Question 14:

Speaker 1:

Four adults are discussing their views on their classroom learning experience. Complete the sentences. Use each answer. Answer only once. You will not need two of the reasons.

Speaker 2:

I was always bored as a student, especially in a classroom environment. I'm more of a hands-on kind of learner. I learned best by doing, not listening to a teacher and sitting still at my desk. I wish my teacher paid attention to this and changed it up every so often. Maybe it would've made a difference to my grades. After high school, I decided to pick up a trade. Now I'm a plumber and I love it. 

Question 15:

Speaker 1:

Listen to a couple discussing where they would like to live. Read the statements and decide whose opinion matches the best. The man's, the woman's, or both.

Speaker 2:

Apartment hunting is so stressful. I can't wait until this is all over.

Speaker 3:

What do you mean? I personally love it. I love seeing the layout of all these flats in different neighborhoods. Look at this one. It's an apartment in a house and it's 1200 square feet. It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a balcony. We even have access to the backyard and patio area. It would be a great size for a starter home. Hmm.

Speaker 2:

I don't think we need that much space. It's just us two. Where is it?

Speaker 3:

Hmm? About 25 minutes by car outside of the center.

Speaker 2:

No way. That's basically the suburbs. 25 minutes by car means almost an hour by bus. I refuse to commute that far from work. We need to live closer to the downtown core so I can take public transport.

Speaker 3:

Well, I don't think we can afford anything that close to your job. Do you want us to be living month to month, unable to go out for dinner or buy name brand toilet paper because you think it's more important to live downtown?

Speaker 2:

Listen, I'm getting a raise at work and I don't mind spending a bit more than we originally planned. If it means we are closer to my job, plus we're in the center of the city. There's nothing to do once we get to the outskirts.

Speaker 3:

I guess what I'm worried about is that many buildings in the center don't allow tenants to have dogs. They're afraid that their units are going to be damaged. I'm not moving into a place that won't let me adopt a puppy.

Speaker 2:

I'm with you on that. I've wanted a dog since I was a kid, so finding a welcoming place for that is essential. There are quite a few urban dog parks downtown too, to make up for us not having a backyard.

Question 16:

When we think of biodiversity, Antarctica is not the first place that comes to mind. Antarctica, by definition, is actually the world's largest desert. I know it looks nothing like the Sahara, but the term just means that it is barren of plant life and receives little precipitation. So how does a place like this sustain life at all? I guess we can ask the four breeds of penguins that inhabit it. As we know, penguins are not traditional birds as they can't fly, but boy can they swim their webbed feet, give them the power to fly through the water at fast speeds.

As they hunt for dinner, they depend on the sea creatures in the ocean. For sustenance one species, the emperor penguin can even dive half a kilometer deep. Furthermore, their feathers play a role in their endurance as well. Not only are they dense and covered in oil as a form of waterproofing, but their black color also absorbs the heat from the sun in order to retain heat.

It is for this reason, that is to say their anatomical makeup that they can survive on this vast island. These animals are incredibly social. They travel, hunt, and eat together sometimes in groups of thousands, as the temperatures are quite harsh. Colonies of penguins work together to withstand the cold, the birds together, and rotate position in the group to ensure that each member warms up beyond the capacity for cuddle buddies.

Penguins also stay together for a more practical reason, safety in numbers. Granted, penguins do not have many land predators as a bird on another continent would have. However, these creatures are not totally exempt from this. From above large albatross like birds, feed on penguin eggs and vulnerable chicks. However, a major predator exists in the water, leopard seals, which can reach up to four meters in length, viciously feast on penguins that are too slow to return to land after a hunting trip.

These attacks often go unseen from penguin colonies as this predator nearly camouflages in its surroundings and remains still until the moment it pounces.

Question 17:

I am honored to be presenting to you the long awaited Jeffrey Ria Park. If I had had my way, this ceremony would've taken place over a year ago, but would the election change of government, et cetera, it was evidently delayed. I'd like to thank you, our public, for being the primary funders of this project. This is truly a space developed by the people for the people. Your startup costs are not in vain.

In my role as counselor, I have vowed to include the upkeep and maintenance of this space in our budget. So rest assured your investment will be protected. Allow me to present to you the features of this urban green space in the center of our beautiful city. On the north side of the park, we have a large dog park complete with water bowls for your thirsty pups. This area was a priority to institute.

As many dog owners in the area do not have sufficient space for their fur babies to stretch their legs. I know I personally will benefit from using this space as I have three large dogs myself. Moreover, for our biological children, we have a state-of-the-Art Jungle Gym. The playground is all sourced from recycled industrial material, offsetting the carbon footprint of developing a new plastic structure. For this reason, it is smaller than the traditional model, but I believe our little people will enjoy it for years to come.

As you may have noticed, we are fully equipped with benches and picnic tables so you can enjoy a break in the clean air in the future. I would like to expand this even further, creating an outdoor venue for live music and performances. This space, of course, will have to come from somewhere, and I believe reducing the car park will be the key to making this place more environmentally friendly and enjoyable for all.