IELTS Simulation Tests Academic Listening Test 07 (Online Test)

Thank you for coming. It's good to see so many of you interested in keeping your children safe on the Internet. What's in store? Well, firstly I'm going to talk in general about some common-sense ideas and rules for young ones using the computer; then, I'll give you some information on free, educational websites; finally, we'll finish with question time.

I'm sure most of you think that the Internet can be a frightening place in which to let your children roam loose, but, let me remind you that it can also be a fountain of knowledge and education. The trick is to avoid the former and utilize the latter. There are programs available, both in your local electronics supply shop and free to download, that will keep your child safe to a certain degree on the World Wide Web. A popular one is Online Family Norris which bars things like military and social websites. I wouldn't advise you to rely solely on a program to protect your family though. As good as it is, you cannot abdicate your responsibility as a parent. I'm sure you all know that or you wouldn't be here. When all is said and done, the best way to keep children safe is to educate them and keep an eye on them. For this reason you should make sure the computer, which your child uses, is kept in a communal space—where you can look over their shoulder from time to time.

It is paramount that you teach them never to divulge their proper or full name; and to never provide personal information such as where they live or what their phone number is. Tell them that online friends must remain just that—online—unless they are supervised. It is difficult, I know, to teach children about the dangers of the world when they are so naive, so trusting and innocent. But, without going into great detail, you must alert them to the possibility that the people they are chatting with may not be who they say they are.

It's also sensible not to give them their own email address until they are old enough to use the Internet safely, so all communication from websites will go through you. When they are old enough to use social sites, like Facebook and My Space, teenagers need to know that whatever postings they put on the Web will remain accessible forever—nothing is ever really deleted there, and embarrassing pictures or remarks may come back to haunt them one day. For instance, when they apply for a job, they could jeopardize their chances as the employer or human resources staff will look on the Web to find out more about their potential employee and they may be shocked by what they find there—not the sort of stuff an applicant would want on his or her CV. It can also make them more vulnerable to bullying.

Unfortunately, bullying on social sites is another thing to look out for and, I have to tell you, it's on the increase. It's a very difficult issue to deal with but something that is more easily detected if the computer is kept in a family space.

If we can put these negative issues aside, let's not forget that the Internet is also a wonderful place for children of all ages. Teenagers may be mostly networking on social sites or completing research that they've been asked to do as part of their homework assignments, but younger children can get assistance with mathematics, spelling and reading on a variety of free and paid for sites.

A good way for children to learn and have fun at the same time is the website mathtutor.com. They can practise mathematics on this site no matter what their level while they compete against other children from all over the world. And here's a fun way for primary school children to learn the spelling words for the week—it can be such a chore for some children—they just type them in and play games to learn them. What's that? The Website? Oh, sorry, yes, you'll need to go to...spellcity.com for that. The one I'm going to tell you about now is one of the most practical sites that's popular with people of all ages. Children (or parents for that matter) can learn to touch type as they sing along with songs and there's a variety of funny characters to help you enjoy yourself as you learn. In this day and age, typing is essential—everyone should be able to type fast and accurately—so go to beeb.co/typing and try it out.

Don't just leave it up to the kids—here's a site that parents can use to download worksheets to extend their children by giving them further practice: it's called coolresources.com and I can really recommend it, particularly for middle school students.

Now, are there any questions?

CLEO: Hey, Ted. What are we going to do about this assignment?

TED: Well, Cleo, I think it's pretty straightforward.

CLEO: Oh?

TED: Yeah, the topic is 'Why Study Abroad?' I suggest we do a survey of international students, collate the responses, make a graph and exhibit our findings in the form of a poster.

CLEO: Wow! You have given this some thought, haven't you?

TED: Of course. This is only the first assignment—there'll be a lot more to come so let's get this one out of the way quickly.

CLEO: Well, how do we do the survey?

TED: I think we need to find a good selection of foreign students.

CLEO: So...how about we go over to the English Language School at lunchtime and talk to some of the students there.

TED: That's not a bad idea—but we shouldn't limit ourselves to that Department.

CLEO: Why not?

TED: Well, think about it...They'll all give the same reason— 'to learn English'.

CLEO: Of course, you're right. Well, one of us could cover the Language School and the other could go around the Business School.

TED: Yes, I know there are a lot of internationals there too but I think a random sample from foreign students on campus might give us a better range of answers.

CLEO: Mmm. What are we going to ask them— 'Why are you studying abroad?'

TED: An open question like that could mean we get hundreds of different responses—it would be better if we made up, say, 10 reasons, and asked each respondent to place them in order of importance.

CLEO: You're right. That would certainly make collation easier. Any ideas about what these 10 reasons might be?

TED: Sure—I've got enough foreign friends to know quite a lot about what motivates them.

CLEO: Okay. Number 1 is...?

TED: I think that's obvious—how about 'Study abroad is the best way to learn a language'? And number 2 is obvious as well.

CLEO: I know— 'Study abroad gives you the chance to travel'?

TED: What's third?

CLEO: It's either culture or friendship...

TED: Okay, let's go for culture— 'Study abroad gives you first-hand experience of a different culture'?

CLEO: Not just that—but it gives you new experiences as well—not all of them are good but it's meeting those challenges and adapting to new situations and solving problems and so on.

TED: Let's make that a separate reason. How about 'Study abroad...umm...will compel you to develop new skills'?

CLEO: Sounds good. Then, 'Study abroad promotes international friendship'.

TED: What are we up to now?

CLEO: Umm, wait. That was number five...

TED: Do you think 'learning about yourself' is the same as 'developing new skills'?

CLEO: No, I think it's quite different—probably more closely related to culture—you really mean embracing new concepts and perceptions, don't you?

TED: Yes, and reconsidering one's own beliefs and values, or, at least, seeing them through new eyes.

CLEO: We could make that the next one and call it something like 'Study abroad provides the opportunity to learn about yourself'.

TED: We ought to throw in a few about study and work because I'm sure that rates highly with many foreign students.

CLEO: Of course. 'Study abroad gives you the opportunity to expand your academic...umm...'

TED: Academic what? Let's simplify it—make it '...the opportunity to study different subjects'.

CLEO: Yes, good. It can also enhance the value of your degree.

TED: How's that?

CLEO: Well, I think you can take courses you would never have had the opportunity to take on your home campus and employers will know also that your language skills have been given quite a boost.

TED: Isn't that the same as number seven?

CLEO: No, I think it's a separate issue.

TED: Alright. Keep it. Now, I think this next one is more important?

CLEO: Shall I change the order?

TED: No, no need, the students are going to rank them according to their views.

CLEO: So what is it?

TED: 'Study abroad enhances employment opportunities'.

CLEO: Ugh, why didn't I think of that? Anyway, there's one even more obvious than that.

TED: Let me guess: 'Study abroad broadens your mind'?

CLEO: Exactly.

TED: Okay, now we have ten. Let's print off 100 questionnaires and go and do the survey.

CLEO: Did you hear about the National Geographic survey of American students between the ages of 18 and 24?

TED: Yes, it sounds as if they could benefit from study abroad—Did you know that only one percent of US students currently study abroad? Anyway, back to that National Geographic survey—it was carried out internationally—and it was Sweden that came out on top.

CLEO: It's really amazing, isn't it; when given a map of the world, only 13% of American students were able to find Iraq and the same for Iran.

TED: I know...and, not surprisingly I suppose...Afghanistan didn't fare much better—83% couldn't locate it on the map. There must be something about that region...76% couldn't identify Saudi Arabia either.

CLEO: But Asia didn't come off much better—over half the students couldn't find Japan on the map! But do you know what's really incredible?

TED: Yes, I do: 11% of them couldn't even find their own country!

CLEO: It's no wonder the USA scored near the bottom, only two points above Mexico which was ranked last!

In this lecture today I'm going to introduce you to an American painter: Charles Willson Peale—you may be familiar with his portraits; but did you know that he never even saw a painting till he was a grown man?

He was born in Maryland in 1741. His father died when he was nine and the family struggled financially for the next few years and Charles became a saddle maker's apprentice. One day he went to Norfolk for supplies and there he saw paintings for the first time. He thought they were so bad that he felt sure he could do better so he decided to make painting his career. In 1766 he went to London to study painting with Benjamin West. Whilst there he painted this portrait in 1768, see slide 1, Pitt as a Roman Senator. Notice how elaborately symbolical this portrait is. The symbolism arises of course from Pitt's famous speech to the British Parliament where he draws an analogy between the ancient Roman Senate's view of a barbaric Britain and the prevailing European view of the time of a barbaric African continent fuelling the slavery trade. Perhaps you didn't know that the Romans used Britons as slaves? But I digress...back to Peale.

He returned to America and in 1772 painted the first ever portrait of George Washington (see slide 2). In 1773 he painted a group portrait of himself, his wife, mother, brothers, sister, his old nurse and an unidentified baby. Just look at the slide—this painting is simply called The Peale Family and you can almost feel the exuberance of the family and their warmth towards one another. He enjoyed great success as a portraitist prior to the Revolution and served with distinction in the Revolution. During this time he became friends with George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

After the war he continued to paint and, when his wife died in the 1790s as a result of her eleventh pregnancy, he remarried. He had 17 children in all, naming the sons after famous painters or scientists. Although perhaps best known for his portraits of famous people, Peale liked novelty. Look at this slide of his two sons, Raphaelle and Titian, Life Size, climbing a narrow stairway. This painting, the Staircase Group (1795), was exhibited in a doorway as a trompe l'oeil—and it is said that it did in fact 'fool the eye' of George Washington. Even as far back as 1772, we can see his desire for difference in Rachel Weeping. It's a rather macabre portrait of his first wife crying over the death of one of their children, their daughter, Margaret. I'd like to show you one more slide to demonstrate his innovative approach—this is a portrait of his brother, James, sitting at his desk at night with only his face illuminated by a lamp. This was painted much later than the others—in 1822.

You know, Peale believed anyone could learn to paint and he taught painting to his brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, and other relatives. Four of his sons, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt and Raphaelle, became painters as did his brother James.

Before I finish I'd like to tell you a bit more about Peale. He was active in politics for several years and throughout his life he maintained a lively interest in many branches of science. He was also an inventor who gained patents for a fireplace, porcelain false teeth, and a new kind of wooden bridge. He collaborated with Thomas Jefferson on what was known as the polygraph—a kind of portable writing desk—but it wasn't any ordinary desk: this one could make several copies of a manuscript at once. He also wrote papers on a wide variety of subjects from hygiene to engineering. Oh, and he also tried his hand at inventing a fairly primitive but innovative motion picture technique; new types of eyeglasses; and a velocipede (which is a precursor to the bicycle). Now some of the original velocipedes had pedals and some didn't—you sort of scooted along on them using your feet—unfortunately, I can't remember which type it was that Peale worked on.

He's also remembered for his work as a naturalist. He established the first scientific museum in America and he even invented his own system of taxidermy—for those of you who aren't sure what taxidermy is, it's the art of preparing, stuffing and presenting dead animals so that they appear lifelike. He was also well ahead of his time in that he placed his animals in a simulated natural environment. His most magnificent exhibit, however, was the complete skeleton of an extinct mammal known as a mastodon which he helped excavate; the event was memorialized in his extraordinary painting, The Exhuming of the Mastodon.

That is the end of section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers.