Basic Listening - Unit 7

Unit 7. The news and media

In this unit, you will learn how to
1. Identify the attitudes and opinions of speakers through expressions and intonation
2. Recognise paraphrases of what speakers say
3. Understand the role of distractors when answering multiple-choice questions

By Long Bùi

Listen to three short discussions, each on a particular topic. In each discussion, another topic is also referred to. Choose the main topic in each discussion. ( audio 20 )

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Multiple Choice

Discussion 1

• A. sport

• B. politics

• C. economics

Multiple Choice

Discussion 2

• A. business

• B. science

• C. entertainment

Multiple Choice

Discussion 3

• A. technology

• B. sport

• C. business

Look at these topics and listen to Speakers 1-3. Identify who has the positive attitude, the negative and the neutral attitude. Write Speaker 1, Speaker 2 or Speaker 3. ( audio 21 )

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Match

Topic 1: Modern art

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Speaker 3

Speaker 2

Speaker 1

• Speaker 3

• Speaker 2

• Speaker 1

Match

Topic 2: Combating climate change

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Speaker 1

Speaker 2

Speaker 3

• Speaker 1

• Speaker 2

• Speaker 3

Multiple Choice

You will hear two media studies students, Maria and Simon, discussing three space expeditions in the news with their tutor, Dr Anita Thornton. They are deciding on a study topic. Listen and identify their final choice, A, B or C. ( audio 22 )

• A. Moon expedition

• B. Mars expedition

• C. Pluto expedition

During the discussion, each of the three speakers gives their opinions on the three possibilities. Listen to the first part of the discussion again and decide what each speaker says they prefer first for each suggestion: positive, negative or neutral. ( audio 22 )

Match

Simon

• Pluto expedition

• Mars expedition

• Moon expedition

Positive

Neutral

Neutral

• Positive

• Neutral

• Neutral

Match

Maria

• Pluto expedition

• Mars expedition

• Moon expedition

Positive

Positive

Negative

• Positive

• Positive

• Negative

Match

Dr Thornton

• Pluto expedition

• Mars expedition

• Moon expedition

Negative

Positive

Neutral

• Negative

• Positive

• Neutral

People often use expressions to show their attitude and opinions. Listen to six short conversations and choose Positive (A), Negative (B) or Neutral (C) for each attitude expressed by the second speaker. ( audio 23 )

Multiple Choice

1

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

2

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

3

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

4

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

5

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

6

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Listen to part of the conversation between Maria, Simon, and Dr Thornton and choose the correct answer A, B, or C. ( audio 24 )

Multiple Choice

Dr Thornton thinks studying the Mars expedition is a good idea because

• A. she thinks the mission will be successful.

• B. robots and machines will be used to start colony there.

• C. the students will have the chance to study it until it ends.

Listen to a conversation between Maria, Simon and Dr Thornton one month after the start of the project and read questions 1–3.
There are two options for each question: one correct answer and one distractor. For each question, choose the correct answer. ( audio 25 )

Multiple Choice

1. Alfonso has left the Mars project because

• A. he became ill while they were in Arizona.

• B. he had a problem unconnected to the project.

Multiple Choice

2. If someone leaves the Mars project, the rules say that

• A. a new person must take their place.

• B. no new people can join at a later date.

Multiple Choice

3. Simon agrees that

• A. only one person should look after the food production.

• B. more than one person should look after the food production.

Listen to the next conversation about the project and choose the answer, A, B or C, which correctly paraphrases the information in the recording. ( audio 26 )

Multiple Choice

One person has most probably been physically violent because

• A. they do not speak very much as a rule.

• B. they might have difficulty being in a closed space.

• C. they always disliked another participant.

Now listen to the next part of the conversation and choose the correct answer, A, B or C. ( audio 27 )

Multiple Choice

1. Dr Thornton’s main interest is in

• A. what kinds of people take part in projects like this.

• B. how she can be a psychology expert on the project.

• C. how people interact in long periods of isolation together.

Multiple Choice

2. Dr Thornton thinks it’s good that

• A. it took some time for the first serious conflict to take place.

• B. problems like these happen on this type of project.

• C. the project is not like a television series or soap opera.

Multiple Choice

3. Simon states that

• A. Joe could cause problems for the environment of the building if he stays.

• B. Joe successfully dealt with a serious environmental situation.

• C. they could solve any environmental problems if Joe left.

Exam skills

Listen to the final part of the conversation and choose the correct answer, A, B or C. ( audio 28 )

Multiple Choice

1. Simon is going to base his main study on

• A. why just over half of the participants stayed until the end of the project.

• B. how to make sure that people can survive on a real trip to Mars.

• C. how much the project was covered in the news media.

Multiple Choice

2. One surprising result of the project was that

• A. it was reported as a major news item.

• B. the participants were in danger of losing their lives.

• C. information from the project will be used in a new design.

Multiple Choice

3. One thing that Dr Thornton is interested in finding out about the people in the Mars project is

• A. why they had health problems.

• B. how they coped physically with living close together.

• C. how their physical well-being might develop in the future.

Multiple Choice

4. Maria intends to

• A. make a contribution to an important scientific publication.

• B. write about how well the participants performed while living in a small space.

• C. focus only on the psychological issues affecting the participants.

Multiple Choice

5. In the end, the total spent on the Mars project was

• A. just over the planned amount.

• B. twice the planned amount.

• C. just under the planned amount.

Multiple Choice

6. The person who would absolutely refuse to be a participant in a repeat project is

• A. Simon.

• B. Dr Thornton.

• C. Maria.

Travel and transport

In this unit, you will learn how to
1. Identify the main subject of conversations
2. Identify the functions that speakers use
3. Match questions and options (e.g. solutions to advantages/disadvantages)

By Long Bùi

Match

Some people are talking about transport problems. What is the problem in each case?

Listen to five conversations and choose from the list, A–E. ( audio 30 )

• A – A method of travel

• B – A travel plan

• C – Using the bicycle or car

• D – The bus service

• E – The next train

Conversation 5

Conversation 3

Conversation 4

Conversation 1

Conversation 2

• Conversation 5

• Conversation 3

• Conversation 4

• Conversation 1

• Conversation 2

Match

Listen again and identify the type of function that the speakers use in each conversation. Choose from the list, F–J. ( audio 30 )

• F – Expressing doubt

• G – Persuading

• H – Complaining

• I – Proposing

• J – Enquiring

Conversation 5

Conversation 4

Conversation 1

Conversation 3

Conversation 2

• Conversation 5

• Conversation 4

• Conversation 1

• Conversation 3

• Conversation 2

Matching questions

In the exam, the questions follow the order of information in the recording. The answer to each question is the letter that appears next to the correct option in the box.

Multiple Choice

You will hear two students working on a university project.
They are talking about a transport problem. What is the problem?
Choose from the list, A–D. ( audio 31 )

• A. The number of road accidents in the town has risen.

• B. There are not enough buses and they are too crowded.

• C. There is too much traffic in the town centre.

• D. The train service into the town has been losing money and may close.

Drag and Drop

The students are discussing the details of the problem.
Listen to the conversation and match each place, A–C, with the correct location, 1–4. ( audio 32 )

A. Town Hall -

Placeholder

B. Starview Cinema -

Placeholder

C. Arts Centre -

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Location 2: By the main roundabout

Location 3: At the shopping centre

Location 1: At the junction of East Road

Location 4: By Central Park

Match

Now the students are discussing possible solutions to the traffic problem and possible disadvantages to each.
Match the disadvantages, A–D, with the solutions, 1–4. ( audio 33 )

• A. It will cause problems with deliveries for businesses.

• B. It will move traffic into residential areas.

• C. It will cost too much.

• D. People won’t use it much.

3 Pedestrian area and one-way system

1 Bus and cycle-only lanes

4 Tram transport system

2 Park and ride

• 3 Pedestrian area and one-way system

• 1 Bus and cycle-only lanes

• 4 Tram transport system

• 2 Park and ride

Listen to the students’ discussion about costs. Match the costs, A–F, with the solutions, 1–4.
There are TWO more costs than you need. ( audio 34 )

Dropdown

Tram transport system​​

Select answer

Bus and cycle-only lanes​

Select answer

Park and ride​

Select answer

Pedestrian area and one-way system​

Select answer

Match

Listen to the discussion of the likely benefits of each proposal.
Match the proposals, A–D, with the benefits, 1–5.
There are fewer proposals (A–D) than benefits (1–5), so letters may be used more than once. ( audio 35 )

• 1 Better public transport

• 2 More visitors

• 3 Better health

• 4 Less pollution and congestion

• 5 Greater safety

D. Tram transport system

C. Pedestrian area and one-way system

B. Bus and cycle-only routes

A. Park and ride

C. Pedestrian area and one-way system

• D. Tram transport system

• C. Pedestrian area and one-way system

• B. Bus and cycle-only routes

• A. Park and ride

• C. Pedestrian area and one-way system

Sophie and Robert used functions A–G.
Listen to extracts from their conversations and write the function used in each.
There is one more function than you need. ( audio 36 )

Multiple Choice

Extract 1

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• B. Approving / accepting

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Multiple Choice

Extract 2

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• B. Approving / accepting

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Multiple Choice

Extract 3

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• B. Approving / accepting

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Multiple Choice

Extract 4

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• B. Approving / accepting

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Multiple Choice

Extract 5

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• F. Persuading

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Multiple Choice

Extract 6

• C. Expressing doubt / reservations

• F. Persuading

• A. Proposing / suggesting

• E. Disagreeing

• G. Correcting

Exam skills

Listen to Jane and Bill, who are discussing the results of a survey about changes to their town, Ashtown, over the last 25 years, and choose the correct answer, A, B or C. ( audio 37 )

Multiple Choice

1 In Bill’s opinion, why are there fewer buses in Ashtown?

• A. The buses are old and uncomfortable.

• B. Fares have gone up too much.

• C. There are not so many routes.

Multiple Choice

2 What change does Bill think has benefited the town centre the most?

• A. The construction of a bypass

• B. The development of cycle paths

• C. The banning of cars from certain areas

Multiple Choice

3 Which area does Bill think most people are employed in?

• A. Manufacturing

• B. Services

• C. Education

What changes have been made to the facilities?
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to facilities 4–8.

Multiple Choice

4. Railway station car park

• A. It has moved to a new location

• B. It is now used for a different purpose

• F. It has been sold to a different organisation

• C. It uses more technology than in the past

• G. It has been expanded

Multiple Choice

5. Cinema

• A. It has moved to a new location

• B. It is now used for a different purpose

• F. It has been sold to a different organisation

• C. It uses more technology than in the past

• G. It has been expanded

Multiple Choice

6. Indoor market

• A. It has moved to a new location

• B. It is now used for a different purpose

• F. It has been sold to a different organisation

• C. It uses more technology than in the past

• G. It has been expanded

Multiple Choice

7. Library

• A. It has moved to a new location

• D. It has been closed down

• E. It is less popular than it used to be

• C. It uses more technology than in the past

• G. It has been expanded

Multiple Choice

8. Art college

• B. It is now used for a different purpose

• D. It has been closed down

• E. It is less popular than it used to be

• C. It uses more technology than in the past

• G. It has been expanded

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