IELTS LISTENING TEST 38

SECTION 1 You will hear a survey company representative ringing a person to obtain some information. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5. 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. Hello? Hello, who is this? Hello, I'm a representative of the Tally Ho survey company and I'd like to ask you a few questions regarding exercise. Ah, that's an interesting subject. The representative will ask questions about exercise. So, exercise 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. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5. Hello? Hello, who is this? Hello, I'm a representative of the Tally Ho survey company and I'd like to ask you a few questions regarding exercise. Ah, that's an interesting subject. Yes, we think so too. But I'm afraid I'm a bit busy at the moment. Don't worry, this will only take about four minutes at the most. It's 10.25 now, so it will all be over by 10.30. Well, alright, if it's that short. It will be. So, one of the first things I need to know is where you are, that is, which suburb or area of the city. The last client was in Blackburn, for example. Blackburn? That's close to me. I'm in Box Hill. Another eastern suburb then. I have a friend in Box Hill too. Interesting place. Now, I need your approximate age for this survey. Are you younger than 20, between 20 and 29, 30 and 39 and so on? I'll turn 40 in a few months, so that puts me in the 40 to 49 age group. Well, that's in a few months, so right now you're in the 30 to 39. Alright, so put that then. OK. Now, I need to know your occupation. The last caller was a housewife, for example. The one before that, a teacher. I used to be a teacher too, teaching cookery. And now? Now you can just put domestic duties. Actually, I hope to begin a new job soon as a cook, but that won't be for some time yet. I have to wait for my husband's restaurant to open. Cook? That sounds interesting. But it's domestic duties for now. OK. That just leaves some information about your family. This is not obligatory at all, so if you don't want to answer, that's fine. What sort of information exactly? Oh, it's very broad. Married with children, single mother, that sort of thing. The last customer said she was a single mother. I'm married and not a mother. Put married, no children. I'm married with children myself, but I'll put in your details. And that finishes the profile and just leaves the actual survey itself if you're ready to proceed. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions six to ten. Now listen and answer questions six to ten. All right, let's begin the survey now about your exercise habits. I'm afraid I don't exercise much at all. Well, the main question is in what form you take your exercise, however little that may be. For example, in just cleaning, do you clean the house? My husband does the cleaning actually, but I walk to the supermarket and shops very often, up to four times a week. I'll put that then, unless there's something else? Nothing else really, but I diet. I'm very strict about what I eat. Oh, and I do yoga, although that's not very energetic. More a form of relaxation and to tighten my muscles. They're both important, of course. But what about sport? Do you undertake any sporting activities? This could be very infrequent. In the past, for example. My husband plays basketball at the local school and I sometimes watch. When he was younger, he was in a basketball team, but I never participated. Have you done anything at all? I used to hike in a nearby national park. Well, that's a definite physical activity, so I'll put that, but not basketball. All right, that just leaves future exercise intentions. Do you plan or expect to do, at some stage, any form of exercise? I once dreamt of doing modern dance, but that's never going to happen. Realistically, I'm thinking about going swimming at the local aquatic centre, although my husband thinks we should just jog. I can't see myself doing that, though. Too tiring. I can understand. I used to jog, too, and it really makes you sweat. I'd say swimming's a much better option. But I'll be starting this job as a cook in my husband's restaurant. I imagine I'll be very tired doing all those late shifts. But if I have any energy left over, I might go to the aquatic centre to release some stress. All right, well, that's the end of the survey. Thank you very much for your time. That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section 2.

SECTION 2 You will hear a guide talking to a group of visitors in a garden. First, you'll have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14. Hello, welcome to Pine Garden. My name is Manuel, and I'd like to tell you a few things about our establishment before you all wander off and begin your exploration of the grounds. I know you're keen to begin, so I'll try to keep this short. First of all, I'd like to explain what you can do with your ticket. If you want to be closer to nature, you could visit our planting area. In that area, visitors can plant small flowers and bulbs that will grow and become part of the garden. The planting activity is completely free. However, if you have sensitive hands, you'll need to purchase garden gloves to protect your skin. Here at Pine Garden, we sell a number of wooden goods carved from trees that have been felled in our very own pine forest. If you feel like getting involved and having a go yourself, you can join one of our bush timbering lessons free of charge, where you'll be able to make your own key ring under the supervision of a skilled craftsman. The most popular attraction in the garden is our aviary, where you can observe a whole range of bird species. Entry to this section is free, but you have to pay a small supplement in order to enter the hummingbird section. Also, the insect hut not far from it may arouse your interest. There you can find some interesting insects such as butterflies, pocket ladybugs, dragonflies and so on, and there's no extra charge for that. Unfortunately, there are some areas that are temporarily off-limits to visitors today. For example, the gift shop that closed earlier this year and won't be open for another month or so. As I mentioned before, however, you're free to visit our restaurant for food and snacks, and if you're looking to purchase a gift, why not buy that special someone a potted bush or orchid from our plant care centre. And our new treetop cafe is under construction, which will be very impressive when it's finished. In fact, the model town's already opened ahead of schedule, and it's attracting a lot of people. Now, our tourist office is normally available to provide tourists with a variety of help. However, the officer is sick at home today. Please do not let this discourage you from visiting these, as they provide quite an experience. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you'll have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. I also would like to introduce you to our plant specialists who are responsible for the wonderful plant displays here at Pine Garden. Mrs Mary is one of our experts, and she is personally responsible for our beautiful display of plants that are all found growing naturally in the local area. Mr Burson has the difficult task of growing varieties of plants that are suited to much drier and hotter climates than ours, which means we do not have to store water on site. If you visit the glasshouse, you'll be able to see many plants that he has managed to cultivate without the need for rain or irrigation. Mr Smith is responsible for the produce that you can eat in our restaurant, which ranges from varieties that grow under the ground to those that grow on trees and bushes. Now, Mr Nooney here is our expert on the most commonly growing plant in the world, grass. You may have noticed how beautifully green and lush our grounds are, thanks to his specialist knowledge. Mr Scanlon ensures that our soil is full of nutrients, so that the natural habitat is supported and encouraged. He does this by fertilising the earth with a special formula of his own creation. Finally, I would like to introduce you all to Dr Mandelson. He is the manager of our landscaping team and works closely with our other experts to ensure that everyone works together to create a landscape that is both beautiful and sustainable. Well, that just about rounds it up. Now, if anyone has any questions. That is the end of section two. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section three. You will hear Sally and Mike, two students, and their professor talking about their classwork. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26. Hello, Sally and Mike. Hello, Professor. Welcome to the third meeting of our After School Club, where we discuss topics from the syllabus in order to help you to understand your classwork better. Now, I hope that you've read the notes I gave you last week on the ancient African traditions, as this will be the focus of our discussion today. Who can tell me how they were able to recognise different stars? Did they measure the distance between them? No, Sally, I'm afraid that's incorrect. Mike, do you know the answer? Historians used to think that the ancient Africans recognised stars by observing the manner in which they affected each other, but further research showed that they used the location of the stars in order to distinguish one from the other. Well done, Mike. Very good. Can either of you tell me anything about the Wayaka people? They have a lot of money, but do not trust banks to keep it safe. They believe that it's in their best interest to help themselves, not assist others. Instead, the tribe looks after their own finances and generate income from lending money to others in low-interest loans. What problems do the Africans suffer from? They used to suffer greatly from drought, however they have now developed clever ways of overcoming it, by moving to higher land. There are, however, far more predators in these mountainous areas, so it is vital that the Africans learn how to protect themselves in this new environment. Yes, that's right. Also, compared to more developed countries, the Africans are less concerned with their international status, which I find interesting. Very good. What else are the local people concerned with? Unlike other, poorer tribes, they have plenty of nourishing food, and they are able to afford vaccines that prevent them from catching diseases. They historically lived in the west of Africa, although later they were chased off their land by other tribes competing for food and water. It is their hope that they will eventually be able to return to their original homeland. Why has the financial condition of the African people deteriorated? Despite their modern transportation system, they find it very difficult to trade, because their tools are not sophisticated enough to mine minerals from the land. They have permission to engage in these commercial activities, so once they have the right tools, they will be able to develop a very large income from trade. Do you think that this new income will stop Africans suffering from starvation in the near future? Unfortunately, I don't think so. They should be able to start trading next year, but they will only have enough income to start growing sufficient food and crops to support the local people in the long-term future. Yes, that's correct. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30. Now, listen and answer questions 27 to 30. There are many charities from developed countries that are helping to ship food to African countries in order to feed the starving. Unfortunately, it is difficult to transport a lot of food to the right places, but Africans are very good at sharing and making sure that everyone gets something to eat. African governments are also starting to pay more attention to the needs of their people. They have been directing a lot of money to help build schools in the more impoverished villages as a part of their new education plan, which is fantastic. This means that, hopefully, all African children will be able to attend school daily without having to walk long distances. Yes, absolutely. Do you remember any other information from your class notes? Historically, the tribes in Africa often used to migrate across the country in search of food and water. They would live in tents that were easy to dismantle and transport to other locations. That's true, but now they are being encouraged to settle down in one area so they can establish colonies and build facilities for themselves, such as houses and schools. Some villages have even developed specific customs. For example, the Wayaka people consider it impolite if you do not bring gifts when visiting someone. Bravo! You've both contributed fantastic points to our conversation. That concludes our session for today. I'll see you next week. That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers. You will hear a lecturer discussing techniques for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 33. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 33. We all know about the role of carbon dioxide in causing global warming. Obviously, society needs to reduce the release of carbon dioxide, otherwise known as CO2. This gas comes from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and it is virtually impossible for society to prevent or even limit such activity. Our need for energy and power is just too great. Instead, a more practical idea is to collect the carbon dioxide from the burning process, for example, directly from the chimneys of power stations, and somehow prevent this gas from being released into the environment. To do that, you need to store it somehow, and that has to be essentially forever. It is perhaps for this reason that many believe that, rather than storing the carbon dioxide as a gas, it is better to react it with metal oxides, such as magnesium or calcium, which results in the formation of a hard carbonate material. The gas is, in effect, turned into a stable and unreactive solid, which can simply be dumped anywhere. This process actually occurs naturally, although very, very slowly, and is one cause of the surface limestone in the world. But this slow reaction speed is the problem. Even when enhancing this process through high temperature and pressure, or pretreatment of the mineral, it is still far too slow to be economical. One other technique which has been suggested is to pump the gas to the bottom of the ocean, where it would react with compounds in the water, forming carbonic acid. However, this alternative has now been ruled out. The CO2 may be removed from the atmosphere, but the high oceanic acidity which would result raises its own set of problems, mostly with all the delicate life and the intricate food chains in the seawater, some on which we ourselves depend, and that's something which no one wants to experiment with. Before you hear the rest of the lecture, you have some time to look at questions 34 to 40. Now listen and answer questions 34 to 40. Perhaps because of the lack of alternatives, the most commonly discussed solution to the problem of disposing of carbon dioxide is to pump the gas underground, a technique known as geo-sequestration. In this system, the CO2, for example, could be pumped into underground pockets within depleted oil wells or disused coal tunnels. This carries, however, three serious disadvantages, namely the risk of leaks, the considerable costs involved, and finally, the unproven effectiveness. Let us look at those three disadvantages in detail. Firstly, there is the risk of leaks. Although the gas would be deep and sealed over by masses of rock and earth, the huge pressures in these spaces would turn the gas into a liquid state, capable of moving through rock fissures or faults. This could allow the gas to eventually be released to the surface. Since CO2 is heavier than air and thus pushes oxygen aside, such leaks could result in the suffocation of thousands or tens of thousands of people, certainly not a consequence to be taken lightly. Natural CO2 leakage from volcanic buildup has already witnessed such deadly events. The other problem of geo-sequestration is the cost. The time and effort spent on materials and construction, primarily the pipework through which the gas would travel, does not come cheaply. So, if this system were to be implemented in, say, coal-fired power plants, the extra cost would have to be paid by the electricity user, whose bills would almost double as a consequence. Few people are prepared to pay this much simply to make a small dent on the effects of global warming. And this leads to the final problem. The most basic question is whether geo-sequestration actually reduces global warming. The problem here is that the energy needed to create and drive the sequestration process would require approximately a quarter of a coal-fired electricity plant's output. In other words, the plant would have to burn one-quarter more of its coal just to account for the sequestration of the carbon dioxide. And with coal producing other noxious pollutants, such as sulphur, ash, and heavy metals, the environment is hardly benefited at all. Nevertheless, there are many active experimental efforts underway, primarily in oil production sites. These are small, but intensively monitored and analysed. All we can say now is that the jury is still out on whether underground carbon storage will one day be feasible. That is the end of section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test.

SECTION 3 You will hear Sally and Mike, two students, and their professor talking about their classwork. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26. Hello, Sally and Mike. Hello, Professor. Welcome to the third meeting of our After School Club, where we discuss topics from the syllabus in order to help you to understand your classwork better. Now, I hope that you've read the notes I gave you last week on the ancient African traditions, as this will be the focus of our discussion today. Who can tell me how they were able to recognise different stars? Did they measure the distance between them? No, Sally, I'm afraid that's incorrect. Mike, do you know the answer? Historians used to think that the ancient Africans recognised stars by observing the manner in which they affected each other, but further research showed that they used the location of the stars in order to distinguish one from the other. Well done, Mike. Very good. Can either of you tell me anything about the Wayaka people? They have a lot of money, but do not trust banks to keep it safe. They believe that it's in their best interest to help themselves, not assist others. Instead, the tribe looks after their own finances and generate income from lending money to others in low-interest loans. What problems do the Africans suffer from? They used to suffer greatly from drought, however they have now developed clever ways of overcoming it, by moving to higher land. There are, however, far more predators in these mountainous areas, so it is vital that the Africans learn how to protect themselves in this new environment. Yes, that's right. Also, compared to more developed countries, the Africans are less concerned with their international status, which I find interesting. Very good. What else are the local people concerned with? Unlike other, poorer tribes, they have plenty of nourishing food, and they are able to afford vaccines that prevent them from catching diseases. They historically lived in the west of Africa, although later they were chased off their land by other tribes competing for food and water. It is their hope that they will eventually be able to return to their original homeland. Why has the financial condition of the African people deteriorated? Despite their modern transportation system, they find it very difficult to trade, because their tools are not sophisticated enough to mine minerals from the land. They have permission to engage in these commercial activities, so once they have the right tools, they will be able to develop a very large income from trade. Do you think that this new income will stop Africans suffering from starvation in the near future? Unfortunately, I don't think so. They should be able to start trading next year, but they will only have enough income to start growing sufficient food and crops to support the local people in the long-term future. Yes, that's correct. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30. Now, listen and answer questions 27 to 30. There are many charities from developed countries that are helping to ship food to African countries in order to feed the starving. Unfortunately, it is difficult to transport a lot of food to the right places, but Africans are very good at sharing and making sure that everyone gets something to eat. African governments are also starting to pay more attention to the needs of their people. They have been directing a lot of money to help build schools in the more impoverished villages as a part of their new education plan, which is fantastic. This means that, hopefully, all African children will be able to attend school daily without having to walk long distances. Yes, absolutely. Do you remember any other information from your class notes? Historically, the tribes in Africa often used to migrate across the country in search of food and water. They would live in tents that were easy to dismantle and transport to other locations. That's true, but now they are being encouraged to settle down in one area so they can establish colonies and build facilities for themselves, such as houses and schools. Some villages have even developed specific customs. For example, the Wayaka people consider it impolite if you do not bring gifts when visiting someone. Bravo! You've both contributed fantastic points to our conversation. That concludes our session for today. I'll see you next week. That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section 4.

SECTION 4 You will hear a lecturer talking about the movement of population towards cities. If you consider the farms of old — the type your father or grandfather grew up on, they were small and labour-intensive, requiring lots of workers. In addition, they often had a diversity of products, be that animal or vegetable — say, cows and sheep, or oranges and lemons, with some peaches, and a few chickens on the side, for the production of eggs. The many workers involved raised their families, who needed products and support services, such as medical clinics and schools, so the small country towns had mercantile activity, store fronts, and community participation, with all ages present and a distinct town culture. And how it has changed! Travel to any small country town in virtually any developed country, and you will often see that these places are now somewhat forlorn and deserted, lacking life and vigour. Many of the residents have long since moved towards the big cities, so the country areas have become depopulated, and their downtowns empty. This phenomenon is so predictable and widespread that it even has a name – rural flight, or rural exodus – and it has produced some fairly predictable problems. As for the causes of rural exodus, the most obvious is the industrialisation of agriculture. This comes in two aspects, one of them being monocultural farming practices. What this means is that it is now more efficient to have one product, and focus on its needs almost exclusively. So, for example, animal husbandry will usually involve a single type of animal, say pigs, but with huge factory farming techniques, or, in other words, the second aspect: economies of scale. This means instead of 200 pigs, there'll be 2000, tightly fitted into small pens or cages, with high density waste disposal and automatic feeding systems. Yet despite this huge size, it can all be controlled by just a dozen farm workers pushing the right button. You might not like it, but in a competitive market, the cheaper the overheads, the better, and one can't argue with market economics. It's simply the way of the modern world, and it has changed the face of rural districts, mostly for the worst. We can talk at length about the problem of rural exodus, but what about solutions? Well, there is certainly some cause for hope, since many are now feeling the negatives of increasing urbanisation, negatives which the countryside generally does not have. Thus, tourism, for example, is certainly one avenue of revenue and revitalisation. The most important consideration here is that the local residents themselves participate in developing such initiatives and deciding what happens, since outsiders, be they state government or city-based planners, do not fully understand the local settings, the possibilities which may be on offer, or the town culture, since even small rural areas can be highly distinctive from neighbouring ones. For example, the Daylesford area has developed a tourist industry based on the natural springs there, putting forward the angle that this water is relaxing and revitalising for the health. There has been the development of spas, saunas, and small-scale accommodation within its picturesque hillsides. And another solution is to utilise the predominant local product. This takes advantage of the fact that many city-people are developing a dislike for factory-produced and packaged foodstuffs. They are becoming interested in products that can be sold directly to them, at a cheaper price, while preserving all the freshness from the tree or animal. It is important here that the country area is not only characterised by a specific product, but markets this idea well. For example, many areas of country Victoria have developed widespread grape-growing and winemaking facilities, and encourage wine tasting tourism—now a thriving industry, with an international patronage. Similarly, Harcourt is famous for apples, Shepparton for mature cheeses, and Mildura for its citrus products. Such strategies, done well, give hope that rural areas can revitalise somewhat, and once again be lively and interesting places to live in. That is the end of section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test.