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SECTION TEST - LISTENING
(Time: 30 minutes)
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Section 1
Script:
You will hear a woman asking a shop assistant about DVD players. Customer: Hello. I’m interested in buying a DVD player. Can you help me as I don’t know very much about them. Shop assistant: Of course. We sell quite a range. Actually, we’re doing a customer survey at the moment. So I wonder if I could fill in this form about you and that will actually help me to advise you on the best DVD player for you. Customer: OK... Shop assistant: First of all, your occupation? Customer: Um - student. Shop assistant: OK. Then, have you already got a DVD player? Customer: No. I’ve never had one before. Shop assistant: And how much do you think you want to spend on a player? Customer: I’m not sure really - but I have got a budget. My friend said I should allow about £100 but I can’t afford over £85. so that’s what I’m working on. Shop assistant: And do you watch DVDs very often? Customer: Um - depends what you mean by often. I don’t know what the norm is - is it about two a week? I suppose I watch three a month. That’s enough for me! Shop assistant: Yes (laughs). What sort of films do you like watching then? Action movies? Customer: ('laughs') Not really. My boyfriend always insists we watch science-fiction movies but I prefer thrillers. Something to get your teeth into! Shop assistant: OK. Just one more. Do you watch other DVDs - ones that are not films - like music or something? Customer: Not much because I don’t want to spend the money on something I can watch on TV but I occasionally rent out comedy programmes. And I fight with my boyfriend over all the sports DVDs he watches. Complete the form below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. DVD Customer Profile Occupation: student Have you owned a DVD player before? No. What is the maximum you want to spend on a DVD player? (1)…...... How often do you watch DVDs? (2)…...... What type of films do you enjoy? (3)…...... What other DVDs (non-film) do you watch? (4)…...... |
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£85 / 85 pounds
comedy / comedy programmes
thrillers
3 a month /three a month / 3 per month /three per month
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Script:
Shop assistant: OK. Let me explain a bit to you about the DVD players that are in your price range. First there’s the DB 30 which has only got basic features but it is a bargain at £69. Now all the DVDs come with an after-sales service that starts when the guarantee runs out. As it’s so cheap the DB30 comes with a limited after-sales service as it only includes parts. You would have to pay for most of the repair. Customer: Seems OK. Shop assistant: Then a slight grade up from that is the XL 643. This comes with an additional feature in that it has an extra button allowing you to record. That’s quite useful. Customer: Oh yes. That would mean spending less on DVDs to watch. Shop assistant: Yes, so you’d make the extra money back on it that it costs. Let me see how much it is ... ah, yes. that one’s actually reduced at the moment - from £79 to £71.99. I think it’s worth the extra myself. Customer: And is that the same level of after-sales service as the other one? Shop assistant: Well, you get a bit more for your money because what we are offering is a discount on labour. So you don’t pay the full price if you have to call an engineer out. Customer: I see. Shop assistant: Then the last one is this TriX 24. It’s a very good player and you can use it to listen to your CDs as well as watch DVDs. Customer: It looks nice - but I bet it’s expensive. Shop assistant: No, it’s not top of the range. Let’s see - yes it’s £94 - but, what you have to remember is that that includes insurance, so you don’t have to pay extra for that. And it comes with a guarantee that’s valid for three years as opposed to the usual one. What do you think? Customer: Hm, maybe ... (fade) ... Complete the table below.Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. Player | Features | Cost | After-sales service | DB 30 | basic | £69 | (1)….. only | XL 643 | Can also (2)….. | (3)….. | (4)….. at reduced cost | TriX 24 | Will also play (5)….. | £94 including (6)….. | Guaranteed for 3 years |
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£71.99 / 71.99 pounds
labour / labor
parts
record
insurance
CDs
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Section 2
Script:
You will hear part of a podcast for visitors to the popular holiday region called the Treloar Valley. The valley and estuary of the River Treloar forms an unspoilt, beautiful landscape, rich in both wildlife and sites of historic interest. There are many ways to explore the area, and public transport links are good. It is possible to leave your car behind, and travel by boat, train or bus, with just short walks in-between stops. The Treloar Valley Passenger Ferry runs between villages along the river estuary, and provides a link with the train station at Berry, which is about ten minutes’ walk from the riverside village of Calton. In the past, the river was the main form of transport in the area, and as in the past, today’s ferry service operates according to nature. The river estuary is tidal, and so the ferry timetable differs from day to day, according to the times and height of the tide. The ferry is also seasonal, normally running between April and September, depending on the weather. A timetable for the whole year can be downloaded from the internet by visiting www dot treloarferry dot com dot uk. If you just want to sit and relax, and enjoy the lovely scenery, you can take a river cruise to Calton and back from the nearby city of Plymouth. In the past, steam ships brought early tourists along the same route - Queen Victoria and her family enjoyed such a trip in eighteen fifty six. The journey is quicker these days - the round trip takes between four and five hours, depending on tides and weather. If you prefer, you can travel upriver by boat and return to Plymouth by train. All cruise boats and trains have wheelchair access. For more information, and for departure times, ring Plymouth Boat Cruises on zero one seven, five two eight, two three one zero four. Trains run several times a day throughout the year between Calton and Plymouth, with various stops in-between. They are used by both local commuters and tourists who want to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The highlight of the journey is crossing the river on the stunning viaduct, which was built at the beginning of the twentieth century, and towers one hundred and twenty feet over the water. It is unnecessary to book, and tickets can be bought on the train. For information about fares and timetables, contact National Rail Enquiries by phone or online. The bus service in the Treloar Valley now connects all train stations and villages in the area. Specially for holiday makers, there’s a ‘Rover’ ticket which can be used at weekends and on national holidays, and allows unlimited journeys on those days. The Rover ticket provides great value for money, and is now even cheaper than it was last year. An adult ticket costs five pounds fifty a day, Senior Citizens can travel for four pounds fifty, and a family ticket for up to five people costs just twelve pounds. Tickets can be bought on the bus. Choose the correct answer.
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1. The Treloar Valley passenger ferry
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Explain:
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2. What does the speaker say about the river cruise?
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Explain:
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3. What information is given about train services in the area?
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Explain:
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4. The “Rover′ bus ticket
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Explain:
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Script:
At the centre of the Treloar Estuary area is the historic riverside village of Calton. The main road comes into the village from the south, and for those of you who are arriving by bus, it turns left just before the bridge and stops in the lay-by on the left hand side. From there it’s just a short walk to Calton’s various attractions. If you’re arriving by car, you have to leave it in the main car park. Go over the bridge and take the first turning on the right. Then go on until you come to the end of that road. It’s the only place to park in Calton but there’s no charge. If you’re interested in local history, there’s a museum in Calton with farming, fishing and household implements from the late nineteenth century. As you come in from the south, cross the river and go straight on the same road until you reach the end. Also on the subject of history, you can go and see the old mill which has recently been renovated and put back into use. Turn left before you come to the bridge. Then go straight on and then take the first turning on the right. This leads straight there. If you’re interested in arts and crafts, there’s a potter’s studio where you can watch the artist at work. After crossing the bridge turn left and it’s the second building on the left. Finally, when you feel in need of refreshments, there’s a café opposite the old boat house, and a picnic area near the mill.
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5. Potter′s studio
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Explain:
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Section 3
Script:
Tutor: Good morning, Phil, Jackie. I hope your project is going well. Phil: Morning, Mr. Jackson. Jackie: Hi Mr. Jackson. Well, we’ve made a start on analysing the different forms of renewable energy, but unfortunately we don't really agree on some points. Tutor: OK, why don't we talk about it? Phil: Well, Jackie believes that all forms of renewable energy are beneficial economically, whereas I doubt that that's true for all of them. Tutor: Such as? Phil: Such as wind, wave and solar energy because they're less reliable. Tutor: That's a valid point but I don't think that's a large enough factor to disregard it completely. Jackie: Exactly, that's what I said. Phil: However, another drawback is that they’re generally very expensive to produce. Tutor: Yes, you're right. And that is a concern when evaluating their usefulness in future. Jackie: I agree with you to a point, but it's likely that the cost will come down. I read a report in the Journal of Environmental Science that estimates the cost would fall by twenty per cent over the next ten years, which is significant, isn't it? Tutor: Absolutely, Jackie. But you need to think about how difficult it is to predict the future cost of non- traditional energy sources before you believe the report. Remember: in your project I want to see evidence of critical analysis. Make sure you’ve analysed all the information rather than just accepting the information that you agree with. Also it’s very important that you demonstrate wide reading around the subject. Jackie: I know, it's just that I'm not convinced that it's going to continue to be that expensive, especially if there's a demand from consumers. Phil: Well, what about if we analyse the costing process as part of our project? Tutor: That's an excellent idea, Phil. OK, so let's imagine that we want to forecast the cost of producing solar energy. How could we do that, Jackie? Jackie: Um, well, I think we’d have to start by working out how many hours of daylight there are in the UK per year. Phil: The Meteorological Office would have data on that. Jackie: Then estimate the number of hours of sun to get a rough total. Phil: And then I suppose we’d need to work out how much it would cost to supply the average home with solar power, and then extrapolate that to get a number for the whole country. Tutor: Good, and don't forget the price of power conversion stations - this will have a significant impact on overall expenditure. And there's one more factor you haven't taken into account yet, regarding the consumers. Jackie: Um ... whether they would change from traditional to renewable energy? Tutor: No, but think about what might make them change? Jackie: Oh, yes. How much they would be willing to pay. Tutor: Exactly. Well done. Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. According to Phil, what are the 2 problems with some renewable energy sources? (1)……… (2)……… List 2 things that Professor Jenkins wants to see in the students' report. (3)……… (4)………
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critical analysis
wide reading
generally expensive /very expensive/ generally expensive to produce/ very expensive to produce/ expensive/ expensive to produce
less reliable
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Script:
Tutor: Good morning, Phil, Jackie. I hope your project is going well. Phil: Morning, Mr. Jackson. Jackie: Hi Mr. Jackson. Well, we’ve made a start on analysing the different forms of renewable energy, but unfortunately we don't really agree on some points. Tutor: OK, why don't we talk about it? Phil: Well, Jackie believes that all forms of renewable energy are beneficial economically, whereas I doubt that that's true for all of them. Tutor: Such as? Phil: Such as wind, wave and solar energy because they're less reliable. Tutor: That's a valid point but I don't think that's a large enough factor to disregard it completely. Jackie: Exactly, that's what I said. Phil: However, another drawback is that they’re generally very expensive to produce. Tutor: Yes, you're right. And that is a concern when evaluating their usefulness in future. Jackie: I agree with you to a point, but it's likely that the cost will come down. I read a report in the Journal of Environmental Science that estimates the cost would fall by twenty per cent over the next ten years, which is significant, isn't it? Tutor: Absolutely, Jackie. But you need to think about how difficult it is to predict the future cost of non- traditional energy sources before you believe the report. Remember: in your project I want to see evidence of critical analysis. Make sure you’ve analysed all the information rather than just accepting the information that you agree with. Also it’s very important that you demonstrate wide reading around the subject. Jackie: I know, it's just that I'm not convinced that it's going to continue to be that expensive, especially if there's a demand from consumers. Phil: Well, what about if we analyse the costing process as part of our project? Tutor: That's an excellent idea, Phil. OK, so let's imagine that we want to forecast the cost of producing solar energy. How could we do that, Jackie? Jackie: Um, well, I think we’d have to start by working out how many hours of daylight there are in the UK per year. Phil: The Meteorological Office would have data on that. Jackie: Then estimate the number of hours of sun to get a rough total. Phil: And then I suppose we’d need to work out how much it would cost to supply the average home with solar power, and then extrapolate that to get a number for the whole country. Tutor: Good, and don't forget the price of power conversion stations - this will have a significant impact on overall expenditure. And there's one more factor you haven't taken into account yet, regarding the consumers. Jackie: Um ... whether they would change from traditional to renewable energy? Tutor: No, but think about what might make them change? Jackie: Oh, yes. How much they would be willing to pay. Tutor: Exactly. Well done. Complete the flow chart below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
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willing to
daylight
country
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Script:
Phil: So, our project is going to cover three main areas. Firstly, comparing the main forms of alternative energy: solar, wind, wave, and bio fuels in terms of production costs. Secondly, we’ll take solar energy as an example and do a cost prediction, and lastly we’ll analyse whether they're likely to replace traditional fossil fuels in the future. Tutor: That sounds like a comprehensive project with a good focus. Now, what data are you going to use and what approach will you use for the analysis? Jackie: Ah! Now that's something we do agree on! We want to use the reports you gave us in our last lecture and some statistics from the government Environment and Energy Department. In terms of analysis, we're going to use a cross-referencing method where we compare each of the government reports with the Robertson report and highlight any differences. Then we'll analyse these to see why the differences exist and where more research needs to be done. Complete the summary below using words from the box. data demonstrate reduction highlight prediction statistics evaluate Project content summary The alternative energy project will cover 3 main areas; a comparison, a price (1)………… and an analysis. The students will use information given to them by their tutor and government (2)…………. Using a system of comparison between the data sets they will (3)………… any discrepancies for further analysis.
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reduction
statistics
highlight
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Section 4
Script:
You will hear a lecturer giving a lecture on university programs. Welcome to this session of the Business School’s careers advice program for prospective students. Tonight, I’d like to introduce Ms Amanda Tan, who has worked for several years now as a careers consultant. Ms Tan herself has a business degree and worked for a major multinational company as the Australasian Human Resources Manager, so I think you can take it that tonight you’ll be getting some very helpful information. Ms Amanda Tan. Thank you Mr Morrell. I’m very pleased to be able to talk to you this evening and perhaps help some of you make the right decisions about your future study and careers. Tonight the two areas I will cover are Business Studies and Information Technology, and I’ll begin with business. I suppose many of you are here because you already figure that while many sectors in the general economy may be declining, the business sector seems to be continually expanding and employment prospects here are many and varied. In fact, they are so varied that we can only cover a fraction tonight, and of the many specialisations we only have time for a quick look at IT. While there are many areas you can study in business, you should know that the four fundamental subjects in a business course are commerce, economics, finance and law. Obviously these fundamental areas will have most appeal for those of you who like a focus on theoretical research and analysis and their application. You will find a satisfying career in mainstream business as financial advisers who use these applications to advise clients on investment or merger activities. (5 seconds) Those of you who really like number crunching as we say will most likely take to accounting, going on to specialise in a particular area of industry, such as banking, insurance, retail, mining or manufacturing or you may prefer to work in government, for example in taxation. Now I know not everyone is that keen on number crunching, but you’d still like a career in business. Well there are plenty of openings for you still. If you enjoy working with people, I can assure you that my own career in human resources management was a truly rewarding one with a multitude of exciting moments. And if you’re intrigued by the politics of it all, you could go into industrial relations. Then if you have a bent for broader planning and strategic analysis the area for you would be marketing. (5 seconds) Now some of you might be wondering where information technology fits in to all this. I would say that today, none of the career paths I’ve mentioned tonight would be possible without some knowledge of IT. Most companies want IT people who have the kind of expertise that can be applied to a competitive business environment. This means that employers recognise the need to support continual, on-the-job training to ensure their IT professionals remain at the forefront. So if you are looking for a career that will continue to challenge throughout a lifetime, an IT business combination is perfect. So let’s take a look at some of the IT fields you might go into and their relevance for a career in business. Systems analysts might work with systems designers to take complex concepts either in business or in other fields and translate those concepts into clear workable solutions. Within this broad area there are a number of specific applications including systems application, systems design and systems operation. And of course, depending on where your interests take you, you might choose to work with either hardware or software. Right now, choosing the ‘soft’ option so to speak is pretty smart. You certainly won’t have trouble finding a well-paid job. In fact, employers say they have trouble finding good software engineers. A recent survey suggests that in Australia alone there are over 20 000 unfilled IT jobs, many for software specialists, and that starting salaries are likely well over $30 000 a year. A good degree in this area will be broad ranging and will include areas such as design and development processes, quality assessment, testing and configuration and even project management. That’s about all we have time for tonight, though I could probably answer one or two quick questions is anyone has any. Yes, the woman wearing the red scarf in the back there... Complete the notes. Write NO MORE THAN ONE NUMBER OR THREE WORDS for each answer. BUSINESS SCHOOL-CAREERS ADVICE SESSION PRESENTER Ms Amanda Tan Ms Tan has a business degree and worked as a (1)….. for many years. BUSINESS STUDIES General economy declining but business sector (2)….. Main subjects in business: commerce (3)….., (4)….. and law. Possible careers in mainstream business: • Financial advisers who advise clients on (5)….. • Accountants work with numbers a lot: several specialisations in industry e.g., (6)….. or government e.g., (7)….. • Work with people — human resources or with focus on politics, (8)….., and on planning and strategic analysis (9)….. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Because of competitive business environment and a need to be up to date, employers support (10)….. training. This career offers a lifetime challenge. In area of (11)….. analysis, design, application, operation. Could work with either hardware or software. Huge number of IT jobs in Australia with starting salary around (12)…..$, per annum. |
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investment / merger activities
industrial relations
taxation
banking / insurance / retail / mining / manufacturing
expanding / growing
marketing
systems
Human Resources Manager / human resources manager / careers consultant
on-the-job / on the job / continuing / continual
economics / finance
finance / economics
$30,000 / 30,000
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PARTNERS |
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NEWS |
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