School Visit to Hinchingbrooke Country Park
ANNOUNCER: Part 1. You will hear a teaching assistant calling a country park about a school visit. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 6. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 6.
SALLY: Good morning, Hinchingbrooke Country Park, Sally speaking. I'm one of the rangers.
JOHN: Oh, hello. My name is John Chapman, and I'm a teaching assistant at a local primary school. I've been asked to arrange a visit to the park for two of our classes.
SALLY: OK, what would you like to know?
JOHN: Well, I'm new to this area, so perhaps you could tell me something about the park first.
SALLY: Of course. Altogether the park covers 170 acres, which is about 69 hectares.
SALLY: There are three main types of habitat: wetland, grassland, and woodland.
SALLY: The woods are well established and varied, with an oak plantation and other areas of mixed species.
JOHN: Right.
SALLY: The wetland is quite varied too. The original farmland was dug up about 40 years ago to extract gravel.
SALLY: After the gravel was removed, the pits filled with water and formed two large lakes.
SALLY: There are also several smaller lakes, ponds, and a stream flowing through the park.
JOHN: OK, so with these habitats there must be quite a variety of wildlife.
SALLY: There certainly is. There are many species of birds, insects, and animals such as deer and rabbits.
JOHN: And I understand you organise educational visits for schools.
SALLY: That's right. We can organise a wide range of activities and adapt them for different ages.
JOHN: Could you give me some examples?
SALLY: One focus is science. Children study plants, trees, and insects, and collect and analyse data.
SALLY: Another focus is geography. Children practise reading a map and using a compass to navigate around the park.
JOHN: Do you do anything related to history?
SALLY: Yes. Children explore how the use of the land has changed over time.
SALLY: We also cover leisure and tourism. Children learn about visitors, their needs, and how the park manages the problems they may cause.
SALLY: Another subject is music. Children experiment with natural materials to create sounds and explore rhythm and tempo.
JOHN: That must be fun.
SALLY: Most children really enjoy it.
ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 7 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 7 to 10.
SALLY: All the activities are educational. Learning outside the classroom encourages children to be creative and to explore and discover for themselves.
JOHN: I imagine they feel a sense of freedom that they may not usually experience.
SALLY: That's right. Often children discover they can do things they didn't realise they could do.
SALLY: They develop new skills, which increases their self-confidence.
JOHN: It sounds great. What about the cost of a full-day visit?
SALLY: If there are more than 30 children, the cost is £4.95 per child.
SALLY: We send an invoice afterwards, so you don't pay for children who cannot attend.
SALLY: There is no charge for teachers or other adult leaders.
JOHN: That sounds very fair. Thank you for the information. I'll discuss it with my colleagues and get back to you.
SALLY: We look forward to hearing from you. Goodbye.
JOHN: Goodbye, and thank you.
ANNOUNCER: That is the end of Part 1. You now have one minute to check your answers.
