IELTS LISTENING
Background on school marching band
Supervisor: So how are you getting on with your teaching practice at the high school? Joe?
Joe: Well, I’ve been put in charge of the school marching band, and it’s quite a responsibility. I’d like to talk it over with you
Supervisor: go ahead. You better start by giving me a bit of background.
Joe: Okay, well, the band has students in it from all years, so they’re aged 11 to 18 and there are about Q21 50 of them altogether. It’s quite a popular activity within the school. I’ve never worked with a band of more than 20 before, and this is very different.
Attempt full listening test…
Supervisor: I can imagine
Joe: they aren’t really good enough to enter national band competitions, but they’re in a Q22 regional one later in the term. Even if they don’t win and I don’t expect them to. Hopefully, it’ll be an incentive for them to try and improve.
Supervisor: Yes, hopefully
Joe: well, now the Town Council’s organising a Q23 carnival in the summer, and the band has been asked to perform. If you ask me, they aren’t really up to it yet, and I need to get them functioning better as a band in a very short time,
Supervisor: have you been doing anything with them, apart from practising the music? I mean, I played
Joe: the recording. I came across of a Q24 drummer talking about how playing in a band had changed his life. I think it was an after-dinner speech. I thought it was pretty inspiring because being in the band had stopped him from getting involved in crime. The students seem to find it interesting, too.
Supervisor: That’s good.
Joe: I’m planning to show them that old Q25 film from the 19 forties, strike up the band and talk about it with students. What do you think?
Supervisor: Good idea. As it’s about a school band, it might make the students realise how much they can achieve if they work together.
Joe: That’s what I’ve got in mind. I’m hoping I could take some of the band Teo Q26 parade that’s going to take place next month. A couple of marching bands will be performing, and the atmosphere should be quite exciting. It depends on whether I can persuade the school to hire a coach or two to take us there.
Supervisor: They sound like good ideas to me. Thanks. Can I
Joe: Thanks. Can I tell you about a few people in the band who I’m finding it quite difficult to cope with? I’m sure you’ll have some ideas about what I can do.
Supervisor: Go ahead.
Joe: There’s a flutist who said she loves playing in the band. Q27 We rehearse twice a week after school, but she’s hardly ever there. Then she looks for me the next day and gives me a very plausible reason. She says she had to help her mother or she’s been ill. But to be honest, I don’t believe her
Supervisor: dear. Any more students with difficulties?
Joe: Plenty. There’s a trumpeter who thinks she’s the best musician in the band, though she certainly isn’t. Q28 She’s always saying what she thinks other people should do. Which makes my job pretty difficult.
Supervisor: She sounds a bit of a nightmare.
Joe: You can say that again. One of the trombonist CE has got an impressive sense of rhythm and could be an excellent musician except that Q29 he has breathing difficulties and he doesn’t really have enough breath for the trombone. He’d be much better off playing percussion, for instance. But he refuses to give up, so he ends up only playing half the notes.
Supervisor: Mexico’s You have to admire his determination.
Joe: Maybe one of the Q30 percussionists isn’t too bad, but he never seems to interact with other people. And he always rushes off as soon as the rehearsal ends. I don’t know if there are family reasons or what, but it isn’t good in a band where people really need to feel they’re part of a group. There are others, too, but at least that gives you an idea of what I’m up against. Do you have any thoughts about what I could do? Lizzy?