Encounters with Nature – B2 English Listening Exercise
Listening 1
You will hear a wildlife warden called Martin giving a talk about the nature reserve and eagles at Highfield Castle. For questions 9-18, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase.
Highfield Castle Wildlife
Martin originally studied (9)……………………… at university before working at the castle.
Martin was surprised to learn that the castle’s (10)……………………… is not a natural feature.
Martin encourages visitors to give the ducks and swans (11)……………………… instead of bread.
The eagle flight displays take place above the (12)……………………… of the castle.
A heavy (13)……………………… is essential equipment for the eagle handlers to wear.
Martin explains that an eagle’s (14)……………………… is much more powerful than a human’s.
The eagles are rewarded with pieces of (15)……………………… during the display.
When the eagle flies low, visitors can feel the (16)……………………… created by its wings.
Martin is particularly fond of the (17)……………………… that live near the water’s edge.
Martin mentions a new course focusing on (18)……………………… that will be available soon.
ANSWER KEY
9 forestry 10 artificial lake 11 special seeds 12 South Lawn
13 leather glove 14 vision 15 raw meat
16 wind 17 water voles 18 photography
AUDIO SCRIPT
Martin: Hi everyone, my name is Martin, and I’m the head wildlife warden here at Highfield Castle. It’s wonderful to see so many of you eager to learn about the nature reserve that surrounds this historic building. Whenever I introduce myself, visitors often assume I have a background in history or perhaps estate management. While those are useful, I actually got my degree in forestry, which gave me the perfect foundation for managing the vast woodlands we have here.
As you walk through the grounds, the first thing that usually catches your eye is the sprawling body of water just beyond the main gates. Like many of our guests, I originally assumed this was a natural feature of the landscape. However, I was quite amazed to discover that the artificial lake was actually dug out by hand over three hundred years ago to provide a scenic view for the royal family.
Today, this habitat is teeming with life. As you’ll see, the water is inhabited by dozens of ducks and swans. They’re incredibly popular with families, and we know that visitors love to bring bread from home to toss into the water. Unfortunately, that can be quite harmful to their digestion. Instead, we kindly ask that you purchase a bag of our special seeds from the visitor centre to feed them. It’s much healthier for the birds!
Of course, the absolute highlight for most people visiting the castle is our daily birds of prey exhibition, featuring our magnificent soaring eagles. Finding the right location for this was tricky. We originally tried flying them in the historic inner courtyard, but it was just too enclosed for such large birds. Because of that, the birds now perform their incredible aerial displays above the South Lawn, where they have plenty of open space to catch the thermal currents.
Working with these majestic creatures requires training and the right equipment. People often ask if I have to wear a reinforced jacket to protect myself from their sharp claws. While protective clothing helps, the one piece of equipment a handler simply cannot work without is a heavy leather glove. When an eagle lands on your arm, you definitely need that thick barrier!
During the display, I always talk about the eagles’ incredible physical adaptations. Their hearing is excellent, and their flying speed is breathtaking, but it’s their vision that truly sets them apart from us. They can spot a tiny movement from hundreds of feet in the air, making them the ultimate hunters.
To keep the eagles engaged and ensure they return to the handler during the shows, we use positive reinforcement. While some birds of prey, like ospreys, are motivated by fish, our eagles aren’t particularly interested in that. Instead, we reward them with small pieces of raw meat, which they absolutely love.
If you’ve never been to one of our displays, you’re in for a treat. When the eagle swoops low over the audience, it’s a breathtaking experience. You might expect to hear a loud flapping noise, but they are remarkably silent. What you will notice, however, is the rush of wind across your face, generated by their enormous two-metre wingspan. It really makes you appreciate their sheer power.
Before you leave the castle today, I highly recommend taking a quiet stroll around the perimeter of the water. While the eagles and swans get all the attention, there’s a lot of hidden wildlife. You might spot some frogs if you look closely in the reeds, but my personal favourites are the water voles hiding in the grassy banks. They are very shy, but wonderful to watch if you’re patient.
Finally, if you’re looking to get more involved, we have some exciting upcoming events. We have been running landscape painting classes for a few years now, which are very popular. But next month, due to high demand from nature enthusiasts, we are launching a course focusing purely on photography. So if you want to capture the perfect shot of our eagles, be sure to sign up online. Enjoy the rest of your visit!