Listening 2026-07 Test 13

Now turn to Part 1. Part 1. You will hear a telephone conversation between a hotel receptionist and a customer. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5. Good morning, Sunset Hotel. How may I help you? Good morning. I just saw an advert in the paper about your hotel, where exactly is it located? We are situated on Sunset Avenue, north of the beach, close to many scenic spots. It is an ideal choice for travellers interested in sightseeing. That's great. Is there a vacant four-bed room? We'll be travelling with our two sons, age 9 and 11, so it's best that we are able to stay in one room. Let me check. Just a moment. We only have a few four-bed rooms, and I'm afraid they are fully booked at the moment. The earliest time available is August, but there might be some left in July, if a previous customer cancels the reservation. Oh, that'll do. How much would the room cost me? It's €77.50 during peak time, but the price would be much lower during off-peak season, only €50. So, if I book a room right now, is there any discount? Yes. We do offer a 30% discount for any reservation made one month ahead of schedule. It is a very reasonable price. That does sound tempting. Does the price include anything? The price includes two breakfast vouchers per room per day. You can use them at two different restaurants in our hotel. There's also a 20-minute spa trial available, but you have to book it beforehand at the concierge, or directly at the spa centre. Erm, I'm wondering if there is a hairdryer in the room. It takes ages to dry my hair without one. Do I have to bring one? No. There is absolutely no need to bring that. For each room is equipped with a hairdryer, but I have to inform you that towels are not provided. You'll have to bring your own, or hire some at the front desk. Oh, I see. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6-10. Now, listen and answer questions 6-10. Before making a reservation, can you tell me a little bit more about your hotel? Sure. No problem. We aim to please our guests by providing impeccable service at all the modern amenities, trying to make them feel at home. In the lounge, there are lists of books, ranging from contemporary literature to classic poetry, free for any guest to read. There is also a games room, offering a number of indoor games, including popular board games like Monopoly, as well as the beloved Table Soccer, a nice place to go on rainy days. Are the computers available in the hotel? I might have a few emails to respond to during my stay there. I'm afraid we currently do not provide any for our customers, however, Internet is available within our hotel premises. Just use the room number and the guest name to log in. That means I have to bring my own laptop, then. All right. Erm, because I'm travelling with my two sons, is there anything that they might be interested in? Yes. A popular activity here for children is collecting shells on the beach. Our hotel has a private beach. When there are very few visitors, you can take a stroll down the beach with your children and enjoy some quality family time, undisturbed. That sounds nice, but you see, my boy is really love adventure. Is there something more exciting for them to participate in? We do have bicycles ready for hire. You can cycle with the boys along the bush track by the hotel, which is an ideal place to explore the wonders of nature. But because there is only a limited number of bicycles, we apply a first-come, first-served rule. Got it. I think my boys would love it. How can I arrange the payment there? Can I pay by credit card? Of course. We take credit cards. Thank you. You've been a great help. My pleasure, Mum. That is the end of part one. You now have one minute to check your answers to part one. Thank you. You will hear an employee of a fitness and health centre answering a telephone inquiry about membership and facilities. First, you have some time to look at questions one to six. Now, listen carefully and answer questions one to six. Good morning, Health and Fitness Centre. How can I help you? Oh, good morning. I'm thinking about joining the centre, but I'd like to find out a bit more about the facilities first. For example, what are your opening hours? Well, we open every day at seven o'clock in the morning. During the week, we close at 11 o'clock p.m. And at weekends, we close a little earlier at 9.30 p.m. Right, that sounds convenient. And how much does membership cost? Is that just for yourself? Well, probably for my wife as well, and maybe the children too. It depends. In that case, you might want to consider the family membership. For one adult, the annual fee is £154, but family membership. That's two adults and up to two children, costs £285 a year. Okay, £285 a year. That sounds quite reasonable. Yes, a lot of families find it good value. Now, we actually live quite close, but with the children, we'd probably be driving there. Is there parking available? Yes, parking is free for members, and there's usually plenty of space in the car park. That's good to know. We've been thinking about joining for a while, but we just haven't got round to it. Well, it might be a good time to join now. These membership charges are fixed until August, but they may increase in September. Oh, I see. So it might be better not to wait too long. Exactly. Well, it does depend a bit on what facilities you have. One thing, the whole family enjoys is swimming. Then you'd probably like our pools. We actually have two. The main pool is 25 metres long, and the roof is made entirely of glass, so there's lots of natural light during the day. There's also a separate pool for children. That sounds great. And what about the gym? Well, when you first join, you get an orientation session with one of our qualified instructors. They show you how to use the cardio and weights equipment safely. Oh, that's useful. Yes, normally that session costs 15 pounds per person, but it's included for members. That's good. And one thing people really like is that some of the machines have TV installed, so you can watch programs while you exercise. Oh, that's a nice idea. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7-10. Now, listen and answer questions 7-10. Now, we also run a program of evening classes. Would you like me to give you some information about those? Yes, that would be helpful. Okay. On Mondays, we run a squash class, which is mainly aimed at beginners. I've never played squash before, but I've always wanted to try it. Well, that class would be ideal for you then. Good to know. On Tuesdays, we have judo classes. There are several groups, so people of different abilities can join. Is there any age restriction? Yes, participants need to be over 16. That's fine. On Wednesdays, we offer yoga classes. Oh, my wife might be interested in that. Do you know what level she is? She used to attend classes a few years ago. I think she was around intermediate level, but she hasn't practiced for a while. That should be fine then, because the Wednesday class is designed for intermediate students. I'll tell her about that. And on Thursdays, we run a class about diet improvement. That sounds interesting. What time does it start? It's an open class at 8.30 pm. Perfect. Thanks very much for all the information. You're very welcome. That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. between an assistant at a car service station and a customer. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 and 2 on page 2. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Good morning, servicing department. Good morning. I'd like to book my car in for a service please. Certainly, sir. If I could just take your name. Ian Croft. The customer's name is Ian Croft, so Croft has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 and 2. Good morning, servicing department. Good morning. I'd like to book my car in for a service please. Certainly, sir. If I could just take your name. Ian Croft. Right. And have you had the car serviced with us before? No, I've only just moved here. Right, so I'll need to take some details of the car then. So could I have a registration number please? BD51STR. Is that B for Bravo at the beginning? Yes, that's right. And the make of the car? It's a Vida. Right. And is that the estate? No, the Ford or Saloon. Good. And do you know the date of manufacture? About, oh, hold on. I'll have to work this one out. We've had it for ages. It must be 2001. Right. And can you tell me what the mileage is? It's done a lot. Let's see. I did make a note of it. Yes, it's 180,000 miles. It's done very well actually. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions three to ten on page two. Now listen and answer questions three to ten. Right. Well, now of course we'll do a full service, but are there any particular problems or things you'd like us to check? Yes, a few. I think a couple of the tyres probably need replacing. They're getting a bit worn. Okay. We do automatically look at those, but I'll make a note of that anyway. Then it's not a big problem, but it's a bit annoying. When you open the car door, the light ought to come on inside automatically, but it seems to have stopped working. Right. We'll have a look at that for you. I'm sure we can fix that. Okay. What else? Oh, yes. On one of the passenger seats at the back, you can't fasten the belt. It seems to have stuck. It just happened yesterday, so that needs looking at. Yes, that's quite important if you carry passengers in the back. Anything else? No, there was something. Let me see. Well, one thing that's actually going to need replacing, I think, is the radio. It hasn't worked for some time. Would you like us to give you a quote for that before we fit a new one? Yes, please. Oh, and I know what I'm in to say. I know you'll check the brakes in a service, but can you have a particular look at the front ones? I think they might be a bit worn. Certainly. I'll make a note of that too. Okay. And the other thing is, I only have one key for the car, and I really need a spare. Yes, we'll have to order that for you, but we can do that. Great. So, when would you like to come in for the service? Well, do you have anything next week? Tuesday would be good. That's the fourth of October, isn't it? No, the fifth. Yes, can you make 8am? Yes, that's fine. And the service will take a few hours, so would you like to have a courtesy card during that time? There's no extra charge. Yes, that will be good, but can I have an automatic if possible, please? Well, see what we can do. Right, and now I just need to take your address, Mr. Croft. It's 361 college road knowledge, and would you like a phone number? Yes, please. Daytime number would be best if possible. Right. 07847, 325780. Lovely. So, that's it. Thank you very much, Mr. Croft. That is the end of section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Thank you very much. --- Section 2. You will hear the director of a cooking school talking to a group of people about the different programs. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16 on page 3. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16. Welcome to the cooking school. I am Julie Brooks, head of programs. I'm here to give you information about the different tours and classes we offer as well as to show you our cooking facilities here. Our tours and classes are very popular. The most popular cooking tour is in the early summer in Northern California, which is famous for its cheeses. This four-day tour is special because each student receives one-on-one classes with the master chef. Then you'll take part in visits to the great cheese producers of the region and you'll taste cheeses and see how they are made. If you're looking to take a really adventurous vacation, take one of our cooking vacations in Italy and learn the passion of the Italian kitchen and have fun doing it. This cooking vacation takes place in a historic villa. There will be time to relax and enjoy the surroundings or to do some sightseeing in the area. On the second day, a bus excursion is organized leaving after lunch with visits to a salami factory and an olive oil mill returning to the villa in time for dinner. On the third day, you go to the market, then cook your own dinner with a range of local ingredients. One of the school's most popular tours is to the famous U.S. City of New Orleans. This is a three-day tour, where you will be staying in a hotel near the city's famous French Quarter. You'll have time to explore on your own before taking a unique city tour on foot led by a local chef. Every afternoon, there's a cooking class for the group at your hotel's professional kitchen. If you'd rather not spend the time to travel, we offer one-day cooking classes here at the school's State of the Art Kitchen, taught by our very talented chefs. In the budget feast class, you will learn how to make great tasting meals that don't have to break your budget or require a lot of preparation time. For big families, this helps a lot. Many couples take our cooking for two class when their children go off to college. We teach how to make meals that are nutritious and elegant. They're even a bit romantic. In the class called Variations on a Theme, you learn to cook a variety of dishes using a specific ingredient in each. For example, in the next class, you will prepare meals using lemon. The lemon chicken meal is divine. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at question 17 to 20 on page 4. Now listen and answer question 17 to 20. I'd like to give you a tour of our beautiful kitchen where the meals are made. Our one-day classes meet here. Just walk through the entrance? Right, now you can see the large preparation table in the middle of the main kitchen. This beautiful table is large enough for 12 students to work on. This room also has a state-of-the-art oven. It's large enough for up to 25 cakes. It's just past the preparation table on the left near the entrance to the hallway. Perishable items are kept in this industrial-sized refrigerator next to the storage in the hallway. We keep non-perishable items in the storage. As you exit from the hallway, you'll come into the large demonstration kitchen. Here we hold smaller classes, but mainly it's used for cooking demonstrations and tasting events. The last thing I want to point out is our utensil cabinet. It sits right next to the exit. It contains a variety of cooking pots and pans and an amazing range of forks and spoons. Please feel free to stay around the school to check out our beer. --- Section 3. You will hear two students called Syria and Greg talking about some research on renewable energy. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 23. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 23. Hi Greg, how did it go with the research on renewable energy? Have you found anything? Yes, but I think it's about time we exchange our findings and discuss our next move. You read my mind, right? I'll start first. Germany is the very first country I dug into in order to find innovative means of creating clean energy because 15% of its national electricity supply comes from renewable sources. I found that apart from the traditional fossil fuel industry, there's a German firm that has initiated a project using kites to generate power. Really? I've never heard of it before. How does it work? As a substitution for traditional fossil fuels that release toxic gas into the atmosphere, the power generating kites can function in any weather compared to conventional wind turbines such kites can produce twice as much energy because the overall power density is proportional to altitude. Sounds like an efficient way of producing power. Okay, now let me tell you what I have found. There is an American company manufacturing school buses and city buses depending solely on electricity instead of gasoline. The all-electric vehicles can save up to 20 gallons of fuel on a daily basis. This could reduce transport budgets by over $10,000 each year not to mention maintenance savings. Wow, impressive. If only there were more of these electric vehicles around. Well, over the years, South Africa has attached great importance to clean energy. The nation encourages using propane gas which can either be extracted from natural deposits or be produced organically. It is normally stored in gas canisters as a type of cooking gas. To reduce the number of kitchen accidents, a new type of composite gas canister made of fiber was introduced. It is much safer and less likely to explode even when engulfed in fire. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 24-30. Now listen and answer questions 24-30. Now about the survey. Do you have any clues as to what kind of interviewees we should include? How about local companies doing business on clean energy products? Probably not the best choice of respondents. Remember the last time we asked corporate employees to do the questionnaire. Only about 5% of them were actually willing to participate. That wouldn't be enough then. It seems we have to drop that idea. Then maybe we can ask the professors and administrative staff here to help us. They could provide their insights and understanding on energy production. It would be ideal if they would, but I'm afraid most of them are too busy to respond to the list of questions we've prepared. I guess the students here at the university would be more suitable. You're right and it is a much bigger sample pool too. Also, I think we should include the locals. Their opinion is key to the promotion of renewable energy here in the town. But wouldn't it be difficult to collect data? There's no way that two of us could go from door to door to interview all the residents. There's no need to worry about that. We'll make it telephone interviews. That way we'll have enough time to get sufficient data. Good idea. What should we present in our speech? Due to lack of media coverage, the majority of people actually have a limited understanding on renewable energy. Most of them aren't able to identify various types of renewable sources. So I feel we could start by clarifying what it is and the benefit of it compared to fossil fuels. That makes sense. We could start with wind energy. For centuries, wind has been used to do work. With the help of windmills, farmers used to pump water from wells or turn large grinding stones to grind wheat or corn. The windmills today generate electricity. The only problem is that it might not be windy all the time. So it is crucial to choose the appropriate site for wind farms. Well, I think we can also include comparisons between clean energy and traditional energy resources like coal, oil and natural gas. Maybe we can look into the prospect of these conventional sources of energy. The rising cost of fossil fuels and the threat of climate change is a concern to many. Totally, these traditional resources will deplete eventually. Renewable energy currently makes up less than 2% of the world's primary energy supply. And although growing very rapidly, it is not on course to fill the fossil fuel gap. Nuclear energy is another type of energy we ought to mention. Nuclear power plants can produce dependent power constantly and release far less greenhouse gases than other traditional power plants. But most people feel that this type of energy is unsafe because radiation isn't easily dealt with, especially in nuclear waste and maintenance materials. What should we end the speech with? Have you heard about a new type of energy called hydrogen fuel? It is an infinitely renewable fuel that doesn't have detrimental environmental effects. The only problem is that it is so expensive that only wealthy individuals can afford it. But I think overall, the benefits overshadow its high cost. I think that even though this new type of renewable energy is too expensive to use at the moment, in the long run its price will go down and become more accessible. That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section 4. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [BLANK_AUDIO] Now turn to section three, on page five. Section three, you will hear two business study students called Lindsay and then discussing their internships in which they worked for companies as part of their course. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25, on page five. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Section three, you will hear two business studies. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25. - Hi, Ben. I so much to tell you. - Me too. How did your internship go? - It was brilliant. I worked in a big department store. - I thought you were going into your family business. - I decided I'd learn more in a company where I wasn't the boss' daughter. - So, I went to the store in my hometown. When I was in high school, I was a sales assistant there for a couple of summers. And I still knew some people there, so it was easy to set up. Our professor recommended working in a manufacturing company, and I contacted a couple of firms, but it came to nothing. - And did you learn much that helped with our classes? - Sure. - There was a big problem while I was working there. Do you remember a massive advertising campaign for a new brand of firm classes a few weeks ago? - Yeah. - Well, sales rocketed and we ran out. Customers started complaining, and I was asked to track down a supply. I had to call around the manufacturers and wholesalers until I could find a batch. I managed to find a local one, then we had to pay them up front as they weren't our usual supplier. But my boss was pretty pleased with me. We were only out of stock for a few hours in the end. - Great. So what was the best thing about your internship? - For one thing, my coworkers were very helpful. I learned a lot from them. - Mine were friendly enough, but I wouldn't say I picked up much from them. The only good thing about it was having to deal with issues that came up. Classes just don't prepare you for a lot of them. - Yeah, that's true. Like the fact that sometimes you have to give two or three things at the same time because they're all urgent. - That's right. - Anyway, how was your internship then? You were with a garden furniture manufacturer, weren't you? - That's right. My experience wasn't very good, though. When I had an interview there a few months ago, they said I'd spend time in every section and sit in on meetings with clients, but hardly any of that happened. I was expected to spend most of my time filing papers and getting coffee for the managers. I was really annoyed. It wasn't even as though everyone was too busy to get their own coffee. - That's awesome. - Yeah. Still, I got on okay with the other people there. So it wasn't as bad as it might have been. - I think the college should make sure students are placed in suitable companies for internships. Don't you? - Well, I like the current system where we arrange the internship ourselves and then the college comes in and formalizes the arrangement, but they need to spell out the purpose of the internship and send the companies a list of their responsibilities. Too many businesses just think of us as free labor. - Yeah. And it would be helpful if we had a couple of classes where we can learn about the company. - Oh, I think it's easy enough to research but I don't need internet. - Maybe. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30 on page six. - Now, listen and answer questions 26 to 30. - Are you going to do anything about your internship, Ben? You wouldn't want anyone going to the same company next year and having a similar experience with you. - No. - Were you the first intern they had from this college? - No, there's someone in the year above us who was there. I should have asked her about it before I went. - Well, I think the first step is to talk to her. Then you need to make some notes and discuss the problem with the professor. He can advise you whether or not to take it any further. - If I decide to take it further, I think I should then contact the company itself and find out if they have any feedback about my internship. - Yes, there may be a valid reason why it was so poor. - Maybe it makes more sense to write to the chief executive. - I wouldn't make it too formal at this stage. If the college takes the complaint, they'll write to the chief executive. I don't think you should. - Okay. So the person I had most contact with? - My line manager. - That would be better. But if you're still not satisfied, contact whoever it is in the college is in charge of our internship. Is the head of the department, isn't it? - It was. But the college appointed an internship program organizer last fall. I've got their name on some paperwork somewhere. - Why not a thing you might want to do after that is check the law on internships. - I'll talk to one of the college's student advisors in the department. She takes one of the same classes as me. - Okay, let's hope there isn't any trouble with that. - That is the end of section three. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now, turn to Section 3. Section 3. You will hear a business study student called Michael talking to his tutor about an assignment on advertising media. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now, listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26. Good morning, Dr. Townsend. I wanted to talk to you about my assignment, the one about using different types of media for advertising. I've got some ideas. Okay. I thought in the introduction I'd focus on just one advantage of each type of media. For example, if you choose to advertise in trade publications, you know that you're reaching the right people. That's the kind you want to attract because they'll be reading these publications. Right. That's why it's one of the most popular business channels. Okay. Now, did you include email advertising? Yes. That's got various advantages. But I think the main one is you can deliver your message directly without having to go through protocols or agents. Yes. Then of course there's the fact that you can reach people anywhere in the world. That's true. I didn't want to focus on that as that applies to other media as well nowadays. Fair enough. What about general interest magazines? I think the advantage of those is that they tend to be less short-lived than other print media. People don't throw them away so readily because production values are high. Glossy covers and so on. A fair point. They're not very good for the environment, but people often pass them on to friends when they're finished with them. Then there are websites. I suppose the advantages of those are fairly obvious. And they give companies an up-to-date image. But I think this is where I'm going to focus on the fact that you can connect with a global audience. There are no barriers. Then I've got cinemas, although you can't be very selective because cinemas goers have pretty diverse interest and needs. The thing is that people are forced to sit through your advert. Exactly. They're unlikely to leave and they can't switch it off. No. I wanted to mention trade fairs, but I wasn't sure which aspect to focus on. These exhibitions don't usually last very long, do they? That's true. But they are an excellent way of making new contacts and exchanging information, even identifying potential business partners. Oh, right. Thanks. I didn't think of that. Okay, Michael. That all sounds fine. I think that'll make a good introduction. Thanks. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27-30. Now listen and answer questions 27-30. Right, now let's discuss the main body of your assignment. I've chosen to examine TV advertising. Right. Which aspects are you going to cover and why? I'm going to start with budgeting. I've been reading some useful advice about planning budgets for TV ads. Some of it's pretty obvious, like it's much cheaper if your company produces the ad itself. But a really key tip was to make sure you hold back a certain amount of money to keep the ad running if there's a downturn in business. Even if you have to show your ad less frequently or not at the optimum time for your product. Good. And then I'm thinking of giving some information about TV companies. Yes. There's a detailed paper on your reading list on the benefits of going directly to TV companies and getting them to make your ad. But do you think it's relevant to this assignment? Sort of. But I've only gotten information about US TV companies, not about European or Asian companies. And including that would really be straying from the main focus. And I'll need another thousand words. And how do you think companies can check whether their ad will work or not? From experience. But actually things change. Presumably, what worked last year won't necessarily work this year. Exactly. So what else can they do? Ask staff for key words to describe the product and use those words in the ad. Or better still, show clients the new ad. Take note of their reactions and make any adjustments before they air it. Yes. Because they are the ones that count. Can I ask about attaching a video clip to my assignment? Yes. That's a very good idea. But make sure that the purpose for including it is clear. Yes. I've got one where the actor has a high squeaky voice and it doesn't go with the product and must put people off. OK. It's like if you get the music wrong, it detracts from your message. So yes. Include it. Well, I think that's everything for today. Thanks. Part 3. You will hear two graduate students called Jan and Bill discussing the write-up of their group project. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25. What's up Jan? How are you? Hey Bill. Where's everybody else? I don't know. You're the first to get here. Well I hope they don't take too long. I have a class at noon. Why don't we at least discuss what we've completed and what's left to do? Sounds like a plan. Have you heard anything from Irene? Yeah. Irene told me the experiment is just about done. She's been practically living in the lab the past week. Wow. We owe her a favor, don't we? You can say that again. Has Kim been helping her? I thought the lab work was not her style. Well not so much in the lab but she has started compiling the data for the analysis. Kim is terrific. I hate doing stats. I've always been bad at math. I always thought there wasn't anything to that boys or good at math theory. Yes and I'm proof. Anyway, Kim hasn't actually run the stats for the project yet since she still has to wait for the rest of the experiment data. But she's ready to get started when we get the experiment done. Seriously, without Irene and Kim, we'd be in trouble. Yeah, you're right about that. So what about Linda? What she's been up to? Who knows. All she ever talks about is her fiance. I haven't seen or heard from her all week. I hope she turns up soon. We'll need everyone if we're going to get this done on time. Yeah, and she knows that Professor Cooper is a hard grader of projects. I'm worried that Professor Cooper is not going to give us a passing grade. Anyway, we haven't talked about the introduction yet. Have you finished reading those articles Professor Cooper gave us? Bill, she gave us those two weeks ago. Hey, I've been busy. And I haven't. Come on Bill. Jen, you know we all depend on you for that. You're the only person I know that reads every assignment from beginning to end. You and Professor Cooper often have private discussions about readings in the middle of class. Hey, I'm not complaining. That's why all the rest of us asked you to be on our team. Oh, so that's why. So it wasn't because I'm popular, huh? Hey, you're the best. No one's going to argue that. Hey, I'm thirsty. You want something to drink? No, I'm good. Okay, I'll be right back. 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. They're still not here. Nope. And I've got a class I got to get to. Well, let's divide up responsibilities like who's responsible for each section. It only makes sense that Irene writes up all the materials and methods since she spent the most time with that. Oh, that's easy. Hey, didn't you just say we owe her one? Yeah, yeah, you're right. Irene can do the methodology section. Do you want to do the results? Not at all. I thought Kim would do that. Just because she is good at stats doesn't mean she'll be good at writing it up. And besides you are the one good at copy editing. Well, all the same. I think it'll be easiest if she does the result section. I'll edit the whole report. Come on. That's asking a lot of you. Well, what part are you going to do, Jen? Isn't that obvious? Since I'm the one who does all the reading. I'm sure you'll give us the best literature review, Jen. We're all counting on you for that. I guess that leaves the discussion section and the bibliography. Yeah. Can you make suggestions on these? Okay, but seriously, wouldn't it make more sense if you do the list of references? There are enough commas, capital letters and parentheses to keep you happy in there. Yeah, you got a point. You sure does make sense that I do the bibliography. I guess Linda could handle the discussion section even if she hasn't been around much. Yeah, but isn't that like the most important section? Well, what else is she going to do? The whole paper. It'll serve her right. Then we'd all fail. Okay, but I think we all should start messaging her to make sure she gets busy. The discussion section can be long. What about the abstract? You really don't want me to do the abstract, do you? That's not the point. I just think that the abstract should be for whoever finishes first. Right. That is the end of part three. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part three. Thank you very much. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] --- to 40. I'm a past student of this university, and I'm joining some others on this career day to tell you about my job as it may be something you've never thought of doing. I'm a patent attorney. Some of you probably know what that is, but for those of you that don't, I'll explain. If someone has a new idea or invention, they can ask for a patent. It gives the owner the right to stop other people from using that invention. A patent is granted by the government to inventors, or more usually these days to a company. It is for a certain time period, usually a maximum of 20 years. So during that period, that idea or invention cannot be claimed to have been invented by someone else. The likelihood of getting a patent is dependent on whether the invention is original or not. This is the crucial factor. It will be looked at by a patent examiner, and my job is to convince the examiner that the invention is not just an adjustment to something which already exists. In order to get the patent, we need to produce a full description of the invention. It's really important to get the details right. Most of you are scientists, and the basic requirement of the job is a solid academic background. Often, people have studied chemistry or alternatively engineering. Because of the nature of the work, this is a crucial starting point. You need to be able to understand how the inventions have come about. On top of that, employers are looking for particular kinds of people. They want employees who have excellent communication skills. So you can talk to inventors in terms that they can understand and also ask the right questions. These aren't necessarily skills you're taught at university. This is an international business as are most nowadays, and it's very convenient to be able to read documents without having to call for translations. So if you can understand a foreign language, that's a great asset. You might think it sounds a bit boring from what I've said, but it really isn't. There are lots of advantages to the job. It's extremely interesting for a start. For example, I feel I use a range of expertise. I'm not just a scientist, not just a lawyer, but a mixture of the two. Although it takes quite a long time to qualify as a patent attorney, anything from four to six years, after that, you can earn a high salary which compares very well with other similar professions. There are some disadvantages, of course. It can be rather lonely as you tend to sit in front of a computer for most of the day. Even if you have colleagues, you will all be working separately. And there isn't very much flexibility with location. Almost all vacancies for trainees are city-based. So if that doesn't appeal to you, you might want to think again. You do get to travel a bit to meetings with clients. And there are also visits to court. So what kind of organization might you end up working in? Well many people work in industrial companies. The big ones have their own patent departments. The kind of product you might work with there will range from food to heavy equipment. From biotechnology to the car industry. Basically, any organization where significant time and money is put into research and development to get ahead of the market. There are also many private practices. And some of these will have areas of special interest. Finally, it's possible to get a job in various government offices. In those departments, you'll probably be looking at applications for patents and making decisions about them. I really love my job, so I hope I persuaded a few of you that it's worth thinking about. If anyone wants to come and ask questions, I'm happy to answer them. [BLANK_AUDIO] Vegetables have been a staple in human diets for thousands of years, and their cultivation has evolved significantly over time. Today, their production is regulated in various ways to ensure both quality and sustainability. To begin with, in many countries, the regulation and oversight of vegetable farming are handled by the government. Authorities set regulations to ensure food safety, control pesticide use and establish fair pricing policies. Additionally, governments may provide subsidies or grants to farmers to encourage sustainable agricultural practices. Without such oversight, small-scale farmers might struggle to compete with large agricultural corporations leading to reduced diversity in vegetable production. Despite regulations, vegetable farming comes with several challenges. One of the most persistent problems growers face is the presence of weeds. These unwanted plants compete with crops for essential nutrients, sunlight and water, often reducing overall yield. Farmers rely on a combination of manual weeding, herbicides and crop rotation techniques to control them effectively. However, excessive use of chemicals to eliminate weeds can negatively impact soil quality and the surrounding ecosystem. Beyond external challenges, the overall structure of a tree or any kind of plants is of great importance in its ability to grow and remain healthy. A plant stem and leaves provide vital support, allowing it to transport nutrients and water efficiently. Some vegetables, like tomatoes, require additional structural support in the form of steaks or trellises to prevent damage as they grow. This is particularly important for climbing vegetables, such as beans and cucumbers, which rely on a stable framework to maximize their exposure to sunlight. Now, let's consider the environmental factors that influence vegetable growth. Vegetables with high moisture content such as lettuce, cucumbers and zucchinis depend on a reliable source of water for healthy growth. Insufficient hydration can lead to poor growth, reduced yield and a lack of flavour in the final product. Farmers often use irrigation systems to regulate water supply, particularly in regions with low rainfall. Another key aspect of modern agriculture is the use of specialized equipment. The introduction of an advanced machine for harvesting has significantly improved efficiency, especially for large-scale vegetable farms. These machines can quickly gather crops such as potatoes, carrots and onions, reducing the need for manual labour. However, while they improve productivity, they may not always be suitable for delicate vegetables that require careful handling. Timing also plays a crucial role in vegetable cultivation. Many crops, including spinach, peas and radishes, are ideally sown at the beginning of spring, as the moderate temperatures and increased rainfall during this period create ideal growing conditions. Some vegetables, like onions and garlic, require a longer growing season, and are typically planted in the autumn to be harvested the following year. Understanding the best planting time for each type of vegetable is essential for ensuring successful harvests. Now, let's explore some scientific aspects related to vegetable cultivation. The history of cultivating vegetables has its roots in ancient civilizations from thousands of years ago, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt and China. Early agricultural societies selectively bred plants for desirable traits, leading to the domestication of many vegetables we consume today. Over time, improvements in farming techniques such as crop rotation and soil enrichment have contributed to higher yields and better quality produce. Another fundamental factor in plant growth is sunlight. This natural resource is essential for photosynthesis, allowing plants to convert light energy into food. Without adequate exposure to sunlight, vegetables may grow weak, producing smaller or misshapen crops. Farmers often adjust planting arrangements to maximize sun exposure, ensuring that taller plants do not overshadow smaller ones. Greenhouse technology has also been developed to regulate light conditions, allowing for year round vegetable production even in colder climates. Some vegetables have unique growth characteristics. For example, carrots, potatoes and beets develop underground and depend on an extensive root system to absorb nutrients from the soil. Root vegetables are often rich in vitamins and minerals, making them an essential part of a balanced diet. However, their growth can be affected by soil conditions, requiring farmers to rotate crops regularly to maintain soil health. Finally, one of the most distinctive qualities of vegetables is their taste. The flavor of vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers can vary significantly depending on ripeness, soil composition and climate conditions. For instance, a tomato grown in nutrient rich soil under full sunlight will likely have a sweeter taste.