英语专业八级满分听力 test-3

[09:39.31]Section B  INTERVIEW
[09:43.80]In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.
[09:47.62]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[09:51.45]Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview.
[09:54.51]At the end of the interview, you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following 5 questions.
[10:00.75]Now listen to the interview.
[10:03.04]Interviewer (W): Good morning, listeners.
[10:05.21]Today I’d like to introduce our guest speaker George Allen from the British Council,
[10:10.02]who is going to talk to us about living in the UK. George, over to you.
[10:15.49]George Allen(M): Thank you. As you are no doubt aware the UK is becoming a popular destination
[10:20.85]for people who wish to study at university, so what I’d like to do is, well,
[10:26.87]just give you listeners an insight into what living in the UK is really like.
[10:30.69]You know, what to expect when you get there and the cost of living,
[10:34.52]as well as what to do before you arrive in the UK.
[10:37.25]W: What do students have to consider first before they go?
[10:42.07]M: Finance, of course. Britain is quite an expensive place to live in.
[10:46.66]Therefore, you need to consider costs very carefully. And one of the major expenses is tuition fees.
[10:52.67]University courses range from about 5,000 pounds to 8,000 pounds, depending on the type of course.
[11:00.11]Then, other expenses such as books, which can cost about 500 pounds per year.
[11:05.80]W: That’s a considerable amount. Then where do you suggest students to stay?
[11:11.49]M: As for accommodation, many people prefer to stay in the university’s hall of residence
[11:18.16]because living on campus is a lot cheaper than living off campus. A room in halls would cost you
[11:24.61]about 80 pounds per week outside of London. The north of England, however, is much cheaper.
[11:30.02]W: Then what about living off campus?
[11:33.30]M: Well, you can rent a private house with a group of other students.
[11:37.35]You may think this would be an expensive option,
[11:39.97]but if you share the cost with three or four other students
[11:43.15]it can actually work out cheaper than a room on campus.
[11:45.99]But do bear in mind that you have additional transport costs to and from university.
[11:51.24]However, if anyone is interested in renting off campus, the university accommodation can offer advice,
[11:57.36]and even help you to find a suitable place.
[11:59.88]W: That’s good news. What is the climate like in the UK?
[12:04.36]M: Britain is famous for its bad weather and for good reasons.
[12:08.74]It rains often in the UK, and even in the summer it can still be quite cold.
[12:13.11]So take plenty of warm clothes with  You can, of course, buy warm clothes when you are there, and indeed,
[12:20.33]they don’t have to be too expensive if you go to a local market. But taking your own is, of course,
[12:25.79]a cheaper option.
[12:26.89]W: You bet. George, some listeners are anxious about food there. Is it really unpleasant?
[12:33.78]M: Many people who visit the UK often find the food rather boring and uninteresting.
[12:39.36]This is because, generally, people don’t use spices in their cooking.
[12:43.30]Nevertheless, some of the food, I must say, is actually rather good.
[12:47.12]And the cheapest places to eat out are often local pubs, where they serve excellent home-cooked food,
[12:53.03]as well as serving as the centre of social life in most towns and cities in the UK.
[12:58.28]W: Besides local pubs, are there coffee shops as well?
[13:02.76]M: You know the UK is a great tea drinking nation.
[13:05.83]Therefore, don’t expect to find too many American style coffee shops. There are, of course,
[13:11.08]many to be found in big cities such as London, but tea shops, as they are called, are much more common.
[13:16.44]W: What do people do for recreation after study or work?
[13:21.25]M: There is excellent nightlife in Britain.
[13:24.20]All the major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool are a center of cultural activities.
[13:29.78]However, you may think London has the best nightlife. But Manchester, I must say, tops the bill.
[13:36.34]Being a multicultural city you will find all kinds of entertainment there from theaters to nightclubs,
[13:42.25]as well as museums and art galleries. And it’s considerably cheaper than London,
[13:46.84]whilst undoubtedly offering the best the country has to offer.
[13:51.21]However, if you prefer a quieter life then I would certainly recommend the southwest of England.
[13:56.90]There you will find wonderful countryside with the most spectacular views and many traditional towns and villages.
[14:03.46]W: So students need to get well prepared for everything you introduced just now.
[14:08.27]But where can they find detailed information on them?
[14:12.10]M: Well, a good guide book is compulsory. It should contain maps and information about where to go and what to do.
[14:19.65]Internet is also a valuable source of information.
[14:22.49]My main advice, of course,, is to contact the university accommodation office.
[14:27.52]Tell them when and where you will arrive and ask them how to get to the university from the airport.
[14:33.32]W: George, you have given us valuable advice on living in the UK. It’s very beneficial to our listeners.
[14:40.21]Thanks a lot.
[14:41.74]M: It’s my pleasure.