Answer Keys:

18.30

2King’s Cross

3Underground Station

46

55 minutes

61.40

711

86.05

94.80

1075

11write down

12pre-scheduled appointment

13in relation

14long-term

15accessible

16strategies

17B

18A

19C

20A

21readability

22lecture notes

23planning

24key points

25whole picture

26your reader

27A4 page

28seem to follow

29connective words

30one-sided

31powerful associations

32danger and warning

33see red

34we blush

35the red rose

36C

37C

38B

39B

40D

 

Part 1

You will hear a conversation between a clerk at the help desk of a transport and travel agency and a woman who is asking for travel information. First you have some time to look at questions 1-5. [Pause 30 seconds]

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.

Woman; Good morning!

Man: Good morning, madam. How can I help you?

Woman: Well, I’d like to get to Camden Town from Highgate Village tomorrow, before 10 am.

Man: Did you say Highgate Park or Highgate Village?

Woman: I said Highgate Village, from Camden Town.

Man: Are you sure?

Woman: Yes, I should know where I’m going.

Man: Right. So, Highgate Village from Camden Town.

Woman: No, sorry. I should have said Camden Town from Highgate Village.

Man: That’s what I thought you said. And how are you planning to get there? By bus or train?

Narrator: The woman wants to go to Camden Town, so ‘Camden Town’ 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 1-5.

Woman: Good morning!

Man: Good morning, madam. How can I help you?

Woman: Well, I’d like to get to Camden Town from Highgate Village tomorrow, before 10 am.

Man: Did you say Highgate Park or Highgate Village?

Woman: I said Highgate Village, from Camden Town.

Man: Are you sure?

Woman: Yes, I should know where I’m going.

Man: Right. So, Highgate Village from Camden Town.

Woman: No, sorry. I should have said Camden Town from Highgate Village.

Man: That’s what I thought you said. And how are you planning to get there? By bus or train?

Woman: Oh, it doesn’t bother me which way I travel, as long as I get there sooner rather than later.

Man: Well, if you take a fast train, you’ll get there In under an hour. Now there’s a King’s Cross express train leaving the station at 8.30 from platform 9. How does that sound?

Woman: Great. Which station does that leave from?

Man: King’s Cross. It’s the railway station nearest to you.

Woman: Did you say Kings Crossed?

Man: No, King’s Cross. That’s C-R-O-S-S. Are you not from around here?

Woman: No, it’s my first time in England, I’m afraid. So, could you point out the best way to get to King’s Cross station?

Man: Yes, of course, I could. Just give me a second to look it up. Right, well, it looks like you have two options. You could take the 999 bus from the Highgate Village Central Square to Gower Street Underground Station. At Gower Street take a train to King’s Cross. Alternatively, you could walk to Gower Street and get straight on the train going to King’s Cross. Go to platform 6 on the Northern line.

Woman: How long would the walk take?

Man: About half an hour or so.

Woman: Oh, no, that’s too long. I don’t want to be walking around streets I don’t know for half an hour.

Man: Actually, the walk there is not complicated. Just go down

Holloway Road until you come across Gower Street – the road, not the station – on your right. The station is about 5 minutes’ walk up the road on your left.

Woman: That does sound easy. It’ll be better for me to get some exercise as well. What time do I catch the Tube?

Man: There are trains every five minutes, so it doesn’t really matter what time you get there from that point of view. However, it might be very busy at that time in the morning, so you may want to get there early, just in case. Sometimes the trains are too full to take everyone waiting on the platform. If I were you, I’d get there for 7 o’clock.

Woman: 7 o’clock. OK. Well, thank you very much. You’ve been most helpful.

Narrator: Before listening to the rest of the conversation you have some time to look at questions 6-10. [Pause 30 seconds] Now listen and answer questions 6-10.

Man: You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?

Woman: Actually, yes. How much will it cost me?

Man: Well, you can get a ticket on the bus for £2 and you’ll need £11 each way for the train. Unless, that is, you have an International Student Travel Card.

Woman: No, I haven’t but I can probably get one before tomorrow.

Man: Well, that’s good because that’ll cut the cost of travelling right down. The bus will cost £1.40 each way, and the train to Camden Town… Actually, I’m sorry, I was mistaken. There’s no discount offered when travelling during morning peak time so I’m afraid it’ll still cost you £11. But you’ll probably want to return after peak hours, won’t you? So your return train ticket might cost you considerably less…

Woman: What are off-peak hours, then?

Man: Either before 5 o’clock in the afternoon or after 8 o’clock in the evening.

Woman: Oh good! I’ve no intention of coming back until long after 9 so that’ll work out nicely. So, what discount will I get?

Man: Your return train journey would only cost you £6.05 with your card. But do make sure you don’t forget to buy an International Student Travel Card before 7 am tomorrow.

Woman: Oh, I won’t forget. In fact, I’ll get one today as soon as possible.

Man: Good for you. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Woman: Actually, there is. Do you know if I can use my International Student Card on boats?

Man: If you’re thinking of the regular Thames boats that go back and forth between the east and west banks, then the answer is ‘yes’. But you can’t use it on the tourist ferries linking the north and south banks, I’m afraid. A one-way trip east or west of the Thames costs £6 but with your card you’d make a 20% saving and pay only £4.80.

Woman: So, £4.80 for the regular ferry… Do the ferries linking the north and south banks offer sightseeing tours?

Man: Yes, but, like I said, there’s no discount offered on those.

And you can only book using cash or credit card. But I can’t book them for you. We don’t work with them.

Woman; Oh, I see. You wouldn’t happen to know the cost of a tour by any chance, would you?

Man: In actual fact, I do, because I took my girlfriend on the trip three weeks ago. We bought the half-day tour and that was £45 each but I am told that you can do the whole day for £75.

Woman: Well, thank you again. You really have been most helpful.

Man: Don’t mention it. Have a nice day now.

Narrator: That’s the end of Part 1. You have half a minute to check your answers. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now turn to Part 2.

 

Part 2

You will hear a university counsellor talking to a group of students. First you will have some time to look at questions 11-16. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11-16.

Speaker:

Hello everyone. I’m the counselling administrator here at King’s College and I’ve been asked to come and talk to you about our counselling team and the services that we offer, The University Counselling Service is available to all our students and it is free of

charge. It is our belief that if you can function well psychologically, then you will find it easier to fulfil your potential, both personally and academically.

Our services include:

• email counselling: we believe it is helpful to be able to write down your issues and see your own words so you can reflect on them, and do so in your own time.

• face-to-face individual counselling: we believe it is beneficial to talk about your issues in person, at a pre-scheduled appointment time, for 50 minutes.

• group therapy: particularly valuable If you want to consider how you function in relation to others and if you are keen to invest in long-term personal development.

• self-help resources: helpful if you are interested in finding out more about your issues and seeking strategies to help yourself, accessible 24/7 and with links to a range of resources.

• specific issue workshops: suitable if you want to learn about specific issues in a supportive learning environment with a small group of others who are interested in developing strategies to help manage similar concerns.

I must stress at this point that you can only register for ONE of these options at any one time.

Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the discussion you have some time to look at questions 17-20. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now listen and answer questions 17-20.

Speaker;

We have three professional counsellors here at King’s College: Deirdre Blythe, Bobby Foyle and Samantha Stewart.

Deirdre Blythe specialises in seeing new students and offers an introductory session during which she explains the counselling process and what you can expect to achieve through counselling. This can be particularly helpful for those who are concerned about the counselling process. During that first session she also establishes what it is that’s led you to seek counselling. Deirdre is also the only counsellor available outside office hours. She’s usually available early Monday morning, before classes begin, and late Tuesday evening after class.

Bobby is available all day long during term time. If you feel the need to drop in and talk to someone then see Bobby about it. Bobby will either see you himself or place you with the next available counsellor. If you want to be sure to see the same counsellor on each visit, then we strongly recommend that you make an appointment ahead of time.

Anyone who is trying to deal with examination stress or any type of anxiety should see Samantha Stewart. Sam has an extensive background in stress management and relaxation techniques and her repertoire includes a full range of techniques to help you cope, such as body awareness, time management and positive reinforcement.

Well, that’s it, thanks for your time. If you have any questions or want more, information about our services, do come and see us at the Counselling Service.

Narrator: That’s the end of Part 2. You have half a minute to check your answers. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now turn to Part 3.

 

Part 3

You will hear a conversation between a tutor and two students about how to write an English Literature essay. First you have some time to look at questions 21-26. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21-26.

Tutor: Hello Alfred and Alice. Glad you could make it. So the two of you think you need help with essay writing, correct?

Alfred: Yes, we do. I mean, all the lecturers expect us to write essays but no one has bothered to explain what’s required in an English Literature essay.

Tutor: Right, well, let’s get started, shall we? Now, how basic do you want this tutorial to be?

Alice: As basic as possible. Different people – I mean different fellow students, of course – seem to disagree on what makes a good essay, so I am very confused,

Tutor: Well, your number one priority is readability.

Alfred: But what Is it that makes an essay readable?

Tutor: Well, it’s got to be interesting and enjoyable to read and easy to understand. Write an essay that you yourself would want to read. If you wouldn’t want to read your own essay, you can rest assured that no one else will. No one wants to read an essay that is a mere reiteration of facts, lecture notes or other people’s opinions. The second important point to bear in mind when writing your English Literature essay is planning. Don’t start writing without a goal or an idea of the key points to cover.

• Make a list of all the key points and ideas before you start writing.

• Plan your paragraphs.

• Look at the whole picture before you begin.

• Give yourself a deadline for the first 300 words.

Alice: One moment, could I write this down, please?

Tutor: Yes, of course. So, I’ll start again.

1. When should you aim to have the first 300 words written by?

2. Make a list of all the key points and ideas before you start writing.

3. Plan your paragraphs.

4. Consider the whole picture before you begin.

5. Decide what your argument is going to be.

6. Who is your reader?

Alfred: That’s a tough one. I never know who my reader is supposed to be. I usually write for myself.

Tutor: A lot of students make that mistake. And because they know what they mean to say, they do not bother to explain it clearly. No. Your reader is the person who is actually going to read it, that is, your lecturer and fellow students. In your case, it’s me and Alice.

Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the discussion you have some time to look at questions 27-30 [Pause 30 seconds]

Now listen and answer questions 27-30.

Tutor: The next thing to talk about is paragraph size. Rather basic to writing a good essay I would say. If you have re-read a paragraph and got lost on the way then it is probably time to consider dividing it into two paragraphs. Paragraphs are there to help you and your reader make sense of the text: they divide up your thoughts neatly and section each part of your argument into readable chunks. Remember, you should never have a paragraph that is longer than an A4 page.

Alice: I’m usually OK with most of the things you mentioned but the problem with my essays is that they usually lack flow.

Alfred: Same here.

Tutor: Well, what you need to do is make sure that the transition between your paragraphs and sentences makes sense. Each thought should seem to follow on effortlessly from each previous thought.

Alice: And it is at this point that we might want to use connective words and phrases such as ‘in addition’, ‘in spite of this’, ‘however’, ‘on the other hand’ and so on,

Tutor: Well, yes, but you need to be very careful when using connectives. Don’t just use them for the sake of using them, as many students often do. Use them only when it makes sense to use them. Otherwise you’re better off not using them at all.

Last but not least, your argument should be perfectly clear. Instead of offering a one-sided rant, however, make sure you include several possible sides of the discussion. A great English Literature essay on the set text is a lively and thought provoking conversation.

Narrator: That’s the end of Part 3. You have half a minute to check your answers. [Pause 30 seconds]

Now turn to Part 4.

 

Part 4

You will hear a lecture on the topic of ‘colour psychology’.

First you have some time to look at questions 31-40.

[Pause 1 minute]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31-40.

Speaker:

Today I’m going to talk about red. Red is a strong colour that stands out particularly well from background colours. It carries many powerful associations. It often infers danger and warning, and is used internationally as the colour for stop signs and traffic lights. In addition, red is the colour our face turns when we are angry – when we ‘see red‘, but also when we are feeling guilty, shy or embarrassed, in other words, when we blush. Red is also the colour most associated with love, for example, the red rose.

Recently, however, a new branch of science called ‘colour psychology’ has found that wearing red clothing can have a considerable impact on our mood, perceptions and actions, as well as others’ perceptions of us. Dressing in red can even change vour physiology and balance of hormones and alter your performance in sporting contests.

Given the powerful impact of the colour red on humans, it is perhaps a little surprising that many mammals, like dogs, are unable to differentiate between red and green. However, when early primates were striving to adapt to life in tropical rain forests, a new kind of cell evolved in their retina. This cell enabled them to identify red fruit in the green foliage easily.

The ability to distinguish red objects soon led to new forms of social signalling. For many primates, red skin – caused by blood pumping near the surface of the skin – is an important sign of social dominance. With vivid markings on their face and bottom, mandrill monkeys are perhaps the most famous example. The strength of the red colour indicates the position that the monkey occupies in the strict social hierarchy of its group; in fitter and more dominant individuals, the red is much stronger. By recognising other monkeys’ strength and fitness, lower-ranking and weaker monkeys are able to avoid coming into conflict with these much stronger rivals.

In 2004, two psychologists at the University of Durham in the UK decided to investigate whether humans might react in a similar way to red. Russell Hill and Robert Barton decided to test how humans might respond to red clothing. Perhaps the sight of red clothes could carry associations of aggression, seen in the red faces of angry people, and dominance, just like a mandrill.

For a while, Hill and Barton were unable to work out a good experiment to test the idea. However, the 2004 Olympics in Athens gave them the perfect opportunity to do so. And so, in combat sports, such as boxing and tae kwon do, the two competing athletes were randomly assigned either red or blue kits to wear. This enabled Hill and Barton to compare the same athletes’ performances when they were wearing different colours.

By tracking the athletes’ progress through the games, they found that those wearing the red kits were about 5% more likely to win their contest than those wearing blue. So, although wearing red could not, of course, change the athlete physically, it did seem to give them a small competitive advantage. Later studies showed that the effect of wearing red was an advantage in other sports, too. In football penalty taking, for example, they are less likely to score if the goalkeeper is wearing red.

Although the effect of wearing red in sport is well established, the exact reason for it remains a matter of debate. There are three possibilities, of which one, two, or even all three have a significant impact. The first is that people who wear red feel themselves to be more dominant, which boosts their confidence as well as triggering physiologicalchanges, like an increased heart rate and higher testosterone levels, all of which could improve their performance. Another possibility is that the red colour might intimidate the competitor. So, in just the same way that the less dominant mandrill monkeys tend to avoid competing with the higher ranking monkeys with crimson faces, the individual may feel socially inferior to a competitor wearing red. The third possibility is that it might have something to do with the referees who score combat sports. In one experiment, the colours of outfits in videos of tae kwon do contests were changed, and then the videos were shown to experienced professional referees. Simply changing the colours of the contestants’, clothing changed the way the referees scored them; whoever was wearing red was favoured.

Although these early results are fascinating, colour psychology is still a very young science, and many of its findings are still at a very early stage of development, The experimental results need to be confirmed by further studies. However, in the future the hope is that colour psychology will help in the production of more produc; tive working environments.

Narrator: That is the end of Part 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. [Pause 30 seconds]

That Is the end of the listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the Listening Answer Sheet.