Advice on City Activities for Family Visitors

ANNOUNCER: Part 1. You will hear a man asking a friend for advice on things to do in the city with a family of visitors. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

MAN: Sandra, I seem to remember you had some family visitors staying with you recently.

SANDRA: Yeah, that's right. My brother and his family were here a couple of months ago.

MAN: Ok, good. Well, I wanted to ask your advice. I've got my cousin and her family visiting next month, and as I don't have kids, I've no idea where to take them.

SANDRA: Right, what about accommodation? Are they going to stay with you in your flat?

MAN: No, thankfully there wouldn't be room. My cousin wants me to recommend a hotel. Do you know anywhere?

SANDRA: Yes, I do actually. I always recommend people stay at the Kings Hotel.

MAN: Where's that near?

SANDRA: It's about 5 minutes' walk from Murray Station, so it's nice and central. It's actually on George Street.

MAN: Oh yes, I know it. I think they're on quite a tight budget, so how much roughly is it to stay there?

SANDRA: If you book a family room, it's about £125 per night. My brother paid for two double rooms in the end, and I think that was around £95 for each room.

MAN: Oh, that's not so bad.

SANDRA: So how old are your cousin's kids?

MAN: 12 and 9. So I want to organize some trips while they're here.

MAN: I was thinking of doing a bus tour of the city centre, as none of them have been here before.

SANDRA: Those bus tours are quite expensive. I think it's better to do a walking tour.

SANDRA: It gives you a much better feel for the city. There's one that starts from Carlton Square. It takes a couple of hours and doesn't cost that much.

MAN: Sounds good. I'll look that up, thanks.

SANDRA: If the weather's nice, one thing you could do is visit the old fort. You could get there by boat. The whole trip takes half a day.

MAN: That's a really good idea. I'd like to do that myself.

MAN: And if the weather's bad, I was thinking they could go to the science museum. Maybe they could do that when I'm at work.

SANDRA: Yeah, don't forget it's closed on Mondays.

MAN: They're here from Saturday for four nights, so Tuesday would be best.

SANDRA: And it won't be so crowded then. Saturdays are terrible.

SANDRA: I took my kids to the exhibition on old computers there, and it was far too crowded.

MAN: That's a shame. My cousin's kids would have enjoyed that.

SANDRA: There's another one starting soon on space, which looks really good.

MAN: Ok, well I'll mention that to my cousin.

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.

SANDRA: Have you thought about where to take them to eat?

MAN: Well, I really like the food stalls at Clacton Market. My cousin's vegetarian, and I know it's one of the best places for that kind of food.

SANDRA: Definitely. And there'll be loads of choice for the kids too.

SANDRA: You need to get there quite early though. At the weekend most stalls stop serving lunch at 2:30.

MAN: Good point. It's all going to need careful planning.

MAN: My cousin said she'd love to take the kids to a theatre show, but tickets are so expensive.

SANDRA: I know, but you can get good deals if you book online at bargaintickets.com for the following day.

SANDRA: Some seats have up to a 75% discount.

MAN: Really? Hmm, I must try that.

SANDRA: There are also lots of things you can do for free.

MAN: Like what?

SANDRA: Check if the Roots Music Festival is happening in Blakewell Gardens that weekend.

MAN: R-O-O-T-S?

SANDRA: Yes. It's always very family-friendly, and there's no entry charge.

MAN: That sounds perfect.

SANDRA: And if you're in Blakewell Gardens, climb Telegraph Hill. You'll get an amazing view of the port.

MAN: Oh yeah, I've heard the view is amazing.

SANDRA: Yes, it's definitely worth the effort.

MAN: Well, that's given me loads of ideas. Thanks so much.

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

UK Football Stadium Tour and Football History Introduction

ANNOUNCER: Part 2. You will hear a guide talking to members of the public who are visiting a football stadium in the UK. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

SPEAKER: Good morning and welcome to City Football Club. I'd like to give you some useful information about your visit to the stadium today.

SPEAKER: Then we'll start the tour of the areas of the stadium that are open to visitors.

SPEAKER: I can see lots of children here today, so just to let mums and dads know a few things before we start.

SPEAKER: The stadium has lots of stairs, and the players' tunnel is very dark.

SPEAKER: Please don't let your children wander off on their own, even for a minute. We don't want any accidents or anyone getting frightened.

SPEAKER: Cameras are permitted everywhere, and you can take pictures of your child shooting a penalty.

SPEAKER: Assistants are helping to organize this, and hopefully the queue won't be too long.

SPEAKER: It's very hot and sunny out on the pitch today.

SPEAKER: You can get food and drink at the cafe, and I recommend the healthy lunch boxes for children.

SPEAKER: Also in the cafe, children are invited to do a football-themed drawing.

SPEAKER: We'll pick the best one at the end of the afternoon, so don't forget to put your name and contact details on the back.

SPEAKER: If you've left the stadium before then, we'll send your prize, but sadly we can't return drawings.

SPEAKER: I'd like to mention some features of the tour.

SPEAKER: We'll start with the three-sixty cinema experience, which has been very popular over the years.

SPEAKER: Then I'll take you to the players' dressing rooms, before going outside to the seating area and the pitch.

SPEAKER: If you'd prefer your visit to be self-guided, please collect headphones from the reception.

SPEAKER: Then you can listen to the pre-recorded information at your own speed.

SPEAKER: We've only just introduced this feature and would appreciate your feedback.

SPEAKER: We're also thinking of offering tours in other languages in the future.

SPEAKER: If you plan to return another time, you might like to book one of our VIP tours.

SPEAKER: We've only just started offering these, and they can be booked online.

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.

SPEAKER: The stadium you see today was built in 1989 as part of a three-year redevelopment project.

SPEAKER: During that project the team had to play matches at the ground of another club.

SPEAKER: However, the club has been on this site since 1870.

SPEAKER: That was the beginning of an important decade in the history of football.

SPEAKER: In 1870, teams first started including a player whose job was to guard the goal – the goalkeeper.

SPEAKER: In 1872 and 1873, many new football clubs were established.

SPEAKER: In 1874, referees were allowed to send players off for certain offences.

SPEAKER: Teams also started swapping ends at half-time.

SPEAKER: In early football games the goal was simply to get the ball between two flag posts.

SPEAKER: Later, sticks joined with a piece of tape were used.

SPEAKER: In 1875 that tape was replaced by the solid crossbar.

SPEAKER: In 1877, clubs agreed that a match should last 90 minutes.

SPEAKER: Before that, matches often caused arguments or even fights.

SPEAKER: By 1878, referees began using whistles.

SPEAKER: Electric lamps were also installed on some pitches, allowing evening matches.

SPEAKER: By 1880, clubs started charging fans for admission.

SPEAKER: At that time, players were still amateurs and had other jobs.

SPEAKER: That's very different from modern football, where players earn large sums from both playing and commercial activities.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 2. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part two.

Discussion on Teaching Handwriting to Children

ANNOUNCER: Part 3. You will hear two education students discussing an assignment on teaching handwriting to children. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.

MAN: How are you getting on with the assignment on handwriting?

WOMAN: Not too bad. You know, I hadn't realized that children benefit in so many ways from learning to write. It's such an important skill, and yet most people think handwriting is less important than in the past because people hardly ever write by hand these days.

MAN: Yes. And all the evidence suggests children should learn to write by hand before they learn to type, not least because it helps their memory.

WOMAN: That's right. The physical act of writing helps children remember letters. That seems pretty obvious when you think about it.

MAN: What's less obvious is how it helps develop their concentration. They have to sit still and focus on one thing.

WOMAN: Yes, that aspect of handwriting had never occurred to me before.

MAN: I'm not sure I understand how it improves children's imagination though.

WOMAN: There was a study which showed that primary age children generated more ideas when writing by hand than when using a keyboard.

MAN: I've never associated spatial awareness with handwriting either.

WOMAN: Good spatial awareness is essential for writing because you have to space words correctly.

MAN: Handwriting is much harder for children with dyspraxia, who have problems coordinating movement.

MAN: They need more support with letter formation, and games can help them distinguish letter shapes.

WOMAN: I like the idea of using a pen that lights up if you press too hard.

MAN: I'm not sure there's much you can do about them writing slowly. It's more important to focus on accuracy.

WOMAN: One simple method is using grid paper so children write each letter in a box.

MAN: Yes, that helps them space letters correctly and improves legibility.

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.

MAN: For some children it may be better to teach them to write on a laptop, especially children with dyslexia.

WOMAN: Yes, it's less frustrating for them if they make mistakes on a keyboard.

MAN: But research suggests developing fluency is not any faster.

WOMAN: Did you read the article comparing print handwriting and cursive handwriting?

MAN: Yes. Cursive used to be considered more stylish and educated.

WOMAN: But teachers now know that cursive writing is more difficult to learn, especially for children with learning difficulties.

MAN: Poor handwriting can affect exam results if examiners cannot read the script.

WOMAN: Yes, that's why it is important to teach children to write legibly.

MAN: Do you think handwriting will change in the future?

MAN: Touch typing isn't taught in many schools, but people might eventually write on digital devices.

WOMAN: People are already writing by hand less and relying more on technology.

WOMAN: My spelling and punctuation have become worse because I don't practice writing by hand much.

MAN: I hardly ever write anything by hand now.

MAN: My grandparents had beautiful handwriting that was very individual.

WOMAN: I used to write a diary by hand, but now I do it digitally because it takes less effort.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 3. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part three.

The Impact of Birds of Prey on a Zambian Farming Community

ANNOUNCER: Part 4. You will hear part of an environmental science lecture about the impact of birds of prey on a farming community in Africa. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: We’ve been looking at different types of conflicts between wildlife and humans that can arise near protected areas such as national parks and animal sanctuaries.

SPEAKER: I’d like to illustrate this with research carried out in Zambia, around the Chembe Bird Sanctuary.

SPEAKER: The sanctuary contains more than 300 species of birds, including birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and owls.

SPEAKER: These birds survive by hunting and killing other animals.

SPEAKER: Most people living near the sanctuary are small-scale farmers.

SPEAKER: Birds of prey provide important social and ecological benefits for these communities.

SPEAKER: For example, they control rodents such as rats, which damage crops both in the fields and after harvesting.

SPEAKER: Birds of prey also reduce the number of snakes, which are a serious danger to rural workers.

SPEAKER: Local people have long recognized these benefits, even before the sanctuary opened in 1973.

SPEAKER: The birds also play an important role in the culture of the region.

SPEAKER: In recent years, they have become economically important because of tourism.

SPEAKER: Tourism now provides a valuable source of income for local communities.

SPEAKER: However, although birds of prey are protected by law, their numbers are declining.

SPEAKER: Some birds die accidentally when they land on roads to catch prey and are hit by vehicles.

SPEAKER: This is especially dangerous at night, when roads are quieter.

SPEAKER: Birds may also die if they come into contact with high-voltage power lines.

SPEAKER: They may be electrocuted, particularly during heavy rain between December and April.

SPEAKER: Farmers also unintentionally threaten these birds.

SPEAKER: Many farmers keep chickens for food and income.

SPEAKER: Chickens are easy prey for birds of prey.

SPEAKER: As a result, some farmers shoot or poison the birds, even though this is illegal.

SPEAKER: Poisoning is especially dangerous because it can harm the wider ecosystem.

SPEAKER: Some people believe chickens should be kept in areas without vegetation, but this is actually counterproductive.

SPEAKER: Without vegetation, chickens have no cover to hide from predators.

SPEAKER: Keeping chickens indoors permanently would be safer but too expensive for most farmers.

SPEAKER: Many farmers try to scare away birds without harming them.

SPEAKER: Having a dog nearby helps frighten predators.

SPEAKER: During the breeding season, when chicks are vulnerable, children sometimes guard the chickens.

SPEAKER: They make loud noises by hitting pans with metal spoons to drive birds away.

SPEAKER: However, none of these methods is completely effective.

SPEAKER: Farmers therefore use a combination of methods.

SPEAKER: Even so, birds of prey still pose a major threat to chickens and cause economic losses for farmers.

SPEAKER: Because of this, researchers have begun exploring possible long-term solutions.

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