Listening Script Full

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IELTS HELP NOW listening practice tests. Test 1. In the IELTS test you hear some
recordings and you have to answer questions on them. You have time to read the
instructions and questions and check your work. All recordings are played only once. Now
turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman discussing the loss of
a bag on board a plane.
First you have some time to look at questions 1 5.
(20 second gap)
You will see that there is an example. This time only, the conversation relating to this will be
played first.
Man Pan Asian Airways. John speaking. Can I help you?
Wom Yes please. I left something on one of your planes last night. I got this number from the
operator. Is this the right number to call?
M Yes, madam. This is the right number. I just need you tell me your name to start with so I
can fill out a lost property form.
W Kirsty Allen. Thats K-I-R-S-T-Y A-L-L-E-N.
So, Kirsty is the correct answer.
Now we begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, as the recording is not
played twice. Listen carefully to the conversation and answer questions 1 to 5.
Man Pan Asian Airways. John speaking. Can I help you?
Wom Yes please. I left something on one of your planes last night. I got this number from the
operator. Is this the right number to call?
M Yes, madam. This is the right number. I just need you to tell me your name to start with so I
can fill out a lost property form.
W Kirsty Allen. Thats K-I-R-S-T-Y A-L-L-E-N.
M Right. Ive got that. Now what happened last night?
W Well, I was on a flight last night from New York to London that landed at 12.30am. We were
delayed a while in New York so that when we eventually landed, I was so tired that I accidentally
left my handbag on the plane.
M Did you report this to anyone last night?

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W No, Im afraid not. I didnt notice until I got home and then it was really too late to phone.
M Very well madam. Let me take a few details for this form and Ill see what I can do. OK, so
the name was Kirsty Allen. And whats the address please?
W 48 Windham Road, Richmond.
M The postcode?
W RI6 GH7.
M Good. Ive got that. Now, your telephone number?
W Well, my home number is 020 8927 7651 and my mobile is 07754 897 432.
M Im sorry. I didnt catch the second one. What was the mobile again?
W 0 double 7 54 897 432.
M Thanks. Now, do you know the flight number of the plane that you were on last night?
W Oh yes, hang on a second. Ive got my boarding pass stub right here. Err; the flight number
was PA 356. No, Im sorry, PA365. Thats it: 365.
M And does the boarding card stub say what seat you had?
W Oh yes. It was E6.
M And you said that it was New York to London Heathrow. Is that right?
W Yes, thats right.
Before the conversation continues, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully and answer questions 6 to 10.
M OK then. Now I have to take some details about the bag that you lost. It was a handbag,
yes?
W Thats right.
M Can you describe it to me?
W Well, I guess it just looks like any regular handbag. Its very dark red with black handles and
the catch on the top is gold coloured.
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M Does it have any distinguishing marks?
W Not really. Its quite new you see so I havent scratched it or anything. Its got a brand name
but thats just inside the bag when you open it, under the catch.
M OK. Now, can you tell me what was inside the bag?
W Quite a few things actually. Not my passport of course or I would never have got out of the
airport. My purse is inside and thats got about 200 dollars and about 70 pounds cash. There is
also my credit card and some membership cards.
M Good. Ill just write that down. Anything else in the bag?
W A small paperback that I was reading, some makeup, my work keys, but not my house
keys thank God and a couple of pens.
M Have you informed the police about the loss of the card?
W Yes and Ive also cancelled the card with the credit company.
M Right. Now what Ill do is to contact the lost property, which is where your bag will have
gone if it was found. Ill give you a call back within an hour and tell you what the situation is. If you
havent had a call within an hour and a half, call back this number and ask for me. My name
is John. OK?
W Yes, thats great John. Ill speak to you later. Goodbye.
M Goodbye.
That is the end of section 1. You will now have half a minute to check your answers.
(30 second gap)
Now turn to section 2.
Section 2. You will hear a man giving a welcome speech to new students at the University
of Westley. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the welcome speech and answer questions 11 to 14.
Hello and good afternoon. My name is John Walker and Id like to welcome you new students
to the University of Westley. What I am going to do today is just explain to you about some of
thefacilities that you will find here on our main campus and where you will find them.
If you look at the map on the overhead projector, let me talk you through some of the locations
before describing some of them in more detail. Well, at present we are in the Universitys main
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lecture hall. If you go out of the main front entrance then you will see opposite across the
car park the entrance for the focal point of a lot university life for most students. This is
of course the Students Union. About 150 yards on the left of the Union, as you look at it
from here, is another focal point for the students (though not as popular as the Union), the
University library. Behind the library is the main University refectory where many students eat
both lunch and dinner. On the other side of the Union is the college chapel and behind that there is
a small hall of residence. There are three other halls of residence behind the Students Union.
Behind the hall that we are in now is the sports hall and grounds and either side of us are
academic departments with lecturers offices, lecture halls and various labs. You will find it all a bit
confusing at first but youll get to know your way around fairly quickly.
You now have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the welcome speech and answer questions 15 to 20.
Id like now to talk about a few important places on the Campus.
All students must belong to the Students Union if they wish to use any of its services. It is very
cheap and we certainly recommend that you join. The Union provides a bookshop covering all
the course books at the university plus lots of other titles for a range of interests. You can eat and
drink at the Union. There is a Fat Phillips on the ground floor serving a wide range of fast foods
and drinks. Then there is the main Union bar up on the First Floor. This is where the Union parties,
dances and balls are held and theres a pizza corner where cheap and large pizzas can be served
up in a few minutes. Other areas that will be of interest to students are the Welfare Office, the
Travel Office and the Clubs Office. The Clubs office will get you in touch with all the Clubs that are
part of the Students Union. These clubs vary from football to drama to potholing to beer drinking.
There really is something for everyone. The Union opens up at 8 am every day and closes at 12
midnight unless there are any functions going on later.
Id like to move onto the library now. This is where a lot of you will, I hope, be spending a lot of time
over the next three or four years working and doing research. Of course this isnt as exciting as
the social aspects of university life but of course it really is the main reason that you are all here. I
therefore urge you to get over there as soon as you can as you have to register and then you can
have a look around. During the first two weeks of the academic year, that is, now, there are tours
every two hours aimed at familiarising new students to all the services that the library offers. The
librarys open from 9am to 9pm though it stays open later during final exams.
As I said earlier, the refectory is behind the library. The refectory offers a range of cheap meals at
lunchtime and in the evenings. It is open from 12 noon to 3 pm for lunch and from 6 pm to 8.30
pm for dinner. They try to offer a variety of food from favourites to healthy options to ethnic foods
and there is always a choice for vegetarians and vegans.
The University Sports Hall is one of the most used buildings at the University. To use the hall or the
grounds you must be a member of the Athletic Union, which is part of the Students Union. Again
this costs very little and will allow you to use all University sports facilities, represent University
teams and it fully insures you during your membership of the Athletic Union. This is really
excellent value.
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For departments and academic facilities, there isnt enough time to go through all of them but your
respective departments should furnish you with maps and information that will satisfy your needs.
For all services offered at the university, I recommend that you purchase a discount plus card. This
card costs 50 and lasts for the academic year. It will then give you discounts on all services at
the university. For instance, a 4 meal at the refectory would be reduced to 2.50. It will also give
free usage of the late night mini bus that the university runs to places off campus, which normally
costs a pound. You can see that it wouldnt take very long to make it worthwhile. The cards can be
bought at the Students Union.
Well, thats what I have to say for the moment. Now, are there any questions?
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear 2 students discussing the new term at their university. First you
have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.
(20 second gap)
Jane Hey John. I didnt know you were here at the University yet. When did you get here?
John Oh just yesterday; Thursday. Ive got some stuff to get sorted out for the start of my second
year as Ive just got some new subjects. Today Ive had to sort out my timetable. It seems like Ive
got quite a lot to do this year. When did you get here?
Jane Ive been here since Tuesday. What classes are you doing this year then?
John Well, Im continuing economics of course as thats my major but Im taking an extra
maths class and Im dropping Spanish so I can take up French. What about you?
Jane My majors the same as yours of course but Im going to continue the same classes as
last year as I liked them so much. Theyre history and music. Whats your Monday timetable like?
John Well at 9, it looks like Ive got French for 3 hours. Thats going to be a tough start to the
week!
Jane Yeah. I cant imagine it worse. Ive got history for three hours which will kill me. The good
thing for me is that Ive got a free in the afternoon which will relax me after that morning.
John No such luck for me though. Ive got that extra maths class starting then so Ill be hard at
work all day on Mondays.
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Jane Yeah, I dont envy you that. Still the extra maths will really help your economics in the long
run.
John I know. Thats why Im taking it this year. Last year I really struggled with all the maths that I
didnt understand in the economics but hopefully, this year, that will all change.
Jane What about sport? What have you chosen to do on the Wednesday sports afternoons? Are
you sticking with rowing?
John Id love to but the rowing club storeroom got broken into and the boats were damaged so
its not possible till the club can get enough money to repair or replace the boats. Theyre really
expensive so thatll take quite a long time. So, as I cant do that, Im going to try out squash.
What about you?
Jane Im going to the same as last year. Volleyball.
John Thats good as its in the main sports hall like the squash. Ill be able to see you a lot
this year.
Jane Yeah, it looks like that. You can help me with the maths that I dont understand.
John (laughs) Maybe. For a small fee of course.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the discussion and answer questions 26 to 30.
Jane I know its early but do you know anything about the first assignment that we have to do?
John Yes, its already up on the economics faculty notice board. Theres a choice of essays up
there. I think there are about 10 you can choose from. I cant remember any of the titles though
apart from the one that I think Im going to write about.
Jane Whats that one then?
John Its about the short-term future of third world economies.
Jane Ooh. I dont like the sound of that. It seems very wide-ranging.
John It is but remember that I spent some of the summer vacation travelling in Africa and Asia
so that has made me more interested in the subject and Ive also got some first hand ideas on the
subject.
Jane Does the essay list mention how long the essays have to be and the deadlines?
John Yes. You remember that last year all the essays had to be 3000 words in length?
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Well, thats gone up by a thousand words!
Jane Oh no! Theyll take ages.
John I know. I was hoping that theyd stay at 3000 words or only go up to 3500, but no luck Im
afraid.
Jane What about the deadline?
John The first one has to be in by the 30th October and the second by the 30th November. It
looks like one essay a month like last year.
Jane Well at least that hasnt changed but as its the end of September now, that leaves only a
month to get the first one done. Im going to have get onto that straight away.
John Yes, youd better. If you want to talk about it, Im going to be at the campus cafeteria at
1.30 for lunch. We could go over some questions.
Jane I cant then, as Ill be in the sports hall working out. How about 3 this afternoon at the
economics common room?
John That seems OK. Well be right by the economics course office where the questions are, so
thatll be convenient for checking up on them.
Jane OK. See you then. Bye.
John Bye.
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of an environmental sciences lecture. First you have some
time to look at questions 31 to 40.
(20 second gap)
Good morning everyone. My name is Professor Wilson and I am lecturing you today as part of
your environmental sciences course. Part of this course is concerned with pollution issues in our
world today and part of this lecture will look at some of ways that the oil industry has developed to
deal with oil spills around the world.
Oil tankers are the largest ships to sail in the ocean. For countries such as Japan that have no
oil deposits of their own, tankers are the only way that the oil needed to power their economies
can be moved. They are designed to hold millions of barrels of crude or refined oil in reasonable
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safety and without damage to the environment. When oil is released from these ships, the oil
spreads out over the surface of the water in a large slick. These oil slicks can cover hundreds of
miles and they cause huge environmental damage. Oil is released for varying reasons. Accidents
while loading and unloading and deliberate spills account for many slicks today, but it is ships
hitting other ships or rocks, which is the major cause of slicks. Because oil slicks are so
damaging to the environment, numerous ways of containing them and cleaning them up have
been developed. In previous years, slick cleaners would sometimes try to set fire to the slicks and
burn them off but this is rarely done nowadays because, surprisingly, nearly all oil slicks
consist of compounds that arent flammable; combustibility comes after refining.
The four ways of cleaning up oil spills that well look at today are as follows:
The Containment Boom.

Chemical Detergents.
The Sponge.
Bacteria.
The containment boom is the most common method of cleaning up after an oil spill. Barriers are
erected in the water and the oil is then sucked up. Basically a containment boom is just a large
float that surrounds and contains the slick. This method is cheap and straightforward however it
only functions in very calm seas.
Another method to clean slicks is to spray detergent solution from airplanes or boats directly onto
the spill. Depending on the detergent, two things can happen. One possible result is that the
oil can break up into clumps, which sink to the bottom of the ocean. Although these clumps are
themselves hazardous, the problems caused by the clumps are much easier to deal with than
the problems caused by oil slicks. The other possibility is that the oil then breaks down into tiny
droplets, which are soon spread and become harmless. This method is well suited to dealing
with the larger slicks. A negative aspect is that often the chemicals remain in the water and they
can kill fish and other marine life.
A Berlin-based company has developed an alternative method for cleaning up oil spills.
Eco.carbon has invented a giant sponge made of lignite resin that sucks up the oil, preventing it
from harming the environment. The sponge comes as a mat, which contains crushed coal, whose
small granules can soak up large amounts of oil. The process is safe and cheap. The sponges
have so far withstood small-scale testing in pools of water with miniature oil slicks. A unique
advantage is that once the oil is absorbed into the mat, it remains fixed there permanently. The
downside, however, is that the mats become toxic waste.
Scientists are also trying to improve other methods to fight oil spills. At the scenes of oil spills
around the world, theyve found bacteria that seem to have an appetite for the toxic black
sludge. Now, the scientists are breeding these bacteria and studying them to determine which
is most effective at reducing oil levels. Eventually, they hope to put the best bacteria to work in
helping clean up after oil spill disasters. The bacteria actually use the oil as food. As the bacteria
reproduce, they eat more and more of the slick until it finally vanishes. Eventually this method
should be cheap, easy to administer and be completely eco-friendly as when the slick is gone,
the bacterias food source is gone and they die, leaving nothing behind at all. So far this method
has no discernable drawbacks.
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Well, thats the end of the section of the lecture on cleaning up spills. This subject is an optional
question for your course. Youll find the reading lists and essay questions on the faculty notice
boards along with the deadline for submission. If you choose it, seminars will be held at a later
date.
(30 second gap)
That is the end of listening test 1. In the IELTS test you would now have 10 minutes to
transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet.
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turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a telephone conversation between a man and a woman discussing
a hotel reservation.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Barbara Sunrise Hotel. Good Morning. Barbara speaking.
John Hello. My name is John Griffin. Id like to make a booking for tonight please. Are there
any rooms still available?
Barbara Yes, there are a few left. What were you wanting?
John Well, Im on a business trip so I only need a single room.
Mr. Griffin is on a business trip so B is the correct answer.
Barbara Sunrise Hotel. Good Morning. Barbara speaking.
Man Hello. My name is John Griffin. Id like to make a booking for tonight please. Are there
any rooms still available?
Barbara Yes, there are a few left. What were you wanting?
John Well, Im on a business trip so I only need a single room.
Barbara I dont think that will be a problem. Lets look. Yes. Theres 1 single room left. Shall
I book it for you?
John Yes please. That would be great.
Barbara Right then. Let me get a pen. So, whats your name again please?
John John Griffin. Thats J-O-H-N G-R-I-F-F-I-N.
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Barbara OK. Ive got that down. Wait a minute. Youve been here before, havent you?
John Yes, thats right. Ive stayed with you twice before.
Barbara Well, we should have your details already. Lets look at the cards. Here we are. So,
John Griffin from Sydney, right?
John Yes, thats right.
Barbara So, tell me if Im wrong. John Griffin, passport number 87637489. Age 30.
John Yes, thats right.
Barbara So, its a single room for 2 nights. Is your credit card number the same to confirm
the booking?
John Yes, its the same, but Ill want you to forward the bill to my company again, if thats
OK?
Barbara Oh yes, Mr. Griffin. Thats no problem at all. Your company have always settled very
promptly in the past. And, what time can we expect you tonight Mr. Griffin?
John Well, the plane lands at 9.15pm so by the time I get through the formalities that
should take about 20 minutes I should be at your place at 10.00. Will the restaurant still be
open at that time as Ill be hungry I hate plane food!
Barbara Im afraid itll be closed by then Mr. Griffin. Can I organize some snacks to be left in
your room? A burger? Fries? Sandwiches?
John Yes, that would be great. How about a cheese sandwich with fries?
Barbara No problem sir. Ill see to that. Oh the fries might be cold when you get in.
John Ah yes. Just the sandwich then.
Barbara No problem. Anything else Mr. Griffin.
John No, thats all. Thank you. See you tonight.
Barbara See you tonight Mr. Griffin. Goodbye.
John Goodbye.
Now you will hear a conversation between Barbara and another man, Mark. Before you hear
this, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10.
(20 second gap)
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Barbara Oh, Mark, That was Mr. Griffin. You know that nice man from Sydney whos
been here a couple of times before. Hes booked a single room for 2 nights from tonight.
Mark Ah good. Wait a moment which room have you put him in?
Barbara Err I put him in number 22. Is that OK?
Mark I think so. Let me just check. Oh blast. There was a booking earlier this morning. All
the singles are now gone.
Barbara Oh dear. Im so sorry. I didnt realize.
Mark Dont worry its not a problem. Well stick him in number 34. Its a double room but it
shouldnt matter.
Barbara What about the price? The double is $150 a night and hes going to be expecting
$100 a night for the single.
Mark Well, we dont want to upset him. We want him to come back. Make a note that
well give him the single rate and hes got a free upgrade.
Barbara Im so sorry Mark. I should have let him know that there werent any singles left.
Mark No, its not your fault. I took the booking earlier but the computers were down. I
should have made a note of the booking so that everyone knew. Its my fault.
Barbara Mr. Griffin has ordered a cheese sandwich to be left I his room too as the restaurant
will be closed when he gets in.
Mark Thats no problem. Just leave a message for my wife in the order book there. Shell
make sure that its prepared by the kitchen staff and then room service can take it to his room
just before he arrives.
Barbara How much shall I charge him for the sandwich?
Mark What is it again. Ah yes cheese. Erm well beef and chicken are both $10 and salad
is $8. Just make it $9. That should be OK.
Barbara OK. Thanks Mark.
(30 second gap)
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Section 2. You will hear a news broadcast on a radio station. First you have some time to
look at questions 11 to 15.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the news broadcast and answer questions 11 to 15.
Good morning and welcome to 2RC, your local radio news service for the Westley area. And here
are your headlines for this morning.
More news from the police into the jewellery robbery that occurred last Tuesday in the centre of
town.
CompTec, the local computer hardware manufacturer has announced that it must cut 40 jobs.
New routes open up at the Westley International Airport.
Plans for the redevelopment of the Oakley Woods have been shelved.
A local cricket team make it to the regional finals.
And, get set for a heat wave.
First of all, police have released 2 descriptions for the two men wanted in connection with the
robbery at the local jewellery store, Nicholls, in the centre of town last Tuesday. At 9am, just when
the store was opening, 2 men burst through the door and demanded bags to be filled up with
jewellery. Although the 2 men were armed with baseball bats, the shopkeepers bravely attacked
them and beat them off. Although the 2 men had motorcycle helmets on, these were knocked off
during the scuffle and the shopkeepers were able to get a good look at them.
The first man is said to be about 6 foot in height, slight build, dark hair and a small moustache. He
was wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. The 2nd man is much shorter
around 5 foot 8 - with a fat build and red hair and clean-shaven. He was wearing a dark blue
sweater and black jeans. They are both probably in their early 20s. The police hope to issue
photo fit pictures later today. The public are urged to call Westley police if they think they recognise
either of the 2 men.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the news broadcast and answer questions 16 to 20.
CompTec last night announced that they must release 40 workers. This was blamed on a
downturn in sales and increased competition. The jobs to be lost will be a mixture of early
retirement offerings and a spread from all departments in the company.
Westley International Airport has been awarded by CheapAir, the new low cost carrier, 4 new
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routes into Europe. The new routes will be into 4 European countries though the details have not
yet been released. When the deals have been finalised, this will lead to a significant number of
jobs.
Environmentalists were delighted this morning by the news that plans by the local council to
develop the Oakley Woods area have been shelved. The Woods were to have been developed
into a shopping area but opposition from local residents and local environmental groups
has led to a turn around by the local council and they will now look for an alternative site. Westley
Green, a local pressure group, says they are ecstatic that the council has bowed to the wishes
of people in the area. Mr. George Finchly, mayor of Westley, made the announcement and
said that the committee responsible took all available information into account before taking the
decision and he hopes that Westley residents are happy that the local council are sensitive to their
wishes when making decisions.
East Moors CC, a local league cricket club has made it to the finals of the Sunday league
knockout cricket competition. They will play the final at home on Sunday 30th August against
Newbury CC. Go along and support if youre around that day, as youll be assured a great Sunday
afternoons sport.
And finally, get set for a heat wave for the remainder of the month of August. Weather experts have
assured us that we will have 3 weeks of unbroken sunshine till the end of the month. Great news,
but those of us who are experienced with the British weather will most likely greet this news with,
lets wait and see!
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear an admissions tutor at a university interviewing a prospective

student. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.
(20 second gap)
Interviewer Hello there. Its Robert Johnson, isnt it?
Robert Yes, thats right.
Interviewer First of all, thanks for coming to this interview and thanks for applying to the
engineering department of Westley University. This is a fairly informal interview where I just get
to know you and find out what kind of person you are. There wont be any technical questions as
weve got all your education background from your application form.
Robert Oh thats good. (laughs)
Interviewer Now I know you have applied to us to study Civil Engineering so can you tell me
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why you chose this field?
Robert Its a mixture of reasons really. First of all Ive always been fascinated by building
things. Whenever the family was on holiday, I would always be interested in the local bridge and
all that. My father is a civil engineer too so hed always be able to explain things, and it was he,
I suppose, who really fostered my interest in these things. Im lucky as well because my best
subjects at school were maths and physics, which are the ones that are of particular use for
engineering.
Interviewer So, youll be keeping it in the family then?
Robert Yes. My brother wants to do the same thing as well so youll probably get an
application from him in another two years!
Interviewer Great! Now then. I notice from your application form that you took a year off between
school and university. What did you do during this year?
Robert Well, Id like to say that I got plenty of work experience but what I did was travel. I
went over to Australia for the year and spent the time travelling and working all around the country.
At the end I went to New Zealand and travelled around there for a couple of months.
Interviewer What kind of work did you do out there?
Robert It was fairly menial stuff. I delivered furniture, worked in a pub, worked in a hotel
and worked on a building site for a couple of months too.
Interviewer Working on a building site must have been some good experience for engineering?
Robert I suppose so. I mean it was interesting to see the brass tacks side of things and a
good engineer has to get his hands dirty my father says.
Interviewer Hes absolutely right as well. Now, why did you choose Westley University to study
Civil Engineering?
Robert Well, first of all I know that the department has a very good reputation in this
field and, before applying, I checked out the stats and saw that the percentage of graduates going
straight into industry was very good.
Interviewer Yes, were very proud of that.
Robert Im also very interested in mountaineering and your campus here in the
Midlands is within reasonable distance of Snowdonia so Ill be able to go hiking at
weekends when work allows it.
Interviewer Thats good. Its very important for students to have interests outside of their studies.
It helps deal with the stress.
Robert I also play a lot of football and the University runs quite a few teams in the local
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leagues so Id like to get into that.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the interview and answer questions 27 to 30.
Interviewer Is there anything youd like to ask me about the course?
Robert Yes. The information in the prospectus wasnt very clear about assessment. How will
I be assessed over the four years of the course?
Interviewer Well, as its a sandwich course you will be working in industry for the third year
and there wont be any exams for that year. In the first year you will have exams at the end of May.
Youll probably have 5 papers to sit then. The second year is identical to the first year. You
have to pass the exams in these years but they wont actually be part of your degree. In the fourth
year you will have to write a dissertation of a minimum of 15 000 words and most people use
their time in the 3rd year when theyre working to use as a basis for their dissertation. So, the 3rd
year can be spent doing the hard work for the dissertation, leaving the fourth year to polish it, and
study for your finals.
Robert What will I have to do for the finals?
Interviewer There will be eight papers in all during June and these will be based on work
done throughout the entire course. Its hard and a stressful time but students usually cope with it.
Anything else?
Robert Yes, Id like to ask about
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of a research methods lecture. First you have some time to
(20 second gap)
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this auxiliary lecture on research methods. This
lecture is not aimed specifically at one particular course but is a general lecture that will be relevant
to any student who must conduct research into a topic for his or her course. For most of you, this
will be the research that you need to do in order to write your dissertations and theses.
It has been said that first world societies are no longer industrial societies but information
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societies. That is, our major problems and tasks no longer mainly centre on the production of
goods and services necessary for survival and comfort, but rather require a prompt and accurate
flow of information on preferences, needs and behaviour. This is why surveys today are regarded
with so much importance.
What, then, is a survey? Today the word survey is used most often to describe a method of
gathering information from a sample of individuals. This way, the results can be projected from the
sample to the larger population.
An important consideration to take at the start is to decide how large a survey to perform. The
sample size required for a survey partly depends on the statistical quality needed and the
size of the total population of the area in question. Even so, there is no simple rule for sample
size that can be used for all surveys. Analysts, though, often find that a moderate sample size is
sufficient statistically and operationally. A properly selected sample of only 1,000 individuals can
reflect various characteristics of the total population but it is not always needed to sample the
entire population for your needs.
Id like now to look at some of the types of survey available to us and the focus here will be
on methods for surveying individuals and companies. Mail, telephone interview, and in-person
interview surveys are the most common ways for doing this. The latter can be in offices, homes or
on the street.
Mail surveys can be relatively low in cost. A decent response rate though is the major problem.
Mail surveys can be most effective when directed at particular groups, such as subscribers to a
specialized magazine or members of a professional association.
Telephone interviews are an efficient method of collecting some types of data and are being used
increasingly. They lend themselves particularly well to situations where timeliness is a factor and
the length of the survey is limited. For students such as you though, cost will be an issue.
In-person interviews in a respondents home or office are good when complex information is to be
collected. It could involve a great deal of travelling around though. Street interviews could also
be useful as they are easy but the sampling is not very scientific.
We also need to the look at the content of our surveys. Surveys can focus on opinions and
attitudes or on factual characteristics or behaviour. Many surveys combine types of question.
Questions may be open-ended such as: Why do you feel that way? or closed such as:
Do you approve or disapprove? The questionnaire may be very brief -- a few questions, taking
five minutes or fewer -- or it can be quite long -- requiring an hour or more of the respondents
time. Also because changes in attitudes or behaviour cannot be reliably ascertained from a single
interview, some surveys employ a panel design, in which the same respondents are
interviewed on two or more occasions.
There are also certain ethics to be looked at in conducting surveys. Some of you will see that
the information that you will compile is of value to companies operating in that particular sector.
Therefore you must always bear in mind a few guidelines.
Surveys should be carried out solely to develop statistical information about a subject. They should
not be designed to produce predetermined results or as a ruse for marketing and similar activities.
The industry standard for all reputable survey organizations is that individual respondents should
never be identified in reporting survey findings. All of the surveys results should be presented
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in completely anonymous summaries, such as statistical tables and charts.
(30 second gap)
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turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman as the man joins a
local library.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Peter Hello, Im new in the area and Id like to join the library please.
Will Thats no problem. Let me get an application form. Here we are. Now all we have to do is fill
this in and then Ill get you to sign it and youll be a member.
P Great
W Now then. Whats your full name?
P Peter Adrian Camden.
W How do you spell Camden?
P C-A-M-D-E-N
W C-A-M-D-E-N
P Yes, thats right.
So, Camden is the correct answer.
Peter Hello, Im new in the area and Id like to join the library please.
Will Thats no problem. Let me get an application form. Here we are. Now all we have to do is fill
this in and then Ill get you to sign and youll be a member.
P Great
W Now then. Whats your full name?

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P Peter Adrian Camden.
W How do you spell Camden?
P C-A-M-D-E-N
W C-A-M-D-E-N
P Yes, thats right.
W Right, and whats your address?
P Flat 5, 53 Green Street, Finsbury.
W Ok. Got that. Thats near here isnt it?
P Yes, just 5 minutes walk.
W Whats the post code?
P 7424.. I..I mean, sorry, 7434.
W Got that now. Now, can you tell me your date of birth?
P 8th July 1976.
W And, whats your telephone number?
P Well, I dont have a home number but Ive got a mobile.
W Thatll do fine.
P Its 06634 982 746. Did you get that?
W Some of it. Can you say it again?
P The codes 06634 and the numbers then 982 746
W Right. Thats almost it. Now I need some kind of identification to prove where you live. Do
you have a driving license or a passport or anything like that?
P Im afraid that everything I have, has got my old address on it. Do you need it now?
W No, not now, but you wont be able to take anything out until we see that.
P Wait a minute. Ive got a letter addressed to me here that arrived this morning. Will that
do?
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W Oh yes. Thats a good idea. That will be fine. Lets look. Ok. Well, thats that finished.
(20 second gap)
W Could I ask you a few questions? The Council that runs the library is running a survey to find
out what kind of books people prefer so that they can direct their buying.
P Yeah, no problem.
W OK. So, what type of books do you like?
P Well, Im very keen on mysteries. You know, when a detective is trying to find out who did
the murder. Historical novels interest me too. Romance never! My sister loves them but they
bore me to tears. I quite like books on animals too. I get them out sometimes. Not science fiction
either. Too weird.
W Well, I think thats it then.
P Good. Oh, do you charge anything?
W The library is free unless you want to rent out some of our videos or DVDs.
P How much is that?
W Well, we rent videos out for $4 each and DVDs are $6. You must leave us a deposit of $60
as well. Thats returnable of course.
P I dont think Ill get any of those just yet. Can I pay later?
W Sure, just give the money in when youre ready to rent them out.
P Well thanks very much. Youve been very helpful. I might take a book out now for the
weekend, if thats OK?
W Go ahead.
M Well, goodbye.
(30 second gap)
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Section 2. You will hear a radio presenter interviewing a doctor. First you have some time to
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the interview and answer questions 11 to 14.
Interviewer Hello everyone. Ive just been joined in the studio by Dr. Matthew Johnson. Dr.
Johnson works at Westley General Hospital and he is here today to tell us all about giving blood.
Good morning Matthew.
Matthew Good morning.
Interviewer So, Matthew. Why is it important for us to give blood?
Matthew Donating blood is not important. Its actually vital that people do this. Without donated
blood, thousands of people would die every year and its something that could affect everyone.
We all expect blood to be there for us, but barely a fraction of those who can give, do. Yet sooner
or later, virtually all of us will face a time of great vulnerability in which we will need blood. And
that time is all too often unexpected. The need for blood is great. On any given day, an average
of 38,000 units of red blood cells are needed. Blood transfusions are often needed for victims of
things such as accidents and burns, heart surgery, organ transplants, and patients receiving
treatment for leukaemia, cancer or other diseases. In 2002, nearly 29 million units of blood
components were transfused. And with an aging population and advances in medical treatments
and procedures requiring blood transfusions, the demand for blood continues to increase.
Interviewer We really need that much?
Matthew Yes. And we need it now. Blood supplies nationwide have reached critically low
levels, with less than one days supply of several blood types. Thousands of accident victims,
cancer patients, premature babies and countless others who need blood to stay alive are hoping
youll care enough to help them. All blood types are needed.
(20 second gap)
Interviewer What are the different types?
Matthew Its a bit more complicated than that. First we collect the whole blood from donors
and then its sorted into the different types which are basically O, A, B or AB though there are also
divisions here. Then the blood is split into its constituent parts. We divide it into 4 basic parts. First
there are the red blood cells, then the white blood cells, then things called platelets and finally
plasma. This is shipped off to hospitals where they use the blood parts that the patients need.
Interviewer What are the different parts used for?
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Matthew Well, as I said before the whole blood is your blood in its natural state and something
we rarely use. Its much more useful to us to have it separated into its component parts. Red blood
cells are what everyone associates with blood, i.e.: its red. Its widely used to replace lost blood
during surgery or when people haemorrhage. Its main function is to carry oxygen to cells.
White blood cells are the most important part of the bodys immune system and theyre
used for patients whose normal defence systems arent working properly. Platelets are
crucial for making your blood clot and we need to give them to patients who suffer from illnesses
that deplete their natural levels of platelets or they will bleed to death. Finally, plasma is what
carries the other parts of blood around and needs to be administered with any of the other
components. Take away the red blood cells and this is actually yellow.
Interviewer So, thats what blood is all about. Now, youre here in Westley today to collect blood.
Can you tell us where and when we can donate?
Matthew Of course! Were set up here today, thats Wednesday, and for the next two days
at Westley General Hospital at the Outpatients Department. Come along between 9am and
4.30pm and well be able to deal with you within one hour. And let me tell you a few things that will
calm your fears about giving blood. Aside from a brief needle prick, it doesnt hurt to give blood.
Your body will replace the blood you donate within days of your donation. And finally you cant
catch AIDS, hepatitis or any other disease by giving blood. And of course, you get a cup of tea and
a biscuit afterwards.
Interviewer And can anyone give blood?
Matthew Almost everyone. Donors must be in generally good health, be at least 17 years of
age, weigh no less than 110 pounds, have not received a tattoo within the past year and not have
donated whole blood within the past 56 days. We screen donors with a series of questions before
we take the blood so, if youre unsure, come down and well let you know. Please come down and
see us. Remember, if you can donate one pint of blood, this can save up to three lives.
Interviewer Well, thanks Matthew. I for one will definitely be going down to Westley General to
donate.
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear a conversation between 3 people about use of university
computers. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 27.
(20 second gap)
Jim Hello there. Do you work in the computer room?
Dave Yes, I do. Can I help you?

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Jim Well, Im a first year and I know that Ill need to use the computer room for my work
as I dont have a computer of my own. So, I thought Id get down here and see what I have to do in
order to get time on one of the universitys computers.
Dave OK. There are 4 computer labs open to undergraduates. The others can only be
used by the staff and postgraduates. The names of the 4 labs that you can use are Wimborne,
Franklin, Salisbury and Court. Wimborne and Court are in this building, the Johnson building,
Franklin is in the Computer Sciences building and Salisbury is in the library.
Jim So I can use them whenever I like?
Dave Well, you can use them but not whenever you like. As you can imagine theyre in
quite a lot of demand so you have to reserve your time on a computer. In each of the labs there is
a reservation book and you can reserve your time on a computer in that for 2 hours daily. If
a computer is free though you can go on it straight away. Its quite straightforward but be sure to
always write your name in the reservation book in pen or someone can rub it out and put their
name in instead.
Jim Oh my God! Does that really happen?
Dave Im afraid so. And far more often than you would think. When people are stressed
about their assignments, theyll do anything to get some time on the computers. Better not try it
yourself though or youll be banned from the computers for the rest of the academic year and your
password and username will be taken away.
Jim That reminds me. Ive got to get a username and password. How do I go about that
then?
Dave Well, what Ill do is pass you over to my colleague, Jane, as shes in charge of all
that. Jane!
Jane Yes Dave.
Dave Ive got a new student here wanting to find out about usernames and passwords. Can
you help him out with that?
Jane Yeah sure. Hi there.
Jim Hi.
Jane Well, its a straightforward process. First of all tell me your name and Ill type it into
the system.
Jim James Smith.
Jane Right, let me do that. You see all students are automatically given a username and
then they just choose a password themselves. OK. So, your username is jamessmith2 thats all
small case. That means there must be more than one of you at the university at the moment. Well,
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what do you want your password to be?
Jim I think Ill choose biology, as thats the subject that Im studying though my
girlfriend Mary will be upset that its not her name Im using.
Jane Well, thats all done. You can now use any of the four undergraduate computer labs.
Jim By the way, can I print out stuff at the labs?
Jane Yes you can but sometimes its not quick. When you print it goes into a queue and
it will be left in a tray in Franklin, as thats where all the main printers are. The good bit is that,
although last year it cost 3 pence per page, now it doesnt cost you anything.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the conversation and answer questions 28 to 30.
Jim I dont really know much about computing. Is there any training available?
Jane Yes. We have introductory courses for all new students. There is beginner,
intermediate and advanced. Which would you like to go for?
Jim Well, I have done some but I dont know if Im up to anything more than
beginner. Id better stick with that. Intermediate could be too tough.
Jane Well your course is in Franklin then. Were in Court now. You know where that is?
Jim Thats in this building too, isnt it?
Jane No thats Wimborne youre thinking about. Franklins over in the Computer Sciences
Building. Anything else?
Jim I dont know what time the course starts.
Jane Lets have a look then. Advanced starts at 4.30 in the afternoon on Mondays but
yours is the day after at 5 in the afternoon.
Jim Are there any other times as Ive got a part time job then.
Jane Yes. You could try Thursday at 2.00 pm. Hows that?
Jim Even worse as Ive a tutorial then. Anything else?
Jane No. Thats it.
Jim Ill have to re-arrange work then. I cant miss the tutorial.
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(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part a university seminar given by a student. First you have some
(20 second gap)
Tutor
Good afternoon everyone. In todays seminar we are going to continue listening to different
students giving us a presentation on the subject of their term paper. Now today is Hillarys turn. So,
what are you going to talk about today Hillary?
Hillary
Well, some of you will know that I was brought up when I was young in Japan and Im going to do
my term paper on Japans bullet trains, which have revolutionised their rail industry. Japans main
island Honshu is covered by a network of high speed train lines that connect Tokyo with most of
the islands major cities and Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. Japans high-speed trains are called
shinkansen but are known to us bullet trains. The Japanese bullet train system is credited with
being the worlds first purpose-built high-speed railway, and the model and inspiration for all other
similar type systems running today such as the French TGV. The reputation it has earned for safety,
speed and punctuality is unsurpassed. Id like to give you some figures about that. As regards
safety, there has never been a death on the bullet train system since its inception in 1964, other
than that caused by deliberate passenger misadventure. As far as speed is concerned the bullet
train holds the current world records for the fastest average speed between two station stops,
which was 261.8kph between Hiroshima and Kokura. The train travelled 192.km in 44 minutes. This
record is from the 500 series Nozomi trains running at a maximum speed of 300km/h between
Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Ill talk more about them later. The punctuality puts European train
services to shame. Most trains arrive at their destination, after several hours, to within the second!
In one year, the total time that all bullets trains were late by was 12 seconds! This statistic
is hard to believe but it would be difficult to prove otherwise and thats what the rail authorities in
Japan have told us.
Now Id like to tell you a bit about their history. The first bullet train was introduced in 1964 by
Central & West Japan Railways for the Tokyo to Osaka route. Most of these old trains have now
been discontinued. There have been several bullet train models since then. The most recent ones
have been the 300, 500 and 700 series and its the 500 series one that can travel at 300 kph. The
bullet trains operating in Japan today are of the three following categories: Nozomi, Hikari and
Kodama. The Nozomi trains stop only at the most important stations, and reach Osaka from
Tokyo in only about two and a half hours and its the most modern of bullet trains that serve as
Nozomi. Hikari trains stop a little bit more frequently than Nozomi trains, and need roughly three
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hours to reach Osaka from Tokyo. Kodama trains stop at all stations and they are the local
trains among bullet trains. Older models of bullet trains serve as Kodama.
Id like now to talk a little bit about the technology involved in bullet trains. The Shinkansen bullet
trains consist of electrically powered cars. That means basically all individual cars are equipped
with electric motor driving systems. This is in contrast to locomotive trains in which the locomotive
pulls the passenger coaches. The realization of the high-speed Shinkansen with the electric
train system had a great significance. The French Train a Grande Vitesse or TGV runs on
a centralized power system, in which the heavyweight, high-output locomotives at both ends
pull the passenger coaches. Its a system suitable to European railways, which run basically
on straight tracks in wide plains with solid foundations. However it is unsuitable in Japan where
the ground is flimsy and the tracks full of curves and undulations and inter-city distances are
short, making it necessary for the trains to accelerate and decelerate frequently. One of the
advantages of the electric car system is that the motor functions as a brake to reduce the
speed of the train. When the power feed to the electric car motors is stopped, the wheels
continue revolving, keeping the motors rotating, resulting in electricity generation by
magnetic induction. As the force acts in the direction opposite to the axles motion, it functions
as a brake to the train. All the motors equipped on each coach can be utilized effectively to reduce
the speed, making the electric train system advantageous on Japanese railways, which involve
frequent deceleration and acceleration. In addition, by virtue of the remarkable progress
achieved recently in semiconductor technologies, the electric train system has undergone
tremendous improvements in power, operability and safety administration, so the system is
becoming increasingly advantageous.
(30 second gap)
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IELTS HELP NOW listening practice tests. Test 4. In the IELTS test you hear some recordings
and you have to answer questions on them. You have time to read the instructions and
questions and check your work. All recordings are played only once. Now turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a man and a receptionist on the subject of
joining a surgery.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Mike (man) Hello. Ive just moved to Melbourne for a new job and Ive been advised to register
with a new doctor for my family and myself. I think that this surgery is the nearest one to where I
live.
Recep. Whats the name of the road that you live in sir?
M Dawson Road.
So, Dawson Road is the correct answer.
Mike (man) Hello. Ive just moved to Melbourne for a new job and Ive been advised to register
with a new doctor for my family and myself. I think that this surgery is the nearest one to where I
live.
Recep. Whats the name of the road that you live in sir?
M Dawson Road.
R Yes. Thats in our area. Would you like to register with us now?
M Yes please.
R Right. Ill just have to take some details. First of all, could you give me your name?
M Its Mike Jacobs. J-A-C-O-B-S.
R And your family?
M My wifes name is Janet and I have one little boy whose name is Rod.
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R Ron?
M No, Rod. R-O-D.
R Good, thats fine. And what is your address here in Melbourne?
M 52 Dawson Road, Highfield. Melbourne.
R Highfield. H-I-G-H-F-I-E-L-D. Good. And Ill need to know your health card number.
M Its NH 87 18 12 C. What about my family?
R Oh, only yours for now. Do you know the name of your old doctor?
M It was Dr. Graham McKenzie in Perth.
R Now, weve got 4 doctors here. Theres Dr. Susan Larkins, Dr. Kevin White, Dr. James
Nicholson and Dr. Linda Williams. Which one would you like to register with?
M Oh! I didnt think of that. Well, I think I would like a man as my doctor. Ill go for the last one.
Was that one a man?
R No, that was Dr. Linda. How about Dr. Kevin?
M Yes, that will be fine.
R Right. Dr. White it is. Will that be the same for your family?
M Oh yes. My wife might not want a man as her doctor. Well, well leave it as it is for now and
my wife can change if she wants to.
(20 second gap)
M Id like to make an appointment now for my wife. She wants to come in at the end of the
week.
R How about this Friday morning? Thats Friday the 21st.
M Mmm, I dont think she can make the morning. Any openings in the afternoon?
R There are appointments available at 2.00, 2.30 and 3.30.
M Well take the first one please.
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R Ok. Thats done.
M Oh. And what shall my wife do if she wants to switch doctor?
R She can just give us a call here. Do you want to take the number down?
M Yes please.
R Its 7253 9829
M Can you give me your name please?
R My names Angela but there are two other girls who might be on duty as well. Their names
are Elizabeth and Rachel but it doesnt matter whos on duty. Anyone can take care of it.
M Now what do we do if we need to call out a doctor during the night?
R Weve got a rotation system with the doctors in the area. Theres a mobile number you can
call and thatll get through to the doctor whos on duty.
M Whats that number?
R Its 0506 759 3856.
M Got that. I didnt ask about any charges.
R Like all Australia, prescriptions have to be paid for at the chemist at the prevailing rate.
Some things like vaccinations for travel and insurance reports we make a standard charge for and I
can give you a price list for those. Consultations though are under the National Health Service
so theyll be free.
M Great. Well thats all. Thanks and goodbye.
R Goodbye.
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear a man giving a guide talk to new students at a university library.
First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the guide talk and answer questions 11 to 16.
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Good morning everyone. Id like to welcome you all to Westley University Library. This is a 20
minute tour around the library to show you all the facilities and all you will need to know to start
off your life here as a student at the University. What Ill start by doing is telling you about what
you need to do to join the library. Then Ill briefly tell you about our facilities and then Ill guide you
quickly round and show you everything.
So to join the Library you need to go to the reception between the hours of 9am and 5pm. After that
the reception closes, though all the other facilities will stay open until 10pm. At the reception theyll
give you an application form. After you fill that in, youll have to give us the fee of 5 pounds,
which you have to give us every year that youre a member of the Library. We will also need to
see your University Card to confirm that youre a student of the University and finally well
need 2 passport photos 1 for our records and the other for your Library card. You will need to do
all this as soon as possible so youll be able to use the facilities at once. Im sure your workload will
begin to build up soon!
Now, let me tell you a bit about the facilities. The Library opens daily from 8am to 10pm though,
as I told you earlier, the Reception operates only between the hours of 9am and 5pm, although this
is extended to 6.30pm on Fridays to give students more time to organise their book requirements
for the weekend. The reception is closed on Sundays. Undergraduate students are permitted to
take out 4 books at any one time and each book may be borrowed for a period of two weeks.
Postgraduates may borrow 6 books at a time. Borrowing time can be extended by a period
of one week per book if the student comes into the Library in person with the book in question so
it can be restamped. We do not renew book borrowing over the phone. If you are late in returning
any book, then you will be charged a fine of 2 pounds for every week that you are late. You wont
be able to take out any other books until this fine is paid. This is not a method of earning money for
the Library but merely what we have to do to ensure that all students have access to all the books
that they will need.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the guide talk and answer questions 17 to 20.
Ok then. Onto the layout of the library. Were on the ground floor of the library at the moment. Here
we have the reception, the computers, which you can use to search for books and their location,
and the bathrooms, which are behind the reception. The rest of the ground floor is taken up by
the non-lending section of the library. Here we keep all the books, which are either too valuable
or are used too much to lend out. You can reserve time with these books at reception and use them
during any time that the library is open but, of course, you may not remove them from the Library.
On the first floor above us, we have the Arts section, which includes books that students will
need for such subjects as languages, literature, art and history. On the second floor is the science
section. Well see these in a minute. Of course, individual departments will usually have their
specialist libraries in their buildings, though the computer catalogues here will list them so you know
where to find everything, whether its here or in the specialist libraries.
Finally, in the basement we have the stack system, which contains the University collection of
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magazines and journals that we have collected and to which we subscribe.
If there is anything that we do not have or that you cant find, please go to reception and let them
know the details. The University operates a swap system with other universities and we can
arrange for volumes that we do not possess to be sent here on a limited loan.
Well, those are the basic details about the University Library.
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear tutor and 3 students discussing their work. First you have some
(20 second gap)
Tutor Good morning everyone. Well, in todays tutorial were going to discuss the essays
that you have to submit by the end of next week. Some of you will have already started them,
which is good and if you havent, well thats OK but youll have to get a move on. So, lets begin
with you Simon. Whats happening with you?
Simon Well, Ive made a start on it. Ive researched the background quite extensively last
weekend and I should get to the writing stage tomorrow with a bit of luck and Ill get it finished
at the weekend.
Tutor What are you writing about?
Simon I decided to look at the car manufacturing company, Jaguar, examine the problems
they had with reliability in the 1970s and 80s, how they dealt with it, and how it affected their
marketing and sales strategy.
Tutor That sounds pretty interesting. Any problems with that?
Simon At the start I had problems getting information from that far back, but after rooting
around in the library, I found some magazines which gave me information and also gave me
references to find other stuff. It seems now the only problem is keeping to the 4000 word limit. It
just seems that I have so much to write about. It seems Ill need 5000 or even 6000 words to be
able to cope.
Tutor Yes, your essay title seems to me to be very wide-ranging. Would you think about
cutting out part of it? How about looking at their sales and marketing strategy but only mentioning
the problems in the 70s and 80s and not going too far into it?
Simon Thats a good idea. That will make it much easier to handle. By the way, how do you
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want us to hand in our work? Do you want us to drop in a hard copy to your office?
Tutor You could do that but Id prefer it if you just e-mailed it to me as an attachment.
Youve all got my address. If not, give it to the secretary clearly marked that its for me. Right,
Jennifer, how about you?
Jennifer Ive not really got going on it yet but Ive decided on a subject. Ill try and do some
research during the rest of this week and I should get writing this weekend.
Tutor OK, what are you writing about then?
Jennifer I want to look into how supermarkets use market surveys to develop their
products.
Tutor Will you have enough time to find out what sort of things that the supermarkets do?
You wont have much time for that.
Jennifer I should be OK. Ive had a look in the stack system in the library and Ive found
a magazine that surveyed all the UK major supermarkets and a trade publication that analysed the
same things in Canadian supermarkets.
Tutor Be careful about using their conclusions too much. The university takes a
tough stance on plagiarism. Make sure you properly list where you get your information from in a
bibliography and try and do your own analysis. Get going too as that analysis will take a bit of time.
Jennifer OK, thanks.
(20 second gap)
Tutor And Melanie. How is your work going?
Melanie Im a bit behind Im afraid. I was sick all last week and weekend with flu. Ive got a
subject I think but Ive not done any work on it yet. Is there any chance I can get an extension to
the submittal date?
Tutor The policy of the department is not to give any extensions unless there are
extenuating circumstances. Do you have a doctors certificate or anything?
Melanie I went to the doctors but I didnt get a note as I didnt realise I would need it. The
doctor will have a record of me though as I got a prescription. Ill go back and get one.
Tutor Yes, do. If you get one, then there shouldnt be a problem getting an extension.
Without it though, youll be in trouble. What subject are you considering anyway?
Melanie I thought Id do an overview of the UK mortgage interest rates and their effect on
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housing sales trends over the last 10 years. I thought it might be of interest because of the huge
increases of house prices over the last decade.
Tutor Certainly an interesting subject and it should be no great problem getting information
as this has been fairly well documented. Its a lot of work again though and youll really need to get
cracking on it even with the extension if you get one.
Melanie Well, Ive not got much on for the rest of the week and Ive set aside the weekend to
really get to grips with it.
Tutor Good. Now, is there anything else?
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of an earth sciences lecture. First you have some time to look
at questions 31 to 40.
(20 second gap)
Good afternoon and welcome to this Earth Sciences lecture. Today were going to look at tidal
waves; or more correctly, tsunami.
Deep below the oceans surface tectonic plates collide, and every once in a while, these forces
produce an earthquake. The energy of such submarine earthquakes can produce tidal waves,
which radiate out in all directions from the epicentre of the quake, moving at speeds of up to 500
miles per hour. When these waves reach shore, they can cause enormous destruction and loss
of life. Tidal waves are actually misnamed. They are not caused by tides. A more accurate word
for them is the Japanese name tsunami, which means, harbour wave. They are also sometimes
called seismic sea waves, since they can be caused by seismic disturbances such as submarine
quakes. However, that name is not really accurate either, since tsunami can also be caused by
landslides, volcanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, and even impacts of objects from outer space,
such as meteorites, asteroids, and comets.
Earthquakes though are the largest cause of tsunami. Tectonic plates cover the worlds surface
and their movement can be detected anywhere in the world. Some areas of the world are more
prone to greater movement, and it is in these places that the largest waves can occur. Large
vertical movements of the earths crust occur at plate boundaries which are known as faults. The
Pacific Oceans denser oceanic plates are often known to slip under continental plates
in a process known as subduction, and subduction earthquakes are the most effective in
generating tsunamis.
A tsunami can be generated by any disturbance that displaces a large water mass from its
equilibrium position. In the case of earthquake-generated tsunamis, the water column is disturbed
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by the uplift or subsidence of the sea floor. Submarine landslides, which often accompany large
earthquakes, as well as collapses of volcanic edifices, can also disturb the overlying water column
as sediment and rock slump down, and are redistributed across the sea floor. Violent submarine
volcanic eruptions can create an impulsive force that uplifts the water column and generates a
tsunami. Conversely, super marine landslides and cosmic-body impacts disturb the water from
above, as momentum from falling debris is transferred to the water into which the debris falls.
Generally speaking, tsunamis generated from these mechanisms, unlike the devastating
Pacific-wide tsunamis caused by earthquakes, dissipate quickly and rarely affect coastlines
distant from the source area.
Tsunamis are very hard to detect, since they cannot be seen when they are in the deep ocean.
The distance between two wave crests can be 500 km and, because of this, the wave height
is only a few feet. Because the rate at which a wave loses its energy is inversely related to its
wavelength, tsunamis not only propagate at high speeds, they can also travel great, transoceanic
distances with limited energy losses. As the tsunami reaches shallow water however, its speed
decreases, but the energy it contains remains about the same. Instead of travelling fast, the wave
rises high.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has set up a seismic detection system to
monitor earthquakes and predict the possible arrival of tidal waves for Pacific countries. Buoys at
sea can also detect water-pressure changes that can indicate tsunamis moving through the
ocean. But when tsunamis originate near the shore there is often little chance to warn people.
Lets look at some examples of tsunami and their causes and effects.
Some can be relatively harmless. In 1992 an offshore landslide caused a tidal wave of only
about three feet high that struck at low tide, so Humboldt County, where it hit, got off easy with no
casualties.
On January 13th in 1992, a Pacific Ocean earthquake off the coast of San Salvador, registering
7.6 on the Richter scale, did not cause any ocean disturbance at all.
However, a recent tidal wave, which struck Papua New Guinea on July 17, 1998, was 23 feet
high, and killed at least 1200 people. This wave was caused by a magnitude 7.1 submarine
earthquake.
On July 17, 1998 a Papua New Guinea tsunami killed roughly 3,000 people. A huge underwater
volcanic eruption 15 miles offshore was followed within 10 minutes by a wave some 40 feet tall.
The villages of Arop and Warapu were destroyed.
One of the worst tsunami disasters engulfed whole villages along Sanriku, Japan, in 1896. An
underwater earthquake induced a wave of 35 feet drowning some 26,000 people.
Finally, about 8,000 years ago, a massive undersea landslide off the coast of Norway sent a 30-
foot wall of water barrelling into the uninhabited northern coast of Europe. If this were to
recur today, as scientists say it could, almost anywhere in the world, it would cost billions if not
tens of billions of dollars to repair the damage to coastal cities and kill tens of thousands of people.
Any questions so far?

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(30 second gap)
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IELTS HELP NOW listening practice tests. Test 5. In the IELTS test you hear some recordings
and you have to answer questions on them. You have time to read the instructions and
questions and check your work. All recordings are played only once. Now turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between two women as one of the women buys a
bus pass.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Woman 1 Good morning. Im here to get a student bus pas please.
Woman 2 Of course Madam. Do you want to buy a month pass, a 6 month pass or a year pass?
Woman 1 Oh, just a month pass please.
So, 1 month is the correct answer.
Woman 1 Good morning. Im here to get a student bus pas please.
Woman 2 Of course Madam. Do you want to buy a month pass, a 6 month pass or a year pass?
W1 Oh, just a month pass please.
W2 Right then. Ill just have to take a few details.
W1 Yes. Of course.
W2 First of all, whats your name?
W1 Nathalie Jameson.
W2 And how do you spell Jameson?
W1 J-A-M-E-S-O-N.
W2 Thank you. And whats your address?
W1 45 Forest Avenue, Newlands, Adelaide.
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W2 Is that Forest with 1 R or 2 Rs?
W1 Just 1.
W2 And whats the postcode please?
W1 Oh yes Its 8490.
W2 Thanks. Now whats your date of birth If you dont mind me asking?
W1 Not at all. Its the 13th May 1982.
W2 I also need to know your telephone number here in Adelaide.
W1 OK. I just need to check that as I only moved here last week. Now, where is it. Here
we are. Its 6249 7152. Do you need a code or anything?
W2 Oh no, thats OK thank you. Can I see your university card please?
W1 Yes, here it is.
W2 Good. Thats fine. Now, for which zone do you need a pass?
W1 Well, Im not sure. I was hoping youd be able to help me as I dont really know my
way around here yet. As you know, I live in Newlands and I have to get to the university campus in
the centre of town every day.
W2 Well, the university is in Zone 1 and Newlands has 2 zones. The side nearer to the
town centre is Zone 5 but the far side is Zone 6. What road is it you live in again?
W1 Forest Avenue.
W2 Lets see on this map. There it is. The nearest bus stop is in Zone 5. Thats lucky.
Zones 1 6 are $15 more expensive
W1 Great! Make the pass out for Zones 1 5 then please.
(20 second gap)
W1 Ive got some other questions too if you dont mind.
W2 Sure. Go ahead.
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W1 Well, this weekend my friend and I arent doing anything so we thought wed take a
trip out of town and visit somewhere new. Does the bus service run any trips like that?
W2 Yes, weve got a selection of trips. Ill tell you about some of them.
W1 Thanks.
W2 Right the first one goes up to MacDonald Nature Park. The bus leaves at 8.00am
and takes about 2 hours to get there and leaves for the return at 4.30 in the afternoon. Once
there you can walk around the nature trails. Its really nice and the Macdonald River runs through
there and thats really beautiful so take a camera with you. Then theres the Pearl Bay trip. The bus
leaves at 9.00am and goes up the coast to Pearl Bay.
W1 How far is that?
W2 Its an hour away. Once there you can walk along the cliffs up to Rocky Point,
which has a famous view up the coast, or you can just lie on the beach and swim. Dont forget
to take your swimming gear and a towel! The waters pretty safe there and there are always
lifeguards. The bus arrives back in Adelaide at 5.00pm.
W1 Mm. That sounds nice. What else?
W2 Well theres the Huron Gold Mine. Its just a half-day trip leaving here at 9.30am and
arriving back at 2.00pm. It only takes half an hour to get there which is good. Its an old worked
out mine that has been changed into a sort of museum. They have all the old equipment and a
guide takes you round some of the tunnels and shows you some of the techniques they used to
use. You might even find some gold they missed.
W1 Yeah. I could do with that.
W2 Its pretty interesting but the mines can be quite cold so take a sweater. So, how do
those three sound?
W1 Quite interesting. I really like the idea of going up the coast and spending a day on
the beach but my friend Karen will like the idea of the nature park. Id better wait and check out
with her what she wants to do before booking.
W2 No problem at all. You just need to pop in some time during the week and well make
the booking.
W1 Thanks very much. Youve been very helpful.
W2 No problem. See you later.
(30 second gap)

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Section 2. You will hear a radio presenter interviewing a man about the Sydney Harbour
Bridge. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the interview and answer questions 11 to 16.
Anne Well, good morning again everyone and welcome to Perspectives, the weekly New
South Wales Radio programme on subjects of general interest from our local area. Today I have in
the studio Mr. George Symonds. Good morning George.
George Good morning Anne.
Anne So, what are you going to talk to us about today George?
George Well, for people from New South Wales and particularly Sydney, this will be of great
interest I hope. Im going to tell you a little about Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Anne Wow. Thatll be so interesting.
George I think so. To start with Id like to tell you a little about the size of the bridge. The arch
span is 503 metres and the weight of the steel arch is 39,000 tons. The summit is 134m above
mean sea level, though it can actually increase by as much as 18 cm on hot days as the result of
steel expanding in heat. The two pairs of pylons at each end are about 89 metres high and are
made of concrete and granite. The steel used for the bridge was largely imported. About 79%
came from the United Kingdom but the rest was Australian-made. The granite was quarried in
Moruya down the coast, and the concrete is also Australian.
Anne So, most of the steel used to make our great bridge actually came from England?
George Yes, Im afraid so. However the work force were all Aussie!
Anne Thank God for that. When was the bridge actually built?
George The bridge was opened in 1932 but work first began in 1924, with the construction
of the bridge approaches and spans, with two separate teams building the arch on each side
working towards each other. The arch was successfully joined on August 19, 1930. Im afraid that
working practices werent very fair in those days and the local government demolished 438
homes which were in the way of the approaches, and as many as 800 families living there
were displaced without compensation. The standards of industrial safety were inadequate too. 16
workers died during its construction, mainly from falling off the bridge.
Anne I didnt realise that.
George Yes. The bridge was formally opened on the 19th March 1932 by the Premier of New
South Wales, Mr Jack Lang. When it was opened, it was the longest single span steel arch bridge
in the world and it was one of the greatest engineering masterpieces of its time. Several songs
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were also composed in advance for the occasion but these have now been largely lost or forgotten.
However, three postage stamps were issued to commemmorate the opening of the bridge
and these still exist. One of these stamps, with a face value of five shillings, is now worth
several hundred dollars today.
(20 second gap)
Anne So, thats the history of the bridge. Is the bridge still the same today as when it was
built?
George No, its quite different. The basic structure is the same of course. Originally the bridge
was constructed to carry a road, two sets of tram lines and railways. In 1957, the two tram lines
were removed when Sydney abolished its trams, thus giving the bridge two more traffic lanes.
Today it carries eight traffic lanes, two railroad lanes and a footpath along its eastern side. One of
the eastern traffic lanes is now a dedicated bus lane. The bridge is often crowded and in 1992 the
Harbour Tunnel was opened to help carry the traffic load. More than 160,000 vehicles cross the
bridge each day. Before the Harbour Tunnel was opened this figure was as high as 182,000
and would be much higher today if it were not for the Tunnel. Pedestrians, horses and
pushbikes are not allowed on the bridge anymore.
Anne Wow. The bridge actually carries that much?
George Oh yes. Actually, before the Harbour Bridge opened, it was completely packed with
railway carriages, trams and buses to stress test its load bearing capacity. While it has had many
traffic jams since and half a million people walked across it on its 50th anniversary, it has probably
never been asked to carry that much of a load since.
Anne Amazing. And I suppose the toll for crossing the bridge has changed a bit too?
George Im afraid so!! The initial toll charged for a car was 6 pence while a horse and rider
was charged 3 pence. Today the toll costs $3.00 but is only charged when travelling to the
South as an efficiency measure to speed up traffic flow.
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear 3 students discussing a survey they are going to do. First you have
some time to look at questions 21 to 27.
(20 second gap)

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Phil Hi Mel. Hi Laura. Sorry Im a bit late. I got held up by the bus. It just didnt come for
ages.
Mel Dont worry. Youre only a couple of minutes behind and weve only just been
chatting.
Laura Right then. Were here to organise the survey that were going to do. Mel, you said
that youd discuss with Professor Donald Walker what type of survey we were going to do.
Mel Yes. I spoke to Professor Walker two days ago and I told him that the surveys that
we were considering were a telephone survey, a street survey and a mail survey. He thought that
the phone one would be too expensive for us and the postal one would take too long so we
decided we should do the street one.
Phil I think thats right. If we do the street one then we can get the whole thing done in
one day and we can get on with analysing the results.
Mel Yes, thats right. Now, there are some other things that Professor Walker wanted to
know about. How big should the survey be?
Laura Well, the ideal figure for a survey such as this should be about 1000 people but
that will take us about a month to get that many people and we just dont have that much time. On
the other hand, if we just choose 100 people, the survey wont be statistically significant.
Phil So, what about something in the middle. What about 600?
Mel Still too many. Thatll take us ages. 400?
Laura Lets split the difference and say 500.
Mel/Phil OK
Laura And how many questions? If there are too many well just have the same problem.
Mel Professor Walker said we should have no more than 10 or people get bored. 10
then?
Phil I think even fewer. 8.
Laura I think 3 fewer again to make sure we can get the numbers done quickly.
Phil OK, I agree with that.
Mel Im not sure but I suppose so.
(20 second gap)

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Mel Now, Professor Walker asked where we were going to do the survey.
Laura Does he want to avoid that area then?
Mel Probably! Now we can either all stay together or split up and do different locations.
Laura Well, if we split up then I think weve got a better chance of getting more people
surveyed.
Phil Yes. I agree with Laura.
Mel OK. Now, I made a list of the possible locations in Westley where we could station
ourselves. Theres the town square, at the entrance to the train station, at the University cafeteria,
outside Dobbins department store, on the corner of the High Street and College road, the bus
station and the corner of the High Street and Wilkins Road. What do you think?
Phil I think the square is great but the people at the train station will be travelling and
often in a hurry.
Laura I agree with all that and I think the bus station will have the same problem as the train
station.
Mel OK, thats those two out then.
Laura I think the other ones in town were good too. The cafeteria will have too many
students and that will create too great a bias to our survey. We need a good cross section of the
population and anywhere too close to the university wont give us that.
Phil Lauras right. So, out of the other town ones, I think that the two on the High Street
corners are good.
Mel I dont agree. The High Street corner with College Road will be good but the corner
with Wilkins Road is too far out. Not enough people will come by there.
Laura Yes, Mels right there. We should use Dobbins department store instead.
Phil I can see your point. OK, thats settled then. All three of us will be stationed in town
then but not the Wilkins Road position.
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of a further education marine biology lecture. First you have
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(20 second gap)
Good morning everyone and welcome to this further education lecture on marine biology. Today we
are going to look at the coelacanth. The discovery of the coelacanth has been compared to finding
a dinosaur walking around today over 85 million years after it went extinct.
The story began a few days before Christmas in 1938 when the first living coelacanth was
discovered off the east coast of South Africa, at the mouth of the Chalumna River. The fish
was caught in a shark gill net by Captain Goosen and his crew who, recognising the bizarre
nature of their catch, alerted the local museum in the small South African town of East London.
The Director of the East London Museum at the time was Miss Marjorie Courtney-Latimer after
whom the Coelacanth was eventually named. Miss Courtney-Latimer offered bounties to
fishermen for unfamiliar fish. It was Miss Courtney-Latimer who alerted the prominent South
African ichthyologist Dr J.L.B. Smith, who initially identified the fish, and subsequently
informed the world about this amazing discovery. This first coelacanth led to the discovery of the
first documented population, off the remote Comoros Islands, between the mainland of Africa and
Madagascar. For 60 years this was presumed to be the only coelacanth population in existence.
Originally it was a concern that the Coelacanth might have a very limited range and that overfishing
along the Comoros Islands might wipe it out. However, scientists were amazed when, on July 30th
1998, an American scientist discovered a Coelacanth population in Indonesia. Dr. Mark Erdmann
was on a honeymoon trip to the area investigating a coral reef research site when he spotted a
strange fish being wheeled into the fish market. He recognized the fish as a coelacanth and
snapped a picture before it was sold.
Dr. Erdmanns subsequent research revealed that the people from Sulawesi had a name for
it, raja, king of the sea. The Sulawesi coelacanth colony is about 10,000 km east of where the
Coelacanths were previously known to occur in the Western Indian Ocean.
Both Sulawesi and Comoros coelacanths are quite different from all other living fish. But
perhaps the most interesting feature of the Coelacanth is that it has paired, lobed fins, which
move in a similar fashion to our arms and legs. Coelacanths also have an extra lobe on their
tail and a vertebral column that is not fully developed. They are the only living animal to have
a fully functional intercranial joint, a division that separates the ear and brain from the nasal
organs and eye, and allows the front part of the head to be lifted when the fish is feeding. The
brown Sulawesi coelacanth and the steel blue Comoros coelacanth share these unusual
characteristics.
The discovery of the Coelacanth in 1938 is still considered to be the zoological find of the century.
This living fossil comes from a lineage of fish that was thought to have been extinct since the time
of the dinosaurs. Coelacanths are known from the fossil record dating back over 360 million years,
and peaked in abundance about 240 million years ago. Before 1938 they were believed to have
become extinct approximately 80 million years ago, after mysteriously disappearing from the fossil
record.
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How could the Coelacanth disappear for over 80 million years and then turn up alive and well
in the twentieth century? The answer seems to be that fossil Coelacanths appeared to live in
environments with clay sedimentation with plenty of volcanic activity. Modern coelacanths, both
in the Comoros and Sulawesi inhabit caves and overhangs in vertical marine reefs, at about
200m, environments not conducive to fossil creation.
In 1991 scientists got a better understanding of the fish when the Comoros got their
independence from France and French restrictions on research were lifted. This allowed
scientists to study the fish off the Comoros Islands. As the animal hides in underwater caves some
300 to 700 feet down during the day and comes out at night to feed, diving is not an option and
previously only fishermens specimens had been available for study. But this time the scientists
had their own submarine so they could study the coelacanth in its natural habitat through
portholes.
(30 second gap)
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turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman discussing the repair
of a television.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Shop Assistant (man): Good morning madam. Can I help you?
Customer (woman): Yes please. I bought this small TV set here recently and when I got it home I
couldnt get it to work.
Man: Oh dear. Well, Id just better take some details for this work sheet and then well have a look
at it.
Wom: OK.
Man: Here we are. Now, can you give me your name please?
Wom: Philippa Hutton.
Man: Could you spell Hutton please?
Wom: Thats H-U-T-T-O-N.
So, Hutton is the correct answer.
Shop Assistant (man): Good morning madam. Can I help you?
Customer (woman): Yes please. I bought this small TV set here recently and when I got it home I
couldnt get it to work.
Man: Oh dear. Well, Id just better take some details for this work sheet and then well have a look
at it.
Wom: OK.
Man: Here we are. Now, can you give me your name please?
Wom: Philippa Hutton.
Man: Could you spell Hutton please?
Wom: Thats H-U-T-T-O-N.
Man: Thank you. And your address?
Wom: 13 Glen Avenue, Westley.
Man: Do you know the postcode?
Wom: Yes, its WE5 8GF.
Man: And whats your phone number?
Wom: My home number is 01748 524965 and my mobile number is 07745 276 145.
Man: OK, got that. Now, did you still have the receipt for the television?
Wom: Yes, its right here.
Man: Lets have a look. Right, so you bought it on the 5 June. Thats two days ago. So, what
exactly is wrong with the TV?
Wom: Well I bought it two days ago so I could watch TV while I was cooking for the family.
Thats why I just bought a nice small one. It could fit on the shelf next to the dining room door.
Anyway, when I got it back and plugged it in, there was no response. Nothing at all. No lights, no
sound, no buzz.
Man: And there are no electrical problems in that room?
Wom: No, nothing. It isnt just me. My husband is very good with these things and when he came
back, he checked the plug, the fuse, the connections, everything. He couldnt work it out either.
Man: Hmm. Thats very strange. Right then. Ill have a look at it. Im actually not busy right now.
I can finish it in about half an hour. Do you want to want to wait here or come back later today or
tomorrow?
Wom: Ill go to the supermarket across the road and get some shopping done and Ill come
back in about an hour. Is that alright?
Man: Yes, Ill be able to tell you whats wrong by then. By the way, your job number is J25 but it
doesnt matter as Ill be here when you get back.
Wom: See you later then.

(20 second gap)
Wom: Hi there. All my shoppings done. Have you finished?
Man: Oh yes. It didnt take me long. It was actually the first thing that I checked out so I had it all
figured out in about five minutes.
Wom: What was the problem then?
Man: It was a loose wire. Its amazing that this television even got through its tests. I suppose
that nowadays not everything is tested properly and they just assume that everything will be
alright. With all the things that can go wrong though with bad connections, faulty chips, the screen
dynamics and everything, its amazing they all dont go wrong more often.
Wom: So what can you do about it?
Man: We can repair it by tomorrow or we can just give you a new TV. We can send the old one
back to our suppliers.
Wom: That sounds best to me. Ill take a new one please.
Man: Do you want the same model and everything?
Wom: Yes please.
Man: Oh dear. Im afraid we dont have that one in right now but we will be able to have it in
tomorrow morning if thats OK.
Wom: Thats fine. And while Im here I want to get something else. Its my nephews birthday
next Thursday. What would you suggest?
Man: Well weve got lots of things here obviously. How old is he?
Wom: Lets see. Hes the same age as my own son. Hes 10 now and his birthday is next week.
Man: OK. Weve got lots of computer games over there. Weve got i-pods in the corner if he
likes music. He can download music from the internet onto his computer and then onto his i-pod.
There are lots of accessories for computers. He could need a new mouse, a wireless keyboard, a
camera to use when hes chatting. There are lots of possibilities and it depends of course on how
much you want to spend.
Wom: Im pretty sure hed like a computer game although I know hes got loads already. Ill tell
you what. Ill go back and ask his father what would be best and Ill come back tomorrow and buy
something while Im picking up the new TV. What sort of time shall I come tomorrow then?
Man: We open at 9 oclock in the morning. Id hope our other shop would be able to send the new
telly over this afternoon. They might only manage it tomorrow morning though so come over at
about 11.
Wom: Ill come an hour later at noon then as Ill be swimming at 11.
Man: Thats fine. I wont be here though at noon. Im taking an early lunch then and Ill be back at
1.
Wom: Dont worry. Im sure everything will be OK. Thanks very much.
Man: Youre welcome madam. Bye.
Wom: Goodbye.
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear a policeman giving a safety talk to new students at the University of
Westley. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the safety talk and answer questions 11 to 15.
Presenter Good morning everyone and thank you for coming to this lecture on safety. This
lecture is of course optional for all students at Westley University but it has been laid on by your
Students Union to help you, and both the staff at Westley Police Station and the staff here at the
University urge you to attend the other lectures like it and also to get your friends to come too. So,
thats enough from me. I would like to introduce you to Police Constable Fair from Westley Police
Station who is going to give you some hints on keeping safe. PC Fair.
PC Fair Good morning ladies and gentlemen and thank you for allowing me to come here
to talk to you. It really is a great idea for someone from the police force to come and talk to
you as it may save you time, money and also it may help to protect you. I hope I dont sound
condescending when I point out some ideas as a lot of things really are just common sense but it
is often forgetting these common sense things that can lead to problems.
First of all the thing that students are most likely to suffer from, whether they are in digs or
in hall, is theft. You hear a lot of terrible stories about muggings, rape and fraud but these are
not really that widespread and were talk about some of those things later. Thieves know very well
that student lodgings are a good place to find electronic goods, wallets and bags and the like with
little or no protection. So, make sure that youre room, house or flat is securely locked each time
that you go out. Dont leave valuables in the open where they can be spotted from the window.
See if you can get an extra lock on your window too. If possible, when youre out, try and leave
your valuable things in a cupboard which has an extra lock on it. So much for theft prevention.
If you do get burgled though there are ways to protect yourself here too. Try and get household
insurance. Make a valuables list of all the items that you own, including things like keys and
bank cards, estimate their value and take the list to any reputable high street insurance
broker and get a quote for household insurance. This is not very expensive and it will give you
piece of mind. Another thing you can do is to get an ultra violet pen and write your name
and address on all your valuables. This will not be able to be seen in normal light so your goods
wont look any different but your goods will be forever marked as your property.
Before the safety talk continues, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the safety talk and answer questions 16 to 20.
Now, more seriously, we must look at your personal safety. This especially applies to women. Men
of course are usually better able to protect themselves and are under less risk in any case. First,
lets look at where you live. Again wherever you live you should make sure that your door is locked
securely, even when you are at home and even if you are not alone as people can leave your
house without you knowing. So, in hall, lock that door at all times especially at night. If you are in
digs keep the front door locked at all times, and your own bedroom as well. If your bedroom has
no lock, then get one put in. Get your landlord to do it they usually will. Its a small price to
pay for safety. Look at the windows in your house. Again, especially the ones in your bedroom.
Make sure the window fastens securely and try to get an extra lock fitted. Keep curtains closed
at night and also during the day too if you dont mind, so that people cant see in. Get a chain fitted
to your front door too and always have the chain on when youre at home. If you see someone
often hanging around near your home then let someone know in your hall. Or the welfare
office in the union will be able to advise you. We of course at the police station will always
welcome you and we will never scoff at your worries. We will not laugh at you and we will take
everything seriously.
Next lets look at when youre away from your home and walking about the streets. Naturally
youre more at risk at night but even in the day time, try to keep to busier areas which are well
lit and always try to have someone with you when youre travelling on foot. At night do the same
but be more careful about it. If you are leaving the Union late at night, take advantage of the
excellent minibus service that your Union puts on for you for your safety. The minibus gives priority
to women and it will take you to your door. There are 2 minibuses available every night leaving
at regular intervals. If theres not one available, wait in the queue until one arrives. They will get
you home safely in the end. If youre not at the Union and by yourself, try to get a taxi back rather
than walk. I know its more expensive but its worth the cost. Im sure your parents would prefer
you spending the extra money to make you safe. Also with taxis, always take a licensed taxi from
a proper taxi rank or call a reputable company. Keep the number of a reputable company in your
wallet and saved in your mobile. Then youll always have access to a safe way home.
I hope I havent panicked you. Very few people do actually get attacked but of course it does
happen. By following these basic safety rules you vastly reduce your chances of being a victim.
The cardinal rule is dont be alone. Always have a friend with you if possible.
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear a student and her tutor discussing an essay. First you have some
(20 second gap)
(knock at door)
Dr. Jones Come in. Ah good morning Rachel. Have you come to talk about your extended
essay?
Rachel Thats right Dr. Jones. Have I come at a bad time?
Dr. Jones No, not at all. This is a good time in fact.
Rachel Good because I wanted to ask what you thought about my decision on the subject.
Dr. Jones Yes, you initially wanted to write about working conditions in 19th century
factories but you were later contemplating looking at the conditions inside hospitals in 19th
century northern towns.
Rachel Thats right. I thought about it for a long time and weighed up the pros and cons and I
didnt decide for ages.
Dr. Jones Well, I think you were right to stick with your first idea. Therere so many
better sources available on the subject. There are plenty of articles in magazines and the odd TV
and radio programme on the other subjects but everything is rather superficial; theres no real
academic knowledge to draw on.
Rachel Yes, I found that out. I found lots of books but nothing really to help me; even on
the internet. In the end, when I decided on my first choice topic I found lots of really good stuff in
magazines, books and the internet. Particularly one book which is the major reference that
youll see quoted all over the place.
Dr. Jones Well, Im glad you came to that decision. Lets have a look at that essay now.
Rachel What did you think? Ive spent ages on it but Im only about 80 percent happy with
it.
Dr. Jones Well, I wouldnt be too down about it. I think most of it is pretty good. I liked the
introduction which really set out your ideas clearly. The middle needs some attention but the end
was really first rate.
Rachel What are the areas that need more work then?
Dr. Jones The main problem lies with your analysis of the statistics. You quote all the right
numbers and youve got lots of fine tables and everything but you need to look more closely at
what the numbers mean and what implications they hold. Look at them again and try and explain
more clearly the important parts. After that you need to have a look at your bibliography which is a
bit shoddy.
Rachel Yes I was afraid of that. I always think that once Ive finished the essay then Im done
and so I dont put enough care into things like the bibliography. Still Ive plenty of time to get that
and the other stuff sorted out.
Dr. Jones Youve plenty of time but dont leave it until the last minute because youll need to
check it all again carefully when youre finished and it would be a good idea if I looked over it again
before its final submission.
Rachel The deadline is the 28th April so shall I get it to you on the 24th? Will that be OK?
Dr. Jones Well, that wont leave you much time to change anything if I find anything else to do.
How about a few days earlier than that. The 21st April? Ill be able to get it back to you the day after
on the 22nd then.
Rachel That sounds great. Thank you.
(20 second gap)
Rachel Id also like to ask you about that presentation that I have to give next month.
Dr. Jones Yes. Whats the problem?
Rachel Well, Ive started work on it as I want to do a good job but I cant seem to find much
information on the subject in the library.
Dr. Jones Ok. Ill jot down some ideas for you then. What subject are you presenting again?
Rachel The three Cs of the Great Reform Act in England in 1832.
Dr. Jones Ah yes. The causes, course and consequences. Well, there should be plenty of
material in the library on that as its such an important subject.
Rachel Well, there should be but it looks as though some first years are doing an essay
on it and so most of the books are out. I also dont want the run-of-the-mill books. I want my
presentation to be a bit more in depth.
Dr. Jones The best book for you would be Great 19th Century Reform by Mark Needham.
That book you cant take out. Its in the reference section only. Youll have to read it actually in the
library itself. Then there was a great article in History Monthly on the Great Reform Act by Jim
Wood. The issue was August 2003 I think. Youll find it in the library stack system.
Rachel Thats great. Anything else?
Dr. Jones Yes. Theres another really good book on the subject that looks at the whole thing
from a slightly different point of view. I remember when it came out, it ruffled a view feathers. Its
called Political Reform and its by Rob Jenkins. The thing is though that I know our library hasnt
got it. As youre preparing so far in advance though, youll be able to order it through inter library
loan. Just go to the library reception and theyll give you the forms to fill out. Itll come in about a
week I expect.
Rachel OK. Ill do that straight away.
Dr. Jones Finally theres the book Reform and the Nineteenth Century which I actually wrote.
The library used to have a copy but its been lost I think. Ive got a copy at home so Ill bring it in
tomorrow. If you pop in tomorrow morning some time Ill let you borrow it for a week or so.
Rachel Oh, thats fantastic. I didnt know you were an author Dr. Jones.
Dr. Jones Yes, Ive done a few things. Youd better not lose it or spill coffee on it or anything
though!
Rachel Ill take very good care of it. I promise you.
Dr. Jones I know you will or I wouldnt lend it to you. So, Ill see you tomorrow then.
Rachel Yes. Thanks again. See you tomorrow. Bye
Dr. Jones Bye
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of a food science lecture. First you have some time to look at
questions 31 to 36.
(20 second gap)
Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this food science lecture. Today we
are going to look at a food stuff Im sure we all recognise and use: garlic. We will explore a little of
its history and examine some of the many different ways its been used over time.
All around the world, for over 4,000 years, garlic has held many important roles in daily
human life. It has been taken therapeutically and nutritionally. Folklore attributes garlic with
good luck and protection against evil. Its smell has been said to ward off sorcerers, werewolves,
warlocks and of course vampires.
Although its not certain when garlic was first discovered, it was probably dispersed by
nomadic humans several thousand years ago. Garlic is originally indigenous to the desert
region of Siberia. In this region the summers are dry and hot, and theres very little precipitation.
In order for the wild garlic plant to survive, it had to adapt to this harsh climate. Garlic had to grow
when there was moisture, in the spring and fall, and it also had to be able to survive without water
for the exceptionally dry summer and winter months. Garlic adapted to its environment so that the
growing cycle began in the fall, to take advantage of the available precipitation. When the cold
winters or the hot dry summers arrived, it became dormant. The cloves of the garlic plant store
large amounts of food, which enable it to withstand long durations of dormancy. When the spring
rains arrive, the plant can continue on its growth process. A healthy root system with relatively
small leaves is a key to the survival of the plant. These traits make garlic a very hearty
plant, capable of growing in poor soil in harsh climates with little or no care. Once discovered by
humans, it is no wonder that garlic quickly became a staple crop of almost every civilization in the
world.
An Egyptian papyrus from 1500 B.C. recommends garlic for 22 ailments. The
Egyptians fed it to slaves building the pyramids to increase their stamina, and during the building
of the Great Pyramid, the construction workers lived on a diet consisting primarily of onion and
garlic. When the workers were deprived of their ration of garlic, it caused work stoppages. Garlic
was so valuable to the Egyptians that 15 pounds of garlic would purchase a healthy male
slave. Ancient Egyptians worshiped garlic as a god, and its name was often invoked at oath
takings. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was claimed to have more uses. Everything from repelling
scorpions to treating dog bites and bladder infections, to curing leprosy and asthma. Chinese
scholars mentioned garlic in Sanskrit writings as early as 3000 B.C. Garlic was so prized in
ceremony and ritual, its said that lambs offered for sacrifice in China were seasoned with garlic
to make them more pleasing to the gods. Crusaders returning to Europe after far away battles are
generally credited with bringing garlic back with them to Europe and there, in the Middle Ages,
it was thought to prevent the plague.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the lecture and answer questions 37 to 40.
Modern research has confirmed the health benefits of garlic that our ancestors believed
in. Garlic may even prevent cancer because it contains vitamins such as C, A, and B which
stimulate the immune system to eliminate toxins and combat carcinogens. Research in
1858, by Louis Pasteur, documented that garlic also kills bacteria. During World War II, when
penicillin and sulpha drugs were scarce, garlic was used as an antiseptic to disinfect
open wounds and prevent gangrene. The properties responsible for these medicinal effects
are not clearly understood. Recent research identifies hundreds of volatile sulphur compounds
in the herb. For this reason, it may also become a valuable treatment for AIDS. A study in China
showed that people with the highest levels of dietary garlic have a reduced risk of stomach cancer.
It can also kill 60 types of fungi and yeast, among them the common cause of athletes foot.
Japanese scientists test its effects on patients with lumbago and arthritis. Experts are split on the
recommended daily amount of dietary garlic, from one to ten cloves. However, most agree that
fresh garlic is better than in supplement form.
How garlic is prepared also affects how it can be used. When the clove is cut or crushed,
an enzyme contained within the plant cells combines with an amino acid. This creates a new
compound, called allicin, which has been shown to kill 23 types of bacteria, including salmonella
and staphylococcus. When garlic is heated, a different compound is formed that can prevent
arteries from clogging, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The blood-thinning
quality of garlic may also be helpful in preventing heart attacks and strokes. Indian doctors have
long pointed to studies that demonstrate garlic has a preventative effect on the development of
arteriosclerosis, thrombosis and hypertension.
Now lets look at some other things
(30 second gap)
turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman discussing the rental
of a car.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Receptionist: Good morning Sir. Welcome to Cheapies car hire. Can I help you?
Customer: Yes please. I need to rent a car.
Recep: Thats no problem sir. When would you like it?
Customer: Tomorrow morning.
Recep: Lets look then. Todays the 6th August so youll need it on the 7th August.
So, 7th August is the correct answer.
Receptionist: Good morning Sir. Welcome to Cheapies car hire. Can I help you?
Customer: Yes please. I need to rent a car.
Recep: Thats no problem Sir. When would you like it?
Customer: Tomorrow morning.
Recep: Lets look then. Todays the 6th August so youll need it on the 7th August.
Customer: Thats right.
Recep: Now, Ill just need to take some details from you Sir. Can I take
your name please?
Customer: John Wilson.

Recep: And your home address?
Customer: 95 Green Lane, Manchester.
Recep: Green like the colour?
Customer: Yes, thats right. And the postcode is MW7 4DF.
Recep: OK. Got that. Can I have your telephone numbers please?
Customer: My home number is 020 6834 6387 and my mobile is 07779 724 868.
Recep: Sorry, I missed the mobile.
Customer: Its 07779 724 868.
Recep: Thanks. Now, are you the holder of a full, current drivers licence?
Customer: Yes I am.
Recep: Could I take the number of the licence please?
Customer: Sure. Lets have a look now. Its WIL 94857 8269.
Recep: And will there be any other drivers or just you?
Customer: Only me please.
Recep: OK. You said that you wanted the car tomorrow but how long will you want it for?
Customer: Well, tomorrows Friday the 7th and I want it for the whole weekend. So, Ill
bring it back on Monday morning.
Recep: Ill have to charge you for all Friday and Monday sir.
Customer Thats OK.
Recep: Good. Now, what kind of car were you looking for sir?
Customer: Id like a fairly small car as Ill be driving a lot around town and a smaller car will be
easier to get around and to park.
Recep: Yes, thats true. Well, Ive got small sizes in the following types of car: a Ford, A
Renault and a Toyota. Theyre pretty much the same though the Toyota is in a cheaper price
category.
Customer: Ill take the cheapest one please.
Recep: And we can offer you a petrol or a diesel model with that car.
Customer: Oh. In that case Ill take the diesel as that will be more economical.
(20 second gap)
Customer: Now, how much will this cost me?
Recep: Well the daily rate is 50 but its only 40 if you take the car for four days or more.
Lets see. Theres also an additional 10 for insurance. Thats not obligatory but we do recommend
that you take the insurance.
Customer: Yes, definitely.
Recep: So thatll be 170 for the four days then.
Customer: Fine. Where can I pick it up?
Recep: You can pick it up here, at the airport or at your hotel. Which hotel
are you in?
Customer: Im staying at a friends house next to the International Hotel. So, can you leave it
at the International Hotel and then I can walk around to pick it up? Ill drop it off at the same
place if thats OK?
Recep: Yes, thats fine. By the way, if you have a breakdown or an accident, well supply
you with a new hire car ASAP. Our emergency number is on this customer information leaflet
which also has other information. Here you are and here is a spare set of keys for the car. Now,
let me tell you about some things in the car that will be there to help you. First of all your insurance
documents will be in the glove compartment along with a Westley city map and the car manual. On
the back seat there will be a larger area map of the local district. If you need a map of any other
place like London then give us a call and well make sure its there.
Customer: No, I wont need that.
Recep: In the boot youll find a spare wheel and a set of tools in case you have a problem.
We have membership with the RAC so you can call them if youre really in trouble. The
membership card and phone number is in the glove compartment too. There will be a small fire
extinguisher under the pasenger seat but I hope you wont have to use that!
Customer: Great. So where do I pay?
Recep: If you go over there to Mr. Walker, then hell sort you out.
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear the master of a university Hall of Residence giving a short
introductory talk to new students at the university Hall of Residence. First you have some
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the short introductory talk and answer questions 11 to 15.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Chelston Hall of Residence. My name is Dr.
Frank Jones and I am the master of Chelston Hall. As you will know, you are all attending Westley
University to study different courses and Chelston Hall of Residence will be your home for the
first year of your studies. You are all first year students as Chelston offers accommodation only to
first year students at the University. In this short talk I am going to go through some of the things
you ought to know about life in the Hall. I will also go through some rules so that we can all live
together in a satisfactory way for the whole year.
First of all I would like to go through the eating arrangements. Chelston Hall offers full board
accommodation so there will be breakfast and dinner every day with lunch also available at
weekends. You are not obliged to go to the meals but they will be there if you wish to take
advantage of them. In fact it would be a waste of money not to, as you are paying for the food
in your hall fees. The times of the meals are as follows. Breakfast is served from 7.00am to
8.30am every day though these times are an hour later at weekends. Dinner is served at
6.30pm to 7.45pm, 7 days a week. On Saturday and Sunday lunch is served at 12.30pm to
1.45pm. If you are late then you will not get any food. Once the hatches are closed in the dining
hall, they stay closed. The dining hall is cafeteria style service and there is always a selection
of food for vegetarians. If there are a lot of people at the dining hall then please queue up in
an orderly manner and wait your turn. Please do not push into the queue. At the end of your
meal, please take your tray over to the side tables and put your dirty plates and utensils in the
appropriate places. We do have kitchen staff but they are not your servants and we expect you
to take your own dishes and cutlery off the table. Rudeness and incivility to the staff will also not
be tolerated. Each evening after dinner there will be coffee and tea available in the common
room until 9.30. Again please do not leave cups lying around but put the dirty ones back on the
trays provided. The coffee service will be discontinued if the common room becomes an untidy tip.
Other facilities that we have here on site are a TV room and a self-service laundry. The TV room
has one set which can receive the regular channels but no satellite channels. The laundry room
has 8 washing machines and 8 dryers. These are all coin operated. You will need one pound
in 2 fifty pence pieces for one wash. The dryers take twenty pence pieces and will run for 15
minutes on one twenty pence piece. We recommend that you buy a box of washing detergent at
the local supermarket but you can buy individual packets of washing powder from a vending
machine providing it has not run out. One individual box from the machine is good for one wash.
(20 second gap)

Now listen to the rest of the short introductory talk and answer questions 16 to 20.
As you will know by now, the Hall is divided up into corridors with 6 rooms attached to each
corridor. Each corridor has shower compartments, one bath and a kitchen. We have cleaners who
clean up the corridors and bathrooms but the cleaners are not responsible for cleaning the
kitchens. So, if you want to cook something in addition to the food we provide, then please clean
up your dirty pans and plates yourself. If any kitchen gets into too bad a state, then it will be closed
and locked up for the remainder of the term. Any dirty dishes or pans that are in the kitchen will
just be thrown out. By the way, as you will also know, the corridors are co-ed so you will need
a reasonable amount of consideration and modesty moving around to the bathrooms and
back.
Another important issue is our fire drill. Please make sure that you have read the notice which is
in every corridor about what to do if there is a fire. It is very important that you know where your
nearest fire exit is and where to go when you get out of the building. For example, if you are in
Block A, there are 2 exits and not everyone should exit from just one of these. The assembly
point for both blocks is the car park where your block leader will take a roll call to make sure
no-one is left inside. We are obliged by the fire service to perform two emergency practices
every year. Please take them seriously as if they are not done well then we shall have 3 or 4 or 5
practices, or however many it takes to get it right.
Finally we have the issue of noise. For a lot of you this will be the first time not living at home
with your family and you will have access to lots of friends your own age and alcohol. I must urge
you at all times to try and behave with consideration to your fellow Hall tenants at all times. Dont
play your music too loudly or make too much noise at any time and especially at night. People
around you all the time will be trying to work, sleep or just relax. Have fun but think of others. We
take quite a strict attitude to those who end up annoying everyone else. If you are found to be
disturbing others in the Hall to an unreasonable amount, you will be warned and if the problem
persists, you will be asked to leave. You will not receive any refund of the funds you have paid.
I hope that I have not unduly worried anyone
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear 2 students discussing their project. First you have some time to
(20 second gap)
Judith Well Fred. Thanks for coming over to my room.
Fred Thats OK. I had a lecture near here this morning so it was easy to come over. Weve got to
get on with this North Sea oil project anyway.
Jud So, did you manage to do any of the things that we decided last week?
Fred Most of the things. I got all the books from the library and saw Mr. Peters about the
research. He told me the names of some good sites on the internet where I could find lots of
information about the North Sea oil industry safety issues.
Jud Hes a great tutor, isnt he?
Fred Yes he is. So, I checked out the sites and made some notes. What about you? Did you get
the information on the background and history of the North Sea oil industry?
Jud Yeah. There was loads of information and Ive made notes too. I think Ive got it all covered.
So, let me tell you what Ive found out. Ill run the ideas past you and you can tell me if its OK.
Fred Good idea.
Jud So, as you know, the North Sea lies to the east and north east of England and Scotland.
Apparently the North Sea was long dismissed as a potential source of oil or gas, but, over the
last four decades, it has become the centre of one of the worlds most productive energy
industries. Gas was actually first found in quantity in the Groningen area off The Netherlands in
1959. This was followed by the first British discovery of gas in the West Sole field, off the
coast of East Anglia, by the BP drilling rig Sea Gem, late in 1965.
Fred Actually the first accident was on that rig too. Anyway, sorry. Go on Judith.
Jud The British oil and gas industry in the southern North Sea grew rapidly in the early years.
The deepening economic crisis in the UK meant that there was enormous pressure on the
industry to get gas, and later, oil flowing. As exploration and investment moved further north,
it became clear that there was oil to be found in great quantities. Discoveries of oil grew in
number as more companies, British, European and American, took out leases on sectors of
the North Sea.
During the 1990s, like the rest of the world, the North Sea industry was badly affected by the
global price fluctuations. Nevertheless production grew and peaked around 2000/1. Now, the
North Sea is regarded as a mature province on a slow decline. Thats about it for now. Ill put
more detail into it when we do the presentation. You know statistics and all that.
(20 second gap)
Fred Yes. Youve done a good job. Shall I do the same then? Its not as long as yours.
Jud Go ahead.
Fred OK then. As I said earlier, the first industrial accident related to the industry in the North Sea
happened only days after they discovered the first gas. The Sea Gem capsized with the loss of
thirteen lives. There are regular accidents on all oil rigs around the world but the North Sea is just
such a harsh environment that there always seems to be more there. The most famous accident
and the worst disaster in the North Sea was the Piper Alpha disaster of 1988.
Jud Yes, I remember that one on the news when it happened.
Fred Today the industry is very safety conscious. When you first arrive you are given a safety
tour of the installation, detailing all safety aspects including fire extinguishers, emergency
muster stations, lifeboat stations and emergency procedures. You will be introduced to the
rig safety programme. Everyone attends weekly safety meetings and daily pre-tour meetings. The
weekly meeting is an in-depth look at industry-wide safety news and other safety related issues
on the rig. Companies share safety information with other companies throughout the industry. This
helps to avoid repeated incidents. A fire and boat drill is often held on the same day which
involves a mock fire and a mock abandon the rig exercise. The pre-tour meeting is usually
a description of the work carried out when you are off shift, the work you will be doing, the work
others are currently doing that may affect you and any other relevant issues of the day. Accidents
do still happen as in every industry. However, statistics show that with the massive improvements
in offshore safety procedures, you now have a higher chance of having fatal accidents if you
work on a building site than you do when on an oil rig. Well, thats all from me. Ill add lots of
details too.
Jud OK. Well, lets plan what we have to do next..
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of an advertising lecture. First you have some time to look at
questions 31 to 34.
(20 second gap)
Good morning everyone. Todays advertising lecture is on the history and development of highway
billboards and their effectiveness. Later on we will look at their design and different uses.
The roots of billboard advertising can be traced to the invention of movable type printing by
Johannes Gutenberg as far back as 1450 and advertising in the modern sense was launched
in the form of the handbill. When the lithographic process was perfected in 1796, the illustrated
poster became a reality. Gradually, measures were taken to ensure exposure of a message for a
fixed period of time. In order to offer more desirable locations where traffic was heavy, bill posters
began to erect their own structures. In 1835 the large American outdoor poster, more than
50 square feet, originated in New York in Jared Bells office where he printed posters for the
circus. In 1900 a standardised billboard structure was created in America and ushered in a
boom in national billboard campaigns.
There are a number of reasons for the recent surge in billboard advertising, not the least of which
is cost efficiency. Compared to other forms of advertising, billboards are a relatively inexpensive
way to get your point across to the general public.
Consider this. A newspaper ad is only good for a day and a television commercial only lasts about
thirty seconds. But a billboard ad is working for you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
The cost of billboard advertising ranges from about $700 to $2,500 a month. At that rate, ten
billboards could run for as much as $25,000 per month. That sounds like a lot of money until you
realize that a full-page ad running for one day in a major newspaper costs about the same.
So billboard advertising can be an effective and cost-efficient way for entrepreneurs to spread the
word about their products and services. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America estimates
that U.S. businesses spent more than $5.5 billion on outdoor advertising last year and the
Association is anticipating a healthy increase over the next few years.
Advances in technology have also contributed to billboard advertisings cost efficiency. In the
past, billboards had to be hand-painted a time-consuming and costly venture. But with todays
computer technology, billboards are designed on a computer screen, printed to vinyl or poster
paper, and glued to the billboard structure. The result is higher quality ads in less time for less
money.
(20 second gap)
Lets look now at a famous example. In 1925 Alan Odell, who owned a small company that
made a brushless shaving cream, noticed that gas stations and other local businesses
were increasing trade by putting up advertising signs along the nations highways. He
decided that he could increase his sales by putting up sets of signs. Five in a set. They would not
have to be big and a short line on each one would do. At first Odell tried the hard sell approach.
Sales began to increase at once but that did not satisfy him. Motorists see these signs, he told
himself, at remote places on the highway. Perhaps after hours of monotonous driving they
would appreciate a touch of rhyme and humour. They would indeed! It was not long before
the catchy Burma-Shave signs some ironic, some cynical, some absurd, but all of them funny
caught the fancy of nearly everyone, including those people usually critical of advertising.
These signs continued as the advertising medium of the company for 35 years. And then, when
cars travelled too fast to take in these messages more than a dozen words painted in rather
small letters the company phased out its roadside advertising. Perhaps a growing criticism of this
sort of advertising, which interfered with highway scenery, also influenced the companys decision.
By late 1965 this criticism resulted in President Lyndon Johnsons highway beautification bill.
This bill authorised a federal-state campaign to improve the scenery on either side of major
highways to conceal or remove junkyards and to put billboards sufficiently far back from the
highway so that they would not interfere with the view. States that did not comply with the bill could
lose 10% of their federal highway grant.
But this was not the end of the billboard industry. Many roads were not part of the highway
system which was supported by federal grants and these roads were not affected by the law
and nor were signs in commercial and industrial areas.
Now lets look at the some of the advertising developments in Europe
(30 second gap)
turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between a travel agent and a customer discussing a
holiday.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Travel Agent (TA): Good morning sir. Can I help you?
Customer: Yes. Im thinking of going away on holiday but Im not sure where to go.
TA: Well sir. We have a range of destinations that we offer. Are you going alone sir or with a
friend?
Cust: With my family actually.
TA: So, how many people is that sir?
Cust: My wife and I and my young son and daughter. So, four.
So, 4 is the correct answer.
Travel Agent (TA): Good morning sir. Can I help you?
Customer: Yes. Im thinking of going away on holiday but Im not sure where to go.
TA: Well sir. We have a range of destinations that we offer. Are you going alone sir or with a
friend?
Cust: With my family actually.
TA: So, how many people is that sir?
Cust: My wife and I and my young son and daughter. So, four.
TA: Fine. Now with a young family can I assume that youd like to go somewhere warm?
Cust: Oh yes. A beach holiday. Thats what we are looking for.
TA: Right, Ill just take some personal details sir. First of all, whats your name?
Cust: George Collins.
TA: Collins? Is that C-O-L-L-I-N-S?
Cust: Yes, thats right.
TA: Thank you. And what about your wife and children?
Cust: My wifes name is Jane, my boys name is Mike and my little girl is Jennifer.
TA: How old are the children?
Cust: Mikes 7 and Jennifers 4.
TA: Ah, theyre quite small then.
Cust: Oh yes, We just need a safe, little place. A warm climate, a quietish, safe beach, a pool
preferably and lots of small restaurants and bars near the hotel.
TA: Would you want any crche facilities in the hotel so you and your wife can get away
when you want?
Cust: No. I work quite hard and I dont see the kids as often as I want at home so Im looking
forward to spending all my time with them.
TA: And what eating arrangements do you want?
Cust: Just half board please. Well have breakfast at the hotel but well eat lunch and dinner at a
beach caf. Wed want about 4 star quality for the hotel by the way.
TA: Right. And what time in the summer are you thinking of taking the holiday?
Cust: I finish work on Friday night on July 8th and Im off for two weeks. So, Ill need to be back at
work on the Monday 25th. Ill need to finish the holiday then on the 24th.
TA: And how long would you want to spend travelling?
Cust: Oh, as little as possible of course with the little ones. Not more than a couple of hours in the
car to get to an airport and then not more that 4 hours on a plane.
TA: Thats fine. You can get to all of the nice resorts on the Mediterranean easily in less than 4
hours. Right then. Lets show you some brochures.
(20 second gap)
TA: As I said sir, most Mediterranean destinations are easily within your preferred flight time.
You can choose really between Spain, France, Italy, the old Yugoslavia, Greece or Turkey as well
as the Mediterranean islands.
Cust: Wow, what a great choice. What are the different costs involved?
TA: With you wanting a 4 star hotel and pool some countries will be definitely cheaper than
others. Price wise, Italy and France will be at the top end, Spain, Greece and Turkey will be at
the lower end.
Cust: Greece and Turkey sound great actually. Ive always wanted to go there and Ive seen some
beautiful photos.
TA: I think that Greece would suit you better as the flight to Turkey is actually quite long. Youre
getting towards 5 hours there.
Cust: OK, well Greece is fine.
TA: Of course with Greece you have the choice between the islands and the mainland. Its the
islands that are famous of course but youll have to get there by boat or take a short connecting
flight. Some of the bigger islands are served directly though from UK airports.
Cust: Well, one of the larger islands sounds best then. What about Cyprus? Ive heard that a lot of
British people go there.
TA: Yes, its very popular. The trouble for you with Cyprus though is that its down in the eastern
Mediterranean near Turkey and the flight is quite long to get there. I was thinking more of Rhodes
and Crete.
Cust: Lets have a look at those 2 then.
TA: Here are some brochures. This is the Hotel Tropicana and this is the Palm Hotel. Both of
them are in Crete. In Rhodes we have the Ocean Hotel and Hotel Spiros.
Cust: Can you tell me a bit about them?
TA: Of course. The Hotel Tropicana is about 1 mile from the beach and its a safe walk along
a path through some fields to get there. They have a nice pool which you can see in the photo.
There are only a few beach bars and restaurants though. Its really quiet, away from all the bustle
of other tourist destinations. The Palm Hotel is further from the beach, about 2 miles, but it has
a minibus service that goes to and from the beach all day. The hotel itself is in quite a busy
tourist town that has lots of bars, restaurants and discos. Its great for going out.
Cust: I dont know if either of those suits us. We dont want noisy and we dont want a long way to
the beach.
TA: Lets have a look at the Rhodes hotels then. The Ocean Hotel is right on the beach. Its
less than 5 minutes usually to get to the beach area from the rooms. The hotel is quite a long
way from the main town and people usually take all their meals in the hotel. The hotel is 4 star
though and we know the food is quite good as weve been told so by previous holidaymakers.
Hotel Spiros is a family run hotel also quite close to the beach about 5 or 10 minutes walk. Its
in a small village and has a small swimming pool as well. There are a few restaurants scattered
around the village but again, its not a big tourist village so theres not much to do.
Cust: To be honest, both of those sound fine. We dont want a night life as we wont be able to
leave the kids. Something close to the beach, somewhere to eat and sit in the evening is all we
need. Ive made some notes. Let me take the brochure with the details of these two hotels and Ill
take them back and show my wife and see what she thinks. They both seem just what we want
though.
TA: OK sir. Come in again when youve decided or if you want to see some other places.
Cust: I will. Thanks very much then. Goodbye.
TA: Goodbye.
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear a man giving an orientation talk to new holidaymakers at the Solaris
Hotel and Holiday Village. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the orientation talk and answer questions 11 to 15.
Good morning everyone and welcome to your first morning here at the Solaris Hotel and Holiday
Village. This little orientation talk this morning will just give you an idea of what to find and expect
around the grounds.
Lets begin by looking at meals. We have three different restaurants and you are at liberty to eat at
any of them. They are the Harvest Restaurant, the Dene Restaurant and the Mekong Restaurant.
Lets begin with breakfast. Breakfast is only served in the Harvest Restaurant. The other two
restaurants are only open for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served between 6.30am and 9.30am 7
days a week. There are English, American and continental style breakfasts on offer.
For lunch and dinner all the restaurants have the same opening hours to make things easier for
you. Lunch is served from 12.00 noon to 2.30pm and dinner is served from 7.00pm to 10.30pm.
The menus are the same for lunch and dinner though look at the blackboards displayed in the
restaurants for any specials that they are serving for any particular meal. The style of food
is different in each of the restaurants. The Harvest serves traditional English food though with
plenty of the foreign dishes which are popular in the UK such as curry and spaghetti. The Dene
specialises in fish and seafood and the Mekong offers you a selection of dishes from the Far
East; not just from Vietnam as the name suggests but Chinese, Thai, Malay and others.
You dont have to pay in any of the restaurants unless an extra supplement is needed for some
of the specials. All soft drinks are also free though we charge for alcoholic drinks. You can choose
to pay any bill that you may incur at the end of the meal itself or you can put it on your main bill
which you can pay when you leave at the end of your holiday.
There is also a bar menu in the main bar which serves pretty good pub food and if you have
any late night munchies, there is a take away open until 2.30am which sells fast food. Good for
those of you who are returning in the early hours from a disco or club!
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the orientation talk and answer questions 16 to 20.
Now lets look at some of things that you can do here during your stay with us. Of course we have
our main beach which is popular with everyone. There is also an adult beach which is prohibited
to anyone less than 17 years of age. This allows those of you without children to get some peace
and quiet on the beach. The main beach has two lifeguards on duty from 9.00am to 6.00pm.
The adult beach has no lifeguards. If you dont like sand and salt we have a decked area in front
of the Harvest Restaurant with our 25 metre swimming pool. You can lie here on a sun lounger
and swim in the pool with no sand to bother you. There are steps from the pool area to the beach
so you can go between the two but, if youre coming up from the beach, please walk though the
foot pool so that the sand gets washed off and doesnt lie around the pool area. There are also
freshwater showers available on the beach and in the pool area.
As for sports we have 8 tennis courts and 3 squash courts which can be booked at any time.
There is a fully equipped gym with staff on duty to help you. No-one under 18 years of age may
use the gym though. We also have 6 full sized snooker tables and 5 pool tables in the games
room adjoining the bar. There is no charge for use of any of these facilities though there is a small
charge if you need to hire any sports gear. Again you can pay immediately or put the charges on
your main bill. There are also water skiing and jet skis available but there are charges for these.
Go to the water sports office for details. All the water sports such as snorkelling, inflatables and
pedallos are free. Ask for all details again at the water sports office.
There is a library in the hotel which supplies books, magazines and newspapers. It has certain
terms and conditions of use which you will be able to find on the notice board in the library.
We also have 2 cinemas which show 3 different films every day. The showings are in the
afternoons at 2.00pm, the early evening at 5.30pm and at night at 8.30pm. The afternoon and
early evening showings always have a film for kids. Children under the age of 16 are not
permitted to attend the 8.30 presentations.
Well, thats all for now. Are there any questions?

(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear 2 students giving a presentation to a seminar group at their
university. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.
(20 second gap)
Dr. Reece Good morning all. Glad to see youre all on time today. This morning were going to
hear Jamie and Rebecca give their presentation on some aspect of demographics. Theyve talked
to me about it a bit before while researching it but I dont want to give the game away so Ill hand
straight over to them
Jamie Hi everyone. As Dr. Reece said Rebecca and I are going to give our demographics
presentation. Both Rebecca and I also study languages so we decided to look at the worlds
different languages and the ones that are the most important, both now and in the future.
Rebeccas going to start off.
Rebecca OK everyone. Who knows what the worlds most spoken language is?
Phil I thought it was English. Isnt it?
Rebecca Well, its an ambiguous question. If you just look at how many individual speakers
there are around the world then the answer is Mandarin Chinese with 836 million speakers.
English was second until a few years ago but it has since been overtaken by Hindi with 333
million speakers and Spanish with 332 million speakers. Now English is after Spanish with 322
million speakers.
Phil Oh yes, South America. I didnt think of that.
Jamie Yes, its easy to forget. You can look at Rebeccas question though in a different
way if you look at the number of countries that use English. English is a massive 115, ahead of
French, Arabic and Spanish with 35, 24 and 20 countries respectively.
Rebecca English has different statuses around the world. Core countries are where English
has a full official status like England, the US and Australia. In outer core countries English has
some official status as in India and then there are fringe countries such as Japan and the UAE
where its used a lot in business and tourism.
Jamie A more important list is the worlds most influential languages. This was compiled
by weighing 6 factors which were the number of primary speakers, the number of secondary
speakers, the number and population of the countries where the languages are used, the number
of major fields using the language internationally, the economic power of countries using the
languages and socio-literary prestige.
Rebecca And the list shows the following in order of most influential: English, French, Spanish,
Russian, Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Hindi.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the presentation and answer questions 27 to 30.
Dr. Reece How up to date are these figures?
Jamie Fairly. They came out just last year. But the picture is changing very rapidly in terms
of influential languages. There are certain large countries which are about to emerge on the world
stage and their economies are starting to influence the world balance of power.
Rebecca The largest countries that for various reasons are beginning to shift world
economic power are China, Russia, India and Brazil. The sizes of the populations along with
the cheap labour and raw material prices which are available in these countries are causing this
shift. As a result, every year the demand for people knowing the languages of these countries is
growing enormously.
Jamie In addition the demand for teachers and English language training is also
enormously increasing. Western teachers are going to the countries and their nationals are coming
over here. As well as business, the education sector is getting a huge boost from the opening up
of these economies.
Dr. Reece So, will China be the major powerhouse as everyone says?
Rebecca Definitely but maybe not the biggest. Many experts predict that Indias population will
soon surpass Chinas. Bangladeshs population could too. It all points to world economic power
being held in Asia though.
Jamie English will probably remain important though. Chinese is difficult to learn and
English also has some official status in India. English is easy to learn and has the advantage, for
better or worse, of being the language that everyone wants to learn. That wont change in a hurry.
Dr. Reece How many people learn English then?
Rebecca The number of spoken languages nowadays is estimated between 2500 and
7000. Out of all these languages, the numbers of those actually studied by non native speakers is
tiny. There are no official records of numbers studying English worldwide but today you can safely
say that there are not many countries with a structured program of education where English is not
taught. It will take a long time for this habit to be broken. At the moment its getting stronger.
(30 second gap)

Section 4. You will hear part of a humanities lecture on Mad Cow Disease. First you have
(20 second gap)
Good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this humanities lecture. Today we are going
to continue our look at the modern diseases that afflict society. Today we are looking at quite a
famous but rare disease. The popular name for this disease is mad cow disease. It has been so
named because it is most often found in the brains of cattle. It attacks the nervous functions
of the brain and leads to unusual behaviour by the cattle. Thus we familiarly say that the cow
is therefore mad and hence, mad cow disease. Mad cow disease is the commonly used name
but its medical title is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE. It is a slowly progressive,
degenerative, fatal disease affecting the nervous system of adult cattle. The exact form of BSE
is not known but it is generally accepted by the scientific community that the likely cause is an
infectious form of a type of protein known as a prion. This protein develops abnormalities
and apparently seems to encourage other proteins to become similarly misshapen, affecting
their ability to function. In cattle with BSE, these abnormal prions initially occur in the small
intestines, tonsils, and central nervous tissues.
There is a similar disease to BSE called Creutzfeld Jacob Disease or CJD that is found in people.
A variant form of CJD is believed to be caused by eating contaminated beef products from BSE
affected cattle. The abnormal prions in infected cattle products are consumed by humans as they
are resistant to common food disinfection treatments such as heat. The disorder is rare
occurring in about 1 out of 1,000,000 people. To date there have been 155 confirmed and probable
cases of CJD worldwide among the hundreds and thousands of people that may have consumed
BSE contaminated beef products. Most of the cases have occurred in the UK. The one US case
was in a young woman who contracted the disease while residing in the UK and developed
symptoms after moving to the US.
(20 second gap)
CJD is a disorder involving rapid decrease of mental function and movement. As with BSE in
cattle, these abnormalities are believed to be caused by damage done to the brain by prions,
though it is has been proved that in rare cases it can be genetically inherited. CJD tends to
affect younger people, beginning between the ages of 20 and 70, with average age at onset of
symptoms in the late 50s. Early symptoms include personality changes and difficulty with
coordination. Once symptoms appear, the disorder progresses rapidly and may be confused with
other types of dementia such as Alzheimers Disease. CJD though is distinguished by extremely
rapid progression from onset to symptoms to disability and death.
So, how did BSE and CJD come about? Weve not read about them in the history books. These
appear to be new diseases. BSE was first reported in the United Kingdom. The exact origins of
BSE remain uncertain, but it is thought that cattle initially may have become infected when
given feed contaminated with scrapie infected sheep meat and bone meal. Scrapie is a
sheep prion disease similar to BSE in cattle. The scientific evidence suggests that the UK
BSE outbreak in cattle was then spread by feeding BSE contaminated cattle protein to calves.
Thus, we have created the disease ourselves. Cattle naturally are grazers, feeding on grass. We
have given cattle feed derived from sheep, an unnatural food for cattle. We have compounded
our mistake by also feeding young cattle with feed derived from older cattle making them
cannibals. There is a kind of horror associated with it when we look at it like this. There is also a
kind of poetic justice that the disease is passed down to us as we consume the animals that we
have infected.
Moving on now, are there any questions with what I have said so far?
(30 second gap)
turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between 2 old friends who meet each other by
accident.
(20 second gap)
played first.
John: Hello Frank. How are you?
Frank: Wow John. Yeah Im fine. How are you?
J: Im great thanks. I havent seen you since we left school. How long ago is that now? It must
be 10 years, or is it 11?
F: Its 9 years now.
So, 9 years, A, is the correct answer.
John: Hello Frank. How are you?
Frank: Wow John. Yeah Im fine. How are you?
J: Im great thanks. I havent seen you since we left school. How long ago is that now? It must
be 10 years, or is it 11?
F: Its 9 years now. What are you doing with yourself? You were going to be a doctor, werent
you, or something medical, like a chiropractor?
J: Well, I was going to be but thats not what I did. I started medical school but I didnt really
enjoy it and the idea of doing it for 5 or 6 years and then continuing to study for years after that
didnt really appeal. So I left medical school and went into teacher training college to be a
science teacher.
F: And I thought for all these years that you were earning mega bucks as a doctor or working
in a pharmaceutical company!
J: No. Just a teacher! I love it though. Im so glad I did it instead of medicine. And what are
you doing Frank?
F: After school I didnt really know what I wanted to do so I travelled for a couple of years
round the world.
J: Great. Where did you go?
F: Lots of places but nowhere in Europe. I wanted to travel long distance! First of all I
travelled through India and Nepal. Then I moved into south east Asia for a few months. Then
I went through Australia and New Zealand. After that I went to Africa and went around various
countries there. After that it was south America, central America and north America.
J: How on earth did you afford all that?
F: I just settled down and worked for a few months in places where I could get a job and save
money. Then, when I had enough, I moved on. I wasnt exactly staying in luxurious places though!
J: And now what? You always wanted to work with computers, didnt you?
F: Yes. I remember that. However, when I finished all the travelling I thought of going into
travel writing but its so competitive. I always fancied journalism as well so I got into that and
right now Im working for the local paper.
J: Did you have to study for that?
F: Well some people dont, but I went to college for a year to do a journalism course and Im
glad I did as it gave me a bit of a head start and certainly helped me get my first job.
J: And are you married and kids or what?
F: I married a girl called Liz that I met whilst I was in Australia. We havent had kids yet,
though were planning on having at least 2 or 3. What about you?
J: Do you remember Kate who I dated whilst at school?
F: Of course. The prettiest girl in the school! You didnt marry her, did you?
J: Yes. We managed to stay together all through college. She did teaching too so we were at
the same place for 3 years at college. We thought about getting married in our last year at college
but it was all too much and then we were too busy the year after graduation. So we did it 2 years
after we graduated.
F: Wow. Im so happy that you guys stayed together. Thats great!
J: Where are you living now?
F: Oh, in Westley. In the high street actually. What about you?

J: In Westley too. Weve got a flat near the secondary school. Obviously then its easier to get
into work.
(20 second gap)
F: Listen, why dont you and Kate come over for dinner some time?
J: Thats a great idea. When?
F: How about next Friday?
J: Cant do Friday Im afraid. Both Kate and I have a parent teacher afternoon on Friday after
school and then well have to do the paperwork in the evening.
F: What about Saturday then?
J: That would normally be fine but our babysitter is away that night and we wont be able to
find one at such short notice. Why dont you and Liz come over for dinner at ours and then well be
able to look after the kids? Youll be able to meet them too.
F: OK. Lets do that then. Liz will be happy. She wont have to cook!
J: Ill be doing the cooking when you come round. I love cooking.
F: So, what time shall we come round? 8 oclock?
J: Well well be home around 6.30 that night as were going out for the afternoon with the kids.
Id say come at about half past seven.
F: Are you sure thats long enough to get things ready?
J: Well, thatll be an hour. I dont need more than that.
F: And whats your phone number just in case?
J: 01347 835 825. Thats the home number. And the mobile is 07978 290 512. What about
you?
F: Ive only got a mobile. Its 07623 963 957.
J: What was the last bit again?
F: Ill say it all again. 07623 963 957.
J: And Id better give you the address.
F: Oh yes, that would help.

J: We live at Flat 3, Evergreen Terrace. Its just past the church on the right. Weve got a
postbox opposite us and a doctors surgery next door.
F: I should be able to find that.
J: Anything you dont like to eat?
F: Well, I hate fish and sea food and Liz doesnt care much for red meat. She likes white
meat though.
J: How about chicken?
F: That should be fine
J: Oh yes. When you arrive none of the bells are marked for security and there are four
buttons. You need to press the bell second from the bottom.
F: Second from the bottom. OK. Got that.
J: Ill be able to buzz you in and then come up to the first floor and the door will be open.
F: Great. Well its so good to see you again John. Ill really look forward to seeing you on
Saturday and meeting Kate again. And the kids of course.
J: Yes, and Im looking forward to meeting Liz.
F: See you Saturday then. Goodbye.
J: Goodbye
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear a man giving a short talk to new students about their university
Sports Centre. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the short talk and answer questions 11 to 14.
Good morning to all you new students here at Westley University and thank you for coming to this
talk on the Sports Centre. My name is Mr. Mike Finn. Later Ill take you around the Centre on a
tour but right now Ill just let you know what we have to offer and how you can become a member.
We are at present in the main reception of the Sport Centre. Behind me we have the main
sports hall where a myriad of different sports take place. We have football, hockey, basketball,
badminton, martial arts and netball to name but a few. We are also planning cricket nets and
trampolines in the very near future. Aerobics, modern dance and spinning are also held in the
main sports hall and yoga classes are coming soon. There is a large schedule up on the wall
behind me detailing when each sport is on. It also gives details of which sports you have to pay
extra for in order to join in.
Above us and overlooking the main sports hall we have our fitness room which has all the modern
weight training machines and aerobic training machines that you could wish for. At present there
are no running machines as there have been a few accidents with these and we are waiting for
the university to work out its insurance as regards these before we get them back again.
Round the back of the main sports hall are our 3 squash courts. These can be reserved at the
reception. The one important thing with the squash courts is that you must not wear outdoor or
black marking soles on them. You will be fined and suspended from the Centre if you do!
Next to that we have the provisional site of the swimming pool. Details of that are posted on the
Sports Centre newsletter which is always available on the notice board. We hope that it wont be
too long in coming!
Outside the hall we have playing fields where you can play football, rugby, cricket and hockey. You
dont need to be a member of the Sports Centre to enjoy these playing fields but you might need
to join the individual sports clubs. Membership dues for these clubs are not usually very high and
it always includes insurance cover so dont worry. You wont need to take out a bank loan to join
them all.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the short talk and answer questions 15 to 20.
Now let me tell you how to become a student member of the Sports Centre. First of all any student
who wishes to be a student member of the Westley University Sports Centre must be studying
a course at the university, part time or full time, and be a member of the Students Union. So if
you wish to join you must bring your NUS card with you before we can process your application.
You must come to the Sports Hall reception between 9.00am and 3.30pm from Tuesday to
Saturday. The membership secretary does not come in on Sundays and Mondays. You must
present your NUS card, fill out the application form and pay the subscription. The student
subscription for this year is 15. There is usually a joining fee of 5 to join the Sports Centre but
this does not apply to student members. You can pay by cash or cheque but we dont take credit
cards. You used to have to bring two passport photos of yourself but weve gone digital now so
we can take your photo ourselves with our camera at reception. Once you have your Sports
Centre membership card, you have the right to use the facilities at any time that we are open. You
will need to bring your membership card every time you wish to use the facilities or you will not
be allowed to enter. This is part of our insurance agreement. If you need a replacement card
at any time you will be charged a replacement fee of 5 but you will not need to pay the
subscription of 15 again. You may book courts for sports such as squash and badminton but
you may only do this in person, not on the phone and you will need the membership card number
on your membership card so dont forget that card! We are open 7 days a week though opening
times vary. Monday through to Saturday we are open from 8.00am to 10.00pm and Sunday we
are open from 9.00am to 6.00pm.
Now, any questions so far?
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear a university tutor and his seminar group of 3 students discussing
their extended essays. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.
(20 second gap)
Professor Cameron Hello everyone. Welcome back from your winter holidays. I hope you
had a good time and didnt work too hard! Well, this semester we will continue our seminars
on agriculture. Today, like last semester, we are in the McCloud Room but this will change.
Next week we are going to the Hardy Room on the second floor and we will remain there for the
duration of the semester. Also we will have to change the time as the Hardy Room is not
available at our usual time of three oclock. So well need to start one hour later. Is that OK
with everyone?
Maggie Ive got a problem with that. I have a part time job in a restaurant in town and
finishing an hour later will stop me being on time.
Prof. Cameron Well Maggie, there are other seminar times for this particular subject but youll
need to get someone to swop with you as theyre all full. Come by my office tomorrow lunchtime
and Ill show you the list. We should find someone willing to change.
Maggie What if we cant though?
Prof. Cameron Youll have to decide whats more important for you! The degree or the job.
You know that attendance is compulsory at the seminars and you havent got a very good
attendance record anyway.
Maggie Ill sort something out I suppose.
Guy Professor Cameron. When do we find out about the extended essay for this
semester?
Prof. Cameron Today actually Guy. Well look at everything in a minute.
Guy Thanks.
Monica What about last semesters extended essay?

Prof. Cameron Well Monica. All your extended essays are now with the external
examiner getting their second assessment. I completed the marking in early January and the
external examiner should get them back to me by mid February.
Maggie Mid February! For three essays!
Prof. Cameron Its not just your essays Maggie. There are three of you in this seminar group
but I have 5 other seminar groups on this subject in your year and they have four students in each.
That makes 19 extended essays that I and the external examiner have to mark.
Monica How did we do Prof.?
Prof. Cameron With one notable exception, the essays were of a pretty good standard. I
cant say more than that at this stage but I was very happy.
(20 second gap)
Prof. Cameron So, moving on to talk about the extended essay. What do you want to know
about?
Monica First of all, what do we have to write about?
Prof. Cameron Next week Ill bring in a list of titles which will relate to the first ten seminars
that we have this semester. You have to choose one title from ten titles on offer but you might
want to think about choosing from the first five so that youll have more post seminar time to
prepare.
Guy What about the deadline?
Prof. Cameron Im afraid its not the 26th May as we advertised at the start of the academic
year as thats a bank holiday. Its now the next day, the 27th. No extensions! We wont accept the
28th.
Guy Can we let you see our work before we hand it in?
Prof. Cameron Yes, though we have a deadline for that too in order to encourage you to get
organised and started early. So, we will continue to look at drafts until the last day of April
and then after that youre on your own to produce your final product.
Maggie Whats the word limit Professor?
Prof. Cameron We want to have an upper and lower limit so weve set the lower limit of
3000 words and an upper one of 3500. Youll have to be in that range.
Monica Will we need to do any research for the essay?

Prof. Cameron Im not really supposed to give you any details of the questions yet but, yes,
there is a research component for all the questions.
Monica Will the research be survey based or done on the farm or in greenhouses?
Prof. Cameron The research that we want you to do will be practical work with plants so it will
be down at the university facilities, either at the university farm or the greenhouses as you said.
Maggie What type of plants will we be studying?
Prof. Cameron The type of plant that you do your research on will depend on the question
you choose and I cant tell you any more about the questions yet.
Monica Will we have any help with the growing procedures?
Prof. Cameron A little. The farm staff and Dr. Johns will be on hand to help you at the farm
and Rob down at the greenhouse complex can assist you with everything down there. Well,
thatll do for now. You can hang on until next week to get started. Today were going to look at
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of a further education lecture on marine biology. First you
have some time to look at questions 31 to 36.
(20 second gap)
Good morning everyone and welcome to another further education lecture on marine biology.
Recently we looked at the coelacanth which people thought had become extinct millions of years
ago. Today we are looking at another inhabitant of the deep which were pretty sure is extinct
though some people still think it exists. I think most people would hope its extinct as we are talking
about the largest predator that ever lived on earth. It is called Carcharadon Megalodon or just the
Megalodon.
Megalodon was an ancient shark that may have been 12 m long or even more. There are a few
scientists who estimate that it could have been up to 50 or 100 feet which is 15 or 31m long! This
is about three times as long as the Great White Shark but this is only an estimate made from
many fossilized teeth and a few fossilized vertebrae that have been found. These giant teeth
are the size of a mans hand! No other parts of this ancient shark are found as shark fossils are
extremely rare because sharks have no bones, only cartilage, which does not fossilize well. Their
teeth, however, are very hard. They are made of a bone-like material coated with hard enamel
and they fossilize very well. So we can only guess at what it looked like. Since Megalodons
teeth are very similar to the teeth of the Great White Shark, it is thought that Megalodon may
have looked like a huge, streamlined version of the Great White Shark. Megalodon teeth are
similar to those of the Great White Shark but are much bigger, thicker, and with finer serrations.
Megalodons jaws could open 6 feet wide and 7 feet high. The jaws were loosely attached by
ligaments and muscles to the skull, opening extremely wide in order to swallow enormous objects.
It could easily swallow a large Great White Shark whole! Unlike most sharks, Megalodons teeth
were probably located in rows which rotated into use as they were needed. Most sharks have
about three to five rows of teeth at any time. The front set does most of the work. The first two
rows are used for obtaining prey, the other rows rotate into place as they are needed. As
teeth are lost, broken, or worn down, they are replaced by new teeth. Megalodon may have had
hundreds of teeth at one time. It did not chew its food like we do, but gulped it down whole in very
large chunks.
Megalodons diet probably consisted mostly of whales. Sharks eat about 2 percent of their
body weight each day which is a bit less than a human being eats. Since most sharks are cold-
blooded, they dont have to eat as much proportionally as we eat. It was during the Miocene Era
that the mammalian order Cetacea, whales, reached its highest diversity and abundance. Almost
every known family of toothed and baleen whale is known from the end of the Miocene. Large
whale vertebrae and flipper bones have been found with large bite marks made by serrated
teeth that match the teeth of Megalodon. From such evidence, paleontologists have surmised a
predator-prey relationship of the Megalodon with large whales.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the marine biology lecture and answer questions 37 to 40.
Megalodon lived from roughly 25 to 1.6 million years ago, during the Miocene and Pliocene
epochs. It is now extinct, but the exact time of its extinction is hotly debated as some people
believe that this enormous shark could still exist today. So, can Megalodon still exist? Almost
everyone who has investigated the possible existence of the great Megalodon realises that if it
is extinct, it has only recently occurred in the geological record; as close as 10,000 years ago.
Zoological history has proved that very large animals can remain hidden from modern science,
especially in our planets under-explored ocean depths. So, if the famous coelacanth, the fish
thought to be extinct for 60 million years, can be found alive and well as it was last century,
why not push our giant white shark up a mere 10 000?
Has Megalodon died out or has one already appeared? There is a well known sighting report from
Australia. In the year 1918 crayfish men at Port Stephens refused to go to sea to their regular
fishing grounds in the vicinity of Broughton Island for several days. The men had been at work on
the deep water fishing grounds when an immense shark of almost unbelievable proportions put in
an appearance, attacking pot after pot containing many crayfish, and taking pots, mooring lines
and all. On returning unscathed, the men were all unanimous that this shark was something
the like of which they had never dreamed of. And bear in mind that these were men who were
used to the sea and all sorts of weather, and all sorts of sharks as well. They all said the shark
was as long as the wharf of their harbour, about 115 feet! They were all familiar with whales, which
they had often seen passing at sea, but this was a vast shark. They had seen its terrible head
which was at least as long as the roof on the wharf shed at Nelsons Bay. The sighting was never
repeated and it is impossible to say whether it was a hoax or not.
Putting child-like dreaming aside however, leaves us with the fact that whether or not the huge
Megalodon is alive today is debatable only on theoretical grounds. Despite thousands of giant,
fossilized teeth, no matter how fresh they might be, and this sighting, there is not much to go on.
However, if some shark experts can agree not to completely write off Meg into extinction, and
it does turn up then we will never go deep-sea fishing in anything smaller than an aircraft carrier
ever again.
(30 second gap)
turn to Section 1.
Section 1. You will hear a conversation between an insurance broker and a client.
(20 second gap)
played first.
Man Good morning Madam. Can I help you?
Woman Actually yes. Ive just got a new flat and Im going to move my things in tomorrow and
I havent got any insurance yet for my things. Id like a quotation for my car insurance as well to
see if you can give me a better deal. Its coming up for renewal soon you see.
M Fine. That shouldnt be a problem. Lets just take down some details. First of all, can I have
your name please?
W Of course. Its Mrs. Norma Willis.
M Good. Thats Norman without an N, isnt it?
W Yes, thats right.
So, Norma is the correct answer.
Man Good morning Madam. Can I help you?
Woman Actually yes. Ive just got a new flat and Im going to move my things in tomorrow and
I havent got any insurance yet for my things. Id like a quotation for my car insurance as well to
see if you can give me a better deal. Its coming up for renewal soon you see.
M Fine. That shouldnt be a problem. Lets just take down some details. First of all, can I have
your name please?
W Of course. Its Mrs. Norma Willis.
M Good. Thats Norman without an N, isnt it?

W Yes, thats right.
M And can I have the address that youre moving to please?
W Its Flat 8, Chepping Dene, 23 Dene Road. Westley.
M Can you spell Chepping Dene please?
W Of course. Chepping is spelt C-H-E-P-P-I-N-G and Dene is spelt D-E-N-E. The name of the
road, Dene, is spelt the same way too.
M And whats the postcode there?
W Its WE3 9HT.
M Can I take a telephone number?
W It will have to be only my mobile Im afraid as I havent installed a land line yet. My mobile is
07525 745 642.
M Lets look at the car insurance first quickly. I need the model, age and engine size.
W Its a 4 year old Toyota MR2 sports car. It has a 2 litre engine.
M Will it be parked in a garage, in a drive or in the road?
W At my present address its in the drive but the flat that Im moving into tomorrow has
a garage provided and tenants are not allowed to leave their cars in the visitor spaces so itll
garaged all the time.
M Two more questions. The first is do you have any no claims bonus and the second is do you
have any driving convictions?
W I have three years no claims but I had a claim for a new windscreen this year and I dont
know if that will affect it.
M No. That wont count. The no claims will stand.
W Good. As for convictions I have 3 points for being caught speeding two years ago.
(20 second gap)
M Right. Lets have a look at the household stuff now while the computer is checking rates for
the car. So, what kind of flat is it?
W Its a two bedroom flat.
M Have you bought the flat or are you renting?
W Im just renting it.
M So, you just need some household insurance for your possessions.
W Thats right.
M First of all, can you give me a list of all the things that you want covered by the insurance.
W Yes. First of all theres my electrical goods like my HiFi, TV, DVD player, video player, a
couple of radios, a hair drier, my laptop and printer. Ive estimated all the values of the electrical
goods. There are various DVDs and CDs too. It should come to about 2500.
M Anything else?
W Yes. Theres my jewelry. Ive some necklaces, bracelets, rings and brooches that I
inherited. Theyre all in different metals and with different jewels. Ive got a list itemising them all
here. Ive also got a small strong box which screws into a cupboard so theyre reasonably safe.
M Anything else?
W Well just the usual kitchen stuff and clothes that Id like to be included.
M OK. Thats not a problem. Now I need to ask some things about the flat. What floor is it on?
W Well, I wanted a 1st floor flat but this is a ground floor one. I can use the garden with it
though.
M Hmm. Yes but the premium will be a little higher because of course a burglar finds more it
difficult to enter a flat on the 1st floor.
W Oh. I never thought about that.
M What about safety measures in the flat?
W Well, there are two different keys for the front door and one of them is a dead bolt so thats
quite good. Ive been to the local shop and ordered a burglar alarm too which has a motion
sensor and everything. Its not in yet but it will be soon.
M Thats good.
W The windows are quite new and all double glazed so, like all new windows nowadays, they
have extra locks on them so that makes it quite secure.
M Thats good too. So really its reasonably safe. That will make a difference on the premium.
Do you know if theres a smoke alarm fitted in that flat?
W I never thought of that. I think its the law now if youre renting so there must be.
M Well, thats about it. Lets look now. Ive got two quotes for you. First the car and then the
household. 750 fully comp. for the car or 500 third party, fire and theft. The contents is 100.
W Does the contents cover me if I lose something or Im robbed outside the home?
M As long as its in this country and on the list of items covered, yes.
W Well, Ill keep the old car insurance as my present deal is better and Ill take the contents.
Can I pay by cheque?
M Cash, cheque, credit card. Anything you want.
(30 second gap)
Section 2. You will hear a residence manager giving a short question and answer session to
new residents. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the question and answer session and answer questions 11 to 15.
Simon: Good evening everyone. My name is Simon and I am the manager of this residence.
Most of you here today are new in the town of Westley. Some of you are students at the uni, some
have new jobs and some have other reasons to be with us. When we have lots of new people
staying with us, I do one of these little question and answer sessions so that I can help you settle
in. So, lets get started straight away. Yes, over there.
Margaret: Hi, Im Margaret. Im a student here. I was wondering where I can do my laundry. It
wont be long before this is an urgent thing for me!
Simon: Here in the residence we are planning a little launderette beside reception but this
might take a little time to organise. In the meantime theres a little launderette down the road. Its
in Queens Avenue, the same street that the residence is in. You go about 500 metres up the road
in the opposite direction to the town centre and its on the right. They have plenty of machines and
driers and theres a lady there called Betty who does service washes. You just need to drop it
off and it will be laundered, dried and ironed the next day. Its a bit more expensive of course but
good if youre lazy. Another question?
Jo: Hi. My names Jo. Ive got a new job at the other end of the High Street. I was wondering
which the best bus was to go there.
Simon: The best bus for the centre of town is the 38. That takes you straight to the square.
If you work at the end of the High Street though that still leaves you with about a 10 minute walk.
The 39 goes to the train station which is very near the end of the High Street so thats your
best bet probably. The 39 is good for coming home late at night as well as the station buses go
on later than the other buses. Theres the 35 bus too for getting to the High Street but it goes to
the near end of the High Street and its a good 20 minute walk after getting off. Anyone else? You
there.
Bill: Im a student too. Im new in the area and I have to register for my council tax. Do you know
where I have to go to register?
Simon: Yes. We get lots of people in your situation. You other students need to do this too.
First of all get the information sheet from the Students Union which has lots of guidelines on
registering and the discounts you should get. The Students Union is in Newbolt Street. Im sure
you know that. The actual putting your name on the list though should be done at the Town
Hall which is right next to the Square. Some people are told that you can do it at the police station
but thats just the registration for non UK nationals not the council tax.
(20 second gap)
Now listen to the rest of the short question and answer session and answer questions 16 to
20.
Simon: Any more questions? Come on. Im sure you must have some more.
Jen: Yes. I was wondering what we do in the case of a fire here at the residence.
Simon: Well the first thing to do is to raise the alarm by setting off the electric alarm system.
Then, if the fire is not big, try and use the fire extinguishers that youll find round the residence.
If the fire is in any way large, just get out and go to the assembly point on the front lawn. Try
not to go in the front or back car parks as thats where the fire brigade will set up their stuff. You
dont need to call the fire brigade as our residence alarm is linked up to their system. Make sure
you read the fire notices around so you know where the nearest fire escape is to your room. Dont
panic and rush around. That gets people hurt. Just go briskly to the assembly point. Once every
six months we have a fire drill which is attended by someone from the fire service to make sure
were up to scratch. One of these might be at night so be ready!
Fran: Hi everyone. I just wanted to ask what time the TV room closes for the night. Its just that
my room is just across from it and I dont want to be kept awake all night.
Simon: The usual cut off time for the TV room is 11pm though this is extended by one hour
on Fridays and Saturdays. I know that some people want to watch late night films but then
youll just have to buy your own TVs for your rooms. If you do have a TV in your room, then
please think of others and keep the volume down. We take a very dim view of people disturbing
others in the residence. The same goes for the TV room itself. Just keep the volume levels down.
Anything else from anybody?
Phil: Ive got a question too actually. Ive got a job that will get me back late in the evening and I
wont be always able to eat. Are there any good places nearby that deliver food?
Simon: The quick answer is yes, there are lots of places. There is an Indian nearby, fish and
chips is sold in a shop that is funnily enough run by a Chinese family. There is a good Thai
restaurant, a Mexican and an Italian pizzeria. They all deliver apart from the Mexican but thats
only five minutes walk away. All the telephone numbers are up on the residence notice board. The
first time you order from each of them just ask them to stick a menu into the bag and youll
build up a library in no time. Now, let me tell you about
(30 second gap)
Section 3. You will hear 2 students discussing a seminar report. First you have some time
to look at questions 21 to 25.
(20 second gap)
Now listen carefully to the discussion and answer questions 21 to 25.
Nick Hi Adrian. What are you reading?
Adrian Oh, hi Nick. Its just an article on Australian immigration. Im doing a report on it next
week in a seminar for Dr. Ronaldson.
Nick On immigration! That sounds exciting stuff!
Adrian Yes. Its not really very exciting but there are some interesting bits.
Nick Such as?
Adrian Well, for example did you know that immigration to Australia first started over
50,000 years ago when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived via Indonesia and
New Guinea.
Nick I cant say I did know that the aborigines arrived in that way.
Adrian Exactly. Its not as boring as you might think.
Nick Well, do you want to run through some of your ideas? Im not doing anything right
now.
Adrian That would be great. Thanks.
Nick Fire away then.
Adrian OK. Well, after the aborigines there was obviously a big gap until the next settlers
arrived from London. Europeans began landing in the 1600s and 1700s, and the country was
colonised by Britain in 1788.
Nick Werent the first colonists just criminals transported by Britain?
Adrian Britain certainly used the colony as a place to send their undesirables. The first
colony was formally proclaimed as New South Wales on February 7 and this European
settlement certainly did begin with a troupe of petty criminals, second-rate soldiers and a crew of
sailors.
Nick When did other people start arriving?
Adrian Immigration really sped up after the discovery of gold in Australia. The Gold rush
era, beginning in 1851, led to an enormous expansion in population all through the reign of Queen
Victoria.
Nick And did that continue strongly?
Adrian Not really. After the excitement of the gold rush died down, immigration slowed down
considerably. The popularity of Australia as a place to go and live only really shot up after the
Second World War.
Nick Didnt that cause problems as well?
Adrian Yes. For a country that is well known today for its multi cultural diversity and
tolerance, Australia has had a checkered past. After the Federation of all the Australian states,
the White Australia Policy was created to counteract flows of non whites to Australia and this
policy became even more popular after the population push folowing the war.
Nick How did the policy come about?
Adrian The origin of the policy can be traced backto the 1850s when large numbers of
Chinese immigrated to Australia to look for gold or to set up businesses such as restaurants.
The anglo-australian population resented the Chinese who were undercutting white
labour prices. In response, the newly self-governing colonies introduced restrictions on Chinese
immigration. By 1888 Chinese were excluded from all the Australian colonies, although those
Chinese who were already in Australia were not deported.
Nick And how long did it go on for?
Adrian The effective end of the White Australia policy is usually dated to 1973, when the
Whitlam Labour government implemented a series of amendments preventing the enforcement
of racial aspects of the immigration law. It had been fading for some years though. Under the
1950 Colombo Plan, students from Asian countries were admitted to study at Australian
universities. This trend continued when in 1957 non-whites with 15 years residence in Australia
were allowed to become citizens.

(20 second gap)
Nick Whats immigration like today? I hear a lot about it in the news.
Adrian Yes, its become a very important issue in politics. There are currently two
immigration programs that allow permanent migration to Australia. They are the migration program
and the humanitarian program.
Nick Whats the difference?
Adrian To be accepted into Australia under the migration program, a person must be a
skilled migrant or sponsored by a family member that already lives in Australia. The Department
of Immigration says that the migration program for 2004 - 2005 has 120,000 places available for
migrants, with a strong focus on attracting skilled people and people who agree to live in regional
areas of Australia.
Nick What about the other program? Whats it called again?
Adrian The humanitarian program. Its designed for refugees and others in special
humanitarian need. One component of the humanitarian program is the offshore resettlement
program, which assists people in humanitarian need overseas for whom resettlement in another
country is the only option. The other component is for those people already in Australia who
arrived on temporary visas or in an unauthorised manner, and who claim Australias protection.
The Department of Immigration says that the size of the 2004 and 2005 humanitarian
program is 13,000 places.
Nick What about illegal immigration? Do you know anything about that too?
Adrian Just a bit. Thats what Im working on now. Illegal migrants under Australias
immigration laws are those who enter Australia without authority, overstay visas, work without
appropriate approval or have their visas cancelled. Australias Migration Act in 1958 requires that
all non Australian citizens who are unlawfully in Australia be detained and that, unless they
are given permission to remain in Australia, they must be deported as soon as is practical.
Nick Well. That sounds pretty good. Im sure your presentation will be excellent.
Adrian Thanks. I hope so.
(30 second gap)
Section 4. You will hear part of an earth sciences lecture. First you have some time to look
at questions 31 to 36.
(20 second gap)
Good morning and welcome to this earth sciences lecture. Weve been looking recently at such
phenomena as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic eruptions and other natural occurrences. Today
we are going to look at a lesser known feature of the earth which is known as the super volcano.
As the name implies this is a volcano of a much larger size than what we normally imagine a
volcano to be. The term super volcano has no specifically defined scientific meaning. It is used
to refer to volcanoes that have generated Earths largest volcanic eruptions. As such, a super
volcano would be one that has produced an exceedingly large, catastrophic explosive eruption
and a giant caldera, a caldera being the gigantic crater that the eruption creates. Whereas normal
volcano craters are measured in the hundreds of metres, a caldera can easily be as large as 40
or 50 miles wide. Around the world there are several volcanic areas that can be considered super
volcanoes such as Long Valley in eastern California, Toba in Indonesia and Lake Taupo in New
Zealand. There are also other large calderas in Japan, Indonesia, Scotland and Alaska. Not all the
calderas are active though.
Normal volcanoes are formed by a column of magma, rising from deep within the Earth, erupting
on the surface, and hardening in layers down the sides. This forms the familiar cone-shaped
mountain we associate with volcanoes. Super volcanoes, however, begin life when magma
rises from the Earths mantle to create a boiling reservoir in the Earths crust. This chamber
increases to an enormous size, building up colossal pressure until it finally erupts. An explosion
like this could send ash, dust, and sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere, reflecting the suns rays
and creating a cold wave lasting several years. Crops in many areas would fail and many species
of animals and plants, including humans, would face extinction.
The most recent caldera-forming eruption in the US was about 650 000 years ago in the
north east United States. During that eruption, ground-hugging flows of hot volcanic ash, pumice,
and gases swept across an area of more than 3000 square miles. The eruption also shot a column
of volcanic ash and gases high into Earths stratosphere. This volcanic cloud circled the globe
many times and affected the Earths climate by reducing the intensity of solar radiation reaching
the lower atmosphere and surface. Fine volcanic ash that fell downwind from the eruption site
blanketed much of North America. This ash layer is still preserved in deposits as far away as
Iowa, where it is a few inches thick, and the Gulf of Mexico, where it is recognisable in drill
cores from the sea floor.
(20 second gap)
It is little known that lying underneath one of The United States largest and most picturesque
National Parks, Yellowstone Park, is one of the largest super volcanoes in the world. Volcanic
activity began in the Yellowstone National Park region about 2 million years ago. Magma rising
from deep within the Earth has produced three cataclysmic eruptions more powerful than any in
the worlds recorded history. The first caldera-forming eruption occurred about 2.1 million
years ago. The eruptive blast removed so much magma from its subsurface storage reservoir that
the ground above it collapsed into the magma chamber and left a caldera larger than the state of
Rhode Island. The huge caldera measured as much as 50 miles long, 40 miles wide and hundreds
of meters deep, extending from outside Yellowstone National Park into the central area of the
Park.
Scientists have revealed that Yellowstone Park has been on a regular eruption cycle of 600 000
years. The last eruption was 640 000 years ago so the next is overdue. The next eruption could
be 2 500 times the size of the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. Vulcanologists have been tracking
the movement of magma under the park and have calculated that in parts of Yellowstone the
ground has risen over point seven of a metre this century. This means the magma is rising.
Geologists have called for a taskforce to be set up to consider emergency management in

the event of a massive volcanic eruption, or super-eruption. Experts say such an event would have
a colossal impact on a global scale.
The fallout from a super-eruption could cause a volcanic winter, devastating global agriculture
and causing mass starvation. One past super-eruption struck at Toba in Sumatra 74 000 years ago
and is thought by some to have driven the human race to the edge of extinction. Signs from DNA
suggest human numbers could have dropped to about 10 000, probably as a result of the effects
of climate change. The volcanic winter resulting from a super-eruption could last several years or
decades, depending on the scale of an eruption, and according to recent computer models, could
cause cooling on a global scale by 5 to 10 degrees celsius.
(30 second gap)

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First you have some time to look at questions 1 5.

(20 second gap)

Man Pan Asian Airways. John speaking. Can I help you?

W Kirsty Allen. Thats K-I-R-S-T-Y A-L-L-E-N.

So, Kirsty is the correct answer.

Man Pan Asian Airways. John speaking. Can I help you?

W Kirsty Allen. Thats K-I-R-S-T-Y A-L-L-E-N.

M Right. Ive got that. Now what happened last night?

M Did you report this to anyone last night?

W 48 Windham Road, Richmond.

M Good. Ive got that. Now, your telephone number?

W 0 double 7 54 897 432.

W Oh yes. It was E6.

W Yes, thats right.

(20 second gap)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 6 to 10.

M Can you describe it to me?

W Yes, thats great John. Ill speak to you later. Goodbye.

(30 second gap)

Now turn to section 2.

(20 second gap)

You now have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.

(20 second gap)

Id like now to talk about a few important places on the Campus.

(30 second gap)

Now turn to section 3.

(20 second gap)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

Jane Im going to the same as last year. Volleyball.

John (laughs) Maybe. For a small fee of course.

You now have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

(20 second gap)

Jane Whats that one then?

John Its about the short-term future of third world economies.

Jane Oh no! Theyll take ages.

Jane What about the deadline?

Jane OK. See you then. Bye.

(30 second gap)

Now turn to section 4.

(20 second gap)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

The Containment Boom.

(30 second gap)

First you have some time to look at questions 1 6.

(20 second gap)

Barbara Sunrise Hotel. Good Morning. Barbara speaking.

John Well, Im on a business trip so I only need a single room.

Mr. Griffin is on a business trip so B is the correct answer.

Barbara Sunrise Hotel. Good Morning. Barbara speaking.

John Well, Im on a business trip so I only need a single room.

John Yes please. That would be great.

John John Griffin. Thats J-O-H-N G-R-I-F-F-I-N.

John Yes, thats right.

John Yes, thats right.

John Ah yes. Just the sandwich then.

Barbara No problem. Anything else Mr. Griffin.

John No, thats all. Thank you. See you tonight.

Barbara See you tonight Mr. Griffin. Goodbye.

(20 second gap)

Barbara Err I put him in number 22. Is that OK?

Barbara Oh dear. Im so sorry. I didnt realize.

Barbara How much shall I charge him for the sandwich?

Barbara OK. Thanks Mark.