TRUDIE: OK, Stewart. We need to start planning our paper on public libraries. Have you thought of an angle yet?
STEWART: Well, there’s so much we could look into. How libraries have changed over the centuries, for instance, or how different countries organise them. What do you think, Trudie?
TRUDIE: Maybe we should concentrate on this country, and try relate the changes in libraries to external developments, like the fact that far more people can read than a century ago, and that the local population may speak lots of different languages. 【Q21】
STEWART: We could include something about changes in the source of funding, too.
TRUDIE: Yes, but remember we’re only supposed to write a short paper, so it’s probably best if we don’t go into funding in any detail.
STEWART: Right. Well, shall we just brainstorm a few ideas, to get started?
TRUDIE: OK. We obviously need to look at the impact of new technology, particularly the internet. Now that lots of books have been digitalised, people can access them from their own computers at home.
STEWART: And if everyone did that, libraries would be obsolete.
TRUDIE: Yes.
STEWART: But the digitalised books that are available online for free are mostly out of copyright, aren’t they? And copyright in this country lasts for 70 years after the author dies. So you won’t find the latest best-seller or up-to-date information. 【Q22】
TRUDIE: That’s an important point. Anyway, I find it hard to concentrate when I’m reading a long text on a green. I’d much rather read a physical book. And it takes longer to read on a screen.
STEWART: Oh, I prefer it. I suppose it’s just a personal preference.
TRUDIE: Mm. I expect that libraries will go on evolving in the next few years. Some have already become centres where community activities take place, like local clubs meeting there. I think that’ll become even more common.
STEWART: I’d like to think so, and that they’ll still be serving their traditional function, but I’m not so sure. There are financial implications, after all. What I’m afraid will happen is that books and magazines will all disappear, and there’ll just be rows and rows of computers 【Q23】. They won’t look anything like the libraries we’re used to.
TRUDIE: Well, we’ll see.
TRUDIE: I’ve just had an idea. Why don’t we make an in-depth study of our local public library as background to our paper?
STEWART: Yes, that’d be interesting, and raise all sorts of issues. Let’s make a list of possible things we could ask about, then work out some sort of structure. For instance, um, we could interview some of the staff, and find out whether the library has its own budget, or if that’s controlled by the local council. 【Q24】
TRUDIE: And what their policies are. I know they don’t allow food, but I’d love to find out what types of noise they ban – there always seems to be a lot of talking, but never music. I don’t know if that’s a policy or it just happens.
STEWART: Ah, I’ve often wondered. Then there are things like how the library is affected by employment laws. I suppose there are rules about working hours, facilities for staff, and so on. 【Q25】
TRUDIE: Right. Then there are other issues relating to the design of the building and how customers use it. Like what measures does the library take to ensure their safety? 【Q26】 They’d need floor coverings that aren’t slippery, and emergency exits, for instance. Oh, and another thing – there’s the question of the kind of insurance the library needs to have, in case anyone gets injured. 【Q27】
STEWART: Yes, that’s something else to find out. You know something I’ve often wondered?
TRUDIE: What’s that?
STEWART: Well, you know they’ve got an archive of local newspapers going back years? Well, next to it they’ve got the diary of a well-known politician from the late 19th century 【Q28】. I wonder why it’s there. Do you know what his connection was with this area?
TRUDIE: No idea. Let’s add it to our list of things to find out. Oh, I’ve just thought – you know people might ask in the library about local organisations, like sports clubs? Well, I wonder if they keep a database, or whether they just look online. 【Q29】
STEWART: Right. I quite fancy finding out what the differences are between a library that’s open to the public and one that’s part of a museum, for example 【Q30】 – they must be very different.
TRUDIE: Mmm. Then something else I’d like to know is …
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
听前预测：定位词 Trudie、Stewart、paper；提示词 main topic。注意答案应是两个人讨论之后的结果，而不是某一个人提出的观点。
题目解析： 首先男生 Stewart 提出了 A 选项中的观点（how different countries organise them），但是 Trudie 觉得他们应该讲其他的内容，因此 A 排除。然后 Trudie 提到“we should…and try and relate the changes in libraries to external developments, like the fact that”，其中 external developments 对应 B 选项的 changes in society，relate…to 对 应 B 选项的 reflected，因此答案为 B。之后，Stewart 还提到了 C 选项的对应信息 changes in the source of funding， 但被 Trudie 以“Yes, but remember we’re only supposed to write a short paper, so it’s probably best if we don’t go into funding in any detail”否定掉了，因此 C 排除。
听前预测：定位词 disadvantage、free digitalised books；提示词 They agree。注意正确答案应该是两个人共同认为的缺点，同 21 题。
题目解析：先是出现了定位词 digitalised books、free，然后出现了答案对应信息“So you won’t find the latest best-seller or up-to-date information”，对应 C 选项中的 old， 并且女生说“That’s an important point”，说明她也同意这个观点，因此正确答案为 C。之后提到的“I find it hard to concentrate when I’m reading a long text on a screen”对应 B 选项中的 difficult to read，虽然这点信息和选项有所对应，但它仅仅是女生 Trudie 所认为的电子书的缺点，而男生不同意，因为他说“I prefer it”，因此选项 B 可排除。此外，A 选项没有提及。
听前预测：定位词 in the future、libraries；提示词 Stewart。注意这道题目与前两题不同，只考查男生 Stewart 的观点，女生观点是什么并不重要。
题目解析：信号词 in the next few years 对应题干 in the future，然后应该重点听男生的观点。Stewart 先是提到了 A 选项（still be serving their traditional function 对应 maintain），但是他又说“but I’m not so sure”，因此 A 不能选。之后提到的“What I’m afraid will happen is that books and magazines will all disappear”对应 C 选项“no longer contain any books”，因此 C 为正确答案。