Test 4
LISTENING
SECTION 1 Questions 1-10
Questions 1-4
Select the correct answer from the choices given. Write A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
1. Where is Mr Garcia living?
A. Private accommodation.
B. With friends.
C. Self-catering university accommodation.
D. Catered university accommodation.
2. Why doesn't he like his accommodation?
A. The food is not good.
B. The meals are at inconvenient times.
C. He doesn't like his cohabitants. D. It's on the university campus.
3. Where are Mr Garcia and his friends from?
A. Costa Rica, Spain, Bolivia.
B. Ecuador, Spain, Mexico.
C. Mexico, Columbia, Spain.
D. Spain, Brazil, Argentina.
4. What kind of place are they hoping to find?
A. A house with a garden next to the university.
B. A flat or a house next to the university.
C. A house not too near to the university.
D. A flat or a house not too near to the university.
Questions 5-7
Complete the details below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS.
Name
Manuel Garcia
Current address
5 ______
Telephone number
0453 672 348
Email address
6 ______
Age
19
Gender
Male
Smoker?
No
Budgeted monthly rent
7 ￡______
Questions 8-10
Select the correct answer from the choices given. Write A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
8. Why can Mr Garcia expect a small reduction in rent?
A. The salesman like him.
B. There is no contract.
C. July is a good month to move in. D. He and his friends will stay all year.
9. How much is the accommodation agency's fee for Mr Garcia?
A. 1/2 month's rent.
B. 1 month's rent.
C. 1
month's rent.
D. There's no fee.
10. Which items does Mr Garcia consider necessary?
A. Kitchen utensils, washing machine, Internet connection.
B. Washing machine, Internet connection, TV.
C. DVD player, TV, Internet connection.
D. Shower, TV, washing machine.
SECTION 2 Questions 11-20
Questions 11-13
Choose the correct answers to the following questions. Only ONE answer is possible for each question.
11. Which member or members of the speaker's family have health problems?
A. The speaker.
B. The speaker's parents.
C. The speaker's father and younger sister.
D. None of the speaker's family does.
12. Why didn't the family go to Rotorua?
A. They couldn't afford it.
B. They wanted to go somewhere with friends,
C. Because of health problems.
D. Because they wanted to go somewhere new.
13. How did the speaker's family first find out about the Waiwera spa?
A. From people they met in their hometown.
B. From the Internet.
C. From people they met in Rotorua.
D. From a travel agent.
Questions 14-16
Complete the sentences using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR NUMBERS.
14. Altogether, the number of people in the speaker's holiday group was ______.
15. One of the children from the other family was a ______ than the speaker.
16. Before leaving, the speaker and his family got information from the Internet and a ______.
Questions 17-20
Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
17. What did the speaker especially like about the holiday?
18. Where were the children most of the time?
19. How does the speaker describe the people at the resort?
20. Which activities didn't the speaker participate in, even though those activities were available?
SECTION 3 Questions 21-30
Questions 21-23
Complete the notes on what Mika says at the beginning of the discussion.
Mika says that if you miss what other people in a seminar say, it makes it hard to 21 ______ the discussion. She
might have a 22 ______ if she didn't under- stand what a tutor was asking her, but if she was wrong it was 23
______.
Questions 24-27
Complete the sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
24. Martina says that native speaker students often continue talking even if non-native speaker students, like her,
______.
25. However, she points out that native speaker students will usually stop talking if you ______.
26. She says that non-native speaker students need to anticipate and ______ in order to get involved in seminar
discussions.
27. Michal points out that non-native speaker students can use ______ and body language to indicate when they
are ready to add to a discussion.
Questions 28-30
Choose the correct answer or answers to complete each sentence.
28. Martina thinks that non-native speaker students can improve the situation by being
A. aggressive. B. argumentative. C. well-prepared. D. polite.
29. Mika thinks that non-native speakers can improve
A. both their English and their subject knowledge quickly.
B. their English knowledge quickly, but not their subject knowledge.
C. their subject knowledge quickly, but not their English.
D. neither their English nor their subject knowledge quickly.
30. Mika says that
A. English students know a lot of technical terminology.
B. English students like making friends with her outside seminars.
C. English students are interested in learning about situations in foreign countries.
D. non-native speaker students shouldn't take much time to state their views.
SECTION 4 Questions 31-40
Questions 31-32
Complete the following summary of the lecturer's introduction by using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for
each gap.
The lecturer says that he will first look at how some cultural values influence 31 ______ and that then he will 32
______ demonstrating that approaches to learning in one culture may not be considered suitable in others.
Questions 33-36
Complete the notes on the way students learn in different cultures. Use only ONE word for each answer.
33 ______
Arab culture
34 ____ of the Koran influences how other subjects
are learnt.
Chinese culture
Little or no talking or 35 ______ with other
students or teachers.
extending American culture
Focus on developing 36 ______ skills through
questioning, for example.
Questions 37-40
Complete the notes on three Asian students and their experiences. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for
each answer.
Country of origin Level of study Experience of own education system
China
37 ______
Students contribute little to discussions.
Srudents 38 ______ to ask lecturers questions.
Japan
Master's
Less focus on constructing 39 ______.
India
research
40 ______ are responsible for providing
information about facilities and requirements
READING
READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
Fix it with Favour
A Gabriele Dionisi, a 38-year-old Italian computer wizard living in London, is a true individualist when it
comes to food. He has been known to live for days on dry toast and mashed potato. He's also very fond of tinned
mackerel with biscuits, washed down with, say, an apple-and-tomato milkshake. For some un- fathomable reason
he sometimes has problems with his guts. Then he makes himself a hot cup of camomile tea with honey and half a
spoonful of chilli flakes. "It's an old Italian recipe," he says. "My grandmother taught me to make it. It's very good
for the digestion."
B Spices such as chilli have been used for medicinal purposes in Europe for centuries. Medieval herbalists
believed that spices could be used to treat a range of pains, diseases and ailments. Sometimes they got it right;
sometimes they were way off the end of the spice rack. For example, they used to pound up cloves to extract the
oil, which was used to treat toothache. Sensible move: modern scientists know that cloves contain eugenol, a
chemical which is an effective local anaesthetic. Cloves also' contain salicylic acid, the basis of aspirin.
C Ginger was held to be good for stomach upsets, and it is now known to have anti-nausea properties. It is also
believed to have a painkilling effect, which is being studied at the University of Arizona. Unfortunately, those
muddled medieval medics also believed that ginger was a cure for the Black Death -- it isn't -- and that eating
borage would give you courage, just because the words rhymed.
D Doctors in India have long used spices as medicines. They understood that spices could be used as remedies.
Their motto was: Let food be thy medicine. The Indian chef's favourite medical spice is turmeric, the yellow
ingredient used in almost all Indian cookery. Turmeric is an antiseptic and disinfectant, and it is used widely not
so much for its taste but for its antibacterial properties.
E Turmeric is used in Indian homes as a first-aid treatment. For example, if you had a small cut on your finger,
you'd run it under the tap and then dust the wound with turmeric. It is also supposed to be a cure for arthritis and
scientists are now researching its potential ability to suppress the growth of cancer cells.
F In 2002, staff at the oncology department of Leicester University noticed that of 500 patients with colon
cancer, only two were Asian, despite that fact that 20 per cent of the population in Leicester is Asian. The
scientists believed this was due to their spicy diet. And, in America, researchers at the Columbia University
College of Physicians and Surgeons are investigating Zyflamend, a herbal treatment for arthritis, which contains
turmeric and ginger. Zyflamend has shown an ability to reduce prostate cancer cell proliferation by as much as
78% and in- duce cancer cell death.
G Studies at the Indian Institute of Science, in Bangalore, suggest that curcumin, the chemical that gives
turmeric its yellow colour, might also help to treat malaria. Mice were infected with the malaria parasite
Plasmodium berghei and given five daily doses orally. After 20 days, a third of the treated mice were alive,
whereas the untreated animals all died by day 13.
H If you want to know what chillis do to the body, cut open a fresh chilli and hold it on the back of your hand
for 15 or 20 minutes. It will make the hand red and sore. If you eat it in excess it can give you gastric problems.
However, in small doses chilli can aid digestion. Chilli contains vitamins A and E and is a good source of
potassium, beta-carotene and folic acid. Also chilli contains twice as much vitamin C as an orange and it really
can help to protect the body from colds and flu. One chilli contains 100mg of vitamin C, more than the daily
recommended amount, and capsaicin, the chemical in chillis that gives them heat, is also a natural decongestant.
I The pleasure of chillis comes from the pain of eating them. Literally. The burning sensation in the mouth
triggers the release of endorphins, an opiate-like pain- killing chemical, in the brain. This makes you feel good; so
good, in fact, that it is possible to become a chilli junkie. In the light of this, perhaps the late Signora Dionisi
should have taught her favourite grandson how to make something other than chilli camomile tea.
Questions 1-4
The text has 9 paragraphs (A-I). Which paragraph contains each of the following pieces o fin formation?
1. The reason that turmeric is yellow.
2. How turmeric is used by Indians.
3. A medieval cure for stomach aches.
4. The method Gabriele Dionisi uses to solve stomach aches.
Questions 5-8
Complete the following sentences using NO MORE. THAN TWO WORD$ from the text.
5. The article refers to medieval herbalists as ______ because they didn't always use herbs properly.
6. The article provides no support for the suggestion that turmeric can help to deal with ______ , though this is
being investigated.
7. A single chilli provides more ______ than a person needs in a day.
8. Eating chillis creates a feeling of ______, thanks to the release of endorphins.
Questions 9-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet write
TRUE
if the information in the text agrees with the statement
FALSE
if the information in the text contradicts the statement
NOT GIVEN
if there is no information on this
9. Cloves are used to make aspirin.
10. Turmeric is not used in Indian cooking because of its taste.
11. Zyflamend can kill cancer cells.
12. Chillis help prevent colds because they contain capsaicin.
13. Signora Dionisi taught her favourite grandson many traditional Italian recipes.
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Clicks, Bricks and Bargains
A It's a new phenomenon called "Cyber Monday". On November 28th millions of Americans returned to work
after the Thanksgiving holiday and fired up their office computers to take advantage of high-speed Inter- net links
and continue the arduous task of hunting for Christmas presents. Visits to some retail websites more than doubted
and Visa reported that online spending by its cardholders grew by 26% compared with the same day a year ago.
Despite concerns about a fall in consumer confidence putting the brake on store sates, online purchases are
soaring in most countries. Something else is happening, too. Increasingly, the websites run by conventional
retailers--once considered dinosaurs of the bricks-and-mortar age--are growing the fastest. Indeed, on
Thanksgiving day itself, the number of visitors to Wal-Mart's website exceeded those visiting Amazon--the first
time that has ever happened, says Hitwise, which monitors internet usage.
B Online sates in America (excluding travel) are expected to grow to more than $19 billion in the crucial two
months running up to Christmas--24% more than the same period last year--according to comScore Networks, a
research firm. Online sates of toys, computer games, clothing and jewellery are all more than 30% higher. In many
countries the websites run by eBay and Amazon get the most visitors. Both are considered "pure internet plays",
since they have no physical shops. Their business models have changed markedly and they now resemble online
versions of vast department stores, where thousands of big and small third-party merchants also offer their wares.
During Thanksgiving in 2004, Amazon for the first time sold more consumer electronics than it did books.
C Amazon was the company that proved online retailing could be a huge business--and it still leads the pack.
Things are changing quickly. The rise online of mighty Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, is being closely
followed by its chief supermarket rival, Target, which now operates the fourth-most-popular retail website in
America. In Britain, Argos, a catalogue merchant, is the third-most-popular retail site, followed by Tesco, the
country's biggest supermarket chain. Europeans are surfing the web in record numbers and almost haft now visit
retail websites, especially those of traditional merchants. According to Nielsen//NetRatings, the leading retail
websites in Europe include Germany's Tchibo, a diversified chain; OTTO, a German mail-order specialist, and
Fnac, a French high-street favourite.
D Far from wrecking retailers' businesses, the web plays to their strengths. Shopping-comparison sites,
including America's Shopzilla and Ciao in Europe, are among the fastest-growing destinations on the web. These
sites allow users to compare products, read reviews--and most important of all--see who is offering the lowest
prices. They make money from advertising or charging retailers when users click on a link to the retailers' website.
With huge economies of scale it is hardly surprising that giants such as Wal-Mart often emerge as the vendor
offering the cheapest prices. Besides attracting an online purchase, shopping-comparison searches can also be
used by ordinary retailers as a relatively cheap way to advertise and attract consumers to their physical stores.
E The traditional retailers are finding many other advantages in expanding their stores online. One is that in
cyberspace, even the biggest super-centre is unconstrained by planning Laws or dogged by protests, as Wal-Mart
often is when it tries to expand offline. Both Wal-Mart and Target also use the web to test the market for certain
products before they send them to their stores. Conventional shopkeepers might be late coming to the internet, but
they now realise that they can offer more to their customers online, and that the technology required to do so is
relatively easy to use, says Michael Silverstein of the Boston Consulting Group: "Retailers are starting to
recognise that their most profitable customers ... find the convenience of an online offering complementary to an
in-store experience," he says. As examples of successful exponents of this in America, Mr Silverstein points to
Neiman Marcus, which has taken a lead in online top-end fashion, Victoria's Secret in lingerie and Circuit City in
consumer electronics.
F Circuit City was a pioneer of the "pick-up in-store" option, which is proving increasingly popular with
Internet shoppers. Around haft the customers buying goods online from Circuit City collect their purchases at a
shop. For this holiday season the company is offering what it calls a "24/24 Pick-up Guarantee": if goods ordered
online or over the telephone are not available for collection at a local store within 24 minutes of purchase, the
customer can claim a $24 gift voucher. Apart from instant consumer gratification, why would someone want the
convenience of buying online only to trek to a store to take delivery? There are, it appears, many reasons. Some
people want to examine items before they accept them; some want to save on delivery costs; others want to avoid
hanging around for the delivery man to call. For many, the chief reason is that they trust a big retailing brand with
a focal store--not least because they will know where goods can be returned if there is a problem. With more than
3700 stores in America alone, this hands Wal-Mart another big advantage. It is developing services that link the
web with its stores, such as e-mailing digital pictures and picking up the prints.
G Does this mean retailing giants will come to dominate the web just as they do the high street? Some might
carve out large chunks of cyberspace. Tesco, for instance, has a huge 30% share of the British grocery market.
Online it is even more popular: Nielsen//NetRatings says almost 70% of online shoppers plan to buy groceries this
Christmas from tesco.com. Even the big traditional retailers still face competition online. For instance, Wal-Mart
may have more than five times the annual sates of Target, but Target's website is growing faster and, according to
some analysts, the average value of an online sale at Target is roughly three times more than one made online at
Wal-Mart. This is one reason why Wal-Mart is now offering more up-market goods on its website, including
diamond rings. So, should Amazon have stuck to books? Jeff Bezos, its founder and chief executive, does not
think so and likes to plug his site, with its growing army of other traders, as offering "earth's biggest selection".
Nevertheless, he is spreading his bets. These days Amazon also sells its e-commerce experience, helping to run
the websites of big, traditional retailers such as Target and Britain's Marks & Spencer.
Questions 14-17
The text has 7paragraphs (A-G). Which paragraph does each of the following headings best fit?
14. Compare prices on the net
15. Buy online, collect at the store
16. Street and web domination?
17. In the footsteps of Amazon
Questions 18-22
According to the text, FIVE of the following statements are true. Write the corresponding letters in answer boxes
18 to 22 in any order.
A. Websites operated by traditional retailers are the fastest growing ones.
B. Online sales grew by over $19 billion last year.
C. Amazon is the biggest online retailer.
D. Shopzilla allows people to compare prices in different stores.
E. Michael Silverstein says the best customers like to mix online and traditional shopping.
F. Circuit city was one of the first businesses of its kind.
G. Tesco has the biggest share of Britain's retail market.
H. Target sells less than Wal-Mart.
Questions 23-26
According to the information given in the text, choose the correct answer or answers from the choices given.
23. "Cyber Monday" is
A. the busiest day for online shopping in America.
B. when Americans begin shopping for Christmas.
C. the first time visits to the Wal-Mart website exceeded visits to the Amazon web- site.
24. EBay and Amazon are considered to be "pure Internet plays" because
A. you cannot visit their shops.
B. they are like big stores.
C. third-party agents can sell things there.
25. Problems that traditional retailers have when expanding include
A. getting planning permission for new stores.
B. people protesting their new stores.
C. finding money to construct new stores.
26. People buy online then go to the store to collect their purchases because they
A. don't want to wait for delivery.
B. like being in a store.
C. know they can return the goods if they are faulty.
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
Can You Charm Your Way into Oxbridge?
It's Oxbridge season again, and thousands of applicants are anxiously waiting to be called to interview.
Independent schools will be putting the final polish on candidates who may well have already had a year's
intensive preparation. Candidates, if they are lucky, might get a five-minute mock interview with one of their
teachers. At the Cotswold School, in Bourton-on-the-Water, a Gloucestershire comprehensive, it's a different story.
Here, the eight Oxbridge candidates, all boys, are being given intensive social grooming courtesy of Rachel
Holland, a former independent-school maths teacher and housemistress, who has dipped along in her high heels
and smart, pink linen, two-piece to give them a morning's tuition in the lost arts of sitting, standing, walking,
making small talk, dressing well and handing round canapes. It might sound the sort of thing that would have
skeptical teenagers totting in their chairs and rotting their eyes skywards, but Rachet Hottand is warm, engaging,
funny and direct. People, she tells the boys bluntly, always judge others within a few seconds of meeting them,
which is why first impressions are so vital.
Step-by-step she takes the group through a good "meet and greet"—how to smite, make eye contact, and give
a firm handshake. Lolling in chairs is a no-no, she says, even when you're waiting outside an interview room.
"And don't sit with your legs really far apart, either." How do you enter an interview room? Rachel Holland
demonstrates, miming dosing the door quietly behind her, smiting warmly, walking confidently across the carpet,
and shaking each interviewer's hand as she says her name. Then the boys do it, over and over again--"head up,
don't rush it, turn and sit down, but remember, don't sit down until you're invited to. Imagine your interviewers
have had a bad day. You need to brighten it up for them. You need to announce to them that you're here. What
you're saying when you come in tike this is: 'Here I am, I'm so-and-so, and I'm really pleased to see you. Pay
attention to me. I want my place and you should give it to me!'"
Rachel Holland set up Rachel Holland Associates to teach social skirts after realising the poputarity of the
workshops she devised for the pupils of Millfield, the school where she was working. Her courses range from a
three-hour workshop on basic manners for seven-to-10-year-otds, to a one-term course for school leavers on
etiquette and life-skills, which covers all aspects of modern rife including how to walk in high heels, accept a
compliment, write a thank you fetter, and know when not to use a mobile phone. "Every child, no matter what
their background, needs to be given social skills," she says. "Everyone needs to know how to be polite and wellmannered."
Once upon a time teaching these things was considered a parents' job, but today's parents, she says, are often
as confused as their offspring. 'They ask me, 'What should my child wear to interview?' Then I get lots of
questions about eating. Young people say 'If there's lots of cutlery, what should I do?' They find the idea of, say,
eating a meal with a future employer very intimidating. I think social skills need to be taught as a proper subject in
schools, not an add-on, although it helps that I'm coming in from outside and am not their maths or physics
teacher." So far she has taken her new company into four independent schools and has now come to the Cotswold
School to try out her skills in the state sector by working with this small Oxbridge group, and running a larger
workshop for 11-year-oLds.
The headmistress, Ann Holland, came across her work through a family connection--Rachel Holland is her
husband's niece--and thought: "If they're doing this, why shouldn't my children have some of it, too?" Neither she,
nor the boys, think for a minute that knowing how to hand round canapes is the key to getting into Oxbridge.
Nevertheless, the effect of the workshop is astonishing. Over the course of the morning the candidates are
transformed from amiable, Lounging schoolboys into young men with palpable presence who both charm and
command your attention. Holland, watching the action, straightens her back in her chair. "This is really, realty
practical stuff. I only wish someone had told me all this when I was young."
The boys, who come from a wide span of social backgrounds, soak up the non-stop stream of tips, ask lots of
questions, and have fun swaggering up and down to music, trying to inject more confidence and authority into the
way they walk. However they find teaming how to make small talk in twos, and then threes, a tricky business. "It's
hard work," agrees Rachel Holland. "You've got to store some questions in your head. You've got to fake it. You've
got to Look relaxed and confident. And remember the most important thing--smile!" After a break, she turns to
clothes. The boys are told to buy the best quality they can afford, to know their measurements--a tape measure is
whipped out and they are all measured for sleeve length and neck size and "always to try and buy a suit with vents
at the back. It allows you to move. It really makes a difference." They are told when people wear evening dress,
what "smart casual" consists of and how "come as you are" invitations tend not to mean what they say. "When
would you wear a morning suit?" Rachel Holland asks them. "In the morning?" they volunteer, hopefully. Aspects
of the workshop, like knowing when to wear a top hat, are dearly not relevant to their young lives, but they tike
being told what's what and, during a break, wax enthusiastic. Alex Green, 17, who is applying to read geography
at Cambridge, says the morning has boosted his confidence. "I feel more assured of myself. I feel I know how to
control myself in an interview. The little things about things like posture are really helpful." "It's really like acting.
It's getting your image across," says Alex Bexon, 17, another geographer, who is applying to Oxford.
Questions 27-30
For each question, only ONE of the choices is correct. Write the corresponding letter in the appropriate box on
your answer sheet.
27. Rachel Holland's advice does not include how to
A. pass exams.
B. eat correctly.
C. talk about non-academic subjects.
28. Rachel Holland believes parents don't teach many things to their children because they
A. have so little time.
B. don't know how to do such things.
C. haven't been well educated.
29. Making small talk well involves
A. remembering what people say.
B. walking correctly'
C. asking questions.
30. Alex Green says he feels
A. more confident.
B. healthier.
C. more energetic.
Questions 31-35
Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text.
31. Rachel Holland used to teach ______.
32. The boys are taught to say their names as they ______.
33. One of Rachel's courses involves teaching ______ to younger children.
34. Cotswold School is a ______ school.
35. Rachel teaches the boys how to put more ______ into their walking.
Questions 36-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet write
TRUE
if the information in the text agrees with the statement
FALSE
if the information in the text contradicts the statement
NOT GIVEN
if there is no information on this
36. All of the Oxbridge candidates at Cotswold School are receiving coaching from Rachel Holland.
37. Some of Rachel's courses include tips on writing.
38. Rachel thinks her job would be more difficult if she was teaching the boys.
39. The skills Rachel teaches are the key to getting an Oxbridge place.
40. The boys are not interested in thing that are not relevant to them.
WRITING
WRITING TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The flowchart below shows the process involved in writing a formal academic essay for a particular
university course.
Describe the stages of the process in a report for a university lecturer.
Write at least 150 words.
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that they should be able to keep all the money they earn and should not pay tax to the
state.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
SPEAKING
PART 1
The examiner asks the candidate about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.
EXAMPLE
Hometown
· Whereabouts did you grow up?
· Do you still live there?
· What kind of place is your hometown?
· Has your hometown changed since you were a child?
· What's the best thing about your hometown?
Daily routine
· When do you usually get up and go to bed?
· Are your weekday and weekend routines different?
· What would you like to change about your weekday routine?
· What is your favourite part of the day?
Time at secondary school
· What was your favourite subject at secondary school?
· How many subjects do secondary school students usually have to study?
· Do many secondary school students go on to university?
· Do students have to wear uniforms at schools in your country?
PART 2
Describe a sport that you either watch or play.
You should say:
what the sport is and why you like it
if it is popular with other people in your family/city/country
where and when you play or watch it and say how you feel when you play or watch this sport.
You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes.
You have one minute to think about what you're going to say.
You can make some notes to help you if you wish.
PART 3
Discussion topic:
Sport
Example questions:
· What kinds of sports are popular in your country now, but weren't popular 20 years ago?
· Do you think that young people spend too much time studying, watching TV, and playing on computers rather
than getting exercise and playing sports?
· How can playing sports help us in other aspects of our lives?
· Which sports do you think will become more popular in the future?
· Compare the kinds of sports that men and women prefer.
答案
TEST 4
LISTENING
Section 1, Questions 1-10
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. 35c Campus Lane
6. garciainuk@email.uk
7. 200--250/200 to 250
8. D
9. A
10. B
Section 2, Questions 11-20
11. C
12. D
13. C
14. 9/nine
15. year older
16. travel agency
17. (the) accommodation/hotel
18. (in/the/some) play areas
19. gentle, warm, helpful
20. basketball (and) volleyball
Section 3, Questions 21-30
21. catch up with
22. guess
23. (quite) embarrassing
24. raise a hand
25. (just) interrupt (someone)
26. think quickly
27. eye contact
28. IN EITHER ORDER
C
D
29. C
30. IN EITHER ORDER
C
D
Section 4, Questions 31-40
31. teaching and learning
32. present evidence
33. conserving
34. Memorisation
35. interacting/interaction
36. argumentation
37. undergraduate
38. hesitate
39. logical arguments
40. Lecturer(s) or (and) supervisor(s)
ACADEMIC READING
Reading Passage 1, Questions 1-13
1. G
2. E
3. C
4. A
5. muddled
6. arthritis
7. vitamin C
8. pleasure
9. Not Given
10. False
11. True
12. True
13. Not Given
Reading Passage 2, Questions 14-26
14. D
15. F
16. G
17. C
18-22 IN ANY ORDER
A
C
D
E
F
23. B
24. A
25. IN EITHER ORDER
A
B
26. IN EITHER ORDER
A
C
Reading Passage 3, Questions 27-40
27. A
28. B
29. C
30. A
31. maths
32. shake hands
33. basic manners
34. state/state sector
35. confidence and authority
36. True
37. True
38. True
39. False
40. False
听力原文
TEST 4
SECTION 1
Student: Hello. My name is Garcia. I phoned earlier about finding accommodation.
Saleswoman: Ah yes--Mr Garcia. I took your call. Please, take a seat. You said on the phone that you are studying
at the university.
Student: That's right. <u> I'm currently in university digs</u>, but I have decided to move out.
Saleswoman: May I ask why?
Student: Well, the accommodation itself is fine--very nice in fact--but <u>it's catered accommodation</u> and
<u>I find having to have my meals at fixed times somewhat restrictive</u>. I tried to get into self-catering
accommodation, but there's very little of that available and, as I will be a second year student next academic year,
I wasn't given a place.
Saleswoman: I see. We have many students coming to us who are in the same situation. Do you intend to live
alone or share with someone?
Student: I have two friends, from <u>Spain and from Columbia</u>, who would like to share with me. We
thought it would be a good idea to rent a small house together. Does that sound sensible to you?
Saleswoman: Sure. In fact, I recommend it. Where are you from, Mr Garcia?
Student: <u>I'm from Mexico</u>.
Saleswoman: Really? I went there on holiday last year. Lovely. So, you're looking for a three-bedroom house.
How about a flat? Would that be OK?
Student: Yes, that would be fine too, but if the rents are roughly the same, <u>we'd prefer a house</u> with a
small garden--just some- where where we can sit outside in the sunshine.
Saleswoman: Of course. We do have houses, but more flats are available at the moment. Is there any particular
area you'd like to live in?
Student: Obviously, <u>we'd like to be close to the university if possible, but not too close</u>. My experience is
that people living in the proximity of the uni tend to get a lot of people dropping in. We'd like to avoid that.
Saleswoman: I understand. Places further from the uni are also a little cheaper, in general. Before we go on, could
I take down a few details?
Student: Of course. My full name is Manuel Garcia. I currently live at <u>35c Campus Lane</u>.
Saleswoman: Thank you. And your telephone number and email address?
Student: My mobile number is 0453 672 348. <u>My email address is garciainuk@email.uk</u>.
Saleswoman: How old are you and your future housemates?
Student: I'm 19. My friends are 19 and 20.
Saleswoman: And are you all male?
Student: Yes.
Saleswoman: Smokers?
Student: No.
Saleswoman: OK. How much would you be prepared to pay altogether?
Student: <u>We heard that 200 to 250 pounds a month would be possible</u>.
Saleswoman: Yes, that's about right. Accommodation in this town is below the average for the country as a whole.
I'd recommend some- thing closer to 250 pounds, since the lower-paid accommodation can be rather poor quality.
Student: Yes. It's important to feel good in a home. We intend to move in at the beginning of July. We've all got
placements over the summer holiday.
Saleswoman: That's good. <u>A lot of landlords will offer a small discount if they know that you'll be there
throughout the year</u>. I think we'll find something decent for around 230 pounds a month. I should point out
that utilities are not included.
Student: I understand. We expected that. By the way, we understand that you will charge us a fee for arranging
accommodation. Is that correct?
Saleswoman: Yes, it is. <u>We charge you half a month's rent</u> and the land- lord half a month's rent. That
includes the cost of drawing up a rental agreement. All our landlords require a deposit of a month's rent, payable
with the first month's rent upon signing the agreement.
Student: That's fine.
Saleswoman: Now, I'll just write down the kind of place you're looking for. I don't think that'll be a problem. Do
you have any other requirements?
Student: Er ... Let me think for a minute. Oh, of course--how could I forget! It must be furnished. We don't mind
buying kitchen utensils. <u>A TV--yes, we'll need that</u>. We don't need a video or DVD player. <u>Oh, and a
washing machine. That's essential, as is an Internet connection</u>. I presume all the accommodation you offer
has a cooker?
Saleswoman: Yes. You don't have to worry about that. Do you prefer a bath or a shower?
Student: We would prefer to have a shower, but we're not fussy about that.
Saleswoman: Right then. I'll send you details of three or four of the most suitable properties later today by email.
Then you can let me know whether you'd like to See any of the properties or whether you'd prefer to see details of
some others. Thank you for dropping by, Mr Garcia.
SECTION 2
Interviewer: What was your holiday location and how did you hear about it?
Interviewee: My holiday location was Waiwera, in New Zealand. It is a thermal spa resort. I was there last year
with my parents, my sister and a couple of friends of my parents. <u>My father and my little sister, who inherited
the medical problems from my father</u>, need to go to a thermal spa every year for treatment. They used to go
to the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua, another famous resort in New Zealand, but <u>last year they decided that they
fancied a change</u>. I had never gone with them to a spa because I preferred to spend my holiday at home or go
to other places, but last year when they changed the location I decided to go with them. I also decided to go
because my sister really wanted me to go with her. <u>My parents found out about this location from some of the
people they met in Rotorua</u>. These people said that they were more satisfied with the accommodation and
facilities at the Waiwera spa, so my parents were curious and when they returned home they asked me to search on
the Internet for some information. They were impressed with the information I found and it was then that they
decided to plan a trip there.
Interviewer: So you went with your family and your parents' friends.
Interviewee: Yes. I travelled with my parents, my little sister and some family friends with their three children, so
that <u>altogether we were nine people</u>. I was lucky because <u>in the other family there was a boy one year
older than me</u> so I had someone to pass the time with and have some fun. There were a lot of elderly people
and kids at the spa town, so I was happy that he was with me. We had similar interests. It's good to be with
someone with your own age when you are on holiday.
Interviewer: How much time did you spend finding out information about this spa?
Interviewee: I didn't spend so much time searching for the information be- cause the spa has website that was easy:
to find. We wanted some more information that wasn't on the website, particularly about how to get there, but we
went to a travel agency and they gave us the information that we didn't have and made there the reservations for
all of us.
Interviewer: Can you tell us the thing you like most at the spa?
Interviewee: There were so many things that I liked there. <u>I especially liked the accommodation</u>. We
stayed at the Waiwera Holiday Inn which is situated right on the beach. It offers spectacular sea views. I think that
I will never forget it.
Interviewer: Were there any things that you were not satisfied with?
Interviewee: I think that the bad side of this vacation was that there were so many old people and many many
children. Luckily, <u>there were some play areas for children and they stayed there most of the time</u>.
Interviewer: How was your room? Did you have everything you needed?
Interviewee: Yes we had everything we needed. Everything was comfortable and the conditions were great so I
have nothing to complain about.
Interviewer: Did you make any new friends? Are you still in touch?
Interviewee: Everyone was very gentle and warm. They really made a good impression. When we needed some
help they were very helpful and I felt great. I'm still in touch with the son of my parents' friends.
Interviewer: How did you spend your time? Did you participate in any recreational activities?
Interviewee: I don't have any medical problems like my father and sister, but I still went to the thermal spa. There
were a lot of recreational activities to enjoy if we wanted. For example, I played golf because there was a mini
golf course. <u>Basketball and volleyball were also available, but we couldn't get enough people together for two
proper teams</u>. I also went to swim and I also went scuba diving on the reef not far from the hotel. There was a
small group of us with an instructor. It was truly amazing. I cannot describe in words how I felt down there. It was
like I was in paradise.
SECTION 3
Tutor: So, you have all told me that you have been having difficulties with taking part in seminar discussions. I've
invited you here to see if we can come up with some suggestions and solutions. Some- times talking about these
things can be helpful. Mika, you said that you think speaking and listening abilities are related.
Mika: Yes, it was really difficult because basically I ... I wasn't good at listening during discussions. You know,
you need to understand what is going on so <u>if you miss some things that people say it's very difficult to catch
up with the topic. Also, when the tutor asked me a question sometimes I couldn't understand the question and I
was answering by making a guess about what he was asking</u>. Usually, the result was that he said something
like 'I think you didn't understand my question', <u>which was quite embarrassing for me</u>.
Tutor: Martina, have you personally had many difficulties taking part in discussions?
Martina: Oh, yes. Definitely. Especially at the very beginning of the course. In terms of speaking, I think I feel
that the students, when they talk in class, there is no end to the conversation. <u>They sometimes talk
continuously regardless of whether you raise a hand.</u> However, <u>they will usually stop and let you speak if
you just interrupt someone</u>. At the beginning I think I was trying to adapt to this kind of environment or
classroom chemistry. It was also difficult because of my language ability. At the beginning, students, especially
native speaker students, well, their English is, well I don't need to comment about their English, but the speed and
the fluency of their English made interaction or intervention, ... I mean interruption, very difficult for students like
me, like us, non-native speakers. One thing I learnt to try and do is to think and try to anticipate where the
discussion might go, so that when, for example, they talk about something, you know, like, ... when they talk
about for example how children think, I can get some ideas in my mind and then I can join in. Before, by the time
I had collected all my thoughts and was ready to join in, the discussion had moved on. So, basically, <u>I think it
requires you to think quickly</u> and think ahead if you want to join in.
Tutor: Michal, have you done anything to try and improve and to participate in such discussions?
Michal: I think I have. For example, now, I have more discussions with my classmates outside the classroom and
talk with them about some of the questions raised in the seminars. If you ask tutors about your concerns, they
listen to you very carefully and they pay attention to the issue in future seminars. They also try to, how do you say
it in English? ... catch your eye and see if you are ready to make a comment. If you are, they interrupt the native
speakers and ... what's the other idiom? ... give you the floor. That's it. Tutors are very good at accommodating all
people in the room, but you have to let them know you want to speak. <u>Eye contact</u> and body language can
be useful.
Tutor: Martina, with regards to speaking in discussions what advice would you give to another student coming to
study in England?
Martina: Be polite when you discuss something or argue something. Don't be aggressive. Just be polite and argue
in a polite way and if you say something wrong, just admit it. English students don't mind if you make a mistake,
and you should admit it and then continue the argument or discussion. If I have really good idea or previous
knowledge about the subject under discussion, my view is respect- ed, but if I don't have anything to say about the
topic, that's not good, so <u>I advise the students from overseas to be prepared and to be polite</u>. It's a good
chance for you to talk and share. Take it.
Tutor: Mika, what advice would you give to international students about how to prepare for discussion activities?
Mika: If you ... if you want to improve your English abilities it takes some time. You must be realistic. <u>You
cannot make a quick improvement easily, but what you can do immediately is to have enough knowledge on that
subject</u>. If you have enough knowledge, for example if you know technical terms, you can ... there is a much
higher probability that you will understand the content of the seminar. You can also help yourself by using your
English outside seminars. If you make some friends from your seminar groups, you will also find that they like to
discuss, er, discuss topics with you in the seminars. So that's the advice I would give. I agree with Martina about
being prepared before the discussion. <u>I find that English students are very interested in how things are done, or
tackled, in other countries. However, they can be impatient if you take too long to express yourself</u>.
Tutor: Well, thank you very much. I hope that's given you a few ideas. Now, there is something else I can
suggest ...
SECTION 4
Lecturer: Hello, everybody and thank you for coming. I know that you're all very busy at this time but I hope
'that by coming to this talk you'll at least get some useful information for when you go to study overseas. Well,
today I want to talk about the effect of cultural background on learning style; that is, how a learner's culture might
impact on his or her approach to study. <u>I want to begin by looking at some basic cultural values and how these
affect teaching and learning. I'll then go on to present evidence which shows that anproaches to learning which are
acceptable in one culture may not be acceptable in another</u>. If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer
them at the end of the talk. Now, I want to start by introducing the two concepts. They are actually contrasting
concepts, these are, conserving and extending cultures. What do these terms mean?
Experts have categorised cultures as being either basically conserving or extending in their attitude to the
transmission of knowledge. Let me give you an example to try to make this clear. A good example of a conserving
cultural attitude is demonstrated by most Arabic cultures. Here there is the requirement to learn the holy book--the
Koran--by heart. <u>This demands a huge effort of memorisation</u>, as you can imagine. The way the Koran is
learnt impacts on the way other subjects are learnt generally. It might also have an effect on learners' perception of
what constitutes an acceptable teaching style. By this I mean that the unquestioning acceptance of the messages in
the Koran and the concentration and repetition necessary to memorise those messages are transferred to the
learning of school subjects and to the expectations students have on teachers.
That's Arab culture. Let's turn now to Chinese culture. There is evidence to suggest that Chinese culture is
conserving in nature. For example, keeping quiet in the classroom, listening to the teacher, <u>not talking to other
students, not interacting</u>; these tend to characterise the Chinese classroom. As a result, <u>Chinese learners
do not develop argumentation skills as quickly as their American counterparts</u>. American students tend to be
actively encouraged to question their teachers, their materials and to interact with other classmates. However, I
have to say--in the interests of balance---that Chinese students tend to work with greater concentration--but this is
not the point I'm trying to make. The point is that some cultures display a conserving attitude to teaching and
learning, while others display a more extending attitude to learning.
Now, the memorisation and non-interactive styles of learning encouraged, for example, in Arab and Chinese
cultures may disadvantage learners, at least initially, when they progress from secondary school to university. Why
is this? Well, it's because universities worldwide are increasingly adopting-with a few local variations--the
Western requirement for students to show argumentation skills in written assignments and effective interpersonal
skills in tutorials and seminars. In other words, the world model for university teaching and learning is now the
Western model, the interactive model if you like.
Now, of course, students from conserving backgrounds who go on to study in an extending culture will
obviously need to adapt to a different learning style to accommodate to the new conditions. This, unsurprisingly,
can often prove to be a painful process. However, such learners are able to make the transition quite successfully
with guidance from academic staff and a lot of determination from their own part to "unlearn" or dismantle the
study-related approaches and strategies acquired in their own cultures. Let me give you some examples from real
life to try to illuminate this issue. I've put these on slides.
Now, let's look at the comments made by three Asian students who found the Western university system of
teaching and learning very different from their previous experience. If you just look at the screen--I've put these
comments on slides ... as I said. This is what <u>a Chinese undergraduate</u> from Shanghai studying at an
Australian university had to say: "Generally many of us are trained in a system where you don't contribute much
to classroom discussions; some <u>students even hesitate to ask questions from lecturers</u>." Here's what a
Master's student from Japan studying at an English university in London had to say: "<u>In Japanese culture and
education the emphasis on training seems to be on intuition rather than logical construction of arguments</u>.
This makes it much harder to study at my British University." Finally, let's take a look at the comments by an
Indian research student studying at an American university: "One problem was getting used to the American system where a student is expected to find out for herself or himself the requirements and facilities of the University.
<u>This contrasts with the system at home whereby a person, generally the lecturer or supervisor, is responsible
for the needs of the student</u>."
To sum up, then, there is certainly evidence to show that the cultural values of a society affect the way that
society's educational institutions function and how the teaching in them is carded out. While ensuring the
continuation of cultural identity and solidarity, the existence of culturally-determined patterns of teaching and
learning means that individual learning style--the way a learner would prefer to learn--is largely ignored in
classrooms around the world. Well, that's all I want to say for the moment--I hope you'll find what I've said
interesting and useful when. you go overseas to study. Are there any questions?
作文
TEST 4, WRITING TASK 1
MODEL ANSWER
The flow chart shows the six stages for preparing on academic essay. first. there is a tutorial, during which the
student talks about the subject of the essay with a tutor. The student may get a reading list of useful books, articles
and other resources during this meeting, Stage two involves the student doing research by going to the library or
by finding information online. The student's job is to take notes from these sources that he/she can then later use
to write the essay. The third stage is to organise the content of the essay and to write the first draft, which the
student can then check. Stage four could be another tutorial or if could be a group discussion with other students,
depending on the student. The aims in either case are to analyse the first draft and get ideas and feedback. Stage
five involves the preparation and writing of a second draft. This stage includes re-reading source materials and
including suggestions from the fourth stage. The sixth and final stage of writing the assay is to write a final draft,
check it for errors (e,g. spelling), and add a bibliography and title page.
TEST 4, WRITING TASK 2
MODEL ANSWER
In most countries, it is normal for individuals to pay a certain percentage of their income to the government in the
form of income tax. Of course, few people actually like doing this, but most people, including myself, accept that
it is necessary. Others say that it is not necessary at all and believe that people should keep all the money they
earn.
If people didn't pay income tax, the government would still have to get money from somewhere. In countries
where people do not pay income tax, the government has other sources of income. For example, citizens of many
oil-rich countries do not pay any income tax because their governments raise revenue from the sale of oil. In
countries where there is no such alternative, income tax would have to be replaced with taxes on consumption and
with duties on imports and exports. This could place a disproportionate burden on businesses, rather than
spreading the cost of government services between the business sector and individual citizens.
A few people claim that we could get rid of income tax by reducing the services that government provides. I really
think that this would be a bad idea. The things that the government provides are usually very expensive, such as
education, health, defence and infrastructure. If the government didn't provide these things, there is no certainty
that businesses would be able to provide them efficiently. The difference between good and bad schools, already
great, would become intolerable. The level of health care at certain poorly funded hospitals might become so low
as to become a health risk to the rest of society. Defence is something that almost all economists accept it is
impossible for private businesses to provide for an entire country.
To conclude, I think that it is absolutely necessary for individuals to pay income tax, unless there is a viable
alternative source of income. Government provides services for the whole population that it would be incredibly
difficult to provide by other means.
Speaking Test 4
PART 1
Hometown
· I grew up in a village in Thailand, just outside the capital, Bangkok.
· No, I don't. I live here in Bangkok now, but my parents still live there and so does one of my sisters. The other
sister works in Singapore as a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines.
· It's fairly quiet, but it is very near the main road heading north out of Bangkok, so there is some noise from the
traffic. Otherwise, it's a fairly typical Thai village with small houses for the people to live in and only basic
services.
· No, not much. Now, we have water and electricity from the mains, but village life hasn't changed much. People
still do the same jobs and live in the same homes. I suppose the water and electricity have made life more
comfortable though.
· The peace and quiet. I hope that it stays that way, but I heard that the government wants to build an- other road
nearby, so I might not get my wish. A new road will certainly bring more and better jobs to the village, so it won't
be all bad.
Daily routine
· On workdays, I get up at 6 o'clock. I have to be at work at 8:30, but I like to go to the gym in my office
building before work to exercise. I find that a little exercise wakes me up! I go to bed at about 11 o'clock,
depending on what I do that particular evening.
· My Saturday routine is the same as my weekday routine, because I have to work six days a week, though I do
get a few extra days off during the week as compensation. On Sundays, I don't have a routine. I just do what I feel
like or do what housework needs to be done. During the week, I wake up, shower, eat breakfast and go to exercise.
I have lunch with colleagues. After work, I might go out for a meal with colleagues or friends or I might go
shopping--shops are often open quite late in Bangkok. If I'm tired, I just go home and relax.
· Nothing. I'm very happy with it. Of course, it would be nice to work fewer hours, but that's not going to
happen.
· I like the evenings, because I can relax after work or go out with friends and have some fun. I think most
people are happy when their workday is over and they can do what they like to do. I also like exercising in the
morning very much.
Time at secondary school
· I liked geography most of all. I've always been interested in the world, how landscapes were formed and how
people use the world. I had two or three geography lessons each week when I was at secondary school. One of my
biggest regrets is that I don't use geography in my work at all, but I do find it useful when I meet foreigners,
because I can usually say something about their country. As a result, they think I'm more intelligent than I really
am!
· Nowadays, I think most students have to study about 12. I'm not absolutely sure. When I went to school, we
studied far fewer subjects, partly because there were not so many teachers available and partly because we didn't
have the facilities for some subjects, such as computing and science. The most important subjects were Thai, math
and English, because if you have good exam results in those subjects it's pretty easy to get a decent job in
Bangkok.
· I don't know the exact number or percentage, but it is probably around a quarter of all students. The proportion
is higher in the cities than in the countryside. I think that this is lower than in developed countries, but it might be
higher than in other developing ones.
· Yes. I think this is true everywhere. I see all kids wear uniforms in Bangkok and the kids in my village do too. I
think it's a good idea, because it makes the students look equal.
PART 2
My favourite sport is canoeing. I only go canoeing about once a month, usually on a fiver near my village.
Sometimes I go alone, but usually a few friends join me. We spend the whole day on the fiver, stopping every
couple of hours for a rest and a drink. We take our own food or stop at a cheap restaurant on the riverside for
lunch. The fiver near my village is not fast flowing, so we can easily paddle upstream. Most of the land beside the
fiver is farmland, but there are parts that go through forests. Sometimes we see wild animals there. Canoeing is
not a popular sport in my country. We usually don't see any other people canoeing and if we do, they are likely to
be foreigners. If we meet another group of canoeists, we stop in the middle of the fiver and chat for a while.
PART 3
· I think that sports like football and basketball have grown in popularity over the past 20 years or so. Football
has even become popular with girls. However, generally, I think people still like the same sports as they did
before--table tennis, for example.
· Some young people do, but most people play a sport, at least for fun, and most young people in the cities try to
get some exercise, perhaps by running or by going to a gym, like me. Schools make sure that kids get enough
exercise by having P.E. lessons two or three times a week. If you walk past a school, you can often see the kids in
the playground, having a game of football, basketball or volleyball.
· According to experts, playing sports helps increase your level of energy. It also gives you the chance to meet
people and make new friends--as long as you don't get too competitive! For many people, it's just a way to have
fun, which I think is the best reason to do something.
· I think that football will probably increase in popularity. Some young people are becoming really talented and
there are several foreign coaches at schools around the country. Once the national team starts doing well in
competition, I think more and more people will be attracted to it. Table tennis has long been popular in my country,
but now some of our best players are making an impact on the international stage and this is attracting a lot of
interest from young people.
· As I mentioned before, both men and women enjoy football, though I think that many women often en- joy
looking at the handsome players than the actual game! Basketball is not popular with women, but netball, which is
quite similar, is. Table tennis is equally popular and it's quite common to see men and women playing against each
other, though not in formal competitions. Volleyball is more popular with women, but many men enjoy it too.
Again, it is quite common to see men and women playing together for fun.