Collins IELTS 3 Listening Test 1

Part 1 — Booking a painting weekend

Teresa: Well, Michael, have you had any thoughts about what we can get Dad for his birthday? Michael: Yes, lots, but I haven't come up with anything I think he'd like. He's so difficult to buy for! And there are so many big days this year: Mum's fiftieth in September, their thirtieth anniversary at the end of the year, then there's December ... Teresa: Well, I've come up with an idea for Dad's sixtieth. I've got it here on the laptop. It's a weekend break learning painting techniques. There's a workshop at that posh country house in Swansfield. It'd be ideal for Dad. It's aimed at amateur artists who want to improve their painting technique. It's a bit expensive but we'll share the cost and after all, it's a big birthday, isn't it? He deserves something special. Michael: That would be perfect for him. He's really got the painting bug lately, hasn't he? So, what's it like? Teresa: It takes place over two and a half days, from Friday to Sunday evening so Dad would spend two nights there. There's a workshop on the Friday evening and a guest speaker on Saturday night. On Saturday and Sunday, they spend the day painting in these gorgeous surroundings. It's so picturesque around there and they'll have some great scenes to paint. Michael: That sounds fantastic. Teresa: Apparently, the food is excellent, and it's full board so meals are provided, and they've got a special offer at the moment. It's usually £380 for the weekend but I've got a discount code so we can get it for £330. Michael: OK, let's go for it. Can we book online? Teresa: Yes, look, I've got the booking form open here. Michael: Pass me the laptop and I'll pay with my credit card. You can pay me back your share later. Name, John Meacher. Address, 56 Spring Road, Blandfield. Postcode ... What's the postcode? I can never remember it. Teresa: Nor can I, but hang on. I've got it here on my phone. Let's see ... it's BO7 6QT. Michael: OK. So, that's his details. Now there are some options. They have four different courses here: watercolour, mixed media - whatever that is, oil painting and pen and ink. What do you think Dad would like best? Teresa: Watercolour. Yes, definitely watercolour. Mum says he's been doing a lot of that lately and he really enjoys it. Michael: They've got a list of dates here. We need the August dates, don't we? The 14th to the 16th, then the 17th of July to the 19th - that's too soon, and also the 11th of September to the 13th - that's too late. Teresa: Yes, it'll have to be August. That's the weekend closest to his birthday and besides, there's too much going on later in the year. Michael: There's a question here: How would you describe your level? I wouldn't describe Dad as a beginner, would you? Shall we say intermediate? Teresa: Yes, put that. Mum says he's been painting for months now and some of his stuff's quite good. Hopefully, he'll be advanced after this course! Is that everything? Michael: Just one more thing. There's a bit here on dietary requirements. I know he and Mum have been experimenting with going vegetarian but I think Mum's keener than he is, so he might appreciate some meat on his plate, don't you think? Teresa: Yes, good idea. But remember, he's not fond of fish so if there's a place to put that on the form ... Michael: Done that. Now, you said you had a discount code. What is it? Teresa: Yes, it's CYP20. Michael: Great, that's it. I'll add my details and pay. I think this'll make a great present. Teresa: I'm sure it will.

Part 2 — Traffic re-routing on the High Street

Presenter: So, now on to local news, and first up, something that's been causing quite a stir ever since it was announced. Yes, I'm talking about the planned re-routing of traffic around the shopping centre on the High Street. Judging by some of the emails we've received, there seems to be a great deal of confusion as well as controversy about what's actually going to happen so let me start with an explanation. The aim of the project is to tackle traffic congestion along the High Street, which, as we all know, can be terrible during rush hour. The project will run over two stages. To begin with, there'll be a trial period, a pilot project, if you like. If the changes prove to be successful, stage two will be rolled out, and this will probably involve making any necessary adjustments and ironing out any problems. The first stage will run from the 1st of June through to the 31st of July, with the second stage continuing on through to the 30th of September. This will allow two months for the council to reflect on feedback from local residents and shopkeepers before stage two begins. The council are inviting you the public to email them with your feedback. I had a look at the council's website before the show and there doesn't seem to be a dedicated telephone number for those of you without internet access, but we'll keep you posted if this changes. There's a view that the traffic problem is partly caused by vehicles entering the High Street from side roads and that if access to the High Street was limited, there would be a lot less interference with the flow of traffic. This is going to mean making some roads one-way only, and one or two other roads will be restricted to pedestrians so cars and lorries will no longer be able to use them. Another major cause of congestion, according to the council, is the parking of cars and delivery vehicles outside shops. In order to maintain the flow of traffic, parking will be banned along the High Street. This all means that access to the High Street from certain side roads will be blocked. At the north end by the railway station, drivers will be able to join the High Street from Malvern Road, which will remain unchanged, with two-way traffic. Lincoln Road will be made one-way and be open only to emergency services, which require access to the hospital. Motorists will no longer be able to use Hazelhurst Road, which will be pedestrianised, though delivery drivers will be given access to the cafes and restaurants. Elmdon Avenue, which is currently two-way, will be made one-way, and vehicles will be able to use it to join the High Street. There was talk of closing Botteville Road completely and making it for pedestrians only but this idea has been shelved until feedback has been received. As I mentioned earlier, the plan to re-route traffic hasn't gone down well with all members of the community. Parents have been concerned about cars speeding along back streets for some time and welcome the idea of keeping vehicles on the High Street and off the side roads. Cyclists, on the other hand, are concerned that cycle lanes don't appear on any of the new plans and are worried that those lanes that currently exist will be scrapped. There have also been questions raised by the emergency services as to whether their vehicles would be affected by these changes but they're generally very supportive of the proposals. However, local shopkeepers along the High Street are far from happy about the changes. As we've discussed on previous programmes, those on streets planned for pedestrianisation are looking forward to the changes. Those on the High Street are wondering how they'll get supplies and goods delivered if delivery vehicles can't park outside their premises. In fact, there seems to be a feeling amongst local residents that there's been far too little consultation about these changes. Hopefully, your feedback will inform the plans for stage two.

Part 3 — Time management tutorial

Counsellor: Hiya, Stephen. It's been a while since I last saw you. How are you getting on? Stephen: Not too bad. Thanks for your help last time. I managed to speak to my tutor as you suggested and solved the problem with timetable clashes. And I also went to see the accommodation officer. She was great and she helped me a lot with the problems I was having with our landlord. Counsellor: That's good to hear. Well done you for getting things sorted out. So, why did you need to see me? Stephen: Well, I need some advice to help me manage my time better. I've been here for six months now and my friends are having no problem getting down to work and finishing assignments. But I always seem to leave things to the last minute. I try not to do that but it's the same every time. I end up only just being able to get essays in on time. It's really stressing me out. Counsellor: Well, that is a problem, but don't be too hard on yourself. A lot of the students I see struggle with time in the same way. Especially students who've come straight from school and are used to having everything organised for them by their teachers. Now, why don't you tell me about a typical day? Maybe we'll be able to identify any habits you have that aren't helping. Then we can see how you can change those habits. Stephen: Well, during the first few weeks at uni, I was going out every night till late, getting to know people and making new friends. But I'm not doing that too often now. I don't want to spend all my money - that would be another problem! Apart from one or two evenings a week, I tend to be on my own in my room so it's not as if I don't have enough time to study and do my work. But I find it difficult to prioritise and I end up doing nothing at all. That's why it's always a bit of a panic with assignment deadlines. I leave things till the last minute and it's always a rush. And lately, the books and materials I need are never in the library because they've all been taken by other students. Counsellor: OK, well, look. We've got lots of help sheets here to deal with issues like this. Personally, I think it's best to deal with problems one step at a time rather than setting too many challenges. Let's focus on time management. Do you have one of those big wall calendars? You know, the huge poster calendars with all the days, months, etc. on them? Stephen: No, but I've seen them on sale in the student shop so I should be able to get one. Counsellor: Good. While you're there, buy yourself a diary as well, a big one, so you have plenty of space to write in it. Stephen: OK, so what do I do when I have them? Counsellor: Well, you tell me. How do you think the calendar might come in useful? Stephen: I could use that to put in term dates, assignment deadlines, the dates of any presentations I've got to give, that kind of thing. Counsellor: That's it. A calendar is perfect for giving you an overview of the year ahead so you won't forget key dates and what you might need to be thinking about longer term. Now, what about the diary? Stephen: I don't know, really. I could put in things I have to do each day. If it's one page per day, I could write down how I'm feeling. That kind of thing. Counsellor: I think it's best to use it to structure the week. Sit down with it on a Sunday evening and start with all the things you have to do that week. For example, you might write: Wednesday, lecture, nine to eleven; Thursday, seminar, twelve o'clock; Friday, first draft of essay'. Do you see what I mean? That'll give you an overview of the week ahead. Stephen: Yes, I can see how that would help. I tend to keep information like that in my head so it's not surprising things get forgotten. Counsellor: OK, but you should also write a to-do list. Before you go to bed every night, have a look through the diary for the rest of the week and write a list of things you could try to do the next day to help you with some of those tasks. Don't be over-ambitious and try to do too much. Prioritise what's important and think about what can wait until the following day or later in the week. Stephen: Yes, I like that idea. It'll be a good reminder. I just need to decide what things are more important than others. Counsellor: Well, you'll get better with practice, and doing this will also give you the sense that you're in control of your life and your studies. Stephen: OK, so let me make sure I've got this. I start with the big picture, the calendar for what's ahead over the weeks and months, then plan my week with the diary, and finally decide what I need to do each day. Counsellor: Exactly. Do you think you can manage that? Stephen: Hopefully, yes. It seems pretty straightforward. Thanks for your help.

Part 4 — Neuroplasticity

Lecturer: Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to look at a topic that you'll no doubt have read about on your favourite self-help or psychology blogs and websites, and that topic is neuroplasticity. It's an issue that's caught the attention of psychologists as it opens up the possibility of treating patients in ways that we might once have thought were impossible. Neuroplasticity refers to the way the brain is able to adapt over the course of our lives as a result of our experiences and interactions with our environment. The opinion held years ago was that the brain was an organ that grew and developed until adulthood, at which point it stopped generating new cells, and the way it worked or operated became fixed. So, for example, if someone suffered a brain injury of some kind, scientists believed the damage was permanent and the most anyone could hope for was to limit the damage to the brain and prevent more damage from taking place. However, more recently scientists have proved that our brains aren't hard-wired like a computer at adulthood, and that the neurons - the cells in our brain - can re-organise. For example, if we learn a new skill like playing the guitar, new connections are created between neurons. As we go through life, we're effectively re-wiring our brains. People who can see receive information about the world from their eyes. This information is sent via the optic nerve to the part of the brain called the visual cortex. In blind people, the visual cortex doesn't get any information from the eyes, but one scientist, Paul Bach-y-Rita, thought the brains of blind people might be able to get this information from another part of their body, their skin. In a number of experiments, he used various techniques to stimulate the skin on their backs. Amazingly, the blind people began to say they experienced 'seeing'. Later, brain scans showed that the information the brain was getting from the skin was being processed in the visual cortex. It seems their brains had formed new connections between neurons in a way nobody would have believed possible in the past. Another example that's often quoted is a study carried out on cabbies - the drivers of London's famous black taxis. To pass the tests to become a London cabbie, people must spend years learning all the roads and possible routes around the city. Scientists discovered that the area of the brain responsible for memorising all this actually became larger. Interestingly, it became larger than that of London bus drivers, who don't have to memorise the same information but simply follow the same route. It seems that certain activities can promote neuroplasticity. When we travel, our brains are stimulated by new experiences, and new connections between neurons are triggered. Connectivity can also be enhanced through memory training activities, which can certainly help people as they get older. And whether you are left- or right-handed, doing exercises using the other hand can, over time, have a similar effect. Even the simple act of reading fiction is said to be beneficial. It's not surprising to learn that the phenomenon of neuroplasticity is regarded as having the potential for miracle cures for people who are struggling with physical and mental problems. It's natural that our hopes are raised when we hear of people recovering from serious brain injuries or stories about how we can alter undesirable personality traits. The idea that negative thinkers can develop a more positive outlook, that we can change our personalities as a consequence of our 'plastic brain' and do or be whatever we want to is very appealing. However, there are several reasons why we should be cautious and maintain a realistic view of what's possible. As psychologists, we need to question some of the claims being made about neuroplasticity. Such changes as have been observed don't come about without a great deal of effort. For example, people who have lost the use of an arm following a brain injury would need to do specific physical exercises thousands of times for the brain to make new neural connections, and even then, there's no guarantee of success. And research showing that activities like learning a second language have an effect on neural connections is very interesting. But I don't think this supports the idea that the phenomenon of neuroplasticity can be used in a wonder treatment for people with physical or mental ailments. I'd argue that just like the patient learning to regain the use of an arm, such achievements require a tremendous amount of effort. They aren't something that can be achieved overnight. Neither can we ignore the effect of age. What's possible for a younger person might not be achievable for an older one. And then there's the effect of our genes and how these might limit the degree of plasticity our brains are capable of. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating area of science for anyone interested in psychology and one that I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about during your studies and later on in your professional lives.