Practice English Listening C1 Exercises – Nature

A

1   Monkeys help people who can’t use their arms and legs (quadriplegics).

2   Dogs help elderly people in nursing homes.

B

1 M   3 NG   5 NG   7 NG   9 D

2 M   4 NG   6 D   8 M

1

Helping Hands is an organization that trains monkeys to aid quadriplegics – people who are unable to use their arms or legs. These animals are able to perform easy but necessary tasks, such as turning electric switches on and off, fetching objects, and picking things up off the floor. They can even be taught to scratch an itch on someone’s nose. How are they trained? The young monkeys are placed with foster families who love them, take care of them, and prepare them for their roles as helpers. When the monkeys are adults, they go back to the organization for more advanced training. Once the monkeys are placed with a quadriplegic, they can be helpful for many years.

2

These days, many nursing homes are discovering the powerful impact that animals, such as dogs, can have on their elderly residents. Owners bring in healthy dogs with good dispositions for weekly visits. Residents look forward to their arrival, often smiling and showing a true interest in the animals. They make more of an effort to walk or move their wheelchairs over to the dogs to pet them. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that dogs give everyone their attention, not caring about age, looks, or ability to speak. For some residents, it may spark fond memories of pets. The owners of the dogs also benefit from the experience. They see the happiness that volunteering their pets brings.

A

a journalist

B

Resort design: It rises into the rain forest canopy. It was designed to make guests feel as if they are part of nature. It has no fences or barriers to keep animals out.

Nature guides: They have lived and worked in the rain forest most of their lives. They educate the guests about living with the animals.

Spa: It is world-class. It offers massage treatments using skin products made with local plants from the rain forest.

Zip lines: They are eco-friendly. They don’t disturb any wildlife, damage trees, use electricity, or emit fumes.

Gil Sanders:   Hello, Mr. Morales. I’m Gil Sanders, from Nature’s Way Magazine.

Mr. Morales:   Nice to meet you, Gil. And welcome to the Eco-Harmony Resort. Did you have any trouble finding my office?

Gil Sanders:   Well, I certainly didn’t expect it to be way up here in the treetops!

Mr. Morales:   Well, the architects believed that, as the manager of the resort, I really should be in touch with nature as much as possible.

Gil Sanders:   Well, it certainly is an impressive structure.

Mr. Morales:   Isn’t it, though? It rises 50 meters, right up into the rain forest canopy – the treetops, as you say. All of the resort’s buildings were designed so that guests really feel as if they’re part of the rain forest, part of nature. It’s just one of the features that make our resort so special.

Gil Sanders:   You really do get a spectacular view up here. And there seem to be birds and other animals everywhere!

Mr. Morales:   That’s because the resort doesn’t have any fences or barriers to keep them out. It was designed to create an environment where humans and animals live together in harmony.

Gil Sanders:   That sounds like a difficult balance to maintain. It seems to me that some guests might be frightened by such close contact with wildlife, and others might accidentally harm the animals.

Mr. Morales:   You’re right. And to avoid just those things, we have an orientation program to help guests understand the wildlife. Some of our nature guides, who have lived and worked in the rain forest most of their lives, educate our guests on the dos and don’ts of living around animals – which may be unfamiliar to them. We don’t want guests feeling anxious around the animals, when one of the main reasons people come here is to relax.

Gil Sanders:   Relax, yes. I understand the resort has a world class spa.

Mr. Morales:   Oh yes. We have become quite famous for our massage treatments, which use skin products derived from plants that are only found here in the rain forest.

Gil Sanders:   So, there seem to be plenty of options for people who want to come here for relaxation.

Mr. Morales:   Yes, but there’s plenty of excitement here, too. For example, we have a number of eco-friendly zip lines set up on the mountainside. You can see them if you look right over there.

Gil Sanders:   Eco-friendly zip lines?

Mr. Morales:   Yeah, zip lines. You know, long cables that people hook themselves to, and then slide along, above the trees.

Gil Sanders:   Oh, sorry. I know what zip lines are, but I’ve never heard of “eco-friendly” ones.

Mr. Morales:   Well, ours are considered eco-friendly because we made sure they don’t disturb any wildlife or damage any trees. Also, the zip lines don’t use any electricity or emit any fumes into the environment. They’re really a lot of fun, and they make you understand how the rain forest birds must feel as you zoom over the trees. They give you a bird’s eye view, so to speak!

Gil Sanders:   Wow, I’ll have to try that.

Mr. Morales:   You’ll love it. Oh! I see it’s nearly 2:30! Alba, one of our guides, is going to show you around the resort. After the tour, she’ll bring you back here, and you and I can have a more formal interview.

Gil Sanders:   Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Morales. I’m getting a better sense of the resort already.

1 b   2 b   3 a   4 b

Female news announcer:   A dog’s nose is so sensitive that people have been using them for years to search for missing people and land mines. But the working dog may have a new rival. Tell us about it, Ted.

Male news reporter:   Thank you, Tina. We’re talking about robots. Robots are being developed to find land mines and other explosives that are hidden deep in the ground. The advantage of using robots in this dangerous work is that it is easier to use robots to search for explosives rather than putting dogs at risk.

Female announcer:   So, Ted, who are using these robots and where?

Male announcer:   Governments mostly, in areas where land mines are still a problem long after wars have been fought. This is important work because innocent people are still being injured by these mines, many of them children.

Female announcer:   So what is the future of using these robots?

Male announcer:   Well, Tina, it looks like there’s a big future for these robots. Dogs do not necessarily want to hunt for things underground, or above ground for long periods of time, but robots don’t tire of searching for land mines because, well, because they are machines.

Female announcer:   That’s all we have time for, Ted. Thanks for that fascinating report.