Succeed in IELTS Academic Listening Test 9 (Online Test)

Tour guide: Well, we certainly have a busy day ahead of us, so let's get started, shall we? You'll find a map of the museum with the itinerary I've just handed out. The museum's our first port of call, so let's have a look at the map now. The door on the right of the entrance hall leads into the Gift Shop and Ticket Centre. Once we pick up our entrance tickets, I'd ask everyone to deposit their bags and coats in the cloakroom which is located towards the back of the Gift Shop and Ticket Centre. If you want to pick up an information leaflet, you can approach the Information Desk situated along the right-hand side.

Now, once you come back into the entrance hall, the door on the opposite side to the Gift Shop leads into the Art Gallery. There is a special exhibition on there at the moment which is not to be missed.

If you continue on up the entrance hallway, that leads into the Main Exhibition Centre. At the back left-hand side there are some toilets. Beside the toilets, you'll find the 3D Theatre. I strongly recommend that you make time for the 30-minute presentation in the theatre. It is well worth a viewing. Running along the right-hand side of the Main Exhibition Centre is the Modern Art Studio. Here, not only can you view some of the most famous works of the 20th century, but you can also sit in on a workshop run by a local artist. So that's the art museum.

Next on the itinerary is the Aquarium. Depending on how long we spend at the museum, we might have to give this one a miss. It's not what I'd call a highlight of the day, but it would be a shame if we didn't get to see it, as it's on route to the Solheim Country Club, where we're booked in for lunch at 1 o'clock. Originally, we had planned to stop off at the Milltown Winery afterwards, but we've had to scrap that plan, otherwise we'd never get to the Zoological Gardens before closing time. We have pre-booked the gardens and must be there by 2:30, so no dillydallying please after lunch - straight back onto the bus. The gardens close at 3:30, so we've an hour there which should give us ample time to look around. Time allowing, we'll stop off at the famous Stout Brewery after that if traffic isn't too heavy and we're in Lincoln before 5. If not, we'll head straight for the National Concert Hall where you're in for a real treat of an evening with a performance from the world-renowned cellist, Andres Borovski. We have to be in our seats by 6:30 sharp. After that, it's back to the hotel for the night where a buffet meal will be waiting for us at half eight - or whenever we get back.

Tutor: So have you chosen a product yet?

Jenny: I think so. We'd like to build a gyroscopic exercise aid.

Tutor: Sounds interesting. Tell me more.

Maeve: Well, we did some research and were amazed to discover the sheer range of applications for gyroscopic technology. Gyroscopes are used in laser and optical devices and can be found in many consumer appliances, too.

Tutor: Right, tell me about this product specifically though. The aim of the assignment is to create something practical, functional and beneficial for consumers. Justify your decision.

Jenny: Well, we believe we can design and build a cheap and effective muscle-strengthening aid by taking advantage of the inertial forces created by a gyroscope.

Maeve: Yes, what we want to do is design a ball which can be held in the palm. Within the ball, there will be a simple gyroscope. This gyroscope can be set in motion by movements of the lower arm and wrist together in synch. The device will not require any external power source because it will be sustained by the movements of the arm and wrist. This will create considerable resistance and an excellent lower-arm strengthening aid. It will be simple to design and cheap to produce, yet extremely effective.

Tutor: This all sounds very good. I'm impressed!

Jenny: Thanks Mark, we're glad you like it. I think we're really onto something here. Our research has told us there's nothing comparable in the market and that a product like this would have multiple uses. Not only could it be used as an everyday toning and exercise device, it could also be beneficial to people in rehabilitation who have suffered serious lower-arm injuries. We see the product being marketed towards high-performance athletes, like tennis and golf players, for whom lower-arm strength is vital, too.

Narrator: Before you hear the rest of the discussion you have some time to look at questions 26-30.

Now listen and answer questions 26-30.

Tutor: I've heard enough to give your project the go ahead. Now, let's talk costs.

Maeve: Right, well we estimate that around £3,000 will be required for product development.

Tutor: You mean to build the prototype?

Maeve: Exactly. And we'll need half of that again to carry out some product testing.

Tutor: And what's your timeline for the project?

Jenny: The prototype should be ready a fortnight after work on the design starts and we'll need another 6 weeks for testing.

Maeve: We want to enlist the help of 15 people to test the prototype. Ideally, we want 5 professional athletes to try it out, 5 recovery patients and the remainder of the subjects will be gym members - our three target markets.

Tutor: Okay. Well, you have a lot of work to do, but you've certainly made a good start. Let's meet again on Monday to get the ball rolling.

It is only natural to feel somewhat nervous before giving a speech, and while a few nerves never did any harm - and can in fact prove beneficial - letting your nerves overcome you can be detrimental. Today's presentation will focus on ways to control those butterflies and help you to give better presentations in future.

First and foremost, you've got to know your material. I can't stress that enough. If you fail to prepare, you might as well prepare to fail. Even the most experienced speakers never turn up unprepared and never try to wing it. Personalise your subject and use humour, anecdotes and conversational language. This will make it easier for you to remember what you want to say.

Secondly, practise, practise, practise! Rehearse well in advance, and preferably out loud, and with all the equipment you plan on using. Practise your timing - when to pause and when to breathe - and prepare for the unexpected. Something always goes wrong, especially when you are relying on technology. So always have a back-up plan.

Get to know your audience before you have to stand up in front of them. Meet and greet them on the way in, perhaps. It is much easier to talk to a group of friends than a group of strangers. And, just as importantly, know your room as well. Arrive early, pace the speaking area and practice using the microphone and visual aids.

The hardest part is trying to relax. Never rush straight into your speech. Begin slowly and address the audience first. In fact, even before you start, take a few deep breaths. You know - one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand - this will turn your nervous energy into enthusiasm.

Visualisation can be a great confidence booster. Visualise yourself making the speech in the way that you intend. Imagine your voice loud and confident, and picture the audience clapping and rooting for you. Remember, people want you to succeed. The audience wants to hear an interesting and insightful speech. They aren't hoping you make a fool of yourself.

Whatever you do, avoid making unnecessary apologies. If you make a mistake or two, forget about it. Few will notice and it will all be forgotten before too long.

People often forget the importance of body language. Don't underestimate this. Your words carry far less meaning than your delivery. Success is defined by your intonation and confidence. If you come across as a confident person, people will listen to you - you will command their attention. Stand tall and proud and deliver with conviction. Humans are very bad listeners. We remember less than 25 percent of what is said and place far more emphasis on how it is said.

Last of all, be realistic and give yourself a chance. No one becomes the perfect speaker overnight. It takes time to hone your presentation skills.