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SECTION TEST - LISTENING
(Time: 30 minutes)
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Section 1
Script:
Man: Easylet. Good morning. How can I help you? Woman: Hello. I saw your advertisement in the paper and I'm calling to ask about renting a flat. Man: Certainly. What kind of flat had you in mind? Woman: Well, er, I don't know exactly ... I mean, it depends on price, to some extent. Man: OK, now we have properties across the whole range. The average is probably £120 a week. Woman: Oh, I was hoping for something a little cheaper. Man: They start at £90. That's the lowest we have usually. And they go up to £200. Woman: I could manage the lowest figure. Man: An important question is how long you're thinking of staying in the property. We don't do short lets. Woman: I'd want a flat for nine months, perhaps longer. Man: That would be fine. Our contracts are for a standard six months, and that can be extended. Woman: Fine. I'd need to come in and see you? Man: Yes, our office is open from 9 am to 5 pm. Woman: I'd need to come in on Saturday. Man: OK, then we're here between 10 am and 4 pm. We also open on Sunday mornings, until 1 pm. Woman: Saturday is fine. If possible. I'd like to see details of some properties first. Man: We can post you a list. Or you may find it easier to look on the internet. Woman: Oh, yes, I have the address here, thank you. Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. Easylet Accommodation Agency
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6 months
the internet/ internet
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90
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Script:
Man: What else would you like to know? Woman: I wonder what I might need to buy for a flat. What's included in the rent? Man: That depends on the flat, to a certain extent, although some things are standard in all flats. For example, every flat has kitchen equipment provided for your use. Woman: Good. Does that also mean tableware, cups, glasses, plates? Man: In some flats, but not all. Woman: OK. And bathroom towels, sheets, and so on? Man: I don't think any flats have those included. Woman: I can easily buy some. I don't suppose flats come with a TV? Man: In fact they all do - although they may not be the most modern models. Woman: Oh, that's fine. Man: But it's different with the telephone. That's up to you to organise. These days, most people seem just to use their mobile phone. Woman: I can imagine. What extra charges would I get? Is heating extra? Man: Yes, it is, but the water bill is part of the rent, so you don't have to pay for that. Woman: Right, I've noted all that.
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1. Which THREE things are included for free with every property fin rent from Easylet?
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Explain:
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Script:
Man: Are you looking to move into a flat soon? Woman: I hope so, yes. Man: The thing is, we have a few flats at the moment that we'd like to get rented out by the end of the month. Woman: I see. Man: They're all good flats, and at the price you want. There's one in Eastern Towers, one in Granby Mansions and another in Busby Garden. All three are nice blocks of flats. Woman: Could you tell me where they are? I'm at the train station at the moment. Man: Eastern Towers, if you're coming from the station, isn't very far. Cross over City Bridge. Then go left, and where the road divides, you want the right-hand fork. You'll see Eastern Towers on the left side of the road. It's a lovely building, with trees around it. Woman: That sounds nice. What about Granby Mansions? Man: The best way to get there from the station is probably to go down River Road and then cross over Old Bridge. The road bends to the right, round the park, and if you follow along, you'll find it there, on the left side. That's a great location, with lovely views of the park. Woman: Very nice. And you said there was one more? Man: Busby Garden, yes. OK, from the station, cross over City Bridge, keep going through the first crossroads until you come to the second crossroads. Busby Garden will be facing you, over to the right side. It's very convenient for the shops. Woman: Fine. Thank you. Well, I'll see you on Saturday. Label the map below. Where are the following blocks of flats situated?
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1. Eastern Towers
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Explain:
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2. Granby Mansions
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Explain:
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Section 2
Script:
You will hear a man giving a talk to new members of a Wildlife Club in the South of England. Hello, I’m delighted to welcome you to our Wildlife Club, and very pleased that you’re interested in the countryside and the plants and creatures of this area. I think you’ll be surprised at the variety we have here, even though we’re not far from London. I’ll start by telling you about some of the parks and open spaces nearby. One very pleasant place is Halland Common. This has been public land for hundreds of years, and what you’ll find interesting is that the River Ouse, which flows into the sea eighty kilometres away, has its source in the common. There’s an information board about the plants and animals you can see here, and by the way, the common is accessible 24 hours a day. Then there’s Holt Island, which is noted for its great range of trees. In the past willows were grown here commercially for basket-making, and this ancient craft has recently been reintroduced. The island is only open to the public from Friday to Sunday, because it’s quite small, and if there were people around every day, much of the wildlife would keep away. From there it’s just a short walk across the bridge to Longfield Country Park. Longfield has a modern replica of a farm from over two thousand years ago. Children’s activities are often arranged there, like bread-making and face-painting. The park is only open during daylight hours, so bear that in mind if you decide to go there. Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. PARKS AND OPEN SPACES Name of place | Of particular interest | Open | Halland Common | source of River Ouse | 24 hours | Holt Island | many different (1).......... | between Friday and (2)............ | Longfield Country Park | reconstruction of a 2,000-year-old (3).......... with activities for children | daylight hours |
Script:
Longfield Park has a programme of activities throughout the year, and to give you a sample, this is what’s happening in the next few days. On Monday you can learn about herbs, and how they’ve been used over the centuries. You’ll start with a tour of our herb garden, practise the technique of using them as colour dyes for cloth, and listen to an illustrated talk about their use in cooking and medicine. Then on Wednesday you can join local experts to discover the variety of insects and birds that appear in the evening. We keep to a small number of people in the group, so if you want to go you’ll need to phone the park ranger a few days ahead. There’s a small charge, which you should pay when you turn up. I’m sure you’re all keen to help with the practical task of looking after the park, so on Saturday you can join a working party. You’ll have a choice of all sorts of activities, from planting hedges to picking up litter, so you’ll be able to change from one to another when you feel like it. The rangers will be hard at work all day, but do come and join in, even for just a short while. One thing, though, is to make sure you’re wearing something that you don’t mind getting dirty or torn. Choose a correct answer choice to complete each sentence about the Longfield Park.
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1. As part of Monday′s activity, visitors will
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Explain:
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2. For the activity on Wednesday,
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3. For the activity on Saturday, visitors should
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Explain:
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Section 3
Script:
TUTOR: Well, you’ve both been looking at different styles of managing individuals in companies and the workplace. How’s the research going, Philip? PHILIP: Well, I’ve been looking at why individualism, I mean individual differences, are such an important area of management studies. When you think about any organization, be it a family business or a multinational company, they are all fundamentally a group of people working together. But it’s what these individuals contribute to their places of work that makes you realize how important they are. Of course they bring different ideas, but it’s also their attitudes and their experiences of learning. Diversity is important in these areas too. TUTOR: So why do people behave so differently from one another at work? PHILIP: There are lots of reasons but research has shown a lot of it comes down to personality. And the other factor is gender. It’s a well-known fact that men and women do lots of things in different ways, and the workplace is no different. TUTOR: Did you look at the effects of this variation on companies? PHILIP: Yes, I did. On the positive side, exposure to such diversity helps encourage creativity which is generally an asset to a company. But unfortunately individual differences are also the root of conflict between staff and they can lead to difficulties for management, which can sometimes be serious. Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS IN THE WORKPLACE | Individuals bring different: • ideas • (1).................... • learning experiences Work behaviour differences are due to: • personality • (2).................... Effects of diversity on companies: Advantage: diversity develops (3).................... Disadvantage: diversity can cause conflict |
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gender/ sex
attitude/ attitudes
creativity/ creativeness
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Script:
TUTOR: Thanks, Philip. So now I guess the two main things to remember here are to identify individual talent and then to utilize it. So Janice, you were looking at identifying different talents in workers. Do you think this is easy for managers to do? JANICE: Well, currently teamwork is in fashion in the workplace and in my opinion the importance of the individual is generally neglected. What managers should be targeting is those employees who can take the lead in a situation and are not afraid to accept the idea of responsibility. TUTOR: That’s true Janice but unfortunately many managers think the entire notion of encouraging individuality amongst their staff is far too hard. JANICE: Yes, that may be true but I think one of the most important tasks of managers is to consider the needs of the individual on one hand and group co-operation and conformity on the other. It requires creative thinking on the part of management to avoid tension. TUTOR: So Janice, what kind of people do you think companies should be looking for? JANICE: Well, it has to start from the very beginning when companies are looking for new employees. When the personnel department is choosing between applicants they need to look for someone who’s broken the mould and can think for themselves. Instead, people making these decisions often use a range of psychological tests to see if a person is a problem solver, or will do as they’re told. I’m not convinced these qualities are actually the most important. TUTOR: So do you think being a good team player is overrated? JANICE: No, it’s not overrated. You do need to learn the rules and learn them fast. No individual can get around this if you’re working in an organization. TUTOR: So how should managers deal with this? JANICE: Rewards. When an individual demonstrates the behaviour the organisation expects, some kind of incentive can be given. What’s important here is that this happens right at the beginning so new recruits learn the rules of the system immediately. Also the incentive should be something the individual actually wants, and this isn’t always just money. Choose a correct answer choice to complete each sentence.
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1. Janice thinks that employers should encourage workers who are
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2. Janice suggests that managers may find it difficult to
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3. Janice believes employers should look for job applicants who
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Explain:
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4. Janice believes managers should
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Explain:
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Section 4
Script:
Lecturer: Good afternoon, everybody. Today I'll be talking about the issue of waste, which has become an immense problem in today's society. We face huge challenges in terms of reducing its creation in the first place and then in dealing with it when it has been created. Now, the model of nature would be our idea! - a completely cyclical system in which no excess waste is generated that can't be processed by itself. However, we humans have proved, despite our apparent intelligence and ingenuity, quite incapable of achieving this. Where did it all go wrong? We have evidence that in ancient Greece and Rome governments operated municipal waste collection, and a huge Stone Age mound was identified some years ago in Norway as waste disposal, so we can see that people have been generating waste for a very long time indeed. However, during the Dark Ages, sophisticated municipal waste processing disappeared. The medieval answer to waste was to throw it out of the window. But this waste, apart from broken pottery and a few metal objects, was largely organic. This meant, of course, that it was quickly absorbed into the environment by the natural processes of decay. However, many concerned people, such as doctors, claimed that this created health problems, although it wasn't until science produced convincing evidence of the connection between rubbish and disease that governments began to see the importance of dealing with the problem effectively. Unfortunately, their response has remained slower than the generation of waste. It is very hard to deal with waste that won't melt into the environment, as so many of our modern consumer goods won't, and that's why the invention of plastic has caused the worst headache for the environment - it's more than nature can deal with. Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
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Norway
disease
organic
plastic
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Script:
In order to address the root of the problem of waste, we need to think about what has made the quantity of waste accelerate in growth. I'd identify three main reasons. As many countries became industrialised, we saw the advent of mass manufacturing. This has been enormously damaging, as it has greatly increased the amount of things on the planet's surface which don't go away by themselves. Closely related to this is packaging - necessary for transporting things around the world, but then extremely difficult to get rid of properly. And a third aspect to the problem has been disposable goods. We have become accustomed to so many things being to use and then discard that we find it hard to imagine life without them. And yet we spare little thought for where they go when we do discard them. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
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mass manufacturing
disposable goods
packaging
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Script:
Right now, let's move on from where all this waste comes from to what is done with it all now it's here. Different countries deal with waste differently. Of course, each country also changes what it does, so the figures for waste treatment I've got here are likely to change in the future. Let's look at Municipal Solid Waste, or MSW. MSW is important to consider because it's effectively a measurement of consumerism - how much waste people produce that goes beyond the absolute basic requirements in life to eat and drink. One of the main ways of dealing with MSW is incineration - burning it. This is adopted variously around the world. The UK burns relatively little waste, as does the US, while Denmark burns about half of all waste, and Japan uses this method for as much as three quarters. These are broad brush strokes, of course, because an important issue is how efficient and clean the burning process is. Another major form of waste treatment is using landfill sites - basically, burying the waste in the earth. Currently, this method is the dominant process used in the UK at over 80%. and is also heavily used in Germany and in the US, while densely populated and mountainous countries such as Switzerland and Japan dispose of relatively little this way. A third - and much better way of dealing with waste is to recycle it, turning it back into more things we need. It must be said that much depends here on whether further waste is generated by the recycling processes themselves. The UK and Japan have rather poor records in recycling, while Switzerland tops the table in this respect, and reasonably impressive levels are achieved by Denmark and Germany. I really hope that if we all gathered here again ten years from now, these figures would be much higher. Time - and a lot of effort - will tell. Choose the correct answer.
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1. Which country uses the highest proportion of incineration method of waste disposal?
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2. Which country uses the highest proportion of landfill method of waste disposal?
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Explain:
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3. Which country uses the highest proportion of recycling method of waste disposal?
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Explain:
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PARTNERS |
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NEWS |
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