VSTEP Listening: VSTEP Collection 2 — Listening

Q.1: Hello, this is Gloria with Dr. Baum's office. This is a reminder of your dental appointment for Thursday, May 22, at 1:00 p.m. Since you have several cavities to fill, please allow yourself at least three hours for the visit.

Q.2: Because the South Tower is undergoing renovations, the design team meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning has been moved to the North Tower conference room on the 12th floor. The meeting will still be held at 10:00.

Q.3: Unfortunately, I must report that domestic sales have dropped by 17 percent over the last two quarters. Although the sluggish domestic economy is a factor, the primary cause of this worrying development is increasing competition in the retail clothing sector.

Q.4: This weekend is the first outing of the in-line skating club for this season. Remember, you are not allowed to skate with the club unless you wear an approved safety helmet. You can ask Rea, the safety coordinator, if you are unsure about your gear.

Q.5: As a woman and sports announcer, I'm often approached about giving speeches on women in sports.

Q.6: Ricardo will be here in the U.S. for three months observing some of the managerial techniques and procedures we use at this office.

Q.7: In order to improve customer service, we will be initiating a customer satisfaction survey. The survey will focus on several different areas, including courtesy and promptness by waiters or waitresses, cleanliness, and food quality and selection.

Q.8: Investor confidence was bolstered by government data indicating inflation rose by barely two tenths of one percent last quarter, meaning that the National Bank is unlikely to raise interest rates.

Q.9-12:

W: Our copier has been acting strangely today. Could you come and take a look at it for us?

M: Okay, but did you check to see if any paper is jammed inside?

W: Yes, I did, but that's not the problem. I think the problem may be more serious.

M: All right, but I have to run across town this morning to fix a machine there, so I don't think I can make it to your office until after lunch.

Q.13-16:

W: Hi, there. I'm having trouble finding this certain book on medieval German nobility.

M: Let me check on the computer. Hmm ... it appears that we don't have it.

W: Oh, no. It was really important for an essay I'm working on right now.

M: Well, we have a central computer system that is connected to the other university libraries in the state. I can search them all to see where your book is, then order it from the nearest university. You could borrow it from another library.

W: That would be great. How long will it take?

M: We can usually get a book here in two or three days. But the lending period is shorter than for a normal book - only 10 days instead of two weeks. And if you're late returning books from other libraries, the overdue fine is a lot larger.

W: I won't be late. But does it cost anything to sign out books from other libraries?

M: Not for up to five books. Any more than that, and you would have to pay a small service charge.

Q.17-20:

M: What's the matter, Jane?

W: Oh, I was supposed to meet James for a study session at 4, but he's late.

M: James is like that. I always give myself an extra 15 minutes or so whenever I have an appointment with him.

W: That's not a bad idea. I'd like to have him waiting for me for a change.

M: Yeah, some people are just irresponsible like that. I remember once he was actually late for the exam. Nearly 20 minutes late, and he just comes walking in, like there's nothing wrong. He wasn't worried or anything.

W: I can't imagine myself being like that. I always leave myself extra time, just to make sure I'm always ready and on time.

M: Oh, there he comes now.

W: It's about time.

M: How long are you guys planning on studying?

W: Pretty late. We have a big chemistry test tomorrow and I'm really behind.

M: Well, maybe I'll see you later. I have to get some work done at the library, too.

Q.21-25:

W: Can you believe Professor Kensington postponed the due date for the term paper this morning? It's unbelievable!

M: Yeah, it was crazy! I've been spending days and nights in the computer lab writing up that paper. I only did that because he kept on emphasizing that he won't take any paper that's not in his office by noon today.

W: I heard that, too. Jessica and I stayed up half the night trying to finish it. I think it was three o'clock in the morning when we finally had the third draft. I barely had any sleep.

M: You had Jessica to help you? At least you had someone to proofread your paper and help you with the research. It was a nightmare for me. I didn't even have time to proofread my paper.

W: Well, I'm really upset that Professor Kensington was so inconsiderate. Don't you agree?

M: I guess it was a hasty change, but... I think he did it for us students.

W: You really didn't get enough sleep, did you? You're not thinking straight. I can't possibly see how I can understand his hasty decision that way.

M: Well, as much as I'm unhappy with his last-minute decision, I think he did it so that we could have one more chance to look over our work before turning it in. Besides, an extension of two days isn't going to change anything drastic in our papers.

W: I suppose. Still, I would have had more time to study for the calculus exam, which was today, if I hadn't had to spend so much time and energy on that paper.

M: Oh well, at least he didn't tell us to hand it in earlier.

W: That's right ... anyway, I'm not going to spend another two days on the assignment. I'm handing it in after the next class.

Q.26-30:

W: Professor Atkins, could I get some help with my chemistry lab?

P: Certainly, Julie. What's the problem? Are you having trouble understanding some of the experiments?

W: Oh, no, I understand the experiment...perhaps I only think that I understand it.

P: What do you mean? Do you or don't you?

W: Well, I tried the latest experiment by myself, based on what I understood from your lectures and lab session ... but I seem to come up with really different results from what the textbook indicates I should be getting.

P: That certainly is a possibility. Remember, the textbook tends to give you an ideal explanation of the experiments. But in real life, any number of factors can cause you to get results that might not be the ideal or preferred outcome.

W: Oh, that's good ... so any result is acceptable?

P: No, of course there is a range for this particular experiment, I'd expect your answer to be within ... let's see now ... perhaps 4 or 5% off the textbook.

W: Really? My answer was nearly 10% off. Wouldn't that be alright?

P: I'm sorry, but that would be a problem. If your answer were that far from the proper answer, and say that even if you could explain the difference, I would have to lower your grade significantly.

W: I see. Alright. I guess I'm going to have to redo it. I want to do well in your class and can't afford to get a bad grade.

P: Very good. But you'll have to hurry, the lab is due Friday, and I won't be giving any extensions.

W: Oh, I was hoping ...

P: Yes?

W: Oh, it's nothing. Well, could you please sign a permission slip for me to use the lab after hours? I only have time during late evenings this weekend.

P: Sure, I'll do that for you right now. Here you go ..., and a tip ... before you start the experiment, wipe the test tubes with alcohol... there might be unwanted residue inside that might be affecting the result.

Q.31-35:

We'll be looking into the largest state in America, Alaska. If you look at the location of Alaska on the map, you can see that it is bordered by Canada on the east, the Arctic Ocean on the north, the Bering Strait and Bering Sea to the east, and the Gulf of Alaska ... wait a minute ... sorry about that... to the west and the Gulf of Alaska to the south. And as you can see on the map, Alaska has a greater land area than California and Texas combined. Now, although there are many cities in Alaska, the population is so low that an average number of students in a middle school classroom is only about 10. You can imagine many desolate small towns scattered around Alaska. It's probably because roads and railways serve only certain portions of the state.

So, it's natural that Alaskans rely heavily on airplanes for transportation, since many parts of Alaska are accessible only via air. Well, of course, there is a railway operating between Fairbanks, a relatively big city in central Alaska, and Seward, a city on the southern coast. It is much more popular than the only major highway in Alaska, the Alaska Highway, which is open throughout the year. Not that there's much traffic. One does not need to venture far to understand the reason for its sparse population. Even though cold climate and other factors make most of Alaska a less-than-desirable location for farming, agriculture is conducted in a few areas between Fairbanks and the southern coast. Most of the food Alaskans need, however, must be imported from outside the state.

Also, Alaska is subject to strong earthquakes and occasional volcanic activity. Your textbook describes the explosion of the Alaskan volcano Mount Katmai in the early 20th century as one of the most famous and violent volcanic eruptions in history. I strongly suggest you read up on that chapter, as we'll be touching on some of that the next time. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, earthquakes ... these occasional earthquakes generate seismic sea waves, called tsunamis. As you may have heard, these waves can reach far inland and destroy communities along the shore. It wasn't much different from the terrible tsunami of 2004.