ANNOUNCER: Section 1. You will hear an estate agent talking to a customer who wants to rent a house. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 8. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

WOMAN: Good morning. How can I help you?

MAN: Hello. I'm interested in renting a house somewhere in the town.

WOMAN: Right. Could I have your name, please?

MAN: Yes, it's Steven Godfrey.

ANNOUNCER: The number of bedrooms needed is four, so 4 has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 8.

WOMAN: Good morning. How can I help you?

MAN: Hello. I'm interested in renting a house somewhere in the tow .

WOMAN: Right. Could I have your name, please?

MAN: Yes, it's Steven Godfrey.

WOMAN: And tell me how many bedrooms you're looking for.

MAN: Well, we'd need four, because I'm going to share the house with three friends.

WOMAN: OK, there are several houses of that size on our books. They mostly belong to families who are working abroad at the moment. What about the locatio ?

MAN: It would be nice to be central.

WOMAN: That might be difficult, because most houses of that size are in the suburbs. Still, there are a few. What's your upper limit for the rent?

MAN: We'd like something around £500 a month, but we could go up to £600 if necessary. But we can't go beyond that.

WOMAN: Do you know how long you want to rent the house for? The minimum let is six months.

MAN: We're at college here for two years, and we'd prefer not to move during that time.

WOMAN: Right. And how soon do you want to move i ? All our lets start on the first of the month.

MAN: As soon as possible really. So that means September 1st.

WOMAN: OK. Let me check what we have available. We have photographs of all the houses so you can see what they look like.

WOMAN: Here's one in Oakington Avenue. The rent is £550 a month. It has a combined living room and dining room and a separate kitche . However, it does not have a garage.

MAN: We'd prefer to have one if possible.

WOMAN: In that case, look at this house in Mead Street. It has a very large living room, kitche , bathroom, and a cloakroom.

MAN: How much is it?

WOMAN: That one is £580. It's very well furnished and has plenty of parking space. There's also a large garde .

MAN: I don't think we could manage the garden. We'll be too busy to look after it.

WOMAN: OK. Here's another house in Hamilton Road. It has a living room, kitchen diner, and a study. The rent is £550.

MAN: That looks nice, but which part of Hamilton Road?

WOMAN: Towards the western end.

MAN: That area is very noisy. I know it.

WOMAN: Yes, it's quite lively. Some people like that though.

WOMAN: Now look at this one in Devon Close.

MAN: That looks lovely.

WOMAN: Houses there are usually quite expensive, but this one hasn't been decorated for a few years, which keeps the rent down. It has a living room, dining room, and a small kitche . The rent is £595.

MAN: That sounds fine.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 9 and 10. Now listen and answer questions 9 and 10.

MAN: Why is that part of town so popular?

WOMAN: There's a big development scheme planned for the district, so it will soon have excellent facilities.

MAN: What sort of facilities?

WOMAN: A large sports centre is under construction. The swimming pool has already opened.

MAN: What about cinemas?

WOMAN: The old cinema closed last year and is being turned into a film museum. Local residents are trying to include a new cinema in the development.

MAN: I heard something about a plan to replace the concert hall.

WOMAN: Yes, construction for a larger concert hall will start next year.

MAN: It sounds like an interesting place to live. Could I view the house?

WOMAN: Yes, of course.

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

ANNOUNCER: Section 2. You will hear a man talking on the radio about a national arts centre. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

DAVE GREEN: Hello and welcome to Focus on the Arts. I'm your host Dave Gree , and this is your local radio programme.

DAVE GREEN: Every Friday evening, we highlight different arts and culture facilities and discuss the shows and events available in the coming week.

DAVE GREEN: Today we are focusing on the National Arts Centre.

DAVE GREEN: The centre is famous worldwide as one of the major venues for classical music.

DAVE GREEN: However, it is much more than just a place for concerts.

DAVE GREEN: The centre is a huge arts complex with many facilities under one roof.

DAVE GREEN: It contains concert halls, theatres, cinemas, art galleries, and a public library.

DAVE GREEN: There are also several service facilities, including three restaurants and a bookshop.

DAVE GREEN: Because of this, the range of entertainment options available at the centre is enormous.

DAVE GREEN: You may wonder how such a large arts centre was built in the city centre.

DAVE GREEN: The area had been completely destroyed by bombing during the war in 1940.

DAVE GREEN: Later, it was decided that the area should become a major cultural centre, described as the “City’s Gift to the Nation.”

DAVE GREEN: The project was planned in the 1960s, built in the 1970s, and finally opened in 1983.

DAVE GREEN: Since then, the centre has become a great success.

DAVE GREEN: Unlike many arts centres, it is not privately owned.

DAVE GREEN: It is run by the City Council.

DAVE GREEN: Both the National Symphony Orchestra and the National Theatre Company were involved in planning the centre.

DAVE GREEN: They are now based at the centre and perform there regularly.

DAVE GREEN: The centre is open 363 days a year, offering many performances and events.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the broadcast, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

DAVE GREEN: Let me highlight some of the star attractions for next week.

DAVE GREEN: For lovers of classical music, we recommend Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.

DAVE GREEN: It will be performed on Monday and Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm.

DAVE GREEN: The performance will take place in the Garden Hall.

DAVE GREEN: Tickets start from just £8.

DAVE GREEN: For cinema fans, there is a new Canadian film called Three Lives.

DAVE GREEN: It will be shown on Wednesday evening at 8 pm in Cinema 2.

DAVE GREEN: Tickets cost £4.50, reduced from the usual £5.50.

DAVE GREEN: The centre’s main attraction next week is an art exhibitio .

DAVE GREEN: It is called Faces of China.

DAVE GREEN: The exhibition features paintings and sculptures by leading Chinese artists.

DAVE GREEN: It will be displayed in Gallery 1.

DAVE GREEN: The exhibition runs on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.

DAVE GREEN: The best part is that entry is free.

DAVE GREEN: So why not visit the National Arts Centre next week and enjoy one or more of these events?

DAVE GREEN: You can also collect a programme to see the full schedule of performances and exhibitions.

DAVE GREEN: Next week on the programme we will explore the new Museum of Science.

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

Paul's South American Experience and University Module Choices

ANNOUNCER: Section 3. You will hear a university tutor and a student called Paul discussing Paul's work experience in South America and his Latin American Studies course. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

WOMAN: I've been reading your personal statement, Paul. First, let's talk about your work experience in South America. What took you there? Was it to improve your Spanish fluency?

PAUL: Well, since I'm combining Spanish with Latin American Studies, my main aim was to learn more about how people live there. My spoken Spanish was already quite good.

WOMAN: So you weren't worried about language barriers?

PAUL: No. In fact, I ended up teaching English, although that wasn't my original plan.

WOMAN: How did you find the opportunity?

PAUL: I found an agency that organizes voluntary projects in South America.

WOMAN: What kinds of work were available?

PAUL: There were several options like construction projects, tourism activities, and working with local farmers.

WOMAN: And which one did you choose?

PAUL: I chose tourism work, guiding tourists on walks around volcanoes.

WOMAN: But you didn’t stay with that project?

PAUL: No, because I wasn’t sure if my help was actually needed regularly. I wanted something more structured, otherwise I lose motivation.

WOMAN: What did you learn from the experience?

PAUL: At first it was difficult to be accepted by the locals. It was a very remote village, and some people were hesitant to talk to me.

PAUL: They were curious about my clothes and how much they cost.

WOMAN: That’s understandable.

PAUL: Yes, but after some time they became more comfortable, and we were able to connect meaningfully.

WOMAN: Did you make friends?

PAUL: Yes, especially with two local families.

WOMAN: Did you have a project manager?

PAUL: Yes. He gave me plenty of guidance and advice.

WOMAN: Was he good at managing?

PAUL: Not really. He was more interested in the academic side than administratio
. He was a bit of a dreamer.

WOMAN: Did you have a contract?

PAUL: Yes. The minimum stay was three months, but I stayed for six months because I enjoyed it so much.

WOMAN: What about food and accommodatio
?

PAUL: Very simple, but there was plenty to eat. I paid only $7 a day.

PAUL: They even provided all the equipment I needed, including a laptop.

WOMAN: You didn't expect that?

PAUL: No, I didn’t.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

WOMAN: Now let’s discuss your course modules. The first one is Gender Studies in Latin America.

WOMAN: It explores how gender analysis is changing civil society, with more women taking government and leadership roles.

PAUL: I would prefer something focused on village communities rather than public life.

WOMAN: OK. What about Second Language Acquisitio
?

PAUL: Would that be useful for me?

WOMAN: Yes, since you already have practical teaching experience.

PAUL: That makes sense. I'll definitely choose that one.

WOMAN: Another option is Indigenous Women's Lives.

PAUL: I was interested, but the exam questions from last year discouraged me.

WOMAN: Don't judge the course just by the exam questions. Maybe talk to other students first.

WOMAN: Finally, would you like to take Portuguese lessons?

PAUL: My Spanish is strong. Would Portuguese be easy?

WOMAN: Not necessarily. Sometimes Spanish can interfere with learning Portuguese, especially the accent.

PAUL: In that case, I would rather choose a different module.

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

ANNOUNCER: Section 4. You will hear a lecture about success in business systems. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Good morning everyone. In the last few lectures, I've been discussing business finance, but now I'm moving on to business systems.

SPEAKER: Today I will explain what can go wrong when businesses try to copy their own successful practices.

SPEAKER: When a company successfully introduces a new process, such as managing a branch bank or selling a new product, the parent organization naturally wants to repeat that success on a larger scale.

SPEAKER: The aim is to use existing knowledge rather than creating new knowledge.

SPEAKER: This activity is less glamorous than innovatio , but it actually happens much more often.

SPEAKER: However, surprisingly, getting things right the second time is not necessarily easier than the first.

SPEAKER: Many studies have examined how companies try to repeat previous successes.

SPEAKER: This research has been conducted across many industries including banks, retail stores, real estate agencies, factories, and call centres.

SPEAKER: Yet the majority of attempts to replicate success actually fail.

SPEAKER: One reason for failure is placing too much trust in experts who run the successful operation.

SPEAKER: Managers often begin by consulting an expert, such as the manager of a successful department store, and asking for advice.

SPEAKER: This can help provide a basic understanding of the system.

SPEAKER: However, even experts do not fully understand complex systems.

SPEAKER: The different parts of the system are interconnected, making it difficult to identify every detail.

SPEAKER: Experts often lack access to all the necessary informatio .

SPEAKER: In addition, experts may not even realize what they do not know.

SPEAKER: Some aspects of the system are invisible to managers.

SPEAKER: Other elements are learned through practical experience and are difficult to describe clearly.

SPEAKER: Some actions are performed automatically by workers without them even being aware of it.

SPEAKER: Managers also make mistakes when trying to duplicate a system.

SPEAKER: One mistake is trying to improve the system rather than simply copying it.

SPEAKER: Another mistake is combining the best elements from several systems to create a supposedly perfect model.

SPEAKER: Unfortunately, these attempts often cause serious problems.

SPEAKER: Sometimes the information used to make improvements is simply inaccurate.

SPEAKER: In other cases the business environments are not comparable.

SPEAKER: Often the advantages of changes are visible, but the disadvantages are overlooked.

SPEAKER: For example, a modification might even reduce safety.

SPEAKER: So what is the solution?

SPEAKER: The main issue is not the difficulty of the task but the attitude of managers.

SPEAKER: Managers must become more realistic and cautious.

SPEAKER: They must also apply strict controls to organizational and operational systems.

SPEAKER: This means copying the original system as closely as possible.

SPEAKER: Not only the physical structure of the organization should be duplicated.

SPEAKER: The skills and expertise of the original employees must also be reproduced.

SPEAKER: Following a clear template provides an important advantage — consistent results.

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