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Section B INTERVIEW
In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview. At the end of the interview, you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following 5 questions. Now listen to the interview.
Good morning, listeners.Today I'd like to introduce our guest speaker George Allen from the British Council, who is going to talk to us about living in the UK. George, over to you. Thank you. As you are no doubt aware the UK is becoming a popular destination for people who wish to study at university, so what I'd like to do is, well,just give you listeners an insight into what living in the UK is really like. You know, what to expect when you get there and the cost of living,as well as what to do before you arrive in the UK. What do students have to consider first before they go? Finance, of course. Britain is quite an expensive place to live in. Therefore, you need to consider costs very carefully. And one of the major expenses is tuition fees. University courses range from about 5,000 pounds to 8,000 pounds, depending on the type of course. Then, other expenses such as books, which can cost about 500 pounds per year. That's a considerable amount. Then where do you suggest students to stay? As for accommodation, many people prefer to stay in the university's hall of residence because living on campus is a lot cheaper than living off campus. A room in halls would cost you about 80 pounds per week outside of London. The north of England, however, is much cheaper. Then what about living off campus? Well, you can rent a private house with a group of other students. You may think this would be an expensive option, but if you share the cost with three or four other students it can actually work out cheaper than a room on campus. But do bear in mind that you have additional transport costs to and from university. However, if anyone is interested in renting off campus, the university accommodation can offer advice, and even help you to find a suitable place. That's good news. What is the climate like in the UK? Britain is famous for its bad weather and for good reasons. It rains often in the UK, and even in the summer it can still be quite cold. So take plenty of warm clothes with You can, of course, buy warm clothes when you are there, and indeed,they don't have to be too expensive if you go to a local market. But taking your own is, of course,a cheaper option. You bet. George, some listeners are anxious about food there. Is it really unpleasant? Many people who visit the UK often find the food rather boring and uninteresting. This is because, generally, people don't use spices in their cooking. Nevertheless, some of the food, I must say, is actually rather good. And the cheapest places to eat out are often local pubs, where they serve excellent home-cooked food, as well as serving as the centre of social life in most towns and cities in the UK. Besides local pubs, are there coffee shops as well? You know the UK is a great tea drinking nation.Therefore, don't expect to find too many American style coffee shops. There are, of course,many to be found in big cities such as London, but tea shops, as they are called, are much more common. What do people do for recreation after study or work? There is excellent nightlife in Britain.All the major cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool are a center of cultural activities. However, you may think London has the best nightlife. But Manchester, I must say, tops the bill. Being a multicultural city you will find all kinds of entertainment there from theaters to nightclubs,as well as museums and art galleries. And it's considerably cheaper than London,whilst undoubtedly offering the best the country has to offer. However, if you prefer a quieter life then I would certainly recommend the southwest of England. There you will find wonderful countryside with the most spectacular views and many traditional towns and villages. So students need to get well prepared for everything you introduced just now. But where can they find detailed information on them? Well, a good guide book is compulsory. It should contain maps and information about where to go and what to do. Internet is also a valuable source of information. My main advice, of course,, is to contact the university accommodation office. Tell them when and where you will arrive and ask them how to get to the university from the airport. George, you have given us valuable advice on living in the UK. It's very beneficial to our listeners.Thanks a lot. It's my pleasure.
