PREPARATION FOR NEC 2021- No 29

LISTENING 16/25
Part 1. For questions 1-5, listen to a talk about the power of quiet leadership and decide whether these
statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG). Write your answers in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided.
1. The Extrovert Ideal characterizes great leaders with the qualities of extroversion, responsiveness,
confidence and impromptu speaking. T
2. According to one study, the higher senior leaders scored on the extrovert scale, the less their staff became
satisfied with them. NG
3. Intrinsic motivation paves the way for the pursuit for materialism. F
4. The way leadership courses are designed may undermine the confidence of introverted people. T
5. Inimical attitude can stand out in a world full of soundbites, forcefulness and extreme thinking. F
Part 2. For questions 6-10, listen to a talk about the history of fish and chips and answer the questions.
Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the corresponding
numbered boxes provided.
6. What was the status of potatoes before the 18th century? Knobby curiosity
7. What was the primary target of bread-crumbed filets? Upmarket meals
8. Apart from the development of railroad system, what stimulated the shipping of fish to inland regions?
Trawl fishing
9. What are the most common supplementary ingredients of fish and chips in the UK? Salt and Vinegar
10. Besides being clean from printers, how was the newspapers used for wrapping? Unsullied by readers’
hands

Part 3. For questions 11-15, listen to an interview with two authors called Simon Chirk and Naomi
Glenn, who are talking about getting started as a novelist and choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits
best according to what you hear. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered boxes provided.
11. Simon thinks that young would-be authors should
A. attempt to get known in another field first.
B. secure the support of a publisher from the outset.
C. devote themselves to the more lucrative types of writing.
D. have sufficient intrinsic motivation to meet the challenge.

12. Naomi suggests that unpublished writers need to avoid

A. trying to combine writing with another occupation.
B. exhausting themselves with a grueling routine.
C. attempting to work with outdated equipment.
D. becoming distracted from the task in hand.

13. Naomi agrees with Simon's point that a first novel should
A. explore an aspect of a glamorous lifestyle.
B. reflect the writer's own personal experience.
C. seek to replicate elements of recent bestsellers.
D. feature appealing characters in an everyday setting.

14. Naomi and Simon disagree about the extent to which young novelists should
A. do research into unfamiliar subject areas or periods.
B. aim for established genres with large readerships.
C. allow prospective publishers to suggest a theme.
D. concentrate on producing a strong narrative.

15. What point does Naomi make about teenage fiction?

A. Feedback from readers can be very stimulating.
B. Novels need to deal with sophisticated issues.
C. The long-term rewards can be worthwhile.
D. It's easy to develop a loyal following.

Part 4. For questions 16-25, listen to a talk about hacking and supply the blanks with the missing
information. Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS taken from the recording for each answer in the
space provided.
THE SECRET LIVES OF THE HACKER
16. In broad terms, hacking can be conceived as ingenious _problem-solving_____________________ since
this activity aims to exploit the properties of things in an unanticipated manner.
17. The way that Galileo used crooked glass to __magnify the stars can be seen as a hacking activity.
18. NASA engineers used a hack to save Apollo 13, with a book, a plastic bag and a __roll of duct
tape________________.
19. In order to establish a call, phone providers utilized _tones and beeps__________________.
20. Many hackers are propelled by the desire to understand the operation of a system, to _discover its
quirks_______________ and hidden secrets.
21. Steve Wozniak found source of inspiration from his early explorations to embark on _tinkering and
inventing______________.
22. There is an analogy between some types of hackers and security forces working to protect their
__fortresses of information_________________.
23. Greed, fame, nonconformity and the yearnings to hurt others for _cheap thrills___________________
are what propel hackers.
24. Another type of hackers is __criminal syndicates____________________ who aim to deceive people.
25. While hackers themselves value their actions, other people deem what they do as __dishonorable and
wrong_______________.

WRITING
The pie charts below show exports from various EU countries to India and China in 2000 and 2011.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant. Your writing should be at least 150 words.

The pie charts give information on the proportion of commodity exports among European countries to India
and China in two specific years, 2000 and 2011.
Overall, it is clear that the exportation of goods to two Asian countries was disproportionate among EU
nations. In addition, Germany accounted for the greatest share of exported merchandise in both 2000 and
2011.
Looking at charts on goods exportation to India, the UK was responsible for a maximum percentage of
roughly 30% in 2000, followed by Belgium and Germany, at 25% and 15% respectively. However, while
the figures for the United Kingdom and Belgium all experienced a fall of 16% and 5%, that of Germany
witnessed an opposite trend, increasing by 10% in 2011, being the dominant exporter. The percentages of
commodity exports in other European countries were considerable smaller, with France and Italy occupying
about 8% whilst others varying between 1% and 4%. By 2011, these nations all underwent a small rise of 1-
2% in good exports.
Considering the figures for exports to China, Germany was still the biggest EU exporter with its figure
increasing from 38% to almost a half between 2000 and 2011. It was followed by France yet being
noticeably smaller, accounting for 13% in 2000 before falling by 3% in the next eleven years. The
proportions of goods exported to China all stayed under 10% in other countries with that of Austria being
smallest, at 2% in both years.

In some countries today, there is an attitude that “anyone can do it” in the arts- music, literature,
acting, etc. As a results, people with no talent become rich and famous and genuine talent is not
valued and appreciated.
What is your opinion on this matter?
Give reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.

There seems to be a trend among today’s wealthy parents, especially those from Asian nations, to have their
children attend extracurricular classes from an early age with a view to fostering their talents. Despite this
fashion, people of some nations still hold some prejudice towards music, literature, acting and other
unconventional subjects, deeming them as something everyone can do. This belief, as a result, leads to a
paradoxical situation when people owning no special abilities gain prosperity and fame while talented ones
go unappreciated and unvalued. I, personally, attribute this existing situation to the development of
technology while believing that gifted people predominantly still acquire the spotlight they deserve.

In the first place, several technological advances seem to be responsible for a trend when truly artistic people
do not receive their deserved recognition. Firstly, the proliferation of social media holds accountable for
such a trend. It is clearly justified with the rise of Instagram fashion bloggers, referring to individuals who
provide fashion tips and introduce certain products and brands without actually possessing professional
knowledge about them. In contrast, actually talented artists, without manipulating the media or creating
some so-called “interesting” trends, get hardly grasp the attention of the public. Besides, such equipment
utilizing in the production process is also partly to blame. It has become increasingly easier for celebrities
nowadays to go under the cover of “talented’ singer with the constant development in such editing software
famously employed by music producers.

However, it is somewhat false to completely regard with people with musical, artistic or writing abilities to
be undervalued and disrespected. Some sports athletes or famous singers, however, are still earning fame
and wealth while having great aptitude in their fields. A case in point is Ronaldo Cristiano, who actually
become a worldwide phenomenon for his sportsmanship and football skills instead of manipulating media
tactics. Besides, it is also worth considering that the fame acquired by such micro-celebrities is generally
short-lived and far from impactful or in other words, they only own an overnight success. These people,
without the sufficient talents to push them forwards, run the risk of being discarded and underestimated by
the public as a whole. In contrast, people with such special abilities as a foundation have their already
possessed skills to push their forwards and open up future prospects.

In conclusion, given the popularity of social media and advancement in editing technologies, it is
understandable why talentless people become famous and successful. Nevertheless, it is nonsense to dismiss
the prospects of acquiring fame among talented individuals. Hopefully, the future will witness more truly
determined and accomplished artists being discovered and promoted.