Picture Conversion Service

ANNOUNCER: Part 1. You will hear a woman phoning a company that converts old photographs to digital format. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 3. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 3.

EMPLOYEE: Hello, Picturerep. Can I help you?

WOMAN: Oh, hi. I saw your advertisement about copying pictures to disk, and I'd like a bit more information about what you do.

EMPLOYEE: Sure, what would you like to know?

WOMAN: Well, I've got a box full of old family photos that's been in the attic for years. Some of them must be 50 or 60 years old. I'd like to get them converted to digital format.

EMPLOYEE: Sure, we can do that for you.

WOMAN: And what about the size? The photos are all sorts of sizes. Are there any restrictions?

EMPLOYEE: The maximum size we can copy with our normal service is 30 centimeters, and the minimum size is 4 centimeters.

WOMAN: Oh, that should be fine. Some of them are in a frame. Should I take them out first?

EMPLOYEE: Yes, please. Also, the photos must be separate and not stuck into an album.

WOMAN: That's not a problem. Can you give me an idea of the cost? I have about 360 photos.

EMPLOYEE: For the basic service, we charge £195 for 300 to 400 photos.

WOMAN: Does that include the disk?

EMPLOYEE: Yes, one disk is included. Additional disks cost £5 each.

WOMAN: Do I need to pay in advance when I send the photos?

EMPLOYEE: No. After we copy the photos, we will tell you the total cost. Once we receive the payment, we send the parcel to you.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 4 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 4 to 10.

EMPLOYEE: Is there anything else you'd like to ask about our services?

WOMAN: Yes. I've sorted the photos into groups. Can you keep them organized that way?

EMPLOYEE: Of course. We'll save each group in a different folder on the disk, and you can suggest a name for each folder.

WOMAN: For example, one folder could be called "Grandparents".

EMPLOYEE: Exactly.

WOMAN: Do you only scan the photos, or can you improve them?

EMPLOYEE: With the standard service, we check each photo and may improve the color or adjust the contrast.

WOMAN: Some photos are very fragile. Will they be safe?

EMPLOYEE: Yes. If they are delicate, we process them by hand.

EMPLOYEE: We can also edit photos, such as removing an object or changing the background.

WOMAN: I also have some photos that are out of focus. Can you fix that?

EMPLOYEE: I'm afraid that's one thing we cannot fix.

WOMAN: How long will the process take?

EMPLOYEE: We aim to finish the work in about 10 days.

WOMAN: I'll pack the photos and send them to you.

EMPLOYEE: Please use a strong cardboard box, as plastic boxes can break in the post.

WOMAN: OK, thanks for your help. Bye.

EMPLOYEE: Bye.

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

Updates on School Developments and Facilities

ANNOUNCER: Part 2. You will hear a head teacher talking to parents about changes at the school. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.

SPEAKER: Good morning and thank you for coming today. I’d like to update you on several changes in the school that will affect your children.

SPEAKER: As you know, the school buildings were constructed at different times. Some date from the 1970s, some were built in the last five years, and Dartfield House is over 100 years old.

SPEAKER: Dartfield House was originally commissioned by a businessman called Neville Richards as a family home.

SPEAKER: However, he died before it was completed, and his heir later sold the property to the local council.

SPEAKER: The council used it as offices. Later there was a plan to turn it into a tourist information centre, but that idea failed because of lack of money.

SPEAKER: Eventually, the building became the main part of the school when the school opened about 40 years ago.

SPEAKER: As the local population has grown, the school has expanded.

SPEAKER: The lower school site, which is across the road from the main campus, will soon be relocated.

SPEAKER: New buildings will be constructed on the main site, and the lower school will move there.

SPEAKER: The current lower school site will be used to build new houses.

SPEAKER: Construction work should begin within the next few months.

SPEAKER: Another important change concerns the school canteen, which is currently very crowded at lunchtime.

SPEAKER: Because there is only one serving point, pupils often have to wait a long time for their meals.

SPEAKER: To solve this problem, we have built a new Food Hall, which will open next week.

SPEAKER: It will have several serving areas to make the process faster.

SPEAKER: Parents are asked to help by discussing with their children each morning which type of food they want.

SPEAKER: This will allow pupils to go directly to the correct serving point.

SPEAKER: All the food provided will be healthy, and there will be no junk food.

SPEAKER: The current system of paying using an electronic payment card will remain the same.

SPEAKER: The old canteen will still provide tables and chairs for pupils to eat their food.

SPEAKER: In the future, part of the old canteen may also be used for storage.

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: Let me now explain the different serving points in the new Food Hall.

SPEAKER: The first is called World Adventures, which will offer food from a different country each day.

SPEAKER: For example, one day it might be Chinese cuisine, and another day Lebanese food.

SPEAKER: Menus will be planned for a whole week so pupils know what to expect.

SPEAKER: Another serving area is called Street Life, which also focuses on international food.

SPEAKER: It may feature dishes from countries such as Thailand, Ethiopia, Mexico, or Jamaica.

SPEAKER: The Speedy Italian section is mainly designed for pupils who do not eat meat or fish.

SPEAKER: This ensures that they always have suitable food choices.

SPEAKER: In addition to lunchtime changes, the school also offers a range of after-school activities.

SPEAKER: One of the most popular is swimming, which currently has a waiting list.

SPEAKER: Another favourite activity is cycling, where pupils learn to ride off-road.

SPEAKER: As a result, more pupils now cycle to school.

SPEAKER: The school also has a performance centre where drama classes will soon be introduced.

SPEAKER: Pupils can either participate for fun or work towards performing in a school play.

SPEAKER: The school plans to produce at least one play each year.

SPEAKER: Some pupils are already learning to operate the sound and lighting systems in the performance centre.

SPEAKER: Recently, a former pupil donated a magnificent grand piano to the school.

SPEAKER: This means pupils can now learn piano at school rather than travelling to the local college.

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

Planning a Psychology Assignment on Sleep and Dreams

ANNOUNCER: Part 3. You will hear two psychology students called Luke and Susie discussing their assignment on sleep and dreams. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.

SUSIE: So, Luke, for our next psychology assignment, we have to do something on sleep and dreams.

LUKE: Right. I’ve just read an article explaining why we usually forget our dreams soon after we wake up.

LUKE: The idea is that if we remembered everything, we might get confused between real events and what we dreamed.

SUSIE: I hadn’t heard that explanation before. I always thought it was simply because our memory capacity is limited.

LUKE: What do you think about the belief that dreams can predict the future?

SUSIE: Many people believe that. But research suggests that when a dream seems to come true, it’s usually just a coincidence.

SUSIE: We forget the thousands of dreams that don’t match reality and only remember the rare ones that seem accurate.

LUKE: I also read about something called segmented sleeping.

LUKE: In the past, people supposedly woke up in the middle of the night, talked, ate something, and then went back to sleep.

SUSIE: Did you try that?

LUKE: Yes, because it’s supposed to increase creativity, but I stopped after a week because it didn’t suit my lifestyle.

SUSIE: Preschool children often have a daytime nap. Some students recently studied at what age children should stop napping.

SUSIE: However, they spent a lot of time designing the methodology, and the results didn’t show any clear pattern.

LUKE: Anyway, let’s talk about our assignment. Last time I struggled with the final evaluation stage.

SUSIE: I was fine with the planning stage, but I lost marks in the self-assessment.

SUSIE: I also had trouble with the statistical analysis.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.

SUSIE: Let’s start planning our research.

LUKE: First we need a research question.

SUSIE: How about: “Is there a relationship between hours of sleep and number of dreams?”

LUKE: Sounds good. We should study about 12 participants.

SUSIE: Maybe students from the history department?

LUKE: Yes, choosing people from another department might be better.

SUSIE: Next we must decide on the methodology.

LUKE: Observation doesn’t seem appropriate. It would probably be better to use self-reporting.

SUSIE: Participants could record their answers on paper immediately after waking up.

LUKE: We must also follow ethical guidelines since the research involves human participants.

SUSIE: Yes, including rules about risk assessment and avoiding unnecessary stress.

LUKE: After collecting the data, we’ll analyze it and calculate the correlation between our two variables.

SUSIE: Then we’ll present the results in a graph.

LUKE: Finally, we need to evaluate our research.

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

Health Benefits of Dance

ANNOUNCER: Part 4. You will hear a sport science student giving a presentation on the health benefits of dance. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Dancing is something humans do when they want to have a good time. It is a universal response to music found in cultures around the world.

SPEAKER: Recently researchers have discovered that dancing not only makes us feel good but is also extremely beneficial for our health.

SPEAKER: Like other forms of exercise, dancing releases hormones such as dopamine, which help us feel relaxed and happy.

SPEAKER: It also reduces feelings of stress and anxiety.

SPEAKER: Another reason dancing improves mood is that it is a social activity.

SPEAKER: One study compared people dancing alone at home with those dancing in a group in a studio.

SPEAKER: Participants who danced in groups reported feeling much happier, while those dancing alone did not.

SPEAKER: In another experiment, researchers from the universities of York and Sheffield tested how music and movement affect thinking.

SPEAKER: Students were asked either to sit and listen, cycle on an exercise bike, or dance while music played.

SPEAKER: The students who danced showed significantly greater creativity when completing problem-solving tasks.

SPEAKER: Doctor Lovatt from the University of Hertfordshire suggests dance could be used as a form of therapy.

SPEAKER: He believes it could help people suffering from mental health problems such as depression.

SPEAKER: Dance is already known to encourage adolescent girls to take more exercise.

SPEAKER: However, it also has significant benefits for people in their 60s and older.

SPEAKER: One advantage of dance is that there are few barriers to participation. Even people with low fitness levels can take part.

SPEAKER: A 2015 study showed that even gentle dancing helps maintain a healthy heart.

SPEAKER: Dancing also reduces the risk of falls by improving balance.

SPEAKER: Dance is not only a physical activity but also a mental challenge.

SPEAKER: Dancers must remember steps and routines, which improves brain function.

SPEAKER: For older adults, this helps the brain process information more quickly and improves memory retention.

SPEAKER: Research also shows dance improves overall well-being, with positive effects lasting up to a week after a class.

SPEAKER: Participants report feeling less tired and more motivated to do daily activities such as gardening or walking.

SPEAKER: Dance styles such as ballroom and country dancing require interaction with partners.

SPEAKER: This helps older people form new relationships and reduces social isolation.

SPEAKER: Another popular dance-based workout is Zumba, with about 15 million participants in 180 countries.

SPEAKER: It combines aerobic exercise with Latin American dance movements.

SPEAKER: Professor John Porcari from the University of Wisconsin found that a 40-minute Zumba class burns about 370 calories.

SPEAKER: This is similar to moderately intense activities like step aerobics or kickboxing.

SPEAKER: A study published in the American Journal of Health Behavior found that obese women who attended Zumba classes three times a week for 16 weeks lost an average of 1.2 kilograms.

SPEAKER: They also reduced their body fat percentage by about 1%.

SPEAKER: Most importantly, participants enjoyed the classes so much that they continued attending regularly.

SPEAKER: Although dance may not replace high-intensity workouts, its popularity is likely to grow because it is such a fun way to stay fit.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 4. You now have one minute to check your answers to part 4.