Questions

This listening test contains 12 questions.
To make it more authentic, download the test and do it with pen and paper.

 

You will hear a conversation between Sue, who works in the study abroad office, and Jon, a student interested in participating in one of the programmes.

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Jon heard about the study abroad programme through _____(1)______.

Jon is mainly worried about ______(2)______ on time.

Study abroad is recommended for students doing a _____(3)______ degree.

Most courses abroad are conducted in ______(4)_______.

Sue recommends Jon consider studying in a _______(5)_______ country.

Students on the programme participate in ________(6)________ before departing.

Programmes in ______(7)_______ tend to be the most popular.
(European countries)

Insurance and accommodation are _______(8)_______ the programme fees.

A representative from the university is at each study abroad location to help with ______(9)______.

Sue gives Jon the numbers of ______(10)_______, a _____(11)______ on the programme, and her ______(12)______.

Answers

1) a friend

2) completing his course/studies

3) liberal arts

4) English

5) French-speaking African

6) orientation events

7) European countries

8) included in

9) difficulties / unexpected difficulties / unexpected problems

10) previous participants / last year's participants

11) prospectus / booklet

12) office number

Audioscript

Sue:  Good morning.

Jon: Good morning.  I wonder if you have a few minutes – A friend of mine did one of the study abroad programmes at the university, and recommended it to me, but I have a few questions about it.

Sue:  Sure, no problem.  What in particular do you have questions about?

Jon: Well, first of all, it all sounds very interesting, I mean, studying in a foreign country for a semester or two, but I’m worried about my academic track.  I’m worried that if I study abroad for a year, I’ll end up doing an extra year at university to make up for it. 

Sue:  That’s usually not the case.  Students studying abroad usually take similar classes to the ones that they would take here, but a lot of it depends on what your course of study is. 

Jon:  I’m doing a degree in sociology. 

Sue: That’s perfect.  It’s usually easier to place students in the liberal arts than, say, computer science or engineering students. 

Jon:  Why is that?

Sue:  Well, with a degree in the sciences, the experience of studying in another country, while good for personal development, does not enhance the academic experience as much.  However, in your case, I would strongly recommend a semester or a year abroad.  Sociology, after all, is in part all about different cultures.  It would be a great experience for you.

Jon:  Well, what about language?  Do I have to speak another language to study abroad?  I mean, I have intermediate French but….

Sue: Not necessarily.  Many of the universities we have agreements with conduct some if not all of their courses in English.  And of course you can opt to study in another English speaking country.  We have programmes in Australia, Canada, and Singapore. 

Jon: Well, I am focusing on African culture in my studies.  Are there any programmes in Africa?

Sue:  Yes, and with your background in the French language, I would recommend studying at one of our partner universities in an African country where French is spoken, such as Morocco. 

Jon: I’ve never been abroad before, and the whole idea is a bit intimidating, I must admit.

Sue:  Of course it is, but most people who study abroad are in the same boat.  The university provides a number of services to ensure that you are well taken care of.  For example, before you go, you’ll have a number of orientation events where you can meet other participants on the programme and learn a bit about the culture and lifestyle of the place where you’ll study. 

Jon: That sounds useful.  How many people are there usually in each programme?

Sue:  It depends on which programme.  As you can guess, the programmes in Europe tend to be the most popular, and these groups are the biggest.  But most groups have about 20-30 students. 

Jon: And what about living arrangements, insurance, and things like that?

Sue:  All of it is taken care of in the price of the programme.  We also have a representative from this university at all our study abroad locations so if students run into difficulties, they have help at hand. 

Jon: It all sounds really good.  Of course I’ll have to think about it.

Sue: Of course.  Why don’t I give you the names and numbers of people who did the programme last year?  They will be able to give you more information. 

Jon: Great.  That would be really helpful.

Sue: And do you have the programme prospectus? 

Jon: Sorry…? 

Sue: This booklet gives you some detailed information about the programme and the courses you can take abroad.  I’m sure it will be helpful. 

Jon: Oh, I see.  Thanks. 

Sue: Finally, I’ll just write down my office number so you can call me if you think of any further questions. 

Jon:  Great!  This has been very helpful.  I’m sure it’d be a great opportunity for me.

Sue:  I’m confident it would.  Have a good day!

Jon:  Bye!

Advice / Hints

Have a quick look at the questions first and highlight the keywords.

The questions require you to write no more than three words but you might not know what words to write when you are listening to the audio. So try to write down the important words on the question paper while listening. Then think about the appropriate phrase to use for each answer afterwards.

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Study Abroad test

Answer sheet