Audio Test 8.

mp3

Speaker 1 [00:00:01] Test three. This is the Isles listening test. You will hear a number of
different recordings and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be
time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check
your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four parts at the end of
the test. You will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Now
turn to part one. Part one, you will hear a woman calling about repairing her broken
washing machine. First, you have some time to look at questions. One, two, four. Now
listen carefully and answer questions. One, two, four.

Speaker 2 [00:01:17] Good morning. This is the customer service department of King's
well washing machine. Roger speaking. How may I help you?

Speaker 1 [00:01:23] Good morning. I'm calling about the washing machine I bought from
the mall several months ago. There's something wrong with it at the moment. So what do I
have to do?

Speaker 2 [00:01:31] Okay, first I need to get a few details about this. Could you give me
your name, please?

Speaker 1 [00:01:35] Yes, it's Judy Smith.

Speaker 2 [00:01:37] Okay, I need one more thing. There's a reference number. It should
be in the top right hand corner of the warranty card we gave you.

Speaker 1 [00:01:44] Let me have a look. Oh, here it is. It's CWX57684.

Speaker 2 [00:01:52] Thanks. Well, I need to make sure if your washing machine is still
within the warranty period. So when did you buy it?

Speaker 1 [00:01:59] Oh, sure. I remember. I bought it last summer, so it was about nine
months ago. And the card here says this washing machine has a two year warranty, so it's
definitely within the period.

Speaker 2 [00:02:11] Oh, of course it is, madam. All right, then. I need your address.

Speaker 1 [00:02:15] My old address or my current one?

Speaker 1 [00:02:21] It's 120 Middle Street, Oxford.

Speaker 2 [00:02:25] And the postcode.

Speaker 1 [00:02:26] It's G0194KE. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you
have some time to look at questions. 5 to 10. Now listen and answer questions. 5 to 10.

Speaker 2 [00:03:13] Now I need to know the exact problem of the washing machine.
Could you describe it in detail?

Speaker 1 [00:03:18] Actually, the washing machine did work very well until last weekend.
I put some clothes into it and it worked normally at first. Then I just got down to doing
some gardening. But after about 30 minutes, when it came back to the house, I found it
was leaking. The water had soaked the entire floor.

Speaker 2 [00:03:35] I'm sorry to hear that, madam. So did you do anything to make the
leaking stop.

Speaker 1 [00:03:39] At that moment? The washing machine was totally out of control.
And the alarm. And it also started to sound. I thought there was not much point in pressing
any button on the machine, so I just switched off the machine straight away. Then it
stopped leaking at once. Thank goodness.

Speaker 2 [00:03:54] Well, I think that was the only thing you could do.

Speaker 1 [00:03:56] Oh, then I found my floor was nearly a disaster as it is made of wood
rather than marble. It could not be soaked in water for a long time. So what I did in the next
2 hours was wiping up the water on the floor.

Speaker 2 [00:04:08] Right.

Speaker 1 [00:04:09] Later, I tried the washing machine once more, but the problem still
existed.

Speaker 2 [00:04:14] Well, I've taken down all the related information. Later, we'll send a
client engineer to your house to fix it.
Speaker 1 [00:04:20] Okay. Could you arrange the repair work as soon as possible? As
I'm too busy at work to do the laundry by hand. How about this Saturday?

Speaker 2 [00:04:29] I have to check the schedule of the repair man. Oh, sorry. Madame
Saturday has been occupied. The earliest day we can arrange for you is next Tuesday. Is
that okay with you?

Speaker 1 [00:04:39] Fine. I can take a leave from work that day anyway. Thanks. Oh, my
house is easy to find. It's near the central market, just across from the post office.

Speaker 2 [00:04:49] All right. And the last thing. Could you tell me your phone number,
please?

Speaker 1 [00:04:53] Sure. It's 386477, five, seven.

Speaker 2 [00:04:59] Okay, I've got it. The repairman will contact you before he comes.

Speaker 1 [00:05:02] Okay. Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 [00:05:04] You're welcome. Bye.

Speaker 1 [00:05:05] Bye. That is the end of part one. You now have one minute to check
your answers to part one.

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Speaker 2 [00:05:15] Part two. You will hear a traffic police officer talking to a group of
listeners about driving license application and traffic conditions in the UK. First, you have
some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully and answer questions. 11 to
15. Hello. I'm Edward, and I'm here to tell you about road conditions in various areas of the
UK. I am also going to tell you about driver's licenses in the UK. If you have never had a
driver's license or you have one from another country and you want to get a UK license,
you must be a UK resident. You will need to show a medical report when your UK license
needs to be renewed. If you are trying to translate your original foreign driving license to
apply for a UK license, which is a must if you want to be able to drive here, you will need to
visit an official agency. These are scattered throughout the London area and are well
equipped to assist you with any questions you might have and any services they offer are
included in your license fee. If you already have a translated license but need some
personal information updating, you do not need to pay for the update. They'll do it for free
when you are getting a new driving license. You may need to have a new photo taken as
some photos are rejected. It's actually okay if your photo is too small since we can get it
enlarged with our printer. The majority of rejected photos are the ones that were taken with
a cream backdrop instead of a monotone gray background. We've now found that photos
with the latter allow us to identify the license holder much more easily. If you were wearing
glasses on the previous photo, you don't need to worry about it since it is still allowed. If
you are not sure whether your previous license is still valid, then the license checking
service is for you. The procedures are quite clear and you just have to follow them. Ideally,
I would like to see the process going faster since it can take hours to finish. From my
standpoint, it will help. If all the applicants bring the necessary ID with them, then all they
have to do is just fill in the forms accordingly. Step by step, I'm often asked whether I have
a personal recommendation about the fastest or cheapest place to get all this done. But I
think it really depends on where you are. They can all get busy at some point and when it
is quiet at one branch, it may be busy in another. So take your pick. All I would say is that
there is absolutely no difference in price. It's a standard fee. The only advice I would give
is that the quickest way to complete an application is to fill out the form on the Internet and
then bring a print copy with you to the agency. Location of your choice. Before you hear
the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions. 16 to 20. Now listen carefully
and answer questions. 16 to 20. Next. People frequently ask me what I think of the road
conditions in some of our cities. London is obviously the biggest and busiest and there are
lots of parking restrictions, one way systems and so on. But on the whole, I find the traffic
signs are very clear. In Edinburgh, most people use digital maps to get to know local traffic
and road conditions, which can be estimated through different traffic flow lines. It is a city
of lights, traffic lights, but they are extremely efficient as their timed perfectly to get the
traffic flowing smoothly. That's important because pedestrian areas and crossings are
always packed with people on foot, which needs strong regulation. The city of Cardiff has
tackled traffic flow in a different way. It recently completed a road expansion scheme and
the extra lanes of the dual carriageway are easing congestion. It's a similar story in
Manchester. Instead of going through the town center, most vehicles choose ring roads so
as to avoid the downtown congestion. It can still happen, though, so there's a possibility
that the city will introduce checkpoints where the police can intervene to direct traffic at
peak periods. And finally, they say all roads lead to Rome. And you could say that about
Oxford. I like the many options for getting in and out of the city because drivers can always
find alternative routes. The other cities in the UK are. That is the end of part two. You now
have 30 seconds to check your answers to part two.

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Speaker 1 [00:11:20] Part three, you will hear two students called Mona and Tom
discussing the essay for their management course. First, you have some time to look at
questions. 21 to 26. Now listen carefully and answer questions. 21 to 26. Hello, Tom. Sorry
I'm late.

Speaker 3 [00:12:15] Hi, Mona. No problem. I heard you finished the essay for the
management course. Which company did you focus on?

Speaker 1 [00:12:22] It was finished last week. I chose the hotel where I interned last
summer and mainly concentrated on my work experience there.

Speaker 3 [00:12:31] Could you give me some details? I'm interested.

Speaker 1 [00:12:34] Well, during my three month internship, I observed every part of the
hotel carefully each day and also talked with some of my colleagues. I found some
problems in different parts of the hotel. I made a conclusion in the essay. Let me start from
the reception desk. I noticed the staff there kept doing the same thing every day, like
answering the phone, helping guests with check in and check out, etc.. There was nothing
special for them.

Speaker 3 [00:13:05] That must be very boring.

Speaker 1 [00:13:07] Yeah, I think so. And in the restaurant, the employees told me that
they must obey the rules. Exactly. For example, if they don't wear uniforms during working
hours, 20% of their daily wages will be deducted. And then about the coffee bar. During
peak hours, I was asked to help in the coffee bar several times. As a shortage of hands
always made, many customers wait long for ordering, eating or paying the bills. Their own
staff could not control customer flow.

Speaker 3 [00:13:42] Oh, that seems a little messy.

Speaker 1 [00:13:44] Yes, definitely. And the place where I worked was a shop selling
towels and pajamas, as well as souvenirs. Every day I had to be there from 9 a.m. to 6
p.m.. My duty was to set up the window display and serve the customers. At first it seemed
interesting, but later I found this work was a bit tough. Every night when I got off work, I
was nearly exhausted. What I wanted was just a good rest and sleep.

Speaker 3 [00:14:16] Doesn't sound like an easy job.

Speaker 1 [00:14:18] It definitely wasn't. Then there was the personnel office. I went there
on the first day when I arrived at the hotel as I was not familiar with everything. I asked the
staff several questions. But the employee of the personnel office seemed a bit annoyed
and started complaining, which gave me a very bad impression. Lastly, as regards
cleaning, it wasn't too bad compared with other parts of the hotel except the vacuum
cleaners, which were probably bought such a long time ago that the sound seemed too
loud when they were working. But fortunately, the hotel hasn't received any complaint from
the customers so far. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to
look at questions 27 to 30. Now listen and answer questions. 27 to 30.

Speaker 3 [00:15:52] I think you've benefited a lot from the internship.

Speaker 1 [00:15:55] Yeah, absolutely. In the beginning, I just wanted to complete the
essay for the course, but in the end I found it has given me some practical examples which
are helpful to what I intend to do after graduation but in the end I found it has given me
some practical examples which are helpful to what I intend to do after graduation.
As you know, I've always wanted to do something related to hotel management. Due to
the time limitation, I still haven't got a clear idea of some specific work positions.

Speaker 3 [00:16:21] Well, I heard you're going to give us a presentation of your essay
next time in class.

Speaker 1 [00:16:25] Yes. Actually, I'm not so good at giving a presentation thought. The
tutor says that's just what he wants me to do to know what is important when doing a
presentation like how to attract the audience, make eye contact and make gestures, etc.
and other students can learn from my presentation.

Speaker 3 [00:16:49] I'm looking forward to it. You know, now I'm only in the second year
of the course and I have to write an essay next semester, but I have no idea about where I
can do an internship. There are several hotels which I'm interested in. Do you think I
should call their managers?

Speaker 1 [00:17:03] Well, I suggest you'd better not, because you're more likely to be
rejected by them. There is a career office on campus that has got a list of companies
offering internship opportunities to students. The office will help you contact where
you want to go. You just have to prepare your personal information like the CV. Oh, don't
forget to provide a reference from the tutor.

Speaker 3 [00:17:28] Great. I've got it.

Speaker 1 [00:17:30] So, have you got any plans for your essay?
Speaker 3 [00:17:34] I've noticed that the hotel industry is developing at a high speed.
People are more and more concerned about the quality of accommodation. What I'm
struck by is numerous statistics showing the ever increasing number of five star
hotels. So I intend to carry out extensive research on this aspect. I'm thinking about
using video as a research method, but I haven't decided yet.

Speaker 1 [00:17:54] I think it's an interesting topic. Anyway, if you have any questions
later, I will be happy to help.

Speaker 3 [00:18:00] Thanks a lot, Mona.

Speaker 1 [00:18:01] You're welcome. That is the end of part three. You now have 30
seconds to check your answers to part three.

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Part four, you will hear part of a presentation about the early history of salt. First, you have
some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions. 31 to
40.

Speaker 2 [00:19:48] In my presentation. I'm going to talk about salt in modern times
when we talk about salt. People may associate it with high blood pressure or increased
heart risk. And many health experts warn that we should use less salt in our meals and
dishes. However, we should not ignore its importance in our cuisine and even in early
human history. Salt is one of the oldest, most ubiquitous food seasonings. The taste of salt
is one of the basic human tastes. More importantly, salt plays an indispensable role in the
health of human beings. For example, it regulates the body's acid base balance. Because
of its importance to survival, salt has often been considered a valuable commodity during
human history. This can be tracked all the way back to ancient Greece, ancient Egypt and
ancient Rome, when salt was highly valued and used as a method of trade and currency.
In ancient Rome, the busiest road leading to the city was the Via Solaria, which means the
salt route in English. A soldier's pay, which partly consisted of salt, was known as salary
magenta in Latin, from which we derived the English word salary. A soldier salary was cut
if he was not worth his salt, an expression still used today. In fact, salt was not only the
first condiment discovered, but also the first preservative. We know today that food goes
bad because micro-organisms in the food multiply in abundance and a high salt
environment is not conducive to microbial reproduction. Extremely high concentrations of
salt can even kill microorganisms in the food. The ancients certainly didn't know this, but
they did know that salted food can be preserved for a long time. The use of salt as a
preservative can be traced to ancient Sweden. At first, hunting was the principal means of
livelihood. In this case, meat supplies were unlikely to be frequent. What's more, fewer
animals were available for hunting in order to ensure the supply of meat. Many families in
Sweden began to raise animals in the surrounding forests during the summer, when the
weather was suitable for animals to survive. These animals were fed every day until about
3 to 4 months later that in October they were ready to be butchered for meat. And that was
the only month when ancient Swedish people had fresh meat on their table. Then, with the
continuous increase in productivity, people finally had some meat left. However, how to
store the meat had become a headache until someone invented a whole new way to
preserve food. Salting people tried to keep meat from going bad by adding some salt to it,
and it could be preserved for several months and even years. There was evidence that salt
was widely used to preserve meat. Historical documents in 1573 recorded the Swedish
King's Everyday meals, mentioning that £175 of meat was consumed each year, but over
£150 was salty. From this, we can clearly see the importance of salt in Sweden at that
time. In addition, the documents also noted the annual sales of beer in Sweden soared
during that period and this must be related to high levels of salt in their food. Now let's turn
to the sources of salt. Where is salt from? Well, salt is common in nature. It has long been
found that salt can be extracted from seawater, mineral deposits, saline, lakes, brine,
spring, etc., among which the two most important ones are oceans and basins. On the
floor of the latter often lie deserts where traces of salt can be found, such as the Sahara.
Furthermore, the quality of different salt types varies a lot. For example, salt from seawater
is always mixed with impurities. So after the salt is dried, the sediments and other
chemicals need to be purified before eating. However, this is not the case with salt from
springwater. We can hardly find any impurities and the salt level is much more
concentrated. Then how did people distribute salt around the world? Of course, in modern
times we have various ways of transporting goods. But in ancient times, it was not the
case. Take ancient Sweden we mentioned before as an example because of the heavy
use of salt in the diet. Sweden could not feed itself and had to import large amounts of salt
from other countries in order to make sure they could buy enough salt from abroad. The
Swedish had to attach great importance to shipping and keep it undamaged as it was the
most crucial way at that time. While in other ancient countries, in order to distribute salt to
other places, groups of men were employed. They put bags of salt on their shoulders or
backs and moved them to the surrounding regions. And gradually these people were
considered as a mode of transport in early times. Later, with the improvement of traffic
conditions, salt trade between different regions was boosted and long distance food trade
was also promoted. Making communication between different cultures more frequent and.

Speaker 1 [00:25:27] That is the end of part four. You now have one minute to check.