SECTION 1
You will hear a conversation between a conference organiser and a hotel employee. First, you have some time to
look at questions 1 to 10. You will see there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only,
the conversation relating to this will be played first.
Hello, Flanders Conference Hotel. Oh, yes, hello. I'm ringing to book a conference room for the 20th of
September. The name of the hotel is Flanders Conference Hotel.
So, Flanders 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 10.
Hello, Flanders Conference Hotel. Oh, yes, hello. I'm ringing to book a conference room for the 20th of
September. My name is Susan. Who should I speak to? I'm the customer services manager. My name is Angela. How
can I help you? Well, I need to arrange a conference, so I'd like to book a room. I see. Do you have a date in
mind? The conference will need to be held on the 20th of September. I'm afraid the conference facilities are
already booked on that day. However, we do have some availability on the weekend of September the 5th to the
7th. Okay, I'll have to check with the delegates and get back to you. We'll need the conference room to hold
talks for 200 people, and we'll also need some space for coffee breaks. We also require a display area, which is
easily accessible. Do you have anything like that? We have a large room called the main hall, which can hold up
to 300 people, and is also divisible into two smaller rooms. We also have an area for displaying posters, which
is just outside the main hall. Oh, that sounds perfect. Will there be a microphone and projector in the room?
Yes, of course. All of our conference rooms have a flip chart and a projector, and a microphone can be provided
upon request. A laptop is also available at an extra charge. Okay, so now I know that the facilities are
available, I need to discuss accommodation with you. What kind of rooms do you have? We have a number of rooms
available, from single rooms to suites. All of the rooms are en suite. Oh, that's great. And what other
facilities do you have in the hotel? There's a spa where you can enjoy a range of treatments, and we also have a
gym with a heated swimming pool. Oh, that's wonderful. I'm sure the delegates will be very pleased. So what is
the cost of the conference facilities? We have a flat rate of £75 per person, which includes the conference
facilities and a three-course lunch. So for 200 people, the cost would be £15,000 for the day. And what is the
cost of the rooms? A single room costs £90 per night, and a double room costs £130 per night. Breakfast is also
included in the price. Well, that's a bit more than we've budgeted for, but I'll see what I can do. Okay, so if
I were to make a booking, what is the latest date I can cancel by? A deposit is required to secure your booking,
which is 50% of the total price. This will be refunded in full if you cancel at least 60 days before the event.
If you cancel after this date, then you will lose the deposit. Okay, thank you very much for your help. I'll be
in touch. No problem. Goodbye. Bye.
SECTION 2
You will hear a talk about the facilities available at a sports club. First, you have some time to look at
questions 11 to 20.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 20. Hello and welcome to the Mill House Sports Club. My name's
David, and I'm the manager here. I'd like to take a few minutes of your time to give you some information about
the club and the facilities that we have to offer. The club is open from 8am to 10pm from Monday to Saturday,
and from 9am to 6pm on Sundays. We have a wide range of facilities, including a gym, a swimming pool, and tennis
and squash courts. Our gym has all the latest equipment, and there are always personal trainers on hand to help
you. Our swimming pool is 25 meters long, and we also have a separate pool for children. We offer a number of
different classes, including football, yoga, volleyball, running, swimming, and weight-lifting. We also have a
sports shop which sells a range of clothing and equipment. Our football lessons are very popular with the
younger members, and classes are available for both the under 8s and the under 11s. We provide the footballs and
the bibs, but it's very important that the children bring their own football boots and shin pads. We have yoga
classes for all levels, and these are very popular with our female members. It's a great way to improve your
balance and flexibility. We also have volleyball classes, which are a great way to meet new people. All of our
classes are held in the sports hall, but in the summer we sometimes hold the classes on the grass outside.
Running is a very popular activity, and we have a number of running groups that cater for all levels of runner.
You can run with the group, or you can run on your own. We also have a running track, which is a great place to
practice. We have swimming lessons for all ages, from babies to adults. We also have a swimming club, which is
very popular with the older members. We also have weight-lifting classes, where you can learn how to lift
weights safely. A personal trainer is always on hand to help you with the correct technique. We also have a
number of classes for adults, which last for 45 minutes. The swimming pool is reserved for school use on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 12pm, so it's not available to members at these times. The sports club is a
great place to meet new people and to keep fit. We have a number of social events throughout the year, including
a summer barbecue and a Christmas party. The club is closed for two weeks during the last two weeks of August,
so that we can carry out any necessary repairs. The best thing to do is to look at the notice board or the
website to check for any changes. So, that's all from me. Does anyone have any questions?
SECTION 3
You will hear a conversation between two students and their tutor. First you have some time to look at questions
21 to 25.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25. Good morning, everyone. In today's seminar, we're going to
be discussing the results of the student survey. I'd like to begin by saying that the survey was carried out to
assess the demand for a new student facility. We had an overwhelming response to the survey, with over 2,000
students taking part. The results of the survey have shown that the students would prefer to see an increase in
the number of study spaces. In fact, over 70% of the students who took part in the survey voted for more study
spaces. This is not surprising, as the library is often overcrowded, and it can be difficult to find a place to
work. The results of the survey were used to create a business plan for the design of the new building. It was
found that a quarter of students travel to university by car, but that the majority of students travel by bus.
The main reason for this is the lack of parking spaces at the university. We've taken this into account, and
we've decided to build a new car park next to the new student centre. There has been some discussion about
whether to build an underground car park, but this would be too expensive, so we've decided to build a
multi-storey car park instead. We've also taken into account the fact that a large number of students use the
bus, so we're going to create a new bus stop outside the main entrance to the university. The students were also
asked what they would like to have in the new student centre. The results showed that the students would like to
have a cafe, a bar, and a shop. They would also like to have a number of social spaces, where they can relax and
chat with friends. We've taken all of these suggestions on board, and we've designed a student centre that we
believe will meet the needs of all the students. We're very excited about the new student centre, and we can't
wait to see it built.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen and
answer questions 26 to 30.
So, what's the next step? Well, the university has to get planning permission from the local council, and we
also have to raise the money to pay for the building. We've already raised a large amount of the money, but we
still need to raise another £2 million. We're hoping to raise this money through a combination of grants and
donations. We've already had a number of generous donations from local businesses, and we're confident that
we'll be able to raise the rest of the money. And what about the student union offices? Are they going to be in
the new building? Yes, they are. The student union offices will be on the top floor of the new student centre,
and there will also be a number of meeting rooms for student societies. That's great. What about student
housing? I've heard that the university is planning to build new halls of residence. Yes, that's right. The
university is planning to build new halls of residence on the main campus, and they're also going to build new
student flats in the city centre. We're also going to provide students with a list of approved accommodation, so
that they can be sure that they're renting from a reputable landlord. That's fantastic. I'm sure the students
will be very happy about that. Yes, I'm sure they will. So, what do you think of the plans? I think they're
great. I'm really excited about the new student centre, and I can't wait to see it built. Me too. It's going to
make a huge difference to the university.
SECTION 4
You will hear a lecture about the history of fireworks. First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. Good morning, and welcome to this lecture on the history of
fireworks. To begin, we'll look back to ancient China, where the first fireworks were invented. The Chinese were
the first to discover gunpowder, which is the main ingredient in fireworks. A Chinese monk combined charcoal,
sulphur and saltpetre to create a powder that could be used for medicinal purposes. However, he soon discovered
that if the powder was exposed to heat, it would explode. The first fireworks were made by filling bamboo shoots
with gunpowder and throwing them into a fire. The Chinese were also the first to use fireworks in warfare. They
would attach the bamboo shoots to arrows and fire them at their enemies. In the 13th century, Marco Polo brought
gunpowder to Europe. However, it was the Italians who were the first to use it for fireworks. They were also the
first to create fireworks in a variety of colours and shapes. Fireworks were used by the military to celebrate
victories, and by the royal family to celebrate the birth of a royal baby. In the UK, fireworks became very
popular in the 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I was a great fan of fireworks, and she even created the position
of 'Fire Master of England'. However, it was not until the 18th century that the first safety rules for
fireworks were published. In the 19th century, fireworks became even more popular, and the first firework
factories were opened. It was also during this period that the first laws were passed to control the sale of
fireworks. It was legal to buy fireworks until 1997, but now it is illegal to sell them to anyone under the age
of 18. Fireworks are used in many different countries as part of new year celebrations. China has a national
holiday on the fourth of July, when fireworks are used to celebrate the founding of the country. Spain has an
international fireworks competition every year, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.
So, as you can see, fireworks have a long and interesting history. Now, let's look at some of the safety
precautions that you should take when using fireworks. First of all, you should always light fireworks at arm's
length. Never try to relight a dud firework, as it could explode in your face. A bucket of water should always
be on hand, so that you can put out any fires. Never throw fireworks, and never keep them in a closed box. And
finally, sparklers should not be given to children under the age of five. So, that's all from me. Does anyone
have any questions?