Transcription
Part one, you will hear a lecture on deep sea exploration. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 4.
Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 4.
Good evening. My talk this evening will cover three main themes. First, I'll outline a timeline of how deep sea exploration vessels developed. Secondly, I'll describe the most recent of these, the deep sea challenger. And finally, I'll look at some of the benefits of this deep sea research.
Okay. To start with, let's look at how underwater exploration vehicles have developed over the years. The first manned deep sea exploration vessel was invented in the 1920s. It was called a baosphere, better known as a diving bell. It was basically a round metal structure with windows with just enough room for two men to sit in and it was lowered into the ocean on a cable. The first descent in the diving bell took place in 1930 and in 1934 it went down to a depth of nearly a,000 m, which was impressive for the time. The problem with the diving bell was that it had no power of its own and there wasn't much room for the researchers to move around.
So the next development after the diving bell was the Ba'iscape, a small man submarine invented in the 1940s. The difference between the two was that the Ba'iscape had its own power source, which allowed the scientists to investigate in the depths of the ocean more freely. A bath escape called the Trieste reached a record depth of 10,000 m in 1960. Since then, a new record has been set by James Cameron, who descended to a depth of 11,000 m for the first time in 2012.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 5 to 10.
Now listen and answer questions 5 to 10.
So let's move on now to look at the submarine that took James Cameron so far down into the ocean. If you look at the drawing of the Challenger, you can see the pilot's chamber at the very bottom of the submarine. It's a very small section where the pilot sits and controls the sub and all the equipment on it.
Now, let's have a look at how the submarine is powered. Going up from the pilot's chamber in the middle of the sub on the right hand side of the drawing, you can see a whole section covered in batteries. They provide the power source that takes the sub all the way to the bottom of the ocean and back up to the surface again. Next to that, there's another important part of the sub. Um, you probably realize that there's no light at the bottom of the ocean. So, the sub needs to take its own. If you look at the back of the sub in the middle, just next to the batteries, you can see the panel of lights. They provide the light for filming and taking samples from the seabed. And one more part of the sub which is important for navigation and to stop it spinning out of control is the large fin at the back. You can see it at the back of the sub at the top of the drawing.
Okay. To conclude my talk, I'm going to ask a couple of questions. First, what is the purpose of this deep sea exploration? And second, is it worth the expense? I think one of the justifications for spending so much money on this kind of research is that it allows scientists to understand more about the surface of the earth. For example, how it was formed and how it behaves. This could have important consequences for predicting earthquakes and saving lives through early warning systems. Another reason this type of research is considered valuable is that by exploring unknown parts of the ocean, we increase our knowledge of the availability of minerals for industry and obviously this could lead to huge commercial advantages. So the answer is yes. In the long run, this kind of exploration can benefit both the ordinary population and industry.
That is the end of part one. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
Now it turns to part two.
Part two, you will hear a conversation between an IELTS candidate and an IELTS administrator. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
Good afternoon. I'm applying for a master's program at the University of Exat in the UK. I'm planning to register for the IELTS exam at your center next month. I have some questions I'd like to ask you before I register, if that's okay.
Certainly. Would you be taking the academic module?
I think so, but I'll have to contact the university just to make sure.
You'll probably need the academic because most universities don't accept the general training. And anyway, the procedures to register for the exam are the same for both the general and the academic modules.
Good. My first question is whether I sit all parts of the exam on the same day. I don't live here, you see, and for me it would be more convenient to do all the papers on the same day.
H unfortunately, the speaking part is scheduled for Thursdays and reading, writing, and listening tests take place on Saturdays. We can't change the days, I'm afraid.
M That's a pity. Well, never mind. What sort of documents do I need to bring in order to register?
You'll have to fill in the IELTS application form and bring an ID, a copy of your ID, and two passport-size photos on a white background.
Will any ID do?
We only accept original passports and national IDs.
That's good to know. Did you say that reading, writing, and listening are scheduled for Saturday?
That's right.
Will I get a break in between the papers?
I'm afraid there aren't any breaks between the papers. Each paper takes an hour to complete. So, it's 3 hours straight through. You'll first do listening and then reading followed by the writing test. This is a standard requirement from Cambridge.
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 16 to 20.
Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
Okay. And how soon after the test can I pick up my results?
It takes 13 calendar days for the results to be processed.
Can you let me know how much it is and the form of payment?
The examination fee is $200. You can pay by credit or debit card. We also accept checks. We only accept cash as a form of payment in exceptional circumstances.
And one last question, can I mail you the application documents?
Certainly. You can send all the documents by registered mail to our address, 47 Clover Place, New Rochelle, New York.
Could you spell New Rochelle for me, please?
Certainly. N E W R O C H E L L E.
Could I have the zip code as well?
Sure. Our zip code is 10806.
Thanks. You can also email us at i inquiry@examsmail.com or phone us at 3259082. I think that's all. Thank you very much for all the information. Bye.
You're welcome. Goodbye.
That is the end of part two. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
Now it turns to part three.
Part three. You will hear a woman called Phoebe who is training to be a teacher talking to her tutor called Tony about research she has done in a school. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.
Now listen and answer questions 21 to 25.
So how did you get on with your school-based research, Phoebe?
Well, it was exhausting but really valuable.
Good. What was the specific focus you chose?
My title is attitudes towards study among 11 to 12-year-old pupils.
Right. And what made you choose that focus?
Well, that's a bit difficult. Lots of my classmates decided on their focus really early on, mainly on the basis of what they thought would help in their future career, you know, in their first years teaching. So that's what helped you decide?
Actually, it was that I came across a book written by experienced teachers on student attitudes and that motivated me to go for the topic.
Okay. So, what were your research questions or issues?
Well, I wanted to look at the ways students responded to different teachers, particularly focusing on whether very strict teachers made teenagers less motivated.
And from your research, did you find that was true?
No, not from what I saw, you know, from my 5 days observation talking to people and so forth.
Okay, we'll talk about the actual research methods in a moment, but before that, can you briefly summarize what your most striking findings are?
Well, what really amazed me was the significant gender differences. I didn't set out to focus on that, but I found that boys were much more positive about being at school. Girls were more impatient. They talked a lot about wanting to grow up and leave school.
Very interesting.
Yeah, it is. From doing the research, it was clear to me that you might start out to focus on one thing, but you pick up lots of unexpected insights.
Right. Did you get any insights into teaching?
Yes, certainly. I was doing a lot of observations of the way kids with very different abilities collaborate on certain tasks, you know, help each other. And I began to realize that the lessons were developing in really unexpected ways.
So, what conclusion do you draw from that?
Well, I know it's necessary for teachers to prepare lessons carefully, but it's great if they also allow lessons to go their own ways.
Good point. Now, I'm really pleased to see you doing this, analyzing and drawing conclusions based on data. But surely this isn't proper data because it's derived from such small-scale research.
Well, as long as you don't make grand claims for your findings, this data is entirely valid. I like the way you're already stepping back from the experience and thinking about what you've learned about research. Well done.
But I know I could have done it better.
As you become more experienced, you'll find ways to reduce the risk of difficulties.
Okay. Now you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.
Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.
So let's look in more detail at how you gathered your data. Let's start with lesson observation.
Well, it generally went quite smoothly. I chose my focus and designed my checklist. Then teachers allowed me into their classes without any problems, which surprised me. It was afterwards that the grueling work started.
Yeah, it's very time-consuming, isn't it? Making sense of analyzing your observation notes.
Absolutely. Much more so than interview data, for example. That was relatively easy to process, though I wanted to make sure I used a high-quality recorder to make transcription easier and I had to wait until one became available.
Right. And did you interview some kids as well in the end?
Yes. I talked to 10 and they were great. I'd imagined I'd be bored listening to them, but
So it was easy to concentrate.
Sure. One of the teachers was a bit worried about the ethics, you know, whether it was right to interview young pupils, and it took a while for him to agree to let me talk to three of the kids in his class, but he relented in the end.
Good. What other methods did you use?
I experimented with questionnaires, but I really regret that now. I decided to share the work with another student, but we had such different agendas, it ended up taking twice as long.
That's a shame. It might be worth you reflecting on ways you might improve on that for future projects.
You're right. Yeah.
Okay. And the other thing I did was still photography. I didn't take as many pictures as I'd hoped to. Lack of time. It's pretty easy just snapping away, but I wanted each snap to have a purpose, you know, that would contribute to my research aims, and I found that difficult.
Well, that's understandable.
But that is the end of part three. You now have half a minute to check your answers.
Now it turns to part four.
Part four. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.
Hello and welcome. My name's Carolyn Tan. Just as there are a great number of different courses and places to study here, the teaching methods used and the skills you need will vary depending on the subject you study and the college or university you attend. All courses vary, but most include some of the teaching methods I'm going to talk about today. Generally speaking, in some subjects, you will have time-t classes for most of the week. In others, you may only have a few hours timetabled and will be expected to work independently for a substantial amount of time. Working independently is crucial at university. I'm going to go over the three main types of teaching method you will have here. These are lectures, seminars, and tutorials. There are other methods that you will come across like workshops, group work, and practical work, but I'll describe the three main types for now. I'll briefly describe what they are and try to give you some helpful advice in dealing with them.
Let's start by looking at lectures. These are large classes, usually lasting around 1 hour, where a lecturer or tutor talks about a subject and the students take notes. On some courses, there can be over a 100 students in a lecture. Unfortunately, there is usually little or no opportunity to ask questions during the lecture. Lectures are usually intended to do three things. Firstly, to guide you through the course by explaining the main points of a topic. Secondly, to introduce new topics for further study or debate. And thirdly, to give you the most up-to-date information that may not be included in textbooks. So, as you can see, it's essential to go to lectures. Of course, you need to take notes in lectures. Remember, you don't need to write down everything the lecturer says. Try to concentrate on the main points and important details. Most lecturers use stories, examples, and even jokes to illustrate a point. And you shouldn't write these down. When you take notes in lectures, abbreviations and symbols for common words and terms can help you write faster. If there is something you don't understand, make a note to ask after the lecture or in a tutorial. Most students try to write up their notes after a lecture. It's a good idea to try to be organized. Keep your notes from your lectures in order in a file, but don't just file the notes away until your exams. Read through them regularly as this will help you with your revision. It's really important to go over your lectures. As an international student, the lecturer will recognize that you may need more help in lectures and that you may want to record the lecture on a digital recorder. If you do want to do this, ask the lecturer's permission first. They will usually agree. Finally, don't worry if you find it difficult to understand the lecturer at first. This will get easier as you get used to their style and as your English improves.
Okay, that's enough about lectures. Let's have a look at seminars. Now, seminars are smaller classes where students and a tutor discuss a topic and they often last about the same time, if not longer, than lectures. You will know in advance what the topic is and the tutor will usually ask some students to prepare a short presentation for discussion. Seminars are usually meant to encourage debate about an issue. This means different opinions will be expressed by the tutor and students. The aim is not for students to be told the correct answer, but to understand different arguments and make judgments about them. This process helps you learn to analyze topics critically. Some international students find that seminars can be a bit frightening, especially if they're not used to this kind of teaching. Don't worry, many other students feel the same at first. Participating actively in seminars is an important part of the learning process. So, try to contribute even if it seems difficult at first. It is best to do some reading before each seminar so that you are familiar with the topic and can follow and contribute to the discussion. It may help you to make notes before the seminar of any points you would like to make. If you're having difficulty in seminars, discuss this with your tutor.
And finally, I'll give you information on tutorials. Tutorials are meetings between a tutor and an individual student or small group of students. These usually last between 15 and 30 minutes. In a tutorial, the tutor will give you advice and guidance on a piece of work you are doing or a piece of work you have completed, or even a problem you may be having with a topic or with study methods. You should try to ask questions during tutorials about your work or about topics raised in lectures and seminars.
Well, that's all for teaching methods. I'll go on now to talk about the different kinds of examination.
That is the end of part four. You now have half a minute to check your answers.