...:
You will hear Lara and Tommy, two students, talking about their book club.
...:
First, you'll have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
...:
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
LARA:
Hi Tommy, I haven't seen you for ages.
TOMMY:
Oh hi Lara, I'm great.
TOMMY:
I've just joined a local book club that meets every Wednesday and I'm really enjoying it.
TOMMY:
Next week we're discussing the novels of Charles Dickens.
TOMMY:
I'm really looking forward to it as he's my favourite author.
LARA:
His novels are wonderful.
LARA:
I attended Dickens' book club too.
LARA:
Would you like to do a practice session with me in preparation for your meeting?
TOMMY:
Sure, that sounds great.
TOMMY:
Let's start by discussing the main characters in David Copperfield and the ways in which they're affected by the events of the story as it develops.
TOMMY:
What do you think of Rosie?
LARA:
I think that she's a really sweet character in the beginning but as the story progresses she becomes bitter because of how her relationships had turned out in the past.
TOMMY:
Her sisters all marry and live happily ever after but she ends up alone.
TOMMY:
It is very interesting to see how deeply the change in her personality affects her relationships.
LARA:
What is your opinion of Flory?
TOMMY:
I find her very manipulative.
TOMMY:
She seems intent on seeking attention so whenever she wants something from her family members she persistently acts in a very silly manner, just like a kid.
TOMMY:
Unfortunately, many people do not realise this and so they give her the attention that she's seeking which only encourages her to continue behaving this way.
LARA:
Yes, Flory is the complete opposite of Lizzie.
LARA:
Lizzie is very sensitive and she has a true perceptiveness into how people are feeling and how they behave which enables her to act appropriately towards them.
LARA:
She is very kind and generous and cares about how people feel.
TOMMY:
That's true and I really like her character too.
TOMMY:
My least favourite character is Estelle because she acts so selfishly and gets enjoyment from making others suffer.
TOMMY:
Unfortunately, there are many people like her in the world who intend to make others feel like this.
LARA:
It's interesting how you can associate so many of the characters with people that you know in real life.
LARA:
I think that the reason why Dickens is so good at creating deep and believable characters is because he understands human mentality.
...:
Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you'll have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
...:
Now, listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
TOMMY:
What do you think of the literature lectures?
LARA:
I really look forward to them.
LARA:
They're the highlight of my week.
LARA:
The lecturer is usually late but that gives you time to settle down and get organised before the lecture begins.
TOMMY:
Do you have a discussion period at the end?
LARA:
No, I don't think so.
LARA:
We're meant to but since the lectures often begin late, this means that there is no time left for a conversation about the lecture.
LARA:
I think this is a real shame because it really helps you to gain a good understanding of the when you hear other people's opinion of it.
LARA:
What about your lectures?
TOMMY:
My lecturers have very good organisation skills so their lectures are well organised and packed full of information.
TOMMY:
They always leave enough time at the end for consideration when everyone is really quiet and we reflect on the lecture in our own minds before we open up for discussion.
TOMMY:
This really helps you to gather your thoughts and absorb the information from the lecture.
LARA:
Oh, that sounds brilliant.
TOMMY:
Do you think there is anything that needs to be improved?
LARA:
My experience of the course overall is really brilliant but I feel there are many improvements that could be made to it.
LARA:
The IT support staff are great but there are just not enough computers available for the numbers of people that need to use them.
LARA:
Every time that I need to use a computer, I have to queue up for at least 15 minutes.
TOMMY:
I find that the librarians are really helpful and approachable.
TOMMY:
However, the equipment is just not good enough.
TOMMY:
Whenever I need to use the photocopying facilities for example, most of the machines are really old and slow which means that you have to wait for ages for them to work.
TOMMY:
It's really frustrating because I'm often stretched for time.
LARA:
Perhaps we should start a petition to encourage the university to improve their facilities.
LARA:
What do you think of the group discussions?
TOMMY:
I really enjoy them.
TOMMY:
Since the class groups are so small, everyone gets to have their say and contribute thoughts to the conversation.
TOMMY:
So the classes are really effective.
TOMMY:
The only issue is that it's very difficult to find an opportunity to meet up since everyone has such busy schedules.
LARA:
In our class we pass around a ball and only the person holding the ball is allowed to speak.
LARA:
Each person is only allowed to speak for a minute at a time which helps us to make sure that we use the class time fairly and it also makes the discussion more fun.
TOMMY:
It's been really great catching up with you.
TOMMY:
Thanks for your help.
LARA:
Good luck at your class.
