Renting a Cottage: Details and Arrangements

ANNOUNCER: Part 1. You will hear a man phoning the owner of a holiday cottage. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

SHIRLEY: Hello?

TOM: Oh hello. I was hoping to speak to Jack Fitzgerald about renting a cottage.

SHIRLEY: I'm his wife Shirley, and we own the cottages together, so I'm sure I can help you.

TOM: Great, my name's Tom. Some friends of ours rented Granary Cottage from you last year, and they thought it was great. So my wife and I are hoping to come in May for a week.

SHIRLEY: What date did you have in mind?

TOM: The week beginning the 14th, if possible.

SHIRLEY: I'll just check. I'm sorry, Tom. It's already booked that week. It's free the week beginning the 28th though, for seven nights. In fact, that's the only time you could have it in May.

TOM: Oh, well, we could manage that, I think. We'd just need to change a couple of things. How much would it cost?

SHIRLEY: That's the beginning of high season, so it'd be £550 for the week.

TOM: Ah, that's a bit more than we wanted to pay, I'm afraid. We've budgeted up to £500 for accommodation.

SHIRLEY: Well, we've just finished converting another building into a cottage, which we're calling Chervil Cottage.

TOM: Sorry? What was that again?

SHIRLEY: Chervil – C H E R V I L.

TOM: Oh, that's a herb, isn't it?

SHIRLEY: That's right. It grows fairly wild around here. You could have that for the week you want for £480.

TOM: OK, so could you tell me something about it, please?

SHIRLEY: Of course. The building was originally built as a garage. It's a little smaller than Granary Cottage.

TOM: So that must sleep two people as well.

SHIRLEY: That's right. There's a double bedroom.

TOM: Does it have a garden?

SHIRLEY: Yes. You reach it from the living room through French doors. We provide two deck chairs. We hope to build a patio soon, but I can't guarantee it'll be finished by May.

TOM: OK.

SHIRLEY: The front door opens onto the old farmyard, and there's plenty of parking space there, along with some trees and potted plants.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

TOM: What about facilities in the cottage? It has standard things like a cooker and fridge, I presume.

SHIRLEY: In the kitchen area there's a fridge freezer, and we've just installed an electric cooker.

TOM: Is there a washing machine?

SHIRLEY: Yes, and there's also a TV in the living room which plays DVDs. The bathroom is too small for a bath, so there's a shower instead.

TOM: It's more environmentally friendly, isn't it?

SHIRLEY: Exactly.

TOM: What about heating? It sometimes gets quite cool at that time of year.

SHIRLEY: There's central heating, and there's also a stove if you'd like to light a fire. We provide all the wood you need.

TOM: That sounds very pleasant.

SHIRLEY: From the living room you can see a famous stone bridge, one of the oldest in the region. From the bedroom you can see the hills and the monument at the top.

TOM: That all sounds perfect. I'd like to book it, please.

SHIRLEY: We ask for a 30% deposit to secure the booking. That will be £144.

TOM: And when would you like the rest of the money?

SHIRLEY: You're coming in May, so by the last day of March, please.

TOM: Fine.

SHIRLEY: Excellent. Could I just take your details so that I can…

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

Town Infrastructure Updates and Proposals

ANNOUNCER: Part 2. You will hear a town councillor reporting on the local transport network and a recreation facility. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

CHAIRPERSON: Right, next on the agenda we have traffic and highways. Councillor Thornton.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: Thank you. We now have the results of the survey carried out last month about traffic and road transport in the town.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: People were generally satisfied with the condition of the roads, although there were some complaints about potholes, which will be fixed.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: However, many residents complained about the increasing number of heavy vehicles using local roads to avoid traffic elsewhere.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: We expected commuters to complain about the reduction in the train service, but surprisingly this did not affect people very much.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The cycle path alongside the river is very popular with both cyclists and pedestrians since the surface was improved last year.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: However, overtaking can be difficult, so the path will be widened.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: In the future, we would like to extend the path across the town, but this will not happen immediately.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: Plans for a pedestrian crossing near the Post Office have been temporarily put on hold.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The original plan was reconsidered because there is a bend in the road, which could make a crossing dangerous.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: On Station Road, near the railway crossing, drivers sometimes wait a long time if the level crossing is closed.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: New signs now ask drivers not to leave engines running while waiting.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: This helps reduce air pollution for pedestrians waiting nearby.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: We have also had problems with cyclists chaining bikes to the railings outside the ticket office.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The station has agreed to install bike racks to solve this problem.

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.

CHAIRPERSON: The next item is proposals for improvements to the recreation ground. Councillor Thornton again.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: After extending the recreation ground, we consulted local residents about improvements.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: On the map you can see the river in the north and the Community Hall near the entrance.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: Currently cars park between the hall and a line of trees, but this is dangerous for pedestrians.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: Therefore, a new car park will be built on the opposite side of the Community Hall.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The cricket pitch will be moved to a new area beyond the trees to the east of the recreation ground.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: This will reduce the risk of balls hitting cars or pedestrians.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: A children's playground will be built near the river, connected to the Community Hall by a footpath.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The skateboard ramp will stay in the southeast corner near the road.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: The pavilion will remain in its current location near the river and football pitch.

COUNCILLOR THORNTON: Finally, a new notice board will be placed near the entrance to provide local information.

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

Analyzing and Discussing Bike-sharing Schemes

ANNOUNCER: Part 3. You will hear two urban planning students discussing bike-sharing schemes in different cities. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.

JAKE: Now that we've done all the research into bike-sharing schemes in cities around the world, we need to think about how we're going to organize our report.

AMY: Right. I think we should start by talking about the benefits. It's great that so many cities have introduced schemes where anyone can pick up a bike from dozens of locations and hire it for a few hours.

JAKE: Yes, but the costs can add up, and that can discourage people on low incomes.

AMY: Perhaps, but if more people cycle instead of driving, they increase their physical activity, which improves their health.

JAKE: True, but I think the bigger benefit is reducing air pollution through lower vehicle emissions.

AMY: That's definitely important. Bike-sharing schemes have also helped reduce the number of cars on the road.

JAKE: Exactly.

AMY: Although the effect on noise pollution is smaller because there are still many buses and lorries.

JAKE: Right.

AMY: Shall we discuss our recommendations for making schemes successful?

JAKE: Sure. High-tech bikes with GPS are nice, but not absolutely necessary.

AMY: But a good mobile app is essential so users can pay and book bikes easily.

JAKE: Yes. Some cities struggle because they haven't invested in that technology.

AMY: Another debate is whether there should be competing companies offering separate schemes.

JAKE: In very large cities, competition can actually be beneficial.

AMY: Investment is also important. Cities that introduced new cycle lanes alongside bike-sharing have generally been more successful.

JAKE: Another key factor is a strong publicity campaign.

AMY: Yes, people must understand the benefits and how to use the system.

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.

AMY: Let's discuss some examples of bike-sharing schemes.

JAKE: We should start with Amsterdam, one of the first cities to introduce a scheme.

AMY: Cycling was already very popular there, so it's interesting that bike-sharing became so widely used.

JAKE: Yes, despite people already owning their own bikes.

AMY: Dublin is another success story.

JAKE: I think the low cost of joining the scheme is a major reason.

AMY: Though the slow bus system might also influence people to cycle.

JAKE: The London scheme is also successful.

AMY: Yes, it's well managed, but it needs more cycle lanes to expand.

JAKE: Outside Europe, Buenos Aires is a good example.

AMY: They built a huge network of cycle lanes, which attracted many new cyclists.

JAKE: That's good urban planning.

AMY: On the other hand, New York had problems when its scheme launched.

JAKE: Yes, it was more than ten times more expensive than many other schemes.

AMY: Finally, there's Sydney, where the scheme hasn't grown as quickly as expected.

JAKE: Yes, it hasn't been an instant success, unfortunately.

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

The Dodo: From History to Extinctio

ANNOUNCER: Part 4. You will hear part of an environmental science lecture about a large bird called the dodo, which is now extinct. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: One of the most famous examples of extinction is that of a bird known as the dodo.

SPEAKER: In English there is even a saying, “as dead as the dodo”, which refers to something that no longer exists.

SPEAKER: For many centuries the dodo lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

SPEAKER: The bird was about 1 meter tall and had lost the ability to fly over time.

SPEAKER: It survived peacefully in the forests that once covered the island.

SPEAKER: In 1507, the first Portuguese sailors arrived on Mauritius while transporting spices to Europe.

SPEAKER: They used the island as a place to obtain food and water but did not settle there.

SPEAKER: Later, in 1638, the Dutch established a colony on the island.

SPEAKER: The settlers hunted the dodo for meat, although not everyone liked its taste.

SPEAKER: It is difficult to know exactly what the dodo looked like because there are only a few written records and paintings.

SPEAKER: A famous Dutch painting shows the bird as very fat, but another Indian painting shows a much thinner bird.

SPEAKER: Attempts were made to preserve the bird’s body, but no complete specimen exists today.

SPEAKER: Only one example of soft tissue remains — a preserved dodo head.

SPEAKER: There is also just one complete skeleton of a dodo.

SPEAKER: Recent scientific studies of this skeleton suggest that earlier descriptions of the dodo may have been incorrect.

SPEAKER: Although early reports described the bird as slow and clumsy, scientists now believe its strong knee joints allowed it to move quite quickly.

SPEAKER: One 17th-century sailor even wrote that the birds were difficult to catch.

SPEAKER: The bird’s small wings were not useful for flying but probably helped with balance on uneven ground.

SPEAKER: Studies of the dodo’s skull suggest that the bird’s brain size was average for its body size.

SPEAKER: In fact, its intelligence may have been similar to that of a pigeon.

SPEAKER: The research also showed that the dodo had a very strong sense of smell.

SPEAKER: This would have helped the bird find ripe fruit in the island’s dense vegetation.

SPEAKER: Despite these advantages, the dodo became extinct less than 200 years after Europeans arrived.

SPEAKER: For many years people believed the species disappeared because of overhunting.

SPEAKER: However, scientists now believe that introduced animals also played an important role.

SPEAKER: Sailors brought animals such as dogs and monkeys, which threatened the dodos and competed for food.

SPEAKER: Ships also accidentally introduced rats, which quickly spread across the island.

SPEAKER: These rats destroyed the dodo eggs, and since each bird laid only one egg at a time, this had a major impact on the population.

SPEAKER: Nevertheless, scientists now believe the main cause of extinction was the spread of agriculture.

SPEAKER: Forests were cleared so crops such as sugar could be grown.

SPEAKER: This destroyed the dodo’s natural habitat.

SPEAKER: As a result, a species that had survived for thousands of years suddenly disappeared.

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