- A
- B
- C
Listen to a conversation. Take notes on the problem presented and the possible solutions suggested.
literary – relating to writing and literature
budget – the amount of money available to a business
shut down – to stop doing business
advertisement – an announcement that tells people about a product or service
let go – to tell someone to stop working for you
Listening:
View the transcriptM: Hey, Susan, how's it going?
W: Not so good, George.
M: Why, what's wrong?
W: Well, you know our school literary magazine, the Gryphon? Well, we're running out of money. The business manager, she wasn't really doing such a good job managing our budget. So we will probably run out of money by the end of the term unless we do something. We might have to shut down.
M: That's terrible, I love reading that magazine.
W: So do a lot of other people.
M: Have you thought about increasing the number of advertisements? Right now, you get good money from advertisers, right? But I bet it might be possible to find more advertisers and make enough money that way.
W: The question is – are there any other businesses interested in advertising?
M: It is worth it to check. Otherwise, you might want to think about letting some of your writers go. I mean, you probably pay a lot of money to those writers, and while it might mean that you have to have a smaller magazine, it would certainly help you cut costs.
W: True, we have about 15 people now, but we might be able to do with only five.
M: That's a big jump.
W: Still, I'd hate to have to let anyone go.
M: Well, reducing your staff might help. But so could finding more advertisers.
W: Yeah, I just can't decide which I think is better.
M: Yeah, that's a tough decision.
Read the prompt below.
The speakers discuss two possible solutions to the woman's problem. Describe the problem. Then state which of the two solutions you prefer and explain why.
Look again at your notes from the listening. Decide which solution sounds best and why.
Listening:
Write down your opinion on the best solution.
Notes for the Response
Opinion 1
- Problem: The literary magazine is running out of money.
- Best Solution: She should look for more advertisers.
- Reason 1: It is the fastest way to find more money.
- Reason 2: There is no guarantee that letting writers go will help.
Opinion 2
- Problem: The literary magazine is running out of money.
- Best Solution: She should let some of the writers go.
- Reason 1: It is the easiest way to cut costs.
- Reason 2: They might not be able to find more advertisers.
Deliver your response, including all the facts and using necessary transitions.
Listen to two sample responses. Note any useful ideas and expressions that could improve your response.
Opinion 1
I think increasing advertisements is the better solution. First, it is the easiest way to raise money quickly. If lots of people read the magazine, then businesses certainly would want to advertise there. It would be easy for the magazine to find good advertisers. Second, there is no guarantee that they would save money if they employ fewer writers. If they let their writers go but the quality of the magazine suffers, then no one will want to read the magazine anymore. Then they will not be able to find any advertisers.
Opinion 2
I think cutting some staff is the better solution. First, it is the easiest way to cut costs of the magazine quickly. If the woman thinks they only need five writers, then they definitely do not need fifteen. It would be easy to let at least a few of those writers go. Second, there is no guarantee they can raise enough money through advertising. If they look for advertisers but do not find any, they might have to close the magazine before they can explore other options. Then the entire staff will be without jobs rather than just some of them.
Listening:
Now give your response to the prompt again, incorporating useful expressions from the sample, while also paying attention to your pronunciation and intonation. Record your time.
