Transcription
Now turn to section one. Section one. You will hear an interviewer asking an interviewee called Lee to do a questionnaire on residency in the north. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to five.
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.
>> Excuse me.
>> Yes. I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to do a questionnaire on your residency here in the north. It won't take long.
>> No, that's fine.
>> Lovely. First of all, may I get some information about yourself?
>> Okay.
>> May I know your name and age?
>> My name's Lee and I'm 19 years old now.
>> Great. And could I ask what your job is? Are you a student?
>> Actually, I'm going to continue my study in business management next month, but at the moment, I'm a salesman by profession.
>> All right. And how long have you been living here in the north?
>> Well, I have been in this city since I was 3 years old, but my family and I had lived in the east for 7 years at first. Now, I am 19. So, I have spent about 9 years living here till now.
>> Great. Which part of the northern area do you live in?
>> I live in Spring Park. Have you heard of it?
>> Yes, of course. So, what about your accommodation? Do you live in a house or a flat or something similar?
>> I used to live with my family in a big house. And now I'm living in an apartment with two of my friends who are my colleagues as well.
>> All right. And one more question. What means of transport will you take when you need to go somewhere?
>> Um, if it's not too far away, I'd prefer to go on foot or by bicycle. If there is a long way to go, I take the train or sometimes a cab. I rarely take buses because I think the most important things to keep in mind are time and comfort.
>> Great. Thanks.
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10. Now listen and answer questions six to 10.
Now let's go to the second part of my questionnaire. I'd like you to tell me how often do you dine out? Is it once a week or several times a year?
>> I'm afraid neither of those options agree with me. I don't often go out for dinner. Maybe once a month. Every week just seems too often for me.
>> Okay. Then where do you usually go for recreation?
>> I often go to places that other people go to. I sometimes go clubbing after work. You know, there are some fantastic clubs nearby.
>> And if you do not have to work during the day, will you go for a show or something? You know, there is a newly built theater that opened last month in Spring Park, but I rarely go there because it's too expensive. I prefer to go to the cinema to see some of the latest movies.
>> Do you like doing sports and what is your main form of exercise?
>> I like swimming and I go to the gym occasionally, but I spend most of my spare time sailing.
>> All right, last question. Have you taken any part-time courses?
>> Yes, because I'm really keen on cartoons. I'm doing a Japanese course during the weekends, but I'm still a beginner.
>> Wow, what a special language. Most people I know would like to learn Spanish or Latin. You must be brilliant. Well, thank you very much for your time.
>> No problem. Bye.
That is the end of section one. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section two.
Section two. You will hear a conversation between a visa officer and an applicant. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 15.
>> Good morning visa office. How can I help you?
>> Good morning. I'd like to apply for a visa to Australia, please.
>> Certainly, sir. I'll just get a form and then I'll need to take some details down. Okay, here we go. Right. Can I have your name, please?
>> Yes, it's Akamura. Kelly Akamura.
>> How do you spell that, please?
>> K E L.
>> No, no, your family name, please.
>> Oh, sorry. It's O K A M U R A.
>> K A M U R A. And your address?
>> Apartment 106 Kingston Street, Hawaii.
>> Kingston Street, Hawaii.
>> Yes, that's correct.
>> So, you're an American?
>> Actually, I was born in Japan, but moved to Hawaii 6 years ago.
>> And can I have your age, please, Mr. Okamura?
>> I'm 32.
>> Uh, are you married?
>> Yes, I am. My wife's Chinese.
>> And will your wife accompany you to Australia?
>> Yes, she will.
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.
And will your wife accompany you to Australia?
>> Yes, she will. In fact, that's the reason we want to go. Her sister lives in Sydney.
>> And do you have any relatives living in Australia?
>> I used to have an uncle, but he died several years ago. Now there's only my sister-in-law and my wife's cousin.
>> So, the purpose of your trip is to visit your wife's relatives. Am I correct?
>> Well, not exactly. Mainly because I have my own training company and I will be looking for business opportunities. Although, I do want to do some traveling as well. You know, see some of the sites, that sort of thing. Although, I don't intend to work in Australia.
>> And your wife, what will she be doing?
>> She'll be studying English. She wants a student visa.
>> And how long do you plan to stay?
>> About 1 year, I guess.
>> Well, I'm afraid a standard tourist visa is only valid for 30 days, although in your case, we can issue you with a business visa. Business visas last for 6 months, but you will be able to renew it. We can give your wife a 12-month visa, though.
>> 6 months is okay. So, what do I need to do now?
>> Come along to the office anytime during weekdays, but it must be office hours. We close at 5:30 and bring along two passport-siz photos and your passport. Of course, your wife will also need two photos. So, that's four passport- size photos in total.
>> Okay. Thank you for your help. Bye.
>> bye.
That is the end of section two. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section three.
Section three. You will hear two students called Helen and Paul talking to their tutor about a nursing course. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 34. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
>> Helen and Paul, congratulations to you both for doing so well the past semester. You two have exhibited an impeccable performance during your first year in the nursing program. I'd like to get some feedback from the two of you to better improve the program and to provide guidance for our prospective students. I'd like to start with you, Helen. So, first of all, which aspect of the program impressed you?
>> Well, to be honest, when I was enrolled into the course, I was expecting a group of classmates my age, but as I stepped into the classroom for the first time, I was surprised by the diversity. Most were in their 20s, but there were also those in their 30s or even 40s. As it turns out, the intergenerational communication has sparked intense debate and new thinking, and I think that's something special about the program that I appreciate very much.
>> What about you, Paul? What do you think of the program?
>> For me, the group project we carried out last semester is another key feature of the program. The whole class was divided into eight different groups working on eight prospective cases. Team building sessions were conducted in a collaborative way most of the time comprised of five members. Our group studied acute pancreatitis. During the process, we broke the task into different parts and assigned them to each member. We were then able to tackle the complex problem by pulling our knowledge and skills. More importantly, stronger links were established between the group members. Because of the project, we've all become good friends.
>> That's true. According to graduates, group projects prepare them for the work world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norm. So tell me, Paul, what else do you like about the program? I want to be a registered nurse working in a public hospital after graduation. So the internship provided is a valuable opportunity for clinical practice in a supportive learning atmosphere. However, I was amazed by the amount of written assignments since I thought the course should have focused more on practiceoriented learning.
>> Well, I have to disagree with you, Paul. The essays demonstrate your understanding of the course. For me, writing essays is a process that involves critical thinking which challenges me to develop my points more thoroughly. I thus managed to gain a diversity of perspectives.
>> The program is designed to deliver basic and advanced theoretical knowledge of core concepts including healthcare systems concepts together with practicum or clinical practice experience to bridge the classroom content to the practice setting. So I'm afraid written work is unavoidable. Also this year we've added a module of law. How do you feel about that?
>> At first we felt that learning law is kind of redundant and too timeconuming. After a few sessions we realized that it is necessary in dealing with future medical disputes.
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
>> Do you have any suggestions for prospective students?
>> What bothers me most is handing in essays on time. I almost missed the deadline once because there were three essays due within the same week. So rationalizing your time is critical.
>> Well, that's true. The lectures deliver so much useful information. I have poor memory, so I kept making notes and revisiting them on a regular basis. To my surprise, at the end of the semester, I have learned the key concepts by heart.
>> How was the research? I heard that it was quite challenging. How did you manage to overcome the difficulties?
>> That's true. The majority of us had no clue how to carry out the research at first. Fortunately, when I was digging up reference materials at the library, I sought help from the librarian. She taught me about finding the appropriate resources and choosing the proper research methods.
>> Have you checked out the online forum?
>> Yes, it has become a habit for me to visit the forum regularly. In a sense, it extends classroom learning. It is where the students post academic problems that they come across and get support from the faculty members.
>> Some of my classmates didn't do so well during the placement tests. I feel that background reading is necessary. Lastly, do you have anything to say to the freshmen?
>> I was really ambitious at first trying to get straight A's on my transcript. I made tons of notes and worked hard even on the optional assignments to get extra credit. I stressed myself out before having an emotional breakdown. After consulting my advisor, I found it important to set realistic goals. Don't push yourself too hard. It is wise to sort out your priorities.
>> Thank you for coming here today and providing valuable feedback on the program. Have a great summer break.
That is the end of section three. You now have half a minute to check your answers. Now turn to section four.
Section four. In this section you are going to hear a lecture on ecology. First you have some time to look at questions 31 to 35. Now listen to the tape and answer the questions.
>> 31 to 35.
>> Good afternoon. I'd like to turn it over to Dr. Kerry who will talk about the program in restoration ecology.
>> Thanks Chris. A lot of people think that human beings can do whatever they want to the environment. But as Aldo Leopold taught, land is a system of interdependent parts which should be regarded as a community and not a commodity. Well, that idea has influenced what we teach here in our program where students come from all over the world to learn about restoring native plant communities back into an ecologically natural state. This field is therefore a combination of formal science with practical applications and that is quite attractive to many people. We have students for example from many different nations who come just to take part in this unique program. Our location is also quite unique. We have the world's oldest restored native plant community in Curtis Prairie at the Wisconsin Arboritum. Some say that this is proof that the science of restoration ecology was birthed in Wisconsin. Well, that may be oversimplified, but our reputation is strong. But students don't have to study prairies only. One student, Edmund Mukala from the Congo, came to study restoring ancient wetlands in the Congo using knowledge gained from historic samples of the soil seedbank. Not all the seeds survived, but some can remain dormant for many years. Mr. Mukala wanted to find out what type of community would be most similar to that ancient seed bankank. He has recently returned to the Congo and is now cooperating with the government to implement his findings.
Now look at questions 36 to 40. As the talk continues, answer questions 36 to 40.
So the only prerequisite for doing research here is that it is a native plant community. That means not just prairies, but wetlands, woodlands, savas, and other environments. We're proud of the diversity of research topics in our program and we continue to grow. This year we have 32 new students from eight different countries. When students first arrive, they begin rigid coursework in statistics, ecology, plant identification, and the theory of landscape change. Then they take part in internships at local conservation agencies such as the arboritum, the nature conservancy, the parks department, and others. We find internships to be crucial in helping students apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom. And we're proud to say that since the beginning, we have graduated 277 students with master degrees from our programs and 122 students with PhDs. Some have gone on to bigger and better things. One graduate is now the director of the Worldwide Fund for Nature in China. Another is the director of parks development in California. And others now lead their own research departments in universities around the world.
This is the end of section 4. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers.