IELTS LISTENING TEST 29

SECTION 1 Employee: Good afternoon. Welcome to Matrix Printing. I'm John Smith. How can I help you? Customer: Good afternoon. I'm here to reprint a brochure for our hotel. There are some pages that need revising. Employee: Sure, how may I address you? Customer: Oh, I'm Mary Jane from Central Hotel Chains (Q1). Nice to meet you. I've got samples of the previous version. Employee: I assume it is your company's advertising brochure? Customer: Yes. Employee: What exactly is the problem? Customer: Well, it was printed the year before, so some of the information is already out-of-date. There are also a couple of problems with the layout. Firstly, the letters of the address on the front page are far too small (Q2). It's hard to see when glancing at the cover. Employee: How big do you need it to be? Customer: Increase the letters by 3 font sizes. Employee: Just a minute. Let me take notes of your requirements… OK, what else needs changing? Customer: The information regarding the pool should be deleted, because it is currently under renovation and is not available. (Q3) Employee: So all of the relevant descriptions on page 2 should be removed? What do we replace it with? We can't just leave the whole page blank. Customer: Just fill it in with the introduction of our newly-opened gym. I've included all the relevant information here in this flash drive. Employee: Let me check…Um. I see. No problem then. Customer: What is also bothering us is that the description under the top photo on page 4 is incorrect. The wore lounge needs to be replaced with reception. (Q4) Employee: Fully noted. Is that all? Customer: No, there is more. Turn to page 5. We feel that showing merely the picture of our exterior and interior decoration does not fully represent the appeal of our hotel. On second thought, we've decided to use a picture with the view of the hotel. (Q5) Employee: Do you have the original copy of the picture? Customer: Yes, it is also enclosed in the flash drive. Employee: OK, we'll reedit the whole layout of the photos. Customer: Great. Customer: Let's turn to the next page. Employee: Yes, what's wrong with that? It seems perfectly fine to me. Customer: At first sight, it seems fine. But according to the feedback of the customers, the prices do not stand out, so we want to change the print from black to red to make it pop out. (Q6) Employee: OK. I've made notes of all your requests. Is there anything else? Customer: I appreciate it. Just one final request. Could you translate the whole brochure into Spanish (Q7)? We have customers worldwide, you know, especially those from Latin countries. Employee: No problem. What about other languages, like Japanese, Chinese or German? These are our most popular target languages. Customer: I have to ask the manager about the Chinese version. There's been a surging number of Chinese clients during recent years. However, we don't need German or Japanese translations as we currently don't have many customers from those two countries. Employee: Sure. Just keep me updated. Customer: So roughly when could we get the revised print? We need it before the end of July. (Q8) Employee: It's late June now. Roughly it'll take 3 weeks to reedit, so it will definitely be ready before the deadline. Customer: Great. Employee: To where shall we send the samples? Customer: The address is No. 9 Green Drive, Cliffton, NY21300. (Q9) Employee: How do you spell Cliffton? Customer: C-L-I-double F-T-O-N, Cliffton. Employee: And the telephone number? Customer: It's 9-0-3-0-3-6-6-0-2 (Q10). Also, if you have any further questions, you can reach me through this number. Employee: OK.

SECTION 2 Good morning everyone and welcome to the Annual Ski and Snowboard Exhibition held from April 8th to 17th. I am Mary Granger, coordinator of the event this year. The 10-day event features many highlights. As a snow sports lover, I know you are looking forward to a great time here. Now I'd like to offer you some practical information about the whole event and what to expect from it. This might be the first time coming here for some of you. So for those who are still wondering about the right accommodation, I recommend Sky Hotel. It has its own health and sports clubs just like most of the hotels here, but I love it because of its incredibly cozy beds which guarantees good rest after an exhausting day of exploration (Q11). If you haven't brought your own equipment, like poles, boots and skis, they are available for purchase or rent at Ski Set or Snow Rental. The exhibition this year provides a colorful look into the history of skiing and an inspiring peek into the future prospects of the sport. Apart from the fascinating photo exhibitions and the most up-to-date skiing gear like always, this year we have added four computers which can imitate the process of skiing, ensuring the same physical activity and sensations that appear during the skiing process on downhill slopes (Q12). But I have to warn you that it might be quite time-consuming to line up for the free trial experience. Many have posed the question as to how to enter the skiing and snowboarding competition (Q13). Well, rather than filling out the back of the entrance ticket or bombarding the committee with emails, the most effective method is by checking out the exhibition newsletter delivered every month for availability (Q13). As the most beloved local event, the exhibition has also drawn attention from the press. Last year, massive media coverage was on the worrisome amount of snowfall. In order to avoid the same predicament, several artificial skiing slopes have been built. With more participants this year, we have lowered the entrance fee which has been widely reported by local newspapers. (Q14) A bonus for our participants is the ski program. It offers a wide variety of lessons and sessions with qualified instructors ensuring that all ages and abilities are catered to from the first timers to seasoned amateurs. I strongly advise you to sign up for the program as it is offering an unprecedented 30% discount. That's mainly because we are cooperating with the program organiser who promises affordable prices only for the participants of the festival this year. (Q15) Now I would like to introduce to you the list of presentations during the following week so that you can better plan your schedule. The first presenter Simon is one of our best ski instructors. As an experienced instructor, he will inform you about the dangers that face skiers and snowboarders (Q16). Accidents happen mostly to those who are careless or ignorant. Good risk management involves considering both the probability and consequences of an accident. The next speech titled Solution is given by Jamie Kurt. A list of problems may occur to novice skiers and snowboarders, so he is going to offer useful information for first timers on choosing the appropriate gears, the right dress code and ways of protecting your skin (Q17). For instance, some of you may have rented the skiing equipment, but rental footwear is notoriously uncomfortable. Then Jamie will provide instructions to help make your footwear fit better. The third speech is about a documentary introducing skiing and snowboarding and the difference between the two sports. It also depicts a group of snow lovers exploring new slopes with breath-taking views (Q18). The director Andy Fisher will be there, addressing the whole shooting experience. The fourth talk is about the tricks of skiing, presented by Harry Tyson. It is most useful for those who have already tried skiing, yet still need more practice to master the sport. Harry will teach you how to turn more skillfully (Q19). A lot of people can keep their skis roughly parallel but there's no point if you make it hard to work with and slide around out of control. Useful exercises will also be suggested to improve your parallel skiing technique so that you can tackle steeper slopes and enjoy yourself more. Johnson Smith will be the last presenter, mainly addressing towards advanced skiers. He manages to apply snow climbing into skiing (Q20). Climbing in soft snow, you are floundering around. Walking becomes harder, so a good trick during climbing is to maintain a wider gait, approximately shoulder width, so that you are more stable while walking. This works for skiing as well.

SECTION 3 Tutor: Helen and Paul, congratulations to you both for doing so well the past semester. You two have exhibited an impeccable performance during your first year in the nursing program. I'd like to get some feedback from the two of you to better improve the program and to provide guidance for our prospective students. I'd like to start with you, Helen. So first of all, which aspect of the program impressed you? Helen: Well, to be honest, when I was enrolled into the course, I was expecting a group of classmates my age. But as I stepped into the classroom for the first time, I was surprised by the diversity. Most were in their twenties, but there were also those in their thirties or even forties (Q21). As it turns out, the intergenerational communication has sparked intense debate and new thinking, and I think that's something special about the program that I appreciate very much. Tutor: What about you, Paul? What do you think of the program? Paul: For me the group project we carried out last semester is another key feature of the program. The whole class was divided into 8 different groups working on 8 perspective cases. Team building sessions were conducted in a collaborative way most of the time. Comprised of five members, our group studied acute pancreatitis. During the process, we broke the task into different parts and assigned them to each member. We were then able to tackle the complex problem by pooling our knowledge and skills. More importantly, stronger links were established between the group members. Because of the project, we've all become good friends. (Q22) Tutor: That's true. According to graduates, group projects prepare them for the work world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norm. So tell me, Paul, what else do you like about the program? Paul: I want to be a registered nurse working in a public hospital after graduation. So the internship provided is a valuable opportunity for clinical practice in a supportive learning atmosphere. However, I was amazed by the amount of written assignments since I thought the course should have focused more on practice-oriented learning. (Q23) Helen: Well, I have to disagree with you, Paul. The essays demonstrate your understanding of the course. For me, writing essays is a process that involves critical thinking which challenges me to develop my points more thoroughly. I thus managed to gain a diversity of perspectives. Tutor: The program is designed to deliver basic and advanced theoretical knowledge of core concepts including health care systems concepts, together with practicum or clinical practice experience to bridge the classroom content to the practice setting. So I'm afraid written work is unavoidable. Also this year, we've added a module of law. How do you feel about that? Helen: At first we felt that learning law is kind of redundant and too time-consuming. After a few sessions, we realised that it is necessary in dealing with future medical disputes. (Q24) Tutor: Do you have any suggestions for prospective students? Paul: What bothers me most is handing in essays on time. I almost missed the deadline once because there were three essays due within the same week. So rationalising your time is critical. (Q25) Helen: Well, that's true. The lectures deliver so much useful information. I have poor memory so I kept making notes and revisiting them on a regular basis (Q26). To my surprise, at the end of the semester, I have learnt the key concepts by heart. Tutor: How was the research? I heard that it was quite challenging. How did you manage to overcome the difficulties? Paul: That's true. The majority of us had no clue how to carry out the research at first. Fortunately, when I was digging up reference materials at the library, I sought help from the librarian (Q27). She taught me about finding the appropriate resources and choosing the proper research methods. Tutor: Have you checked out the online forum? Helen: Yes, it has become a habit for me to visit the forum regularly. In a sense, it extends classroom learning. It is where the students post academic problems that they come across and get support from the faculty members. (Q28) Paul: Some of my classmates didn't do so well during the placement tests. I feel that background reading is necessary. (Q29) Tutor: Lastly, do you have anything to say to the freshmen? Helen: I was really ambitious at first, trying to get straight A's on my transcript. I made tons of notes and worked hard even on the optional assignments to get extra credit. I stressed myself out before having an emotional breakdown. After consulting my advisor, I found it important to set realistic goals (Q30). Don't push yourself too hard. It is wise to sort out your priorities. Tutor: Thank you for coming here today and providing valuable feedback on the program. Have a great summer break.

SECTION 4 Good morning everyone. Today's lecture is about a type of adorable animal — the penguin. When you think of penguins, you may picture them surrounded by snow and ice. But not all penguins live where it's cold—African penguins live in the southern tip of Africa. They are usually found within 40 kilometres of the shore and on a number of its surrounding islands. African Penguins are also known as Jackass Penguins, because they make donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. African penguins can keep their body temperature at a stable level (Q31). But their land habitat can get quite warm, so there are a number of ways for them to stay cool. They limit their daylight movements on breeding sites on land to early mornings and early evenings to avoid too much sun (Q32). The pink glands above their eyes can help them cope with the temperate climates. Like other penguins, African penguins spend most of the day feeding in the ocean, which also helps keep them cool. Being a type of small to medium sized penguin species, African penguins average about 60 centimetres tall and weigh up to 3.6 kilograms. They have a black stripe and a pattern of unique black spots on their chest. Males are larger than females and have larger beaks. Even though they are categorised as birds, African penguins aren't able to fly because of their heavy bones (Q33). Their wings are more like flippers that make them particularly suited for life in the water. When they're on land, their flippers and their tails help them keep their balance and walk upright. African Penguins begin to breed at the average age of four. When a male and female pair up, they tend to breed together for the rest of their lives. Most other penguins nest and lay their eggs out in the open, but African penguins have a different approach. They dig holes under bushes out of their own excrement, called guano, so they are sheltered from the sun and predators. (Q34) The African Penguin survives on a diet that is comprised mainly of marine organisms. They feed primarily on fish like sardines, along with the occasional squid and shellfish. But when normal food is in short supply, they eat tree roots as well (Q35). The streamlined body of the African Penguin allows it to move through the water like a rocket, capable of reaching a speed of around 20 kilometres per hour when hunting for food. The African Penguin's smaller size means that it has many predators both in the water and also on dry land. Their natural predators at sea include seals and sharks (Q36). The biggest threat to them on land is not just towards the adult penguins. The penguin chicks are sometimes taken by seagulls into the air and dropped from above. The seagulls could thus feed on them. (Q37) At risk from predators, young penguins are protected for about 40 days after hatching by both parents. They will leave the colony when they are between 3 to 5 months old and will return a few years later. The entire surface of their body is densely covered with feathers, which fall off during the winter (Q38). This process is called molting and takes about three weeks to complete. During that time, they are unable to forage. Therefore prior to this, African penguins spend about five weeks laying down fat deposits. They generally live between 10 to 15 years, however many do not reach their full life span. Their population has drastically declined. Approximately 120,000 African penguins remain in the wild, and their population has decreased by 90% in the past 60 years. They are considered to be vulnerable and have been listed as being endangered. Two major factors have contributed to their decline. They are struggling for nesting space due to human disruption and competing for food due to overfishing and pollution. (Q39) With the limited number of breeding pairs, survivorship becomes difficult for African penguins. This makes them especially vulnerable as environmental conditions change or an outbreak of a disease occurs. For instance, avian malaria has caused 27% of the captive-breeding penguins' deaths annually. The more genetic diversity there is within a species, the higher the likelihood that at least some of the individuals will adapt and survive. (Q40)