TPO 25

Task 1
Students often want to get better grades in their classes. Explain what
students
should do in order to improve their performance in a class.
Task 2
Some people do not enjoy shopping and shop only when they have a specific
purchase to make. Others like to go shopping for pleasure whether or not
they have
something to buy. Which do you prefer and why?

Task 3

Task4
Reading Time: 45 seconds

Cultural Lag
Technological change occurs very rapidly in
modern society-sometimes more rapidly than many people are
prepared for. As a result, when new technology
emerges, people may struggle for a time to adapt to it. This
period of transition, when people are adjusting to
technological change, is known as cultural lag. At first,
Reading Time: 45 seconds
Split Graduation
Traditionally, the university holds one ceremony for all graduating students,
duringwhich students are awarded
their diplomas. Beginning this year, however, the university will hold two graduation
ceremonies. Under the new
arrangement, half the graduating students will participate in the first ceremony, and
the other will participate
in a second ceremony to be held the following day. Administrators cite two reasons for the
change. First, the
number of students has increased in recent years, and since diplomas are awarded
individually, the single
ceremony has become uncomfortably long. Also, the hall where the ceremony is held is too
small to
accommodate the growing audience of friends and family members.
----Narrator

people are not accustomed to the new technology and may

not understand it, they may therefore have a
negative attitude toward it. Over time, however, their
attitudes change, and they successfully incorporate the
new technology into their daily lives.
Narrator

Now listen to part of a lecture from a sociology class.

Professor
Now, the invention of the telephone was revolutionary. It
was a much easier and faster way of communicating than anything
else available of the time. However, when the
telephone first became widely available towards the end of
the nineteenth century, only businesses used telephones because
businesses realized how telephone could benefit them, how
it could help them be more productive. But a lot of people in the
general public didnt think the phone should be used for
personal communication. Some people didnt like to listen to
someones voice without being able to see them. Also, a lot of
people thought that it was rude to call someone on the telephone
instead of visting them in person. They missed the sense of
personal connection they got from
meeting someone. However, as we all know, people gradually
changed their minds about the telephone. It took about thirty years.
But eventually, most homes came to have telephones and
everyone came to depend on them. Talking to someone you couldnt
see began to seem more and more normal. Friends began to
call each other just to chat, just for fun. And after everyone agreed
on certain rules of politeness, such as not calling someone
late at night, no one consider it rude anymore to make personal
phone calls.
Task3
opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding
that opinion.

Female Student
You know, I wish they wouldnt do this.
Male Student
Why?
Female Student
Well, I think its unnecesary. I mean, as far as the first reason goes, yeah, sure, it takes a
long time to have
everyone receive their diploma individually, especially now that there are more students.
But there is an easy
way to make it shorter.
Male Student
Whats that?
Female Student
Reduce the number of speeches. I mean, a lot of people give speeches, students,
professors, administrators, the
president of the university. Do we really need that many speeches?
Male Student
Probably not. And a lot of the speeches are pretty boring anyway. So yeah, we probably
could cut out a few.
Female Student
Yeah. And I dont think their second reason is really good either, about the space.
Male Student
Hows that?
Female Student
The problem isnt the size of the hall, is that they allow students to invite too many people
to come and watch.
All they need to do is reduce the number of guests each graduating student gets to invite.
Male Student
Yeah, I guess that could solve the problem.
Female Student
Yeah. I mean, right now each graduating student can invite up to ten people, thats too
many. At most schools,
students only get to invite like four or five people. If we just say, OK, you can only invite six
people. That is still
be more than most other schools and the ceremony could stay the way it is.
The woman expresses her opinion about the universitys plan. Briefly summarize
the plan. Then state her

Task 6
Narrator
Listen to part of a lecture in a geology class.
Professor
Rocks near the Earths surface are directly exposed to elements in the
environment such as air and water, and also to conditions such as
temperature change, as well as to living organisms. And this exposure to
the environment can actually cause even huge rocks to break into smaller
pieces. This process is called weathering. Uh, lets talk about a couple of
ways weathering occurs. First of all, rocks are often exposed to water. In
cold, wet environments, rocks can break due to water freezing inside of
them. How does this happen? Well, cause I am sure you know, when
water freezes, it expands. And over time, this can lead to weathering.
Um... imagine a rock with a small opening or crack in it. It rains, and water
gets into the crack and stays there. Then at night, the temperature drops.
And the water inside the crack freezes. This growing expanding ice pushes
outward on either side of the crack, causing it to get slightly bigger. When
this happens again and again, the crack becomes larger. And eventually,
pieces of the rock break off. OK. Weathering can also be caused by plants,
by plant growth. If a plant seed gets blown into the crack of a rock, it may
take root. And its roots will grow down into the rock. The plant roots can
cause the rock to break down, uh, fracture. You may have seen this with
large trees growing on top of a rock, a great example of this. Usually there
is enough dirt in the crack of a rock or on top of a rock to allow a tree to
start growing there. As the tree grows over the years, the trees roots
extend down well into the cracks and crevasses of the rock in search of
water and nutrients. Over time, the roots get bigger and grow deeper,
widening and enlarging the cracks, causing the rock to break apart.

Tsak5
Female Student
Hey, Frank. How is it going?
Male Student
Well, I just found out my roommate Jim is moving out of our off-campus apartment into a
bigger place with a
whole bunch of friends next semester.
Female Student
Oh, really?
Male Student
Yeah.
Female Student
Does this mean you will be living by yourself next semester?
Male Student
Yeah, but thats OK, cause I really wanted to live alone next semester anyway. I have to
concentrate on my
senior project for the history department. I have a lot to write and I dont want any
distractions. The only major
problem though, is how Ill be getting to campus.
Female Student
Oh, yeah?
Male Student
See, the apartment is a little far from campus and Jim has a car and he gives me rides to and
from campus
everyday, but I cant afford a car now.
Female Student
So have you thought about taking public transportation? Uh, the bus to campus?
Male Student
Yeah, I have. The thing is that theres no bus going directly to the campus from that part of
town. Ill have to
change buses a couple of times on the way.
Female Student
I see. That could take a lot of time.
Male Student
Right.
Female Student
Hmmm... Well, maybe you should move back into a dormitory on campus, request a single
room. Theres lots of
them.