IELTS Listening · Recent Actual Test 29 to 34
IELTS Recent Actual Test 32 - Part 3
Hello, are you Dr Lindsey? The Returning Students Advisor?
Level: B2 · 106 sentences
Transcript
- Hello, are you Dr Lindsey?
- The Returning Students Advisor?
- Yes, that's right. Are you Frank?
- Your appointment wasn't until 2:00, but that's OK.
- Please come in and have a seat.
- Thanks, I like to arrive early whenever I have anything to do.
- That's certainly a praiseworthy habit.
- Let me see, it looks like you've taken a long break from school,
- and I understand you wanted to have a chat about what you should study
- if and when you return for further classes.
- It's such a big challenge.
- I don't know if I'm crazy for doing this or not!
- Believe it or not, I know exactly what you mean.
- Before I began working here at the university, I taught primary school for nearly 10 years.
- It takes a lot of courage to go back to school!
- I feel more shy and scared than the primary students I teach!
- In the schools I taught, I found today's youngsters are very sure of themselves.
- In terms of intelligence, I have a lot to teach them.
- And the maturity level of much of my class leaves something to be desired.
- But in terms of confidence, wow!
- A lot more confident than I am now, that's for sure!
- Stop fretting.
- "A brave man is a coward who refuses to run".
- Let's talk about your strong points.
- You seem an intelligent man.
- What is it you would like to study?
- You see, I've been teaching children for a few years,
- but I think I'm happier teaching adults.
- I think teaching students in middle school is much more satisfying
- because they end up being much more grateful for your work.
- If I may ask, what got you interested in teaching adults?
- A lot of things, I guess.
- I met my future wife back in my first year of college.
- She always complains that I was more interesting then.
- She says that now I talk like I'm 7 years old!
- That's probably from being with children all day.
- Haha! Again I know just what you mean.
- My husband used to say the same thing about me when I taught kindergarten.
- Anything else?
- Well, yes.
- Fairly often now I run into former students and we talk.
- Some of them are getting close to being grown up.
- I guess I think more and more about how people develop over time.
- So, I'm interested in the results of education, you know, the final stages.
- I see.
- Well, coming back to the university can be both difficult and very rewarding.
- There are some problems unique to returning students, you know, older students like yourself.
- What do you think is your greatest weakness?
- Well, I actually think my confidence is getting better.
- I'm definitely overcoming my introversion
- and starting to be much more comfortable in front of a class.
- To tell the truth, I'm afraid I'm rather behind the times about many things.
- It's more difficult for me to chase after the popular things youngsters are fond of
- such as Iphone, Twitter, if you name it!
- I think I understand.
- How old are you, 35?
- People at your age still go back to school for further education.
- I was a bit the same way.
- I mean I didn't study at university till after I had a family: a husband and one child.
- My point of view was a lot different from your average eighteen-year-old girl's, I can tell you!
- Gee, that sounds pretty rough.
- A family and college?
- Clearly you weren't unsuccessful though!
- It was, Frank. It truly was.
- My first term at school was extremely stressful.
- But excuse me! You're not here to listen to my life story.
- We're talking about your plans.
- Is there anything unique I should know about you or your past experience or plans?
- I'm afraid not. There is nothing interesting about my career or plans.
- It's really not too impressive.
- Now, I forbid you to talk like that.
- This is your one life, and if you're not interested, why bother living it?
- Don't be so humble, Frank.
- OK, OK. My wife says I'm a wimp.
- Let's talk about your dreams a bit.
- You want to teach adults, you said.
- What would you like to teach them?
- Well, when I first came to college, I really liked Languages and Literature.
- A lot of people have told me that for practical reasons,
- it'd be more rewarding to choose Business Management as my major,
- but I made up my mind to study Liberal Arts once I got the idea of going back to school.
- I must say it's refreshing to meet someone who knows there's more to an education than computers and finance.
- Let's have a look at the university course catalogue...
- Excuse me, Dr Lindsey. Before we do that,
- could I maybe ask you some questions about changes in university life?
- I think I need to discuss that so I know what to expect.
- Of course. I'm here to help you.
- The biggest thing to get used to is the change in technology.
- Professors present things on huge screens,
- many of which are interactive computerised whiteboards.
- You can write on them still and use them like a touch screen.
- They're really handy!
- No more sloppy scribbled notes on the projector.
- Let's see, I doubt you'll be living in student housing,
- so I won't go into all the improvements there.
- Another major change that you'll enjoy is the plethora of resources available for students.
- As a student, you have 24-hour access to the gym,
- and library privileges that include the use of school computers to scan, copy, and print,
- and of course the Media Library, which contains movies from all genres
- and most of the movies listed on AFI's Top 100 Movies of All Time.
- The dining facilities are also not what they used to be.
- They offer choices for all diets, and you can expect a hot meal any time of day.
- Wow, things really have changed!
- I'll be sure to utilise all those great facilities in my time here.
- Thanks for all your help, Dr Lindsey.
- I think that's all the questions I have for now.