Part 1
Film Club Information Enquiry. You will hear a teenager asking about joining a film club.
Staff: Hi, can I help you?
Teenager: Yeah, I saw on the internet that you have a film club here at the cinema, but there wasn't a lot about it. Can you tell me a bit more?
Staff: Yes, we're still setting up the web page, sorry about that. We only started the club a few months ago. It's been very popular right from the beginning. We have regular film showings, and there are lots of other benefits.
Teenager: How often does the club meet?
Staff: Um, every two weeks, on Thursday nights.
Teenager: Okay. And I'm 16, so could I join?
Staff: Sure! People of any age can join.
Teenager: Right. So how much does it cost to join?
Staff: Well, it depends. The basic charge is £24 a season, but for people eligible for concessions, it's £21.50.
Teenager: I'm a student.
Staff: You'd get the concession rate then.
Teenager: That's good.
Staff: That entitles you to free entry to the club films, and also to £2 off tickets for all other films on at the cinema. So you'd pay £4.50 instead of £6.50.
Teenager: Great! Okay.
Staff: Now, I don't know if this applies to you, but club members are also eligible for three hours complimentary parking when there's a film on.
Teenager: I don't drive, but my girlfriend does, so it might be useful, yes. Okay, well I'd definitely like to join.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.
Teenager: Can you give me any information about the next few films you're showing?
Staff: I'm afraid we've run out of leaflets for this season, so I'll tell you about the next few films, and hopefully we'll have all the details on the internet soon. So the next meeting's this Thursday, October the 14th, and that's a film called Pablo.
Teenager: Ah, I read the reviews of that. It's set in Argentina, isn't it? About a child who's run away from home?
Staff: That's right. It just came out recently.
Teenager: And the kid somehow gets on TV and he wins a dance competition or something?
Staff: A singing competition, yeah. I haven't seen it either, but it tells you on the posters. Yes, it sounds really good.
Teenager: Well, I'd definitely want to see that. What's on after that?
Staff: On October the 28th, there's an American film called The Soldier. That's an old silent movie. But in this showing we have someone who'll accompany it on the piano, just like they used to in the old cinemas, though it was sometimes an organ accompaniment in those days.
Teenager: Must be a pretty old film then. When did they release the first talkies? 1926 or 27?
Staff: Yes. Well, this was made in 1922, so well before. Though I think they had short feature films with sound by 1923, actually.
Teenager: So what sort of film is it?
Staff: Well, it's billed as a comedy. You'd think it was a war film from the title! I don't know much about the plot, we don't have much information, though you could always look it up on the internet.
Teenager: Yeah, I'll do that.
Staff: Then the next film after that, so that'll be, let's see, the 11th of November, is a film about animals. And it's just called Tiger. And that's a cartoon film, which makes it sound as if it's for children, but actually it's aimed at adults and it's really quite frightening in places. I saw it when it first came out.
Teenager: What's it about?
Staff: It's got no humans in it at all. It's just about the effect of environmental changes millions of years ago on the animals who lived then. It's a really strange film. There's a talk afterwards given by the director, so that should be very popular. You'll need to book early for that, I should think.
Teenager: Right. Well, thanks for all that. Now, if you can give me the application form...
Staff: Sure, I'll fill it...
That is the end of Part 1.
Part 2
Beach Races Volunteer Briefing. You will hear an official talking to a group of people who are volunteering to help at a local event, the Beach Races.
Official: Morning everyone, and first a big thank you for volunteering at this year's Beach Races. For those who are new, there'll be all types of races today: horses, running events, and different kinds of vehicles! All the races are along the beach. It's a lot of fun, we get lots of visitors, and we couldn't do it without you volunteers to organize everything.
Official: Now, the races themselves: some are more popular than others. The bicycle race doesn't get so many entries—it's hard work pedaling on sand! The only rule for the tractors is that they must be at least 50 years old. That one always gets the biggest crowd, so we'll need lots of volunteers. And this year we've got motorbikes for the first time. Be interesting to see how they go!
Official: Then the horse race. Obviously, the horses are unpredictable, so we must ensure everyone's safe. People watching from boats on the sea must have their engines turned off; the coastguard should see to that. People can stand on the beach, but they must stand behind the barrier at all times. And remember, the horses can't stop quickly, so make sure no one is anywhere near the finish, please.
Official: What else? Oh yes, the beach picnic. There was some confusion about this last time, so just to clarify, it's for the youngsters—those 10 or under, and no one else, please. They don't need to book in advance, just turn up. It keeps them occupied while their parents are busy watching the races.
Official: Um, okay, parking. Some of you will be organizing the parking because it's always busy. The good news is, we haven't put up the prices at all for three years now. It's a flat rate of $10 for all vehicles, regardless of size. But no trucks! If they're making deliveries, they park on the street and contact the site manager.
Official: Now, stalls. There are lots of stalls selling food, souvenirs, and stuff. All the registration's been dealt with, so don't worry about that. But stallholders must have pinned up somewhere noticeable a license from the local council to run a business on public land. And if any of the stallholders ask you about insurance, only the stalls doing cooking actually need it. Just send them to the admin tent.
Official: And then, er, just some final advice. There's always unexpected delays at events like this, so we have to be flexible. Just remember to look after yourselves. It's going to be hot, so throughout the day make use of the water bottles and snacks in your volunteer packs. Apart from that, today is about family entertainment and supporting our local charities. So as long as everyone's having fun, we're achieving our goals!
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20.
Official: Okay, I'll just tell you about a few important places. So, can you all look at your maps? Right now, we're standing in the car park, at the bottom of the map.
Official: So, the admin tent is obviously important. To get there from the car park, head north, go straight over the crossroads, and then follow the road round to the left, View Road. It runs parallel to the beach. You'll see stalls on your left; go straight on past them. And the admin tent's on the right, beside the road, not on the beach.
Official: Now, people often lose things, so you need to know where lost property is. If you find a bag or something, this is where to take it. Go up to the crossroads and turn left. Follow that road as far as you can go, and it's at the end there.
Official: Now, the sandcastle competition—good for all ages this one. It's right at the western end of the beach. So probably best to walk along View Road to get there. You'll see two enclosures on the beach; it's the one nearest the sea and nearest the start line.
Official: Finally, first aid. Any medical problems, go there. So, from the car park, go up to the crossroads and turn left. Then you'll see a little path heading north towards the beach. It's down there. Well, if anyone has any questions, you can...
That is the end of Part 2.
Part 3
Research on Walking, Creativity, and Well-being. You will hear two psychology students called Katie and Daniel discussing how taking a walk can affect people's creativity and physical well-being.
Katie: Hi, Daniel!
Daniel: Katie! You look as if you're off somewhere.
Katie: Yes, I was just heading out for a walk.
Daniel: Hmm, funny! I was just reading an article about some research that's been done on the effects of walking on creativity.
Katie: Ha! Sounds interesting.
Daniel: I've always found walking helped me think, but this article confirms that everybody can benefit.
Katie: Oh? Tell me more!
Daniel: Okay, but I may even do some more research on it at some point, so don't pinch my idea!
Katie: Promise! [Laughs]
Daniel: Well, in the experiments, the researchers tested participants' creativity by comparing how many ideas they thought of while they were walking, compared to while they were doing other activities.
Katie: What, like listening to music?
Daniel: Nothing like that. But they did analyze the ideas participants came up with when sitting, both outdoors and inside. What I found surprising was that they didn't compare walking to other forms of exercise, like running for example.
Katie: Right. So what was the difference between the experiments?
Daniel: Well, in each one, the activities were put together in different ways. Several of the experiments specifically focused on the ability of participants to come up with new ideas. Then the final experiment was a control test of sorts.
Katie: Oh, right.
Daniel: In one experiment, participants had to think of unusual uses for three everyday objects, within a time limit.
Katie: Okay.
Daniel: And then there was an experiment with words.
Katie: What did they ask them to do?
Daniel: Compare words in unusual ways. For example, the word 'sweet'. If participants simply said 'sweet as sugar', that wasn't creative. But an answer like 'sweet as a cat with honey on its paws' was.
Katie: Okay, I can see why they'd ask them to do that.
Daniel: Really? I just don't see how the experiment is fair.
Katie: Why? Because the conclusions are based only on the researchers' opinion?
Daniel: I think it's more that anyone who'd studied language would be at an advantage.
Katie: Hmm, okay. Was there an experiment about focused thinking?
Daniel: Yeah, there was. It aimed to find out if walking helped focused thinking, though I wasn't sure that I agreed with their findings. They decided that walking doesn't help this type of thinking.
Katie: What evidence did they have?
Daniel: Well, that's it. I don't think there was enough evidence to support their conclusions, even if their methods were sound.
Katie: Well, I'd certainly hesitate before making such a bold statement.
Daniel: Still, it's a first step, isn't it? I suppose to move forward with this, they'll need to test other ways people keep fit, like swimming.
Katie: That would be useful. But personally, I'd like to know more about the fundamental reason for the effect on people's creativity.
Daniel: That would be good. Then it could be applied more widely in work, for example.
Katie: Again, that's secondary, really.
Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.
Daniel: But how would you test walking if you wanted to assess its physical benefits?
Katie: Well, firstly, I'd like to know more about the benefits of different situations.
Daniel: What about the effect of footwear?
Katie: Hmm, hadn't thought of that.
Daniel: Well, I've read that shoes with thinner soles were found to be better for people's joints. It even made the skeletal structure tougher.
Katie: Interesting! Was that because they lost weight?
Daniel: Not as far as I'm aware. And then there's walking in the mountains...
Katie: Walking in the mountains... Hmm, I think I've read something about that. Doesn't altitude help people regulate their sleep patterns?
Daniel: Mm, it's more that it improves your vision.
Katie: It must be those breathtaking views! [Laughs]
Daniel: Yeah!
Katie: And what about the effect that walking has for elderly people?
Daniel: Better balance, by any chance?
Katie: More than that! It had a positive effect by helping them maintain their body clock's natural rhythm, both when going to bed and waking up.
Daniel: Right.
Katie: And what about the effect of walking long distances?
Daniel: Well, a person needs to find the balance between their optimum speed and their natural breathing pattern. Once they're synchronized, they can just keep on going for much longer periods than they could before.
Katie: Mm, I can see how that would work. But anyway, you...
That is the end of Part 3.
Part 4
The Early History of Salt. You will hear part of a presentation about the early history of salt.
Presenter: 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.
Presenter: 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.
Presenter: 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 Salaria, which means 'The Salt Route' in English. A soldier's pay, which partly consisted of salt, was known as 'salarium argentum' in Latin, from which we derived the English word 'salary'. A soldier's salary was cut if he was 'not worth his salt'—an expression still used today.
Presenter: In fact, salt was not only the first condiment discovered, but also the first preservative. We know today that food goes bad because microorganisms 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.
Presenter: 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 three to four months later—that's 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.
Presenter: 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 pounds of meat was consumed each year, but over 150 pounds 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.
Presenter: 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 springs, 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.
Presenter: 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 spring water. We can hardly find any impurities, and the salt level is much more concentrated.
Presenter: 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.
Presenter: 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...
That is the end of Part 4. That is the end of the listening test.