The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS · Listening Practice Test 7

Hostel accommodation in Darwin
Name	Price per person (dormitory rooms)	Comments and reviews
Example Top End Backpackers	$19	parking available staff are 1 nice pool air-conditioning is too 2
Gum Tree Lodge	3 $	good quiet location pool and gardens 4 in the dormitories
Kangaroo Lodge	$22	downtown location reception at the lodge is always open no lockers in the rooms the 5 are very clean seems to be a 6 every night

Section 1

Julie

Hi Nick. It's Julie. Have you managed to find any information about accommodation in Darwin?

Nick

Hi. I was just going to call you. I've found some on the Internet. There are quite a few hostels for backpackers there. The first possibility I found was a hostel called Top End Backpackers.

Julie

OK.

Nick

It's pretty cheap, you can get a bed in a dormitory for nineteen dollars per person. Private rooms cost a bit more, but we'll be OK in dormitories, won't we?

Julie

Sure.

Nick

So that hostel has parking, though that doesn't really matter to us as we'll be using public transport.

Julie

Yeah. Are there any reviews on the website from people who've been there?

Nick

Well, yes. They aren't all that good though. Some people said they didn't like the staff, they had an unfriendly attitude.

Julie

Mmm. That's quite unusual in a hostel, usually all the staff are really welcoming.

Nick

That's what I thought. People said they liked the pool, and the fact that the rooms had air-conditioning, but the problem with that was that it was very noisy, so they were kept awake. But it was too hot if they turned it off, so they had to put up with it.

Julie

Someone told me there's another hostel called Gum Tree something.

Nick

Gum Tree Lodge. It costs a bit more, forty-five dollars a person.

Julie

What?

Nick

Oh, no, that's for private rooms, it's twenty-three fifty for the dorms.

Julie

That's more like it.

Nick

It looks to be in quite a good location, a bit out of town and quiet but with good transport, and quite near a beach.

Julie

Has it got a pool?

Nick

Yes, and its own gardens. The reviews for that one are mostly OK except for one person who said they couldn't sleep because there were insects flying around in the dormitories.

Julie

Not for me then. And I'd rather be somewhere central really.

Nick

Right. There's a place called Kangaroo Lodge. They've got dorms at twenty-two dollars. And it's downtown, near all the restaurants and clubs and everything, so that should suit you. And it doesn't close at night.

Julie

So there's always someone on reception. That sounds good.

Nick

The only criticism I saw was that the rooms were a bit messy and untidy because people just left their clothes and stuff all over the beds and the floor.

Julie

Don't hostels usually have lockers in the bedrooms where you can leave your stuff?

Nick

Yeah, they do usually, but apparently they don't here. Still, hostels are never particularly tidy places, so that doesn't bother me. And the same person said that the standard of cleanliness was pretty good, and especially the bathrooms, they were excellent as far as that went.

Julie

Right. Yeah, I reckon Kangaroo Lodge sounds the best.

Nick

Me too. Quite a lot of people reviewing it said it was really fun there, like every night everyone staying there got together and ended up having a party. So it sounds like it's got a really good atmosphere.

Julie

OK, let's go for that one.

[pause]

Julie

Did you get the address of Kangaroo Lodge?

Nick

Yes ... It's on Shadforth Lane.

Julie

Can you spell that?

Nick

S-H-A-D-F-O-R-T-H. It's near the transit centre where the intercity buses and the airport buses drop you off.

Julie

Cool. I'm really looking forward to this. I've never stayed in a hostel before. Do they provide bed linen - sheets and things?

Nick

Yeah. And you can usually either bring your own towel, or hire one there, but they don't usually provide those for free.

Julie

OK. And what happens about meals?

Nick

Well, you don't have to pay extra for breakfast. It varies a lot in different places but generally it's OK. And there's usually a cafe where you can buy a snack or a hot meal for lunch. But actually if you're really travelling on the cheap, usually for every five or six rooms there's a kitchen where you can knock up a snack, and that saves a lot of money.

Julie

Great. Right, well shall I go ahead and book that ...

Section 2

Hello everyone and welcome to the Anglia Sculpture Park. Right, well, the idea behind the sculpture park is that it's a place where works of art such as large sculptures and carvings can be displayed out of doors in a natural setting.

As you'll have noticed when you drove here, most of the land around the park is farmland. The park itself belonged to a family called the De Quincies, who had made a lot of money from manufacturing farm machinery, and who also owned substantial stretches of forest land to the north of the park. They built a house in the centre of the park, not far from where we're standing now, but this burnt down in 1980 and the De Quincies then sold the land.

The Anglia Sculpture Park isn't the only one in the country; several of the London parks sometimes display contemporary sculptures, and there are a couple of other permanent sculpture parks in England. But we're unique in that some of our sculptures were actually created for the sites they occupy here, and we also show sculptures by a wider range of artists than anywhere else in the country.

For example, at present we have an exhibition by Joe Tremain, of what he calls 'burnt' sculptures. These are wood and stone sculptures that he's carved and marked with fire to illustrate the ferocity and intensity of the forces that have shaped our planet over millions of years. They look really dramatic in this rural setting.

To see some of the sculptures, you'll need to follow the path alongside the Lower Lake. We had to renovate this after the lake overflowed its banks a couple of months ago and flooded the area. The water level's back to normal now and you shouldn't have any trouble, the path's very level underfoot.

You should be back at the Visitor Centre at about four o'clock. If you have time it's worth taking a look at the Centre itself. It's not possible to go upstairs at present as builders are working there adding another floor, but the rest's well worth seeing. The architect was Guy King. He was actually born in this part of England but he recently designed a museum in Canada that won a prize for innovation in public buildings.

If you want to get something to eat when you get back, like a snack or a sandwich, the Terrace Room is currently closed, but you can go to the kiosk and buy something, then sit on one of the chairs overlooking the Lower Lake and enjoy the view as you're eating.

[pause]

Now, let me just tell you a bit about what you can see in the Sculpture Park. If you look at your map, you'll see the Visitor Centre, where we are now, at the bottom, just by the entrance. Since we only have an hour, you might not be able to get right around the park, but you can choose to visit some of the highlights.

You might like to take a look at the Joe Tremain sculptures, which are displayed on this side of the Upper Lake, just behind the Education Centre and near the bridge. They're really impressive, but please remember not to let your children climb on them.

One of our most popular exhibitions is the Giorgio Catalucci bird sculptures - they're just across the bridge on the north side of Lower Lake. I love the way they're scattered around in the long grass beside the lake, looking as if they're just about to take to their wings.

You could also go to the Garden Gallery. It's on this side of the Upper Lake - from the Visitor Centre you go to the Education Centre, then keep on along the path, and you'll see it on your right. There's an exhibition of animal carvings there which is well worth a look.

We also have the Long House - that's quite a walk. From here, you go to the bridge and then turn left on the other side. Soon you'll see a winding pathway going up towards the northern boundary of the park - go up there and you'll find it at the top. They have some abstract metal sculptures that are well worth seeing if you have time.

OK, well now if you're ...

Section 3

Leo

Anna, I wanted to ask you about my marketing report. I'm not sure about it ...

Anna

That's OK, Leo. So what do you have to do?

Leo

Choose a product or service then compare two organisations that produce it. I'm doing instant coffee.

Anna

But haven't you got a weekend job in a clothing store? Why didn't you choose clothing?

Leo

That was my first thought, because I thought it'd give me some practical examples, but when I searched for men's clothing on the Internet there were hardly any articles. So then I looked for coffee and I found there were tons.

Anna

Yeah, there are so many brands on the market now. OK, so how much have you actually written?

Leo

I've done part one, on economic and technological factors. I found some good data on technological changes, how in Australia fewer people are buying instant coffee because of cheap coffee percolators that they can use to make real coffee at home.

Anna

But there's also a movement away from drinking coffee ...

Leo

... switching to things like herbal teas instead because they think it's healthier? But that's not really to do with technology, it's more cultural. Anyway, for part two I'm comparing two instant coffee companies, CoffeeNow and Shaffers, and I've made this table of products.

Anna

Right. Let's see ... so you've got the brand names, and prices and selling size, and descriptions. OK, the table looks good, you'll get marks for research there. Where will it go?

Leo

In the section on the marketing mix, under 'Product'.

Anna

Not in the appendix?

Leo

No.

Anna

OK, but it's too factual on its own, you need to add some comment in that section about the implications of the figures.

Leo

Right, I'll do that. Now I want to say that I think that Shaffers is more of a follower than a leader in the coffee industry. Now, I'm putting that in the section on market share. Does that seem OK?

Anna

Let's see ... so you've begun by explaining what market share is, that's important, but you've got to be careful how you give that opinion.

Leo

Do you think it should go in another section?

Anna

Well, it's fine where it is but you've got to back it up with some data or they'll say your report lacks weight.

Leo

OK. One thing I'm worried about is finding anything original to say.

Anna

Well, since this is your first marketing report, you're not expected to go out and do interviews and things to collect your own data, you're just using published data. So the analysis you do might not throw up anything that people didn't know before. But the focus is more on how you handle the data - I mean, you might take something like a graph of sales directly from a website, but what makes your work original is the perspective you provide by your interpretation of it.

Leo

Oh. You know, it's all so different from business studies assignments at school. It's really surprised me.

Anna

What, how much research you have to do?

Leo

I expected that. It's more ... I knew exactly what I had to do to get a good grade at school - and I knew I'd be expected to go more deeply into things here, but I haven't got information on how the lecturer is going to grade my work - what he's looking for.

[pause]

Anna

Well, one thing you have to remember is that in a marketing report you've got to have what they call an executive summary at the beginning. I forgot that and I got marked down.

Leo

Yeah, I've drafted it. I've got an overview.

Anna

Have you got something about the background there?

Leo

Yeah.

Anna

Good.

Leo

So I've just made a summary of the main points. I wasn't sure whether or not I should have my aims there.

Anna

No, that's too personal. The executive summary is just, like, what a manager would read to get a general idea of your report if he was in a hurry.

Leo

Right. Then I'm OK for the first main part, all of the macroenvironment stuff, but it's when I get onto the problems section ... I've listed all the problems that CoffeeNow and Shaffers are facing, but then what?

Anna

Well you have to prioritise, so indicate the main problems, and then you analyse each one by connecting it with a theory ... that's where your reading comes in.

Leo

OK.

Anna

Have you done your implementation section yet?

Leo

I've thought about it - so that's where I write about what could be done about the problems.

Anna

Yes, and it's got to be practical so don't forget to specify things like who would be involved, and the cost, and the order that things would be done in.

Leo

Right. Well that shouldn't take long.

Anna

You'd be surprised. Actually that's the bit that tends to get badly done because people run out of time. That and the conclusion ...

Leo

Any hints for that?

Anna

Well, it's got to draw out the main points from your report, so it's got to be quite general. You need to avoid introducing new stuff here, it's got to sum up what you've said earlier.

Leo

OK. Thanks Anna. That's been a big help.

Section 4

An interesting aspect of fireworks is that their history tells us a lot about the changing roles of scientists and technicians in Europe. Fireworks were introduced from China in the 13th century. Up to the 16th century they were generally used for military purposes, with rockets and fire tubes being thrown at the enemy, but they were also sometimes a feature of plays and festivals where their chief purpose was related to religion.

By the 17th century, the rulers of Europe had started using fireworks as a way of marking royal occasions. Technicians were employed to stage spectacular shows which displayed aspects of nature, with representations of the sun, snow and rain. These shows were designed for the enjoyment of the nobility and to impress ordinary people. But fireworks also aroused the interest of scientists, who started to think of new uses for them. After seeing one firework display where a model of a dragon was propelled along a rope by rockets, scientists thought that in a similar way, humans might be able to achieve flight - a dream of many scientists at the time. Other scientists, such as the chemist Robert Boyle, noticed how in displays one firework might actually light another, and it occurred to him that fireworks might provide an effective way of demonstrating how stars were formed.

Scientists at the time often depended on the royal courts for patronage, but there was considerable variation in the relationships between the courts and scientists in different countries. This was reflected in attitudes towards fireworks and the purposes for which they were used. In London in the middle of the 17th century there was general distrust of fireworks among scientists. However, later in the century scientists and technicians started to look at the practical purposes for which fireworks might be employed, such as using rockets to help sailors establish their position at sea.

It was a different story in Russia, where the St Petersburg Academy of Science played a key role in creating fireworks displays for the court. Here, those in power regarded fireworks as being an important element in the education of the masses, and the displays often included a scientific message. Members of the Academy hoped that this might encourage the Royal Family to keep the Academy open at a time when many in the government were considering closing it.

In Paris, the situation was different again. The Paris Academy of Sciences played no role in staging fireworks displays. Instead the task fell to members of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. As in Russia, the work of the technicians who created the fireworks was given little attention. Instead, the fireworks and the spectacle they created were all designed to encourage the public to believe in the supreme authority of the king. However, science was also enormously popular among the French nobility, and fashionable society flocked to demonstrations such as Nicolas Lemery's display representing an erupting volcano. The purpose of scientists was basically to offer entertainment to fashionable society, and academicians delighted in amazing audiences with demonstrations of the universal laws of nature.

[pause]

In the course of the 18th century, the circulation of skills and technical exchange led to further developments. Fireworks specialists from Italy began to travel around Europe staging displays for many of the European courts. The architect and stage designer Giovanni Servandoni composed grand displays in Paris, featuring colourfully painted temples and triumphal arches. A fireworks display staged by Servandoni would be structured in the same way as an opera, and was even divided into separate acts. Italian fireworks specialists were also invited to perform in London, St Petersburg and Moscow.

As these specialists circulated around Europe, they sought to exploit the appeal of fireworks for a wider audience, including the growing middle classes. As in the previous century, fireworks provided resources for demonstrating scientific laws and theories, as well as new discoveries, and displays now showed a fascinated public the curious phenomenon of electricity. By the mid-18th century, fireworks were being sold for private consumption.

So the history of fireworks shows us the diverse relationships which existed between scientists, technicians and the rest of society ...

Part 1

Questions 1–6

Questions 7–10

Kangaroo Lodge

General information about hostel accommodation

Part 2

Questions 11–16

Anglia Sculpture Park

Questions 17–20

Part 3

Questions 21–26

Marketing report

Questions 27–30

Notes on specific sections of marketing report

Executive summary

Problems

Implementation

Conclusion

Part 4

Questions 31–40

History of Fireworks in Europe

13th–16th centuries

17th century

18th century

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