Flanders Conference Hotel

ANNOUNCER: Section 1. You will hear a man phoning the customer services manager of a hotel to get information about holding a conference there. 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. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first.

ANGELA: Hello, Flanders conference hotel.

MAN: Oh, hi, I wanted to ask about conference facilities at the hotel. Have I come through to the right person?

ANGELA: Hmm. You have. I'm the customer services manager. My name's Angela.

ANNOUNCER: The name of the customer services manager is Angela. So Angela 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 5.

ANGELA: Hello, Flanders conference hotel.

MAN: Oh, hi, I wanted to ask about conference facilities at the hotel. Have I come through to the right person?

ANGELA: Hmm. You have. I'm the customer services manager. My name's Angela. So, how can I help you?

MAN: Well, I'm calling from Barrett and Stansons. We're a medical company based in Perth.

ANGELA: Oh, yes.

MAN: And we're organizing a conference for our clients to be held in Sydney. It'll be held over two days, and we're expecting about 50 or 60 people.

ANGELA: When were you thinking of having it?

MAN: Sometime early next year, like the end of January. It would have to be a weekend.

ANGELA: Let me see. Our conference facilities are already booked for the weekend beginning January the 28th. We could do the first weekend in February.

MAN: How about January the 21st?

ANGELA: I'm afraid that's booked too.

MAN: Well, let's go for the February date then.

ANGELA: So that's the weekend beginning the 4th.

MAN: OK. Now can you tell me a bit about what conference facilities you have?

ANGELA: Sure. For talks and presentations we have the Tesla room. 1

MAN: Sorry?

ANGELA: Tesla – that's spelled TESLA. It holds up to 100 people and it's fully equipped with a projector.

MAN: How about a microphone? 2

ANGELA: Yes, that'll be set up ready for you, and there will also be one for the audience to ask questions. 2

MAN: Fine. We'll also need some sort of open area where people can sit and have coffee, and we'd like to have an exhibition of our products and services there. 3

ANGELA: That's fine. There's a central atrium with all those facilities, and you can come early to set everything up.

MAN: Great. And I presume there's wifi? 4

ANGELA: Yes, that's free and available throughout the hotel. 4

ANGELA: Would you also like us to provide a buffet lunch?

MAN: What sort of price are we looking at?

ANGELA: I can send you a copy of the standard menu. That's $45 per person, or you can have the special for $25 more. 5

MAN: I think the standard should be OK, but yes, send me the menu.

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

MAN: Now we're also going to need accommodation on the Saturday night for some participants. Probably about 25 or so. What do you charge for a room?

ANGELA: For conference attendees we offer a 25% reductio , so the price is $135. 6

ANGELA: Normally a standard room costs $180.

MAN: And does that include breakfast?

ANGELA: Yes, and guests can use all the other facilities like the spa and the rooftop pool. 7

MAN: What about transport links?

ANGELA: The hotel is about 12 km from the airport, and we provide a complimentary shuttle bus. It's also about 10 minutes’ walk from Central Railway Station. 8

MAN: Can you tell me where exactly the hotel is?

ANGELA: It's downtown on Wilby Street, which is close to the sea. 9

ANGELA: There are also many restaurants and clubs nearby if your guests want to go out in the evening. 10

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

An Introduction to Volunteering and Its Impact

ANNOUNCER: Section 2. You will hear a woman talking to a group of college students about volunteering to help other people. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Good morning, my name's Lucy Crittenden, and I'm the director of operations for an organization that arranges volunteering in this part of the country.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: I'm hoping I can persuade one or two of you to become volunteers yourselves.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Let me start by briefly explaining what we mean by volunteering. Volunteers are teenagers and adults who choose to spend some time unpaid helping other people in some way.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Most volunteers devote about two or three hours to this every week, though a few do much more.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: The people they help may have physical or behavioral difficulties, for example.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Volunteers can do all sorts of things depending on their abilities and interests.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: For example, if they support a family that is struggling, they may give advice on cooking, planning a budget, or shopping sensibly on their income.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: They might even do some painting or wallpapering, perhaps alongside members of the family who are able to help. 11

LUCY CRITTENDEN: They may also do some babysitting, allowing the parents to go out for a while. 12

LUCY CRITTENDEN: The benefit of volunteering is not only for the people receiving help. Volunteers gain from it as well.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Many volunteers say that their work gives them a real sense of purpose in their lives. 13

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Volunteering can also be a valuable part of a person's CV when applying for jobs, as employers often look favorably on those who have helped others. 14

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Now I'd like to tell you what some of our volunteers have said about their work, to give you an idea of the range of ways they help people.

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Habib supports an elderly lady who is beginning to show signs of dementia. Once a week they go to the community center where a group sings songs that remind the listeners of their youth. 15

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Our volunteer Consuela has difficulty walking herself, but she helps others with similar problems by encouraging them to walk more and more. 16

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Minh visits a young man who lives alone and cannot leave his home by himself. Together they go out to the cinema or visit friends. 17

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Tanya visits an elderly woman who became interested in making soft toys after seeing some that Tanya had made. 18

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Alexei works with a family facing several difficulties and helps them discuss possible solutions, improving their self-esteem. 19

LUCY CRITTENDEN: Finally, Juba volunteers with a teenage girl who has learning difficulties. With patience, Juba has helped her become much better at communicating with others. 20

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

School Marching Band

ANNOUNCER: Section 3. You will hear a trainee music teacher called Joe talking to his supervisor about the school marching band that he has been given responsibility for. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

LIZZIE: So, how are you getting on with your teaching practice at the high school, Joe?

JOE: Well, I've been put in charge of the school marching band, and it's quite a responsibility. I'd like to talk it over with you.

LIZZIE: Go ahead. You'd better start by giving me a bit of background.

JOE: OK. The band has students from all year groups, aged 11 to 18, and there are about 50 of them altogether. 21

LIZZIE: I can imagine that's quite a challenge.

JOE: They aren't good enough yet for national competitions, but they're entering a regional competitio later this term. 22

LIZZIE: That could still motivate them.

JOE: Also, the town council is organizing a summer carnival, and the band has been invited to perform. 23

LIZZIE: That sounds exciting.

JOE: I played them a recording of a drummer explaining how playing in a band changed his life. 24

LIZZIE: That's a good motivational idea.

JOE: I'm also planning to show them the old film “Strike Up the Band” from the 1940s. 25

LIZZIE: That should inspire teamwork.

JOE: I'm hoping to take some of them to watch a marching band parade next month. 26

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.

JOE: Can I tell you about a few students I'm finding difficult to manage?

LIZZIE: Of course.

JOE: There's a flautist who says she enjoys the band, but she hardly ever comes to rehearsals. 27

LIZZIE: That must be frustrating.

JOE: There's also a trumpeter who thinks she's the best musician and keeps telling others what to do. 28

LIZZIE: That sounds difficult.

JOE: One of the trombonists has great rhythm, but he has breathing problems so he struggles to play properly. 29

LIZZIE: That's unfortunate.

JOE: And one of the percussionists doesn't interact with the others and leaves immediately after rehearsal. 30

LIZZIE: It sounds like you have quite a challenge ahead.

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

The Sleepy Lizard

ANNOUNCER: Section 4. You will hear part of a biology lecture about an animal called the sleepy lizard, which is common in parts of Australia. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Last week we started looking at reptiles, including crocodiles and snakes. Today I’d like us to examine another reptile — the lizard — and particularly a species called Tiliqua rugosa, commonly known as the sleepy lizard.

SPEAKER: It gets this name because it moves quite slowly and often spends time resting under rocks or lying in the su .

SPEAKER: Sleepy lizards live in Western Australia and South Australia, where they are fairly common.

SPEAKER: Unlike most European lizards, which are usually small, green and fast, sleepy lizards are brow and much larger.

SPEAKER: One distinctive feature is their dark blue tongue, which contrasts with the bright pink lining of their mouth.

SPEAKER: Their diet is quite varied. They eat insects, sometimes small animals, but mainly plants.

SPEAKER: Although they have strong jaws capable of crushing beetles and snail shells, they still face several predators.

SPEAKER: In the past, large birds such as cassowaries were major predators, but today they are more often killed by snakes.

SPEAKER: Another threat is human activity. Many sleepy lizards are killed by cars while crossing highways.

SPEAKER: A study by Michael Freake at Flinders University examined how these lizards navigate.

SPEAKER: Even though they move slowly, they can travel long distances. When moved away from their territory, they were usually able to find their way home.

SPEAKER: Interestingly, they could navigate simply by being able to see the sky, without relying on landmarks.

SPEAKER: Observations in the wild also show unusual mating behavior. Sleepy lizards tend to be monogamous, returning to the same partner each year.

SPEAKER: The male and female remain together for long periods both before and after their young are born.

SPEAKER: One theory suggested that this might help protect their young. However, researchers observed that after the young hatch, they have very little contact with their parents.

SPEAKER: Another theory is that males stay with females to protect them from rival males, since males in monogamous pairs tend to be larger and stronger.

SPEAKER: However, scientists still lack clear evidence to confirm these explanations.

SPEAKER: In another study, researchers attached a tiny GPS tracking device to the lizards’ tails to monitor their movements.

SPEAKER: After releasing them, researchers tracked the lizards for 12 days, collecting data about their locatio and even the number of steps they took.

SPEAKER: Surprisingly, the researchers recorded far fewer meetings between lizards than expected.

SPEAKER: It appeared that the lizards were actually trying to avoid each other.

SPEAKER: One possible explanation is that male lizards can cause serious injuries during fights, so avoiding each other might be a form of self-preservatio .

SPEAKER: However, more data is needed before scientists can be certain about these behaviors.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Section 4. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers.