NHOM TAC GIA TEAM AMBROSIA (Nguyén Vo Hoang Tén, Digp Dinh Khang, Trdn Hai Anh, Chieu Kim Quynh, NguyBn Minh tong, Ogg Thi Hod inh, Teén Neuyén Duy Thong, | Te Gia Hy, Ngvyén Hoy Higu, Nguyén Th Bich Nose) | | a Oe == A a SREP Ss) fest) se) by 1A) va NATIONAL ENGLISH COMPETITION faa) fa) Dawa XUAT BAN HONG DUCPART ONE: LISTENING Be ucd Part 4 in the National English Competition is usually adapted from the IELTS Listening (any sections) with complete or partial revisions. This part comprises 5 questions, which can be in any forms ranging from gap-filing, true-faise, multiple-choice... Those questions are generally easy, yet they require meticulous concentration as some may be tricky. In order to get a prize, maximum score on this part is @ prerequisite. Tips to conquer this part are as follows: fb.com/iloveambrosia 1 5EE MASTER the ART of NEC Mi (read ta 1. Find quality 1ELTS books “There are manifold types of IELTS books catered for students of all levels. NEC partie/pants should pay more heed to advanced-level books which will match the difficulty level of the real exam. Students can obtain books by ‘ouying them in bookstores (not too feasible because of the extravagant costs and the limited range of books in Vietnam) or downloading them from the Intemet (highly recommended). Some credible books are IELTS Practice Test Plus 1, 2, 3, Complete IELTS Band 6.5-75, IELTS Trainer, Succeed in IELTS, IELTS Essentials, IELTS Simulation, IELTS Actual Tosts, ete. 2. Search for IELTS listening exercises on Youtube There Is an abundance of IELTS listening exercises with wide-ranging levels of difficulty on Youtube. One obstacle is that students have to spend a large amount of time looking at computer screen, which can cause eye strain and exert a detrimental influence on overall health so follow this approach just for a suitable amount of time. Here are some of trustworthy Youtube channels for IELTS listening exercises: IELTS Listening Channel, IELTS Galaxy, IELTS Tips, The IELTS Listening Test, ete. 3. Practice with friends Studying with friends proves to be a boon to students’ learning process since it will funish them with greater learning motivation, either by din of peer pressure or mutual encouragement. In this mothod, stucents and thelr friends can leam from each other's both strengths and weaknesses for the sake of self-amelioration. Therefore, students can set aside a certain amount of time on group study to further improve thelr skils UU. Take it less seriously This means that students should listen not just for doing exercises but also for other purposes. IELTS listening exercises are abundant, many of which are truly informative or entertaining. Thoreby, students can listen to IELTS. audio just to obtain useful information and background knowledge without having to complete any kind of exercises in ordor to rolax thernselves. ennai I. Not using prediction skills Some of the answers can be anticipated from the contexts of the questions so its crucial that students make ‘some predictions in order to find the answers more easily. However, the anticipated answers should be for reference only and don’t let them cloud your judgement. 2. Lose pace of the track Some questions may bea itle bit more dificult than the reet and take you more timo. Howovor, it studonts stil find the answers murky, do not focus on it too much and move on straight to the next questions in order to Keep up with the listening tracks or else You will lose pace of the listening tracks and miss cut on the entire following questions. 3. Rush to answer the questions When test-takers think that thoy find out the answers, take them with a pinch of salt because these may not be the ultimate answers due to possible distractors ahead. Therefore, pay more attention to distractors and decide on the eventual answers carefully. , Exceed the word limits Some of IELTS listening exercises require students to write TWO or THREE words or even ONE word only £0 read the instructions carouly before doing any exercises. Even i your answer is correc, you wil sll be penalized if you exceed the word imi 5. Grammar mistakes Pay close attention to grammar elements like plural forms, subjact- have a grammatically correct answer. rly agreement or verb tenses in order to 61 fbcom/iloveambrosiaWME MASTER the ART of NEC Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bity/20nwjz9 I. (vec 2017 Listening Part 1- Source: Succeed in IELTS) FAIRVIEW LAKE CAMPING CENTRE Three functions of the center: Conference center “ Recreation activities The customer wants to bring children who (2) _ Academic courses: Maths, Sciences, Languages, (3) __ ‘Sports: sailing, windsurfing, volleyball, rowing, athetics, (4) Accommodation facilities: ‘The Birch Unit 8 people Greenback Row @) ___ Cabins 1-3 10 people each Cabins 5-6 12 people each 2. (NEC 2018 Listening Pert + - Source: IELTS Cambridge 7) For questions 1-5, listen to a telephone conversation between a passenger and an official at the land transport information service at Toronto Airport and decide whether the statements are True (1) or False (F). Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided. 4, Milton is about 150 miles southwest of the airport, 2. The woman can afford to get to Milton by taxi. 3. The Greyhound bus departs only once a day at 11:30 AM, 4, Arreturn ticket for the Shuttle bus costs $69. —— 5. The Shuttle bus can be reserved through the official 3. choose the conect answer A, Bor C 4. Speakers have to know AA. their material B. their audience ©. their limitations 2. Experienced speakers A. always try to wing it B. never arrive unprepared C. give the best preparations 3. You should always rehearse ‘A. with friends who can advise B. with all the equipment G.more than once 4, Itis.a good idea to A.be discreet with the audience —_B. meet your fans ©, welcome your audience 5. Taking a few doep breaths before you begin ‘A.will prevent panic attacks B, will guarantee a relaxing ambience . will transform tension into energy IW, (source: IELTS TRAINER) Listen to the recording and do as follows. Which attitude is associated with the following people during the conversation? Choose 6 answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-H, next to quostions 1-6 fb.com/iloveambrosia | 7EE MASTER the ART of NEC Mil 1. Cressida’s fellow students A amused 2. Cressida B critical 3. Ainsley Webb = C forgetful 4, Dr Erskine D impatient 5. Professor Jenkins E polite 6. TVnews centre staff F relaxed G sympathetic H unrealistic (Question 7-10) Choose the correct letter A, B, or © 7. What was Creseicia asked to do at the beginning of her replacement? A. Go out to buy things for the production team B. Run errands to other part of the TV news centre C. Meet visitors and escort them to the studio 8. What vas fortunate for Cressida? ‘A. She wes familiar with a piace of equipment B. She spent a lot of time in the editing suite, C. She was given a chance to interview someone. 9. What does Cressida feel she needs to improve? A. Her understanding of business B, Her organisational skills ©. Her ability to work in a team 10. What has given her an idea for her final assignment? A. Ameeting with a public relations professional Seeing a politician speaking to an audience A disagreement with a TV presenter (Source: IELTS Essentials) Listen to a talk about waste and waste treatment and complete the following tasks. For questions 1-7, listen and answer the following questions with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. 4. What was found to emerge during the times of ancient Greoce and Rome? 2, What enables the absorption of organic waste into the nature? 8, What did science link with waste? 4, Whieh invention is the biggest problem for the environment? List THREE factors which led to the increase in waste 5. 6. — ee 1, _ For questions 8-10, choose A-F from the box which country uses the highest proportion of each method of waste disposal. 8. incineration: A, Denmark 9. lanafil B, Germany 10. recycling: . Japan D. Switzerland E.UK 81 Fb.comfiloveambrosiaMME MASTER tho ART of NEC G. \source: Succeed in IELTS) Liston to four business colleagues discussing a takeover proposal and complete the following tasks. For questions 1-7, listen and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. BIZZ-EDUCATORS INC. Upsides Downsides -At)) ~The company’s desire to be (5) An industry leader makes this @ hostile ~ Great respect from others and a great name takeover. = Alot of goodwill - A production-based company - A profit of over $00,000 pounds with a (2)|-A(6) - Lack of synergy and cost savings -A@)__ a = Very high (4) for 2012 and 2013 ‘The official decision on whether to buy Bizz-Educators will be taken at tomorrow's (7) For questions 8-10, choose THREE letters A-G. What THREE requirements are there for the takeover of Bizz-Educators to go ahead? ‘A. Assurances of no opposition from the management of Bizz-Educatorsg_ B, An independent mediator be used to broker the deal a . An audit of the company's books 40. D. That a study of the company’s projected profit margin be conducted E, That the deal be kept secret unti itis finalised F. That an analysis of the company’s goodwill assets be carried out G. That the asking price be lowered 7 (Source: IELTS Test Practice Book) Listen to a student, Eric, talking to his lecturer, Mrs Harris, study difficulties and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. bout some Struggling with (1) , the student is advised by the lecturer to have a succinct rundown of (2) . This should not be a (3) ‘but contain the main point or (4)___. after which he can add supporting ideas and (5) Coneiseness is the most important issue in summary Some tips to write a summary Actual summary begins with the (6) -With (7), utilise bullet points to avert the impression of @)__and also to use them later whenever there is a need to (9) or = from the text. = Older books require a justification about why they are used. . ‘orders are both acceptable in data storage. 8. Source: IELTS simulation) Listen to a talk by health study lecturer on anxiety and complete the following tasks, For questions 1-3, write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answer in the space provided. 1, Someone in an anxiety state has worse ‘than normal. 2. Aphobia may stom trom heredity or 8. The reason for the final breakdown is generally linked with like the loss of a loved ‘one or a health crisis fbcom/iloveambrosia | 9MASTER the ART of NEC Ml For questions 4-10, match the lettered phobic state to each symptom. Write your answers (A, B, C or D) in the corresponding numbered boxes. 4, Feeling extremely shy in company 5. Liking to sleep with the lights on 6. Fear of leaving the house 7. Getting sweaty hands 8. Fear of a particular creature 9. Fear of small places 10. Having difficulties speaking in front of people 10 | fb.com/iloveambrosia we D. Single phobia ‘Agoraphobia Claustrophobia Social phobiaWME MASTER the ART of NEC Bul eens) In recent years, unlike other parts, part 3 listening of the NEC has remained unchanged. This part always draws its source from the Part 3 Multiple-choice Listening in the CAE or CPE test, although the level of difficulty varies each year. For example, part 3 in the NEC 2017 is pretty easy, yet that of the 2018 is not a simple task. This part requires you to comprehend the long extract as a whole so itis not necessary to catch all the words. You will often be asked about the opinions and points the speakers male. Sometimes, especially with tough questions, Inference is necessary to deduce the right answer. Here are some tips for this part TIPS FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE LISTENING Part 2 gap-filing in CAE/CPE also appears the test but the frequency is lower. However, we will stil cover that patt in this course to leave nothing to chance. The part is not so hard but occasionally, even good listeners can miss some words or choose the wrong words to fil in. The tips for this part are similar to those of IELTS gap-filing, but with some additional advice. TIPS FOR GAP-FILLING LISTENING fb.com/iloveambrosia | 11A MASTER the ART of NEC Mill Tse) Here al Ambrosia, we have compiled a list of useful ways to practice your listening skill for this specific task and for any listening task in general During your training session... = Try to understand the extract as a whole. By this we mean do not just look for signposts all the time. information can sometimes be scattered around in many sentences, and you may miss it if you do not have a ‘good grip of what tho speaker is saying. Listen to what the speaker has to say. When you have a good understanding of the context, you will be able to anticipate what the speakers might discuss next and even make educated guesses for your missed answers - Some useful methods to practice this can be found in the Mini-challenges section. ‘There are also complementary exercises. These are methods that will help you improve your overall listening abil = Listen to radio podcasts. We cannot stress enough the Importance of listening to as many materials as you can. We find the best {and most relaxing) way to do this is by listening to internet podcasts. There are a myriad of podcasts available online and they cover a wide range of subjects and topies, anything you like from science to movies. Some are actually very close to the actual listening tests, and unlike them, you can choose the topics that suit your taste and listen to them leisurely ~ as you are surfing the web or taking a shower. We highly recommend you to listen to at least one podcast a day (about 15-20 minutes}, preferably as you go to sleep. = Enrich your vocabulary. On many occasions, especially in gap filing questions, the reason you miss the answer is not so much that you fail to identify the words as that you do not know what they mean (and how they are spelled). Therefore, it's important that you familiarize yourself with words from as many topics as you can, Along with listening to podcasts, listening to English news and reading newspaper will aiso help. - Finally, practice so that it becomes second nature. How much you listen is just as important as how you listen. We suggest you practice listening with any form of media you are exposed to during the day, whether they are in the form of your favorite TV series or just random videos you see every day on Facebook or Youtube. This way, you will not feel like you are wasting your time, and for a studying method, nothing gets more entertaining than that. ini Challenge If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesnt change you. gj Fred DeVito “The next time you are in a listening training session, try the following mini-challenges. These are fun and unconventional challenges that you can do to make the test more challenging as well as more interesting. Dono correctly and you will be surprised with how much your listening has improved Practice answering without referring to the choices. Take a piece of paper andi cover the choices to the ‘questions. Force yoursel! to come up with the answers to the questions on your own. short extracts (5-10 minutes long). Try to summarize the content of whatever you are hearing in bullet points. You can take note as you listen. This will help you identify key information of any recording. You may also work in pair and discuss the answer with a friend. Transcribe the oxtract sentence by sentence. After each sentence is delivered, pause the recording and iy to repeat after it unti you get it as exactly as possible. Check the transcript to see how well you did. 121 fb.com/iloveambrosiaWME MASTER the ART of NEC Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: httpy/bit.ly/2PbYRmW Mini-challenge 4 (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 2) You will hear a radio interview with a music critic, Hazel Fisher, about some classical music awards. Answer the following questions in the form of short notes. 4. According to Hazel what is bad about the current situation in the music business? 2. In Hazel's opinion the list of nominations suggested that a purpose of the awards was to 3. What is Hazel's main criticism of the way the winners will be chosen? 4. One of Haze'’s objections to the nominations themselves is that 5. Hazel sees it as ironic that the record companies —__ Mini-challenge 2 (Source: TOEFL TPO Test 24) You will hear a lecture about how crocodiles use their vocal abilities to communicate. Listen and summarize the main ideas of the lecture. Mini-challenge 3 (Source: CPE Practice Tests) You will hear the introduetion to a radio program about the arts and science in Britain. Listen and transcribe the listening extract. Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2MyPKjr I. (Source: NEO 2017 Listening Part 3 - Objective Proficiency Workbook) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. Itis expressed that brands should A. seek to utilize something visually unusual B. symbolize somothing people enjoy. C. represent more than just a business proposition. D._leam to be more cooperative with others. 2. When talking about globalization, both agree that A. major sporting events are well-meaning but flawed. B. the positive symbols outweigh the negative ones. C. D people are right to take the benevolent view. the Internet has a huge influence. fo.com/iloveambrosia | 13MASTER the ART of NEC Ma What point does ivana make about language? speakers of a language use symbols without realizing that writers use symbols in the same way everybody does. theve fs some debate as to what constitutes a symbol some languages are particuletly disposed towards symbols What does David say about the symbol in his hockey team’s name? Itwasintialy misinterpreted Itwas somewhat misoading. It shoud really be changed It puts pressure on the team. 5. What does both speakers find absurd about color symbolism anc cars? A. the contradictory arguments used by one insurer. B. the notion of inking a writer's character with car Color, ©. theiea that ared cari any easier to see D. the suggestions that insurer ate influenced by cultural symbots. 2. (source: NEC 2018 Listening Part 3 ~ Proficiency Expert Student's Resource Book) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 4. Lois agrees with John's point thet . the psychological effects of unempleyment can be overstated some people are battor equipped to deal with unemployment than others problems arise when unemployment coincides with other traumatic events most people cread the prospect of unemployment Lois agrees with the listener who suggests that people should prepare for redundancy as they would for retirement. voluntary work may be more rewarding than paid work not everybody can expect a high eval of ob satisfaction. work is only one aspect of a ftfiling Ke What is John's attitude towards people who see work as a means to an end? He accepts that thay have made a valid point. Ho foots thoy may be missing out on something important He doubts thei level of commitmont to the job. He fears it will lead to cificuties for them later When asked about so-called “slackers” at work, John points out that their views are unacceptable ina free labor marke. such an atttud has become increasingly unacceptable. people often jump to unfair conclusions about them. they accept the notion that work is a necessary evil. Lois quotes paychologiste Freud in order to provide a contrast to the idea of Bertrand Russel B, question the idea that a desire to work is a natural thing . show how intellectual ideas have chitted overtime. D._ tend weight to John’s ideas about increased social mobility, . (Source: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English ) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, of D which fits best according to what you hear. ‘According to Professor Marshall, leisure i increasingly being seen as a way of convincing people they have freedom of choice. helping people to understand themselves betier. encouracing poop to perform better at work dissuading people from challenging authority. 2. According to US sociologists, serious lesure' is an activity which A. is detrimental to someone's work POPPA TOBP>STOBEESOR> po poppe 14 | fb.com/iloveambrosiaMASTER the ART of NEC B. becomes a financial burden. C. becomes the central focus of someone's ite. D. helps a person to achieve a higher income. 3. Professor Marshall believes that as people become more involved in their chosen leisure activities, ‘A. thoy are less afraid of the dangers. B. they place a great value on routine. C. thay worry less about the rules, D. they want more scope for personal development. 4. According to Professor Marshall, television A. provides a useful basis for social interaction. B. can disrupt othor leisure activities. . sno more than a very passive activity. D. destroys meaningful conversation 5. Professor Marshall says that having to wear special clothes to take part in a leisure activity may ‘A. improve the participants’ respect for each other. B. redefine the participants’ social roles, . inorease the participants’ selt-esteem. D._ reflect the priorities of the participants work environment. 8. Course: Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English 5) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, ©, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. According to Richard, commonts on a cliont's personality traits should only be made if the graphologist _ A. is sure that the sample of handvrrting is genuine. B. is sure his results are supporied by the rest of the team. ©. can back up his initial findings with further evidence, D. can confirm his findings in different handwriting samples. 2. What is Maria's view of the conclusions which graphologists arrive at? ‘A. The rules of interpretation are not clear. B. The connections have not been proved. ©. More dotailed interpretation is neoded D. Research is neecied into the way handwriting is taught 3. What, In Richard's view, is the key to an understanding of a client's personality? ‘A. The way in which the client learnt to write. B. The variations in the client's individual letters. C. The way the olient’s handwriting has developed. D. The influence of current trends on the client's handwriting, 4. According to Richard, some businesses with North American links A. uso grephology reluctantly in recruitment, B. are unwilling to disclose that they use graphology. ©. are skeptical about the value of graphology. D. are trading more successfully because of graphology. 5. What does Maria conclude about the use of graphology? ‘A. thas become a source of discontent. B._ILis used by few serious psychologists. . Its educational value has not been proved. D. tis not appropriate for use as a recruitment tool 5. (source: Proticiensy Practice Teste Plus) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. Why did John agro to oxtend his contract as a newsreader? A. Audiences had asked to have him back. fo.com/iloveambrosia | 15Le MASTER the ART of NEC Ml B. Another channel was keen to appoint him, C. He thought he'd miss being in the public eye. D. His suggested replacement was unpopular. 2. What does John say about the early days of newsreading? ‘A. Nows programs occurred less frequently. B. Anews reader's job was more straightforward, C._ Audiences focused on style and presentation. D. Mistakes were sometimes embarrassing. 3. InJohn's view, competition between news programs is something which — A, iitates the viewing public. B. affects their outward appearance. C. detracts from the quality of the content. D. reinforces negative views about news programs. 4. In considering how opinions are formed, John points out that _ A. reporters may present a biased view. B. people sometimes misinterpret the facts. C._ there ere pros and cons to watching the news. D. television operates under cortain constraints. 5. John implies that he finds the general public's attitude towards the news A. disheartening. B. enlightening, C._surprising D. appreciative. 6. source: Practice Tests for the revised CPE 1) For questions 1-5, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 1. In Kart’s view, he is drawn to the jungle — A. for its natural beauty. B, because it gives him a sense of well-being. ©. because the more you go, the more you love it. D. for reasons he cannot justity. 2 What annoys Karl about ‘world-traveller’ he meets is that A. _insisis on attaching himself to the group. B, teases local natives with his stories C. seems happy to live off other people. D. runs from dificult situations. 3, What shocks Karl about Steve's case is that he had A. been infected with the parasite for so long, B. known about the parasite and done nothing. C. not taken precaution against diseases at the time. D. contracted the parasite in Peru 4. What distinguishes ‘ethno’-biologists from ordinary scientists is A. the aims of their research, B, that they focus on particular types of illness. . that their concer is to educate indigenous peoples. D._ the starting point of their research 8. During his time in Haiti, Kart ‘A. only confirmed previous Japanese research. B. learned about a potentially dangerous drug . witnessed phenomena he could not explain. D. identified for locals a potentially poisonous type of fish 16 | fb.com/iloveambrosiaWE MASTER tho ART of NEC 7. (Sourco: Practice Tests for the revised OPE 2) For questions 1-6, listen to the discussion and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D which fits best according to what you hear. 41. Jack is bemused by his character's popularity because ‘A. he never thought Arthur would be attractive to adults B. cardvarks aren't particularly loveable. ©. Arthur has crawn so many families closer together. D. Arthurs rather old, 2. Aecording to Jack, Arthur's character A. came io him, as he was reading to his child. B. developed slowly over a period of time. ©. was meant to cheer up his recuperating son, D. was meant to mirror an actual person. 3. According to Jack, Arthur ‘A. made him wealthy when he frst appeared. B. has appeared in children's theatre ©. _isstill important in his son's lite . Was so popular that he continued creating storios. 4. Jack says he stopped touring when A. book was written about Arthur B. ho mot Carol Greenwold after a TV broadcast. €. Arthur happened to be discovered D. he was asked to appear on a TV program,. 5. The Arthur cartoon series seems to have A. enjoyed incredible success from the outset. B. oxhausted its possibilities. ©. not done very wel in a popularity poll D. been used as a vehicle for advertising goods. &. source: NEC 2016 Listening Part 4 (Expert Proficiency Teacher's Resource Book)] For questions 1-10, listen and ‘complete the sentence with a word or short phrase. THE LANGUAGE OF PIRAHA Mata dofines the way of life of the Piraha people as fitting into the (1) category. Mera explains that because most speakers of Piraha people are (2) , the language is not under imminent threat. Professor Everett was surprised to discover that the Piraha language has no words for ideas like (3) * ” or “number”, From his experimonts, Professor Everett found that Piraha people couldn't understand the concepts of number because (4) ‘were not needed in their daily lives. Mara thinks that the Piraha language sounds more like (6) than speech, The (6) used in the Piraha language are thought to have originated in another language. As the Piraha have no written language, very few storytelling traditions, and no decorative art traditions, and concentrate on their present needs, they do not have a (7) Professor Everett gives the example of the Piraha's superior (8) to support his idea that they are not unintelligent. Different from Professor Chomsky's ideas about a universal grammar, Professor Everett thinks that the (@) Of the Piranha is not determined by the inborn system of grammar. According to Mara, not many people can (10) or Professor Everett's theory because fbcom/iloveambrosia 117ASTER tho ART of NEC the Piraha language is hard to learn. |. Cource: New Proficiency Testbuilder) For questions 1-9, listen and complete the sentence with a word or short phrase. {At the end of her fist work experience, Karen spent two days (1) ‘and checking rooms with the floor housekeeper. Her last work experience was spent in the hotel's (2) ‘The subject of Karen's next course was (3) ay During her HND course, the subjects she had top study were business studies, hotel management, human resource management and (4) “The topic of her roport was (5) in hotels. Inher report, she wrote reviews of various (6) ‘She joined an organization with the initials (7) : ‘She got information from a magazine called (8) In her present job, she has to deal with problems caused by the hotel being (2) 1G. For questions 1-9, listen and complete the sentence with a word or short phrase. ‘Content analysis’ focuses on (1) which provides insight into people. Businesses use content analysis to identify how (2)__ are changing. For governments, content analysis can be a source of (@) {A ingorprint word is @ word that (4) in someone's speech, In correspondence from the client, the young lawyer noticed (6) used by the client which showed him to be quite literary. People who use ‘I a lot in their speach are often thought to be a (6) as wall as his general The images of ‘staying on course’ the speaker's uncle uses reveal his (7) philosophy. Experts can tell as much from pauses in speech as they can from (8) Content analysis is no substitute for common sense but it may be used to (9) it 18 | fb.com/iloveambrosiaWBE MASTER the ART of NEC News listening is the adjustment of authentic listening materials from news and speeches, for example, Which are originally used for other purposes but then adapted for educational purposes. News listening usually covers 2 out of 4 exercises in the listening section, accounting for half of the points. Because news listening exercises are the relatively harder parts in the section, they will be the deciding factors in distinguishing excelent sludents from the average students. The two types of news listening are matching and gap-filing, both of which will bo discussed in this saction. Matching was first introduced in the exam paper of NEC in 2016. Prior to this, NEC's listening test only focused on gap-filing and muitiplo-choico questions. In 2016 and 2017, matching was added to diversify the way that gifted students are tested. The question, however, is what distinguishes this specific format from others found in IELTS Listening Test. IELTS fanatics must have known that matching may cover a broad range of topics. IELTS Listening part 2 may consist of matching in the form of maps, where candidates ate required to listen attentively and decide which letter goes with what place on the map. IELTS Listening part 3 and 4 revolve around academic content, so matching’s difficulty is also raised to fit Nevertheless, matching in NEC is derived from authentic sources (as in 2016 was a BBC report on Korean ‘education and in 2017 was a speach of Mark Zuckerberg on the development of Internet), which is a remarkable departure from standardized tests. Another distinctive feature is the number of alternatives that students are faced vith, To illustrate this, consider the following example. In the matching section of 2016, the first question required students to choose three correct answers among seven. If this had been a matching exercise extracted from the IELTS papers, the number of choices would have been confined to only six at its maximum. Below are some tips for the students: NEWS LISTENING MATCHING Mensa nation is ielevan tach ee Rete ce cae Peeenaert eo aea eR ane fb.com/iloveambrosia | 19MASTER the ART of NEC | Taracdecsucd Due to the fact that authentic source is a key player in news listening matching, students, with a view to oxoslling at this section, have to practice listening to materials outside the book's content, Recommended sources are BBC podcast, CNN news, PBS Newshour, VOX, The Daily Conversation, TED-e4,, While practice listening, you should try to outline the ideas of the extract. Take note and then divide the coxtract into cortain main ideas with explanation and supporting evidence followed. The matching exercise invariably requires students to choose the supporting ideas and evidence for a main idea; therefore, practicing in this way will familiarize you with the real test ‘You can also consult the IELTS matching exercise for practice. Yet bear in mind that itis much easier than the News Listening matching. Ill Commen mistakes I. Practice goes astray at times ‘Some students who work on authentic sources try to make out sophisticated vocabulary and phrases without close attention to what the speaker is trying to convey. However, in order to achieve high score at this section, itis the meaning of every sentenes that counts. in fact, 4 listening parts in NEC are ordered according 10 difficulty level. Consequentiy,cifficulty level of matching is that of average. 2. Paraphrasing ean be rather misleading In some tricky questions, the rewording of Information from its original expression can go so far as to deceive listeners. For example, in the matching section of NEC 2017, the original information in the speech was: “in Uganda, a farmer is using his mobile phone to find the best prices for his crops”. Some students mistook this for “agricultural practices" while the accurate answer had to be "business practices” 3. “Repeated word” misconception is one of the common pitfalls Some students, especially gifted ones, hold that there must be some instances of paraphrasing in the given statements, This notion rings true upon some occasions. Upon others, however, i's the test writer's intention not to paraphrase much (and just make some slight modifications to sentences in the extract). Therefore, students must really understand what the speaker is saying, instead of looking for things that “are not mentioned’ in the recording. There are even answars that bear no relation at all to the recording. Some even think that test writers are going to trick them here, and opt for these irrelevant contents. The tip is to trust your fresh thinking. On second thought, you might make a mistake! Please access the link below and download the audio files in order to complete the listening exercises: http://bit.ly/2MVYoCKU De extracted from NEC 2016) Listen to a report on Korean education. For questions 1-5, complete the follo\ For questions 1-2, choose TWO LETTERS from A-E. Which TWO things are mentioned as factors putting students under study pressure in Korea? ‘A, regular schoo! at night de B. double-shift schooling a ©. formidable parents. D. lack of human resources E. lack of natural resources For questions 3-5, choose THREE letters from A-G Which THREE things are mentioned as a result of too much emphasis on non-stop studying in Korea? ‘A, maximum scores in formal exams B. extraordinary single-mindedness 20 | fb.com/iloveambrosia(MMB MASTER the ART of NEC - construction of power plants . worldwide renowned brands internationally recognized qualifications, =. huge investment in education G. top student suicidal rate among industrial nations Fmpo 22. (ortvacted trom NEC 2017) For questions 6-10, listen to part of a speech by Mark Zuckerberg on the development of the Intornot and do the tasks that follow, For questions 6-8, match the changes that Internet connection makes with the corresponding places. Write ONE correct letter next to each country. ‘A, agricultural practices é B. schoo! work ‘ ©. community projects —— |. business practices &—— |. food supply F.__child rearing For questions 9-10, choose TWO letters from A-D Which TWO statements are TRUE according to the talk? Write your answers in the numbered space provided. ‘A. 10 percent of people with Internet access have boon helped with poverty relief B. Out of every ten people, one is granted with access to the Internet, ©, 140 milion employment opportunities are provided for 260 milion people. D. More than half a billion children are provided with educational facilities at low cost. 9% 10, 3. Listen to a report on how ‘Game of Thrones’ ~ an American fantasy drama television series first took shape. For questions 11-16, choose the lettore on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) How are these dragons eroated in the first place? a, ‘A. Dragons are designed in such a way that they look mature, B. Their muscle structure is sometimes set disproportionate to their size. 12 C. Ananalogy makes the process slightly more plain sailing D. Dragons are intially constructed on a much smaller scale. What do people say about the visual effects in Game of Thrones? Visual effects are .. ‘A. employed to promote other elements. *— B. adopted throughout the film to make characters look real. aa: . used to complement with the unrestrained storyline. — D. considered instrumental in the development of the character. “a E, accopted as what distinguishes the film from regular production. — F._ exploited to break new grounds in similar genre. I, Listen to an extract from BBC about different kinds of wholesome food. For questions from 16: choose from the box ONE ANSWER that matches the food to its specific pationts. 16. Kudzu root -__ ‘A, Patients that resort to anti-depressanis 17. Oil of Oregano - B, Olympic runners 18. Fermented vegetables -___ |G. Those with respiratory problem 19. CHIA - D. Officers with poor memory 20. Cherry Extract -___ E, Mainoutished children F. Patients diagnosed with insomnia fbcom/iloveambrosia | 21MASTER the ART of NEC Mill _ People who constantly feel cold H. Patients in need of a revitalization medication IL. Those with poor digestive system J. Children consuming high sugar products 5. Listen to an extract from BBC about a now game consolo, Nintendo Switch, For questions 21-25, listen carotully and write your answer in the numbered space provided. What are the characteristics of Nintondo Switch? For questions 21-23, choose THREE letters from A-G ‘A, Nintendo Switch resembles a tablet in shape. B. The quality of the displayed image is contingent upon how the device is used C. Joy-cons are separate controllers but cannot be used simultaneously by an individual player. D. Joy-cons make it possible for corporeal interaction. E, Nintendo Switch can be charged while on the go. F. The smart design allows online playing mode even when playors are in the middle of nowhere. G. Nintendo Switch can either be used as a portable device or a home console. For questions 24-25, choose from the box TWO LETTERS that roflect TWO CHALLENGES that still face the new invention. ‘A. negative response 24, B. Attitude of people 25. C. Competitive market D. Lack of research E. Prohibitive cost of production 6. and choose from the box (A-v) FIVE letters whose content fits what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered space. isten to an extract from BBC about the discovery of new planets. For questions 26-30, listen carefully & Far-away in the universe lie seven Earth-sizod planets, as a new discovery is made. B. Scientists are trying to figure out whether there is a periodical change in light intensity of these planets. 3 — _| 6. Concrete evidence has been fund to contin he existence ofthe planes, z D. The planets may host liquid water 25. __| thsi notte frat time oxpats have eicovered plants hat resemble he Earth 2 | © overha ofthe panes found may wal suppot ie, G. That seven planets are simultaneously discovered is considered a starting fact. H. It takes 40 years travelling at the speed of light to reach these plenets. |. It is predicted that human beings will soon establish themselves on outer planets. J A giant telescope will be the only way that helps to provide nev clues about alien life. 7. Listen to a report on the project of poly dome. For questions 31-37, choose the letters on the right that ‘adalross the questions on tho left. Write your answer in the correspon numbered space. ‘What ties among the problems posed by monoculture? 'A, concern for the origin of food B. under-capacity of current logistics network ©, disruption in supply chain — D. impediment to natural cycles E. damage to ecosystems at. 32. 22 | Fb.com/iloveambrosiaMMM -MASTER the ART cf NEC What possible steps are taken as part of the poly culture based solution? ‘A. build a highly cost-effective greenhouse 33, B. arrange crops and animals based on their heat compatiblity C. grow vegetables in liquid nutrients — D. optimize soll quality E. adopt multi-layered farming method 36. F. streamline harvest through external logistics systems collect data on agricultural products. Two likely effects of poly dome are ... ‘A. resultant emergence of several niche markets 36. B. ecstatic growth in export’s profit margin C. severe damage to the labour market a7. D. general increase in consumer surplus E. extensive solution to food security problem 8. Listen toa report about Russia’s ban in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. For questions 38-42, choose the correct letter to fill in the numbered space. What is true about the IOC's ban imposed on Russia? Choose THREE letters from A-G ‘TR. No athiete representing Russia will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. B. The ban comes as no surprise to sports lovers around the world, C. Some Russian athletes can be ratified to compete under the country's flag if they meet 38. ae cortain standards. 40, | Dr 10C's decision is based on evidence omeraing from the previous Summer Games — | E. A50-million-dollar reimbursement for investigation expenses vill be paid by the ROC. F. Russian representative in the IOC has also been prohibited from aitending future Olympic Games. G. The blanket ban will reinforce the anti-cloping system even further down the road, How do Russian sports officials react to the ban? Choose TWO letters from A-E ‘A. They refuse to attend any Olympic Games in the future, B. They threaten to take revenge on the |OC, ©. They regard themselves as being discredited. — |b. They are discontented with the unjust decision, E. They hit back at the IOC immediately after the decision is made. a. 42. J. Listen to a report that details the most expensive-to-live-in city in the world, Singapore. For questions 49-48, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) What are the reasons for Singapore's high cost of living? 43, ‘A. monopoly on clothing products B. high markup on low-end goods 44, . tax on certain beverages D. competition with other cities 45. E. excise tax on cars F. certificates to purchase a vehicle desire to go green fb.com/iloveambrosia | 23‘| cau 8 ER cS ER eae NS ASTER = ART 21 NEC What actions are taken to benefit low-income citizens? 46. 47, A. disorimination in taxing B. free meals distribution . minimum-wage policy D. investments in social security programs E, regulations on its elderty's retirement pay HO, Listen to a report that elaborates on Paris Climate Agreement. For questions 48-52, choose the letters on the right that address the questions on the left. Write your answer in the corresponding numbered space. (5 points) What lies among the concerns for Paris Climate Agreement? 48, 49. reluctance to make a trade-off unwillingness to reach a consensus on common goals huge carbon footprints among BRIC nations lack of binding time constraint pledges from better-off countries to back others up. moop> What are the likely impacts of Paris Climate Agreement? 61. 52, ‘A. unanimous message conveyed batween committed nations B. rapid adoption of eoo-triendly technology C. different approach from conglomerate businesses D. excessive resources pooled into constructing pollution-free plants E. national movement to boycott the use of fossil fuels F._ unprecedented funding for green eneray development 24 | fbcom/iloveambrosiaMEME MASTER the ART of NEC NEWS LISTENING: GAP FILLING In the listening section, gap tiling is the most prevalent exercise and has always beon a fixed part in the national English examination for the gifted. There will be approximately 10 questions in this par. Involving numerous accents and recorded at faster-than-normal speed, gap filing from news listening, to many students, is the most challenging and thus, most compottive exercise in this test. Therefore, in most cases, whoever excels at this section will stand a better chance of reaping higher prizes in NEC. Despite its demanding nature, there are stil a multitude of effective approaches to this kind of exercise. Here are some of the most fundamental tips from experienced test- takers: fb.com/iloveambrosia | 25es MASTER tho ART of NEC Mill Il, How to practice L. inctease exposure to news listening ‘One major problem upon doing this Kind of exerc'se is unfamiliarity with the real-fe speech patterns, which are a world of difference compared to listening audio from books like IELTS, CAE, CPE in terms of speed, accents, etc, This feature requires all NEC students to acquaint themselves with a range of speech pattems in order to full the tasks effectively, which can only be realised by cay-by-day exposure to divergent sources of news istening for a fixed amount of time. 2. Go stop by stop This approach means that it is not advisable to jump straight into difficult news listening exercises since this will easily shock students and strike fear into their heart whenever they attempt to do these assignments, To prevent their efforts from going down the drain, tost-takors should instead go for some easy news listening exercises in the first place. Once guaranteeing a solid consolidation of listening skills, they can try to do some a little more difficult tasks and then increase the difficulty levels of the exercises. For example, should one be a beginner, he or she can start off by listening to BBC Learning English and then CNN Student News and finally, BBC or CNN. 3. Focus on one topie One of the biggest obstacles in news listening is the wide range of vocabulary. In an endeavour to enrich vocabulary efficiently, students should acquire new advanced words in accordance with specific topics instead of expanding vocabulary in a disorganised way. For instance, NEC participants can allocate a certain amount of time (usually one week) to a particular topic and listen to a bunch of news bulletins related to this topic. The range of topics is considerable but students should take more heed of topical and latest issues such as environment, technology, large-scale and epoch-making events around the world, which are what the Ministry of Education and Training always aim at in NEC. UW. utiizo teamwork It students find themselves in a scarcity of gap filing exercises of news listening, they can form a study group with their friends. Then, together they can design news listening assignments for each other on a regular basis. This, in turn, nelos not only the students thomselves but also thelr friends retrieve a vast source of exercises to complete and boost one another's news listening capability. 5. Retax by news listening You should not take news listening too seriously just as a way of honing your listening skills and gaining a higher prize. Rather, you can still sense the therapeutic effects of news listening if you regard it also as a means of entertainment by watching TV shows, your favourite calebrites” interviews or listening to English-speaking videos with fun contents. In this way, news listening feels much more natural and relaxing, which can fuel your motivation to ameliorate your command of news listening furtha {i Common mistaks Exceed the word limit: As is above-mentioned, the resolution is to read the instructions carefully. 2. Grammatical mistakos: Forget the ending sound “ed” and “s Minor as these mistakes may seem, they can cost you dearly. Not only should you pay particular attention to the ending sound while listening but you should also rely on the context to decide the tense or the plural form 3. Lose the pace of the extract: Sometimes you may lose your concentration and thus, being unable to comprehend the rest of the extract. In case of this, pull yourself together, listen carefully to the next point/argument of the extract to re-catch the pace and move on to the next questions. Bear in mind that you can listen twice. WL. Get distracted by background information: Some extracts have excruciatingly long irrelevant background information to demoralize you. However, you should concentrate all the time since the required phrases may appeer anytime. 5. Brood over after finishing listening: 26 | fb.com/iloveambrosia(ME MASTER the ART of NEC ala FS | ‘Some stuclents are still preoccupied with the listening part after the second time listening. However, at this point, remember that you practically cannot do anything to change that part. Thus, focus on finishing the other parts because the NEC is becoming longer. Wc Ploase access the link below and download the audio files in ordor to complete the listening exercises: Intip://bit.y/2LA7oPA 1. (ourco: NPR) Listen to a piece of news about people’s employment prospects In the modern era and fil in the missing information with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. ‘America has lost more than 7 million (1) —_—_ since the late 1970s, and yet the amount of stutt the U.S. produces i at an al-time high Michael Hicks, an economist, says (2) is responsible for the loss ofthese jobs. Indiana has been in the (8) of this recently because of the Carrier plant and now the interviewer wants to know how Profescor Hicks fathoms President-elect Trumo’s representation that huncreds of jobs were saved As the plant probably goes through an automation period, we just don't know how many of the workers that are there now are going to be able to fit into the new, highly (4) of 2020. ‘The interviewer asks Professor Hicks whether he believes people that talk about our (S) haven't accounted for the powerful impact of automation in industry Professor Hicks thinks that there is areal disconnect between what they talk about, which is jobs floating overseas to Mexico and China and Vielnarn, and the reality, which fe that automation and (6) have realy accounted forthe vast majority of job losses in Indiana nationwide of a production process is going to make things quicker and more efficient 80 we don't need as many autoworkers as we did a generation anda half ago. ‘There are certain new jobs being created, but they are harder to see. Between the timo that manufacturing peaked in 1977 and today, we're dow about 7 and a half milfon manufacturing jobs, but we're up about 9 and a half ition | ee It's dificult to ask a 66-year-old guy who hasn't been around middle school meth since the early '70s to jump into a training program at our community technical college or with our (9) board and get retooled for a technology job or to work in a health care setting. 2015 is a year of (10) in the United States. 2. (source: ABC) Listen to a piece of news about the thaw in the North ~ South Korea relationship and fill in the missing information with NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS. ‘Thousands of reporters around the world come to South Korea, sitting in a(n) (1) _just to witness a historic and emotional summit never seen before. Weeks ago, the whole region scomod to be under the (2) —___ _____ but now the picture looks completely different. ‘Surrounded by bodyguards, Kim Jong-un emerged from the northem side of DMZ and then strode alone toward the (@) “that marks the border. There are certain ceremonies and symbolism acts taking place such as a (4) ______, which is a shared Korean cultural trait. As a gtim joke, Kim Jong-un promises South Korean leader that he ‘won't interrupt his sleep anymore with (5) Utimately, the two leaders reach a (6) sign and celebrate it with a handshake and abug “The two leaders deciare that by the end of the year they will each a (7) __, bringing a formal end to the Korean war. They will denuclearize the Korean peninsula and (6) z The location for the summit between Trump and Kim Jong-un turned out to be (9) __in part because Kim Jong-un's airplanes are so old and have limited range. fo.com/iloveambrosia | 27