Part 1:

Hello, city swim school!

Hello, I wanted to ask about swimming lessons. That's in a class, not individual.
Right, well, we do group lessons at various levels. To start off with, we have what we
call the water babies class. That's for babies of three months and over.
Really? How young is that?
Yes, that's really the best time to start.
Right, well we do have a baby so I'll make a note of that. What do they actually do in
the lessons?
Well, the main aim is just to familiarise them with the water, so they feel at ease there.
They get the children to enjoy themselves. They have lots of toys and things they can
use to play with in the water.
Right. And how much do the lessons cost?
£3.80, it's not really a course as such.
Ok, well I'll talk to my wife about that. But I was actually ringing about lessons for
me.
Ok, so are you a beginner?
Not exactly but I'm not very good.
Beginner's classes are for people who don't have any experience of swimming. They
aim to teach you techniques for breathing in the water and they get you to do things
like put your head underwater and open your eyes.
OK I can do that.
And by the end of the course, they aim to have you swimming five metres.
I think I can probably just do that
So you'd be better in the intermediate class then. That’s where you learn the main
swimming strokes. Front stroke, backstroke, so on.
What about diving?
Yes they teach you how to do that and you’d also do some underwater swimming.
Not with a tank or anything?
Oh no, not scuba. Just ordinary underwater swimming and in the intermediate course,
you also look at water safety, both in the pool and when swimming in other places.
Ok. Well, that sounds the right level for me, I think. How much does that cost?
£61 for a course. That's 10 lessons. Can you tell me a bit more about how many
people there would be in it?
The intermediate class is usually around 8 to 10. that's what we aim at, though
occasionally it might go up to 12. Ok. that sounds quite a reasonable size, not too
many. And just out of interest, is there an advanced class?
Yes. They focus on developing more efficient swimming techniques and on working
on your speed. and they also prepare you for competitive swimming.
Okay. Now, I think I wanna start the intermediate one really.
Now, Is there anything special I need to know?
The classes are on Tuesdays and the first lesson is on January 13. so you need to
register before then. January 8 is the latest but it's filling up quickly so I’d do it
straight away. you can pick up a form here or get one off the Internet. And classes are
at 7:30 PM.
Right, then I just roll up with my swimming trunks? Do I have to bring my own
towel?
That’s right. We provide participants with a swimming hat though.
Oh, I don't usually wear one.
Well, we do insist on it actually. It helps the instructor to identify you, apart from
anything else. Oh, and don't forget you need a 20P coin for the locker.
Oh, okay. Right, I've been meaning to do this for ages. I really need to get some more
exercise and everyone says swimming is good for your health.
Yes, and a lot of people find it improves their confidence, too. and of course it could
save your life, or even someone else's.
That’s right. OK, well, thanks very much. Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Part 2:
Take out the maps we gave you all as you came in the door. The map is the big yellow
sheet of paper. As you can see on the map, North is at the top, South is at the bottom
etc. Which way is North? well, look through that window on my left. you're right. See
the rising Sun? that would have to be East. so north must be directly behind me. Now,
we’re at the campus main gate. The recreational facilities are on my right hand and its
opposite is the student centre. No questions? Good. pretty easy right? OK. Did
everyone eat breakfast at the student food service this morning? Was the food good?
yes, yes, I am joking. I've eaten there too. So after a meal like that, you must be eager
to go to a doctor, right? Well, I have good news for you. The student health centre is
located about half a kilometre straight north of here. look on your maps. you see the
street on the east side of this building? Ned Kelly Avenue, just follow that about 500
metres and the health centre will be on your left at the third cross street. Now I know
you just got here so you must be wondering how to tell your folks, you've arrived
safely, how much you miss the dog and how you already need more money. If you
don't have an iPhone, you probably are wondering where to find a computer. well, I
have good news. if you go straight out of its door and walk down the garden street,
you'll see the Internet unit on your left side, just next to the gym. The hours are posted
on the door and the computers are free, but you must bring your student ID card with
you. Like I tell everyone, if you need help with anything, you can probably find it
right here in the student centre. Do you see the four buildings there between the
student centre and the library? Those are dormitories. The men's dorms are the two at
the south, women's the two on the north. OK, I'm sorry to have to tell you but the
university has been doing a lot of repairs and remodelling and it's not all done yet. so
there may be some small problems with your dorm rooms. Maybe the window doesn't
open. Maybe an air conditioner is missing or does not work. If there are any problems,
you can go to the complaint office which is right beside the teaching building between
the Parker Street and the Cramer Street. just tell them your problem and they should
have it fixed by the time you graduate in four years. I'm joking but please be patient.
There are a lot of things they need to take care of. Tired of school food? No? Give it a
week. or maybe you just need a place to get coffee in the wee hours of the night
during one of those marathon study sessions. Either way, you definitely have to check
out the little café just past the women's dormitories. They've got free Wi-Fi, so a lot of
students saddle up with coffee and a bagel for hours to get work done.
Part 3:
As of the dorm rooms, I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is
the room is small and you'll probably be sharing space with at least three other
students. The good news is each room has its own bathroom. What's good about
sharing a bathroom with three strangers? Hmm, Good question. Ok, call it bad news
and worse news. Hey, maybe try this for good news. Each dorm has a kitchen. If you
want to make snacks or meals, you can do it there. You can buy food containers at any
campus convenience store, so you can store your food in the kitchen. But, a word of
warning, you should definitely write your name on your food containers. Sad to say,
there are food thieves among your fellow students. Speaking of thieves, a word about
security. I mean, this is Australia and we do get drunken bush rangers wandering onto
campus. Each of you will be given a key for your dorm room. Don't lose it, you have
to pay for any replacement, and fill out a bunch of papers too. Red tape, huh? your key
does not work for the front door of your dorm, however. To the right of each door,
there's a keypad with numbers, when you move in, they will tell you the code you use
to enter the door. Please do not tell the code to people who do not live in the dorm.
Let's see. Have I forgotten anything? Oh, yes, most of you are not rich, correct? So
when your clothes get dirty, you can't just throw them away and buy new ones. That
means you have to learn to do laundry, or men, that means you have to hurry up and
get married. If you decide to wash those clothes and not get married, there is a laundry
in each dorm. Where? Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, the laundry for each dorm is in
the basement. Some real good news this time, if you're a student, it is free. you do
have to buy your own soap, however. The laundry closes by the bye at 11:30. And
now that I've mentioned 11:30, please remember the dorm doors are locked at 11:30
PM. Your code will not work if you want to get in, you'll have to call the night
watchman. Don't worry, you can get that number at the dorm office. The dorm office
and the complaint office are the same office. Alright then, before we continue, are
there any questions?
Part 4:
The development of trust is an essential social tool, allowing people to form
productive and meaningful relationships, both at a professional and personal level.
Trust is indispensable in friendship, love, families, and organisations, and plays a key
role in economic exchange and politics. Much recent evidence indicates that trust
contributes to economic, political and social success. When we make contact with
strangers, such as doing business with the clients who we meet for the first time, our
trust in them can only rely on their kindness. So from our own judgement or the
comments from other people, we can have a rough idea if the stranger is trustworthy.
Trust is important because it is the basis around which all human relationships evolve.
Without trust, there can be no relationship. Trust can come naturally, or it can be
manifested. If you find trust of this magnitude in life, then you are lucky. Also, you
can always count on them to protect, through all, If not most of life’s perils. Trust is
important because if you don't trust someone, then they are not available. Believe it or
not, reducing the chance of suffering from poverty is to understand trust, because
when you trust other people, you can have more support and resources. However, our
ability to trust others varies from individual to individual, just like different people’s
ability of recognizing a person's face is not the same. Bonds of trust are also extremely
fragile. A single act of betrayal, such as a marital affair, can instantly erase years of
trustworthy behaviour. The consequences of such breaches in confidence can be
disastrous and not only for a relationship. The study demonstrates how oxytocin can
facilitate social interactions after trust has been violated, by potentially lowering
defence mechanisms associated with social risks and by overcoming negative
feedback that is important for adapting behaviour in the future. Luckily, oxytocin in
our body has the ability to inspire trust among people. This chemical is released
whenever interaction happens between people. To study social interactions,
economists and more recently neuroscientists take advantage of a simple experiment.
Two participants play the so-called trust game. The first participant is faced with the
decision to keep a sum of money or share it with the second participant who has no
obligation to give the money back. He would get more money if the second person
returns it. In this game, the first person is left with an important social dilemma: to
trust or not to trust. Although it is more profitable to trust, doing so leaves the investor
at risk of betrayal. trust is not something that naturally occurs when two people meet
for the first time. It involves a process. One person has to show the quality of being
trustworthy to the other person. This can be achieved by certain behaviours and
communication. Therefore, trust is conditional. People should not take it for granted.
Oxytocin does not only exist in human beings. Animals also have this gift and it can
be seen when they have cooperation with each other. Oxytocin in monkeys, for
example, allows them to work together to find food and fight against enemies. In Nash
equilibrium’s game theory, the first participant will make the best decision he can,
with no expectation that the second participant would change his decision. The second
participant will do the same, so the outcome depends on the decision of the other
person. This game is similar to the one we just talked about. The oxytocin level
doesn't stay the same in a person’s body. Studies have found that people who are
under a lot of stress would have higher levels of oxytocin. Oxytocin causes a
substantial increase in trust among humans, thereby greatly increasing the benefits
from social interactions. It’s also noted that the effect of oxytocin is not due to a
general increase in the readiness to bear risks. On the contrary, oxytocin specifically
affects an individuals’ willingness to accept social risks arising through interpersonal
interactions. To sum up, oxytocin is like a kind of social glue that is helpful in social
bonding. Further research is needed to explore oxytocin and trust, how this hormone
can be used to strengthen our trust in others and even treat mental disorders that
specifically relate to deficiencies in social behaviour. Next, we’re going to…