GUIDE TO LISTENINGTELEVISION ABOUT EARTHQUAKES, AND IT SAID THAT IN, U...

Section 2: Guide to Listening

television about earthquakes, and it said that in, uh, China,

I think it was, they did predict an earthquake because of

Preview Test

the way animals were acting.

Listen as the directions are read to you.

Professor:

Oh, right—you’re thinking of the Haecheng

Narrator:

Directions: This section tests your understanding

earthquake about thirty years ago. Well, that’s true. There

of conversations and lectures. You will hear each conversa-

were snakes coming out of the ground in the middle of

tion or lecture only once. Your answers should be based on

winter when they should have been hibernating . . . and

what is stated or implied in the conversations and lectures.

supposedly horses and other animals were acting fright-

You are allowed to take notes as you listen, and you can use

ened. And there were other signs, too, not just from ani-

these notes to help you answer the questions. In some

mals. So the government ordered an evacuation of the area,

questions, you will see a headphones icon. This icon tells

and in fact, there was an earthquake, so thousands of lives

you that you will hear, but not read, part of the lecture

were probably saved.

again. Then you will answer a question about the part of

Student:

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking of . . . that’s what I

the lecture that you heard. Some questions have special

saw on television.

directions that are highlighted. During an actual test, you

Professor:

The problem is that, unfortunately, no one’s

may not skip questions and come back to them later, so try

been able to duplicate that kind of result . . . in China or

to answer every question that you hear on this test. On an

anywhere else. There have been lots of earthquakes since

actual test, there are two conversations and four lectures.

then that haven’t been predicted, and there have been a

You will have twenty minutes (not counting the time spent

couple of false alarms when cities were evacuated for no

listening) in which to complete this section of the test. On

reason . . . and like I said, none of the studies that have

this Preview Test, there is one conversation and three lec-

been done have shown that animals are any better at pre-

tures. Most questions are separated by a ten-second pause.

dicting earthquakes than people are.

Student:

So that’s . . . so you don’t think that’s a very good

Narrator:

Listen to a conversation between a student and a

idea for a topic, then, I suppose . . .

professor.

Professor:

I didn’t say that . . . just because this theory

Student:

Professor Dixon? I’m Brenda Pierce. From your

hasn’t been proven doesn’t mean you couldn’t write a per-

Geology 210 class . . . ?

fectly good paper about this topic . . . on the notion that

Professor: Yes. I know. That’s a big class, but I do recognize

animals can predict earthquakes. Why not? It could be

you. As a matter of fact, I noticed you weren’t in class yester-

pretty interesting. But to do a good job, you . . . you’ll need

day morning. Did you oversleep? That’s one of the problems

to look at some serious studies in the scientific journals,

with an 8:00 class. I almost overslept myself a couple of times.

not just some pop-science articles in newspapers, or . . .

Student:

Oh, uh, no, I didn’t oversleep. In fact, I was up at

and you can’t get your information from television shows.

5:00—one of my roommates had an early flight and I took

Student:

You really think it might make a good paper? Well,

her to the airport. I thought I’d make it back here in time,

then, I think if I can get enough information from the

but, uh, well, you know . . . you know how traffic can be out

library or the Internet . . .

on Airport Road at that time of day. Anyway, uh, I know you

Professor:

Okay, why don’t you see what you can find? Oh, I

were going to tell us . . . give us some information about

forgot to mention . . . you’ll need to write up a formal pro-

our research paper in class today. Do you have a few min-

posal for your paper, and work up a preliminary bibliogra-

utes to fill me in?

phy, and hand it in to me a week from tomorrow. I’ll need

Professor:

Well, umm, a few minutes, I guess. This isn’t my

to approve it before you get started. Now, if you’ll excuse

regular office hour. I actually just came by my office to pick

me, Brenda, I’ve got to get to that faculty meeting.

up a few papers before the faculty meeting.

Narrator:

Now get ready to answer the questions. You may

Student:

Okay, well . . . about the research paper . . . how

use your notes to help you.

long does it have to be?

Narrator:

Question 1: What is this conversation mainly

Professor:

Well, as I told the class, the paper counts for 30%

about?

of your grade. It should be at least twelve pages, but no

Narrator:

Question 2: Listen again to part of the conversa-

more than twenty-five. And your bibliography should con-

tion. Then answer the question.

tain at least ten reference sources.

Student:

Will you be assigning the topic, or . . .

Professor:

I’m leaving the choice of topic up to you. Of

Narrator:

What can be inferred about the student?

course, it should be related to something we’ve discussed

Narrator:

Question 3: What assumption does the professor

in class.

make about the student?

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2 Section 2 Guide to Listening

Narrator:

Question 4: How did the student first get informa-

What about the animals that live up there? You remem-

tion about the topic she wants to write about?

ber I said there were lots of marshes and lakes. These

Narrator:

Question 5: What is the professor’s attitude

watery places make wonderful breeding grounds for

toward the topic that the student wants to write about?

insects. So naturally, in the summer, you get lots of insects.

And insects attract birds, right? Plenty of birds migrate to

the taiga in the summer to, uh, to feast on insects. Lots of

Narrator:

Now listen to a lecture in a biology class.

the mammals that live in the taiga migrate to warmer cli-

Professor:

Okay, everyone . . . if you remember, on

mates once cold weather sets in. But there are some year-

Wednesday we talked about the general concept of biomes.

So, just to review, biomes are large zones, big sections of

round residents. Among the predators—the animals that

hunt other animals—there are Arctic foxes, wolves, bears,

the planet that have similar conditions and have the same

martens, oh, and ermines. There’s one thing all these pred-

kinds of plants and animals. Last class, we talked about the

ators have in common, the ones that live there all year

tundra, remember? This is a strip of land in the far, far

round . . . they all have thick, warm fur coats, don’t they?

north. We said the tundra consists mainly of open, marshy

This heavy fur keeps them toasty in the winter. Of course,

planes with no trees, just some low shrubs.

on the downside, it makes them desirable to hunters and

So, okay, today, we’re going to continue our tour of the

trappers. Some of these predators survive the winter by

world’s biomes. The next biome you come to, as you head

south from the tundra, is the taiga. That’s spelled t-a-i-g-a,

hibernating, by sleeping right through it . . . bears, for

taiga. It’s also called the “boreal forest.” The taiga is the

example. And some change colors. You’ve heard of the

ermine, right? In the summer, the ermine is dark brown,

largest of all the world’s biomes. About 25% of all the

but in the winter, it turns white. That makes it hard to spot,

world’s forests are found in the taiga.

so it can sneak up on its prey.

Now, the word taiga means “marshy evergreen forest.” It

comes from the Russian language, and that’s not too sur-

Then, uh, what sorts of herbivores live up there? What

do the predators eat to stay alive? There’s the moose, of

prising, really, because there are huge, I mean, really enor-

mous stretches of taiga in Russia. But taiga isn’t just found

course, but only young moose are at risk of being attacked.

The adult moose is the biggest, strongest animal found in

in Russia. Like the tundra, the taiga is a more-or-less con-

the taiga, so a predator would have to be feeling pretty des-

tinuous belt that circles the North Pole, running through

perate to take on one of these. Mostly, predators hunt

Russia, Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska. Most of this land

was—well, it used to be covered by glaciers, and these gla-

smaller prey, like snowshoe rabbits, voles, lemmings . . .

Okay, the next biome we come to is the temperate for-

ciers left deep gouges and depressions in the land. And not

surprisingly, these filled up with water—with melted

est, where broadleaf trees like, oh, maples and oaks are

most common, but before we get to this, I’d like to give you

snow—so you have lots of lakes and ponds and marshes in

the taiga.

an opportunity to ask me some questions about the taiga.

Within the taiga itself, you’ll find three sub-zones. The

first of these you come to, as you’re going south, is called

Narrator:

Question 6: What does the professor say about

open forest. The only trees here are needle-leaf trees—you

the word taiga?

know, evergreen trees, what we call coniferous trees. These

Narrator:

Question 7: Why does the speaker say this:

trees tend to be small and far apart. This is basically tun-

dra—it looks like tundra, but with a few small trees. Next,

Professor:

This sub-zone—well, if you like variety, you’re

you come to what’s called closed forest, with bigger needle-

not going to feel happy here. You can travel for miles and

see only half a dozen species of trees. In a few days, we’ll be

leaf trees growing closer together. This feels more like a real

talking about the tropical rain forest; now, that’s where

forest. This sub-zone—well, if you like variety, you’re not

you’ll see variety.

going to feel happy here. You can travel for miles and see

Narrator:

Question 8: The professor discussed three sub-

only half a dozen species of trees. In a few days, we’ll be

talking about the tropical rain forest; now, that’s where

zones of the taiga. Match each sub-zone with its

you’ll see variety. Okay, finally, you come to the mixed zone.

characteristic.

The trees are bigger still here, and you’ll start seeing some

Narrator:

Question 9: When discussing needle-leaf trees,

which of these adaptations to cold weather does the pro-

broad-leafed trees, deciduous trees. You’ll see larch, aspen,

especially along rivers and creeks, in addition to needle-

fessor mention?

Narrator:

Question 10: What characteristic do all of the

leaf trees. So this sub-zone feels a bit more like the temper-

predators of the taiga have in common?

ate forests we’re used to.

Narrator:

Question 11: What does the professor imply

So, what are conditions like in the taiga? Well, to start

with, you’ve gotta understand that it’s cold there. I mean,

about moose?

very cold. Summers are short, winters long. So the organ-

isms that call the taiga home have to be well adapted to

Narrator:

Listen to a discussion in the first class of a busi-

cold. The trees in the taiga, as I already said, are coniferous

ness course.

Professor:

Well, I guess everyone’s here, huh? We may as

trees like the pine, fir, and spruce. And these trees, they’ve

well get started. Good morning, all. I’m Professor Robert

adapted to cold weather. How? Well, for one thing, they

Speed and I’d like you . . . I’d like to welcome you to the

never lose their leaves—they’re “evergreen,” right, always

Foundations of Business class. The purpose of this class is

green, so in the spring, they don’t have to waste time—

really to acquaint you with the tools, the various tools,

don’t have to waste energy—growing new leaves. They’re

techniques you’ll be using in most of your business

ready to start photosynthesizing right away. And then, for

another thing, these trees are conical—shaped like cones—

courses. And we’ll concentrate especially on the case study

method, because you’ll be using that in almost . . . well, in

aren’t they? This means that snow doesn’t accumulate too

much on the branches; it just slides off, and so, well, that

most of the business classes you take.

means their branches don’t break under the weight of the

Student A:

The . . . case study method, Professor? Is that a

snow. And even their color—that dark, dark green—it’s use-

new method of teaching business?

ful because it absorbs the sun’s heat.

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