[09:50.47]Section B INTERVIEW
[09:52.10]In this section you will hear everything ONCE ONLY.
[09:56.04]Listen carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
[09:59.54]Questions 1 to 5 are based on an interview.
[10:02.61]At the end of the interview,
[10:04.47]you will be given 10 seconds to answer each of the following 5 questions.
[10:09.17]Now listen to the interview.
[10:11.25]Interviewer(W): Today I’d like to welcome Edward Fox,
[10:14.64]a seasoned real-estate agent,
[10:16.72]who is going to talk to us about buying a house. Hello, Edward.
[10:21.17]Edward Fox (M): Hello.
[10:21.63]W: Now Edward, for most people buying a house is a major life event,
[10:26.55]and probably the single most expensive item they are ever likely to buy.
[10:31.69]What precautions do they have to take before a real purchase?
[10:36.07]Can you give some suggestions?
[10:38.15]M: You are right in saying buying a house costs a lot.
[10:41.54]But as to me, the most important thing to consider
[10:44.82]before buying any property is the location.
[10:47.88]W: Location?
[10:49.09]M: Right. Because it is where you plan to spend a large part of your life.
[10:53.35]Or, indeed, the rest of your life in some circumstances.
[10:56.31]Therefore, consider the type of life you enjoy leading.
[10:59.37]If you are a very sociable person who enjoys nightclubs and discos,
[11:03.63]you may consider something close to a city.
[11:06.37]Anyway, a city is convenient for all types of nightlife.
[11:09.54]W: Then, for those who seek a quiet life,
[11:12.49]do you recommend a house in the countryside?
[11:14.90]M: Well, countryside is a tranquil place.
[11:17.74]However, do remember that proximity to the place of work also counts.
[11:22.01]Indeed, we spend most of our life at work,
[11:24.53]and you don’t want to have to spend two or more hours
[11:27.15]every day traveling to work, do you?
[11:29.34]Therefore, transport is of the utmost importance.
[11:32.18]City suburbs, however,
[11:34.03]are often conveniently located for commuting to work,
[11:36.89]or for shopping,
[11:37.98]without being in the heart of a busy city.
[11:40.16]W: But houses in the suburbs are far more expensive than those in cities.
[11:45.41]M: They seem to be,
[11:46.84]but actually houses located in cities can often exceed the price of suburban houses,
[11:51.76]so check out the prices.
[11:53.94]You may be surprised.
[11:55.04]W: Really? So we should consider our place of work
[11:58.65]and personality in choosing the location.
[12:01.18]Is that so?
[12:02.05]M: I’m afraid you have to take family into consideration as well.
[12:05.77]You may prefer a house that is away from a busy street or main road.
[12:09.71]And of course, remember that children have to attend school.
[12:13.10]If you have children,
[12:14.63]or you plan to have children,
[12:16.27]location is a very important factor.
[12:19.11]And of course, remember that a family influences the size of the property.
[12:23.16]W: Oh, I see. How many types of houses can we choose?
[12:27.32]M: There are various types of houses.
[12:29.83]The first is called detached houses,
[12:32.02]which stand alone, and are not joined by another building.
[12:35.63]Then there are semi-detached houses,
[12:37.93]which are the most common.
[12:39.57]This is because they are, in fact,
[12:41.75]two houses joined together,
[12:43.29]and therefore take up less space.
[12:45.15]And there are town houses, too,
[12:47.78]which are many houses joined together to form a long row.
[12:50.95]But don’t think that town houses are less expensive than semi-detached houses.
[12:55.98]They rarely are.
[12:57.62]This is because they are usually built in cities
[13:00.24]where the price of property is very expensive.
[13:02.65]W: Then what about old houses?
[13:05.83]They must be cheaper than new ones.
[13:08.01]M: Maybe they are. But if the house is too old,
[13:10.96]you may be faced with expensive repairs and renovation bills.
[13:14.58]So have a house thoroughly checked by a professional surveyor
[13:18.18]before you decide to buy.
[13:20.15]W: I agree. It’s economical to buy old houses
[13:23.43]only when they are in good condition.
[13:25.73]By the way, a lot of property has a garden attached to it.
[13:29.78]Do you think it’s a good choice?
[13:31.53]M: It’s true that a lot of property has a garden.
[13:34.37]If you enjoy gardening,
[13:36.01]that’s fine.
[13:36.88]But if you don’t enjoy gardening then you may prefer a small garden,
[13:41.48]as opposed to a big one.
[13:42.68]But even if you do enjoy gardening it is important to remember
[13:46.84]that gardens take up a lot of your time.
[13:49.03]So keeping a garden in good order may be very difficult if you work long hours.
[13:53.84]W: You are quite right. Any other suggestions?
[13:57.31]M: One final thing is the general feel of the place.
[14:01.14]Does it have a good atmosphere?
[14:02.89]And most important of all,
[14:05.08]would you feel comfortable living there?
[14:06.83]W: Edward, I never knew I had to consider so many things while buying a house.
[14:11.97]Thank you very much for talking with us.
[14:14.70]M: My pleasure.
