Inside Coleman's Guitar Experience

ANNOUNCER: Part 1. You will hear two friends talking about a guitar group. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.

WOMAN: Hi, Coleman. How are you?

COLEMAN: Good, thanks.

WOMAN: I wanted to have a chat with you because our friend Josh told me that you've joined a guitar group. It sounds really interesting. I'd like to learn myself.

COLEMAN: Why don't you come along? I'm sure there's room for another person.

WOMAN: Really? So who runs the classes?

COLEMAN: He's called the coordinator. His name is Gary Mathieson.

WOMAN: Let me note that down. Gary… how do you spell his surname?

COLEMAN: It's M-A-T-H-I-E-S-O-N.

WOMAN: Right, thanks.

COLEMAN: He's actually retired, but he's a really nice guy. He used to play in a lot of bands.

WOMAN: So how long have you been going?

COLEMAN: About a month now.

WOMAN: And could you play anything before you started?

COLEMAN: I knew a few chords, but that was all.

WOMAN: I'm sure everyone will be better than me.

COLEMAN: That's what I thought too. But we were all equally beginners.

WOMAN: That's reassuring. Where do you meet?

COLEMAN: At first we met in Gary's house, but as the group grew bigger he booked a room at the college in town.

WOMAN: I know that place. What road is it on? Is it Lock Street?

COLEMAN: It's just beyond there, at the bottom of New Street, near the city roundabout.

WOMAN: Yes, of course.

COLEMAN: The guitar club meets on the first floor, in room T347.

WOMAN: And when do you meet? At the weekend?

COLEMAN: No, we meet on Thursdays. It used to be at 10:30, but now it starts at 11:00.

WOMAN: Oh I see.

COLEMAN: The class before us asked to keep the room for another 30 minutes.

WOMAN: I'd love to come, but I don't have a guitar.

COLEMAN: You could buy a second-hand guitar. There's a website called The Perfect Instrument where you can buy guitars, violins and other instruments.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.

WOMAN: So what's a typical lesson like with Gary?

COLEMAN: First, we spend about five minutes tuning our guitars.

WOMAN: Right.

COLEMAN: Some people use an app, but others tune their guitars by ear.

COLEMAN: While helping people, Gary explains what we'll do during the lesson.

COLEMAN: Then we spend about 10 minutes doing strumming.

WOMAN: With plectrums?

COLEMAN: No, we just use our thumbs.

COLEMAN: Gary reminds us where to place our fingers for each chord.

COLEMAN: Sometimes we all start laughing because we can't keep the rhythm.

COLEMAN: Gary then starts clapping to help us keep time.

WOMAN: Do you learn songs too?

COLEMAN: Yes. We spend about 15 minutes playing a song with words and chords.

COLEMAN: Gary sometimes plays a recording of the song first.

COLEMAN: Then he gives us the lyrics and chords and we practice any new chord.

COLEMAN: The final 10 minutes of the lesson are for finger-picking.

COLEMAN: We play individual notes from a simple tune Gary created.

COLEMAN: Sometimes he asks us to play alone, which is a bit scary.

COLEMAN: Finally, he spends about five minutes explaining what we should practice during the week.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Part 1. You now have one minute to check your answers.

Working as a Lifeboat Volunteer

ANNOUNCER: Part 2. You will hear a man called David talking on the radio about his work as a lifeboat volunteer. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 16. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 16.

SPEAKER: I never really planned to be a lifeboat volunteer when I came to live in Northsea.

SPEAKER: I had been working in London as a website designer, but although the work was interesting, I didn’t enjoy city life.

SPEAKER: When I was a teenager, I had always been interested in boats, so I thought moving to the coast would give me a chance to follow that interest.

SPEAKER: Then I discovered that the Lifeboat Institution was looking for volunteers, so I decided to apply.

SPEAKER: The lifeboat building here in Northsea is one of the largest in the country, so it’s very easy to recognize.

SPEAKER: It was built 15 years ago using funds donated by a local resident who had lived here all her life.

SPEAKER: The Lifeboat Institution is a charity, so it depends on public donations rather than government funding.

SPEAKER: When I applied, I had to take a health assessment.

SPEAKER: The doctors paid particular attention to my vision.

SPEAKER: I had previously been short-sighted and had worn glasses.

SPEAKER: However, I had laser eye surgery two years earlier, so that was no longer a problem.

SPEAKER: I also had tests for colour blindness.

SPEAKER: At first, they thought I might have a problem, but fortunately the results were normal.

SPEAKER: When the coastguard receives an alert, all the volunteers are contacted immediately.

SPEAKER: Our goal is to reach the lifeboat station within five minutes.

SPEAKER: Then we aim to launch the lifeboat and get out to sea within another six to eight minutes.

SPEAKER: Our team is proud because we usually meet this target.

SPEAKER: The national average response time is about eight and a half minutes.

SPEAKER: Recently I qualified as a helmsman.

SPEAKER: That means I have the ultimate responsibility for the lifeboat during missions.

SPEAKER: I must check that all the equipment is working properly.

SPEAKER: Our crew wear special life jackets that can support up to four people in the water.

SPEAKER: It is also my decision whether it is safe to launch the lifeboat.

SPEAKER: However, it is very rare that we decide not to launch, even in bad weather.

SPEAKER: Besides rescue operations, I also do community work.

SPEAKER: For example, I speak to youth groups and sailing clubs about the dangers at sea.

SPEAKER: Many people underestimate how quickly weather conditions can change.

SPEAKER: We also rely on volunteers who help organize fundraising activities.

SPEAKER: Without them, our work would be much more difficult.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 17 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 17 to 20.

SPEAKER: Our training is continuous and focuses on technical skills and safe handling techniques.

SPEAKER: This training has given me the confidence to deal with extreme situations calmly.

SPEAKER: I had already completed a first aid course, which has been very helpful.

SPEAKER: We also receive training on handling ropes and tying knots.

SPEAKER: After my first year, I attended a one-week residential course.

SPEAKER: During the course we used a wave tank to simulate extreme weather conditions.

SPEAKER: For example, we practiced what to do if a lifeboat overturned during a storm at night.

SPEAKER: Since joining, I have dealt with many different emergency situations.

SPEAKER: The work is extremely rewarding.

SPEAKER: It’s not just about saving lives, but also about learning new technology.

SPEAKER: My background in IT has been useful in helping other volunteers.

SPEAKER: The team feels like a family, which helps during difficult situations.

SPEAKER: Sometimes we must leave our beds on a cold stormy night to respond to an emergency.

SPEAKER: Interestingly, the winter months can be the most rewarding.

SPEAKER: That is when incidents tend to be more serious, and you realize how much difference you can make.

SPEAKER: If any listeners are interested in volunteering, please contact us.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Part 2. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers.

Recycling Footwear: Challenges and Opportunities

ANNOUNCER: Part 3. You will hear two students called Bella and Don discussing a presentation they plan to do on recycling footwear. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.

BELLA: Hi, Don. Did you get the copy of the article on recycling footwear that I emailed you?

DON: Yes, I have it here. I’ve already had a look at it.

BELLA: So, do you think it's a good topic for our presentation?

DON: Before reading it, I thought there probably wasn’t much to say about recycling shoes.

DON: I assumed that people just put shoes into recycling bins or charity shops, and that was the end of the story.

BELLA: But the article shows there's much more to it than that.

DON: Yes, I realize that now, and I’d like to research the topic more.

BELLA: That's great.

DON: One thing that surprised me was the number of trainers that get recycled.

BELLA: A lot of young people wear trainers all the time now.

BELLA: They’ve actually become more popular than ordinary shoes.

DON: They’re very hard-wearing, but I still think they look too casual for school uniforms.

BELLA: I think some trainers actually look quite smart, sometimes even better than old worn-out shoes.

BELLA: Do you keep your shoes for a long time?

DON: Yes. I usually keep old shoes for dirty jobs, like cleaning my bike.

BELLA: I have to admit I’ve recycled some shoes that still fit and weren’t out of fashion.

BELLA: I just didn’t think they looked good on me anymore.

DON: That’s actually quite common, especially since there’s so much choice when buying shoes.

DON: The article mentioned that footwear sales have increased enormously.

BELLA: That doesn’t surprise me.

DON: But interestingly, the amount of recycled footwear has actually fallen.

DON: It’s now around 6%, compared with a previous level of 11%.

BELLA: That’s because some shoes aren’t good enough to be resold.

BELLA: So they get rejected during the recycling process.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.

BELLA: Let’s find some examples of shoes that were rejected for recycling.

DON: I think they’re mentioned in the interview with the recycling manager.

BELLA: Let’s start with the high-heeled shoes.

DON: They were probably quite expensive and made of suede.

DON: They were beige in colour and looked almost new.

DON: But they had been worn in a very wet field.

DON: The heels were badly stained with mud and grass.

BELLA: OK, what about the leather ankle boots?

DON: The heels were worn, but that wasn’t the main problem.

DON: One boot had become a lighter colour because it had been left in the sun.

BELLA: So the pair didn’t match anymore.

DON: Exactly.

BELLA: Then there were the red baby shoes.

DON: Yes, people are supposed to tie shoes together before putting them in recycling bins.

DON: Unfortunately, the other shoe couldn’t be found.

BELLA: That was a shame because they looked new.

DON: The trainers were interesting too.

BELLA: They looked like they had been used by a marathon runner.

DON: One of the soles was so worn that you could actually put your finger through it.

BELLA: These examples would be useful in our presentation.

DON: Yes, especially to explain why about 90% of shoes collected for recycling end up in landfill.

BELLA: What did you think about the project where they tried making new shoes from parts of old ones?

DON: It sounded like a good idea at first.

DON: But it failed because people didn’t want to buy shoes that were different from each other.

BELLA: Exactly. The pairs didn’t look identical.

DON: However, they still managed to export those shoes overseas.

BELLA: That’s another issue we should include in our presentation.

DON: Yes, because recycling footwear is clearly more complex than it first appears.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Part 3. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers.

Tardigrades: The Microscopic Survivors

ANNOUNCER: Part 4. You will hear a zoology student giving a presentation about an animal called tardigrade. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: For my project on invertebrates, I chose to study tardigrades.

SPEAKER: These are microscopic, or more precisely near-microscopic, animals.

SPEAKER: There are more than 1,000 known species, belonging to the phylum Tardigrada.

SPEAKER: Most tardigrades measure between 0.05 millimetres and 1 millimetre in length.

SPEAKER: The largest species can grow up to about 1.2 millimetres.

SPEAKER: They are sometimes called water bears because they live in water and move in a bear-like way.

SPEAKER: Another nickname is moss piglet, based on their appearance when viewed from the front.

SPEAKER: Tardigrades were first discovered in Germany in 1773 by Johann Goeze.

SPEAKER: He gave them the scientific name Tardigrada.

SPEAKER: Although there are many species, they share similar physical features.

SPEAKER: Their bodies are short, rounded, and resemble a small barrel.

SPEAKER: The body is divided into four segments.

SPEAKER: Each segment has a pair of legs.

SPEAKER: At the end of each leg there are between four and eight claws.

SPEAKER: Some species don’t have claws but instead have suction discs.

SPEAKER: These help them cling to surfaces or capture prey.

SPEAKER: Tardigrades have no lungs or specialized breathing organs.

SPEAKER: Oxygen and nutrients move through a fluid filling the body cavity.

SPEAKER: Their head looks unusual and somewhat flattened.

SPEAKER: Their mouth contains a tube with sharp structures called stylets.

SPEAKER: These allow them to pierce cells of plants or animals.

SPEAKER: Tardigrades are found in every region of the world.

SPEAKER: They commonly live on the beds of lakes, on plants, and in wet environments.

SPEAKER: Research has shown that they can survive radiation and extremely high pressure.

SPEAKER: They can tolerate temperatures as low as −200°C.

SPEAKER: They can also withstand temperatures above 148°C.

SPEAKER: If conditions become extreme, tardigrades enter a state called cryptobiosis.

SPEAKER: They curl into a ball known as a tun.

SPEAKER: In this state their metabolism drops to less than 1% of normal.

SPEAKER: When water returns, they can revive within a few hours.

SPEAKER: During cryptobiosis they produce a protein that protects their DNA.

SPEAKER: In 2016, scientists revived tardigrades that had remained in this state for over 30 years.

SPEAKER: An earlier claim suggested a 120-year-old tun was revived, though that experiment has never been repeated.

SPEAKER: Scientists are currently studying how long tardigrades might survive in space.

SPEAKER: The longest survival recorded so far is about 10 days.

SPEAKER: Tardigrades feed by consuming liquids.

SPEAKER: They suck fluids from moss and seaweed.

SPEAKER: Some species even prey on other tardigrades.

SPEAKER: Tardigrades have existed for approximately 500 million years.

SPEAKER: During that time they have survived five mass extinctions.

SPEAKER: Because they are so widespread, they have not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

SPEAKER: As a result, they are not listed as endangered.

SPEAKER: Many scientists describe tardigrades as a thriving species.

SPEAKER: Does anyone have any questions?

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Part 4. You now have one minute to check your answers to Part 4.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of the listening test. In the IELTS test, you would now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet.