Stevenson's Metal Goods Company and Work Experience Program — Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic 2021 TEST 1 — IELTS Test

Cambridge IELTS 16 Academic 2021 TEST 1

Stevenson's Metal Goods Company and Work Experience Program

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(0:00) Part 2. You will hear the Managing Director of a company called Stephenson's welcoming a group (0:07) of work experience students. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. (0:44) Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

(0:52) Good morning everyone and welcome to Stephenson's, one of the country's major manufacturers of metal (0:58) goods. Thank you for choosing us for your two weeks of work experience. (1:02) My name is Julia Simmons and since the beginning of this year I've been the Managing Director.

(1:11) Stephenson's is quite an old company. Like me, the founder Ronald Stephenson went into the steel (1:17) industry when he left school. That was in 1923.

He set up this company when he finished his (1:24) apprenticeship in 1926, although he actually started making plans two years earlier in 1924. (1:33) He was a very determined young man. Stephenson's long-term plan was to manufacture components for (1:41) the machine tools industry, although in fact that never came about, and for the automotive industry, (1:47) that is cars and lorries.

However there was a delay of five years before that happened (1:54) because shortly before the company went into production, Stephenson was given the opportunity (2:00) to make goods for hospitals and other players in the healthcare industry. So that's what we did for (2:07) the first five years. Over the years we've expanded the premises considerably.

We were (2:14) lucky that the site is big enough, so moving to a new location has never been necessary. (2:21) However the layout is far from ideal for modern machinery and production methods, (2:27) so we intend to carry out major refurbishment of this site over the next five years. (2:34) I'd better give you some idea of what you'll be doing during your two weeks with us, (2:39) so you know what to expect.

Most mornings you'll have a presentation from one of the managers (2:45) to learn about their department, starting this morning with research and development, (2:53) and you'll all spend some time in each department observing what's going on (2:58) and talking to people, as long as you don't stop them from doing their work altogether. (3:03) In the past, a teacher from your school has come in at the end of each week to find out (3:10) how the group were getting on, but your school isn't able to arrange that this year. (3:18) Before you hear the rest of the talk, you'll have some time to look at questions 15 to 20.

(3:55) Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. (4:01) OK, now I'll briefly help you to orientate yourselves around the site. (4:07) As you can see, we're in the reception area, which we try to make attractive and welcoming (4:13) to visitors.

There's a corridor running left from here, and if you go along that, (4:19) the door facing you at the end is the entrance to the coffee room. (4:24) This looks out onto the main road on one side and some trees on the other, (4:29) and that'll be where you meet each morning. (4:33) The factory is the very big room on the far side of the site.

(4:39) Next to it is the warehouse, which can be accessed by lorries going up the road (4:44) to the turning area at the end. (4:46) You can get to the warehouse by crossing to the far side of the courtyard, (4:51) and then the door is on your right. (4:54) Somewhere you'll be keen to find is the staff canteen.

(4:58) This is right next to reception. (5:01) I can confidently say that the food's very good, but the view isn't. (5:06) The windows on one side look onto a corridor and courtyard, which aren't very attractive at all, (5:12) and on the other onto the access road, which isn't much better.

(5:18) You'll be using the meeting room quite often, (5:22) and you'll find it by walking along the corridor to the left of the courtyard (5:27) and continuing along it to the end. (5:30) The meeting room is the last one on the right, (5:33) and I'm afraid there's no natural daylight in the room. (5:38) Then you'll need to know where some of the offices are.

(5:42) The human resources department is at the front of this building, (5:47) so you head to the left along the corridor from reception, (5:50) and it's the second room you come to. (5:53) It looks out onto the main road. (5:56) And finally the boardroom, where you'll be meeting sometimes.

(6:00) That has quite a pleasant view, as it looks out onto the trees. (6:05) Go along the corridor past the courtyard right to the end. (6:10) The boardroom is on the left, next to the factory.

(6:14) Okay now, are there any questions before we move on? (6:20) That is the end of part two. (6:23) You now have half a minute to check your answers to part two.

Part 2 of 4

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