6.

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LISTENING – SCIENCE

LISTENING – A SCIENCE CLUB

1- You will hear a student called Max Bignall giving a presentation about a
science club in New York. Audio

Max was surprised that one of the founders of the Secret Science Club was a
(1)........................................... rather than a scientist.

The Bell House is used for (2)................................................ on most weeknights.

Apart from delivering their lecture, presenters at the Secret Science Club often do
(3)............................................ on stage.

The lecture about (4).............................................. was one that Max particularly

appreciated.

Max sometimes finds it difficult to understand the

(5)........................................................ which follow the lectures.

Max says that (6)............................................. with leading members of the scientific

community is a huge benefit.

Max thinks this club follows the tradition of meetings which took place in European
(7).......................................... in the eighteenth century.

In Max’s opinion, the club nights are popular because they make people see the
(8)............................................ of science to ordinary people.

Script

Max Bignall: Hi, I'm Max Bignall and I'm a physics major, so I was naturally very
keen to go along to a science club I'd read about when I first arrived in New York
about six months ago. It's called the Secret Science Club and it really is quite
something. I knew that the club was started by two science writers, Margaret
Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson, but not that the third founder was a radio
producer called Dorian Devins. He did have a scientific background too, though.

The club started as a small informal gathering held in a Brooklyn bar but soon
outgrew this venue and is now held at The Bell House, which is a popular Brooklyn
venue for weddings and other private events. But most nights what you can see are
the types of acts you would expect from a trendy New York bar, basically up and
coming bands of various kinds. And somewhat bizarrely, once a month you'll find a
friendly scientist lecturing in down to earth language about a topical scientific issue.
The lectures often include experiments at the end, which go down well with the
crowd, especially if they involve audience participation.

The talks cover all kinds of issues: they've had a climate scientist talking about
super-storms, an evolutionary biologist on the elusive animals that live in our cities,
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an astrophysicist talking about black holes - which was the highlight for me - and
last time we had a mathematical sociologist explaining how ideas spread. The
lectures themselves are generally very entertaining and accessible - even for non-
scientists - but where I sometimes get lost is at the end, when people ask questions
which can be quite specialised. And then there's a chance for everyone to listen to
music and talk about the lecture. What's really invaluable for science students like
me are the networking opportunities available with some of the best experts in their
field.

Nobody can agree about the precise origins of clubs like the Secret Science Club but
they seem to have started in universities at the end of the 1990s. Of course, the
idea itself is much older. In the 18th century people used to meet up in coffee
houses in Britain and France to discuss the affairs of the day, including scientific
discoveries.

I could be wrong, but I think the majority of people who attend the Secret Science
Club aren't academics, just people with an interest in science. I think the appeal for
people like this is that the lectures help them to understand the relevance of
science to their daily lives. I like the fact that the Secret Science Club is inclusive
and wants to share ideas beyond the scientific community. I think scientists have a
responsibility to help people see how science continues to shape the way we see
the world and the future.

Answer key

1- Radio producer 2- Bands 3- Experiments 4- Black

holes

5- Questions 6- Networking 7- Coffee houses 8- Relevance

LISTENING – COLOURS

2- You will hear an interview with a woman called Olivia Hadfield who has
been researching how colours can be used to communicate different
messages. Audio

1 Olivia says that she first got involved with researching colour
A because she hoped to further her career in marketing.
B because she desired a change of lifestyle.
C to oppose something she thought was unfair.
D because she felt that businesses underrated the influence of colour.

2 What point does Olivia make about colours and brands?

A Many people form a subconscious connection between them.
B Not all products can be successfully branded by a single colour.
C Some nationalities are more susceptible to colour branding than others.
D Corporations are happy to market many brands with the same colour.
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3 What does Olivia say about our associations with certain colours?
A Red has the widest range of associations.
B People have neutral associations with black.
C Our associations with blue are most rational.
D White has the most positive associations.

4 Olivia thinks that the link between colour and taste is

A very well understood.
B difficult to explain.
C stronger for foods than drinks.
D largely based on instinct.

5 When Olivia talks about house colours in her city she is

A surprised by changing trends.
B worried about visual pollution.
C cautious about being unconventional.
D disappointed by the lack of variety.

6 What aspect of colour would Olivia like to study in future?

A how climate affects the colours we see
B how human sight has evolved over time
C how colour is partly a cultural construct
D how non-human and human sight differs

Answer key

1-B 2-A 3-C 4-B 5-D 6-C