MULTIPLE CHOICE. You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose A, B or C.
Listen to it twice.
1. You overhear two friends talking in a corridor. What did the man find difficult when he was studying Arabic?
A) the grammar
B) the writing
C) the pronunciation
2. You hear a student talking about his future plans. What is he going to do when he leaves university?
A) get a job as a teacher
B) do voluntary work
C) study to become a psychologist
3. You hear a man and a woman discussing the qualities of a traditional education. What does the woman think?
A) Learning doesn’t stop once children have left school.
B) Children learn from a traditional education how to become good citizens.
C) A traditional education provides more career opportunities.
4. You hear two students talking about one of their university courses. What do they agree about?
A) how boring it is
B) how difficult it is
C) how relevant it is
5. You hear two friends talking at a graduation ceremony. Why didn’t the woman want to attend?
A) She didn’t enjoy her time at university.
B) Her family aren’t there.
C) She doesn’t enjoy parties.
6. You hear a woman talking on the phone with her son. What does she suggest?
A) he works harder at school
B) he spends time with his friends
C) he starts his next assignment
7. You hear a man talking on the radio about his job. What disappoints him about being a lecturer?
A) the marking
B) the salary
C) the long hours
8. You hear a teacher talking about a colleague at work. What does she admire most about her colleague?
A) His lessons are interesting.
B) He gets enjoyment from teaching.
C) He treats students equally.
Find the answers on the next page.
EDUCATION KEY
1- A THE TENSES AND STRUCTURES
2- B WORKING LONG HOURS WITHOUT GETTING PAID WASN'T MY FIRST CHOICE
3- A DOESN'T END AFTER GRADUATION
4- B
5- C BIG EVENTS AREN'T HER KIND OF THING
6- B ASK WHAT MATT AND LUKE ARE DOING - BOWLING
7- A I’VE GOT AN ISSUE WITH HOW PAPERS HAVE TO BE GRADED NOWADAYS
8- C THAT’S WHAT I THINK IS VERY IMPRESSIVE ABOUT HIM
Script
You overhear two friends talking in a corridor. What did the man find difficult when he was studying Arabic?
Speaker 1: "You finished your Arabic lessons now, haven't you? How did it go?"
Speaker 2: "I really enjoyed it, although there was a lot of writing to do toward the end of the course. Plus it was a bit of a challenge finding enough time to study after work."
Speaker 1: "I bet! I've heard the pronunciation is quite difficult too."
Speaker 2: "Well, there are a few sounds not made in my first language, so it took a while for me to get used to it, but overall I think I managed it quite well. This time, though, it was the sentence structures and tenses, which I didn't find clear. I only just passed in the end."
You hear a student talking about his future plans. What is he going to do when he leaves University?
Speaker 1: "I've always wanted to work with children during my research. I discovered, though, that it wasn't as easy as that. I mean, there was so much planning, marking and paperwork to do. I'm still interested in working with them, though, and I'm fascinated by the research I've read about human emotions and behaviors. Unless I'm prepared to do more studying, it'll be more of a hobby than anything else. My tutor suggested I gained some experience after graduation, and I can see her point. Working long hours without being paid wasn't my first choice, but if I don't, I just won't get a job in my chosen field."
You hear a man and a woman discussing the qualities of a traditional education. What does the woman think?
Speaker 1: "I think that without an educated population, society just won't work as effectively."
Speaker 2: "Perhaps, though, I disagree that the aim of school is to set boundaries and teach rules, providing there are close family and friends who can set a good example. Children could learn those things at home."
Speaker 1: "What about getting a job?"
Speaker 2: "Well, getting a good education does indeed give people more options in life, although that doesn't always come from conventional teaching methods. It's important to remember that education doesn't end after graduation, does it?"
Speaker 1: "I guess not."
You hear two students talking about one of their University courses. What do they agree about?
Speaker 1: "What do you think about the course?"
Speaker 2: "I'm really enjoying the course at the moment."
Speaker 1: "I'm not surprised! You've been getting full marks in every test we've done. It's not really my area of interest."
Speaker 2: "Well, I must admit that it's a really complex topic, so I do think we need to spend a lot of time on it."
Speaker 1: "That's true. I don't really get it, to be honest."
Speaker 2: "Do you think it would be useful if we arranged to meet the tutor to talk about the course?"
Speaker 1: "Not really. She's always so busy. I've been trying for months to set up a meeting now and haven't had any luck. It's probably best to keep going as we are."
You hear two friends talking at a graduation ceremony. Why didn't the woman want to attend?
Speaker 1: "Hey, isn't this brilliant? I never thought we'd do it!"
Speaker 2: "Any excuse for a party where you're concerned, but I know what you mean. It's been hard work, but we made it in the end."
Speaker 1: "Are your parents here?"
Speaker 2: "They're away for their anniversary. Somewhere exotic. They were going to cancel, you know, but I didn't want them to miss their holiday."
Speaker 1: "Unlucky timing. How are you feeling now?"
Speaker 2: "Well, I am a bit stressed, but that's only because I'm not really into big social events. I'd have preferred to have just gone out for dinner with a few friends."
You hear a woman talking on the phone to her son. What does she suggest?
Speaker 1: "How did your lessons go?"
Speaker 2: "Yeah, good, thanks. We got our math assignment back today. I got 80%."
Speaker 1: "That's great. I'm so proud of you. You must be over the moon. I know how much effort you put into that."
Speaker 2: "Thanks, mum."
Speaker 1: "Why don't you see what Matt and Luke are up to? I could take you all bowling if you'd like."
Speaker 2: "That sounds great. I'll give them a call now."
Speaker 1: "Well, I'll be back from work at six. Remember that you need to finish your school work before going, though, okay?”
Speaker 2: “Okay, okay."
You hear a man talking on the radio about his job. What disappoints him about being a lecturer?
Speaker 1: "I've been lecturing for ten years now. It has its downsides. Like all jobs. I wouldn't change what I do. Starting out, I wasn't aware just how long my working day would be. It's not just about the lectures themselves: there's all the preparation involved. Now, though, it's something I'm used to. These days, I've got a different set of challenges. I mean, we're not highly paid in this profession, although that's never been my motivation. I realize things change, but it's not always for the best, is it? I've got an issue with how assignments have to be graded these days, though I admit the topics are far more interesting than when I was studying."
You hear a teacher talking about a colleague at work. What does she admire most about her colleague?
Speaker 1: "I don't know how he does it. It's a challenging job, but he manages to stay motivated no matter what and seems to really like his job. For one, he's really good at creating fun and exciting lessons in what seems like no time at all. The students always seem to look forward to them, and I can often hear lots of laughter coming from his classroom. The other thing is that he acts fairly with the students and never makes any judgments. I think they look up to him that, and that's what I think is really impressive about him. He says he took inspiration from a tutor when he was studying at University."
