Family Excursions

ANNOUNCER: Section 1. You will hear a man inquiring in a tourist centre about activities suitable for families. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you.

ANNOUNCER: On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.

TC EMPLOYEE: Hi. Can I help you?

VISITOR: I'd like to find out if you have any excursions suitable for families.

TC EMPLOYEE: Sure. How about taking your family for a cruise? We have a steamship that takes passengers out several times a day. It's over 100 years old.

ANNOUNCER: The cruise takes place on a steamship. So steamship has been written in the space.

ANNOUNCER: Now we shall begin. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.

TC EMPLOYEE: Hi. Can I help you?

VISITOR: I'd like to find out if you have any excursions suitable for families.

TC EMPLOYEE: Sure. How about taking your family for a cruise? We have a steamship that takes passengers out several times a day. It's over 100 years old.

VISITOR: That sounds interesting. How long is the trip?

TC EMPLOYEE: About an hour and a half. And don't forget to take pictures of the mountains. They're all around you when you're on the boat.

VISITOR: OK. And I assume there's a cafe or something on board?

TC EMPLOYEE: Sure. How old are your children?

VISITOR: My daughter's 15, and my son's 7.

TC EMPLOYEE: Right. Once you've crossed the lake, there are several things you can do. A popular option is visiting the country farm.

TC EMPLOYEE: The farmer will meet you and take you to the sheep pens. Children enjoy touching the sheep.

VISITOR: My son would love that. He really likes animals.

TC EMPLOYEE: There's also a 40-minute horse trek around the farm. It's suitable for beginners.

VISITOR: That sounds great.

TC EMPLOYEE: Visitors can also explore the farm themselves, as long as they remember to close the gates.

TC EMPLOYEE: There are also beautiful gardens beside the lake. You could easily spend one or two hours there.

VISITOR: And can we get lunch there?

TC EMPLOYEE: Yes, but it’s not included in the ticket price.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.

VISITOR: Is there anything else to do on that side of the lake?

TC EMPLOYEE: Yes. You can take a bike on the ship and ride along a cycling trail called the Back Road.

TC EMPLOYEE: The ride takes about three or four hours. You'll receive a map with your ticket.

VISITOR: Is the trail difficult?

TC EMPLOYEE: It can be quite challenging, so it wouldn't suit your 7-year-old.

VISITOR: My daughter and I could try it. Is there somewhere to rent bikes?

TC EMPLOYEE: Yes, a shop called Ratchesons, near the cruise terminal.

TC EMPLOYEE: You should also take a repair kit, plus snacks and water.

TC EMPLOYEE: And make sure you rent a helmet. The area is very remote with no shops or accommodation.

TC EMPLOYEE: So you must return in time for the last boat.

VISITOR: OK. What about the price?

TC EMPLOYEE: For one adult and one child with the farm tour it’s $117. For cruise only it's $214.

TC EMPLOYEE: Actually, since your daughter is 15, she must pay the adult fare, so the total will be $267.

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

Talk to New Kitchen Assistants

ANNOUNCER: Section 2. You will hear a restaurant manager talking to a group of new staff who are starting work as kitchen assistants in a restaurant. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

JOY PARKINS: Good morning everyone. My name’s Joy Parkins, and I’m the restaurant manager. I understand that none of you have had any previous experience as kitchen assistants.

JOY PARKINS: You might be feeling a bit nervous now, but most of our kitchen assistants say they really enjoy the work. They may sometimes get shouted at, but it’s nothing personal.

JOY PARKINS: One reason people enjoy the job is that there are many different tasks, so they never get bored. If you do well, we might consider giving you more responsibility later.

JOY PARKINS: First, I’m pleased to see you all arrived on time. Also, none of you are wearing unsuitable footwear, which is important because the floors can become wet and slippery.

JOY PARKINS: Those of you with long hair have tied it back, which is good. Some of you also need to remove rings and bracelets. These can be a safety hazard, so please leave them at home tomorrow.

JOY PARKINS: Today will be very busy. We have no tables available this evening and only a few for lunch.

JOY PARKINS: Fortunately our head chef has returned. He was on holiday last week, so the other chefs had to do extra work.

JOY PARKINS: Now some important regulations. There is equipment you must not use until you have been properly trained. For example, the waste disposal system.

JOY PARKINS: I believe two of you are under 18 — Emma and Jake. For you two, the meat slicer is not allowed.

JOY PARKINS: Also, none of you may use the electric mixer until you have been shown how it works.

JOY PARKINS: The job can sometimes be stressful. During the first week you will work 8 hours per day, but after that you may have the chance to do overtime.

JOY PARKINS: You will have a break in the middle of your shift. However, you will spend most of the day standing, lifting and carrying.

JOY PARKINS: When someone gives you instructions, you must do the task immediately. The good news is that we have a very efficient air-conditioning system.

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

JOY PARKINS: Now I’ll introduce some of the staff members you need to know.

JOY PARKINS: As I said earlier, I’m Joy Parkins, and I decide who does which tasks and how long each person works.

JOY PARKINS: One important person is David Field. If you injure yourself, even slightly, you must report it to him. He will record the incident and provide basic treatment.

JOY PARKINS: Next is Dexter Wills. If you break or smash something like a plate, report it to him immediately.

JOY PARKINS: Finally, there is Mike Smith. He is responsible for the perishable food stores. If supplies such as flour or sugar are running low, inform him so he can order more.

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

Paper on Public Libraries

ANNOUNCER: Section 3. You will hear two students called Trudie and Stewart, who are both studying to be librarians, discussing a paper they are going to write together. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 23. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 23.

TRUDIE: OK, Stewart, we need to start planning our paper on public libraries. Have you thought of an angle yet?

STEWART: Well, there’s so much we could investigate. For example, how libraries have changed over the centuries, or how different countries organize them. What do you think?

TRUDIE: Maybe we should concentrate on this country and relate the changes in libraries to external developments. For example, far more people can read nowadays, and many communities speak different languages.

STEWART: We could also include something about changes in funding.

TRUDIE: Yes, but since this is only a short paper, we probably shouldn’t go into funding in too much detail.

STEWART: Right, shall we brainstorm some ideas?

TRUDIE: We definitely need to consider the impact of new technology, especially the internet. Many books are now digitalized, so people can access them at home.

STEWART: If everyone did that, libraries might become obsolete.

TRUDIE: That’s true, but most free online books are out of copyright. Copyright here lasts 70 years after the author’s death, so the newest books are usually unavailable.

STEWART: Good point.

TRUDIE: Personally, I prefer reading a physical book. I find it hard to concentrate on a scree .

STEWART: I actually prefer reading digitally. I guess it’s just personal preference.

TRUDIE: Libraries are also becoming community centres, where local clubs and groups meet.

STEWART: I hope that continues, but I worry that libraries might eventually just contain rows of computers instead of books.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 24 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 24 to 30.

TRUDIE: I’ve just had an idea. Why don’t we do an in-depth study of our local public library?

STEWART: That’s a good idea. We could interview the staff and ask whether the library has its own budget or if it’s controlled by the local council.

TRUDIE: And we could ask about library policies. For example, I know they ban food, but I’m curious about what kinds of noise are allowed.

STEWART: Yes, that’s interesting.

TRUDIE: Another area could be employment laws, like staff working hours and facilities.

TRUDIE: We should also look at the design of the building and how the library ensures customer safety, such as non-slippery floors and emergency exits.

STEWART: And we could investigate the library’s insurance in case someone gets injured.

STEWART: I’m also curious about the archive of local newspapers. Next to it there’s the diary of a 19th-century politicia . I wonder what his connectio with the area was.

TRUDIE: Good question. Let’s add that to our list.

TRUDIE: Another thing: people often ask about local organizations like sports clubs. I wonder if the library keeps a database or simply searches online.

STEWART: I’d also like to compare a public library with a library that belongs to a museum. They must operate quite differently.

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

Four Business Values

ANNOUNCER: Section 4. You will hear part of a lecture for business students about business values. You have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: In public discussions of business, we often take certain values for granted. Today I’m going to talk about four of them: collaboratio , hard work, creativity, and excellence. Most people would say these are all positive ideas. However, I’m going to suggest that this is an over-simple view.

The problem with these values is that they are often theoretical concepts, removed from the reality of day-to-day business. Companies may pursue these values with good intentions, but sometimes they create unexpected negative consequences. Business leaders usually try to do the right thing, but if they don’t understand the side effects of these values, their decisions may backfire.

Let’s begin with collaboratio . I once attended a management training course where teams had to build a bridge across a stream using blocks. The rule was that every team member had to move at least one block. The idea was to encourage teamwork. But in reality, the task was better suited to one skilled perso . Most teams tried to collaborate and ended up in confusio . Our team leader solved the problem by asking everyone to move a block slightly to satisfy the rule, and then letting the most capable person build the bridge alone. We finished before any other team.

This shows that some tasks are simply not suitable for teamwork. Collaboration can also lead to inconsistency. For example, a company once launched a smartphone. One director wanted to target business customers, while another wanted it aimed at consumers. The company tried to satisfy both. The phone had a consumer-friendly name but was marketed to businesses. As a result, it satisfied neither group.

Now let’s consider hard work. Hard work is usually seen as a positive quality, but it must be properly directed. Otherwise it simply wastes a company’s most valuable resources: time and energy. A well-known management model categorizes people as clever, hard-working, stupid, and lazy. Here, “lazy” does not mean avoiding work. It means avoiding unnecessary tasks. The most valuable employees are those who are both clever and lazy. They think carefully and find efficient solutions instead of wasting time.

Next is creativity. Creativity can be very powerful. For example, a memorable TV commercial may increase product sales. However, creativity sometimes fails to achieve its real purpose. In one case, an advertising campaign for a chocolate bar was very creative. Many people remembered the advertisement, but they couldn’t remember what product it promoted. Creativity must therefore be focused on solving real problems, not simply producing new ideas.

Finally, let’s talk about excellence. Many companies claim they aim for excellence, but achieving it often takes a long time. In business, being first in the market can be more profitable than producing the best product. A major study comparing pioneers (companies that launch the first product) with followers (companies that improve the product later) showed that pioneers gained an average market share of 29%, while followers achieved only about 13%.

This suggests that insisting on perfectio can slow companies down and cause them to miss opportunities. Sometimes, simply getting started quickly is more effective than waiting to achieve excellence.

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