Shadowing Practice: IELTS Listening Test: Accommodation Form: Rental Properties - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Recording 59 You will hear a phone conversation between an estate agent and a woman wishing to rent accommodation.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 10.
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Thank you.
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Fairfield Rentals, Andrew Williams.
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How can I help you?
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Oh, hello.
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I'm calling from the UK.
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My family are moving to Canada early next year,
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and we're hoping to find somewhere to rent in Fairfield for the first six months while we settle in.
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Right, I see.
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Well, let's get your details.
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Yes, my name's Jane Ryder.
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OK, Jane.
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And can I have a phone number?
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The best number to get you on.
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Well, that'd probably be our home number.
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So 0044 for the UK, and then it's 2086132978.
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All right.
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And an email address, please, so we can send you out all the information and forms.
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I think it's best if I give you my husband's email.
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He's sitting in front of a computer all day
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so he can print stuff off and get it back to you sooner than I could.
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It's richard at visiontech.co.uk I'll just spell the company name for you.
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That's V-I-S-I-O-N-T-E-C-H Great.
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And we have a question here about occupation.
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Richard's an IT specialist for an advertising company.
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They're transferring him to their Fairfield branch.
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Actually, just your job for now, thanks.
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Me?
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I'm a doctor at the hospital in our town.
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OK, I'll put that down.
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Now, what kind of accommodation are you looking for?
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House?
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Apartment?
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An apartment, probably, as long as it has two bedrooms.
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There'll be me, my husband, and our ten-year-old son.
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And so with an apartment, you're less likely to get a garden.
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That's okay.
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But what about a garage?
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Is that something you'll want the apartment to have?
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Yes, that's definitely important.
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Okay, just a moment.
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I'll just make a note of that.
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But, uh, before we go on, I should probably say now that what we don't need is any furniture,
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because we'll be shipping all that over, and I don't really want to pay for storage while we're waiting to buy a house.
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Not a problem.
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I'll make a note of that.
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Actually, though, just thinking about the kitchen, what can I expect from a rental property?
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I mean, what kind of equipment is provided?
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Well, the normal thing is that you get a stove.
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I think that's a cooker in British English.
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OK, good to know.
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But how about a fridge?
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We'll be selling ours before we come, so if possible, we'd like the apartment to have one for when we arrive.
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I can certainly add that to the form.
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If there's any other whiteware that you need, like a dishwasher for example,
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there are plenty of stores here that'll arrange delivery on the same day as purchase.
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Thanks.
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Hopefully we won't need to buy too many things.
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Now, how about location?
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Have you done any research into the Fairfield area?
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Not that much so far.
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Well, you mentioned you have a boy.
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I imagine you'd like to be fairly close to a school.
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Good idea.
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That would help.
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What's public transport like in Fairfield?
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Is it easy to get around?
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The bus service is pretty comprehensive.
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There are plenty of local routes, services into the city and out of town.
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OK.
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And for a two-bedroom apartment, what sort of rent should we expect to pay?
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Well, looking at the properties we have at the moment, prices start from around $730 per month and,
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depending on the area, can go up to $1,200.
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That's too much.
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Something halfway would be better.
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So, would your limit be, say, $950? dollars?
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I'd say so, yes.
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Can I ask if you smoke or if you have any pets?
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No to both questions, but I do have one more request, please.
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Yes?
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Well, I've also been offered a job at Victoria General Hospital, and I suspect I'll be working nights occasionally,
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so what I really need from any apartment is for it to be quiet, so I can catch up on sleep if necessary during the day.
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Congratulations on the job offer.
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I'll add your request to the form.
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Well, what I'll do is compile a list of suitable properties for you and send them via email.
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Um, can I just ask, how did you hear about us?
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Obviously not from our commercials, if you're living in the UK.
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Actually, it was a friend of ours.
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He spent a few months in Fairfield a couple of years ago, and he pointed us in the direction of your website.
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Well, it's good to be recommended.
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So, what I'll do is...
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That is the end of Section 1.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to section 2.
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Recording 60 You will hear a police officer giving advice on protection against local crime.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 15.
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Well, good afternoon.
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I'm Constable James MacDonald, and as you may know, I'm the community police officer for the local area.
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That means that, as part of my job, I try to get out in the community as much as possible, talk to the people that live in this neighbourhood,
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people like yourselves, and make sure there's an effective level of communication between the public and the police, hence the reason for this meeting.
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There have been several burglaries in the area in the last few weeks, and I'd like to talk about ways you can keep your home and property safe.
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So I'd suggest that a good way to start is by talking to your neighbours and exchanging contact details with them.
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This will allow you to get in touch immediately if there's anything suspicious happening next door.
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Then make sure you have a good discussion about the best course of action to take in case of emergency.
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Make sure everyone is clear about what to do and who to call.
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If you plan ahead, this will prevent uncertainty and even panic should anything happen later.
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Another thing that I would advise you to do is always leave your radio playing, even when you go out.
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and if you keep your curtains closed, burglars are less likely to try and break in because they can't be sure whether someone's home or not.
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Now, none of us want to be in the situation where we can't get into our own home,
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but do take time to think where the best and safest place is to leave your spare keys.
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Putting them under the doormat or anywhere near the front door is just asking for trouble.
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You'd be surprised how many people actually do this, and it makes life really easy for burglars.
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All these things will help keep your community safe and will cost you nothing.
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However, if you are going to spend some money,
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what I'd recommend more than anything else is that you invest in some well-made window locks for your house.
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This will give you peace of mind.
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Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you will have some time to look at the questions 16 to 20.
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Now listen and answer questions 16 to 20.
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Okay, moving on.
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Unfortunately, there's been an increase in the number of minor crimes and antisocial behaviour in the general area,
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and I want to talk about some specific prevention measures that are being proposed.
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First of all, the skate park.
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As you probably know, it's well used by younger people in our community,
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but unfortunately we're getting more and more reports of broken glass, making it especially dangerous for younger children.
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One possible solution here is to get rid of some of the trees and bushes around the park, making it more visible to passers-by and vehicles.
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If the vandals know they're being watched, this might act as a deterrent.
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As you will have heard, a couple of local primary schools have also been vandalised recently, despite the presence of security guards.
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The schools don't have the funds for video surveillance,
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so we need people in the neighbourhood to call their nearest police station and report any suspicious activity immediately.
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Please don't hesitate to do this.
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I expect most of you are familiar with the problems facing Abbotsford Street.
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It seems that no amount of warning signs or speed cameras will slow speeding drivers down.
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I'm happy to say, however, that the council have agreed to begin work over the next few months to put in a new roundabout.
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What else?
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Oh yes, the newsagent and the gift shop on Victoria Street were both broken into last week,
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and although no money was taken, the properties have suffered some serious damage.
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Access was gained to these shops through the small alleyway at the back of the properties.
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It's dark, and as you can imagine, no one saw the thief or thieves in action.
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So we've been advising shop owners along there about what kind of video recording equipment they can have put in.
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We'll then be able to get evidence of any criminal activity on film.
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The supermarket car park is also on our list of problem areas.
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We've talked to the supermarket managers and council authorities,
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and we've advised them to get graffiti cleaned off immediately and get the smashed lights replaced.
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If you don't deal with this sort of thing at once, there's a strong possibility that the activity will increase and spread.
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And then it becomes...
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That is the end of section 2.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Recording 61.
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Hi Mike, how's it going?
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Actually, I was up last night with an assignment, so yeah, I'm tired, but I guess we'd better sort this presentation out.
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Well, we've done enough background reading,
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but I think we need to organise exactly what we're going to say about biofuels during the presentation, and the order.
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I thought we could start by asking our audience what car engines were first designed to run on, fossil fuels or biofuels.
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Nice idea.
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Yes, when most people think about cars and fuel, they think about all the carbon dioxide that's produced,
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but they don't realise that that wasn't always the case.
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You're probably right.
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The earliest car engines ran on fuel made from corn and peanut oil, didn't they?
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Yes.
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The manufacturers used the corn and peanut oil and turned them into a kind of very pure alcohol.
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You mean ethanol?
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Yes.
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In fact, most biofuels are still based on ethanol.
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Actually, I've got some notes here about the process of turning plant matter into ethanol,
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the chemical reactions and the fermentation stages, and...
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It's interesting.
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The other students would appreciate it, but different biofuels use different processes,
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and if we give a general description, There's a risk we'll get it wrong and then the tutor might mark us down.
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I'd rather we focus on the environmental issues.
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Fair enough.
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So, um, the main plants that are used for biofuel production now are sugarcane, corn... And canola.
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Of all of them, canola is probably the least harmful because machines that use it don't produce as much carbon monoxide.
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Sugarcane seems to be controversial.
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It doesn't require as much fertiliser as corn does to grow, but when they burn the sugarcane fields,
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that releases loads of greenhouse gases.
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Yes, but some critics have suggested
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that the production of corn ethanol uses up more fossil fuel energy than the biofuel energy it eventually produces.
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For that reason, I'd say it was more harmful to the environment.
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I see what you mean.
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You're probably right.
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It's interesting how everyone saw the biofuel industry as the answer to our energy problems,
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but in some ways biofuels have created new problems.
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Well, in the USA, I wouldn't say that farmers are having problems.
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The biofuel industry for them has turned out to be really profitable.
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I think though that even in the USA, ethanol is still only used as an additive to gasoline or petrol.
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The problem is that it still has to be transported by trucks
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or rail because they haven't built any pipelines to move it.
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they do it'll be cheaper and the industry might move forward.
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That'll have to happen one day.
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At least the government are in favour of biofuel development.
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Yes, but Brazil's probably in the lead as far as biofuels are concerned.
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They've got to the point where they don't need to import any oil now.
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Which is great and the industry in Brazil employs a huge number of people but is it sustainable?
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I mean, as the population grows and there are more vehicles on the roads
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and there's more machinery surely they can't depend
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so much on sugar cane at some point there has to
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be a limit on how much land can be used for sugar cane production certainly
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if you want to preserve natural habitats and native wildlife I think that whatever problems Brazil's facing now Well,
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the same will be true for any country.
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You have to weigh up the pros and cons.
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Well, we probably won't see an increase in biofuel use.
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I mean, they won't replace fossil fuels until we can find ways to produce them cheaply
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and quickly and with less cost to the environment.
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Making sure they require minimal energy to produce.
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Exactly.
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And in a way, that means they have to cost less than fossil fuels, certainly when you're filling up your car.
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Yes, and whatever other kind of engines use fossil fuels at the moment.
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Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.
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Alright, so in the last section of the presentation, what problems are we focusing on?
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Well, we've already had a look at different types of pollution in the first section, so we can leave that out.
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But the biggest issue related to biofuels is
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that land is now being used to grow biofuel crops and that's contributing to global hunger.
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Indeed.
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It doesn't seem right we're using corn to run cars when people can't afford to buy it to eat.
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Yes, let's talk about that.
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The other thing is that in some countries the way
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that biofuel crops are grown and harvested still produces a great deal of pollution, really damaging to the atmosphere.
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Okay, that's definitely an issue we should look at.
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Let's not finish on a negative note though.
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Why don't we talk about the potential new sources of biofuel.
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So rather than corn and sugarcane, what other plants could be used?
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Good.
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Some companies are exploring the possibility of using wood and seeing how that can be used to make ethanol.
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Yes, and algae is another possibility.
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You can grow it in any water and it absorbs pollutants too.
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I read that. And grasses.
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They're another plant that researchers are investigating as a biofuel.
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And these kind of plants aren't used as food, which is why...
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That is the end of section 3.
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You now have half a minute to check your answers.
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Now turn to section 4.
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Recording 62.
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You will hear a lecture about how technology affects human interaction.
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First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.
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Thank you.
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Good morning.
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Today, we're thinking about the way that technology is influencing our social structures and the way we interact with one another.
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Humans, as we know, have always lived in groups.
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Without this arrangement, our species would have died out long ago.
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But now, the way we see and define our group is changing.
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I'd like to start by mentioning the research of American sociologist Mark Granovetter in 1973.
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It was Granovetter who first coined the term weak ties, which he used to refer to people's loose acquaintances,
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in other words, friends of friends.
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his research showed that weak ties had a significant effect on the behavior
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and choices of populations and this influence was something highly important in the fields of information science
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and politics and as you can imagine marketing also
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so these friends of friends people we might spend time with at social or work gatherings might not be like us
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but they can still have a positive influence because we share the same sort of interests.
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That's enough to make a connection, and this connection can turn out to be more beneficial than we might suspect.
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An example of this, an example of how the connection can influence us,
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is when our weak ties get in touch and pass on details about jobs they think might be suitable for us.
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Well, since Granovetter first came up with this theory, his work has been cited in over 19,000 papers.
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Some of these studies have looked at how weak tie networks are useful to us in other ways,
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and one thing that seems to improve as a result of weak tie influence is our health.
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Today, our number of weak-tie acquaintances has exploded due to the Internet, to the phenomenon of online social networking.
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This is still a relatively new way of communication, something that has a huge amount of potential,
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but also, as with any invention, it brings with it a new set of problems.
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Let's start with the benefits.
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Without question, online social networking allows us to pass on the latest news,
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to be up-to-date with local and global events,
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and for many, this information comes from sources more trustworthy than local media.
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So this is one clear point in favor of online social networking.
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I know
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that it's also being used by students as a means of increasing their chances of success in the way that
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IELTS Listening Test: Accommodation Form: Rental Properties”. This video has 272 sentences and 2947 words to shadow. The speech runs for 31:00. The speaker talks slowly, about 95 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| biofuel noun | /ˈbaɪ.əʊˌfjʊ(.ə)l/ | Any fuel that is obtained from a renewable biological resource, especially from biomass. |
| corn noun | /ˈkɔːn/ | Any cereal plant (or its grain) that is the main crop or staple of a country or region. |
| ethanol noun | /ˈɛθ.ə.nɑl/ | A simple aliphatic alcohol formally derived from ethane by replacing one hydrogen atom with a hydroxyl group: CH₃-CH₂-OH. |
| fossil noun | /ˈfɑsl̩/ | The mineralized remains of an animal or plant. |
| burglar noun | /ˈbɝɡlɚ/ | A person who breaks in to premises with the intent of committing a crime, usually theft. |
| canola noun | /kəˈnoʊlə/ | Any of a number of cultivars of rapeseed (Brassica napus) and closely related field mustard (Brassica rapa), which have a lower erucic acid and glucosinolate… |
| acquaintance noun | /ʌˈkweɪn.təns/ | A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship… |
| cane noun | /keɪn/ | The slender, flexible main stem of a plant such as bamboo, including many species in the grass family Gramineae. |
| supermarket noun | /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/ | A large self-service store that sells groceries and, usually, medications, household goods, and/or clothing. |
| thief noun | /ˈθiːf/ | One who carries out a theft. |
| peanut noun | /ˈpiˌnʌt/ | A legume resembling a nut, the fruit of the plant Arachis hypogaea, native to South America. |
| neighbourhood noun | /ˈneɪbə.hʊd/ | British standard spelling of neighborhood. |
| harmful adjective | /ˈhɑɹmfl̩/ | Causing or likely to cause harm or damage; injurious. |
| accommodation noun | /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/ | Lodging in a dwelling or similar living quarters afforded to travellers in hotels or on cruise ships, or students, etc. |
| suspicious adjective | /səˈspɪʃ.əs/ | Arousing suspicion. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| clean off verb | To remove (something) by cleaning; to thoroughly clean (something) or make (something) bare. |
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. |
| die out verb | To become extinct. |
| fill up verb | To make (something) completely full. |
| get around verb | To move to the other side of (something, such as an obstruction) by deviating from a direct course or following a curved path. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
| move forward verb | To cause to make progress. |
| plan ahead verb | To schedule or plan extensively for problems before it is needed; to come up with solutions before problems occur; to prepare for future situations. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- How can I help you?
- I'm a doctor at the hospital in our town.
- Is that something you'll want the apartment to have?
- I'll just make a note of that.
- I mean, what kind of equipment is provided?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If you plan ahead, this will prevent |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've also been offered · have been · have heard |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is provided · been offered · be recommended |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 80 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'll, I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: ethanol /ˈɛθ.ə.nɑl/, thief /ˈθiːf/, trustworthy /ˈtɹʌst.wɜː.ði/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: accommodation /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, suspicious /səˈspɪʃ.əs/, pollution /pəˈluʃən/, antisocial /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃəl/, dishwasher /ˈdɪʃˌwɑʃɚ/
- Long words — get the stress right: biofuel /ˈbaɪ.əʊˌfjʊ(.ə)l/, supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/, accommodation /əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, antisocial /ˌæntiˈsəʊʃəl/, fermentation /ˌfɜɹmənˈteɪʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like biofuel, corn, ethanol.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.