IELTS LISTENING TEST 13

SECTION 1 You will hear a man inquiring about joining a wildlife conservation society. First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6 on page 2. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Wildlife Conservation Society, good afternoon, can I help you? Oh, hello. Yes, I'd like to join, please. Oh yes, certainly. I'll just get some details from you. Could I have your name? Michael Jones. The caller's name is Michael Jones. So, Michael Jones has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6. Wildlife Conservation Society, good afternoon, can I help you? Oh, hello. Yes, I'd like to join, please. Oh yes, certainly. I'll just get some details from you. Could I have your name? Michael Jones. Right. And can I ask where you heard about us? Was it in an advert, or did a friend tell you, or... Neither, actually. It was a radio program. Then I just got your number from the phone book. Oh, right. Now I need some membership details. It's Michael Jones, and the address? 21 Beale Street. Okay. Leeds. Fine. And do you know your postcode? Yes, it's LS142JW. Okay. And do you have a daytime telephone number we can contact you on? Yes, you can call me at work. The number's 0117358642. And I can give you my office email address if you like. That'd probably be useful. Yes, please. It's mj at hennings.co.uk. Is that H-E-N-N-I-N-G-S? That's right. Thank you. Now I just need to ask you some questions about exactly what you want. First of all, how long do you want the membership for? We do two-, three-, and five-year memberships, and we also do one for life. I think I'll just get the minimum length this time around. Fine. And then the type of membership. We do single, joint, or family, which covers up to four children. Well, we haven't got any children, but I think I'll get the joint one because my wife will probably want to do the activities with me. Yes. Fine. Let me see. That'll be £49 altogether then, please. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10 on page 2. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10. How would you like to pay? By direct debit? No problem. I just need your bank details. Can you give me the name first? It's the Union Bank. And now I've got your name, but I need your account number. 0-1-0-5-9-6-1-2. Okay. When would you like to start payment? Next month, on the 1st of October, or...? Can you make it the 15th instead? No problem. The membership will begin then too. Is that all right? That's fine. I'll just give you a reference number in case there's any problem. Have you got a pen? Yes. It's J-Y-Z-3-7. And we'll be sending you an information pack within a few days. Is there anything else? Oh yes. Could you send me an additional one? I've got a friend who's very interested. Certainly. No problem. I'll make a note of that. There's also a video we can send you if you like. There's no charge. Yes, please. That'll be great. That is the end of Section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to Section 2, on page 3.

SECTION 2 You will hear a speech given by a man called George Dyson about Northfield Sports Complex. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16. On behalf of Northfield Sports Complex, I'd like to extend our warmest welcome to you all here this evening. I'm George Dyson, founder of Northfield Sports Complex. I am giving this speech today to celebrate a special occasion. We started the business exactly a decade ago, and today we have developed into a large firm with a sizable group of members. We've also been nominated the most valuable company by Greentown at the yearly business awards, which will be held next week. As experienced and qualified reporters, you are invited here to experience and witness this historical moment of Northfield Sports Complex together with us. Situated within the campus of Greentown University, Northfield Sports Complex is a modern, refreshing and fully equipped facility for sports of all kinds. As part of its commitment to the local community, Northfield Sports Complex is available not only to school children, but also to local residents. It offers a wide range of facilities, including a 25-metre swimming pool, paved walking and jogging paths, a well-equipped fitness gym, all-weather pitches, indoor courts for table tennis, tennis and other sports, as well as a renowned skating rink. Different age groups can all find the right sports to participate in. That's why local residents enjoy working out here. As a result, natives here are healthier than most of the people within our nation. The whole town is very proud of having nurtured two world champions who were once both trained right here in our skating rink. Thus, it has become the ideal venue to learn to skate and have fun. But what I take pride in most of all is the skating rink that has stirred the interest of boys and girls here in local schools to skate. Since opening, an increasing number of pupils have been paying regular visits to the skating rink. A new yoga classroom with trainers will be open next month for mothers with babies. They can bring their own yoga mat and work out together with their babies. This will be a great way for them to get healthy and meet other mums. There will also be a brand new gym open to the pensioners in the near future. Just this month, a new swimming pool is open to all fitness levels, with special offers for those without a job. Our complex is open daily from 8am to 9pm, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We intend to extend our business in the coming year. A list of equipment will be put up for sale, ranging from exercising equipment like cardio machines to sports recovery and injury prevention facilities. Within our complex, we try our best to avoid injuries of any kind. We train knowledgeable staff to guide our clients through correct workout regimens. For those who want to further ensure workout safety, they are welcome to apply to be a member of our standing committee. They are responsible for revising the safety guidelines and supervising its enforcement. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20. Now, I would like to introduce some of our most popular sports facilities here at Northfield Sports Complex. Our 25m swimming pool is the centrepiece of the complex, combining modern, bright and airy surroundings with fully up-to-date changing facilities. The pool is excellent for learning how to swim, improving techniques and, of course, competing in school competitions. It is also bookable for private functions, including pool parties where lifeguards are available. Next, we have the only climbing wall throughout the whole town. Many would see rock climbing as a type of extreme sport, exposing great risk to those who participate. But actually, under proper guidance and with close supervision by the coach here, it is a perfect sport for the youth to increase their flexibility and strengthen their muscles. I have to mention our skating rink once again. As our most popular facility, it has been prominently featured in a TV commercial we have released recently. There is no other skating rink larger than ours within the whole nation. Also, our state-of-the-art gym is an inspiring place to train and keep fit in relaxed and friendly surroundings. The techno-gym equipment enables our clients to measure their performance. If you book a one-on-one trainer, he or she might suggest a future training plan and help you train more systematically. That is the end of Section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

SECTION 3 You will hear a tutor and two students discussing the crop rice. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24. Good morning, everyone. So, following on from our tutorial on European agriculture last week, Daisy and Eric are going to talk about the most commonly grown crop in Asia, which is, of course, rice. Eric, can you tell us what you've been working on? Yes, sure. We've been looking at the role of rice in a number of countries, how it's grown, ways of increasing production. As I'm sure you know, rice is the staple diet throughout Asia and, in fact, 90% of the world's rice is grown and eaten there. Daisy's got some background on that. Well, rice was originally a wild plant which started out in the tropical regions of Asia. But there are literally hundreds of varieties today and each with different qualities. For instance, one will survive floods while another will grow in relatively dry conditions. A third has a really lovely smell. But wherever it grows, rice needs a lot of water. What do you mean by a lot? Well, it takes about 5,000 litres to get a kilogram of rice. This can be supplied either naturally or by irrigation. And as most rice-growing countries suffer from unpredictable weather, including drought, water management really is the key. Research has become so important now that each rice-growing country in Asia has its own research institute. Whether we're talking about Japan, China or Bangladesh. And they're all coordinated by a group in the Philippines called the International Rice Research Institute. Interesting. Bangladesh, for instance, has been successfully using different rice varieties and fertilisers for 30 years. But because it's such a flat, delta country, it's very difficult for the water to drain away after the monsoon season. So they need to find special rice crops that can survive the floods. And with global warming, the situation is more urgent than ever. 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. Now I'd like to move on to our comparative study. As you can imagine, China is the world's biggest rice-producing country. Collectively, the Chinese people probably eat more than 3 billion bowls of rice every day. Quite a statistic. And of course, rice plays an important cultural role too. We then compared China to Thailand. You know, even though Thailand only has about 64 million people, it's the world's number one exporter of rice. Not China, as you might imagine. Is that so? Yes. They send their rice everywhere. In particular to Europe, as well as Africa and the Middle East. Apparently, the fact that jasmine rice is growing in popularity is one reason why Thailand's rice export industry is doing so well. People want something a bit different. And of course, Thailand is well-suited to rice growing. Good climatic conditions and lots of fresh water. Going back to China for a minute, we should mention that at the Rice Research Institute in Guangzhou, they're working on ways of improving rice yields using less water. By yields, you mean the amount they can grow? Yes. They're trying to find ways to get more rice from less land, improve the taste, but also have other things in it besides carbohydrates so that it's healthier, better for you. Good idea, considering it's the staple food. And then you've got Japan, which is totally self-sufficient when it comes to rice. This is basically because they have a high tariff on imported rice, so everyone buys the home-grown product and they don't export much. Yes, but, you know, even though rice is a kind of sacred crop there, consumption is only half what it was in the 1960s. This trend isn't evident in Thailand or China. Interesting that you mentioned how rice is almost sacred in Japan, because I believe in Thailand it also plays an important cultural role. Absolutely. They have the Royal Ploughing Ceremony every year, which the King always attends, and he actually scatters a new stock of seed to the farmers who pour into Bangkok for the event. What about the global interest in organic farming? Is there such a thing as organically grown rice? Yes, indeed, and the Japanese are getting quite a taste for it, apparently. There's an experimental farm near the city of Akita in the Japanese rice belt, famous for its sake, by the way, which has pioneered organic rice production, and now it's sold all across the country. It's a bit like the recent popularity of jasmine rice in Thailand, but that's for the export market, of course. Interesting how attitudes change, isn't it? That is the end of Section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

SECTION 4 You will hear a lecture about how to choose flooring materials. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. We've been talking about choosing building materials in the last week. Now, a great many factors influence the choice of building materials. You can't make a house of cards, right? And people who live in glass houses and all that. Anyhow, today I'd like to say a few words about flooring. Some artificial materials can be used, like plastic, for instance, which offer mixed blessings when used as a flooring surface. On the one hand, plastic is cheaper than nearly any other alternative, short of bare ground. Plastic also does not warp like wood. On the other hand, the best that can be said about plastic is that it looks like wood or stone. However, it cannot replace the real materials. As I have mentioned, I'm fixing up a new house. The decorator my wife hired told me plastic does a great job of looking exactly like plastic. Besides, it scratches easily, fades or discolours and starts cracking within a year or two. So, if you're fitting out a sleazy hotel or plan to live in a trailer park, go with the plastic. Really though, for all intents and purposes, this leaves us with wood or stone as choices for flooring. Stone and wood are alike in at least one respect. Both go through processing before they can be put to use. Since few of us cut our own lumber or quarry our own stone, this is not perhaps a pressing concern. Still, do it yourself as wood do well to remember to buy only properly seasoned wood. Unseasoned wood warps and a warped floor quickly becomes firewood and its owner quickly becomes poorer. Likewise, except for dull-hued materials like slate or sandstone, most stone floors are polished before installation. The choice goes well beyond just wood or stone. Each type requires many further considerations. A few special remarks are called for when considering wood, for example. As always, aesthetics, personal taste and layout all play roles, as well as the type of house or room. Oh, and certainly don't forget the cost. When it comes to cost, a rule of thumb is that the softer and less exotic the wood, the lower the cost. In the US, for instance, pine is both ubiquitous and cheap. Mahogany is imported and exorbitantly expensive. If you're on any kind of budget when remodelling, it's really helpful to remember to go for the softer woods. Aside from cost, there are still lots of different factors that are important in choosing the best flooring for the job. Continuing with the example of wood, one must consider the effects of each type of wood on the mood of the room. When selecting the best wood to use, particular attention needs to be paid to its grain patterns, texture and colour. In rooms where relaxation or deep thought is the aim, say bedrooms or the study, dark, strong-grained woods are the rule. Here, the grain ought to match the furniture for a feeling of homogeneity. In rooms where activity and motion are typical, the dining room or living room, lighter, finer-grained lumber is more suitable. In such a setting, the wood grain might be useful in offering a contrast to the furniture. This leads to a feel of subconscious excitement in keeping with the room's function. In either case, though, consult a decorator. It is a decorator's job to know what materials to use to fit the function of the room. Though some things about putting together a room are subjective and based on one's individual taste, materials appropriate to a room's function are much more straightforward. A decorator takes the needs of the customer and uses a mathematical formula rather than subjective words. Since feelings vary from person to person, verbal descriptions of wood types tend to be ambiguous. You want the wood you select, not something approximate. And if you do decide to do it yourself, remember that all wood must be treated with preservatives to enhance its appearance and preserve its natural beauty. In the case of stone or quarry tile, as flat-cut flooring stone is properly called, a new set of considerations must be weighed up. Simple colour aside, the degree of reflection must be kept in mind. This is called the reflectance rate, which is expressed in a number between 0.0 and 1.0, depending on the amount of light it reflects. At one end of the scale is polished silver. At a rating of 1.0, this shiny surface reflects nearly all of the light directed at it. Numbers closer to 0 describe materials that absorb more light. Moving down the scale a bit, we see that plastic that has been painted white has a rate of 0.8, which makes sense. We know that the colour white reflects all other colour, while black absorbs all colour, and plastic itself is a relatively reflective material. Materials that are denser and darker have reflectance rates much closer to 0. The quarry tile I mentioned a while ago has a rate of 0.1. As you may know, quarry tile is generally dark brown and made from clay, so it is quite dense. Of course, there is considerable variation among types of quarry tile because of the hue or treatment of the clay during its creation. Does anyone have any guesses as to what material may have a rate of almost 0.0? We can guess most of these materials are black in colour, but plastic, wood and even stone reflect some light. One material with a rate of almost 0.0 is black velvet. The texture produces almost no shine at all. Carrara marble, despite its white hue, is actually lower in reflectivity than black onyx. In any case, the fact that tiles vary somewhat should not be forgotten. A highly reflective floor would not be suitable in a library. It would be indispensable in a ballroom, should your home be large enough to feature one. Again, a rule of thumb is that light means lively. Since form and material follow function, one should only use the more reflective materials in rooms where the cultivation and expression of energy is important. Bear in mind, too, that most types of stone cost more than all but the rarest of wood. Of course, there is no reason why some rooms of a house should not feature wood floors or other stone tiles. You can even mix the two. A room with wood panels on the walls can have a beautiful stone floor. My bedroom has white birch walls and a light blue slate floor. The place looks like a Russian hunting lodge. Remember, though, go with what feels right for you. Good taste and the laws of interior design are the homeowner's servants, not his master. It's only beautiful when you decide it is. I mean, you're the one who lives there, not the decorator, right? OK, are there any questions? That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. In the IELTS test, you will now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet.