SECTION 1

This is the IELTS listening test. You will hear a number of different recordings, and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four parts. At the end of the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Now turn to part one.

Part One
You will hear a woman telephoning an eco farm. First, you have some time to look at questions one to five.

Now listen carefully and answer questions one to five.

Speaker 1: Good afternoon. Lakeside eco farm Mark speaking.

Speaker 2: Oh, good afternoon. My name is Helen. I was listening to a program the other day. And it said that you are a member of the Northern Hotel Group.

Speaker 1: Yes, that's correct. Are you a member of the group?

Speaker 2: Yes, I am. And I would like to book for this coming school holidays.

Speaker 1: No problem, Helen. May I have your full name?

Speaker 2: Helen Pennington. That's P-E double N-I-N-G-T-O-N.

Speaker 1: Thank you, Helen. And your email address.

Speaker 2: Helen123 at email.com. No dashes or underscores. Oh sorry. Actually, it's probably better if I give you my work email address, which is more convenient for me. That is Helen123 at greenfield.com. And Greenfield is one word.

Speaker 1: Okay. And your home address?

Speaker 2: It is 66 Lake Road, Sheffield.

Speaker 1: May I ask where you heard about us? You mentioned a program? Is it on TV? Or?

Speaker 2: Actually, I heard about you on the radio. And I thought it might be a good place to take my children during the summer holidays. What kind of activities do you have?

Speaker 1: Well here we have lodges in the woods, a couple of lakes, lots of activities and great food. So I'm sure your whole family will love it. I can give you prices for all these. But first, could I have your membership number?

Speaker 2: Oh yes, I think it's UK765042G, but I will just check. It has been a while since I used it just a moment. Ah, actually it is UK765024EG.

Speaker 1: That's fine. Thank you. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions six to 10.

Now listen carefully and answer questions six to 10.

Speaker 2: Can you see my information on your system?

Speaker 1: Yes, I found you. So regarding accommodation here at Lakeside eco farm for families, I recommend our family chalets as they are large and suitable for both adults and children.

Speaker 2: Okay, that sounds nice. But a large is probably too big for us. And I don't think we have much time and energy for cleaning. So we would like to stay in a flat preferably near the farm.

Speaker 1: I'm afraid there's no accommodation near the farm. Would you want to be located near the lake? It's got a great view.

Speaker 2: Actually, my daughter would prefer to stay in the forest if possible.

Speaker 1: That's fine. We have some cabins in the forest that would suit your family.

Speaker 2: Yes, that's the kind of thing we want. I hope you have a wide range of food available. My husband is a meat eater. I like seafood and my children like organic food including plenty of vegetables.

Speaker 1: Yes, we cater for all different types of diet so you can get all of those preferences here. Don't worry.

Speaker 2: Great. So what is the transport situation? Can we get there by ferry or van, for instance?

Speaker 1: No, the best way is by train. There's a regular service from Sheffield, or there is a bike trail all the way here. It generally takes about six hours to ride here from Sheffield.

Speaker 2: That sounds good, but it might be difficult with our luggage. It's a pity you don't have vans or ferry boats. But I think we will take the train. So what activities do you have there?

Speaker 1: We have a gardening course on planting flowers, would that be suitable?

Speaker 2: I was hoping for something a little more energetic to give us more exercise. A dance course for example.

Speaker 1: That is something guests requested in the past. But it's not something we're doing at the moment. I will bear that in mind for the future though.

Speaker 2: Okay, that would be great. I need to get back to work. So can you email me through the prices and all the details?

Speaker 1: Certainly. I'll send all the details through to your work email address right now.

Speaker 2: Great. Thank you.

Speaker 1: You're welcome. And we hope to see you here at Lakeside eco farm soon. Thanks. Goodbye.

That is the end of part one. You now have one minute to check your answers to part one.

SECTION 2

Part Two
You will hear an introduction from a tour guide about suggestions for an island. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14.

Now listen carefully, and answer questions 11 to 14.

Hello, everyone. I'm Hazel, the guide from Travel Light agency. Since we mentioned the trip to Muna island in the last program, we've received several online messages from those who have been there. As a result, we've collected some helpful do's and don'ts for new visitors, which will hopefully help you to know the island better and enjoy your stay to the fullest.

The first suggestion is about tips. Although tipping is required in most circumstances in Muna Island, the amount you should give differs significantly. If you take a taxi, there is no set rate on how much you should leave to the driver. Someone may give a generous tip if he thinks the service is fantastic. It's up to you entirely. However, if you go to the hairdresser's or enjoy a meal in the restaurant, and the bill comes with no service charge, a 10% tip is advisable.

Muna Island has got relatively good medical service. If you get sick, the quickest way is to ask the hotel to arrange an English speaking doctor for you. But remember, it's not a complimentary service. The other alternative is to visit the local clinic and you have to prepare for the charge as well. I should remind you that the medical service on the island can be pricey, so it's better to buy your insurance before you leave.

When you visit Muna Island, you'll see the notice nearly everywhere. Tap water is safe to drink. But you might not get used to its weird taste because it contains minerals. In this case, you can buy bottled water sold in every shop, but you'd better make sure the sealed lid is untouched as the locals often put tap water into the bottle.

Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.

Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

Then I'll focus on transportation in Muna Island. The bus is the most commonly used means of transportation for local residents. Although there aren't many bus lines, they're always on time. However, some people complained that the road was so bumpy that they even got nausea and dizziness. As a result, it's not a good choice if you want to sit peacefully and relax on the way. And another thing is, before you jump on the bus, inquire of the driver about where the bus will go. Unlike most cities, here in Muna Island, you cannot find the destination shown in front of the bus or at the bus stop.

Maybe you found the bus service is not so enjoyable. In that case, you can always rent a car. If you choose this way, I advise you to prepare well beforehand. Although some taxi companies provide car rental services, many visitors sometimes find nobody answering the phone, so leave this way when you are in a hurry. It's wise to compare several car rental companies online beforehand, as the price may vary a lot. Booking via hotel may be overcharged, as it contains a 10% commission, so it's also not advisable. More importantly, don't forget to check with the company what the price covers in detail, like daily rental expenses, car insurance, commission, etc. It usually includes unlimited mileage, but fuel is excluded.

If you don't want to drive, a taxi is the quickest and most comfortable way, although few are available on Muna Island. If you want to find a taxi quickly, it's not a good idea to reserve through the taxi company, as sometimes you will have quite a wait, especially in the rush hour. The easiest way is just waving your hands on the street to stop the taxi. Otherwise, the driver will drive away directly after he drops off the guests. Oh, another thing is, I have to remind you that there is no meter for taxis in Muna island. So before you jump in the taxi, you'd better negotiate with the driver about how much you're going to pay. For example, if you take a taxi from the airport at night, it may cost you more, so confirm the price before you get in.

Okay, that's all about the tips for Muna island that I want to share today. And are there any questions?

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

SECTION 3

Part Three
You will hear two students called Jeanne and Dan discussing some research on the effects of music on consumer behavior. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26.

Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

Jeanne: Hi, Dan, how's it going?

Dan: Oh, Jeanne, pretty well, thanks. Have you finished your research yet?

Jeanne: Yes, it's all done. I've spent several weeks on it, from the very beginning of deciding the topic to carrying out the research and writing the essay.

Dan: Congratulations, seems like a big project. I know the research has to do with music. But what is it exactly about?

Jeanne: Well, at first, I didn't have a specific purpose. Until one day, I read a report that said, if appropriate music is played while people are eating, it may cause some changes in their behavior. But the report didn't illustrate the changes in detail. So I wanted to carry out a thorough investigation into this.

Dan: That's quite unique. So how did you conduct your research?

Jeanne: I started by looking for five different restaurants, and then went to each of the restaurants to order some food and observe the people. I mainly focused on how the music is played instead of how people eat. The findings of my observations indicate that the five restaurants have something in common. They all have a special section to play the music. More importantly, although the music is played at different times, the volume is unchanged.

Dan: Sounds attractive. I've never read anything about this before. In addition to observation, what other research methods have you used?

Jeanne: I also distributed the survey questionnaire to people dining.

Dan: What questions are in your questionnaire?

Jeanne: Well, the first section of the questionnaire asks subjects to indicate the number of times they have been to the restaurant previously, the number of people they dine with, and whether they think they will return to the restaurant. These early questions don't involve musical preferences, but largely act as distractors. The intention being that subjects will be less inclined to think that the survey is about the music being played.

Dan: That sounds very reasonable. Did you design a questionnaire by yourself?

Jeanne: Actually, no. I read an assignment a student wrote last year, which was just kept beside a dictionary in the library. I came across it when I was looking something up in the dictionary.

Dan: Oh, you're so lucky. Is there any other question included in the questionnaire?

Jeanne: Yes, subjects are also asked why they choose to dine at a particular restaurant. Several reasons are listed in the questionnaire. I thought people would put service first. But that's not the case. Only about 12% of them have chosen this reason. While the majority of respondents think whether they will pick this restaurant depends on how many available seats it has. They think it's terrible to eat in a crowded place.

Dan: Yes, everyone wants to enjoy a meal comfortably. Then I guess maybe the location of a restaurant is an important factor, since no one likes to waste too much time on the way.

Jeanne: It used to be. But nowadays, nearly every household has a private car, so they don't have to be worried about the traffic problem. What I find interesting, however, is that a large percentage of people say they will compare different restaurants in the neighborhood on the internet first. If one of them stands out from its rivals, they will choose it.

Dan: Wow, it's really interesting.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30.

Now listen, and answer questions 27 to 30.

Jeanne: The second section of the questionnaire asked subjects to respond to the music being played by rating it, so that the relationship between music and perceived atmosphere could be examined directly as a means of examining purchase intention. The final section of the questionnaire asks them to indicate the maximum amount of money they are prepared to spend on their main meal.

Dan: So what have you finally discovered?

Jeanne: I collected all the questionnaires and analyzed people's answers to get a clearer idea of their reactions to different music conditions. The result shows that music has become an indispensable part of restaurants. If people find there isn't any music during the meal, they will think the restaurant charges too much.

Dan: Yes. Now music is everywhere in our life. Is there any difference in people's attitudes towards different musical styles?

Jeanne: Yes, most people think that if jazz is being played when eating, they tend to stay at the restaurant longer and order more food to enjoy the music. But this is quite the opposite of what happens when classical music is played. Many customers think if the restaurant plays classical music, they wouldn't like to stay there for another minute, but to finish the food quickly and hurry away, because they don't like this type of music at all. And lastly, about pop music. It's very popular these days, especially among young people. As I've noticed in restaurants, they like listening to this type of music during their meals. As a result, this greatly increases the possibility of their presence at the same restaurant.

Dan: Great. I've learned a lot from your research. I think it's meaningful and innovative. Thanks for telling me Jeanne.

Jeanne: You're welcome Dan.

That is the end of part three. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to part three.

SECTION 4

Part Four
You will hear an engineering student giving a presentation about a research project on design features of the International Space Station. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40.

Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

In my presentation, I'm going to summarize the findings of a research project on life aboard the International Space Station in the early days of its operation, its teething problems as it were.

I'll start by giving a little background information. The space station crew were essentially a constantly changing team of scientists from different countries who lived on the space station for several months at a time. And they conducted a number of experiments, including some studies of living conditions in space, which is what I'm going to be looking at now.

So what was life like on board in the very confined conditions of the space station? Well, the early impressions recorded by the astronauts were very different from what people had expected. They expected that the air would smell stale or artificial, but the astronauts found that it was fresh. So that was one very positive finding. And although they were in such a confined space, and people worried that it would get very hot, in fact, they found that it was very easy to turn the temperature up or down in order to keep it within a comfortable range.

The feedback on the food was also positive. Astronauts on previous space stations had described the meals as boring, but the International Space Station meals were praised for their variety. So that was another good piece of feedback. And something which is taken for granted today, but was a key morale booster in those days was communication between the space station and Earth, which the astronauts said was clear and reliable. So in the early days, it seems that the mood was overall very positive.

However, after a few days, the difficulties and frustrations became clearer. Above all, the crew complained about the constant noise caused by the air filters which used to rattle and buzz 24 hours a day, interrupting their sleep. As well as that, the astronauts complained that the Velcro fasteners which were positioned all over the station didn't work well. And so a lot of the time, objects weren't secure in the cabin, but floated about.

A particularly serious problem was that the systems used on the space station had been developed in a number of different countries, and they didn't always work well together. For example, it was impossible to mix the water produced from different systems, because it contained different sorts of preservatives, and these reacted together and blocked the pipes.

Another problem was connected to repairs. At the best of times, these took up an inordinate amount of time on the station, and the crew complained that many of the tools that they had been provided with weren't suitable for the jobs they had to do. So they had to improvise, which meant that jobs took a lot longer than they needed to.

Another related problem was to do with access to equipment that needed maintaining. Because the instructions on the equipment were often located in places where they were difficult to read, like on the back of equipment, it was often difficult or impossible to read them.

So having identified these problems, the researchers came up with a number of suggestions about how conditions could be improved on subsequent missions. First, it became clear that although there had been a great deal of consultation with the crews, the systems and equipment on the space station needed much more wide-ranging testing.

Then the whole issue of language training came under review. Astronauts from different countries had to be able to talk to the controllers on Earth, and to understand them. Now, although they'd had extensive language training, the astronauts sometimes had problems comprehending what was said, because they weren't familiar with the accent of the speaker. And this sometimes led to quite dangerous misunderstandings.

Finally, and this is the point I found most surprising, the researchers felt that the designers of the space station were paying too much attention to safety rather than considering operating issues - that is how the station could be run comfortably and smoothly. And the recommendation was to make changes here at quite a fundamental level. So those were the main points I covered in the presentation.

That is the end of Part Four. You now have one minute to check your answers to part four.

That is the end of the listening test. In the IELTS test, you would now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

You will hear a number of different recordings, and you will have to answer questions on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions, and you will have a chance to check your work. All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in four sections. Write all your answers in the Listening Question Booklet. At the end of the test, you will be given ten minutes to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. Now turn to section 1 on page 2 of your question booklet. Section 1 You will hear a man phoning to ask about a festival in a town called Beechin. First you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6 on page 2. You will see that there is an example that has been done for you. On this occasion only, the conversation relating to this will be played first. Beechin Festival Office Oh, hello. I want to check some details about the festival. I know tickets are running out fast, and I haven't got access to the internet at present, my computer's down. OK. Well, the first activity is on June the 19th at 7pm, and it's a concert with local musicians performing. Oh, lovely. The activity on June the 19th is a concert, so concert has been written in the space. Now we shall begin. You should answer the questions as you listen, because you will not hear the recording a second time. Listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6. Beechin Festival Office Oh, hello. I want to check some details about the festival. I know tickets are running out fast, and I haven't got access to the internet at present, my computer's down. OK. Well, the first activity is on June the 19th at 7pm, and it's a concert with local musicians performing. Oh, lovely. Is it in the theatre, like last year? Yes, that's right. And for the next activity, on the 20th, the times changed. Is that the tour? Yes. Now, it does say on the tickets that it's a 3.40 start, but that's an error. There wasn't time to update them, unfortunately, so it should say 4.30 instead. The correct time is on the website, though. Oh, right. Because one of my friends wants to go on that, to see Beechin with an expert and find out about the town and its history. Does she need to get a ticket in advance? No, just turn up at the station where the guide will be waiting. They'll start from there, and I think the plan is to stop for a break in the park. And there's no charge for the tour. And the tour will finish with a visit to the 16th century mill where they used to make flour. It's recently been restored. Fine. And then on the 21st, there's an all-day event for children. Oh, that could be good for my visitors. They're bringing theirs, you see. Right. Well, the plan was to have a painting competition for the kids, but it's now going to be cooking instead. And there'll be prizes for all the different age groups. Oh, great. And it's in Beechin Community Centre. Oh, yes, I know where that is. They don't need to bring any ingredients, but they'll need to have a plate to put whatever they've made on so they can display it and then take it home. Sounds good. And are they going ahead with the fireworks in the evening, or is that cancelled? There was an article in the paper after last year's display which suggested it might not be happening again. That's right. No, that's still on. It's getting more popular each year, and having it in the town square was starting to be a bit difficult because of the numbers, which is why it's next to the river this time. It'll be easy for large numbers of people to get to. Yes, of course. I'm sure there's lots to look forward to. Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10 on page 2. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10. OK, now I just want to check how it's going to impact on me as a local resident. I mean, some people last year thought it was too noisy at night. Yes, I know. And that's why this year evening events won't go on beyond 11.15. I know previously some activities lasted until 11.45, and the new time applies now to all the events, every evening. OK. And another change, perhaps you know about this already, is that because of high visitor numbers, parking in the town centre isn't going to be allowed. It'll be outside town. Oh, yes, to keep the streets clear, I suppose, for all the visitors. I did know, actually, and it's not really going to be a problem for me. Right. I mean, I can just walk into town from my home. OK. Well, anyway, if you want to check any more details about the festival, once you're back online, you can look at www.events.com and you'll be able to comment on what activities you enjoyed and that kind of thing. This will help the organisers would be if people could use the website to give feedback about what they enjoyed and that kind of thing. This will help them plan for next year. That's probably a good idea. And with pricing, I know... That is the end of Section 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to Section 2 on page 3. Section 2 You will hear a tour guide talking to some tourists who are going on a walking holiday in Spain. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14 on page 3. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14. Well, good evening, everyone. My name's Gary Payne and I'll be the leader for your walking holiday in Spain. And the purpose of this evening's meeting is for us all to get to know each other in advance and for you to ask any questions you may have about the holiday. So I'll begin by telling you a little bit about what to expect. Now, the ferry crossing from England to Santander in Spain takes about 24 hours. We'll be sailing on the Prince Regent, which was first launched in the 1980s. As well as the crew of 160, it can accommodate about 2,000 people and 600 cars. And it sails at an average speed of 37 km an hour. There'll be an on-board map on one of the decks, which charts the ship's progress during the voyage. Although our minibus will be on one of the vehicle decks in the boat, access to these decks is prohibited during the crossing, so when you leave our bus, you'll have to take everything that you're likely to need with you, like toiletries or books and magazines. In fact, it's probably a good idea to put these things in a separate bag beforehand. You shouldn't need snacks on board as meals are provided and they're quite substantial. And if you don't feel well or get a headache, you can get tablets from me. I always carry an adequate supply. Now, once we're in Spain, we'll be based at a hostel in a small village called La Vega de Libana, about 120 km from Santander. It's a very picturesque area that's retained a lot of its traditional industry and culture. The hostel accommodation's fairly simple. There are bunk beds and each room holds four to eight people. But the bathrooms and showers are of a high standard. The hostel residents have the use of tennis courts nearby, if you feel like a game. We'll be given breakfast and an evening meal at the hostel. In general, the hostel is relaxed, but there are a few rules which the owners enforce strictly. Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the building and food and drink is banned in the dormitories. Any chairs or tables which you take outside into the gardens must be returned every evening to their original place. And finally, the doors are locked after midnight out of consideration for other guests who are trying to sleep. Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20 on page 4. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. Now, that's enough about travel and accommodation. But before I move on, I should say something briefly about equipment. There's a list in the guidebook you've been sent, but I'll just elaborate on one or two items. First, boots. Make sure that the ones you bring have thick soles. That's the most important thing. Don't bring trainers for walking in. Apart from anything else, they're dangerous because they slip. It's important to bring spare socks. Then, about waterproofs. I'd strongly advise you not to come with anything heavy, you know, with a thick lining. The ideal things are those lightweight ones, because they fold up small, and although they do keep the wind out, they don't make you too hot. Right? Next, sun cream. This is absolutely essential. And regarding the strength, make sure you get what's known as total block. Even factor 25 isn't good enough for those latitudes in July. Then, let's see. Bring a folder to keep your map and other papers in, you know, one of those plastic ones. It's not very likely to rain, but if it does, you'll find it soaks everything. So, that's the practicalities over. Now let me tell you a little bit about the area in Spain where we'll be walking, the Picos de Europa. It's a very popular area for tourists because of its spectacular peaks. Although they're only 25 kilometres from the sea, the highest peaks are more than 2,600 metres high and have year-round snow caps. On the highest peaks, you've got alpine plants that are only free of their snow cover for a few months a year. Then you've got meadows that are full of wildflowers at certain times of the year. Then the northern slopes are covered by woodlands, giving homes to rare species such as wolves and bears. And because of the variety of plant life, which survives in that part of Europe due to the traditional way of life there... That is the end of Section 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to Section 3 on page 5. Section 3 You will hear two students called Sally and Steve discussing Sally's project on peer assessment, a system where students mark each other's work. First you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24 on page 5. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24. I can't believe you're still in the library, Sally. You've been here all day. Are you still working on your peer assessment project? Hi, Steve. Yes, I'm still here and I'm nowhere near finished. I'm still processing the reading I've done on peer assessment. I'm interested to see if students marking each other's work is beneficial. I know a lot of the other students are pretty sceptical about its value as a way of assessing their performance. They think the tutors are in favour of it because they don't have to spend so long marking. But I disagree. I think we can learn a great deal from it. Yes, I can see one advantage being that it saves time spent going over things in class. Well, initially it doesn't seem to work that way and it can be quite a time-consuming business because sometimes things have to be marked again if the tutor thinks the student's assessments aren't reliable. The real gain is the fact that the students learn to stand back and assess their own assignments objectively because they're much more familiar with the marking system. Yes, I can see that. It gives them an opportunity to reflect on their own performance. And how do they feel about having another student mark their work? Is that good for rapport? In some cases yes, in some cases no. I think more research is needed to answer that question. What happens if a tutor notices that the marks for a particular assignment seem wrong? Should the students mark them again? That might not make any difference. So in that case the tutor would have to remark all those assignments and then go through the marking criteria really carefully with the students on the next assignment with some sample answers. I've been reading about a research project on peer assessment. The researchers invited a group of students from two different universities to attend a one-day conference. They also invited some university lecturers to attend. Each student gave a short presentation on a project of their choice. Each of these presentations was assessed individually by all the participants, both students and lecturers. To support their marking, they used a set of assessment guidelines that had been prepared the day before by a random selection of students. Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30 on page 6. Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30. So were the student markers reliable? Well, comparisons were made between certain categories of student markers and the group as a whole, including the lecturers. The findings showed that there were some variations in the way different groups marked. Gender did come into play, for example. I expect the male students were more generous when marking female presenters, were they? Quite the reverse, actually. They were harder on the female presenters than on the males, which wasn't what I'd expected either. Did female students show any bias towards male presenters? Interestingly not. So does that suggest women are fairer and more reliable markers than men? Well, I wouldn't go that far. It's only a small sample. But significantly, the results showed that when women marked other women, this didn't affect the grades they gave. What about age? Were you able to come to any conclusions about that? Yes, because we had some mature students presenting and we found the marks awarded to them by their younger peers were rather more generous. I wonder why that is. Now, you said there were groups of students from two universities. Did they tend to favour students making presentations from their own universities? It didn't seem to influence marking one way or the other, which is quite encouraging. We'd been interested to see if students' personal relationships affected their objectivity. One striking variation, though, was in the students who'd been asked to help devise the criteria for the marking scheme. They were actually the toughest markers of all, marking consistently below the tutors. Really? Well, it sounds as if it's generated lots of useful data. I expect you'll be here for... That is the end of section 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Now turn to section 4 on page 7. Section 4 You will hear part of a linguistics lecture about a language called Bishlama that is spoken in the Pacific Islands. First, you have some time to look at questions 31-40 on page 7. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31-40. Good morning and welcome back to this series of linguistics lectures. Today I will be talking about the language Bishlama, which is a form of pidgin English. Linguists use the term pidgin to describe new languages that are created by combining two or more existing languages, often in a simplified form. The study of pidgin languages is important because it provides us with information about language change and modification. The pidgin English known as Bishlama is used in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, a group of islands where 81 first languages are still regularly used by the local people. There are a further 17 local languages that are in danger of dying out and 8 that have been identified as extinct. This gives a total of 106 first languages in all, a very high number for a small country with a population of just 200,000 people. Then thinking about foreign languages, English is the most important and has official status largely because it is the medium for all education purposes. However, it is Bishlama that is the most widely spoken language in the country, used regularly by more than 90% of the population. We should note here that in earlier times some people had negative feelings towards the language. In fact, for many years it was commonly referred to as a broken language and its use was discouraged. But attitudes have changed dramatically and today the people of Vanuatu are very proud of this unique language. It is only when we understand the historical context that we can comprehend just why Bishlama developed in Vanuatu. The first form of Pidgin English in this region can be traced to around 1800 when foreign traders arrived and local people were recruited to work as sailors. On board multilingual ships there was an obvious need for a common tongue and Pidgin English was born. This early form of Bishlama continued to spread as trade in the Pacific developed in sandalwood and other local commodities. Then from about 1860 a lot of people from Vanuatu travelled to Australia to work on the new plantations as labourers. Again, because of the multilingual nature of these workplaces it was very important to have a common language. Finally, in modern times there have been other pressures that have maintained the need for a common language. Like many other parts of the world from about the 1950s Vanuatu experienced a significant migration of its people from small villages into the city and it has been here that Bishlama has really established itself as the country's first language. So then, how can we describe the language itself? In general terms Pidgin languages can be defined as extremely simple versions of the original language. However, this is not a satisfactory definition in this case and linguists prefer to describe Bishlama as a developed pidgin because it has more rules and ideas than most simple pidgin languages found in other parts of the world. Let's think first about the vocabulary. Because Britain was the colonial power the majority of Bishlama's vocabulary is derived from English. However, some care needs to be taken here. For example, the word from in Bishlama can also mean because of so we need to be aware that words can have a wider range of meanings in Bishlama. Indeed, there are numerous other potentially misleading terms and English is not the only contributor to the vocabulary. Again, because of the region's history there are some words, around 5-10% that are derived from French. Then, a relatively small number of words have been taken from local, Pacific languages. Usually, this is the case where there is no English equivalent for naturally occurring phenomena or to describe some aspect of the culture that is unique to the country. Finally, a word about grammar. Although the vocabulary is based largely on English it's important to note that the grammatical structure of Bishlama is derived from patterns common in the local languages of Vanuatu. So, for example, there are two distinct pronouns meaning we, one means I and you and another means I and some others but not you. Sounds confusing in English but in the local languages such distinctions are common. A different example concerns the word long. It is almost the only preposition in Bishlama and may be used in place of a whole range of English words such as at, to, with, on, in and so on. Well, that is the end of the formal part of the lecture. If you have any questions now, I'll be most happy to answer them. That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to the listening answer sheet.