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SECTION TEST - LISTENING
(Time: 30 minutes)
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Section 1
Script:
You will hear a new student, Tom, talking to a student representative called Rachel about university clubs. Rachel: Hi, welcome to Freshers Week. I’m Rachel. Can I help you? Tom: Oh, hi - yes. Erm, I was hoping to find out about some clubs I could join. Rachel: Well, all the club stands are here in this hall. What were you interested in? Tom: Um - not sure. I wanted to do something where I could meet people. Rachel: Well, take this leaflet with details of all the clubs and see what you think. It’ll probably depend on what day you’re free. Like on Mondays there’s the film club, then on Tuesdays you’ve got the climbing club - that’s really good, I’m in that - then on Wednesdays you’ve got chess, if you want something a bit more intellectual! But you should look through carefully because all the clubs run extra activities as well as their normal meetings. Tom: Oh, yes I see. (as if reading) So it looks like the film club has discussions after the films - I’d quite like to go to those. Then climbing - goodness, it says here that the University has its own climbing wall - that’s impressive - and they go on weekend trips. Cool. And it says the chess club normally just does games with whoever turns up but it also runs competitions sometimes. But I bet you’ve got to be pretty good to do that. Rachel: Yes, I think so! Tom: And how many people are in the clubs? Are they all really full? Rachel: Well, obviously they’re all different so, for example, the film club has just increased its membership from eighty five to a hundred and twenty five but I think they’re hoping to extend it to a hundred and fifty. The climbing club’s quite small - forty people - and the chess club is fairly healthy at fifty five. Tom: Right. OK, so who do I see if I want to join these clubs? Rachel: Well, if you go round the stands and speak to the people there. For the film club that’s the events organiser - um, for climbing you’ll need the club secretary and the chess club is organised by one of the Maths tutors. OK? Tom: Yup. I think I’ll start with the climbing club - it sounds good. Rachel: Oh well, as I said, I’m in that so I might be able to help you a bit. Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. University Clubs | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Name of club | film | climbing | chess | Extra activities | discussions | (1)......... | (2)......... | Current number of members | (3)......... | 40 | 55 | Contact | Events organiser | (4)......... | Maths tutor |
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weekend trips
125
competitions
club secretary
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Script:
Tom: OK. It says in the leaflet that they get together twice a month. Is that right? Rachel: Yes. Oh, you must join. It’s really good fun. We go away quite a bit to North Wales and every year we have a special excursion, usually to France, which is where we’re going this year in the spring. The weather’s too unpredictable in the autumn. Tom: Wow! That sounds good - but it must cost a lot. Rachel: Yeah, but we try and save up for it through subscriptions so rather than having a huge sum to pay in the month we go we collect those weekly so it spreads it out. Tom: Good idea. I think I’ll definitely join. Rachel: There are quite good benefits you get from joining. I mean, you need that don’t you? And the University clubs normally try and do deals with local businesses, so it’s really worth joining. Like in the climbing club they’ve got a special arrangement with one of the shops in town so if you show your card you can get money off equipment. Don’t think the discount extends to clothes though. Tom: That’s really worth it then. I’ll go over and talk to them now. Rachel: OK. Hope you do join. Oh, and another thing I meant to say. If you do become a member, you automatically receive a magazine once a year. It’s quite useful and interesting because it goes out to all the national climbing clubs. And the other thing is, if you come to every session, then you can get a complimentary ticket to the big exhibition that’s held in Cardiff every year. So - hope to see you ... Tom: Yeah, thanks ... (fade) ... Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
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weekly
magazine
equipment
twice a month/twice per month
exhibition
spring
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Section 2
Script:
You will hear Joanne describing her home city of Darwin at Australia to a man called Rob – who hopes to go there. Rob: Joanne? Joanne: Hi you must be Rob. Nice to meet you. So, I hear you're planning to visit Australia. Rob: Yeah - and I really wanted to talk to you because I was thinking of spending some time in Darwin and my sister told me you're from there. Joanne: That's right. Rob: So tell me about it? Joanne: Well... where shall I start... well, Darwin’s in what they call the 'top end' 'cause it's right up at the northern end of Australia and it's quite different from the rest of Australia in terms of cultural influences - in fact it’s nearer to Jakarta in Indonesia than it is to Sydney, so you get a very strong Asian influence there. That means we get lots of tourists - people from other parts of Australia are attracted by this sort of international, cosmopolitan image. And as well as that, we've got the same laidback atmosphere you get all over Australia - probably more so if anything, because of the climate. But, what a lot of the tourists don't realise until they get there is that the city's also got a very you no population... the average age is just 29, and this makes the whole place very buzzy. Some people think that there might not be that much going on as far as an and music and dancing and so on are concerned, because it's so remote I mean, we don't really get things like theatre and opera in the same way as-cities down in the south like Sydney for example, because of the transport expenses. But in fact what happens is that we just do it ourselves lots of people play music, classical as well as pop, and there are things like artists groups and writers groups and dance classes - everyone does something, we don't just sit and watch other people. Rob: You said it's very international? Joanne: Yeah, they say there's over 70 different nationalities in Darwin. For instance, there's been a Chinese population there for over 100 years we've even got a Chinese temple. It was built way back in 1887, but, erm, when a very' bad storm-a… a cyclone in fact hit Darwin in the 1970s it was almost completely destroyed. The only parts of the temple that survived were part of the altars and the stone lions, but after the storm they reconstructed it using modern materials... it’s still used as a religious centre today, but it's open to tourists too and it's definitely worth going to see it. Oh, and as far as getting around goes, you'll see places that advertise bicycles for hire, but I wouldn't recommend it. A lot of the year it's just so hot and humid. Some tourists think it'll be fine because there's not much in the way of hills, and the traffic's quite light compared with some places, but, believe me, you're better off with public transport it's fine, and not expensive. Or you can hire a car, but it's not really worth it. Rob: What's the swimming like? Joanne: Well, there are some good beaches, but the trouble is that there's this nasty creature called the box jellyfish and if it stings you, you're in bad trouble. So you have to be very careful most of the year especially in the winter months... you can wear a lycra suit to cover your arms and legs, but I wouldn't like to risk it even so, personally. And there are the salt water crocodiles too... I mean, I don't want to put you off, there are protected swimming areas netted off where you'll be safe from jellyfish and crocs, or there are the public swimming pools, they're tine of course. Choose the correct answer.
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1. Joanne says that visitors to Darwin are often surprised by ................
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Explain:
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2. To enjoy cultural activities, the people of Darwin tend to ................
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Explain:
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3. The Chinese temple in Darwin ................
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Explain:
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4. The main problem with travelling by bicycle is ................
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Explain:
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5. What does Joanne say about swimming in the sea? ................
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Explain:
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Script:
Rob: So which places would you specially recommend? Joanne: Well, one of the most popular attractions is called ’Aquascene'. What happens is every day at high tide hundreds of fish comp in from the sea - all different sorts, including some really big deep-sea fish - and some of them will even take food from you hand. It's right in the middle of town, at the find of the Esplanade. It's not free - I think you have to pay about five dollars -but it's definitely something you have to experience. Then of course Darwin has a great range of food, being such a cosmopolitan. place And if you don't have lots to spend, the best place to go is to Smith Street Mall where they have stalls selling stuff to eat, there's all sorts of different things including south-east Asian dishes, which I really like. You'd think there'd be plenty of fresh fish in Darwin as it's on the coast, but in fact because of the climate it mostly gets frozen straight away, but you can get fresh fish in the restaurants on Cullen Bay Marina - it's a nice place to go for a special meal, and they have some good shops in that area too. What else... well, there's the botanic garden: it’s over a hundred years old and there's lots to see an orchid farm, rainforest, a collection of palm trees, erm, a wetlands area you can easily spend an afternoon there. That's at Fannie Bay, a couple of kilometres out to the north. Then, if you've got any energy left in the evening, the place to go is Mitchell Street - that's where it all happens as far as clubs and music and things are concerned - you'll bump into lots, of my friends there! Talking of friends, why don't I give you some email addresses. I’m sure they... What can you find at each of the places below?
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2. Smith Street Mall
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Explain:
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3. Cullen Bay Marina
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Explain:
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5. Mitchell Street
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Explain:
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Section 3
Script:
You will hear two engineering students, a woman in her sixth year called Linda and a man in his fifth year called Matthew, discussing the benefits of student work placements. Matthew: Hi Linda. Can you spare a few minutes? Linda: Hello Matthew, no problem. Matthew: I just wanted to talk to you about temporary work placements ... I’ve never really thought there was a good reason for doing one. I’ve got some savings, so I don’t really need the money at the moment. But I’ve had an email from the university about a vacancy that looks quite interesting. You did a placement last year didn’t you? Linda: I did, yes. In my case I wanted to find out if I was making the right career choice before I began applying for permanent jobs. I thought I wanted to work in car manufacturing but I wasn’t sure. So I applied to Toyota. Matthew: What was the application process like? Linda: Lengthy. There were a lot of different parts to it. The dullest one was a psychometric test - you know, when you have to answer loads of questions about yourself. Matthew: And you’re trying to guess what’s the best thing to say! Linda: Yes. Then there was an activity that we did in groups, which I found really fascinating. Engineers are renowned for being a bit unsociable, but I thought we made a great team. And we had an individual task too. We had to sort through various business documents and prioritise them. It was just like what you have to do as a student really, just with different content. Matthew: What exactly were you doing on the placement? Linda: I was helping to design some diagnostic software to identify any waste in the car assembly process Matthew: Do you mean waste of materials? Linda: No, time. Anything that can speed the process up helps to cut costs. Matthew: How did the work placement compare to being a student? Was it hard work? Linda: Yes, it was. I’d had full-time work before - I’ve done various unskilled jobs during university holidays, and some of those involved long hours - so I thought I’d find it easy. I was wrong though. I think when you’re on placement you’re always trying to prove yourself ... Matthew: So you push yourself hard to succeed? Linda: Yes. But I got a lot of support from my employers. They were always helpful. And then at the end of the placement I was given formal feedback. Matthew: Do you mean on your engineering ability? Linda: Well, no, I didn’t really need that because we had team meetings every other day, and so I had the chance to discuss technical issues and ask about anything that wasn’t clear. The evaluation was about general workplace things, like organisational ability, initiative ... That sort of thing ... Matthew: I get the impression you think you benefited from the placement ... ? Linda: Well the best thing is that they’ve offered me a job for next year! Depending on my exam results of course, but still ... Matthew: A permanent one? Linda: Yes! But apart from that I learned so much ... The industrial environment was much more demanding than the academic one, so my general skills improved. Like time Management ... meeting deadlines . And on the technical side I learned new software packages like MS Project. Matthew: Well, I think you’ve convinced me that work placements are worthwhile ... But while you’re here can you give me advice on something else? Choose the correct answer.
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1. Why is Matthew considering a student work placement?
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Explain:
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2. Which part of the application process did Linda find most interesting?
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Explain:
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3. During her work placement, Linda helped find ways to
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Explain:
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4. Why did Linda find her work placement tiring?
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Explain:
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5. What did Linda′s employers give her formal feedback on?
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Explain:
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6. What was the main benefit of Linda′s work placement?
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Explain:
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Script:
Matthew: I’m about to make a start on the Engineering Materials module, and I’ve got a booklist here - can you have a quick look and tell me what you would recommend - that’s if you can remember? Linda: Let’s see ... I do remember some of them ... Yes, this one ... The Science of Materials. I found the subject quite hard generally, but this book is very accessible so it suited me. It doesn’t cover everything though ... Matthew: What about this one then ... Materials Engineering? Linda: Oh yes, I do remember that. But it’s a bit out-of-date now isn’t it, unless it’s a new edition? Matthew: I don’t think so ... Linda: But what I liked about it were the pictures. They really helped to understand the descriptions. It’s useful just from that point of view ... Let’s see ... What else? Oh yes ... That one there - Engineering Basics - I think out of all these that’s got the widest coverage ... Matthew: But I’ve looked at the contents page, and it hardly mentions nanotechnology. Linda: Yes, you’re right. The Evolution of Materials does though. It’s a recent publication so it covers all the latest developments. It’s a bit thin on the nineteen sixties though, and that decade was quite important. Matthew: Well it sounds as if they all complement each other in some ways. I don’t suppose you can lend me. What does Linda think about the books on Matthew’s reading list?
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1. The Science of Materials
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Explain:
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2. Materials Engineering
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3. Engineering Basics
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Explain:
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4. Evolution of Materials
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Section 4
Script:
Lecturer: Good afternoon. Today, I’d like to continue our discussion of the lives of prominent American writers by talking about Louisa May Alcott, one of the best-known nineteenth-century writers. Alcott is known for her moralistic girl’s novels, but she was a much more serious individual than those novels might lead one to believe. She was born in 1832, the daughter of Bronson Alcott, who was one of the founders of the Transcendentalist Movement. Bronson Alcott was a philosopher but not a provider, and the family lived close to poverty. From an early age, Louisa was determined to find a way to improve her family’s economic situation. As a teenager, she worked to support her family by taking on a variety of low-paying jobs, including teacher, seamstress, and household servant. Alcott also started writing when she was young. She wrote her first novel when she was just seventeen years old; although, it wasn’t published until many years after her death. It was called The Inheritance. In 1861, the Civil War broke out. Alcott worked as a volunteer, sewing uniforms and bandages for soldiers. The following year, she enlisted as an army nurse. She spent the war years in Washington, nursing wounded soldiers at a military hospital. While working at the hospital, she wrote many letters to her family at home in Massachusetts. After the war, she turned the letters into a book, which was published under the title Hospital Sketches. She also wrote numerous romantic stories, which she sold to magazines. Around this same time, she was offered the opportunity to travel to Europe as the companion to an invalid. When she returned home from Europe in 1866, she found her family still in financial difficulty and in need of money, so she went back to writing. Her big break came in 1868 with the publication of her first novel for girls, Little Women. The novel achieved instant success, and the public wanted more. From then on, Alcott supported herself and her family by writing novels for girls. It wasn’t the writing she had dreamed of doing, but it earned her a good income. Alcott took care of her family for the rest of her life. In 1878, her youngest sister, May, got married. A year later, May died after giving birth to a daughter. Louisa Alcott raised her sister’s orphaned child. In 1882, Bronson Alcott suffered a stroke. Soon after that, Louisa Alcott set up a house for him, her niece, her sister Anna, and Anna’s two sons in Boston. Her mother was no longer living by this time. Alcott was still writing novels for girls, including two sequels to Little Women: Little Men and Jo’s Boys. The latter was published in 1886. Louisa Alcott had suffered poor health ever since she contracted typhoid fever while working as a war nurse. She died in March of 1888 at the age of 55. She was buried in Concord, Massachusetts. Complete the timeline below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WODRDS AND /OR A NUMBER for each answer. 1832 | (1)……… | In her teens | Alcott worked to (2)……… | At age 17 | Alcott wrote (3) ……… | (4) ……… | Alcott enlisted as an army nurse. | (5) ……… | Alcott published her letters in a book called Hospital Sketches. | (6) ……… | Alcott returned from her trip to Europe. | (7) ……… | Alcott published Little Women. | 1879 | (8) ……… died. | (9) ……… | Alcott set up a home for her family in Boston. | 1888 | (10) ……… |
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Alcott was born
1868
her first novel/The Inheritance
1866
1882
support her family
Alcott died
1862
May died / her youngest sister died
after the war
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| No. | Date | Right Score | Total Score |
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PARTNERS |
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NEWS |
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