggest challenges for them is living in microgravity. So what happens when you're living in microgravity 24 hours a day for months? For a start, it affects your blood circulation. On Earth, your blood would naturally be pulled towards your feet, but in space, it goes to your head. And we'll talk a bit more about the consequences of that later. But it also goes to your chest – and that's why astronauts have to be careful about their blood pressure. Microgravity also affects the minerals stored inside your body. Over time, for example the amount of calcium inside your bones begins to decrease, so the bones become weaker. It's not much fun living in space. The astronauts have to maintain a very strict exercise programme – they do 2.5 hours of exercise six days a week. If they don't, what happens is that their muscle begins to waste. Some of it also turns into fat. And one final problem that some astronauts experience – they find that when they get back to Earth, they can't see clearly. Scientists aren't exactly sure why this happens, but it seems that the astronauts' vision can be permanently affected.
Another challenge with living in the ISS is – you have to take everything you need with you. So space agencies like NASA are constantly improving the way they recycle things. Water, of course, is a vital resource, and every little bit counts. That means that even the sweat that the astronauts produce is recycled. I know that doesn't sound very nice – but NASA says their water is purer than anything you'd drink on Earth.
Now listen and answer questions 36 to 40.
Student: So what's next? Humans are already living in space – in the space station – but now the goal is to live on the moon or Mars. For this, we need to make buildings, and the challenges for engineers and architects are even harder. It's incredibly expensive to transport materials into space, so they need to be as light as possible. The alternative is to use materials which already exist on the moon or Mars – and this does seem to be the sensible way forward. So to make buildings on the moon, for example, we could use rock, and the moon also has plenty of useful minerals. These can be made into metal, and some engineers are also suggesting they could produce paint. So it seems everything we need for a basic building might already be on the moon. Actually there's one thing that NASA hasn't managed yet, and that's to increase the size of the windows on the ISS. They're very small – and if people were going to live in buildings on the moon, this is something NASA still has to work on.
So, even if we manage to create a network of buildings for people to live in on the moon or Mars – and grow food, and be self-sufficient – they would still need mental stimulation, and opportunities to relax and stay in touch with what was happening back on Earth. Virtual reality could be the answer. Imagine you're living on the moon but you could use virtual reality to walk around a museum and see all the exhibits. That would be incredible. And by using virtual reality, you could continue your education, by say, studying for a qualification that might be useful in your current environment, or once you're back on Earth. Now Mars is a different...
Practice Test 6
Part 1
BREDA: Hello, Wayside Camera Club, Breda speaking.
DAN: Oh, hello, um, my name's Dan and I'd like to join your club.
BREDA: That's great, Dan. We have an application form – would you like to complete it over the phone, then you can ask any questions you might have?
DAN: Oh, yes, thanks.
BREDA: OK, so what's your family name?
DAN: It's Green – Dan Green.
BREDA: So – can I take your email address?
DAN: Yes, it's dan1068@market.com.
BREDA: Thanks. And what about your home address?
DAN: Well, I'm about ten miles away from your club in Peacetown. I live in a house there.
BREDA: OK, so what's the house number and street?
DAN: It's 52 Marrowfield Street.
BREDA: Is that M-A double R-O-W-F-I-E-L-D?
DAN: That's right.
BREDA: ... and that's Peacetown, you said?
DAN: Uhuh.
pause
BREDA: So how did you hear about our club? Did you look on the internet?
DAN: I usually do that, but this time, well, I was talking to a relative the other day and he suggested it.
BREDA: Oh, is he a member too?
DAN: He belongs to another club – but he'd heard good things about yours.
BREDA: OK. So what do you hope to get from joining?
DAN: Well, one thing that really interests me is the competitions that you have. I enjoy entering those.
BREDA: Right. Anything else?
DAN: Well, I also like to socialise with other photographers.
BREDA: That's great. So what type of membership would you like?
DAN: What are the options?
BREDA: It's £30 a year for full membership or £20 a year if you're an associate.
DAN: I think I'll go for the full membership, then.
BREDA: That's a good idea because you can't vote in meetings with an associate membership.
pause
BREDA: If I could just find out a bit more about you ...
DAN: OK.
BREDA: So you said you wanted to compete – have you ever won any photography competitions?
DAN: Not yet, but I have entered three in the past.
BREDA: Oh, that's interesting. So why don't you tell me something about those? Let's start with the first one.
DAN: Well, the theme was entitled 'Domestic Life'.
BREDA: I see – so it had to be something related to the home?
DAN: Yeah. I chose to take a photo of a family sitting round the dinner table having a meal, and, um, I didn't win, but I did get some feedback.
BREDA: Oh, what did the judges say?
DAN: That it was too 'busy' as a picture.
BREDA: Aha – so it was the composition of the picture that they criticised?
DAN: That's right – and once they'd told me that, I could see my mistake.
BREDA: So what was the theme of the second competition?
DAN: Well, my university was on the coast and that area gets a lot of beautiful sunsets, so that was the theme.
BREDA: Oh, sunsets, that's a great theme.
DAN: Yes. The instructions were to capture the clouds as well – it couldn't just be blue sky and a setting sun.
BREDA: Sure, cause they give you all those amazing pinks and purples.
DAN: Yeah – and I thought I'd done that well, but the feedback was that I should have waited a bit longer to get the shot.
BREDA: I see. So the timing wasn't right.
DAN: Yes – I took it too soon, basically. And then the third competition I entered was called 'Animal Magic'.
BREDA: Well, that's a difficult subject!
DAN: I know! I had to take hundreds of shots.
BREDA: I'm sure – because animals move all the time.
DAN: That's what we had to show – there had to be some movement in the scene. I got a great shot of a fox in the end, but I took it at night and, well, I suspected that it was a bit dark, which is what I was told.
BREDA: Well Dan – you seem to be really keen and we'd be delighted to have you in our club. I'm sure we can help with all those areas that you've outlined.
DAN: Thanks, that's great.
Part 2
PRESENTER: This evening we're delighted to welcome Dan Beagle, who's just written a book on looking for and finding food in the wild. He's going to tell us everything we need to know about picking wild mushrooms.
DAN: Thank you very much. Well, I need to start by talking about safety. You really need to know what you're doing because some mushrooms are extremely poisonous. Having said that, once you know what to look for, it's really worth doing for the amazing variety of mushrooms available – which you can't get in the shops. But of course, you have to be very careful and that's why I always say you should never consume mushrooms picked by friends or neighbours – always remember that some poisonous mushrooms look very similar to edible ones and it's easy for people to get confused. The other thing to avoid is mushrooms growing beside busy roads for obvious reasons. But nothing beats the taste of freshly picked mushrooms – don't forget that the ones in the shops are often several days old and past their best.
There are certain ideas about wild mushrooms that it's important to be aware of. Don't listen to people who tell you that it's only OK to eat mushrooms that are pale or dull – this is completely untrue. Some edible mushrooms are bright red, for example. Personally, I prefer mushrooms cooked but it won't do you any harm to eat them uncooked in salads – it's not necessary to peel them. Another thing you should remember is that you can't tell if a mushroom is safe to eat by its smell – some of the most deadly mushrooms have no smell and taste quite nice, apparently. Finally, just because deer or squirrels eat a particular mushroom doesn't mean that you can.
pause
Of course, mushroom picking is associated with the countryside but if you haven't got a car, your local park can be a great place to start. There are usually a range of habitats where mushrooms grow, such as playing fields and wooded areas. But you need to be there first thing in the morning, as there's likely be a lot of competition – not just from people but wildlife too. The deer often get the best mushrooms in my local park.
If you're a complete beginner, I wouldn't recommend going alone or relying on photos in a book, even the one I've written! There are some really good phone apps for identifying mushrooms but you can't always rely on getting a good signal in the middle of a wood. If possible, you should go with a group led by an expert – you'll stay safe and learn a lot that way.
Conservation is a really important consideration and you must follow a few basic rules. You should never pick all the mushrooms in one area – collect only enough for your own needs. Be very careful that you don't trample on young mushrooms or other plants. And make sure you don't pick any mushrooms that are endangered and protected by law.
There's been a decline in some varieties of wild mushrooms in this part of the country. Restaurants are becoming more interested in locally sourced food like wild mushrooms, but the biggest problem is that so many new houses have been built in this area in the last ten years. And more water is being taken from rivers and reservoirs because of this, and mushroom habitats have been destroyed.
Anyway, a word of advice on storing mushrooms. Collect them in a brown paper bag and as soon as you get home, put them in the fridge. They'll be fine for a couple of days, but it's best to cook them as soon as possible – after washing them really carefully first, of course.
So everybody knows what a mushroom tastes like, right? Well, you'll be surprised by the huge variety of wild mushrooms there are. Be adventurous! They're great in so many dishes – stir fries, risottos, pasta. But just be aware that some people can react badly to certain varieties so it's a good idea not to eat huge quantities to begin with.
OK, so now I'm going to show you ...
Part 3
YOUNG MAN: That seminar yesterday on automation and the future of work was really good, wasn't it? Looking at the first industrial revolution in Britain in the 19th century and seeing how people reacted to massive change was a real eye-opener.
YOUNG WOMAN: Yes. It was interesting to hear how people felt about automation then and what challenges they faced. I didn't know that first started with workers in the textile industry.
YOUNG MAN: With those protesting workers called the Luddites destroying their knitting machines because they were so worried about losing their jobs.
YOUNG WOMAN: Yes, and ultimately, they didn't achieve anything. And anyway, industrialisation created more jobs than it destroyed.
YOUNG MAN: Yes, that's true – but it probably didn't seem a positive thing at the time. I can see why the Luddites felt so threatened.
YOUNG WOMAN: I know. I'm sure I would have felt the same. The discussion about the future of work was really optimistic for a change. I like the idea that work won't involve doing boring, repetitive tasks, as robots will do all that. Normally, you only hear negative stuff about the future.
YOUNG MAN: Bit too optimistic, don't you think? For example, I can't see how people are about to have more leisure time, when all the evidence shows people are spending longer than ever at work.
YOUNG WOMAN: No – that's true. And what about lower unemployment? I'm not so sure about that.
YOUNG MAN: Perhaps in the long term – but not in the foreseeable future.
YOUNG WOMAN: Mmm. And I expect most people will be expected to work until they're much older – as everyone's living much longer.
YOUNG MAN: That's already happening.
pause
YOUNG WOMAN: I enjoyed all that stuff on how technology has changed some jobs and how they're likely to change in the near future.
YOUNG MAN: Yeah, incredible. Like accountants. You might think all the technological innovations would have put them out of a job, but in fact there are more of them than ever. They're still really in demand and have become far more efficient.
YOUNG WOMAN: Right. That was amazing. Twenty times more accountants in this country compared to the 19th century.
YOUNG MAN: I know. I'd never have thought that demand for hairdressing would have gone up so much in the last hundred years. One hairdresser for every 287 people now, compared to one for over 1,500.
YOUNG WOMAN: Yeah because people's earning power has gone up so they can afford to spend more on personal services like that.
YOUNG MAN: But technology hasn't changed the actual job that much.
YOUNG WOMAN: No, they've got hairdryers, etc, but it's one job where you don't depend on a computer ... The kind of work that administrative staff do has changed enormously, thanks to technology. Even 20 years ago there were secretaries doing dictation and typing.
YOUNG MAN: Yes. Really boring compared to these days, when they're given much more responsibility and higher status.
YOUNG WOMAN: Mmm. A lot of graduates go in for this kind of work now ... I'd expected there to be a much bigger change in the number of agricultural workers in the 19th century. But the 1871 census showed that roughly 25% of the population worked on the land.
YOUNG MAN: Yeah, I'd have assumed it would be more than 50%. Now it's less than 0.2%.
YOUNG WOMAN: What about care workers?
YOUNG MAN: They barely existed in the 19th century as people's lifespan was so much shorter. But now of course this sector will see huge growth.
YOUNG WOMAN: Yeah – and it's hard enough to meet current demand. The future looks quite bleak for bank clerks. They've been in decline since ATMs were introduced in the eighties.
YOUNG MAN: And technology will certainly make most of the jobs they do now redundant, I think.
YOUNG WOMAN: I agree, although the situation may change. It's very hard to predict what will happen.
Part 4
In today's astronomy lecture, I'm going to talk about the need for a system to manage the movement of satellites and other objects in orbit around the Earth. In other words, a Space Traffic Management system. We already have effective Air Traffic Control systems that are used internationally to ensure that planes navigate our skies safely. Well, Space Traffic Management is a similar concept, but focusing on the control of satellites.
The aim of such a system would be to prevent the danger of collisions in space between the objects in orbit around the Earth. In order to do this, we'd need to have a set of legal measures, and we'd also have to develop the technical systems to enable us to prevent such accidents.
But unfortunately, at present we don't actually have a Space Traffic Management system that works. So why not? What are the problems in developing such a system?
Well, for one thing, satellites are relatively cheap these days, compared with how they were in the past, meaning that more people can afford to put them into space. So there's a lot more of them out there, and people aren't just launching single satellites but whole constellations, consisting of thousands of them designed to work together. So space is getting more crowded every day.
But in spite of this, one thing you may be surprised to learn is that you can launch a satellite into space and, once it's out there, it doesn't have to send back any information to Earth to allow its identification. So while we have international systems for ensuring we know where the planes in our skies are, and to prevent them from colliding with one another, when it comes to the safety of satellites, at present we don't have anything like enough proper ways of tracking them.
And it isn't just entire satellites that we need to consider. A greater threat is the huge amount of space debris in orbit around the Earth – broken bits of satellite and junk from space stations and so on. And some of these are so small that they can be very hard to identify, but they can still be very dangerous.
In addition, some operators may be unwilling to share information about the satellites they've launched. For example, a satellite may be designed for military purposes, or it may have been launched for commercial reasons, and the operators don't want competitors to have information about it.
And even if the operators are willing to provide it, the information isn't easy to collect. Details are needed about the object itself, as well as about its location at a particular time – and remember that a satellite isn't very big, and it's likely to be moving at thousands of kilometres an hour. We don't have any sensors that can constantly follow something moving so fast, so all that the scientists can do is to put forward a prediction concerning where the satellite is heading next.
pause
So those are some of the problems that we're facing. Let's consider now some of the solutions that have been suggested. One key issue is the way in which information is dealt with. We need more information, but it also needs to be accessible at a global level, so we need to establish shared standards that we can all agree on for the way in which this information is presented. We already do this in other areas of science, so although this is a challenge, it's not an impossible task. Then, as all this information's collected, it needs to be put together so it can be used, and that will involve creating a single database on which it can be entered.
As we continue to push forward new developments, congestion of the space environment is only going to increase. To cope with this, we need to develop a system like the one I've described to coordinate the work of the numerous spacecraft operators, but it's also essential that this system is one that establishes trust in the people that use it, both nationally and at a global level.
One interesting development ...
Lesson 4
Practice Test 7
Part 1
You will hear a man who runs a transport hire company talking to a woman who wants to hire a vehicle.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.
Brian: Good morning. Island Transport company, this is Brian speaking.
Jenny: Morning. This is Jenny Cartwright here. I'm visiting the island next week and I want to hire some form of transport.
Brian: No problem, Jenny. Island Transport can offer a range of different vehicles to hire. So, um, the first option is a motor scooter – they're very popular.
Jenny: Oh right. And how much do they cost to hire?
Brian: Well, you can hire them by the hour or by the day. Per hour, it's $15.50.
Jenny: And what about for a day?
Brian: Daily, it's $49.99. That includes a full tank of petrol, but you need to fill it up before you bring it back.
Jenny: Is a scooter a good way to get around the island?
Brian: Oh yes, it's a lot of fun. Visitors really enjoy it.
Jenny: Do you provide helmets?
Brian: Yes of course, all sizes. We can also let you have gloves as well – it's not a bad idea.
Jenny: Oh yes, I hadn't thought of that.
Brian: The only thing is with the scooters, you have to keep to sealed roads. That means you can't ride on Battenburg Road – so you can't visit the far end of the island.
Jenny: Sorry, I didn't catch the name of the road. Could you spell it?
Brian: Sure, it's spelt: B-A-T-T-E-N-B-U-R-G. But there are still plenty of other places you can explore on a scooter.
Jenny: OK. And what about a car?
Brian: Yes, we've got a range of cars.
Jenny: Well, there's four of us. But if we do go for the car option, we'd be happy with a very small, basic one.
Brian: An 'economy car' would be $87.80 per day. That's for a four-door car, it can take five passengers.
Jenny: Right, OK.
Brian: And a car is the best way to see the whole island. You can drive on all the roads. And if you'd like to go for a swim, you can drive right down to Green Bay, which visitors love.
Jenny: Well, a car is definitely something to consider. It's certainly a good price, if we split it between the four of us.
Brian: Exactly.
Jenny: Only thing is, it's pretty hot at this time of year. Does the car have air conditioning?
Brian: Not that model, no. You'd need one of our bigger cars if you want that.
Jenny: Well, maybe it doesn't matter.
Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.
Brian: The other option to consider is an E-Bike. These are very popular – like a normal bicycle, but with electric power to help you along.
Jenny: How much are they?
Brian: Normally they're $59 per day, but I can offer you a discounted rate at the moment of $52.20.
Jenny: Oh, OK.
Brian: To be honest, a lot of our customers these days prefer E-Bikes to motor scooters, because they're so quiet and peaceful. On some E-Bikes, the battery is really heavy, but on these bikes it's nice and light.
Jenny: I've never ridden an E-Bike before. How difficult is it?
Brian: Not difficult at all. You'll find they are very easy to handle. Like I say, just like a normal pedal bike really, but you don't have to do too much work. Which is a good thing because the island is quite hilly. These are good quality bikes too. Well made with high quality brakes both front and back. So you won't have any problems.
Jenny: Well, that does sound like a lot of fun. Do they come with GPS?
Brian: No, but we can provide you with a map.
Jenny: What about a lock?
Brian: Yup, one of those as well, with each bike, so you can leave it securely if you want to.
Jenny: I think my friends will like the idea of an E-Bike. A good compromise.
Brian: Like I say, they're very popular these days. And another big advantage is that you don't have to have a licence for this type of vehicle.
Jenny: Well, let me discuss it with my friends and I'll get back to you.
Brian: No problem. Thanks for your...
Part 2
You will hear a man talking to a group of people who are looking around a community garden.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
Man: Well, good morning everyone and welcome to this open day at the community garden. Our garden belongs to the local community and, as you'll see, what we grow here is mostly fruit, and different kinds of vegetables. First, I'll tell you some background information.
Well, recently we made an interesting discovery at the garden. Before, we didn't know much about the history of this site. We only had a few documents and records. Then we found some ancient implements, like spades and forks, for digging. They were buried in the earth. Experts say these are at least 1000 years old. So people have been using this land for growing produce for a long time. There are some photographs of these implements in the club house, as well as a diagram of what we think the garden might have looked like, if you want to look later.
So, why was this location so good for gardening? As you can see, we're in a slight valley. And storms blow very hard up this valley, which can be a problem. But being in a valley, we get good freezing frosts here in winter, which gardeners like because it kills the bugs. The great thing, though, is the stream that runs through the valley, so we can irrigate the gardens even through long, dry summers.
Now what we do know is that in 1860, gardening stopped here. This was a time of rapid development in this area. And on that date, the City Infirmary was constructed on this site, so this is where doctors and surgeons worked to take care of the health needs of the growing population. Also, many new houses were put up for people who commuted into the city each day to work. There was even talk of a new military camp, although that never happened in the end.
Then in the 1980s, the old buildings here were removed. And this land again became a productive garden. Today, these gardens produce large quantities of fruit and vegetables. Each plot of land is worked by a volunteer member of the garden, and they donate what they grow to families in this neighbourhood who are struggling financially. Occasionally we're approached by local businesses and restaurants wanting to buy our organic produce, but we just don't have enough.
We also have a good relationship with the local college. In fact, several of the academics there are members of the garden. Each week, undergraduates enrolled on the college's horticulture course have a class here, to learn about their subject first hand. And in future the college hopes to hold workshops here, to help local people establish vegetable gardens at home.
Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
Man: OK, now I'll just point out a few places of interest around the gardens. So, can you all look at your maps please? OK, so we're now standing at the main entrance to the gardens, outside the club house.
So, you might be interested in our worm farms. This is where we make fertiliser. To get there, from the main entrance, head north. You'll pass gardens on either side of the path. Just before the path curves round to the right, there's a turning on the left. Go down there and the worm farms are inside the first building you come to.
It's also worth visiting our seed store. Again, head north and follow the path as it curves round to the right through the gardens. You'll come to the orchard. Follow the path around the edge of the orchard – but don't go too far. The seed store is actually located inside the orchard – a very pretty spot.
Now the machinery shed might interest some of you. From the main entrance, just go into the car park and walk right to the end. You'll see a little path heading out to the west – it's down there.
Our compost heaps are also pretty impressive. So, head north from the main entrance, go past the first gardens and take the first turning on the left. Go to the end of that path. The compost heaps are built in the shape of a letter ‘U’.
The drying room is also interesting. This is where we dry fruit, to preserve it. To see how it's done, walk up through the gardens till you come to the orchard. Keep heading north and the drying room is right at the very end of that path – as far as you can go.
Now one other thing I'll mention...
Part 3
You will hear two technology students called Alya and Jason talking about their joint presentation on the benefits of playing video games.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.
Alya: Well, Jason, shall we do some planning for our joint presentation?
Jason: Yeah, let's compare the reading we've been doing. Did you read that article by Dr Franklin?
Alya: Yes, the use of games in therapy.
Jason: So, we'll need to explain what kind of 'therapy' he's talking about.
Alya: OK, so it's treating people after accidents or illnesses – rebuilding their body strength.
Jason: Exactly. And Dr Franklin sees huge potential for games.
Alya: But he made the point that this isn't new. Really, since the 1990s, therapists have been experimenting with games.
Jason: Yeah, I agree, Dr Franklin illustrated that this has been going on for many years, it's not a sudden breakthrough.
Alya: I was hoping he'd give some idea about how many health professionals now employ games in therapy.
Jason: He doesn't really address that, does he?
Alya: OK, so, what's the biggest advantage of games in therapy?
Jason: Well, most games are played in virtual reality. So the patient is moving their arms and legs, exercising their body.
Alya: So I guess it's quite cheap, then?
Jason: Yeah, but so are conventional exercises. I don't think that's an issue.
Alya: No, OK. But I read that the games are really motivating. People are much more prepared to spend hours on rehabilitation, when a game's involved.
Jason: I think you're right. That's the most important benefit. In fact, I read some people actually get so caught up in the game they hurt themselves, and the therapists have to slow them down.
Alya: Then, did you read about the Singapore study?
Jason: Yeah, I started. They were investigating whether people actually made more friends by playing games, right?
Alya: That's right. They got a group of teenagers and over-60s together for 30 minutes a day playing video games.
Jason: But the subjects weren't all in the same place. They were playing online.
Alya: No, they were all together in a room. That's how the experiment was conducted.
Jason: We should check, I'm sure it was online.
Alya: You'll find I'm right. But anyway, the study found a real social benefit to game playing.
Jason: Mmm, interesting. So many people say that games are solitary.
Alya: Well, the Singapore study showed that players develop empathy for each other and bond over games.
Jason: A good point to make in the presentation. Then, I also had a look at the 'anxiety study'.
Alya: I haven't seen that one.
Jason: Well, they experimented with children waiting to see a doctor. Some were allowed to play games and some weren't.
Alya: Was there a particular type of game?
Jason: Well, just simple ones on hand held devices. And they found that the children who played games experienced considerably less stress and anxiety. Games distract the mind – that's the theory.
Alya: Better for the children, but also better for the parents. That's what I like about this.
Jason: Yeah good point – it reduces the stress for everybody. There just needs to be some additional research to support the finding.
Alya: We should also mention the Rhode Island research.
Jason: Maybe. But the finding just reinforced what's been shown in earlier studies – that people can be distracted from their bad habits, like eating junk food, or drinking fizzy drinks, by playing games.
Alya: But no-one had used MRI scans before. And the brain scans showed that games activate the same reward centres in the brain as the drinks or junk food. This study has supplied valid proof as to why games work this way.
Jason: Actually, that's a good point. And many people would probably like to know about that.
Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
Alya: So, then in the presentation, we need some more research findings.
Jason: Well, I read an interesting study about surgeons. It was in the USA. And it found that surgeons perform better when they play video games in their free time.
Alya: That makes sense. I mean, games are obviously going to improve hand to eye coordination.
Jason: Yeah, I guess it's predictable. Still interesting, though.
Alya: Absolutely. Challenges the idea that games are just a waste of time. Then there was a study about vision and eyesight. Apparently, games may actually improve vision. Game players in the study could see differences in grey colours more effectively.
Jason: That's odd, though, isn't it, because there are also studies showing a link between electronic screens and eye damage.
Alya: Yeah, it's certainly controversial.
Jason: I also read a study about sports. There's a company that makes video games which are supposed to encourage physical exercise. The idea is, you play the sport first in the game, and then you're more likely to do it for real. And the study, apparently, confirmed it.
Alya: Well, I doubt that's really true.
Jason: I know. Seems highly unlikely to me. Maybe just a marketing tactic by the company.
Alya: The study about ageing was a good one. Scientists in Germany found that games have a positive influence on older people by keeping their brains active.
Jason: And that's going to be more and more significant as the population ages. Good news for game manufacturers!
Alya: I also read that games can actually help your career. The problem-solving, decision-making and leadership that are developed in some games can actually make you more effective in the workplace.
Jason: And there's been quite a lot of previous research to back that up, too. Interesting.
Alya: Then another...
Part 4
You will hear an anthropology student given a talk about traditional Polynesian navigation.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Student: Hi everyone. Today I'm going to be talking about traditional Polynesian navigation and voyaging. Now, in case you don't know, the islands of Polynesia are in the Pacific Ocean and include Hawaii, Tahiti and Samoa.
All of these islands were originally uninhabited by humans. And for many years there was a debate about where the Polynesian people had migrated from. It was once suggested that they came from the Americas. However, that debate has been settled. Today, anthropologists recognise that the Polynesians began their journeys in Asia and from there migrated eastwards to the Pacific islands. It's believed all the Polynesian islands had been settled by the 13th century. When European explorers arrived in the Pacific in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were impressed by the local canoes. European ships were much stronger, but the indigenous vessels were considerably faster when under sail.
What we now know is that Polynesians sailed across open ocean – out of sight of land – long before this occurred elsewhere. And to make these voyages possible, they built remarkable ocean-going canoes. The canoes had two hulls – so are sometimes called 'catamarans'. They were equipped with large paddles, but these were not a form of propulsion. Instead the paddles were positioned at the back of the canoe to make steering the vessel possible.
All these ocean-going canoes had sails. Polynesian sails were triangular in shape and made from the 'pandanus' plant, which grows on nearly all Pacific islands. It was also necessary to make warm clothing, as even in tropical waters people could get cold on long voyages. Materials like wool and cotton were unknown to Polynesians. However, the paper mulberry tree grows on most Pacific islands and its bark was remarkably flexible and was used in the manufacture of clothing.
Next we come to the issue of navigation at sea. How did Polynesians find their way, once they were out of sight of land? We know that they did not have the magnetic compass, which told other navigators which direction was north. But the Polynesian navigators understood where numerous stars rose and set on the horizon. And using this, they could identify 32 different directions. However, this information about the stars was extremely complex and therefore remembering it all was a challenge. So the navigators had created long and complicated songs to help them recall all the information they needed.
Using the stars to navigate was effective – so long as the sky was clear. But when it was cloudy, the navigators couldn't see the stars. How did they find direction then? Well, they still knew which way to sail the canoe by studying the waves, which usually came from predictable directions in the Pacific at different times of the year.
Sometimes they were sailing between islands they had visited before. But very often they were trying to find new islands. How did they know that land was nearby, just over the horizon? Well, there were various techniques. The navigators were experts at recognising those particular birds whose habitat was the open ocean, and those that lived close to islands. So this was one way they knew that land wasn't far away. They were also skilled at noticing changes to the sea itself. The temperature of the water is constant in that part of the Pacific but its colour could vary in the proximity of land, and that was something else that they were able to detect.
Well, as technology developed, traditional voyaging all but died out. The Polynesian peoples travelled by steam ship and later aeroplane, like everyone else. However, in recent history, there has been a renewed interest in traditional voyaging. It began in 1976 when a new canoe named Hokule'a was built as a replica of traditional Polynesian vessels. This canoe was sailed from Hawai'i to Tahiti, a distance of more than 4000 kilometres across open ocean. And all the navigation was done using the techniques I've outlined today – the crew did not use modern instruments on the voyage. Since then there has been a remarkable renaissance of traditional voyaging. Numerous canoes have been built in different Polynesian countries, which have sailed to almost every part of the Pacific. And the Hokule'a has now completed a 3-year circumnavigation of the world. As well as sailing, these voyages have sparked renewed interest among Polynesians in learning about their traditional cultures. The canoes themselves operate as floating classrooms teaching young people about, for example, the music their ancestors once enjoyed. Another aspect of this has been the teaching of Polynesian languages, some of which were in danger of dying out.
Now one thing I'd like to add is...
Practice Test 8
Part 1
JULIE: Hello?
GREG: Oh, hello. Is that Julie Davison?
JULIE: Yes.
GREG: This is Greg Preston from the Employment Agency. We met last week when you came in to enquire about office work.
JULIE: Oh, that's right.
GREG: Now we've just had some details come in of a job which might interest you.
JULIE: OK.
GREG: So this is a position for a receptionist – I believe you've done that sort of work before?
JULIE: Yes, I have, I worked in a sports centre for a couple of years before I got married and had the children.
GREG: Right. Well, this job's in Fordham, so not too far away for you, and it's at the medical centre there.
JULIE: OK. So where exactly is that?
GREG: It's quite near the station, on Chastons Road.
JULIE: Sorry?
GREG: Chastons Road – that's C-H-A-S-T-O-N-S.
JULIE: OK, thanks. So what would the work involve? Dealing with enquiries from patients?
GREG: Yes, and you'd also be involved in making appointments, whether face to face or on the phone. And rescheduling them if necessary.
JULIE: Fine, that shouldn't be a problem.
GREG: And another of your duties would be keeping the centre's database up-to-date. Then you might have other general administrative duties as well, but those would be the main ones.
JULIE: OK.
GREG: Now when the details came in, I immediately thought of you because one thing they do require is someone with experience, and you did mention your work at the sports centre when you came in to see us.
JULIE: Yes, in fact I enjoyed that job. Is there anything else they're looking for?
GREG: Well, they say it's quite a high-pressure environment, they're always very busy, and patients are often under stress, so they want someone who can cope with that and stay calm, and at the same time be confident when interacting with the public.
JULIE: Well, after dealing with three children all under five, I reckon I can cope with that.
GREG: I'm sure you can.
GREG: And then another thing they mention is that they're looking for someone with good IT skills ...
JULIE: Not a problem.
GREG: So you'd be interested in following this up?
JULIE: Sure. When would it start?
GREG: Well, they're looking for someone from the beginning of next month, but I should tell you that this isn't a permanent job, it's temporary, so the contract would be just to the end of September. But they do say that there could be further opportunities after that.
JULIE: OK. And what would the hours be?
GREG: Well, they want someone who can start at a quarter to eight in the morning – could you manage that?
JULIE: Yes, my husband would have to get the kids up and off to my mother's – she's going to be looking after them while I'm at work. What time would I finish?
GREG: One fifteen.
JULIE: That should work out all right. I can pick the kids up on my way home, and then I'll have the afternoon with them. Oh, one thing ... is there parking available for staff at the centre?
GREG: Yes, there is, and it's also on a bus route.
JULIE: Right. Well, I expect I'll have the car but it's good to know that.
GREG: OK, so where do I go from here?
GREG: Well, if you're happy for me to do so, I'll forward your CV and references, and then the best thing would probably be for you to phone them so they can arrange for an interview.
JULIE: Great. Well thank you very much.
GREG: You're welcome. Bye now.
JULIE: Bye.
Part 2
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the Museum of Farming Life. I understand it's your first visit here, so I'd like to give you some background information about the museum and then explain a little about what you can see during your visit.
So, where we're standing at the moment is the entrance to a large building that was constructed in 1880 as the home of a local businessman, Alfred Palmer, of the Palmer biscuit factory. It was later sold and became a hall of residence for students in 1911, and a museum in 1951. In 2005, a modern extension was built to accommodate the museum's collections.
The museum's owned by the university, and apart from two rooms that are our offices, the university uses the main part of the building. You may see students going into the building for lessons, but it's not open to museum visitors, I'm afraid. It's a shame because the interior architectural features are outstanding, especially the room that used to be the library.
Luckily, we've managed to keep entry to the museum free. This includes access to all the galleries, outdoor areas and the rooms for special exhibitions. We run activities for children and students, such as the museum club, for which there's no charge. We do have a donation box just over there so feel free to give whatever amount you consider appropriate.
We do have a cloakroom, if you'd like to leave your coats and bags somewhere. Unlike other museums, photography is allowed here, so you might like to keep your cameras with you. You might be more comfortable not carrying around heavy rucksacks, though keep your coats and jackets on as it's quite cold in the museum garden today.
pause
I'd like to tell you about the different areas of the museum.
Just inside, and outside the main gallery, we have an area called Four Seasons. Here you can watch a four-minute animation of a woodland scene. It was designed especially for the museum by a group of young people on a film studies course, and it's beautiful. Children absolutely love it, but then, so do adults.
The main gallery's called Town and Country. It includes a photographic collection of prize-winning sheep and shepherds. Leaving Town and Country, you enter Farmhouse Kitchen, which is ... well, self-explanatory. Here we have the oldest collection of equipment for making butter and cheese in the country. And this morning, a specialist cheesemaker will be giving demonstrations of how it's produced. You may even get to try some.
After that, you can go in two directions. To the right is a staircase that takes you up to a landing from where you can look down on the galleries. To the left is a room called A Year on the Farm. There's lots of seating here as sometimes we use the room for school visits, so it's a good place to stop for a rest. If you're feeling competitive, you can take our memory test in which you answer questions about things you've seen in the museum. The next area's called Wagon Walk. This contains farm carts from nearly every part of the country. It's surprising how much regional variation there was. Beside the carts are display boards with information about each one. The carts are old and fragile, so we ask you to keep your children close to you and ensure they don't climb on the carts.
From Wagon Walk, you can either make your way back to reception or go out into the garden – or even go back to take another look in the galleries. In the far corner of the garden is Bees are Magic, but we're redeveloping this area so you can't visit that at the moment. You can still buy our honey in the shop, though.
Finally, there's The Pond, which contains all kinds of interesting wildlife. There are baby ducks that are only a few days old, as well as tiny frogs. The Pond isn't deep and there's a fence around it, so it's perfectly safe for children.
Part 3
TUTOR: So now I want you to discuss the lesson we've just been watching on the video and think about the ways in which origami can be a useful educational tool. Can you all work with the person sitting next to you ...
SEB: I had no idea that such a simple thing like folding squares of paper to make the shape of something like a bird could be such an amazing tool. It's made me see origami in a whole new light.
LIA: I know. It was interesting to see the educational skills the children were developing by doing origami. On the video you could see them really listening hard to make sure they did all the steps in the right order to make the bird.
SEB: That's right. In this lesson they were working individually but it would also be interesting to see if the children could work out how to make something simple without being given any direction. That would help with building teamwork as well.
LIA: Yes, but much more of a challenge. One thing that really stood out for me was that the children were all having fun while being taught something new.
SEB: Which is a key aim of any lesson with this age group. And although these kids had no problems with folding the paper, with younger children you could do origami to help practise fine motor skills.
LIA: Absolutely. Shall we talk about the individual children we saw on the video? I wrote all their names down and took some notes.
SEB: Yes, I did too.
LIA: OK, good. Let's start with Sid.
SEB: He was interesting because before they started doing the origami, he was being quite disruptive.
LIA: Yes. He really benefited from having to use his hands – it helped him to settle down and start concentrating.
SEB: Yes, I noticed that too. What about Jack? I noticed he seemed to want to work things out for himself.
LIA: Mmm. You could see him trying out different things rather than asking the teacher for help. What did you make of Naomi?
SEB: She seemed to be losing interest at one point but then she decided she wanted her mouse to be the best and that motivated her to try harder.
LIA: She didn't seem satisfied with hers in the end, though.
SEB: No.
LIA: Anya was such a star. She listened so carefully and then produced the perfect bird with very little effort.
SEB: Mmm – I think the teacher could have increased the level of difficulty for her.
LIA: Maybe. I think it was the first time Zara had come across origami.
SEB: She looked as if she didn't really get what was going on.
LIA: She seemed unsure about what she was supposed to do, but in the end hers didn't turn out too badly.
SEB: Yeah. I'm sure it was a positive learning experience for her.
LIA: Mmm.
pause
LIA: I think one reason why the origami activity worked so well in this class was that the teacher was well prepared.
SEB: Right. I think it would have taken me ages to prepare examples, showing each of the steps involved in making the bird. But that was a really good idea. The children could see what they were aiming for – and much better for them to be able to hold something, rather than just looking at pictures.
LIA: Mmm – those physical examples supported her verbal explanations really well. It's strange that origami isn't used more widely. Why do you think that is?
SEB: Well, teachers may just feel it's not that appealing to children who are used to doing everything on computers, especially boys. Even if they're aware of the benefits.
LIA: Oh, I don't know. It's no different to any other craft activity. I bet it's because so many teachers are clumsy like me.
SEB: That's true – too much effort required if you're not good with your hands.
LIA: Well, anyway, I think we should try it out in our maths teaching practice with Year 3. I can see using origami is a really engaging way of reinforcing children's knowledge of geometric shapes, like they were doing in the video, but I think it would also work really well for presenting fractions, which is coming up soon.
SEB: Good idea – that's something most of the kids in that class might struggle with. Origami would also be good practice for using symmetry – but I think they did that last term.
LIA: OK – well let's try and get some ideas together and plan the lesson next week.
TUTOR: OK, if you could all stop ...
Part 4
The person I've chosen to talk about is the French writer Victor Hugo – many people have heard of him because his novel, Les Misérables, which he wrote in 1862, is famous around the world. It became a stage musical in the 1980s, and a film version was also released in 2012. So, some of us, I'm sure, have a pretty general idea of the plot, but we know much less about the author. Today, I'm going to provide a little more insight into this talented man and I'm going to talk particularly about the home he had on the island of Guernsey in the British Channel Islands.
But first, his early career ... as I've said, he was a writer, he was at the height of his career in Paris and he was very highly regarded by his colleagues. As far as literature was concerned, he was the leading figure of the Romantic movement. However, as well as being a literary genius, he also gave many speeches about issues like the level of poverty in his society. He felt very strongly about this and about other areas where change was needed, like education. This kind of outspoken criticism was not well liked by the rulers of France and, eventually, the emperor – Napoleon III – told Victor Hugo to leave Paris and not return; in other words, he sent him into exile.
So Victor Hugo was forced to reside in other parts of Europe. Guernsey was actually his third place of exile and he landed there in 1855. He produced a lot while on Guernsey – including Les Misérables – and to do this, he had to spend a great deal of time in the home that he had there. This was a property that he bought using the money he'd made in France from the publication of a collection of his poetry. It was the only property he ever owned, and he was very proud of it.
The property Victor Hugo bought on Guernsey was a large, five-storey house in the capital town of St Peter Port and he lived there for 15 years, returning to France in 1870 when Napoleon's Empire collapsed. He decorated and furnished each level, or floor, of the house in unique and wonderful ways, and many people consider the inside of the house to be a ‘work of art’. Today it's a museum that attracts 200,000 visitors a year.
He lived in the house with his family ... and portraits of its members still hang in rooms on the ground floor, along with drawings that he did during his travels that he felt were important to him. In other ground-floor rooms, there are huge tapestries that he would have designed and loved. The walls are covered in dark wood panelling that Victor Hugo created himself using wooden furniture that he bought in the market. The items were relatively inexpensive, and he used them to create intricate carvings. They gave an atmosphere on the lower level that was shadowy and rather solemn.
On the next level of the house there are two impressive lounges, where he entertained his guests. One lounge has entirely red furnishings, such as sofas and wall coverings, and the other blue. There's a strong Chinese influence in these areas in things like the wallpaper pattern and the lamps – which he would have made himself by copying original versions.
His library, where he left many of his favourite books, forms the hallway to the third floor and was a comfortable area where he could relax and enjoy his afternoons. And then, at the very top of the house, there's a room called the Lookout – called that because it looks out over the harbour. In contrast to the rather dark lower levels, it's full of light and was like a glass office where he would write until lunchtime – often at his desk.
So, Victor Hugo was a man of many talents, but he was also true to his values. While living in his house on Guernsey, he entertained many other famous writers, but he also invited a large group of local children from the deprived areas of the island to dinner once a week. What's more, he served them their food, which was an extraordinary gesture for the time period.
In 1927, the house was owned by his relatives, and they decided to donate it to the city of Paris. It has since been restored using photographs from the period and, as I mentioned earlier, is now a museum that is open to the public.
Lesson 5
Practice Test 9
Part 1
You will hear a conversation between a man who wants to make an insurance claim and a woman who works for an insurance company.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.
Woman: Good morning. Star Insurance. How can I help?
Man: Oh, good morning. I’m calling to make an insurance claim – it’s for damage to my house.
Woman: All right – I’m just going to get a few details down first. What’s your name, please?
Man: It’s Greg Williams.
Woman: Ok, thank you. And what’s your policy reference, please?
Man: Is that the long number with the letters in the middle?
Woman: That’s right.
Man: It’s 0-5 4-4-3 C-H-I 7-7-1
Woman: OK. Right, yes, I’ve got your details on the computer now. So can I confirm your address? According to our records, you live at 102 Market Street, in Northbridge. Is that right?
Man: That’s correct.
Woman: All right, good. And the last thing I need to check – what’s the best phone number to get you on? Is it the number you’re calling on now?
Man: No, I’m calling from work. Let me give you my mobile phone number. It’s 018 669 925
Woman: Thanks. So, can you give me a description of the damage? When did the incident occur?
Man: Sunday the 17th of June.
Woman: I see. And what was the cause of the incident? How did the damage happen?
Man: Right, no-one was home at the time, which was fortunate, I suppose. There was a big storm and I guess it blew down one of the trees at the back of our garden, and it’s smashed through the window in our daughter’s bedroom.
Woman: Yes, a good thing you were all out. So have you got the window fixed?
Man: Not yet.
Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.
Woman: All right. And so, apart from the window, what are you claiming for?
Man: OK, like I said, it was my young daughter’s room. Anyway, right below the window is her desk. That’s all right, but she’d left her glasses on it, and they got really badly scratched. She’ll need a new pair. Luckily she hadn’t left her headphones there, like she normally does.
Woman: Is there anything else?
Man: Yes, because the window was broken, the rain got in. And what’s really annoying is that – when was it? Just last month - we’d gone shopping and bought a carpet. We’d only had it for a couple of weeks, and it got soaked. We had to remove it.
Woman: Oh dear. Are there any other items you’d like to claim for?
Man: Yes. I suppose we should be grateful that the rain didn’t reach her computer – but when the tree came through the window, it tore a hole through the curtain that was hanging there.
Woman: OK, I’m making a note of all this.
Man: And one more thing I need to claim for.
Woman: Yes, go on.
Man: We’ve had some repairs done already. For a door we can’t open.
Woman: To the back of the house?
Man: Er no. It’s for the garage. The tree hit that as well.
Woman: Ok. So, have you contacted a professional builder yet?
Man: Yes, it’s the same builder we always use. Do you want his name?
Woman: Yes please.
Man: OK, it’s Steven Honeywell. H-O-N-E-Y-W-E-L-L.
Woman: All right. Now, apart from damage to the house itself, what else do you think the builder will be looking at? Because we’re going to need photographs.
Man: Oh yes. Well, he’ll be putting up a fence for us – between our house and the neighbour’s – because the one we’ve got now was smashed by the tree. So I’ll take some pictures before he does the work.
Woman: Please do that, and then you can send them in with your claim…
Part 2
You will hear a woman who helps run a programme called Young Explorer talking to participants.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
Woman: All right, shall we start? It’s good to see so many people keen to participate in our Young Explorer programme. I think that at this meeting, we have groups from twelve different high schools. I can promise you that while it’s challenging, it’s also going to be a lot of fun.
The Young Explorer programme offers some unique opportunities to participants. During the programme, you’ll be trekking through forests, or maybe mountain tracks, or perhaps kayaking along the coast line. It can be a tough few days, but this part of the programme really gives your group an occasion to work as a team. Some kind words and encouragement can go a long way – whether it’s convincing someone they can walk the last five miles, or helping them fit everything back inside their backpack. No one’s in charge – it’s all about co-operation – and please don’t see it as a race. There are going to be moments when there’s disagreement about which way to go or where to camp for the night – but here’s the chance to listen properly to the opinions of others, and reach a decision that’s best for everyone. It’s an opportunity not many other programmes provide.
Later this morning, you need to choose a weekend when you can attend some preliminary training. A number of practical subjects will be covered to ensure you get the most out of your four-day trek. Now everything you eat and drink you’ll have to take with you. You’ll also have to use a portable stove and the fuel it requires. We’ll make sure you know how to use that safely during the training session. We don’t want you or the food to get burnt, or for you to accidentally set light to any trees. Training will also include learning how to read a map and use a compass, so you can head in the right direction. You’ll also need to know how to put up a tent, and where to put it. For example, putting it next to a river or stream might seem like a good idea but there are plenty of reasons not to…
Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.
Woman: Ok, there are six tracks on your list, and your group can decide which track it wants to take. Each of them are about the same distance – but very different in other respects. The first one, Northface, that’s one of my favourite tracks. It takes you high up into the mountains, and the view is stunning. But we’ve just heard that some maintenance work is taking place, unfortunately, and so people aren’t allowed to use it at the moment. But the other tracks are very interesting too. You’ve got Blue River, which I’d thoroughly recommend, but you need to keep an eye out when you’re walking that track. It’s easy to slip on the rocks when you’re crossing the river, and you do have to cross it several times. Then there’s Pioneer Track, which takes you through some native forest. You follow the track for about a day and a half, and then it comes to an end at a town called Richmond. It starts up again on the other side of town, and the rest of the route is along the coast. You might also consider Edgewater. You get to see some beautiful lakes and birdlife. The only thing I’d say though is that it’s very popular, and you’ll probably come across a number of other groups out walking on the way. Number five on the list is the Murray Track. That one is certainly quite challenging – there are some very steep sections and at some points, you’d be walking right next to the cliff edge on a very narrow path. That’s definitely a track where caution needs to be taken. Great views, though. And last but not least is Lakeside track – which as the name suggests, takes you along one of our biggest lakes. It has some terrific camping spots, but that also means it’s a bit of a tourist attraction, and you could well be sharing the track with many other visitors. Anyway, it’s up…
Part 3
You will hear a university tutor talking to two social science students about a project they are doing on the impact of technology on people’s working lives.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
Tutor: OK Kiara and Finn. Can you tell me how your project is going? Your general topic was the future of work, wasn’t it?
Finn: Yes. We’ve read a lot of articles on it. Some were more interesting than others. There were a couple of writers that just made sme strong statements without really backing them up.
Kiara: The problem is, it’s such a big topic. Some of the articles were aimed at graduates, and some of them were targeting people who’ve been in work for years. We should’ve narrowed down our topic before we started searching.
Finn: But anyway, the focus was always the changing nature of jobs – how it’s all happening so quickly.
Kiara: Exactly. Every single article said we can forget the way things used to happen – like you started out as an apprentice, and then you stayed in the same company for years. That’s over.
Tutor: I see that you’ve highlighted ‘job title’ in your notes. Why’s that?
Kiara: I think for some people, a job title used to define them. It was their identity. They worked their way up from the bottom, and eventually, one day they became ‘Manager’ or ‘Head of Department’. And even in their social circle, outside of work, they wanted other people to know how long they’d been in a job.
Tutor: And now?
Kiara: It looks like we’re moving away from the term ‘job title’. So, you know, instead, a lot of businesses are hiring people to ‘work on a project done’ or ‘lead a team’. But the contracts are temporary.
Tutor: Finn – do you think that’s a big issue for young people?
Finn: Having to move on once a project’s finished? Not necessarily. It can be interesting to work in different places. People aren’t always looking for a job that pays really well – it’s more about gaining experience and creating a network.
Tutor: So money’s not important?
Finn: Well, I haven’t started work myself, but according to all the articles I read, it’s more about the different rates of pay. If you have a good salary, you probably have enough to enjoy life, but if you’re only earning the minimum wage – how do you get by? That’s my biggest worry.
Kiara: I looked at that Richards-Greeves survey on work-life balance.
Tutor: Oh good.
Kiara: Only 48% of people believe that their work-life balance will improve.
Tutor: Is that a statistic that surprises you?
Kiara: It’s hard to say. I wonder what the survey actually asked? Was it just ‘Will your work-life balance improve’ or did the interviewers break that down? I mean, did they actually ask the people who took part, ‘Do you enjoy spending more time at work than home?
Tutor: Good point. See if you can find out more. Um, Finn, what else have you been researching?
Finn: Learning new skills. The general view is that employers are just going to want their workers to constantly upskill. And apparently, employers will expect them to attend courses at weekends or after work – not as part of the working day.
Tutor: I don’t think that’s a bad thing. As long as the company pays for it.
Finn: And think about it, if you were smart, you’d study things that would help you if you had to change companies.
Kiara: I hadn’t thought about that. Yes, good thinking.
Tutor: What about mobile technology? How might employees be affected now that phones and tablets make it possible to stay connected to work at all times?
Finn: It’s great. You can use mobile technology – your device – to work where you like – on the way to class or the office.
Kiara: The media often focusses on the negatives, but as far as I’m concerned, having a tablet I can carry with me means I can manage my studies and my family commitments more easily. I actually think that in the future, mobile technology will reduce employees’ stress.
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
Tutor: So, let’s focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs. To what extent do you think it’ll help people in their professions, or be a threat?
Finn: I was reading about architects using AI in the future. The writer was saying that one day, architects will use holograms. Then their clients could see a three-dimensional house rather than just looking at a flat plan.
Kiara: As soon as one architect starts to use AI, all the rival architects in the same area will have to use AI too. That’s the only way they’ll manage to keep their clients.
Finn: True. How about doctors? Imagine if they had to give urgent medical attention to someone, but they weren’t qualified to do it? A hospital specialist could use AI and virtual reality to guide a doctor through, like, a complex procedure.
Kiara: Yes, in an emergency situation, AI could really make the difference.
Finn: And what about the law?
Kiara: Well the lawyers I know are always anxious about the amount of work they have to get through. But AI could help them with a whole lot of routine tasks, and that should make some of that anxiety go away.
Finn: Yes, it probably could. Also – if you’re a sports referee – that could be a job that’s affected.
Tutor: In what way?
Finn: Using AI would mean there were no mistakes. It would know for sure if a ball was out, for example.
Kiara: And you can’t accuse AI of bias.
Finn: No.
Kiara: I can imagine that, one day, AI might do away with the need for human referees.
Finn: I think so too.
Tutor: All right, let’s move…
Part 4
You will hear a lecturer giving a presentation about the Klondike Gold Rush.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Lecturer: Today I’m going to talk about an incredible event in the history of Canada – the Klondike Gold Rush. Between 1896 and 1899 over 100,000 people set out to seek gold in the Klondike region – a remote area in north-western Canada. Only 4000 people were actually successful. Let’s start by considering the journey people had to take in order to reach the Klondike river and start looking for gold.
For most gold-seekers, their journey began in Alaska, in a town on the coast called Skagway. From Skagway, one option was to take the White Pass trail through the mountains. It probably looked easy enough at the beginning of the trail, but rocks made it difficult to make progress. On top of this, the men and their horses got stuck in the thick mud that covered long sections of the trail. The other option was the Chilkoot Trail. Now, although this trail was only about thirty-five miles long, it took about three months for the gold-seekers to cover this distance. This is because the trail was incredibly steep, and people had to make the same trip multiple times in order to transport their equipment.
Most people really had very little idea about how difficult the journey was going to be. So, although 100,000 may have set out on those two trails, only about 30,000 got to the end. So yes, the majority gave up. Often they were suffering from starvation or disease. They also came to the terrible realisation that their journey was likely to end in failure, and so they turned around. Anyway, for those gold-seekers who did continue, they eventually reached Lake Bennet. They might have expected that their journey was going to become easier at this point, but no. Because the lake was frozen over, many people had to wait until spring before they could continue their journey. In the meantime, a tent was the only protection they had from the cold. While they were waiting, people cut down trees and made boats. Once the ice melted, they could sail across the lake, and start down the Yukon river. Again – this wasn’t the end of their troubles. Once they reached a point of the river called Miles Canyon, things became very dangerous indeed. Many boats were destroyed in the rapids. In order to proceed down the Yukon river, the gold-seekers needed to employ a real sailor, someone who could steer their boats and get through the canyon safely. From here on, the worst was over, and the gold-seekers could sail to a place called Dawson – at the mouth of the Klondike river.
Now listen and answer questions 36 to 40.
Lecturer: So earlier on I mentioned that gold-seekers needed to make multiple trips up and down the two trails. This is because they had to transport an enormous amount of equipment. This equipment was set out on a very long list. It was actually the police who gave gold-seekers the list – since they knew how unprepared many people were for the journey. People were obliged to take enough supplies to last them a year. So the list included clothing like boots and warm winter coats. There was also the food the gold-seekers required. Perhaps items like tea weren’t too hard to carry, but 400lbs of flour would have been very heavy indeed. The gold-seekers had to take a lot of tools, as well – everything they needed for digging, for building and so on. Things like rope were essential and could be packed away without too much difficulty. But imagine having to carry two or three buckets with you. All these things were compulsory.
So, some people became very successful because of the gold rush – and not because they’d actually found gold themselves. Those who were business-minded saw many opportunities; they sold the supplies that the gold-seekers needed, they established hotels, and so on. And then there were people like Jack London. London was one of the gold- seekers that actually survived the terrible journey, but he didn’t find much gold. Still, he was inspired to write. Through his vivid description, his readers could share the feeling of adventure, even from the comfort of their armchair. Finally, it wasn’t just men that tried to seek their fame and fortune. Many women also headed up the trails. Among them were Annie Hall Strong and Emma Kelly. In the US and in other parts of Canada, ordinary citizens were keen to read about life in the Klondike. Working for different newspapers, Hall and Kelly often described their first-hand experience of danger and hardship. Another thing that...
Practice Test 10
Part 1
MARTHA: Hi Alex. It's Martha Clines here. James White gave me your number. I hope you don't mind me calling you.
ALEX: Of course not. How are you, Martha?
MARTHA: Good thanks. I'm ringing because I need a bit of advice.
ALEX: Oh yeah. What about?
MARTHA: The training you did at JPNW a few years ago. I'm applying for the same thing.
ALEX: Oh right. Yes, I did mine in 2014. Best thing I ever did. I'm still working there.
MARTHA: Really? What are you doing?
ALEX: Well, now I work in the customer services department but I did my initial training in Finance. I stayed there for the first two years and then moved to where I am now.
MARTHA: That's the same department I'm applying for. Did you enjoy it?
ALEX: I was pretty nervous to begin with. I didn't do well in my exams at school and I was really worried because I failed Maths. But it didn't actually matter because I did lots of courses on the job.
MARTHA: Did you get a diploma at the end of your trainee period? I'm hoping to do the one in business skills.
ALEX: Yes. That sounds good. I took the one on IT skills but I wish I'd done that one instead.
MARTHA: OK, that's good to know. What about the other trainees? How did you get on with them?
ALEX: There were about 20 of us who started at the same time and we were all around the same age – I was 18 and there was only one person younger than me, who was 17. The rest were between 18 and 20. I made some good friends.
MARTHA: I've heard lots of good things about the training at JPNW. It seems like there are a lot of opportunities there.
ALEX: Yeah, definitely. Because of its size you can work in loads of different areas within the organisation.
MARTHA: What about pay? I know you get a lower minimum wage than regular employees.
ALEX: That's right - which isn't great. But you get the same number of days' holiday as everyone else. And the pay goes up massively if they offer you a job at the end of the training period.
MARTHA: Yeah, but I'm not doing it for the money – it's the experience I think will be really useful. Everyone says by the end of the year you gain so much confidence.
ALEX: You're right. That's the most useful part about it. There's a lot of variety too. You're given lots of different things to do. I enjoyed it all – I didn't even mind the studying.
MARTHA: Do you have to spend any time in college?
ALEX: Yes, one day each month. So you get lots of support from both your tutor and your manager.
MARTHA: That's good. And the company is easy to get to, isn't it?
ALEX: Yes, it's very close to the train station so the location's a real advantage.
pause
ALEX: Have you got a date for your interview yet?
MARTHA: Yes, it's on the 23rd of this month.
ALEX: So long as you're well prepared there's nothing to worry about. Everyone's very friendly.
MARTHA: I am not sure what I should wear. What do you think?
ALEX: Nothing too casual – like jeans, for example. If you've got a nice jacket, wear that with a skirt or trousers.
MARTHA: OK. Thanks. Any other tips?
ALEX: Erm, well I know it's really obvious but arrive in plenty of time. They hate people who are late. So make sure you know exactly where you have to get to. And one other useful piece of advice my manager told me before I had the interview for this job – is to smile. Even if you feel terrified. It makes people respond better to you.
MARTHA: I'll have to practise doing that in the mirror!
ALEX: Yeah – well, good luck. Let me know if you need any more information.
MARTHA: Thanks very much.
Part 2
Hi everyone, welcome to the Snow Centre. My name's Annie. I hope you enjoyed the bus trip from the airport – we've certainly got plenty of snow today! Well, you've come to New Zealand's premier snow and ski centre, and we've a whole load of activities for you during your week here.
Most visitors come here for the cross-country skiing, where you're on fairly flat ground for most of the time, rather than going down steep mountainsides. There are marked trails, but you can also leave these and go off on your own and that's an experience not to be missed. You can go at your own speed – it's great aerobic exercise if you really push yourself, or if you prefer you can just glide gently along and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
This afternoon, you'll be going on a dog-sled trip. You may have seen our dogs on TV recently racing in the winter sled festival. If you want, you can have your own team for the afternoon and learn how to drive them, following behind our leader on the trail. Or if you'd prefer, you can just sit back in the sled and enjoy the ride as a passenger.
At the weekend, we have the team relay event, and you're all welcome to join in. We have a local school coming along, and a lot of the teachers are taking part too. Participation rather than winning is the main focus, and there's a medal for everyone who takes part. Participants are in teams of two to four, and each team must complete four laps of the course.
For your final expedition, you'll head off to Mount Frenner wearing a pair of special snow shoes which allow you to walk on top of the snow. This is an area where miners once searched for gold, though there are very few traces of their work left now. When the snow melts in summer, the mountain slopes are carpeted in flowers and plants. It's a long ascent, though not too steep, and walkers generally take a couple of days to get to the summit and return.
You'll spend the night in our hut half-way up the mountain. That's included in your package for the day. It's got cooking facilities, firewood and water for drinking. For washing, we recommend you use melted snow, though, to conserve supplies. We can take your luggage up on our snowmobile for you for just ten dollars a person. The hut has cooking facilities so you can make a hot meal in the evening and morning, but you need to take your own food.
The weather on Mount Frenner can be very stormy. In that case, stay in the hut – generally the storms don't last long. Don't stress about getting back here to the centre in time to catch the airport bus – they'll probably not be running anyway. We do have an emergency locator beacon in the hut but only use that if it's a real emergency, like if someone's ill or injured.
pause
Now, let me tell you something about the different ski trails you can follow during your stay here.
Highland Trail's directly accessible from where we are now. This trail's been designed to give first-timers an experience they'll enjoy regardless of their age or skill, but it's also ideal for experts to practise their technique.
Then there's Pine Trail ... if you're nervous about skiing, leave this one to the experts! You follow a steep valley looking right down on the river below – scary! But if you've fully mastered the techniques needed for hills, it's great fun.
Stony Trail's a good choice once you've got a general idea of the basics. There are one or two tricky sections, but nothing too challenging. There's a shelter half-way where you can sit and take a break and enjoy the afternoon sunshine.
And finally, Loser's Trail. This starts off following a gentle river valley but the last part is quite exposed so the snow conditions can be challenging – if it's snowing or windy, check with us before you set out to make sure the trail's open that day.
Right, so now if you'd like to follow me, we'll get started ...
Part 3
JACK: I've still got loads to do for our report on nutritional food labels.
ALICE: Me too. What did you learn from doing the project about your own shopping habits?
JACK: Well, I've always had to check labels for traces of peanuts in everything I eat because of my allergy. But beyond that I've never really been concerned enough to check how healthy a product is.
ALICE: This project has actually taught me to read the labels much more carefully. I tended to believe claims on packaging like 'low in fat'. But I now realise that the 'healthy' yoghurt I've bought for years is full of sugar and that it's actually quite high in calories.
JACK: Ready meals are the worst ... comparing the labels on supermarket pizzas was a real eye-opener. Did you have any idea how many calories they contain? I was amazed.
ALICE: Yes, because unless you read the label really carefully, you wouldn't know that the nutritional values given are for half a pizza.
JACK: When most people eat the whole pizza. Not exactly transparent is it?
ALICE: Not at all. But I expect it won't stop you from buying pizza?
JACK: Probably not, no! I thought comparing the different labelling systems used by food manufacturers was interesting. I think the kind of labelling system used makes a big difference.
ALICE: Which one did you prefer?
JACK: I liked the traditional daily value system best – the one which tells you what proportion of your required daily intake of each ingredient the product contains. I'm not sure it's the easiest for people to use but at least you get the full story. I like to know all the ingredients in a product – not just how much fat, salt and sugar they contain.
ALICE: But it's good supermarkets have been making an effort to provide reliable information for customers.
JACK: Yes. There just needs to be more consistency between labelling systems used by different supermarkets, in terms of portion sizes, etc.
ALICE: Mmm. The labels on the different brands of chicken flavour crisps were quite revealing too, weren't they?
JACK: Yeah. I don't understand how they can get away with calling them chicken flavour when they only contain artificial additives.
ALICE: I know. I'd at least have expected them to contain a small percentage of real chicken.
JACK: Absolutely.
ALICE: I think having nutritional food labeling has been a good idea, don't you? I think it will change people's behaviour and stop mothers, in particular, buying the wrong things.
JACK: But didn't that study kind of prove the opposite? People didn't necessarily stop buying unhealthy products.
ALICE: They only said that might be the case. Those findings weren't that conclusive and it was quite a small-scale study. I think more research has to be done.
JACK: Yes, I think you're probably right.
pause
JACK: What do you think of the traffic-light system?
ALICE: I think supermarkets like the idea of having a colour-coded system – red, orange or green – for levels of fat, sugar and salt in a product.
JACK: But it's not been adopted universally. And not on all products. Why do you suppose that is?
ALICE: Pressure from the food manufacturers. Hardly surprising that some of them are opposed to flagging up how unhealthy their products are.
JACK: I'd have thought it would have been compulsory. It seems ridiculous it isn't.
ALICE: I know. And what I couldn't get over is the fact that it was brought in without enough consultation – a lot of experts had deep reservations about it.
JACK: That is a bit weird. I suppose there's an argument for doing the research now when consumers are familiar with this system.
ALICE: Yeah, maybe.
JACK: The participants in the survey were quite positive about the traffic-light system.
ALICE: Mmm. But I don't think they targeted the right people. They should have focused on people with low literacy levels because these labels are designed to be accessible to them.
JACK: Yeah. But it's good to get feedback from all socio-economic groups. And there wasn't much variation in their responses.
ALICE: No. But if they hadn't interviewed participants face-to-face, they could have used a much bigger sample size. I wonder why they chose that method?
JACK: Dunno. How were they selected? Did they volunteer or were they approached?
ALICE: I think they volunteered. The thing that wasn't stated was how often they bought packaged food – all we know is how frequently they used the supermarket.
Part 4
In my presentation, I'm going to talk about coffee, and its importance both in economic and social terms. We think it was first drunk in the Arab world, but there's hardly any documentary evidence of it before the 1500s, although of course that doesn't mean that people didn't know about it before then.
However, there is evidence that coffee was originally gathered from bushes growing wild in Ethiopia, in the northeast of Africa. In the early sixteenth century, it was being bought by traders, and gradually its use as a drink spread throughout the Middle East. It's also known that in 1522, in the Turkish city of Constantinople, which was the centre of the Ottoman Empire, the court physician approved its use as a medicine.
By the mid-1500s, coffee bushes were being cultivated in the Yemen and for the next hundred years this region produced most of the coffee drunk in Africa and the Arab world. What's particularly interesting about coffee is its effect on social life. It was rarely drunk at home, but instead people went to coffee houses to drink it. These people, usually men, would meet to drink coffee and chat about issues of the day. But at the time, this chance to share ideas and opinions was seen as something that was potentially dangerous, and in 1623 the ruler of Constantinople demanded the destruction of all the coffee houses in the city, although after his death many new ones opened, and coffee consumption continued. In the seventeenth century, coffee drinking spread to Europe, and here too coffee shops became places where ordinary people, nearly always men, could meet to exchange ideas. Because of this, some people said that these places performed a similar function to universities. The opportunity they provided for people to meet together outside their own homes and to discuss the topics of the day had an enormous impact on social life, and many social movements and political developments had their origins in coffee house discussions.
pause
In the late 1600s, the Yemeni monopoly on coffee production broke down and coffee production started to spread around the world, helped by European colonisation. Europeans set up coffee plantations in Indonesia and the Caribbean and production of coffee in the colonies skyrocketed. Different types of coffee were produced in different areas, and it's interesting that the names given to these different types, like Mocha or Java coffee, were often taken from the port they were shipped to Europe from. But if you look at the labour system in the different colonies, there were some significant differences.
In Brazil and the various Caribbean colonies, coffee was grown in huge plantations and the workers there were almost all slaves. But this wasn't the same in all colonies; for example in Java, which had been colonised by the Dutch, the peasants grew coffee and passed a proportion of this on to the Dutch, so it was used as a means of taxation. But whatever system was used, under the European powers of the eighteenth century, coffee production was very closely linked to colonisation. Coffee was grown in ever-increasing quantities to satisfy the growing demand from Europe, and it became nearly as important as sugar production, which was grown under very similar conditions. However, coffee prices were not yet low enough for people to drink it regularly at home, so most coffee consumption still took place in public coffee houses and it still remained something of a luxury item. In Britain, however, a new drink was introduced from China, and started to become popular, gradually taking over from coffee, although at first it was so expensive that only the upper classes could afford it. This was tea, and by the late 1700s it was being widely drunk. However, when the USA gained independence from Britain in 1776, they identified this drink with Britain, and coffee remained the preferred drink in the USA, as it still is today.
So, by the early nineteenth century, coffee was already being widely produced and consumed. But during this century, production boomed and coffee prices started to fall. This was partly because new types of transportation had been developed which were cheaper and more efficient. So now, working people could afford to buy coffee – it wasn't just a drink for the middle classes. And this was at a time when large parts of Europe were starting to work in industries. And sometimes this meant their work didn't stop when it got dark, they might have to continue throughout the night. So, the use of coffee as a stimulant became important – it wasn't just a drink people drank in the morning, for breakfast.
There were also changes in cultivation ...
Lesson 6
Practice Test 11
Part 1
You will hear a man who works in a tourist information office talking to a woman who wants information about tours.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
David: Morning. Kingstown tourist information. This is David speaking.
Woman: Oh, hi. Look, I'm coming to Kingstown on holiday and wondered if you could give me some information about tours'
David: Yes, of course. Is there anything particular you're interested in?
Woman: Well, I heard there was a glow worm tour.
David: Yes indeed. It's $93 and lasts for 3 hours.
Woman: And what are the main activities?
David: Well, the first thing is travelling to the other side of the lake.
Woman: You mean by boat?
David: No, it's the little train that runs along the shore of the lake. It's very popular.
Woman: Oh, my children will love that.
David: And that's how you get round to the caves. This is where the glow worms live. So you spend some time exploring the caves and looking at the remarkable lights and patterns given off by the worms in the dark.
Woman: That does sound interesting. And, any other information?
David: Oh, just one thing. How old are your children?
Woman: Er, 7 and 10. Why?
David: No, that's OK. It's just that children must be 5 or older to go in the caves. Otherwise they might get scared in the dark. But yours will be fine.
Woman: OK, well that's one to think about. And what about Silver Fjord – that's so famous, we'd like to go there,
David: Well, a day trip costs $220.
Woman: And how do we travel down to the fjord – fly?
David: That's a lot more expensive I'm afraid. On this tour you go in a coach. It's about a 2-hour drive, through fantastic scenery.
Woman: Do we get a break? I think my children might get a bit bored.
David: Yes, you stop at Easten.
Woman: That's to take a walk, is it?
David: Yes, there's a nice path by the river. You stop in Easten for half an hour, so there's plenty of time.
Woman: That sounds nice.
David: So, then you get down to Silver Fjord. And you really spend most of the day going for a cruise on the fjord. It's spectacular mountain scenery. And you also cruise past a huge waterfall, which is another highlight of the day.
Woman: Well, that does sound amazing. And should we bring our own food, or is lunch provided?
David: No, lunch is included. It's a barbecue on the boat.
Woman: And what about marine life?
David: Yes, you'll definitely see seals.
Woman: Dolphins?
David: No, not in that part of the country. But if you're lucky there will be whales as well.
Woman: Oh well, my kids would absolutely love that.
Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
David: Then another popular option is the High Country tour. That's $105
Woman: Oh, I heard about this. You visit a historic home, don't you?
David: Yes, that's right. And they serve you lunch.
Woman: Is that actually inside the house?
David: No, at this time of year it'll be the garden, which is really pretty.
Woman: Oh, I like the sound of that.
David: Yes, it's a really great meal apparently.
Woman: And what about in the afternoon?
David: You go up and have a look around the farm – it's just close to the house. So if you're from the city, it's a chance to really see what life is like here. The High Country tour gets excellent reviews from visitors.
Woman: Great. So then what about the zipline? My children really want to do that. How much is it?
David: The zipline is $75.
Woman: And is it safe?
David: Absolutely. You are suspended from the wire in a special harness. And then you just glide down the wire.
Woman: My friend said that below you, you've got this amazing, ancient forest.
David: That's right. And it's really special to see it from above. Not something we do very often, if you think about it.
Woman: No, I suppose that's true. And, I mean, how fast do you go?
David: Hang on, I've got the information here – 68 kilometres an hour.
Woman: That doesn't mean much to me. What's that in miles?
David: Er, oh yes, it's here, in miles per hour it's about 43.
Woman: Wow, my kids will definitely want to do that. OK, well, look, I'll just talk it over with my husband and...
Part 2
You will hear a guide talking to a group of people who are visiting an open-air museum.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
Guide: Well good morning everyone and a warm welcome to the Willford Living Museum. Before you look around, I'd like to tell you a bit about the history of Willford, and the purpose of the museum.
Well, if we go back to the early 1800s, Willford was very different to what you see today. At that time, the forests had already been cut down. But there were no large urban settlements here, just a few small villages, and this whole area was a place where local people kept animals or grew crops – those were the only economic activities.
But then in 1830, something happened in Willford that transformed the area. The discovery of rich deposits of coal and other minerals opened up many commercial possibilities. Mines were built, so these deposits could be brought to the surface. Then a canal was constructed, so that canal boats could transport the minerals to other regions. Finally, a railway was built through Willford in the 1850s, creating many new opportunities.
By the 1870s, Willford had become an important manufacturing centre. A few factories successfully produced fabrics from cotton and wool. However, what Willford was best known for, was manufacturing all sorts of tools, machinery and other items out of iron and steel. The attempt to set up a pottery industry here, however, making items for the home out of clay, was never really a success.
So, for the next hundred years or so, Willford was a thriving industrial region. However, by the 1970s, the old industries here were in decline. Much of the land at this site wasn’t being used. So the local council decided to set up a ‘living’ museum here. The idea was for visitors to be able to walk around and visit the sorts of factories, shops, homes and schools that were once found here.
When the museum first opened in 1976, 2000 visitors came on the first weekend alone. Since then, visitor numbers have just grown and grown. They now stand at 300,000 per year and we anticipate further growth in the years to come. In fact, just recently we welcomed our 9 millionth visitor, which was an exciting day for us.
As well as our regular visitors, the museum has a number of other uses. We work closely with universities, whose staff consult the range of documents and artefacts we hold here. As well as that, those making movies and television shows often come to the museum because it makes a great set for historical scenes. There’s even a possibility in future we may open up the museum for weddings and other private events.
Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
Guide: OK, so if you take out your maps, I’ll just point out a few places you might like to visit. So right now, we’re standing in the ticket office, at the bottom of your maps.
So, one place I’d recommend is the old bakery. This is a typical bakery from this area, from about 100 years ago. To get there from the ticket office, walk up Stafford Street. And then turn into Rigby Road. Walk down Rigby Road, there are a few interesting places along the way, and the old bakery is right next to the canal.
Another interesting place is the doctor’s surgery. This was moved here, brick by brick, and rebuilt on the museum site. Walk up Stafford Street, until you reach the dock. You see the café. Walk past that, and the doctor’s surgery is just there.
Cooper’s Cottage is also fascinating – a worker’s cottage from the 19th century. Walk up Stafford Street and take the first turning on the left. The road curves round to the west, then south, as it climbs Jack’s Hill. You’ll pass a few little houses on the way up, and Cooper’s Cottage is right on the summit of Jack’s hill.
The stables are also great. This is where they kept all the horses. Again, walk up Stafford Street to the dock, and turn right. Walk round the dock till you get to the canal. Then cross the bridge over the canal to reach the stables.
Also, be sure to visit the old school. So, walk north-east up through the museum. And it’s not too far. The old school is right on the corner of Stafford Street and Rigby Road.
Now one other thing…
Part 3
You will hear two commerce students called Stella and Nathan talking about the importance of market research in business.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.
Stella: Hi Nathan. Shall we compare ideas for our assignment on market research?
Nathan: Good idea. So first in the assignment, I think we should explain what ‘market research’ is. One definition I found was this – gathering information about consumers’ needs and preferences.
Stella: I like that, nice and clear. So then, we need to establish the benefits of market research. Why do it? I read that many business people think it’s about finding the next market they can exploit. But it’s more complex than that.
Nathan: I agree. To me, it’s about unpredictability. Markets can change unexpectedly. But if you’ve done research, you can minimise the chance that something will go wrong in your own business.
Stella: That’s a really significant point. You may also learn the most effective means of promoting your business.
Nathan: But that depends on the business. It’s not a general advantage.
Stella: No, you’re right. But I do think, the sums you invest in market research, you’ll see a return on that eventually.
Nathan : That’s it exactly. Great point. The trouble is, too many of those working in business take a short-term view.
Stella: OK, so there are benefits. But there are criticisms of market research, as well. We should acknowledge that in the assignment.
Nathan: But some criticisms are more valid than others.
Stella: Like?
Nathan: Well, apparently some managers say they’re just too busy. But that’s a poor excuse.
Stella: Maybe they think they already know everything they need to know?
Nathan: Maybe they do, but that’s an issue with them, not with market research.
Stella: OK, fair enough. But I read an interesting study out of the USA showing that the results of a lot of market research are just unreliable. The supposed developments identified by the research never occur.
Nathan: Yes, that’s a good point. Then, another question is, can businesses actually see if market research is working? I mean, is it possible for a business to say categorically that increased profits resulted from market research?
Stella: But that’s a criticism of how businesses are structured, not research itself.
Nathan: Yeah OK. Though you’ve got to admit, market researchers love jargon. These are examples from one report I read – ‘psychographics’, ‘coolhunting’ and ‘asynchronous research’. Some people are bound to be put off by these terms.
Stella: Yes, that’s a reasonable complaint.
Nathan: So, what about sources of information for market research? Which sources of information work best? I mean, we all know that putting cameras in stores tells us a lot about consumer behaviour.
Stella: Yes, that’s well documented. But I read that managers can learn a lot about social trends just by doing really obvious things, like keeping up with the news on TV, radio and digital networking sites. I hadn’t thought it could be that simple.
Nathan: No, me neither. Then there’s a lot of data put out by bodies like the national census and the civil service. That can be helpful.
Stella: Maybe, but it depends on the business. What I hadn’t expected, though, was the evidence showing that talking to consumers directly about their preferences really works.
Nathan: Yeah, I was a bit taken aback when I read that. But apparently, it’s more effective than internet questionnaires and polls.
Stella: I think people are less likely to be honest in questionnaires.
Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
Nathan: All right. So, if a business wants to use its own resources for market research, what’s the process?
Stella: Good question. Let’s think about a company that isn’t using outside consultants, but doing it internally. Then I think the first step is staff education. You’ve got to get all employees committed, to maximise the chances of success.
Nathan: Agreed. Then, you need to show staff examples of what they can do every day.
Stella: You mean in their interactions with customers?
Nathan: Yes. What, precisely, should they ask customers in order to get valuable information? Show staff the sorts of things they can ask on a daily basis.
Stella: OK. and next, I was reading an article by the BQR Group. Apparently, staff need to keep an account of what the customers are saying.
Nathan: You mean on computer, or by hand?
Stella: The format doesn’t matter. But, say, every Friday, they should add to the document. So they build up a picture of customer opinions, and the insights aren’t lost.
Nathan: Good point. Right, next, I read about ways of motivating staff. Business Guide magazine had a report on the importance of maintaining motivation.
Stella: So, what, by looking ahead and deciding what to do next?
Nathan: Well, in fact, Business Guide’s approach is to get your staff together round a table as frequently as possible to discuss their findings.
Stella: That sounds like a good approach. Next, you need to provide detailed feedback about any changes you decide. So everyone can see the outcomes of the research.
Nathan: Nice idea. Then you have to ensure continued participation by the staff. You want market research to be ongoing, not just a one-off.
Stella: Oh, this is the idea of delegating, so that each staff member is accountable for market research in one area of the business.
Nathan: Yeah, exactly. And then another aspect of this is…
Part 4
You will hear a biology student talking about water and how much people need to drink each day.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Student: Hi everyone. My presentation today is looking at drinking water. Now we know that water is a vital nutrient for human life. But exactly how much of it do we need to drink? Well, today I’m going to review some of the research.
So, for example, there’s a common idea that we should drink 8 glasses of water every day. But researchers say that the 8-glasses-a-day rule is a myth. Some people might need more than 8 glasses, some a lot less. The only group for whom the rule is useful seems to be the elderly, because they don’t always feel thirsty, even when their bodies are actually short of water. So for them 8 glasses a day might be a good rough guide.
OK, let’s look next at what effects water has on the body. One issue of interest is weight loss. And there are lots of theories about this. It’s been claimed that dieters should drink more at night time, or drink when they first wake up, but there’s no research to back this up. But actually, there is some evidence from studies to show that subjects who drank a lot of water, and then had their meals, lost more weight. But that may only be because the water filled them up and reduced their appetites.
I also read some of the research done by Dr Amaldi, who’s looked in depth at this whole issue of drinking water. And one of his studies does support the common claim that water is good for the stomach. In particular, it seems to increase the rate at which digestion takes place, which overall has a number of health benefits.
Another interesting study I read about took place in the US. And this one was investigating the effects of dehydration – that is, not having enough water in the body. And what the US study indicated was that when a subject was low on water, their body’s ability to regulate its own temperature was compromised, compared to a properly hydrated subject.
Now there’s another frequent claim about water that I was interested in looking into. But in my reading anyway I could find no evidence at all to support the idea that hydration improves or enhances the skin in any specific way. So that claim may be a bit of a myth as well.
Another interesting aspect of this concerns the brain. And I read about a couple of research studies investigating how water intake may affect brain function. In the first study, the research subjects were female. And the less hydrated group were affected more frequently by headaches compared to those who drank more water.
In the second study, the research subjects were all male. And this time, a lack of water in the body was associated with a number of findings. In particular, the subjects in this group reported increased feelings of anxiety when dehydrated.
So, in summary we can see that, yes, there are some health benefits from drinking plenty of water. But in many of these studies, the benefit was quite small. And it’s probably true that in general, on the internet and so on, the benefits of drinking lots of water are overstated.
But what about the opposite – can you drink too much water? Well, it’s possible, but it’s not a common problem. Actually, the human body kind of prevents us drinking too much. Australian researchers discovered that when subjects were fully hydrated, they actually found swallowing problematic – their bodies just wouldn’t allow it so easily. So that’s an interesting finding.
It is true that people do occasionally become sick from drinking too much water, although it is rare. So, I mean, there are recorded instances of illness among athletes who have been encouraged to drink a lot, for example.
According to doctors, people who have drunk too much water, too quickly, have become what’s called ‘hyponatremic’. Basically, this means that the make-up of their blood has changed and it now contains such a high proportion of salt that they suffer an adverse effect. But it’s very rare for this sort of hyponatremia to be a dangerous condition.
So, based on the reading I’ve done, the best advice is to trust your body. Drink water when you’re thirsty, but you probably don’t need to drink more often than that.
Practice Test 12
Part 1
JIM: Hello, South City Cycling Club.
WOMAN: Oh, hi. Er ... I want to find out about joining the club.
JIM: Right. I can help you there. I'm the club secretary and my name's Jim Hunter.
WOMAN: Oh, hi Jim.
JIM: So, are you interested in membership for yourself?
WOMAN: That's right.
JIM: OK. Well there are basically two types of adult membership. If you're pretty serious about cycling, there's the Full membership. That costs 260 dollars and that covers you not just for ordinary cycling but also for races both here in the city and also in other parts of Australia.
WOMAN: Right. Well, I'm not really up to that standard. I was more interested in just joining a group to do some cycling in my free time.
JIM: Sure. That's why most people join. So, in that case you'd be better with the Recreational membership. That's 108 dollars if you're over 19, and 95 dollars if you're under.
WOMAN: I'm 25.
JIM: OK. It's paid quarterly, and you can upgrade it later to the Full membership if you want to, of course. Now both types of membership include the club fee of 20 dollars. They also provide insurance in case you have an accident, though we hope you won't need that, of course.
WOMAN: No. OK, well, I'll go with the Recreational membership, I think. And that allows me to join in the club activities, and so on?
JIM: That's right. And once you're a member of the club, you're also permitted to wear our kit when you're out cycling. It's green and white.
WOMAN: Yes, I've seen cyclists wearing it. So, can I buy that at the club?
JIM: No, it's made to order by a company in Brisbane. You can find them online; they're called Jerriz. That's J-E-R-R-I-Z. You can use your membership number to put in an order on their website.
WOMAN: OK. Now, can you tell me a bit about the rides I can do?
JIM: Sure. So we have training rides pretty well every morning, and they're a really good way of improving your cycling skills as well as your general level of fitness, but they're different levels. Level A is pretty fast – you're looking at about 30 or 35 kilometres an hour. If you can do about 25 kilometres an hour, you'd probably be level B, and then level C are the novices, who stay at about 15 kilometres per hour.
WOMAN: Right. Well I reckon I'd be level B. So, when are the sessions for that level?
JIM: There are a couple each week. They're both early morning sessions. There's one on Tuesdays, and for that one you meet at 5.30 am, and the meeting point's the stadium – do you know where that is?
WOMAN: Yes, it's quite near my home, in fact. OK, and how about the other one?
JIM: That's on Thursdays. It starts at the same time, but they meet at the main gate to the park.
WOMAN: Is that the one just past the shopping mall?
JIM: That's it.
pause
WOMAN: So how long are the rides?
JIM: They're about an hour and a half. So, if you have a job it's easy to fit in before you go to work. And the members often go somewhere for coffee afterwards, so it's quite a social event.
WOMAN: OK. That sounds good. I've only just moved to the city so I don't actually know many people yet.
JIM: Well, it's a great way to meet people.
WOMAN: And does each ride have a leader?
JIM: Sometimes, but not always. But you don't really need one; the group members on the ride support one another, anyway.
WOMAN: How would we know where to go?
JIM: If you check the club website, you'll see that the route for each ride is clearly marked. So you can just print that out and take it along with you. It's similar from one week to another, but it's not always exactly the same.
WOMAN: And what do I need to bring?
JIM: Well, bring a bottle of water, and your phone. You shouldn't use it while you're cycling, but have it with you.
WOMAN: Right.
JIM: And in winter, it's well before sunrise when we set out, so you need to make sure your bike's got lights.
WOMAN: That's OK. Well, thanks Jim. I'd definitely like to join. So what's the best way of going about it?
JIM: You can ...
Part 2
Thanks for coming everyone. OK, so this meeting is for new staff and staff who haven't been involved with our volunteering projects yet. So basically, the idea is that we allow staff to give up some of their work time to help on various charity projects to benefit the local community. We've been doing this for the last five years and it's been very successful.
Participating doesn't necessarily involve a huge time commitment. The company will pay for eight hours of your time. That can be used over one or two days all at once, or spread over several months throughout the year. There are some staff who enjoy volunteering so much they also give up their own free time for a couple of hours every week. It's completely up to you. Obviously, many people will have family commitments and aren't as available as other members of staff.
Feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Because they felt they were doing something really useful, nearly everyone agreed that volunteering made them feel more motivated at work. They also liked building relationships with the people in the local community and felt valued by them. One or two people also said it was a good thing to have on their CVs.
One particularly successful project last year was the Get Working Project. This was aimed at helping unemployed people in the area get back to work. Our staff were able to help them improve their telephone skills, such as writing down messages and speaking with confidence to potential customers, which they had found quite difficult. This is something many employers look for in job applicants – and something we all do without even thinking about, every day at work.
We've got an exciting new project starting this year. Up until now, we've mainly focused on projects to do with education and training. And we'll continue with our reading project in schools and our work with local charities. But we've also agreed to help out on a conservation project in Redfern Park. So if any of you fancy being outside and getting your hands dirty, this is the project for you.
I also want to mention the annual Digital Inclusion Day, which is coming up next month. The aim of this is to help older people keep up with technology. And this year, instead of hosting the event in our own training facility, we're using the ICT suite at Hill College, as it can hold far more people.
We've invited over 60 people from the Silver Age Community Centre to take part, so we'll need a lot of volunteers to help with this event.
If you're interested in taking part, please go to the volunteering section of our website and complete the relevant form. We won't be providing any training for this but you'll be paired with an experienced volunteer if you've never done it before. By the way, don't forget to tell your manager about any volunteering activities you decide to do.
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The participants on the Digital Inclusion Day really benefited. The majority were in their seventies, though some were younger and a few were even in their nineties! Quite a few owned both a computer and a mobile phone, but these tended to be outdated models. They generally knew how to do simple things, like send texts, but weren't aware of recent developments in mobile phone technology. A few were keen to learn but most were quite dismissive at first – they couldn't see the point of updating their skills. But that soon changed.
The feedback was very positive. The really encouraging thing was that participants all said they felt much more confident about using social media to keep in touch with their grandchildren, who prefer this form of communication to phoning or sending emails. A lot of them also said playing online games would help them make new friends and keep their brains active. They weren't that impressed with being able to order their groceries online, as they liked going out to the shops, but some said it would come in handy if they were ill or the weather was really bad. One thing they asked about was using tablets for things like reading newspapers – some people had been given tablets as presents but had never used them, so that's something we'll make sure we include this time ...
Part 3
TUTOR: Ah ... come in, Russ.
RUSS: Thank you.
TUTOR: Now you wanted to consult me about your class presentation on nanotechnology – you're due to give it in next week, aren't you?
RUSS: That's right. And I'm really struggling. I chose the topic because I didn't know much about it and wanted to learn more, but now I've read so much about it, in a way there's too much to say – I could talk for much longer than the twenty minutes I've been allocated. Should I assume the other students don't know much, and give them a kind of general introduction, or should I try and make them share my fascination with a particular aspect?
TUTOR: You could do either, but you'll need to have it clear in your own mind.
RUSS: Then I think I'll give an overview.
TUTOR: OK. Now, one way of approaching this is to work through developments in chronological order.
RUSS: Uh-huh.
TUTOR: On the other hand, you could talk about the numerous ways that nanotechnology is being applied.
RUSS: You mean things like thin films on camera displays to make them water-repellent, and additives to make motorcycle helmets stronger and lighter.
TUTOR: Exactly. Or another way would be to focus on its impact in one particular area, say medicine, or space exploration.
RUSS: That would make it easier to focus. Perhaps I should do that.
TUTOR: I think that would be a good idea.
RUSS: Right. How important is it to include slides in the presentation?
TUTOR: They aren't essential, by any means. And there's a danger of tailoring what you say to fit whatever slides you can find. While it can be good to include slides, you could end up spending too long looking for suitable ones. You might find it better to leave them out.
RUSS: I see. Another thing I was wondering about was how to start. I know presentations often begin with 'First I'm going to talk about this, and then I'll talk about that', but I thought about asking the audience what they know about nanotechnology.
TUTOR: That would be fine if you had an hour or two for the presentation, but you might find that you can't do anything with the answers you get, and it simply eats into the short time that's available.
RUSS: So, maybe I should mention a particular way that nanotechnology is used, to focus people's attention.
TUTOR: That sounds sensible.
RUSS: What do you think I should do next? I really have to plan the presentation today and tomorrow.
TUTOR: Well, initially I think you should ignore all the notes you've made, take a small piece of paper and write a single short sentence that ties together the whole presentation. It can be something as simple as 'Nanotechnology is already improving our lives'. Then start planning the content around that. You can always modify that sentence later, if you need to.
RUSS: OK.
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TUTOR: OK, now let's think about actually giving the presentation. You've only given one before, if I remember correctly, about an experiment you'd been involved in.
RUSS: That's right. It was pretty rubbish!
TUTOR: Let's say it was better in some respects than in others. With regard to the structure, I felt that you ended rather abruptly, without rounding it off. Be careful not to do that in next week's presentation.
RUSS: OK.
TUTOR: And you made very little eye contact with the audience, because you were looking down at your notes most of the time. You need to be looking at the audience and only occasionally glancing at your notes.
RUSS: Mmm.
TUTOR: Your body language was a little odd. Every time you showed a slide, you turned your back on the audience so you could look at it – you should have been looking at your laptop. And you kept scratching your head, so I found myself wondering when you were next going to do that, instead of listening to what you were saying!
RUSS: Oh dear. What did you think of the language? I knew that not everyone was familiar with the subject, so I tried to make it as simple as I could.
TUTOR: Yes, that came across. You used a few words that are specific to the field, but you always explained what they meant, so the audience wouldn't have had any difficulty understanding.
RUSS: Uh-huh.
TUTOR: I must say the handouts you prepared were well thought out. They were a good summary of your presentation, which people would be able to refer to later on. So well done on that.
RUSS: Thank you.
TUTOR: Well, I hope that helps you with next week's presentation.
RUSS: Yes, it will. Thanks a lot.
TUTOR: I'll look forward to seeing a big improvement, then.
Part 4
Today, we'll be continuing the series of lectures on memory by focusing on what is called episodic memory and what can happen if this is not working properly.
Episodic memory refers to the memory of an event or 'episode'. Episodic memories allow us to mentally travel back in time to an event from the past. Episodic memories include various details about these events, for example, when an event happened and other information such as the location. To help understand this concept, try to remember the last time you ate dinner at a restaurant. The ability to remember where you ate, who you were with and the items you ordered are all features of an episodic memory.
Episodic memory is distinct from another type of memory called semantic memory. This is the type of factual memory that we have in common with everyone else – that is your general knowledge of the world. To build upon a previous example, remembering where you parked your car is an example of episodic memory, but your understanding of what a car is and how an engine works are examples of semantic memory. Unlike episodic memory, semantic memory isn't dependent on recalling personal experiences.
Episodic memory can be thought of as a process with several different steps of memory processing: encoding, consolidation and retrieval.
The initial step is called encoding. This involves the process of receiving and registering information, which is necessary for creating memories of information or events that you experience. The degree to which you can successfully encode information depends on the level of attention you give to an event while it's actually happening. Being distracted can make effective encoding very difficult. Encoding of episodic memories is also influenced by how you process the event. For example, if you were introduced to someone called Charlie, you might make the connection that your uncle has the same name. Future recollection of Charlie's name is much easier if you have a strategy to help you encode it.
Memory consolidation, the next step in forming an episodic memory, is the process by which memories of encoded information are strengthened, stabilised and stored to facilitate later retrieval. Consolidation is most effective when the information being stored can be linked to an existing network of information. Consolidation makes it possible for you to store memories for later retrieval indefinitely. Forming strong memories depends on the frequency with which you try to retrieve them. Memories can fade or become harder to retrieve if they aren't used very often.
The last step in forming episodic memories is called retrieval, which is the conscious recollection of encoded information. Retrieving information from episodic memory depends upon semantic, olfactory, auditory and visual factors. These help episodic memory retrieval by acting as a prompt. For example, when recalling where you parked your car you may use the colour of a sign close to where you parked. You actually have to mentally travel back to the moment you parked.
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There are a wide range of neurological diseases and conditions that can affect episodic memory. These range from Alzheimer's to schizophrenia to autism. An impairment of episodic memory can have a profound effect on individuals' lives. For example, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be reasonably well controlled by medication; however, patients' episodic memory may still be impaired and so they are often unable to return to university or work. Recent studies have shown that computer-assisted games designed to keep the brain active can help improve their episodic memory.
Episodic memories can help people connect with others, for instance by sharing intimate details about their past; something individuals with autism often have problems with. This may be caused by an absence of a sense of self. This is essential for the storage of episodic memory, and has been found to be impaired in children with autism. Research has shown that treatments that improve memory may also have a positive impact on children's social development.
One study looked at a ...