Listening 2026-08 Test 2

【Transcript】 You will hear a number of different recordings, and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions, and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four parts. Write all your answers in the listening question booklet. At the end of the test, you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to part one on page two of your question booklet. Part one. You will hear a telephone conversation between a customer who is interested in joining a car club scheme and an agent of the car club. First, you have some time to look at questions one to four. Now listen carefully and answer questions one to four. Speaker 1: Good morning, City Wise Car Club, Lorna speaking. How can I help you? Speaker 2: Good morning. I was wondering if I could get some more information about joining your car club. How does the scheme work exactly? Speaker 1: Of course. Well, the main thing is that each member of the car club has access to our fleet of cars whenever they need one. So once you've joined, you just go along and pick one up at a convenient location and drop it off when you're done. Speaker 2: This means you no longer need to own your own car. I've had a look at your website, and it says you have cars in locations all over the UK, but I'd like to know which would be the closest to me. Speaker 1: Certainly. If I can have your postcode, I can tell you that. Speaker 2: I'm in London. So that's NW5 2JX. Speaker 1: Okay. So the closest location would be three streets away on Islip Street. Speaker 2: Sorry. Could you spell that, please? Speaker 1: Certainly. That's I-S-L-I-P, Islip Street. It's not far from where you live. It's less than a mile away. Speaker 2: Okay. I know what you mean. It's not far from the school where I work. Speaker 1: And how easy is it to pick up a car? Speaker 2: Well, once you have your membership card, you just go along to the nearest location and find a car there. Then you simply place your membership card over the card reader on the windscreen in order to unlock the car, so then you can just get in. Speaker 1: Then isn't there a computer inside the car or something? Speaker 2: Yes. You enter a number on that, and it releases the immobilization, which means the engine will start. Speaker 1: Right. Speaker 2: So how do I book a car? Speaker 1: The easiest way is online on our website. Speaker 2: What about by phone? Speaker 1: You can do it that way, but you will need to pay a small surcharge to use this facility. Speaker 0: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions five to 10. Now listen and answer questions five to 10. Speaker 2: Okay. Now what about the cost? How much can I expect to pay per hour? I've seen various prices advertised, and I'm a little confused. Speaker 1: Well, it depends on the size of the car among other things, which I'll come to in a minute, but prices start at £3.96 an hour. Speaker 2: Really? As little as that, no matter what vehicle I choose? Speaker 1: No, sir. The larger cars cost up to £5.96. Speaker 2: Right. So how does using this scheme mean I save thousands of pounds a year like you say on your website? Speaker 1: Well, it means you don't need to own your own car. So we take into account all the things car owners have to pay. But of course, the amount you save depends on the kind of car you drive. Speaker 2: But I suppose I still have to pay for the fuel, don't I? Speaker 1: Actually, you don't. That's all covered in the cost. Speaker 2: Wow. That is good. So if I decide to join, do my wife and son also need their own membership cards? Speaker 1: Yes. They will. However, they will get a discount on the standard rate. I should add, though, that there is an additional membership fee of £10 a month for drivers under the age of 20. Speaker 2: Oh, why's that? It seems a bit unfair. Speaker 1: I know, but I'm afraid we don't have any choice. It's because for younger drivers we have to pay a lot more for insurance costs. Speaker 2: Is there any other way of saving money? Speaker 1: Well, we have a frequent user's card, which costs an additional £12.50 per month, but it entitles you to 20% off the hourly rates. This means you save more money the more you use the car. Speaker 2: Okay. Now what else do I need to know? What about pets? Can we take them in the car? Speaker 1: I'm afraid not. There's all sorts of problems with allergies and things. Speaker 2: Okay. That's good to know at least. Speaker 1: And lastly, we have good green credentials. Taking public transport more and only using a car when you really need one is better for the environment. Speaker 2: And that's always a good thing in my wife's size. Speaker 2: Okay. Well, I have all I need. Speaker 1: Do call back if you have any more questions, and thanks for calling. Speaker 0: That is the end of part one. You now have one minute to check your answers to part one. Part 2 You will hear a man introducing a skiing resort to a group of listeners. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16. Speaker 1: Hello all. Welcome to Aspen Ski Resort near Cumbria. It is one of my about the resort, and from the first time I visited the place, it was love at first sight. Now, when I don't have acting jobs to do, I would come here and relax. My parents were both geographers, and their profession afforded my siblings and I the opportunity to travel with them all over the world when we were growing up, visiting some of the places I had seen in the television documentaries I had watched. Their passion kept affecting me, and eventually, I realized that traveling has been something I love for a long time. A bit of background on the Aspen Ski Resort. The area of Cumbria was first known as a vacation spot in the nineteen twenties. However, that was only as a summer vacation spot. The area became home to a summer resort in the nineteen thirties. In the nineteen sixties, with the increasing popularity of downhill skiing, the first British ski resort appeared. The Aspen Ski Resort was established soon after in 1968, and the Cumbria area became a popular destination for winter skiing vacations. Although snow skiing is the most popular winter activity at the resort, there are also some other popular activities. In the spring, summer, and fall seasons, playing golf is easily the favorite activity of most of the resort's guests. There are five top ranked courses within a short driving distance of the resort, and the resort offers many packages for visitors during the warmer months. Also, throughout the year, many of the resort's guests like to visit the Great Waters Brewing Company, but it is under reconstruction at the moment. Also, many of our visitors take advantage of skydiving activities offered by a skydiving school, but the school is located in another town, which is about two hour drive from here. Some people ask what activities are recommended in the nearby Edinburgh region. Many visitors to that popular destination often also visit either the hot springs near the city of Marlborough or the local market in the city of Jameston. The hot springs are geothermally heated groundwaters that rise from the crust of the Earth and are enjoyed by folks of all ages. However, the price of having a hot spa there is quite high this season. The Edimor Nature Museum is a great alternative. You will see details of the animals which are native to the area. Most visitors in the past gave really positive feedback about the museum. The market in Jamestown region has a nice selection of fruits and vegetables, which are grown on farms in the area, and also a selection of fresh seafood. The market is not open this week. Please note that the Aspen Resort sponsors monthly education and entertainment programs, which are open to the public. Previous programs have featured mountain walking in Europe and wildlife around the world. The upcoming entertainment program, which will take place at 7PM, May 18, in the resort's conference center, will be about the landscape of The United Kingdom. These events are free to those attending, but seats are available on a first come, first served basis. Speaker 0: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20. Speaker 1: Finally, let me outline what some of the Cumbria area's other skiing locations are popular for. Lakeside is the oldest of the area resorts. Its popularity barely decreases over the years, and it was recently renovated. A newly built ski school there has attracted some attention, and it will be open to the public within a couple of months. Petersburg is well known as a training site for skiing teams. It's the home training base for Olympic champion Billy Randolph. Winterton is a resort that is well known as a place for inexperienced skiers. It has many different Bunny Hills for new learners, and it doesn't require any good equipment. El Slops is a resort that will provide you with some special service. They have a certified staff that will care for your kids while you are on the slopes. For people who want to enjoy the beauty of nature as well as having some exciting activities, these places are... Speaker 0: That's the end of section two. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Part 3 You will hear two health science students called Elliot and Beth discussing research on climate change and allergies. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25. Speaker 1: Have you had a chance to look at the information for our project yet, Beth? Speaker 2: I've had a look at most of the stuff on the relationship between climate change and allergies, and at the role played by pollen from flowering plants and trees. Speaker 1: Yeah. Me too. The main message is that seasonal allergies seem to be getting worse. In just the last twenty years, the amount of pollen that's produced by the flowers on birch trees has tripled, and one in four people suffers from either hay fever or asthma, which is triggered by pollen. Speaker 2: I read something about allergy sufferers being more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency because we no longer take cod liver oil as a vitamin supplement, like many people used to do in the nineteen fifties in Britain. And since then, allergies have quadrupled in most European countries. But it was only in Britain that cod liver oil was so popular, so that argument doesn't really make sense. No. It doesn't seem that relevant. What seems to be happening now is that an increasing number of people are getting their first attack in their forties and fifties. Speaker 1: That must be because of the link with climate change causing rising temperatures. But CO2 levels are seriously affecting pollen counts too. Speaker 2: As much as milder winters? Speaker 1: Definitely. CO2 helps stimulate plant growth. And several recent studies have shown that when plants are exposed to more CO2, they produce more pollen. Speaker 2: Really? So people might experience more severe allergic symptoms in future? Speaker 1: That's right. Speaker 2: And another factor is that the pollen season is changing. Speaker 1: Yes. Scientists are predicting spring will come five weeks earlier by 2130. Speaker 2: That's in the long term, but that doesn't mean that spring will come earlier every year. Look at last winter. That was really cold until March and the pollen season was delayed. Whereas this year spring came earlier and lasted longer. Speaker 1: Right. And another thing we should mention is ragweed. Speaker 2: As an example of a plant species moving into new areas as a result of climate change? Speaker 1: Yes. In the US, it's already the major allergen affecting millions of people in August and September. But we're starting to see it grow in Europe for the first time, which is really worrying because it's so allergenic. Speaker 2: The problem with tree pollen is also worse in cities because there are so many hard surfaces around and the pollen doesn't get absorbed so much, just stays in the air. Speaker 1: Yeah. Wasn't the pollen shown to be three times higher in one city? Speaker 2: I think so. So because of this, many cities have started to ban the planting of certain types of trees. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30. Speaker 1: So shall we look at the different data tables for seasonal changes for pollen in Europe? Speaker 2: Okay. But I think we should just focus on the trees and plants which we have the most data for. Speaker 1: So that's oak trees and birch trees and grass. Speaker 2: Yes, that makes it more manageable. Shall we go through the data for each country in detail and pick out anything interesting? Speaker 1: Alright. So, starting with Austria. Well, here we've only got data for birch pollen. I wonder why there's no data for oak or grass. Speaker 2: It would be interesting to compare with neighbouring countries. Speaker 1: True. The picture in France is unusual. Speaker 2: Yes. The pollen season starts earlier for both oak and birch, but it doesn't start any earlier for grass. Speaker 1: I wonder why that is. In the Netherlands, we've got complete data for all three plants. Speaker 2: So what does it show? Grass and birch pollen are only starting a few days earlier, but oak pollen is starting much earlier, eighteen days in fact. That's unusual. There's not such a big difference in other countries. Speaker 1: No. Switzerland's an interesting case. The pollen season starts here earlier than in the past for oak, birch and grass. Speaker 2: Yeah. From twenty one days to fourteen days earlier. Speaker 1: Yeah. The UK shows a different picture again. Speaker 2: Yeah. Here the problem is that wet summers have extended the grass pollen season from five weeks to eight weeks, which is bad news for allergy sufferers. Speaker 1: Right. Well, I think we should have another That is the end of part three. You now have thirty seconds to check your answers to part three. Part 4 You will hear part of a lecture given by an art and design lecturer on the topic of Aboriginal textile design in Australia. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40 on page seven. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40. Speaker 1: The indigenous people of Australia or Aboriginals have a long history of using animal and plant fibers to make a variety of fabric. Over the years, their traditional designs and stories have been incorporated into various textiles. The Erna Bella Arts Centre is a place where local Aboriginals can produce their traditional craft and also learn new techniques to decorate fabric. For the first thirty years, the artist crafted rugs working with wool. These rugs incorporated their own unique designs. However, as they became less economical to produce, the artists were introduced to batik which is an Indonesian method of dyeing textiles. Batik is quicker than weaving so many of the Erna Bella artists started to produce it themselves. Screen printing was later introduced to the center and Erna Bella's artists were commissioned to produce fabric for furniture that was to be used at popular tourist destinations such as the National Park offices at Uluru. Screen printing has also been used successfully by the Tiwi people who live on islands north of Darwin. Their company, Tiwi Designs, produces fabric that is inspired by their surroundings. For example, they incorporated bird motifs into their early designs. Tiwi art culture and language are very different from those of mainland Aboriginal groups. The patterns on their fabric are related to the beliefs and legends in their culture. For example, some textile designs are chosen because they are thought to cause rain. Another successful Aboriginal Design Company was founded by Jimmy Pike. His dynamic prints, paintings and fabrics are greatly influenced by the Australian landscape, in particular that of the desert which is often featured in this work. Pike worked with acrylic paint, oil pastels and screen printing. Surprisingly, Jimmy Pike's life as an artist began in prison where he was serving a sentence for murder. The art teachers there recognized his talent and gave him the technical skills he needed to become a successful artist. After Pike's release, he started his own company aiming to create a product that would sell well commercially but still retain its Aboriginal cultural identity. Eventually, he decided to bring his artwork onto textiles which were used to produce clothing. The designs he selected were transferred onto cotton and had both a strong linear character and a good colour range. Bronwyn Bancroft is one of the most successful Aboriginal artists and designers to date. She has produced a great deal of artwork and textiles and many of her paintings are held by Australian art galleries. Her work reflects her Aboriginal roots but always with a contemporary fresh view of family and the natural environment. In 1995, she was chosen by a charity organization to paint a pair of jeans owned by Kathy Freeman, a famous Aboriginal Australian athlete. She used imagery of lizards moving quickly over the Australian terrain and she added a rainbow which represents the optimism that Kathy symbolizes for all Aboriginal people. In 2001, she was chosen to design costumes for the opening of the biggest street parade ever held in Australia, the Journey of a Nation parade. The people in Bancroft's section of the parade all wore an outfit she designed. It featured the image of a snake that had no head or tail to represent an ongoing culture. Exploitation of creative work can be a problem for any artist and copyright laws exist to protect individual artists from the unauthorized use of his or her work. This issue is often more complex for Aboriginal artists as the symbols and motifs used in their designs also hold cultural significance for them. An example of this was when a businessman had rugs made overseas incorporating images stolen from Aboriginal paintings. The carpet case, as it became known, was taken to court where luckily the artists won. Speaker 0: That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet. You have two minutes left. You have one minute left. Please stop writing and wait for your question booklet to be collected.