Test 10 Transcript
Test 10 Transcript
Hotel Reservation
Receptionist:
Good morning. Sunset Hotel. How may I help you?
Customer:
Good morning. I just saw an advert in the paper about your hotel.
Customer:
Where exactly is it located?
Receptionist:
We are situated on Sunset Avenue, north of the beach.
Receptionist:
Close to many scenic spots, it is an ideal choice for travellers interested in sightseeing.
Customer:
That’s great. Is there a vacant four-bed room?
Customer:
We’ll be travelling with our two sons aged 9 and 11, so it’s best that we are able to stay in one
room.
Receptionist:
Let me check, just a moment...Um. we only have a few four-bed rooms, and I’m afraid they are
fully booked at the moment.
Receptionist:
The earliest time available is August, but there might be some left in July if a previous customer
cancels the reservation.
Customer:
Oh, that’ll do. How much would the room cost me?
Receptionist:
It’s 77.50 euros during peak time, but the price would be much lower during off-peak season.
Receptionist:
Only 50 euros.
Customer:
So if I book a room right now, is there any discount?
Receptionist:
Yes. We do offer a 30% discount for any reservation made one month ahead of schedule. It is a
very reasonable price.
Customer:
That does sound tempting. Does the price include anything?
Receptionist:
The price includes two breakfast vouchers per room per day.
Receptionist:
You can use them at two different restaurants in our hotel.
Receptionist:
There’s also a 20-minute spa trial available, but you have to book it beforehand at the concierge
or directly at the Spa Centre.
Customer:
Um, I’m wondering if there is a hairdryer in the room.
Customer:
It takes ages to dry my hair without one. Do I have to bring one?
Receptionist:
No, there is absolutely no need to bring that for each room is equipped with a hairdryer.
Receptionist:
But I have to inform you that towels are not provided.
Receptionist:
You’ll have to bring your own or hire some at the front desk.
Customer:
Oh, I see.
Customer:
Before making a reservation, can you tell me a little bit more about your hotel?
Receptionist:
Sure, no problem. We aim to please our guests by providing impeccable service and all the
modem amenities, trying to make them feel at home.
Receptionist:
In the lounge, there are a list of books, ranging from contemporary literature to classic poetry,
free for any guest to read.
Receptionist:
There is also a games room offering a number of indoor games including popular board games
like Monopoly as well as the beloved Table Soccer.
Receptionist:
A nice place to go to on rainy days.
Customer:
Are there computers available in the hotel?
Customer:
1 might have a few emails to respond to during my stay there.
Receptionist:
I’m afraid we currently co not provide any for our customers.
Receptionist:
However, Internet is available within our hotel premises.
Receptionist:
Just use the room number and guest name to log in.
Customer:
That means I have to bring my own laptop then. All right.
Customer:
Um, because I’m travelling with my two sons, is there anything that they might be interested in?
Receptionist:
Yes, a popular activity here for children is collecting shells on the beach.
Receptionist:
Our hotel has a private beach. When there are very few visitors, you can take a stroll down the
beach with your children and enjoy some quality family time undisturbed.
Customer:
That sounds nice, but you see my boys really love adventure.
Customer:
Is there something more exciting for them to participate in?
Receptionist:
We do have bicycles ready for hire.
Receptionist:
You can cycle with the boys along the bush track by the hotel, which is an ideal place to explore
the wonders of nature.
Receptionist:
But, because there's only a limited number of bicycles, we apply a "first come first serve" rule.
Customer:
Got it. I think my boys would love it.
Customer:
How can arrange the payment, then? Can I pay by credit card?
Receptionist:
Of course. We take credit cards.
Customer:
Thank you. You've been a great help.
Receptionist:
My pleasure, ma'am.
SECTION 2:
SECTION 4:
Fish Farming
So what I'm going to talk about to you today is something called "aquaculture".
It has been responsible for the impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption.
There's also been a slight improvement in the state of certain fish stocks due to improved fishery
management.
Aquatic food production has transitioned from being primarily based on the capturing of wild
fish to the culture of increasing numbers of farmed species.
In recent years, a type of genetically modified salmon has been farmed in the New England
region, produced by a Massachusetts based bio-tech firm.
This type of fish is engineered to grow twice as fast as its conventional farm-raised counterpart.
As a result, this increases the speed of the local aquaculture industry development, and thus
reduces the fishing pressure on wild stock.
But local residents have expressed their concerns on the potential negative effects on the
ecosystem.
Should those GM fish ever escape into the sea, stronger, healthier and faster growing.
These fish might cannibalize others or out-compete wild-type fish for food.
Local decision makers and regulators have thus pushed forward a number of measures making it
impossible for most GM fish to mate.
A small percentage is able to breed only within confined pools.
Despite the economic boom of genetically engineered fish, culturing traditional types of fish is
still mainstream among fish farmers.
Most of them prefer fish with special features, such as tuna.
It is a source of high quality protein with almost no fat.
It also contains all essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of
lean muscle tissue.
With high nutritional value, this kind of fish will always be popular in the fish market.
For the fish farming industry, incidents of fish escaping the farms has been a troubling issue over
the years.
Due to bad weather, nets that used to hold the fish were often destroyed.
Thousands of salmon worth nearly 220 thousand euros escaped from a fish farm in the
Norwegian region in July, raising fear that they would breed with wild fish stocks.
Cages were thus built to withstand storms. The frames of the cages are made of PE which is
dedicated to marine use.
This material has trustable strength, resilience and tenacity.
To further strengthen it, strong nets without knots are used to support the cylindrical frame.
A group of small villages on the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa have been trying
to develop a local aquaculture industry sustainably.
They use a land- based production system that is both economically and ecologically sound.
Land- based recirculation can control ocean temperature and optimize growth for the fish that are
used to warmer water.
All organic waste from the fish is held on land with incoming water sterilized to avoid disease,
which has historically plagued ocean based farms.
The lack of disease means that no drugs are administered to the fish.
However, one problem facing the villagers is lack of suitable land on the coast for this system.
Hotels & beaches open to tourists take up most of the coastal area.
Another problem facing local fishermen is the scarcity of young fish used to breed the species.
This predicament stems from overfishing during the previous decades.
The local commercial fishing industry has been reduced by 50% for this reason and the
aquaculture industry has yet to thrive.
The government has taken a set of initiatives to safeguard native aquaculture and the fishing
industry.
An open-air seafood market has been launched.
Residents are encouraged to support local fish farming businesses by purchasing marine
products.
As it turns out, there is a public demand for access to locally produced, sustainable sources of
fresh seafood.
Moreover, local fish farmers are aided to market seaweed and oysters, both of which have
additional economic values.
Seaweed is used in various ways in cosmetics.
Seaweed extract is often found on the list of ingredients, constituting creams, soaps, shampoos,
powders and sprays.
It is said to be useful in various ways, including the relief of rheumatic pain and the removal of
cellulite.
Oyster is a source of seafood popular among the local hospitality industry.
Served with caviar and champagne, it is one of the world's ultimate luxury foods, appealing to
gourmets with its succulent and delicate flavor.
It thus appears to have the greatest potential for commercial culture.
Even though the national and international market has shown demand for marine products in
Zanzibar, it is still challenging to survive in the competitive modern fishing industry.
The government ought to restore the business by encouraging aquaculture, recreation and
shipping.
First, it could utilize modern fish farming technology to supply more high-quality marine
products.
Tourism is an effective stimulus to boost its sales and with better shipping capability, more
products can be delivered abroad.