SECTION 1
1. Answer: babies
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- MAN: Yes, I’ve just moved to this area with my wife and children and I’d like to know where we can all register with a doctor at a Health Centre.
- WOMAN: Okay, well there’s Doctor Green at the Harvey Clinic. We alwaysrecommend her for babies, because she’s very good with them and she runs a special clinic.
- Explanation:the woman suggests that the man should register his family with Dr Green, because this doctor is very good with the treatment of babies.
- The answer is babies.
2. Answer: Eschol
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- MAN: Is there anywhere else I could try?
- WOMAN: Yes, the Eshcol Health Practice is the next one on my list.
- MAN: How do you spell that?
- WOMAN: E-S-C-H-O-L. And it’s Dr Fuller who has space on his list.
- Explanation:this Health Practice has an unusual name, so the woman spells the name for the man.
- The answer is Eschol.
3. Answer: evening
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- WOMAN: And it’s particularly good if you’re busy during the day, because they also do appointments in the evening. They’re closed on Saturday, though.
- Explanation:the woman tells the man that the Health Practice also has evening appointments.
- The answer is evening.
4. Answer: Gormley
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- WOMAN: The only other place on the list is the Health Centre on Shore Lane. You can register with Doctor Gormley, that’s G-O-R-M-L-E-Y.
- Explanation:woman gives the name of the doctor at Shore Lane Health Centre.
- The answer is Gormley.
5-6 . Answer: B. employment medicals, E. vaccinations
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- WOMAN: Erm … there are usually some small charges that doctors make. Let me see what it says about the Shore Lane Centre. If you need to be vaccinated before any trips abroad, you won’t have to pay for this. Erm, what else? The sports injury treatment service operates on a paying basis, as does the nutritional therapy service. Some health centres do offer alternative therapies like homeopathy as part of their pay-to-use service. Shore Lane are hoping to do this soon – I think they may start with acupuncture. And finally, if you need to prove you’re healthy or haven’t had any serious injuries before a new employer will accept you, you can get a free fitness check-up there, but you’d most likely have to pay for insurance medicals though.
- Explanation: Acupuncture is mentioned only as an example of what Shore Lane may do in the future, so it is not available yet, and if it is available later then it will be part of a pay-to-use service – it won’t be free. Thus, A is incorrect. Meanwhile, we know from the recording that sports injury treatment operates on “a paying basis”, so you have to pay for this. Therefore, C is also wrong. However, you won’t have to pay for vaccinations before any trips abroad, so E is correct. Note that “trips” may lead you into thinking about “travel”, but there is no mention about an advice service at Shore Lane, so D is incorrect. Finally, fitness check-ups for employment purposes (which can be considered “employment medicals”) are said to be free, so B is correct.
- The answers are B, E.
7. Answer: heart
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- WOMAN: You might also be interested to know the Centre is running a pilot scheme of talks for patients. I’ve got the list here. Actually, they look very interesting.
- MAN: What sort of things?
- WOMAN: Well, the first one’s about giving up smoking. It’s next week, the twenty-fifth of February, at 7pm, and that’s in Room 4. It says, the talk will stress the health benefits particularly for people with asthma or heart disease.
- Explanation:the woman tells the man about the talks at Shore Lane Health Centre. The first talk on the list on ‘giving up smoking’ will focus on the health benefits for people with asthma or heart disease/heart problems.
- The answer is heart.
8. Answer: primary school
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- WOMAN: There’s also a talk for families with children. It’s on Healthy Eating, and takes place on the first of March at five o’clock.
- MAN: Will that be at the Health Centre?
- WOMAN: Erm, actually it’s at the primary school on Shore Lane.
- Explanation:the next talk on the woman’s list is on the first of March. However, this talk is not at the Health Centre, it is at the primary school on Shore Lane.
- The answer is primary school.
9. Answer: 4.30/four thirty.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- WOMAN: There’s a couple of other talks – one giving advice about how to avoid injuries while doing exercise. It’s on the ninth of March. Oh, it’s a late afternoon talk, at four thirty, and it’ll be in Room 6.
- Explanation:the woman says that the next talk will be on the ninth of March, at 4.30 in the afternoon.
- The answer is 4.30/four thirty.
10. Answer: ages
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- WOMAN: It also says the talk is suitable for all ages.
- Explanation: the woman gives more information about this talk, saying that it is suitable for all ages.
- The answer is ages.
SECTION 2
11. Answer: B
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- MAN: In the upstairs cupboard, you’ll find the water heater. You’ll see three main controls on the left at the bottom of the heater. The first one – the round one on the far left – is the most important one for the heating and hot water. It’s the main control switch. Make sure it’s in the ‘on’ position.
- Explanation: don’t be confused between numbers 11 and 12 on the diagram. The control on the far left is number 11. It is the main control switch (on and off). The man says that it must be in the ‘on’ position.
- The answer is B.
12. Answer: C
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- MAN: Below the heating controls in the middle is a small round plastic button. If there isn’t enough water in the pipes, sometimes the heater goes out. If this happens, you’ll need to press this button to reset the heater.
- Explanation: we now have to look for a small round button below the heating controls. The man says that you have to press this to reset the heater, so it is obviously the reset button.
- The answer is C.
13. Answer: E
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- MAN: Then there’s a little square indicator under the third knob that’s a kindof alarm light. It’ll flash if you need to reset the heater.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (E):
- warning indicator = alarm light
- Explanation: the third knob is for hot water. Below this, there is a small square indicator, an alarm/warning light.
- The answer is E.
14. Answer: B
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- Pillows … yes. If you look in the cupboard, the large white one upstairs – to the left of the bathroom door – there should be four or five on the top shelf.
- Explanation: The pillows are said to be in the cupboard upstairs, so B is the answer.
15. Answer: E
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- And if you want to do some washing, there’s some powder for that … probably by the back door. There’s a kind of shelf there above the sink. In fact, I’m sure there’s some there, in a large blue box. You need about half a cup full for each wash.
- Explanation: Be careful with answers that contain the same words as in the recording, because they are usually not correct and you have to listen for the idea, not exact words. The washing powder is said to be “by the back door”, maybe in a “shelf above the sink”, hence E is correct.
16. Answer: D
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- And that reminds me, the spare key to the back door is hanging on a hook on the wall by the sitting room window.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (D):
- living room = sitting room
- Explanation: Note that the key is TO the back door, not BY the back door. It is actually by the window of the sitting room (or living room). Hence, the answer is D.
17. Answer: A
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- And if you have any trouble with the lamps, you’ll find some spare bulbs in a large cardboard box. It’s on top of the washing machine with all kinds of useful things in it.
- Explanation: The bulbs are said to be in a box, and that box is on top of the washing machine, so the answer has to be A.
18. Answer: C
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- I’ve left you a local map, so you’ll be able to find your way around easily. It shows the whole area. I put it in the top drawer of the chest under the TV in your bedroom.
- Explanation: The speaker says he put the map in the “drawer of the chest”, thus C is clearly the answer.
19. Answer: 732281
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- But if you want a takeaway, the Italian one does really good pasta and pizzas. Call 7-3-double 2 -8-1 for that.
- Explanation: the man talks about good restaurants in the area, and gives the phone number for a takeaway pizza.
- The answer is 732281.
20. Answer: Thursday(s)
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- As for places to visit, yes, do go and see the railway museum. The exhibition is small but really good. It gets very crowded on Sundays, so I suggest you visit it on a quieter day, later in the week, but not on Thursdays which is market day – you won’t find anywhere to park and it’s also the onlyday of the week when they’re not open!
- Explanation: the man says that it is not a good idea to visit the railway museum on Sunday, because it is too crowded. It is better to go during the week, but not on Thursday, when the museum is closed/not open.
- The answer is Thursday/Thursdays.
SECTION 3
21. Answer: A. completed a course.
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- KIRA: Actually, I went straight into third year Pharmacy. They credited me with two years, which probably made it more difficult for me.
- PAUL: On the other hand, you were lucky to be granted credits. Is that why you chose the course?
- KIRA: Yes. And, as I’d already finished a course in it in my country, I thought it would be easier if I studied something I already knew.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
- complete = finish
- Explanation: C is wrong because Kira says being credited with two years “made it more difficult” for her, so she found the course here difficult, NOT the course in her country. B is wrong because Kira says nothing about having done 2 years of a course in her own country.From the recording, we know that Kira was credited with two years and went straight to third year, but that does not mean that she had studied those two years in her home country. In fact, she had finished a Pharmacy course there, so the correct answer must be A (as “complete” and “finish” are similar).
22. Answer: C. change her way of thinking.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- KIRA: People expect you to have problems with the process of reading and writing but, in fact, it is more a question of altering your viewpoint towardsacademic study.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (C):
- change = alter
- way of thinking = viewpoint
- Explanation: Concerning the assignments, Kira says that the problem is NOT actually related to reading and writing as people usually expect, so A and B are incorrect. The real problem for Kira is that she had to “alter her viewpoint”, which means the same as “change her way of thinking”.
- C is the correct answer.
23. Answer: approach
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- PAUL: And what about the lecturers themselves? Are they essentially the same as lecturers in your country?
- KIRA: Well actually, no. Here, they’re much easier to approach. After every lecture you can go and ask them something you didn’t understand.
- Explanation: Kira says that lecturers here are easier to approach. She then explains what she means: after the lecture, you can go to them and ask about anything that you didn’t understand.
- The answer is approach.
24. Answer: mature
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- PAUL: Maybe you found them different because you’re a mature student now, whereas when you were studying in your country you were younger and not so assertive.
- Explanation: Paul thinks that maybe Kira finds it easier to approach the lecturers and ask questions, because she is now older (=more mature) than when she was studying before. As a result, she is now more assertive.
- The answer is mature.
25. Answer: interest
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- KIRA: In my faculty, they all seem to make appointments – usually to talk about something in the course that’s worrying them, but sometimes just about something that might really interest them, something they might want to specialise in. The lecturers must set aside certain times every week when they’re available for students.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (interest):
- discuss = talk about
- very much = really
- Explanation: most students in Kira’s faculty make appointments to see their lecturers. The students may want to discuss something which worries them, or to talk about something that interests them.
- The answer is interest.
26. Answer: groups/in groups/small groups/in small groups
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- KIRA: Apart from lectures, we had practical sessions in a lot of subjects. We did these in small groups.
- Explanation: Kira simply explains that ‘we’ (the students) did their practical sessions in small groups.
- The answer is groups/in groups/small groups/in small groups.
27. Answer: every second day/every 2 days/every two days
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- KIRA: Then in second semester, we had to get experience in hospital dispensaries, so every second day we went to one of the big hospitals and worked there.
- Explanation: Kira talks about the second semester of the pharmacy course. The students had to get experience of working in a hospital, and every second day she went to a big hospital to work there. (Every second day = for example, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
- The answer is every second day/every 2 days/every two days.
28. Answer: 2 weeks/ two weeks
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- KIRA: Oh, I nearly forgot, between first and second semesters, we had to work full-time for two weeks in a hospital.
- Explanation: Kira now talks about working full-time.She worked full-time in a hospital for two weeks.
- The answer is 2 weeks/two weeks.
29. Answer: confident/more confident/much more confident
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- PAUL: So are you pleased now that you did it? Do you feel some sense of achievement?
- KIRA: Yeah, I do feel much more confident, which I suppose is the most important thing.
- Explanation: Now that the year of study has finished, Kira says that she feels more confident.
- The answer is confident/more confident/much more confident.
30. Answer: (the) education system
- Here’s what the speakers say:
- PAUL: And have you got any recommendations for people who are studying from overseas?
- KIRA: Well, I suppose they need very good English. It would be much better if they spent more time learning English before they enter the university, because you can be in big trouble if you don’t understand what people are saying and you haven’t got time to translate.
- PAUL: Anything else?
- KIRA: Well, as I said before, the biggest problem for me was a lack offamiliarity with the education system here.
- Explanation: Kira mentions the problem of learning English thoroughly. She also thinks that students need to be familiar with the education system here – this was a problem that she experienced.
- The answer is (the) education system.
SECTION 4
31. Answer: C. They wanted to investigate a recent phenomenon.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- First of all, how did we choose our topic? Well, there are four of us in the group and one day while we were discussing a possible focus, two of the group mentioned that they had seen yet more sparrow-hawks – one of Britain’s most interesting birds of prey – in their own city centre gardens and wondered why they were turning up in these gardens in great numbers. We were all very engaged by the idea of why wild animals would choose to inhabit a city garden. Why is it so popular with wildlife when the countryside itself is becoming less so?
- Explanation: Some may choose A because there is the word “species”in it, which may refer to the sparrow-hawks. However, from the recording we only know that the birds had moved from the countryside to the city in great numbers, but whether their population declined or not isn’t known, hence A is incorrect. The speaker does not mention anything relating to the effects of the city on the birds either, hence B is wrong. The group were just interested in (= engaged by) the phenomenon (meaning “a situation that is observed to exist or happen”) of seeing these birds of prey in a city garden.
- C is the correct answer.
32. Answer: A. consulting some official documents.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- The first thing we did was to establish what proportion of the urban land is taken up by private gardens. We estimated that it was about one fifth, and this was endorsed by looking at large-scale usage maps in the town land survey office – 24% to be precise.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
- devoted to = taken up by
- confirmed = endorsed
- surveyors = survey
- Explanation: “the town land survey office” is similar to “town surveyors” and is mentioned by the speaker, but there wasn’t any discussion with the surveyors who worked in the office, so C is incorrect. In addition, do not get tricked by answer B with “large-scale photos”. These may be somewhat similar to “large-scale maps” but the group did NOT take photos, they just looked at the maps available, so B is wrong. The group looked at the usage maps in the town land survey office, which can be considered “official documents”, so the correct answer is A.
33. Answer: B. keep a record of animals they saw.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- … so we decided to survey garden owners from different areas of the city. Just over 100 of them completed a survey once every two weeks for twelve months – ticking off species they had seen from a pro forma list – and adding the names of any rarer ones.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
- animals = species
- Explanation: The group asked the garden owners to take part in a survey, NOT interviews, hence A is incorrect. There is no mention made of “getting in contact” although rare species are mentioned, so C is incorrect as well. What the garden owners did was ticking off common species that they had seen, and adding those that were considered rarer, to a list provided by the group. From this we can understand that the group was trying to make a record of the animals that came to gardens. Therefore, B is the answer.
34. Answer: B. which they considered to be representative.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- Meanwhile, we were doing our own observations in selected gardens throughout the city. We deliberately chose smaller ones because they were by far the most typical in the city. The whole point of the project was to look at the norm not the exception.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (B):
- representative = typical = the norm
- Explanation: The group chose smaller gardens because these are “typical” and considered “the norm”, meaning there are mostly small gardens in the city. The purpose of this selection was to study certain gardens and draw a conclusion from this study, but the results needed to be representative of all the gardens in the city. Hence, the correct answer is B.
35. Answer: A. wildlife problems in rural areas.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- Alongside this primary research on urban gardens, we were studying a lot of books about the decline of wild animals in the countryside and thinking of possible causes for this.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (A):
- wildlife = wild animals
- rural area = countryside
- Explanation: The group studied a lot of books, which means that they did “extensive reading” and these books were about “the decline of wild animals in the countryside”. The reference to “wild animals” is the same as “wildlife” and “the countryside” is the same as “rural areas”. Therefore this can be paraphrased into “the decline of wildlife in rural areas” and this decline can be considered a problem. So A is correct.
36. Answer: C. they best indicated general trends.
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- What we’ve decided to present today is information about just three species – because we felt these gave a good indication of the processes at work in rural and urban settings as a whole.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (C):
- indicated =gave an indication
- general = as a whole
- Explanation: A and B are not mentioned by the speaker. The reason why the group concentrated on only three species was that these three species “gave a good indication” (which means “indicated well”) the processes of their work “as a whole” (similar to “general”). Therefore, C is correct.
37. Answer: frogs/frog
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- The first species to generate a lot of interesting information was frogs. And there was a clear pattern here – they proliferate where there is suitable water.
- Explanation: the speaker refers to ‘the first species’ (= the first species of animals), and this species was frogs. Garden ponds, the speaker then says, are on the increase, while rural ponds are declining. So, there is a large migration of frogs to city gardens.
- The answer is frogs/frog.
38. Answer: predators
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- Hedgehogs are also finding it easier to live in urban areas – this time because their predators are not finding it quite so attractive to leave their rural environment, so hedgehogs have a better survival rate in cities.
- Explanation: the speaker now talks about hedgehogs. They are able to survive more easily in cities, because they are safer. And they are safer because the animals which threaten them (= their predators) do not find it easy to survive in cities.
- The answer is predators.
39. Answer: count
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- We had a lot of sightings, so all in all we had no difficulties with our efforts to count their numbers precisely.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (count):
- easy = no difficulty
- Explanation: the speaker reports thatmany people who completed the survey forms reported seeing hedgehogs in their gardens (= ‘we had a lot of sightings’). It was therefore easy to count the numbers of hedgehogs.
- The answer is count.
40. Answer: seed/ seeds
- Here’s what the speaker says:
- Our final species is the finest of bird singers, the song thrush. On the decline in the countryside, they are experiencing a resurgence in urban gardens because these days gardeners are buying lots of different plants which means there’s an extensive range of seeds around, which is what they feed on.
- Here are some key words that help you to get the correct answer (seed(s)):
- variety = range
- eat = feed on
- Explanation: the speaker says that the song thrush is surviving well (‘experiencing a resurgence’) in city/urban gardens, because there are a lot of seeds for these birds to eat.
- The answer is seed/seeds.
