LISTENING PRACTICE 3

TASK 1
You will hear five different employees talking about what makes a good boss. Choose which of the o
pinions (A-F) each speaker expresses. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you
do not need to use.

A good boss should

Speaker 1: …………E
A. allow staff to take decisions Speaker 2: …………A
B. encourage staff to work in teams
C. listen to complaints from staff - FEEDBAC Speaker 3: …………D
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D. give information on individual progress Speaker 4: …………B
E. have good qualifications
F. set an example of hard work Speaker 5: …………F

TASK 2. Choose the correct letter A, B or C.

1.How long would terms be under the six-term system?
A. six weeks B. seven weeks C. thirteen weeks
2.What would happen to the summer holiday?
A. It would disappear. B. It would be shortened. C. It would be lengthened.
3.How much was the average learning loss in the summer?
A. two weeks B. three weeks C. seven weeks
4.In which subject was learning loss greatest among disadvantaged children?
A. maths B. reading C. writing
5.According to Marchmont’s research, in the six-term system pupils performed
A. better than under the existing system.
B. worse than under the existing system.
C. the same as under the existing system

Complete the summary below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

The familiar school terms in use today originated when many people worked in (6)

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……………………Agriculture…………………. Also, because of the heat, teaching children in July a
nd August was difficult before the invention of (7) …..…Air-conditioning………………………. A diffe
rent approach can be provided by the (8)………………Summer School………………………. An imp
ortant factor in the success of these is the small (9) ……………Class Size………………………. Als
o, the element of (10) ………………Support…………………. is usually present, which contributes g
reatly.

TASK 3. Listen to the lecture about the poet Sylvia Plath. Take notes while you listen. Then answer t
he questions.

1. The Bell Jar was …………. 

  A. about her father B. her first novel
C. a very successful collection of poems D. her last poem

2. Sylvia Plath’s ‘Collected poems’ …………. 

  A. won the Pulitzer Prize twenty years after it was published
  B. were written during the last year of her life
  C. won the Pulitzer Prize in 1982
  D. were never published

3. Sylvia’s husband  …………. 
  A. made movies B. died in 2003 C. was also a poet D. had a movie made about him

4. Susan Bassnett thought Sylvia’s work  …………. 

  A. was about her husband B. wasn’t very good
  C. was about work life D. was of great interest to women

5. Sylvia’s brother  …………. 
A. was two years older than her B. was born two years after her
C. was a professor at Boston University D. was a highly educated academic

6. Sylvia Plath’s time at college was difficult because  …………. 

  A. she got bad grades B. she won a scholarship
  C. boys didn’t like her D. she was short of money

7. In 1953 Sylvia ………….   

A. left New York to get a job as an editor B. rejected an offer to teach creative writing
C. worked as a guest editor in New York D. returned to new York because she was depressed

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READING

Questions 1–9 Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Smart Energy

The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and used.  In some major oil pro
ducing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and there are increasing fears of global warming.  Cons
equently, many countries are focusing on the switch to a low carbon economy. This transition will lead to ma
jor changes in the supply and use of electricity.  [A] Firstly, there will be an increase in overall demand, as c
onsumers switch from oil and gas to electricity to power their homes and vehicles.  [B] Secondly, there will b
e an increase in power generation, not only in terms of how much is generated, but also how it is generated,
as there is growing electricity generation from renewable sources. [C] To meet these challenges, countries a
re investing in Smart Grid technology.  [D] This system aims to provide the electricity industry with a better u
nderstanding of power generation and demand, and to use this information to create a more efficient power
network.
Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the electricity network.  Th
e computer system can be used to collect information about supply and demand and improve engineer's abil
ity to manage the system.  With better information about electricity demand, the network will be able to incre
ase the amount of electricity delivered per unit generated, leading to potential reductions in fuel needs and c
arbon emissions.  Moreover, the computer system will assist in reducing operational and maintenance costs.
Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too.  They will be able to collect real-time information
on their energy use for each appliance.  Varying tariffs throughout the day will give customers the incentive t
o use appliances at times when supply greatly exceeds demand, leading to great reductions in bills.  For exa
mple, they may use their washing machines at night.  Smart meters can also be connected to the internet or
telephone system, allowing customers to switch appliances on or off remotely.  Furthermore, if houses are fit
ted with the apparatus to generate their own power, appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site po
wer source, and any excess can be sold to the grid.
With these changes comes a range of challenges.  The first involves managing the supply and demand.  So
urces of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are notoriously unpredictable, and nuclear power,
which is also set to increase as nations switch to alternative energy sources, is inflexible.  With oil and gas, it
is relatively simple to increase the supply of energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of th
e day or year.  With alternative sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to blackouts or system collap
se.  Potential solutions include investigating new and efficient ways to store energy and encouraging consu
mers to use electricity at off-peak times.
A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are located in remote areas, s
uch as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is currently a lack of electrical infrastructure.  New in
frastructures therefore must be built.  Thankfully, with improved smart technology, this can be done more effi
ciently by reducing the reinforcement or construction costs.
Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are already underway. 
Consumers are currently testing the new smart meters which can be used in their homes to manage electrici
ty use.  There are also a number of demonstrations being planned to show how the smart technology could
practically work, and trials are in place to test the new electrical infrastructure.  It is likely that technology will
be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick win' methods which will provide initial carbon savings, to be followed
by more advanced systems at a later date.  Cities are prime candidates for investment into smart energy, du
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e to the high population density and high energy use.  It is here where Smart Technology is likely to be prom
oted first, utilising a range of sustainable power sources, transport solutions and an infrastructure for chargin
g electrically powered vehicles.  The infrastructure is already changing fast.  By the year 2050, changes in th
e energy supply will have transformed our homes, our roads and our behaviour.

1  According to paragraph 1, what has happened in some oil producing countries?

  A They are unwilling to sell their oil any more.
  B They are not producing as much oil as they used to.
  C The supply of oil is unpredictable.
  D Global warming is more sever here than in other countries.

2  Where in paragraph 1 can the following sentence be placed?

There is also likely more electricity generation centres, as households and communities take up the opportu
nity to install photovoltaic cells and small scale wind turbines. 
A B C D
3  Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Smart Grid technology to consumers?
  A It can reduce their electricity bills.
  B It can tell them how much energy each appliance is using.
  C It can allow them to turn appliances on and off when they are not at home.
  D It can reduce the amount of energy needed to power appliances.
4  According to paragraph 4, what is the problem with using renewable sources of power?
  A They do not provide much energy.
  B They often cause system failure and blackouts.
  C They do not supply a continuous flow of energy.
  D They can't be used at off-peak times.
5  In paragraph 6, what can be inferred about cities in the future?
  A More people will be living in cities in the future than nowadays.
  B People in cities will be using cars and buses powered by electricity.
  C All buildings will generate their own electricity.
  D Smart Grid technology will only be available in cities.
6  The word 'remote' in paragraph 5 could be best replace by:
  A isolated  B crowded C attractive D alone
7  The word 'underway' in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to:
A permanent B complete C beneficial D in progress

8  What is the main idea of the final paragraph? (paragraph 6).

  A To describe who will benefit from Smart Grid technology first.
  B To outline the advantages of Smart Grid technology.
  C To summarise the main ideas in the previous paragraphs.
  D To describe how, where and when Smart Technology will be introduced.
9  In paragraph 6, what can be inferred about the introduction of Smart Grid Technology?
 A The technologies which produce most benefits will be introduced first.
 B The cheapest technologies will be introduced first.
 C The technologies which are most difficult to put into place will be introduced first.
 D Technologically advanced systems will be introduced first.

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