LARA: Hi Tommy I haven’t seen you for ages. How have you been?

TOMMY: Oh hi Lara I’m great I’ve just joined a local book club that meets every Wednesday, and I’m really enjoying it. Next week we’re discussing the novels of Charles Dickens I’m really looking forward to it, as he’s my favorite author.

LARA: Yes absolutely, his novels are wonderful. I attended Dickens book club too. Would you like to do a practice session with me in preparation for your meeting?

TOMMY: Sure that sounds great 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. What do you think of Rosie?

LARA: What is your opinion of Flory?

TOMMY: I find her very manipulative. She seems intent on seeking attention, so whenever she wants something from her family members she persistently _Q22 acts in a very silly manner, just like a kid. Unfortunately, many people do not realize 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 Lizzy. Lizzy is very sensitive and she has a _Q23 true perceptiveness into how people are feeling and how they behave, which enables her to act appropriately towards them. She is very kind and generous and cares about how people feel.

TOMMY: That’s true and I really like her character too. My least favorite character is Estelle because she acts so selfishly and _Q24 gets enjoyment from making others suffer. 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. I think that the reason why Dickens is so good at _Q26 creating deep and believable characters is because he understands human mentality.

TOMMY: Absolutely, what do you think of the literature lectures?

LARA: I really look forward to them, they’re the highlight of my week. The lecturer is usually late but that gives you time to settle down and get organized before the lecture begins.

TOMMY: Do you have a discussion period at the end?

LARA: No, I don’t think so we’re meant to. But since the lectures often begin late this means that _Q25 there is no time left for a conversation about the lecture. I think this is a real shame because it really helps you to gain a good understanding of the books when you hear other people’s opinion of it. What about your lectures?

TOMMY: My lecturers have very good organization skills so their lectures are well organized and packed full of information. 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. 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. The IT support staff are great but there are just _Q27 not enough computers available for the numbers of people that need to use them. 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. However, the equipment is just not good enough. Whenever I need to use the photocopying facilities for example most of the _Q28 machines are really old and slow, which means that you have to wait for ages for them to work. 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.

TOMMY: That sounds good.

LARA: What do you think of the group discussions?

TOMMY: I really enjoy them. Since the class groups are so small everyone gets to have their say and contri bute thoughts to the conversation, so _Q29 the classes are really effective. The only issue is that it’s very difficult to find an opportunity to meet up since everyone has such busy schedules.

LARA: Yes definitely in our class we pass around a ball. And only the person holding the ball is allowed to speak. Each person is only allowed to speak for a minute at a time which helps us to make sure that _Q30 we use the class time fairly and it also makes the discussion more fun.

TOMMY: That’s true it’s been really great catching up with you. Thanks for your help.

LARA: No problem good luck at your class. Bye.

TOUR GUIDE: Hello everyone my name is Sally welcome to our globally renowned spa and relaxation center here at island view estates. Before you all wander off and begin exploring the facilities i’d like to go over a few things. Now this year is a very special milestone for our beloved center, as it is our 25th anniversary. I understand that this means you have all paid an increased price for your tickets. But I can promise that all of the events we have scheduled for your enjoyment will make the costs well worth it. I know that all of you have traveled a long distance to make it here to the center of the new forest, but it is thanks to its remoteness that our center is such a _Q11 beautiful place to relax.

I’m sure you are all keen to find out what activities we have arranged for you, so I will give you a quick overview. Tomorrow we have arranged for you all to participate in a yoga session, for the duration of the morning. Followed by a day of relaxation at the pool where we have ample sun umbrellas to protect you from the sun. On Wednesday we have organized a sightseeing hike through the forest, where you will be able to test your navigation skills and witness the wild ponies in their natural habitat. It’s forecast to be sunny that day but I recommend that you all bring _Q12 rainproof clothes just in case. On your last day, we have a special surprise a pony trek along the beach. We ask that you all wear full-length trousers and that all women have their hair tied up in a ponytail.

Helmets are provided at the center, for those who would like to wear one. There are a couple of beautiful attractions here at the center that you must all be sure to visit before you leave. The rose garden located just at the corner of the property is home to many indigenous species and is beautifully serene and peaceful. The perfect place to collect your thoughts or read a book, our _Q13 sunset boat ride has been the favorite attraction for many of our visitors. Simply hop aboard and relax whilst we sail you out into the open sea to witness one of the most beautiful spectacles that nature has to offer. Last but certainly not least is the freshwater pond, which serves as a watering hole of sorts.

Some of you may even be lucky enough to spot our resident kingfishers who are members of a very rare and endangered species. Once you have all unpacked and settled into your rooms we will be taking you out to the neighboring island for a bonfire and barbecue dinner. The island is very small and the bicycle trails make it very easy to explore all of its beautiful corners. As the island is entirely separate from the mainland it has never been inhabited by wildlife, so you can all roam freely and safely. We have some bonding exercises for you all to take part in around the bonfire, where you can potentially _Q14 make new friends and discover a lot about yourself.

Now let me tell you a little bit about the facilities that the resort has to offer. For those of you keen on indulging in a little bit of retail therapy, just wander along to our tourist centre. Where we have a wide selection of presents on _Q15 sale at reasonable prices. If you are feeling more drawn to the natural surroundings and scenery, I recommend that you take a trek up the mountain. Where you can enjoy the _Q16 panoramic outlook from the peak. For a bit of cultural indulgence why not pay a visit to our small on-site theatre, where you can enjoy watching a range of movies and check out some works by our resident _Q17 street artists. Just a 10-minute walk down the road is the _Q18 local art museum, where you can roam around the sculpture courtyard or admire the many artworks on display.

Here at the resort, we are incredibly lucky to be located right next to a nature reserve. Where many species of endangered wildlife live in the pond. Just on the bank is a small hut where visitors can _Q19 observe the fish and birds in their natural habitat now if any of you are interested in _Q20 history you have the very interesting opportunity to visit the ancient building at the south side of the grounds. The building is now a museum however it originally served as a jail for those charged with crimes of treason against the royal family. Well, that just about rounds it up.

Now if anyone has any questions?..

RECEPTIONIST: Hello, how can I help you today?

MAN: Ah yes hello I’m just phoning you as I have seen an advertisement on your website for a property that I’m interested in renting. If possible I’d like to find out some more information before I organize a viewing.

RECEPTIONIST: No problem at all. What is the address of the property that you’d like to inquire about?

MAN: It’s 21, north avenue.

RECEPTIONIST: Okay, what is it that you’d like to know?

MAN: First of all I’d like to know what facilities the office has as I need to make sure that it’ll be suitable for my _Q1 advertising company.

RECEPTIONIST: I see the office contains a large open plan space with a wide frontage onto a busy street with lots of passers-by. So your business would have a really good street presence. There was also a toilet and newly refurbished kitchen equipped with dishwasher and oven.

MAN: Wow, that sounds great. I definitely like to register my interest.

RECEPTIONIST: Okay perfect I just need to take some details from you if that’s okay. What is your full name?

MAN: Jonathan Smith.

RECEPTIONIST: And what position do you hold in your company Jonathan?

MAN: Until recently I was sales manager however I’ve recently been promoted to _Q2 regional manager, so I’ll be in charge of running our new office. Can I ask where the office is located?

RECEPTIONIST: Yes of course it’s located downtown just around the corner from royal square shopping center.

MAN: Hmm, that’s a bit too far out of the center for my liking. I’d much prefer to be located in close proximity to the _Q3 station. Do you have any property located in that vicinity?

RECEPTIONIST: It would help me to narrow down the results if you could tell me how many employees you intend to have working in the office.

MAN: Our branch is made up of 30 employees and we’d like some extra space for meetings and presentations.

RECEPTIONIST: Most average office spaces are around 8000 square feet but it sounds like you would need more space than that. I think that _Q4 10,000 square feet would be more suitable for your needs. Now let’s see we have 10 properties that match those criteria so let’s try and narrow it down.

RECEPTIONIST: Do you have any other requirements?

MAN: Well, we’ll need access to the office 12 hours a day but _Q5 security should be 24-hour. We don’t hold any money on the premises but it’s crucial that we protect our customer information against theft.

RECEPTIONIST: Okay, anything else?

MAN: Yes, ideally I would prefer the new office to be split over two levels so that the working office area is kept separate from street level. That will enable us to locate a _Q6 reception at ground floor level to welcome customers when they arrive.

RECEPTIONIST: And are there any particular facilities that you need?

MAN: Our employees work very hard throughout the day and I want to make sure that they’re well-nourished. It would therefore be ideal if I could provide them with a _Q7 kitchen to cook hot meals at lunchtime.

RECEPTIONIST: Would you want the kitchen to be located at first-floor level with the office?

MAN: No, I don’t want the office to be filled with the smell of food it would be better if the new office had a _Q8 basement where we could locate the kitchen and staff room area to keep it at arm’s length from the workspace.

RECEPTIONIST: Okay, I have now narrowed the search to two available properties. Do you have any other requirements that could narrow our search down to one result?

MAN: All of our office staff will be working at desktop computers, so I’ll need the office to be equipped with at least 40 power sockets if possible.

RECEPTIONIST: Anything else?

MAN: Studies have shown that exercise is very important for maintaining happiness and healthy brain function. In an office environment, it’s very difficult to get sufficient daily exercise. So it would be great if they had access to a nearby exercise area.

RECEPTIONIST: One of the available offices is located next door to a _Q9 gym. Would this be suitable?

MAN: Yes, absolutely a gym is exactly what I was thinking of.

RECEPTIONIST: Brilliant, do you need the office to be furnished?

MAN: I don’t think so. I already have some _Q10 furniture so I would prefer to bring this myself.

RECEPTIONIST: That’s no problem at all.

MAN: Ah and before I forget we will definitely require wi-fi access as much of our work and customer recruitment is carried out online.

RECEPTIONIST: No problem it sounds like property will suit your needs perfectly. I’ve taken the liberty of booking you a viewing at 3 p.m on Thursday so you can see it for yourself. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

MAN: No, I think that’s all the information I need. Thanks very much for your help.

RECEPTIONIST: No problem it’s been my pleasure to be of assistance, goodbye.

Good morning everyone today we’re going to look at birds native to New Zealand. Delving into the facts and exploring methods of protecting these species from Extinction. It may surprise you to hear that there are thousands of bird species that are endemic to New Zealand. That is to say that they are not found anywhere else on the globe. Since most of these birds live on a diet of freshly caught fish. They often Nest along the coastline or if they need to catch freshwater fish the neighboring _Q31 River once they have mated the female birds will collect twigs and pieces of debris to build nests where she can safely hatch her eggs out of the reach of predators.

When humans arrived in New Zealand about 700 years ago rats were carried on the ships with them. The rats flourished in the warm climate and put pressure on the native bird populations in particular on the flightless species. In 1984 researchers found that only _Q32 3 pairs of flightless bird species remained in existence and that even these faced severe threats. New Zealand is now a world leader in facilitating the recovery of severely endangered species from the brink of Extinction. Every year researchers carry out surveys in order to monitor the fluctuating levels of bird numbers and species living in New Zealand. Due to the migration patterns of many of the species, it is particularly hard to _Q33 estimate the bird numbers accurately. Since many may have flown to other countries in search of mates and warmer climates, and thus not appear in the survey. Bird numbers are also particularly sensitive to environmental influences in particular to those related to human activity. Everyday activities such as _Q34 farming or constructing a home can have a massive impact on the local population.

Forests that serve as a habitat for thousands of birds can be entirely eradicated to make fields for crops or to provide wood for construction having a disastrous impact. It is not only the human influence that threatens the future of many bird species. Since many predatory animal species have flourished in New Zealand. One of these species is the maintained snake which was introduced from Australia and has decimated the population of Kildeer Birds. These birds nest on the ground and often return to find that their _Q35 eggs have been devoured by the egg-eating snakes.

One cannot dismiss of course the pressure that nature itself imposes on the survival of many bird species. Natural disasters such as _Q36 storms can be devastating tearing apart forests and leaving thousands of destroyed nests in their wake. Monsoons flood the rivers and often drown many of the flightless bird species that are unable to escape. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to bird numbers in New Zealand is illegal hunting, which is almost impossible to prevent. Many endangered bird species are on display at the National Zoo, and it is essential that urgent measures are taken to protect them. The zoo recently employed an expert in bird protection, who recommended that they should employ a _Q37 guard to protect their birds from poachers. The expert also pointed out that the birds can become very stressed in situations where the public are able to approach them too closely. Suggesting that the administration install _Q38 fense Network to keep the public a safe distance away from the birds despite this threat to birds in captivity it is the freely roaming birds that are most at risk. Efforts are being made to educate people on how they can contribute towards protecting birds that are living in the _Q39 wild. Finally, research has shown that one of the most effective methods of informing the public on the importance of protecting the bird populations is through the _Q40 media.

I advise you all to read the articles written on this topic in specialist journals. And also carry out research on the internet each and every one of you could make an enormous contribution to the protection of birds if you put your mind to it.