LISTENING 4

SECTION 1

plenty – envelope – prices – figure – speeches

LISA: Hi Tony, thanks ever so much for coming. You know we've
been asked to organise something for John's farewell?
TONY: Yeah, sure, it's about time we started working out
details.
LISA: Exactly. We don't want to leave it so late that it's double the
work.
TONY: Mmm, mm, right, do you want me to take notes?
LISA: That'd be great, thanks.
TONY: Right, first thing is, when is the best time to hold it?
LISA: Well, he leaves on the twenty-fourth of December.
TONYSo what about the twenty-second?
LISA: Yeah, I think that's about right. We want it quite near the
time, don't we?
TONY: Sure, and what about a venue? In college? A hotel?
LISA: I think a hotel will probably work out rather expensive, and
I've been looking at the College Dining Room; that seems pretty
reasonable.
TONY: Fine, yeah, why not?
LISA: And then we ought to be thinking about invitations ... who
mustn't we forget to invite?
TONY: Well, obviously John and his wife.
LISA: Right.
TONY: And the Director.
LISA: Ah ha.
TONY: The office staff.
LISA: Yep, and all the teachers and all the students.
TONY: Anyone else?
LISA: Faculty Heads?
TONY: No, better draw the line, I don't think it's necessary.
LISA: Yeah, you're right.
TONY: I don't mind writing the invitations. When shall we
get them out for?
LISA: Enough time but not too early. What about the fifteenth of
December? TONY: Well, there are exams on the sixteenth -
better avoid them.
LISA: Tenth?
TONY: Yeah, that should do it.
LISA: So what does that leave? Oh yes, a present.
TONY: Would you mind doing that?
LISA: No, not at all; we usually go round with an ________ during
coffee break, don't we?
TONY: Yeah, coffee break's always the best time, 'cos
people have g ot their money handy.
LISA: Yeah, exactly. Do we suggest an amount? Or does it seem a
bit unfair?
TONY: No, I think people welcome it. We suggested six dollars
last time, is that OK?
LISA: Yeah, __________I would have thought, which should leave us
with about ninety dollars.
TONY: Have you any ideas for presents?
LISA: Well, I've been having a little think. I thought, you know, he
loves music.
TONY: Yeah, and books.
LISA: So, I thought I'd check on ____________for, well, perhaps CD
players.
TONY: Yeah, that's a good idea, and also I thought maybe,
you know, a set of dictionaries. J heard him say he needed a good
one.
LISA: The other thing he was saying last week was that his
computer printer had broken.
TONY: Umm. No, I'd be really frightened about getting the
wrong type.
LISA: OK, yeah.
TONY: The other thing is something for the home - Jill suggested
a coffee maker.
LISA: Oh yeah. I'll certainly find out what they cost. OK, have you
got all that down?
TONY: Yes.
LISA: Now we need to think a little more about the money. I
know we've got a set amount from the Social Fund.
TONY: Right, what does that cover?
LISA: It's meant to cover the cost of the room.
TONY: Yeah.
LISA: And a certain amount for food.
TONY: And also drinks?
LISA: Oh yeah, certainly.
TONY: But will it be enough?
LISA: What we've done in the past is to ask guests to bring some
snacks.
TONY: Right.
LISA: We don't ask them to bring more drinks because we
___________that's ... that should come from the Social Fund.
TONY: OK. Anything else for the guests to bring?
LISA: Well, some music, because there'll be a tape deck there in
the room, and we can have some dancing later on.
TONY: Anything else?
LISA: Well, it's just a thought, but a couple of years ago we had a
really good party where we set up, you know, some simple
games.
TONY: Yeah, great. Wasn't it based on photos from the
students and teachers?
LISA: That's right.
TONY: So we should ask the guests to bring photos. OK. I'll
put it on the invitations.
LISA: Now the last thing is, who shall we ask to do the speech?
TONY: Don't you think it might be nice to have one of the
students?
LISA: Well then, the Student Leader?
TONY: Yeah, much better than the Director giving _________
again.
LISA: OK then, I'll ask her. Lovely! So, is that all?
TONY: Looks like it.
LISA: Great. Thanks ever so much…

SECTION 2
required – guidance – accommodation - operators
SPEAKER I: Thank you for calling the free Travelite
Travel Agency Information Line. You will not be charged for this
call.
In order to deal with all calls effectively, we offer you a number
of options. Please listen carefully and press your
__________number at the appropriate time, or dial a new number.
If you want to hear about special offers, please press one. If you
want to hear our latest price lists, please press two. If you want
to make a complaint, please press three. If you want
information about our new walking holidays, please press four
now.
SPEAKER 2: Thank you for calling our Travelite Walking
Holidays Line. We have been offering a wide variety of walking
holidays to suit all tastes for just three years, but already we
have won two awards for excellence in this field. We offer guided
walking tours to suit the discerning traveller in twelve different
centres throughout the whole of Western Europe. We are
planning to open our first centre outside this area in the coming
year, so watch out for developments.
But the pride of Travelite is the level of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and
support we offer on our walks. All are planned in detail by our
highly trained guides, who all work in a variety of different
Travelite locations, so we can guarantee standards. Each day
we offer three separate walks catering for all skills and fitness
levels.
We also pride ourselves on our friendly service, particularly
important for the increasing numbers of people who choose to
holiday alone. Unlike almost all travel ___________ who happily
charge large supplements for single rooms, we guarantee that
no single client will pay more, even when only double rooms are
available for them. And the day doesn't end with the return to
base ... after our dinner at communal tables designed to make
all our guests feel part of a family atmosphere ... entertainment
is laid on nearly every night with tour leaders on hand to
organise lectures, games, quizzes and respond to any special
requests from guests.
The following is a summary of costs and special inclusive offers
on holidays for the coming summer. We have three lengths of
holiday: three-day, seven-day and fourteen-day. The three-day
holiday costs one hundred and eighty dollars for all__________,
food and walking, and for the first time this year we are
including in that price ... the cost of picking you up from the
nearest station. The seven-day holiday costs three hundred and
fifty dollars per person and, as well as including the offers of the
three-day holiday, also includes a magnificent book giving the
local history. On top of that, we are able to include free maps ...
for you to better enjoy the walking and even plan in advance, if
you wish.
For the fourteen-day holiday, our special price is six hundred and
ninety dollars per person and that includes all the offers for
the three- and seven-day holidays plus ... membership of a
local walking club ... so you can better enjoy the full flavour of
the local life.
For further information, please contact your local travel agent.
Thank for you calling the Travelite Travel Agency Information
Line…

SECTION 3
assignment – ambitious – segments - demonstrate –

equipment – decent – abandon

MIKE: Hi Sue.
SUE: Hi Mike, so what happened to you last week?
MIKE: Oh, I was sick with the flu. What's this I hear about a big
_________ we've got to do?
SUE: Well, basically, we've got to find two science experiments
to do with a group of eight-year-old children at the local primary
school, and we've got to complete it by the end of the week.
MIKE: Oh, that sounds like hard work. Where are we
supposed to get the ideas for these experiments from?
SUE: Well, I managed to get hold of two books from the library.
MIKE: Oh, well done!
SUE: How about if we take a look at the experiments in this book
first and see if anything looks suitable? I can make notes as we
go, about equipment and the purpose of the experiments.
MIKE: OK, let's see, um, the first experiment is called 'Make
your own hovercraft', which sounds very__________ ! Mind you,
you only need twenty balloons and a table - you don't need any
special engines or anything like that!
SUE: What do you do with it all?
MIKE: Er, you blow up the balloons and you balance the
table on them, upside down of course, and the kids get to ride
around on it. You know, the other kids sort of push them around
the room. The main purpose is to show how hovercrafts work,
and how things hover around on just a cushion of air.
SUE: OK, that doesn't sound too bad.
MIKE: OK, ready for number two?
SUE: Hmm, hmm.
MIKE: Now this one is called 'Unusual Measures of Lengths',
and you basically use lots of paperclips. The kids go around the
class measuring things - you know, how long the desk is, and
that sort of thing, um, and then they all compare their answers.
Er, and, basically, because not all paperclips are the same
lengths, they should come up with some strange answers. lt's
supposed to _____________ the importance of having fixed units
of measurement.
SUE: Hmm, yes, that's not bad.
MIKE: OK, now for number three you need rock salt or
copper sulphate.
SUE: Oh, I'm not sure about that!
MIKE: Well, just put down the rock salt then, um, apart from that
you only need a jar of water. Um, and basically you dissolve lots
of salt into the water and watch the crystals form, so it basically
teaches the kids about growing crystals.
SUE: l suppose it would be nice to grow something. Hmm, let's
move on and have a look at number four.
MIKE: OK, this one is called ''Spinning colour wheel'. It looks
like you get some cardboard and draw a circle on it, divide it into
six equal ________ and colour each one in using different colours,
then you thread a piece of string through the middle.
SUE: So we'd need some string as well.
MIKE: Yes, sorry ... um ... and you spin the wheel around
and if you can get it spinning fast enough, hopefully the
colours all merge and show up as white.
SUE: Oh, I didn't know that. What's the principle behind it?
MIKE: Well it's pretty elementary physics, really. It teaches
them about how white light or ordinary light is made up.
SUE: Hmm, well that doesn't sound too bad. Now there's only
one more left in this book isn't there? What does that one say?
MIKE: Um, well it's another one where they'd get to make
something.
SUE: Sounds very interesting.
MIKE: You need quite a lot of ___________ actually - a hand
drill, an old record, a pin or needle, some paper and a bolt.
SUE: Hmm, go on, what do they have to do?
MIKE: Well, they basically make a record player. The main idea is
to teach them about recording sound, but hopefully they'd also
see that you need motion and an amplifier to make the sound
heard.
SUE: OK, well it does sound interesting. Shall we go through all of
those again and decide if any of them are going to be suitable?
MIKE: Right, number one. I thought this one sounded nice:
there'd be lots of activity and it doesn't need too much in the
way of equipment.
SUE: Yes, that's true, but don't you think it's a bit risky to get a
group of eight-year-olds pushing each other around a classroom
like that? Someone could get hurt. No, I don't like the sound of
that one at all!
MIKE: Maybe you're right.
SUE: What about number two; with the paperclips? It sounds
tame enough.
MIKE: Yes, a bit too tame if you ask me. I think it needs to be
something a bit more active and interesting than that, don't you?
SUE: Yes, I suppose you're right. We won't get a very good mark
if the children don't actually enjoy the experiments, and I
suppose we could turn them off science for good! Well, what
about the next one, number three?
MIKE: Now, I quite like the idea of this one.
SUE: Yes, so do I, but I seem to remember when we did it at high
school we had to wait up to a fortnight before we saw any
halfway ________results.
MIKE: Oh, yes well, that won't be any good then. We'll only
see the kids for one or two hours at the most.
SUE: Yes, and we have to do the experiments and write up our
writing within a week, so that one won't do at all.
MIKE: OK, well, what did you think of number four?
SUE: J like the idea of it, but do you think it will be a bit
elementary for them?
MIKE: Well they are only eight you know!
SUE: I know, but you know what I mean. Don't you think the
activity itself is a bit babyish?
MIKE:Hmm, maybe you're right.
SUE: They might have fun but, T mean, cutting out a circle and
colouring it in?
MIKE: OK, well, what about number five?
SUE: I thought this one sounded a bit too good to be true - great
equipment!
MIKE: Yeah.
SUE: But don't you think it's a bit ambitious for this age group? I
mean, I don't want to start off something and then have to
___________ it if they just can't cope with it. I could see us ending
up doing just about all of the work for them.
MIKE:I guess you're right. Oh well, maybe we could store that
idea away for later.
SUE: Yep, let's hope this second book has something better!

SECTION 4

vary - reputation – authorities- surface – parallel - presence –

extended – majority - currents

Today we're going to look at one of my favourite fish - the shark.
As you know, sharks have a __________ for being very dangerous
creatures capable of injuring or killing humans, and I'd like to
talk about sharks in Australia.
Sharks are rather large fish, often growing to over ten metres and
the longest sharks caught in Australia have reached sixteen
metres. Sharks ___________ in weight with size and breed, of
course, but the heaviest shark caught in Australia was a White
Pointer - that weighed seven hundred and ninety-five kilograms -
quite a size! Sharks have a different structure to most fish:
instead of a skeleton made of bone, they have a tough elastic
skeleton of cartilage. Unlike bone, this firm, pliable material is
rather like your nose, and allows the shark to bend easily as it
swims. The shark's skin isn't covered with scales, like other fish:
instead the skin's covered with barbs, giving it a rough texture
like sandpaper. As you know, sharks are very quick swimmers.
This is made possible by their fins, one set at the side and
another set underneath the body, and the tail also helps the
shark move forward quickly.
Unlike other fish, sharks have to keep swimming if they want to
stay at a particular depth, and they rarely swim at the__________.
Mostly, they swim at the bottom of the ocean, scavenging and
picking up food that's lying on the ocean floor. While most other
animals, including fish, hunt their prey by means of their
eyesight, sharks hunt essentially by smell.
They have a very acute sense of smell - and can sense the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of food long before they can see it.
ln Australia, where people spend a lot of time at the beach, the
government has realised that it must prevent sharks from
swimming near its beaches. As a result, they've introduced a
beach-netting program. Beach-netting, or meshing, involves
setting large nets ____________ to the shore; this means that the
nets on New South Wales beaches are set on one day, and then
lifted and taken out to sea on the next day. When shark-netting
first began in 1939, only the Sydney metropolitan beaches
were meshed - these beaches were chosen because beaches
near the city are usually the most crowded with swimmers. Ten
years later, in 1949, systematic meshing was ______________ to
include the beaches to the south of Sydney. As a result of the
general success of the program in Sydney, shark-meshing was
introduced to the state of Queensland around I970. The New
Zealand __________ also looked at it, but considered meshing
uneconomical - as did Tahiti in the Pacific. At around the same
time, South Africa introduced meshing to some of its most
popular swimming beaches.
When meshing began, approximately fifteen hundred sharks
were caught in the first year.
However, this declined in the years that followed, and since that
time, the average annual catch has been only about a hundred
and fifty a year. The ________ of sharks are caught during the
warmest months, from November to February, when sharks are
most active and when both the air and the ocean are at their
maximum temperature.
Despite quite large catches, some people believe, that shark
meshing is not the best way to catch sharks. It's not that they
think sharks are afraid of nets, or because they eat holes in
them, because neither of these is true. But meshing does appear
to be less effective than some other methods, especially when
there are big seas with high rolling waves and strong
__________ and anything that lets the sand move - the sand
that's holding the nets down. When this moves the nets will
also become less effective.