Student Life and Extracurricular Activities – B2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
You will hear a university student called Leo giving a presentation about a series of academic lectures organised by the Music Society. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Music Society Academic Lectures
The lectures are currently being held in the (9)……………………… instead of the library.
Leo found that using the (10)……………………… was the most successful way to advertise the lectures.
During a talk on the piano, the audience was surprised to see a (11)……………………… from an early instrument.
An expert explained that the Italian (12)……………………… was a major factor in producing high-quality violins.
A future lecture about the flute will focus on its role in (13)……………………… .
Leo is pleased with the introduction of a (14)……………………… at the end of each event.
The society is able to provide speakers with (15)……………………… to thank them for coming.
Leo says the society needs to buy a new (16)……………………… before they can record the lectures.
According to recent feedback, attendees were unhappy with the (17)……………………… .
Next term, the society will focus on the topic of (18)………………………
ANSWER KEY
9 drama studio 10 student radio 11 wooden frame 12 climate
13 folk music 14 panel discussion 15 train tickets
16 microphone 17 uncomfortable chairs 18 film soundtracks
AUDIO SCRIPT
Leo: Hi everyone, my name is Leo, and I’m the current president of the university Music Society. I’m here today to talk to you about a new initiative we’ve launched this year: our academic lecture series. We usually just organise concerts and practice sessions, but we decided it was time to invite subject-matter experts to teach us about the fascinating history behind the instruments we play.
When we started planning the lecture series, finding the right location was our first hurdle. We initially hoped to book the main library, as it has a brilliant new presentation space. Unfortunately, it was closed for renovations, so we eventually secured the drama studio. It’s actually proved to be an excellent venue because the acoustics are fantastic.
Getting the word out wasn’t easy, either. We spent a weekend putting up hundreds of posters around the campus, but to be honest, they didn’t attract much attention at all. However, when we got a brief mention on the student radio, ticket sales suddenly went through the roof. It’s definitely the best method for reaching our peers.
Our first guest speaker was a historian who talked about the evolution of the piano. We assumed he’d just show us a slideshow of old keyboards. Instead, he actually brought along a wooden frame from a 17th-century instrument. It was amazing to examine it up close and see how fragile it was compared to modern pianos.
Then, a few weeks later, we had a fascinating evening dedicated to the history of the violin. I always thought the secret to those incredibly valuable old Italian violins was the special varnish they used. But the expert pointed out that it was actually the climate during that specific historical period that made the wood so perfect for sound resonance.
We have plenty more planned, too. Next week, we’re hosting a specialist who’ll talk about wind instruments, specifically the flute. While most people instantly associate it with classical symphonies, her presentation will center entirely on its importance in folk music across different cultures. I think it will offer a really fresh perspective.
We’ve also tweaked the format of the evenings. We used to finish the events with a simple question and answer session, but people often felt too shy to speak up and ask things. Now, we organise a panel discussion to wrap things up. We invite a few tutors to chat with the guest speaker, and it’s been a massive hit with the audience.
Of course, inviting these experts can be tricky because we don’t have a large budget to pay them a proper professional fee. We do offer them a free dinner before the talk, of course, but what really helps us secure such great guests is that the university allows us to cover their train tickets. They really appreciate not being out of pocket.
Because the lectures have been so popular, many students who can’t attend have asked us to record the events. We have a decent camera that captures high-quality video, but our current microphone is terrible. It picks up too much background noise, so we must invest in a better one before we start uploading anything online.
We want to keep improving, so we recently sent out a survey to see what attendees thought. I fully expected people to complain about the timing of the lectures, as 7 PM is quite late for some commuters. Surprisingly, the majority of the complaints were actually about the uncomfortable chairs in the venue. We’re looking into borrowing cushions for the next event!
Looking ahead to next term, we’ve been debating what our overarching theme should be. We strongly considered doing a deep dive into the history of jazz, but we’ve firmly decided to explore film soundtracks instead, as it’s something a lot of members requested. We’ve already started contacting composers to come and speak. If you’re interested in joining us, please check out the Music Society website. Thanks for listening!
Listening 2
You will hear a university student called Liam giving a presentation about organising extracurricular activities for new students. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Student Committee Activities
Liam explains that the main purpose of the social events is to build a feeling of (9)……………………… amongst the new students.
The committee’s first highly successful event was a (10)……………………… which encouraged interaction.
Liam discovered that the best way to advertise events was by using a (11)……………………… in the college.
Liam was surprised to find that a (12)……………………… was the most highly desired prize.
When organising the formal dinner, the most difficult task was securing a (13)……………………… for the evening.
Liam believes that a carefully planned (14)……………………… helped students mix with people from other courses.
Liam says that managing the (15)……………………… is the most challenging aspect of his role on the committee.
For their most recent event, the food was supplied by a (16)……………………… in the local town.
Liam suggests that new students should join the (17)……………………… to improve their confidence when speaking.
Liam is looking forward to organising a (18)……………………… for students next term.
ANSWER KEY
9 camaraderie 10 trivia night 11 noticeboard 12 sweatshirt
13 venue 14 seating arrangement 15 budget
16 bakery 17 debating society 18 talent show
AUDIO SCRIPT
Liam: Hi everyone, my name is Liam, and I’m currently in my second year of university. I’m here today to talk about my role on the student committee and the kind of extracurricular activities we run. Basically, students orchestrate social gatherings, such as trivia nights or formal dinners, to foster a sense of camaraderie among new members. You might think our main aim is simply to help people have a good time and relax after lectures, but actually, the primary goal is to foster a sense of camaraderie among everyone who has just arrived. It can be quite daunting moving to a new city, so building that supportive community is absolutely vital.
When we were planning our very first event of the term, we brainstormed a few ideas. We initially considered putting on a movie marathon in the main hall. However, we eventually settled on a trivia night, which turned out to be a massive hit. The competitive element really got people talking and laughing together right from the start.
Of course, getting the word out about these events is always a bit tricky. We thought about investing time in a massive social media campaign, assuming that’s where everyone looks these days. But surprisingly, pinning a bright, eye-catching poster on the college noticeboard was much more effective. Literally everyone walks past it on the way to the library, so we sold out of tickets in record time!
For that first quiz, we needed to get some good prizes to motivate the teams. We bought a few cinema tickets, fully expecting them to be the top choice for the winning group. Yet, it was a university sweatshirt that everyone fought over! It seems everyone wants to wear the college logo and feel like they really belong here.
Our next big project was a bit more ambitious. We wanted to host a formal dinner to celebrate the end of the first month. Organising the three-course menu was straightforward enough, but tracking down an affordable venue took us absolutely ages. Everywhere in town was either fully booked for weddings or just way too expensive for a student budget. We eventually found a beautiful old hall just on the edge of campus.
The dinner was a lovely evening. We didn’t want people just sitting exclusively with their existing flatmates because that defeats the purpose of mixing. We thought about randomly assigning tables by age, but ultimately, the seating arrangement we designed meant freshers were placed next to people studying completely different subjects. It really helped break the ice and sparked some fascinating conversations.
People often ask me what it’s like being on the committee. Some assume coming up with fresh, exciting ideas for parties is the hardest part. In reality, keeping a close eye on the budget is my toughest responsibility. We only have a limited amount of funding for the whole academic year, so balancing the books requires a lot of careful planning.
To keep costs down for our last gathering, we decided not to use the official university catering company, as they can be a bit pricey. We thought about asking students to bring their own home-cooked food, but instead, a local bakery offered to supply us with heavily discounted pastries and sandwiches. The food was absolutely delicious, and it saved us a fortune!
Apart from attending our social events, I always encourage new students to get involved in other clubs. If you’re into team sports, the rugby club is fantastic for fitness. But for anyone wanting to build their confidence and develop their public speaking skills, the debating society is what I always recommend to new arrivals. It really pushes you out of your comfort zone and looks great on your CV.
Looking ahead, we’re already busy planning next term’s extracurricular activities. We usually put on a spring ball around that time, but we’re switching things up this year for a change. We’re currently putting together a talent show for the end of the year. I can’t wait to see what hidden skills our members have, whether it’s singing, dancing, or stand-up comedy!