Audioscripts IELTS Practice 13 Listening Test 02

Part 1

You will hear a woman telephoning the administrator of a running club to enquire about joining.

First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6.

[Pause]

Now Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

Administrator: Good morning, Northside Runners. Steve Walker speaking.

Woman: Hello. I'm calling to ask about becoming a member of your club.

Administrator: Certainly. I can help with that. So, are you looking to join for yourself?

Woman: That's right.

Administrator: OK, well, there are basically two types of adult membership. If you're a serious runner training for marathons, there's the Competitive membership.

Woman: And how much is that?

Administrator: That costs £250. It sounds a lot, but that covers you not just for weekly runs, but also for entry fees to races both locally and across the country.

Woman: Right. Well, I'm not really at that level yet. I was more interested in just running with a group for fitness and socialising.

Administrator: Sure. That's what most of our members do. So in that case, you'd be better with the Social membership. That's £95 if you're over 21.

Woman: I'm 28.

Administrator: OK. It's paid annually. And just so you know, it's primarily designed for people who run for fun, rather than competition.

Woman: That sounds perfect.

Administrator: Now, both types of membership include the club affiliation fee. They also provide discounts at local sports shops, which is quite handy for buying new trainers.

Woman: Oh, that's useful. I need a new pair actually.

Administrator: Great. Now, once you're a member of the club, you're also encouraged to wear our vest when you're out running. It's blue and yellow.

Woman: Yes, I've seen runners wearing it in the park. So can I buy that from you?

Administrator: No, we don't keep stock here. It's supplied by a specialist company. You can order directly from their website.

Woman: What are they called?

Administrator: They're called Fast Track. That's F-A-S-T-T-R-A-C-K. All one word.

Woman: OK, got it.

Administrator: You just need your membership number to get the club price on their website.

Woman: OK. Now can you tell me a bit about the training sessions?

Administrator: Sure. So we have group runs several times a week. But they're split into different pace groups. If you run about 9 minutes per mile, you'd probably be Group B.

Woman: Right. That sounds like me. So when are the sessions for that group?

Administrator: There are a couple each week. There's one on Wednesdays. For that one you meet at 6.30pm and the meeting point is the leisure centre. Do you know where that is?

Woman: Yes, it's just off the main road.

Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

Administrator: OK, and how about the other session?

Woman: Yes, when is that?

Administrator: That's on Fridays. It starts at the same time, but the location is different. They meet at the entrance to the river path.

Woman: Is that the one by the old bridge?

Administrator: That's it.

Woman: How long are the runs usually?

Administrator: They're about an hour, so it's easy to fit in after work. And the members often go to a local pub afterwards, so it's quite a social event.

Woman: OK, that sounds nice. I've only just moved to the area, so I'm keen to make new friends.

Administrator: Well, it's a friendly bunch.

Woman: And does each run have a leader?

Administrator: Yes, there's always a qualified run leader. They plan the route and make sure nobody gets left behind. If you check the club app, you'll see the route map for each session in advance. So you can download it to your watch if you have one.

Woman: And what do I need to bring?

Administrator: Hmm, well, bring a bottle of water. And in winter, it's dark when we finish, so you must wear a headtorch. We take safety very seriously.

Woman: That's sensible. Well, thanks, Steve. I'd definitely like to join. So what's the best way of going about it?

That is the end of Part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 2

You will hear a university coordinator talking to students about a community outreach programme.

First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16.

(pause)

Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

Coordinator: Thanks for coming, everyone. Okay, so this briefing is for first-year students and anyone who hasn't signed up for our community outreach programme yet.

So, essentially, the initiative allows students to dedicate some of their study hours to assist on various social projects to benefit the wider city. We have been running this scheme for the last decade, and it has been extremely popular.

Participating doesn't necessarily mean a massive disruption to your studies. The university will credit you for 10 hours of service. That can be completed in a single weekend or spread out over the semester in shorter blocks. There are some students who find the work so rewarding, they continue to volunteer in their own time long after their credits are fulfilled.

Feedback from past students has been incredibly encouraging. Because they felt they were making a genuine contribution, nearly everyone agreed that the outreach programme made them feel more connected to the city. They also appreciated breaking out of the 'student bubble' and meeting real locals. One or two people also mentioned it was a fantastic talking point in job interviews.

One particularly effective initiative last year was the Youth Mentoring Scheme. This was aimed at helping school leavers in the district prepare for employment. Our students were able to help them practice their interview techniques, such as body language and answering difficult questions, which they had found quite daunting.

We have got a challenging new project launching this term. Up until now, we have mainly focused on projects related to social care. But we have also partnered with the City Council on a restoration project in the Old Canal network. So if any of you enjoy physical work and being outdoors, this is the project for you.

I also wanted to highlight the annual Senior Tech Fair, which is happening next month. The goal of this is to help the elderly population navigate the digital world. And this year, instead of holding it in the library, we are using the Town Hall, as it has better wheelchair access.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20.

(pause)

Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

Coordinator: The attendees at last year's Tech Fair really got a lot out of it. Most were in their 70s. Quite a few brought along their own laptops and smartphones, but these tended to be rather old models. They generally knew how to make calls, but weren't aware of the camera functions or how to take decent photos. So, using the camera properly is something they found quite difficult.

A few were eager to experiment, but most couldn't see why they needed to learn new apps. But that attitude shifted quickly. The really touching thing was that participants all said they felt much more capable of using video calls. They loved this feature because it allowed them to see their grandchildren, who often live abroad.

A lot of them also said that downloading puzzle apps would help them pass the time. In fact, many participants explicitly appreciated these games as a way to keep their minds sharp and get some mental exercise. They weren't that interested in online banking, as they preferred the security of visiting their local branch.

Finally, one thing they specifically requested help with was using e-readers for downloading books. Some people had them gathering dust in a drawer because they couldn't work out the store settings. So, assisting them with e-readers is something we will definitely focus on this time around.

That is the end of Part 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 3

You will hear a student called Mark consulting his tutor about a presentation he is preparing on biomimicry, the design of materials and structures based on biological entities.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 25.

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 25.

Tutor: Come in, Mark.

Mark: Thank you.

Tutor: Now, you wanted to consult me about your class presentation on biomimicry. You are due to give it next week, aren't you?

Mark: That's right, and I'm really struggling. I chose the topic because I didn't know much about it and wanted to learn more. But now I've read so much about it, in a way, there's too much to say. I could talk for much longer than the 15 minutes I've been allocated. Should I assume the other students don't know much and give them a kind of general introduction, or should I try and make them share my fascination with a particular aspect?

Tutor: You could do either, but you'll need to have it clear in your own mind.

Mark: Then I think I'll focus on a specific application.

Tutor: OK. Now, one way of approaching this is to work through developments in chronological order.

Mark: Uh-huh.

Tutor: On the other hand, you could talk about the numerous ways that biomimicry is being applied in architecture.

Mark: You mean things like buildings that cool themselves using termite mound principles?

Tutor: Exactly. Or another way would be to focus on its impact in one particular area, say transport or medicine.

Mark: That would make it easier to focus. Perhaps I should do that.

Tutor: I think that would be a good idea.

Mark: Right. How important is it to include videos in the presentation?

Tutor: They aren't essential by any means, and there's a danger of relying on them too much. While it can be good to include short clips, you could end up spending too long looking for suitable ones. You might find it better to leave them out completely.

Mark: I see. Another thing I was wondering about was how to start. I know presentations often begin with an outline of the structure. But I thought about asking the audience what they know about biomimicry.

Tutor: That would be fine if you had an hour or two for the presentation, but you might find that you can't do anything with the answers you get, and it simply eats into the short time that's available.

Mark: So maybe I should mention a particular invention that uses biomimicry to focus people's attention.

Tutor: That sounds sensible. A concrete example is always engaging.

Mark: What do you think I should do next? I really have to plan the presentation today and tomorrow.

Tutor: Well, initially I think you should ignore all the notes you've made, take a small piece of paper, and write a single short sentence that ties together the whole presentation. It can be something as simple as 'Nature has already solved our problems.' Then start planning the content around that. You can always modify that core message later if you need to.

Mark: OK.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 26 to 30.

[Pause]

Now listen and answer questions 26 to 30.

Tutor: OK. Now let's think about actually giving the presentation. You've only given one before, if I remember correctly, about a field trip you'd been on.

Mark: That's right. It was pretty disastrous.

Tutor: Let's say it was better in some respects than in others. With regard to the structure, I felt that you ended rather abruptly without summarising your main points. Be careful not to do that in next week's presentation.

Mark: Okay.

Tutor: And you made very little eye contact with the audience because you were looking down at your script most of the time. You need to be looking at the audience and only occasionally glancing at your notes. Your body language was a little stiff. Every time you showed a slide, you stood in front of the screen so you were blocking the view. You should have been standing to the side.

Mark: Oh dear.

Tutor: What did you think of the language you used?

Mark: I knew that not everyone was familiar with the subject, so I tried to avoid jargon as much as I could.

Tutor: Yes, that came across well. You used a few words that are specific to the field, but you always explained what they meant clearly, so the audience wouldn't have had any difficulty understanding.

Mark: Uh-huh.

Tutor: I must say, the handouts you prepared were well thought out. They were a good summary of your presentation, which people would have been able to refer to later on, so well done on that.

Mark: Thank you.

Tutor: Well, I hope that helps you with next week's presentation.

Mark: Yes, it will. Thanks a lot.

Tutor: I'll look forward to seeing a big improvement then.

That is the end of Part 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Part 4

You will hear a lecture in psychology about a specific cognitive function known as prospective memory.

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

[Pause]

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

In today's lecture, we will continue our investigation into human cognition by looking at a specific function known as prospective memory, and the implications when this system fails.

While most people think of memory as a record of the past, prospective memory refers to the ability to remember to perform an action in the future. It is essentially "remembering to remember". Prospective memories allow us to plan our lives and ensure that we complete intended tasks. These tasks can vary from the trivial to the vital; for example, remembering to buy milk on the way home from work, or remembering to take life-saving medication at a specific time of day. To help understand this concept, try to think of the last time you had to send an email to a colleague. The ability to formulate that intention, hold it in your mind while doing other things, and then execute it at the right moment is the essence of prospective memory.

Prospective memory is distinct from the type of memory we discussed last week, which is retrospective memory. Retrospective memory involves the recovery of information that was acquired in the past; that is, your database of facts and experiences. To build upon a previous example, remembering that you did send an email yesterday is an example of retrospective memory. But remembering that you need to send one tomorrow is prospective. Unlike retrospective memory, which is usually triggered by a direct question or a need for information, prospective memory must be self-initiated. You have to interrupt your current activity to perform the future task.

Prospective memory can be broken down into a process with several distinct stages: intention formation, the retention interval, and execution.

The initial step is called intention formation. This involves the process of deciding to do something and encoding the content of the action, as well as the cue that will trigger it. The degree to which you can successfully form this intention depends on how much importance you attach to the task. Being multitasking or stressed during this phase can make effective encoding very difficult. The success of this stage is also influenced by the specificity of the plan. For example, simply thinking "I must exercise" is vague. However, thinking "I will go for a run when I get home and see my running shoes" creates a specific environmental cue. Future execution is much more likely if you have a concrete strategy to link the action to a trigger.

The retention interval, the next step, is the delay between forming the intention and the opportunity to execute it. During this period, the intention must be stored in your long-term memory while you are busy with other ongoing activities. This interval can last from a few minutes to several weeks. Crucially, the memory must remain accessible but not constantly active in your conscious mind, or it would interfere with your daily life. Successful retention depends on your ability to monitor the environment for cues without losing focus on what you are currently doing. Research suggests that if the ongoing task is too demanding, it drains the cognitive resources needed to maintain the prospective memory.

The last step is the execution of the action, which happens when the appropriate cue appears. We usually categorise these cues into two types: time-based and event-based. Time-based tasks are things like "call the doctor at 3 pm". Event-based tasks are triggered by an external prompt, such as "give the message to John when you see him". Generally, event-based tasks are easier to recall because the environment provides a reminder. Time-based tasks are harder because they require you to interrupt yourself without any external help.

There are a wide range of factors and conditions that can negatively impact prospective memory. These range from normal ageing to stress and anxiety. An impairment of prospective memory can have a dangerous effect on an individual's independence. For example, elderly people often struggle with medication adherence; they may forget whether they have taken a pill or not. This is a failure of prospective memory. Recent studies have shown that using external aids, like pillboxes with alarms, is often more effective than relying on mental rehearsal alone.

Prospective memory is also vital for social relationships, for instance, by remembering to congratulate a friend on their birthday or returning a borrowed book. Individuals with high levels of social anxiety often have problems with this. This may be caused by a preoccupation with their own internal thoughts. Because their working memory is filled with worry, they have less capacity to monitor for social cues. Research has shown that techniques to reduce anxiety can indirectly improve prospective memory performance, leading to better social functioning.

That is the end of Part 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers.