Events during Kenton Festival

ANNOUNCER: Section 1. You will hear a woman phoning a box office to ask about a festival in the town of Kento . First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

MAN: Good morning, Kenton Festival box office. How can I help you?

WOMAN: Oh, good morning. I'm coming to Kenton for a few days' holiday next month, and a friend told me there's a festival. She gave me this number to find out about it.

MAN: That's right. The festival begins on the 16th of May and goes on till the 19th.

WOMAN: Oh, that's great. I'll be there from the 15th till the 19th.

ANNOUNCER: The festival starts on the 16th of May, so 16th has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

MAN: Good morning, Kenton Festival box office. How can I help you?

WOMAN: Oh, good morning. I'm coming to Kenton for a few days' holiday next month, and a friend told me there's a festival. She gave me this number to find out about it.

MAN: That's right. The festival begins on the 16th of May, and goes on till the 19th.

WOMAN: Oh, that's great. I'll be there from the 15th till the 19th. Could you tell me the programme please?

MAN: On the first day there’s the opening ceremony in the town centre. People start gathering around 2:00 pm to get a good place to watch. The events start at 2:45 pm and finish about 5:30 pm.

WOMAN: OK, thanks. I'll make sure I get there early.

MAN: The festival will be officially opened by the mayor. He’ll give a short welcome speech. All the town councillors will be there too.

MAN: Then there will be a performance by a band. In previous years we had a children’s choir, but this year the local army cadets will perform.

MAN: After that, a community group will perform a short play. It’s about Helen Tungate.

WOMAN: Yes, I know her. She was a scientist.

MAN: That’s right. She was born in Kenton exactly 100 years ago, so we’re celebrating her centenary.

MAN: Later, at sunset, there will be a firework display. The best place to watch is from the park, because the fireworks are set off from the other side of the river.

WOMAN: That sounds wonderful.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10.

WOMAN: And what’s happening on the other days?

MAN: There are several events throughout the festival. For example, students from the art college have made some videos about relationships between children and grandparents.

MAN: Because the college is being used for classes, the videos will be shown in Handsworth House, which is near the Town Hall.

WOMAN: Are there any ballet performances?

MAN: No ballet, I'm afraid. But there will be demonstrations of traditional dances from around the country. These will take place in the open market in the town centre at 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm every afternoon, except the first day.

WOMAN: That sounds lovely.

MAN: There will also be several concerts — three by professional musicians and one by local childre . The concert will be held in the library in Part Street on the 18th at 6:30 pm.

WOMAN: Do I need tickets?

MAN: Yes. You can book online, or buy them when you arrive in Kenton at the festival box office or at shops displaying the festival logo.

WOMAN: That sounds great. Thank you very much for your help.

MAN: You're welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay in Kenton.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Theatre Trip to Munich

ANNOUNCER: Section 2. You will hear a man talking to a group of people about a tour of theatres in the city of Munich in Germany that he has arranged for them. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.

SPEAKER: Right, I've now almost succeeded in finalizing plans for our tour, so I'll bring you up to date with what I know. As you know, we're flying to Munich on Monday the 4th. The flight is at 11:30, so it's too early to have lunch at the airport. I suggest we meet there for coffee at 10, which should give us plenty of time for breakfast before we leave home.

When we arrive in Munich, we'll be met at the airport by Claus Bauer. Claus works for a tour operator, and he'll look after us during our stay in Germany. He's already liaised with the managers of the theatres we're going to visit, and he's also arranged for an officer of the National Theatre in Munich to show us around one afternoon.

Last time we discussed this trip, I didn’t have the precise cost of the hotel rooms. The normal rate is €150 per night for a double room. I had hoped to reduce that to €120, but in fact I managed to negotiate a rate of €110. This will be reflected in the final payment, which you’ll need to make by the end of this week.

On Tuesday, the day after our arrival, I had hoped we could watch a rehearsal at one of the theatres, but unfortunately that proved difficult to arrange. Instead, we’ll take a coach trip to one of the mountain castles south of Munich.

On Tuesday evening, we’ll all have dinner together in a restaurant near our hotel. Some of you suggested an Italian restaurant, but I decided to book a Lebanese restaurant because we can easily eat Italian food back home.

On Wednesday afternoo , the director of the play we’ll see that evening will talk to us at the theatre. She’ll explain the whole production process, including how she selected the actors and how she worked with the playwright.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.

SPEAKER: Now I'd like to mention a few details about the plays we’re going to see, as this might affect what clothes you decide to pack.

The play on Wednesday evening is a modern productio , and we’ll be attending the premiere. It will be quite a formal occasio , although you don't have to dress too formally. I understand it’s a multimedia productio with impressive lighting effects and electronic music. Unfortunately, the playwright is ill and probably won’t attend.

On Thursday, we’ll see a play first performed last year. It was originally commissioned to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of a famous scientist from the town.

On Friday, the play will be performed in the garden of a palace. It’s a beautiful location, but there may be strong winds, so choose your clothes carefully.

On Saturday, we’ll travel by coach to a theatre in another town near Munich. This performance marks the opening of a drama festival. The mayor and other local dignitaries will attend, and after the performance there will be a receptio with a band playing traditional regional music.

After a day off on Sunday, our final play will take place on Monday in the beautiful Old Town Hall, which dates back to the 14th century. The performance celebrates the 50-year stage career of the lead actor, and the play is the same one in which he made his first professional appearance.

The day after that, we’ll be flying home.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Scandinavian Studies

ANNOUNCER: Section 3. You will hear James, who is in the Scandinavian Studies department at his university, talking to his tutor Beth. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

BETH: Oh, good morning. You must be James. I'm Beth Cartwright. Please call me Beth.

JAMES: Thank you.

BETH: Now, as this is your first tutorial since you started the Scandinavian Studies course, I'd like to find out a bit about you. Why did you decide to take this course?

JAMES: Well, my mother is Danish, and although we always lived in England, she used to talk about her home a lot. That made me want to visit Denmark. We hardly ever went there though, because my mother usually travelled alone.

JAMES: But whenever her relatives or friends came to England, they always came to visit us.

BETH: I see. So I assume you already speak Danish, which is one of the languages you'll be studying.

JAMES: I can manage basic conversations, although I'm not very accurate.

BETH: As you probably know, you'll spend the third year abroad. Have you thought about where you'd like to go?

JAMES: Yes, I'm really looking forward to it. Although Denmark seems the obvious place because of my family, I'd really love to spend that year in Iceland.

BETH: I'm sure that can be arranged. Do you have any plans after you graduate? Many students continue with a master's degree.

JAMES: I think the four-year undergraduate course will be enough for me. I'm interested in journalism, and I'd quite like to move to Scandinavia and write for magazines. That seems more creative than translatio , which many graduates do.

BETH: OK. How are you finding the courses this term?

JAMES: I'm really enjoying the course on Swedish cinema.

BETH: That course will continue next term, but the one on Scandinavian literature will be replaced by more specialized options. By the way, there will also be a course on Danish television programmes the term after next.

JAMES: That sounds interesting.

BETH: Have you started thinking about the literature paper you need to write?

JAMES: Yes. My first idea was to write about the Icelandic sagas.

BETH: The problem is that many students choose that topic, so the books are often difficult to obtain. Perhaps you should choose something else.

JAMES: OK.

BETH: You might find modern novels or 19th-century playwrights interesting.

JAMES: I've read several plays in translation, so that sounds like a good topic.

BETH: Good. I'll register that topic for you.

JAMES: What should I aim to do in the paper?

BETH: First, avoid focusing too closely on just one writer. Instead, try to understand the literature in the context of the society where it was produced — who it was written for, how it was published, and so on.

BETH: That approach is usually more productive than simply placing it in the history of the genre.

JAMES: OK, that makes sense.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

JAMES: Could I ask for some advice about the paper I'm writing about the Vikings? I'm a bit stuck.

BETH: Of course. Have you decided on a specific topic yet?

JAMES: Not yet. There are so many possibilities — Viking settlements, trade, or mythology.

BETH: I suggest you read an assignment written by a student last year. It's in the library. It's short and well focused, and it may give you useful ideas.

JAMES: OK.

JAMES: I also have a DVD of a recent film about the Vikings. Should I watch that again?

BETH: If it's the one I'm thinking of, I'd ignore it. It's more fantasy than reality. However, I have a recording of a documentary that you should watch. It raises some interesting ideas.

JAMES: OK. After that, should I make an outline?

BETH: Yes. Start with headings for each section. Then look for suitable articles and books, and take notes organized under those headings.

BETH: Add short bullet points under each heading, and make sure the structure flows logically before writing the full paper.

JAMES: OK, thanks. That's really helpful.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Conflict at Work

ANNOUNCER: Section 4. You will hear part of a lecture about conflict at work, given by a business studies lecturer. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Over the years, attitudes towards workers have changed considerably. There was a time when workers had no rights and worked in terrible conditions. Although conditions have improved, conflict in the workplace is still common. Today, human resources managers need the skills to deal with these situations.

Workplace conflict refers to a wide range of behaviours that the victim finds unacceptable. These behaviours can range from minor arguments to physical violence. Much of this behaviour falls under the term bullying. Bullying usually involves one or more people behaving aggressively or abusively toward someone who is in a weaker positio .

However, not all workplace conflict can be described as bullying. There are many reasons why conflict occurs. Sometimes a person wants to show superiority over others to avoid feeling that they are at the lowest level in a hierarchy. In other situations, conflict arises because of personality differences. For example, an optimistic employee might struggle to work with a colleague who is constantly pessimistic.

Another cause of conflict is when employees focus more on promoting their own team than on supporting the organization as a whole. These are known as structural conflicts. For example, members of a sales team might believe that they contribute more to the company than administrative staff, which can lead to tension.

Workplace conflict has serious consequences. It can create stress for the individuals involved and may cause employees to take long periods of absence from work. If companies fail to address conflict, the situation can escalate and may even threaten the survival of the business.

Research into chief executives (CEOs) shows that some of them have a combination of two traits: strong confidence and high anxiety. They believe they are capable of great achievements but also worry about failing to meet targets. Because of this, they may react negatively when someone questions their decisions.

In high-pressure workplaces, disagreements about strategy and the future direction of the company can create serious conflict. Different leaders may have competing visions for the organization.

You might assume that autocratic management, where the leader makes all the decisions, would lead to the most conflict. Interestingly, organizations with a more democratic structure sometimes experience greater conflict. This happens when employees are uncertain about reporting lines and receive conflicting instructions.

Ideally, companies should try to prevent conflict before it develops. Good managers build respectful relationships with their teams. This includes communicating politely and treating employees as equals, even if they have different roles.

If conflict becomes serious, the human resources department often becomes involved. However, if one side believes that HR only represents the chief executive, it may be necessary to bring in an external mediator. Because mediators are independent, they can speak to both sides, establish the facts, and provide balanced feedback that both parties are more likely to accept.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers.