TASK 2. (6 points)
You will hear two texts. For questions 2.1.-2.6., choose the answer which best matches
what you have heard by circling the appropriate letter (A, B, C or D).
Questions 2.1.-2.3. are for Text 1, questions 2.4.-2.6. are for Text 2. You’ll hear
the recordings twice.
Text 1
2.1. The purpose of Susan Trent’s study was to
A. find out whether an increase in intelligence could be linked to an educational activity.
B. boost the participants’ intelligence by making use of a special board game.
C. awaken psychologists’ interest in a completely novel idea.
D. describe strategies the brain uses to store information.
2.2. Which of the following is TRUE about all the participants of the experiment?
A. They were required to take the same type of test twice.
B. Their “fluid” intelligence was measured prior to the first test.
C. They had to attend a lengthy training session in reasoning strategies.
D. Their task in the first test was to process information from two different sources.
2.3. Which sentence best summarizes Professor Jenkins’ opinion given in the final part
of the interview?
A. The results of Susan Trent’s research call for immediate action.
B. The mistake Susan Trent made in planning the research is obvious.
C. There is no chance that lasting intelligence gains can be stimulated.
D. It is arguable whether significant intelligence gains can be achieved in a short time.
3
Text 2
2.4. Dr Kamrin’s involvement in archaeology is the result of
A. the decisions she made as a secondary school student.
B. the influence an academic community had on her.
C. her volunteer work at an excavation site in Syria.
D. her parents’ pressure to follow in their footsteps.
2.5. What reason does Dr Kamrin give for the invention of writing?
A. the necessity to exchange information between ancient civilizations
B. the pressure to reorganize the hierarchy in society
C. the need to keep records of agricultural produce
D. the expansion of overseas trade
2.6. When talking about Egyptian hieroglyphs, Dr Kamrin concentrates on
A. the aesthetic purpose they served.
B. the way their meaning evolved.
C. their influence on Western art.
D. the function they performed.
Listening transcript, two interviews. Text 1 (Professor Jenkins on Susan Trent's intelligence study): 2.1 the 2008 article 'challenged' the fixed-intelligence view and renewed interest in whether intelligence is trainable via game-like tasks -> A. 2.2 all participants first took a reasoning test (fluid intelligence), only some got training, then ALL took 'another version of the reasoning test' -> same type of test twice -> A. 2.3 Jenkins concludes 'it's too early to judge', gains so far 'relatively modest', 'we shouldn't be surprised if ... unfounded, but shouldn't be totally discouraged either' -> D 'It is arguable whether significant intelligence gains can be achieved in a short time.' Text 2 (Dr Kamrin on Egyptology): 2.4 she volunteered at the university museum, met Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and other researchers there, and 'the discussions I had with them made me realize it might be something for me' -> B 'the influence an academic community had on her.' 2.5 'As agriculture evolves, you get surpluses of crops and you have to monitor their quantity and distribution. That's ... the impetus for some sort of writing system' -> C 'the need to keep records of agricultural produce.' 2.6 she describes hieroglyphs/Egyptian art as fundamentally 'a means of communication', about 'squeezing in as much information as possible, not depicting pictures realistically' -> D 'the function they performed.'
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