Opportunities for Voluntary Work in Southoe Village

ANNOUNCER: Part 1, you will hear a man asking about voluntary work in the village that he has just moved to. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 7. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 7.

JANE: Hello, Jane Fairbanks speaking.

FRANK: Oh, good morning. My name is Frank Pritchard. I've just retired and moved to Southoe. I'd like to become a volunteer. And I gather you coordinate voluntary work in the village.

JANE: That's right.

FRANK: What sort of thing could I do?

JANE: Well, we need help with the village library. We borrow books from the town library, and individuals also donate them.

JANE: So one thing you could do is get involved in collecting them, if you've got a car.

FRANK: Yes, that's no problem.

JANE: The times are pretty flexible, so we can arrange it to suit you.

JANE: Another thing is the records we keep of the books we’re given, and those we borrow and need to return to the town library.

FRANK: Right. I'm used to working on a computer. I presume they're computerized?

JANE: Oh yes.

FRANK: Is the library purpose-built? I haven't noticed it when I've walked around the village.

JANE: No, we simply have the use of a room in the village hall, the West Room. It's on the left as you go in.

FRANK: I must go and have a look inside the hall.

JANE: Yes, it's a nice building.

FRANK: Do you run a lunch club in the village for elderly people? I know a lot of places do.

JANE: Yes, we have a very successful club.

FRANK: I could help with transport, if that's of any use.

JANE: Oh definitely. People come to the club from neighbouring villages, and we're always in need of more drivers.

FRANK: And does the club have groups that focus on a particular hobby? Particularly any art groups?

JANE: Excellent. I'll find out where we need help and get back to you.

FRANK: Fine. What about help for individual residents?

JANE: Yes, we do that as a one-off. In fact, there's Mrs Carroll. She needs a lift to the hospital next week.

FRANK: When's her appointment?

JANE: On Tuesday. It would take the whole morning.

FRANK: I could do that.

JANE: Oh, that would be great. Thank you.

JANE: Also next week we're arranging work at Mr Selsbury’s house before he moves.

JANE: We've got some people to decorate his kitchen. But if you could do some weeding in his garden, that would be wonderful.

FRANK: OK, I'd enjoy that, and presumably the day and time are flexible.

JANE: Yes, just say when suits you best.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 8 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 8 to 10.

JANE: The volunteers group also organizes monthly social events.

FRANK: Uh huh.

JANE: Next month on the 19th of October, we're holding a quiz.

FRANK: That sounds like fun. Can I do anything to help?

JANE: Yes, because of the number of people we need refreshments. If you could provide some, we'd be grateful.

FRANK: I'm sure I could.

JANE: Then on November 18th we're holding a dance in the village hall.

JANE: We've booked a band that specializes in music of the 1930s.

FRANK: I'm not really a dancer, but I'd like to help.

JANE: We sell tickets in advance. It would help to have someone checking tickets at the door.

FRANK: OK, I'm happy with that.

JANE: We're also arranging a New Year's Eve party.

JANE: It will be held in the Mountfort Hotel, just a couple of miles away.

JANE: The hotel will provide dinner, and we've booked a band.

JANE: The one thing we haven't got yet is a poster.

FRANK: Actually yes. Before I retired I was a graphic designer, so that's right up my street.

JANE: Perfect. I'll give you the details and perhaps you could send me a draft.

FRANK: Of course.

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

Oniton Hall

ANNOUNCER: Part 2, you will hear a guide at a tourist attraction called Oniton Hall talking to a group of visitors. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

NICK: Good morning, and welcome to Oniton Hall, one of the largest estates in the area.

NICK: My name’s Nick, and I’m one of the guides.

NICK: I’ll give you a brief introduction to the estate while you’re sitting down, and then we’ll walk round.

NICK: The estate consists of the house, gardens, parkland, and farm, and it dates back to the 14th century.

NICK: The original house was replaced in the late 17th century.

NICK: Of course, it has had a large number of owners, and almost all of them have left their mark.

NICK: Generally by adding new rooms like the ballroom and conservatory, or by demolishing others.

NICK: The farm looks much as it has always done, although the current owner has done a great deal of work to the flower beds.

NICK: In the 17th century, the estate was owned by a wealthy man called Sir Edward Downes.

NICK: His intention was to escape from the world of politics after years as an active politician.

NICK: He wanted to build a house worthy of his large collection of books, paintings, and sculptures.

NICK: He broke off contact with his former political allies and hosted meetings of creative people, such as painters and poets.

NICK: Unusually for his time, he didn’t care whether his guests were rich or poor, as long as they had talent.

NICK: Big houses like Oniton had dozens of servants until the 1920s or 30s.

NICK: We’ve tried to show what their working lives were like.

NICK: Instead of photographs, you’ll see volunteers dressed as nineteenth-century servants, carrying out their daily work.

NICK: They’ll explain what they’re doing and show the tools or recipes they used.

NICK: We introduced this feature to replace the audio guide we used to provide.

NICK: I see there are several children with you today.

NICK: We have activities especially for children, such as dressing up in historical clothes.

NICK: Some of you may also want to visit the adventure playground.

NICK: Our latest addition is child-sized tractors that children can drive around the grounds.

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.

NICK: We’ll also visit the farm, which is part of the estate.

NICK: Most of the buildings date from the 18th century, giving visitors a glimpse of the agricultural past.

NICK: Until recently, the dairy was where milk was turned into cheese.

NICK: Now it’s the place to go for lunch, afternoon tea, or a cup of coffee and homemade cake.

NICK: The large stone building dominating the farm is the barn.

NICK: Inside is our collection of agricultural tools used for ploughing, sowing seeds, and making gates.

NICK: In a smaller barn you can groom the donkeys and horses.

NICK: The horses no longer live in the stables, which now function as the gift shop.

NICK: Here you can buy books, jams, pickles, and wool products.

NICK: Outside the brick shed you can climb into a horse-drawn carriage for a tour of the park and farm.

NICK: These carriages are more than 100 years old.

NICK: Finally there is the parkland, laid out in the 18th century, with a lake and mature trees.

NICK: Here you can see rare breeds of cattle and sheep that are now uncommon.

NICK: The estate helps preserve these animals to stop their numbers from declining.

NICK: OK, well if you’d like to come with me, we’ll start the tour.

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

Romeo and Juliet

ANNOUNCER: Part 3, you will hear two Theatre Studies students discussing stage and screen performances of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 and 22. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 and 22.

ED: Did you make notes while you were watching the performances of Romeo and Juliet, Gemma?

GEMMA: Yes, I did. I found it quite hard though. I kept getting too involved in the play.

ED: Me too. I ended up not taking notes. I wrote down my impressions when I got home.

ED: Do you mind if I check a few things with you, in case I’ve missed anything?

GEMMA: No, it’s good to talk things through. I may have missed things too.

ED: First of all, I’m not sure how much information we should include in our reviews.

GEMMA: I don’t think we need to describe what happens, especially as Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays.

ED: Yes, everyone knows the story. In an essay we’d focus on the poetry and imagery, but that isn’t really relevant in a review.

ED: We’re supposed to focus on how effective this particular production is.

GEMMA: Yes, we should say what made it a success or a failure.

ED: That also means talking about the emotional impact the performance had on us.

GEMMA: And we should mention how well the director handled key scenes like when Romeo climbs onto Juliet’s balcony.

ED: And the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt.

GEMMA: It would also be interesting to mention the theatre space and how the director used it.

ED: But we probably won’t have space in 800 words.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 23 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 23 to 30.

ED: So, what about the Emporium Theatre’s production of the play?

GEMMA: I thought some things worked really well, but there were some problems too.

ED: What about the set for example?

GEMMA: I think it was visually stunning. That was probably the most memorable thing.

ED: Yes, the set design was amazing, although similar ideas have been used before.

GEMMA: What about the lighting? Some scenes were so dimly lit that it was hard to see.

ED: I didn’t dislike it. It helped change the mood of the quieter scenes.

GEMMA: That’s a good point.

ED: What did you think of the costumes?

GEMMA: I was surprised by the contemporary dress.

ED: Yes, I thought it worked well, though I expected something more traditional.

GEMMA: I liked the music at the beginning, and the musicians were brilliant.

GEMMA: But the music didn’t have much impact in Acts 2 and 3.

ED: Yes, that was a shame.

GEMMA: One problem was the actors didn’t deliver their lines very well. They spoke too fast.

ED: I thought the problem was they weren’t speaking loudly enough, especially at key moments.

GEMMA: I didn’t really notice that.

ED: Watching different versions of Romeo and Juliet has been interesting.

GEMMA: Yes, it made me realise how relevant the play still is.

ED: There are always conflicts between teenagers and parents.

GEMMA: That’s something young people can relate to more than the violence and extreme emotions.

ED: How did you find watching it in translation?

GEMMA: Surprisingly easy. I could follow the story quite well.

ED: I focused more on the actors’ expressions.

GEMMA: The ending felt very powerful.

ED: Shakespeare has been translated into more languages than any other writer.

GEMMA: Why do you think his work has such international appeal?

ED: Because his plays deal with basic themes that people everywhere understand.

GEMMA: And the characters have great depth.

ED: Which allows directors to experiment and find new interpretations.

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

Impact of Digital Technology on Icelandic Language

ANNOUNCER: Part 4, you will hear a lecturer on a languages course talking about the impact of digital technology on Icelandic, the native language of Iceland. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Right everyone, let’s make a start. Over the past few sessions, we’ve been considering why some world languages are in decline.

SPEAKER: Today I’m going to introduce another factor affecting languages: technology, especially digital technology.

SPEAKER: To illustrate this, I’ll focus on the Icelandic language, spoken by around 321,000 people.

SPEAKER: Most speakers live in Iceland, an island in the North Atlantic Ocean.

SPEAKER: The issue for Icelandic is not the number of speakers, even though it is small.

SPEAKER: Nor is it mainly about losing words to languages like English.

SPEAKER: In fact, the vocabulary of Icelandic is continually increasing.

SPEAKER: When speakers need a new word, they often create one instead of borrowing from another language.

SPEAKER: This makes Icelandic quite a special language.

SPEAKER: It has changed very little over the past 1,000 years, yet it can express modern concepts related to computers and digital technology.

SPEAKER: For example, the word for web browser in Icelandic is vafri, derived from the verb meaning to wander.

SPEAKER: Icelandic therefore remains alive and growing.

SPEAKER: However, young Icelanders spend a lot of time in the digital world, which is largely dominated by English.

SPEAKER: Think about smartphones. These are now used constantly to read books, watch films, play games, and listen to music.

SPEAKER: This is positive in some ways because it improves their bilingual skills.

SPEAKER: But the influence of English online is enormous and is increasing rapidly.

SPEAKER: For older generations, this is less worrying because their native language skills are already strong.

SPEAKER: For younger speakers, however, the situation is more concerning.

SPEAKER: Teachers report that conversations in school playgrounds are sometimes conducted entirely in English.

SPEAKER: Younger children may even find it easier to describe pictures using English words rather than Icelandic.

SPEAKER: The worrying consequence is that young people risk losing their mother tongue.

SPEAKER: This challenge affects other European languages as well.

SPEAKER: Technology companies may support large languages like French, but smaller languages are harder to justify economically.

SPEAKER: For example, Icelandic has a population similar to that of a French city such as Nice.

SPEAKER: Another difficulty is the complex grammar of Icelandic.

SPEAKER: Many large technology companies are not currently interested in addressing this challenge.

SPEAKER: The Icelandic government is responding by investing money in a language technology fund.

SPEAKER: The aim is to develop Icelandic-based apps and other digital platforms.

SPEAKER: However, this will likely be an uphill struggle.

SPEAKER: On the positive side, Icelandic remains the official language of education and government.

SPEAKER: It has survived for over 1,000 years, and experts believe its future is still secure.

SPEAKER: Nevertheless, it is increasingly becoming a second choice in the lives of young people.

SPEAKER: This raises concerns about whether future generations might lose part of their cultural identity.

SPEAKER: Another concern is whether children learning two languages through different routes may struggle to express themselves clearly.

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