how will david travel listening

• C1 listening

Catching up after a trip

Listen to two friends talking about a recent trip abroad to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

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Dave:  Jean, hi!

Jean:  Hi, Dave. How are you?

Dave:  Good, good.

Jean:  Wait a second, I'm not calling you in Canada, right? You're back now, aren't you?

Dave:  Yeah, I got back two days ago.

Jean:  Oh good, phew. Because I wouldn't want to be calling you long distance without realising it and suddenly ...

Dave:  You've spent a fortune on a long-distance call. No, I know, it's OK. I actually wouldn't answer the phone while I was over there if I saw the call was coming from England. But no worries, we're in the same country now.

Jean:  Yeah. So, how was the trip? Did you meet your long-lost uncle?

Dave:  I did, actually. It was very good. I flew to Toronto and stayed there for a few days. At first I was really worried about my accommodation because I kept reading these appalling stories about rental flats going all wrong. 

Jean:  Oh, was it one of those?

Dave:  Yeah.

Jean:  My friend had a disastrous experience in Barcelona with one of them. The place didn't look anything like the photos, and all the neighbours hated that there was a holiday flat in their building. Awkward situation. Urgh.

Dave:  Right. So, as I was saying, I was really worried because I heard these stories. And at first I couldn't find the place. Turns out I was in the wrong building. It was next door, and on the top floor, and … wow. Jean, this place was fabulous! Really spacious, with these floor-to-ceiling windows and the most scenic views of the city. I could see the lake and the whole city skyline and skyscrapers from my bedroom. I had to pinch myself to prove I wasn't dreaming.

Jean:  Sounds pretty cool. So, what's it like? The city, I mean. I've always wanted to go to Canada.

Dave:  It's nice. I mean, it's another big, vibrant, modern city. But it's really clean, and there's lots of parks. One of the things I liked was the multiculturalism. We visited Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown, Little India … umm, I can't remember the others but it was sort of a new area every three or four blocks, you know?

Jean:  Hey, is it true that there's a whole part of the city that's underground? I read that somewhere about Toronto, or saw it on some TV show.

Dave:  It's true! I asked about that. They call it the PATH. There's, like, almost 30 kilometres of restaurants, shops, cinemas and stuff all underground. In the middle of the downtown area.

Jean:  Amazing!

Dave:  Yeah, but actually once you're down there it's not that noticeable. There's actually a lot of natural light. I forgot we were underground. It's mostly useful to get out of the cold weather.

Jean:  What temperature was it while you were there?

Dave:  It was still only November, but it was getting cold. We had at least a day where it was less than zero. My uncle told me that in January and February it can go down to 20 below zero.

Jean:  Oh, wow. I think I'd die!

Dave:  Yeah, and the worst thing was what they call the 'wind-chill' factor. So they say the temperature is zero degrees, but minus eight with the wind chill. So it feels like minus eight. And my uncle said the wind-chill factor can go down to minus 40.

Jean:  Stop it! You're making me feel cold just thinking about it. So, how was meeting your uncle? The famous Uncle George.

Dave:  That was great too. He lives outside of Toronto, in a cottage by a lake. Really tranquil and unspoiled nature.

Jean:  I'm dying to see photos. You want to meet up soon? Or are you too jet lagged still?

Dave: Yeah, I'm actually free tomorrow if you like.

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What was the last place you travelled to? Would you recommend it to a friend?

Language level

The last place that I traveled was san diego, Anaheim and Los Ángeles, I recommend it 100%, the persons, the environment, the lifestyle they have there, is just of another planet compairing to México.

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I'm wondering whether it's correct way to say '' there's lots of parks...'' Appreciate it.

Hello jbeetea10,

It is non-standard - the grammatically standard form would be 'there are lots of (a lot of / many) parks' as the verb should agree with the following noun, which is plural. However, when speaking informally a lot of native speakers use this kind of non-standard form. My advice would be that it's fine to say this in an informal context but I wouldn't put it in writing or use it in a more formal setting when I'm trying to make a good impression.

The LearnEnglish Team

The last place I visited was the Guadeloupe Island in the Carribbean, I would recommend it because it was so beautiful and the weather was nice. People were so relaxed and I loved the ambiance. The food was good too!

The last place I travelled to was Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. I enjoyed the laidback lifestyle, the unspoiled nature and of course, the delectable street food! My adventurous partner and I ventured into an old Chinese cemetery out of curiosity. We became feasts for the mosquitoes! I would highly recommend a trip there to immerse yourself in the unique culture, sights, and sounds.

Actually, the last place that I visited is Sudan. I really recommend to you due It was unexciting place and natural. Although there are many places that u have visited instance Art National Museum, Mara mountain moreover the Alkhalfa street worth visit.Despite of that the people are very kindly and hospitality they can let u pay any think from my experience I went with my money back.

I forget to mentioned that there are more than 200 pyramids in Sudan❤️

Hi everyone, The last place I travelled to was Ica in Peru. I recommend to visit this department because the food is delicious, also their sweets. And of course, you can visit La Huacachina, a oasis in the desert, and have a good experience in the Natural Reserve in Paracas, where you can see marine wildlife. Amazing!

It was Istanbul. yes it is a excellent tourist city. It is multiculturalism and dynamic city. I feel life goes on in this city.

Hello learnEnglish team, What's the meaning of "Catching up after a trip"

Hello Moses Habarugira,

'Catching up' here means to find out what has been happening recently. You can catch up after a trip because you haven't seen someone for a while, for example. You can also use 'catch up' with 'on' and an object: catch up on the news, catch up on the latest football results etc.

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Future plans – A2 English listening test

A2 listening test, listen to four people talking about their futures. for questions 1 to 6, choose the correct answer., see the full list of a2 listening tests.

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ESL Travel Listening

This ESL travel listening page has tasks and exercises where you need to listen to spoken travel English. These will help you get better at understanding spoken English and the pronunciation of the words.

Often when traveling you will need to speak and listen to other people. You might need to ask for directions, book a ticket or explain what you need. This means you will need to be able to listen to the other people and understand them, while also speaking in a way they can also understand. The exercises on this page will help you do that, and they are as follows:

• Identification of spoken word order
• Identify meaning of spoken definition
• Listening comprehension
• Dictation passage

If you need any help with the vocabulary you can go to the ESL travel vocabulary page where there are definitions of the words as well as a recording of them being spoken and pronounced by a native English speaker.

ESL Travel Listening Exercises

Exercise 1 – identification of spoken word order.

In this ESL travel listening exercise you need to listen to the recording of groups of spoken words and decide which option (A-D) in the following questions has the words in the same order. Once you have finished click on the get score button to see your score and the correct answers.

ESL Travel Identification of Spoken Word Order

Exercise 2 – Identify Meaning of Spoken Definition

This exercise has a recording of the definitions of some words being spoken. Then in each of the 5 questions you need to decide which word (A-D) matches the spoken definition. Again, you can click the get score button to see how well you did.

ESL Travel Listening Identification of Vocabulary Meaning

Exercise 3 – listening comprehension.

For this ESL travel listening activity you need to listen to the recording of the passage and then answer the 5 questions that follow it. You should listen to the passage first, then look at the questions before listening to the passage again while answering the questions. Click the button at the end to show your score and the correct answers.

At the end of this page there is a link to show the text of the spoken comprehension passage. This way you can check your understanding and see how much you got correct. Do the exercise first and then look at the passage afterwards.

ESL Travel Listening Comprehension

Exercise 4 – dictation.

The task in this ESL travel listening activity is to listen to the recording of a passage and then write down what you hear. You should try to write it word for word. The recording of the dictation passage has it spoken twice: the first time at a slow speaking rate and the second with pauses after every few words and the punctuation spoken as well. Listen several times if you need to.

Again, at the end of the page there is a link for you to click to reveal the passage so you can see what it really is.

    Other Pages about Travel that You Might Like

ESL Travel Conversations ESL Travel Reading ESL Travel Vocabulary ESL Travel Writing

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Learn english, english idioms, kids english, contact excellent esl 4u, site information, recent articles, esl new year listening.

Dec 18, 16 03:17 AM

There are several ESL New Year listening tasks for you to do on this page so you can learn how to listen to the vocabulary.

ESL New Year Writing

Dec 11, 16 03:40 AM

This page has a range of ESL New Year writing exercises for you to do.

ESL New Year Conversation

Dec 04, 16 02:07 AM

There are example ESL New Year conversations on this page as well as some exercises and activities.

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Travelling Around The World

Listening or reading about people’s trips and travel experiences is fairly common in the B2 First Exam. Practice your listening skills with these practice questions for Part 1 of the Listening paper where all the extracts you will hear are related to travel.

You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For each question you will hear the audio twice. For questions one to eight you need to choose the best answer from three options A, B or C.

• excited to finally be able to go
• concerned about finding work
• didn’t have high expectations
• visiting historic places
• experiencing the culture
• learning the language
• She’s scared of flying
• She’s worried something will go wrong
• Her suitcase is broken
• taking photographs
• sightseeing
• a business meeting
• the quality of the food
• the architecture
• the chaotic streets
• he received some money
• his neighbours stories
• things he had seen on TV
• the beaches
• he didn’t have much money
• he wasn’t interested in visiting there
• the weather wasn’t very good

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• A2 listening

Trains and travel

Listen to five different conversations at a train station and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then do the other exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Do this exercise before you listen.

Passenger:  Excuse me? Which platform does the train to Cambridge leave from?

Train station attendant:  The 10:15 train or the 10:40?

Passenger:  The 10:15.

Train station attendant:  The 10:15 train leaves from platform 3.

Passenger:  Thanks.

Passenger:  Hi. Could I have a ticket for the next train to Manchester, please?

Train ticket vendor:  Single or return?

Passenger:  Errr, single please.

Train ticket vendor:  The next train is at 12:30pm, leaving from platform 2.

Passenger:  And how much is it?

Train ticket vendor:  £13:50

Ticket inspector:  Tickets, please. Can I see your ticket, please?

Passenger:  Yes, here you are.

Ticket inspector:  This ticket is for Oxford.

Passenger:  Yes, that's right.

Ticket inspector:  But this train doesn't go to Oxford, it goes to Liverpool.

Passenger:  What? Liverpool? Oh no!

Train station announcement:  The next train arriving at platform 1 is the 15:45 train to Exeter, stopping at Bristol Temple Meads and arriving at Exeter St David's at 18:30.

Harry:  What time is our train back to London? 

Angel:  It leaves at 4:30. We've only got 5 minutes.

Harry:  What platform does it leave from?

Angel:  Platform 2. Look, over there. 

Harry:  I can't see our train anywhere. Let me see the ticket. Look, it says 4:20, not 4:30!

Angel:  Oh no, we've missed it.

Harry:  No we haven't, it's late. Look, here it is now.

Angel:  Phew, that was lucky!

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Listening Practice Through Dictation with Transcripts

Listening Exercises B1 – Travel

English Listening Exercises for B1

Types of holiday

1. Listen and write the type of holiday each speaker prefers.

1   ……………………..

2   ……………………..

3   ……………………..

4   ……………………..

5   ……………………..

6   ……………………..

1    a holiday by the seaside

2    a city break

3    a skiing holiday

4    an activity holiday

5    a camping holiday

6    a cruise

1 :   relaxing on the …………….., …………….., playing in the …………….., making ……………..

2 :   looking around …………….., going to …………….., hopping on a …………….. bus

3 :   catching the …………….., top of the …………….., ……………..down, fantastic ……………..

4 :   …………….. riding, …………….., ……………..-riding, doing …………….. things

5 :   being …………….., waking up in a …………….., going ……………..

6 : sit on the …………….. and relax, look ……………..

Answer & Transcript

1: beach, swimming, sea, sand castles

2: museums, cathedrals, sightseeing

3: cable car, mountain, zooming, scenery

4: mountainbike, canoeing, horse, exciting

5: outdoors, tent, fishing

6: deck, out to sea

(2 = American; 3 = American; 4 = Brazilian; 5 = Canadian; 6 = French)

1    Oh, my ideal holiday is … you know … relaxing on the beach, swimming. And the kids love playing in the sea, making sand castles, of course!

2    I really like looking around museums, going to cathedrals and that kind of thing. Hopping on a sightseeing bus. You know, just exploring.

3    Oh, it’s the best. Catching the cable car to the top of the mountain and then zooming down with all the fantastic scenery in front of you … You can’t beat it.

4    I need lots of things to do … Fun things, like mountainbike riding – that’s my favourite – or canoeing, and I like horse-riding too. Holidays are for doing exciting things.

5    I love being outdoors, you know, like waking up in a tent and then going fishing all day.

6    It’s great because you just sit on the deck and relax, look out to sea and wait for the world to come to you!

Choosing a holiday

1. Simon and Jenny Carter are booking their summer holiday with a travel agent. Listen and find six mistakes in the booking information form. The first one has been done for you.

a   What does prpn mean? ………………………..

b   How long does it take to drive from:

      Vancouver to Lake Louise? ………………………..

      Lake Louise to Jasper? ………………………..

      Jasper to Calgary? ………………………..

c   What can you do in these places?

     Jasper National Park: ………………………..

     Calgary: ………………………..

a   Per room per night

b   Vancouver to Lake Louise – 9 hours, Lake Louise to Jasper – 4 hours, Jasper to Calgary – 5 hours

c   Jasper National Park: you can play golf, go hiking and go boating.

     Calgary: you can go shopping, and visit museums and Calgary Tower.

(Travel agent = South African)

Travel agent:     Hello. Take a seat. How can I help?

Simon:     We’re thinking of going to Canada, Vancouver and then to Calgary.

Jenny:     Yes, flying to Vancouver on June the 12th.

Travel agent:     OK. How many nights?

Jenny:     Just eight. Coming back on the 20th, from Calgary.

Travel agent:     OK … just a moment … Yes, with Air Canada, that’ll be £780 per person, including all taxes.

Jenny:     Oh, that’s better than we thought!

Simon:     Hmm! We were thinking three nights in Vancouver first. Somewhere rather nice?

Travel agent:     We have a special on at the moment with the Metropolitan. It’s a lovely hotel, four stars … You can see it here. That’s, um … £140 a night.

Jenny:     Per person?

Travel agent:     No, that’s for the room. All these are per room per night, without breakfast.

Simon:     Oh, yes. It certainly looks very nice.

Travel agent:     It is! I stayed there last year. And you should definitely hire a car – it’s only £30 per day for a small car – and drive to Lake Louise.

Jenny:     Oh, yes. We want to go there.

Travel agent:     I recommend you stay at the Emerald Lake Lodge. It’s a perfect place to explore from.

Simon:     That sounds good.

Travel agent:     Let me see … that’ll be £150 per night. It’s worth spending two nights there.

Simon:     Two nights?

Travel agent:     Yes, it’s a nine-hour drive from Vancouver, so two nights is best. And then you can drive to Jasper – that’s four hours. Two nights at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge will be £250 per night. It’s expensive, but it’s well worth going there. A beautiful place.

Simon:     Look, a log cabin!

Travel agent:     Yes. You get your own cabin.

Jenny:     And there’s plenty to do in Jasper National Park, is there?

Travel agent:     Sure. You can play golf, go hiking … and boating if you fancy that. Then you’ve got a five-hour drive to Calgary. A final night somewhere like the Westin will save money – just £74. There’s enough for a day – shopping, museums and Calgary Tower, of course. You can drop your car off at the airport and fly back at ten in the evening.

Simon:     Well, that’s the kind of thing we were thinking of, isn’t it, dear?

Jenny:     Yes, it is. Can you print out those details and we’ll take a brochure?

Renting a car

1. Listen and complete these questions you can ask when you want to rent a car.

a   What ……………….. of cars do you have? ……

b   Is ……………….. included? ……

c   Do I have to pay an ……………….. if I have an accident? ……

d   Can I hire a car ………………..? ……

e   Is there a ……………….. limit? ……

f   Do you provide ………………..? ……

g   Is ……………….. cover included? ……

h   What ……………….. do I need? ……

a range   b insurance   c excess   d one-way   e mileage  

f child car seats   g accident   h documents

Transcripts

(Speaker = American)

a   What range of cars do you have?

b   Is insurance included?

c   Do I have to pay an excess if I have an accident?

d   Can I hire a car one-way?

e   Is there a mileage limit?

f   Do you provide child car seats?

g   Is accident cover included?

h   What documents do I need?

a 2   b 4   c 7   d 3   e 1   f 8   g 5   h 6

(Speaker = German)

1   If you average more than 250 miles per day, then there’s a charge of €10 per mile.

2   We have all kinds: small, compact, mid-sized and full-sized.

3   Sure. There’s an extra charge of €30 for all one-way hires.

4   Yes, full cover is provided for every named driver.

5   Yes, all that’s covered. There’s a 24-hour emergency number to call if you need assistance.

6   You need a valid driver’s licence or an international licence with a passport

7   Yes, you have to pay the first €900 of any claim.

8   Yes. They’re free of charge. We’ll fit them for you in the back seat.

a 89   b Compact   c €99   d Intermediate   e 139   f 169

a   How long does she want to rent a car? ………………..

b   Why doesn’t she want the VW Polo? ………………..

c   Why doesn’t she rent the Ford Fiesta? ………………..

d   How much does she finally pay? ………………..

e   Why is this cheaper than the advertised price? ………………..

a   For a week.

b   It’s too small.

c   It’s not automatic.

e   It’s a special offer.

(Laura = Italian; assistant = Irish)

Laura:     I’d like to hire a car for a week, from next Monday.

Assistant:     Certainly. What class of car would you like to have?

Laura:     Em, well. What have you got?

Assistant:     Our Economy car is a two-door Polo. That’s 89 euro for a week.

Laura:     Hmm. That’s too small. We are four. Do you have anything else?

Assistant:     Next up is a Compact car. A Ford Fiesta. The rate for that is 99 euro.

Laura:     Is that an automatic?

Assistant:     No, it’s manual.

Laura:     I want an automatic, really. What automatics have you got?

Assistant:     We have a Toyota Corolla. Let me see … that’s 139 euro for the week.

Laura:     Wow. That’s a big increase.

Assistant:     Yes, well, it’s a bigger car. it’s an Intermediate class. All our full-sized cars are automatic, too, but they’re 169 euro.

Laura:     Oh, I see.

Assistant:     Actually, we have a special offer on at the moment. I think we have an automatic Corolla … Yes, for 125 euro.

Laura:     OK. That’s the one!

Related Posts

• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Travel
• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – World
• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – History
• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Communities
• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Success
• Practice Listening English Exercises for B1 – Emotion

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We continue with the interviews, this time coming from Texas. Listen to my conversation with David, the host of Perception is Reality. In fact, I was a guest on his show as well and you can listen to the first conversation we ever had here https://buff.ly/2KQUTkd . In today's talk we dive into travelling as a teaching method and how a routine can define your comfort zone.

I have recently started working for Madera a company that exemplifies humanitarian and environmental awareness. Because it takes 2 trees to hang a hammock, Madera plants 2 trees for each hammock sold. Through their partnering with Trees for the Future, to date they have planted over 10,255 trees and counting. Use this code for 20% off their gear: alinaswonders. I love their mission and their products, you should totally check them out. http://maderaoutdoor.com

Don't forget I have a giveaway happening as we speak. There are three prizes:

• 3 postcards from my travels,
• 1 Argan Moroccan oil - Jasmine fragrance,
• 1 package of coffee from Vienna, Austria.

All you have to do is

• favour Travelling Inside Out on Anchor;
• send me a voice message telling me your name, where should I travel next and why.

Follow this link: https://anchor.fm/travellinginsideout . You have until September 23rd, I will announce the winners on my podcast on the episode going live on September 30th. If you are curious to see pictures of the prizes, find me on the main social media, look for #alinaswonders. Best of luck! Until next time stay true to yourself and follow your dreams.

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Ep. 55 - David | Travel To Learn | Guest #10

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Senator David Pocock is on a mission to hold Canberra to account — and he won't stop with the Department of Defence

Analysis Senator David Pocock is on a mission to hold Canberra to account — and he won't stop with the Department of Defence

David Pocock is wasting no time in office. His interrogations might be genteel and his tone conciliatory, but the man expects answers. The 35-year-old first-time politician and former rugby international is striking terror into the hearts of the establishment. Who could have predicted it?

Pocock has the Department of Defence in his sights. The senator for the ACT has taken a particular interest in the department's spending habits and its heavy reliance on large consulting firms including KPMG.

Among many other contracts, KPMG has a $100 million job to build a Minority Report-like portal through which commanders can call upon every kind of data held by Defence — from satellite imagery to munitions shelf-life — to gain the edge on the battlefield. It's called One Defence Data.

Last year Pocock ordered the production of a review into the half-a-billion-dollar initiative which Defence had preferred would never see the light of day.

That review — undertaken by Anchoram Consulting — revealed the program was in deep trouble . A raft of serious governance failures and a weakening of the contract's milestones meant taxpayers were potentially on the hook for a (hideously expensive) dud.

Perhaps worse, however, was a shock finding by Anchoram that Defence had issued a six-figure payment to KPMG for work it knew had not been delivered.

Remarkably, it was a finding that Defence said publicly it flatly refused to accept.

Pocock won't stop now

At a Senate committee hearing in mid-February, Pocock was bemused. He said, "I don't know why it would be made up in a report," but nonetheless sought to check it with the Defence officials lined up before him.

Associate secretary Matt Yannopoulos was unequivocal. He said he'd been assured by his team and by KPMG that "no milestone payment was paid without the services being delivered to a suitable quality".

But Pocock did not simply accept this assurance at face value. He issued an order for the raw correspondence underpinning the controversial payment, which came back two weeks later.

Sure enough, Anchoram's finding was sound.

In August 2022, One Defence Data's governance officer had written to KPMG:

The Commonwealth is of the opinion that the Document Deliverables do not comply with the relevant Data Item Descriptions and are not of the quality or standard expected … However, in the interests of maintaining a collaborative relationship for the duration of the Work Order … the Commonwealth has decided to permit payment, on this one occasion only.

Pocock told me last week: "Defence appears to have provided misleading evidence to a Senate hearing and has failed to be transparent about the nature of its relationship with KPMG."

"This seems to me to be a potentially serious breach of responsibility by senior public servants and I will be taking it up through the Senate. The email also substantiates Anchoram's findings."

The very next day, Pocock issued another, far more sweeping order for documents, including all correspondence between the department and KPMG's director of cyber, former Defence official Peter Corcoran.

Those documents were due to be delivered 18 days ago, but so far there's no sign of them.

Still, if recent history is any guide, Pocock won't stop there.

A lack of transparency, accountability

Since his elevation to the Senate in May 2022, the former Wallaby has been on a mission to hold Canberra to account. He has been particularly focused on lobbyists.

The inadequacy of Australia's federal lobbyists register to properly capture the revolving door between government and big business is well known. For one, it identifies only a fraction of the influence peddlers roaming the halls of power, ignoring the many who are employed full time as in-house counsel to major corporates, often with less blunt job titles (government relations is a favourite).

Pocock's interrogation of parliament officials has turned up the extraordinary revelation that more than 2,000 people — an unknown number of lobbyists among them — have all-access rights to Parliament House, and yet the public is not allowed to know who they are, nor for whom they work.

These holders of so-called "orange passes" are sponsored by parliamentarians ; one MP has provided passes to 45 people. We do not know who they are, nor the identity of their sponsor, and Pocock is appalled. "Transparency … is the bare minimum that Australians deserve and demand," he says.

And yet, this transparency is astonishingly rare.

The Joint Strike Fighter, for instance, made for brilliant photo-ops; less so the $17 billion paid for a plane of dubious value . A multi-billion-dollar plan to rescue the Murray Darling was, in 2007, a "national plan for water security"; the Darling River is now best known for ghoulish fish kills that routinely make international headlines.

The automation of welfare debt recovery was going to return billions to the bottom line by stamping out cheating; when the scheme was scrapped years later, instead of apologising, the minister responsible announced it was merely being "refined". In fact, it had been illegal from the beginning.

Pocock's turn in the Senate

Accountability is in short supply perhaps because atrophy is breaking down the institutions which exist to protect citizens from abuses of government.

A campaign of deliberate neglect has effectively destroyed the Commonwealth Freedom of Information regime, where the extraction of real answers too often takes years of concerted effort. Question Time wields less moral and intellectual authority than American pro-wrestling. And our regulators — the competition tsars, the ombudsmen, the public accounts auditors — are under-resourced and have insufficient legislative power, or too often lack backbone .

The press, meanwhile, is busy dispatching its dwindling staff to shadow-box shrewd confections, many of them designed by vested interests for that very purpose.

So it is heartening to see Pocock in action in the Senate. Since the 1970s, the upper house has played host to a succession of robust inquisitors, whose take-no-prisoners style has been passed from one to the other like an inheritance.

Senators of major parties have occasionally emerged in this tradition — Labor's John Faulkner was surely the standard-bearer. But it is crossbench independents to whom this country owes a great debt of gratitude for forcing accountability upon the government.

The lineage traces its way back through the hands of Rex Patrick, Stirling Griff, Jacqui Lambie, Nick Xenophon, and even Brian Harradine, all the way to Don Chipp, who stole his motto from an all-female band who sang at an Australian Democrats rally on the night of April 28, 1980: "We'll keep the bastards honest."

Now, it's David Pocock's turn.

"We have a real chance to strengthen our democracy," he said in his maiden speech in August 2022, "and ensure Australians can trust in the decisions that are being made in their name."

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More From Forbes

How to choose the best cruise ship cabin for you.

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Balcony staterooms on Norwegian Prima feature a Scandinavian color palette with some modern design ... [+] touches.

Choosing your cruise ship cabin or stateroom is an essential part of planning a dream cruise vacation. The right accommodation can enhance your cruise experience, providing you with a comfortable retreat after a day of adventure, but some choices may turn out to be an expensive mistake.

Here’s how to select the best cruise ship cabin for your needs, whether you're seeking breathtaking views, peace and quiet, convenience, or the best value.

Cruise Ship Cabin Grades

From motel-sized inside cabins to luxurious suites that rival the most expensive land-based hotels, cruise ships offer a range of accommodation grades to suit all preferences and budgets:

Interior Cabins : The most budget-friendly option, these cabins are located inside the ship and have no windows. Although they are often just as spacious as oceanview cabins, the lack of natural light may be off-putting to some.

Oceanview Cabins : Offering a window or porthole, these cabins provide natural light and views of the ocean or ports, a good middle-ground option. On modern ships, such cabins will likely be located towards the bottom of the ship, as balcony cabins now dominate ship exteriors.

Balcony Cabins : These cabins feature private balconies allowing direct access to ocean breezes and private views. These cabins are perfect for those who prefer to enjoy the scenery privately.

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Some ships offer cabins with direct access to the promenade deck, while the largest ships, including MSC World Europa , offer balconies overlooking an internal courtyard or promenade.

The newest, largest cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean's 'Icon of the Seas' offer a huge range of ... [+] cabin grades and locations.

Suites : The most spacious and luxurious option, suites often come with extra amenities and services, ideal for travelers looking for a premium experience. Separate bedrooms, wraparound balconies, and even butler service are some common features of cruise ship suites.

Pioneered by Norwegian Cruise Line, solo traveler cabins are becoming more common across the industry. Whereas for many years solo cabins were usually interior grade, there are now oceanview and even balcony cabins available for solo travelers on some lines.

Consider The Location

Perhaps more so than the accommodation grade, the cabin location can significantly impact your cruise experience.

Top-to-bottom : Cabins on lower decks are usually cheaper with the added benefit of experiencing less movement in rough seas.

However, depending on the size of the ship, they could be farther from entertainment and dining areas. On big ships, there may be 10 or even more flights of stairs between your cabin and the pool, sun deck, buffet, and other amenities found at the top of the ship. There will be elevators, of course, but you should expect queues at busy times.

Cabins on higher decks will provide better views from balconies and suites, and good access to many of the ship’s amenities, but passengers may feel the ship's movement more. You may also hear more noise from outdoor activities on the pool deck.

Cabins on middle floors offer the best combination of access to facilities and less movement in the event of rough seas.

Front-to-back : Just as important as the deck number is the cabin’s location between the ship’s front and rear.

Cabins located at the very front and very back of the ship will experience significantly more movement in the event of rough seas, so choose a cabin towards the middle of the ship if you’re facing multiple sea days or sailing off-season.

Inside cabins on the 'P&O Arvia' cruise ship are a good value accommodation option. They can be ... [+] configured with a double or twin beds.

It’s also worth knowing that most cruise ships feature main dining venues at the rear and the main theater at the front.

The Budget Accommodation Choice

When choosing a cabin, start with understanding your budget. Decide how much you’re willing to spend and remember that while the cabin is important, you’ll also want to budget for on-board activities, excursions, beverages, and other expenses.

If budget matters above all else, an interior cabin is a wise choice. You could also save money by booking a saver fare offered by some cruise lines.

These fares typically don't allow you to select your cabin in advance. This will likely result in you being allocated a cabin at the front or back of the ship, but it will save you money.

Questions To Ask Yourself

If you have more flexibility in your budget, consider what’s important to you in accommodation. If you plan to spend a lot of time in your cabin, you might value a balcony or a spacious room more. Families might look for cabins with connecting doors or extra bed options.

Before booking, read reviews of the ship and specific cabins on websites such as Cruise Critic or watching YouTube reviews. Previous travelers can offer invaluable insight into noise levels, views, and overall satisfaction.

Examine the ship’s layout to see where your cabin is in relation to key areas like the lido deck, dining rooms, and entertainment venues. Consider potential noise from above or below your cabin, especially if it’s immediately above or below a dance floor, crew area, or near the pool.

Your cruise itinerary might also influence your choice of accommodation. For scenic cruises, such as those in Alaska or the Norwegian fjords , a balcony might be worth the splurge to enjoy the magnificent views in relative peace. A balcony breakfast while sailing along a fjord will be an experience to remember.

On the other hand, if you plan to spend most of your time exploring ports and partaking in onboard activities, the type and location of cabin might be of less importance.

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Practice KET (A2) Listening Test 01 with Answers and Audioscripts

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Listening Part 1

Questions 1-5.

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1    Where’s the girl going this afternoon?

2    Which is the boy’s new desk?

3    How will they get to their tennis class?

4    Which woman is Laura’s new English teacher?

5    What might Harry do if it rains on Saturday?

Answer & Audioscript

1 B   2 A   3 C   4 C   5 A

Audioscript

Boy:        Are you coming shopping with me and Mom this afternoon?

Girl:         To buy your new skateboard? I’d love to, but I’m meeting my classmate Susan. We’re going to see that new Japanese cartoon.

Boy:        OK, no problem, Mom can help me choose a skateboard.

Girl:         And Mom wants to go to the new café in Bridge Street.

Boy:        Great! They sell fantastic cakes!

Boy:        Mum’s bought me a desk for my bedroom, Aunt Barbara!

Aunt:      Yes. She was looking at one online with four drawers. Did she get that one?

Boy:        Mine’s got two drawers on the left and three shelves on the right.

Aunt:      That’s good – you’ve got lots of books and things. Can I go upstairs and look at it?

Boy:        Sure!

Boy 1:     Are we going to go to our tennis class by bike today? The weather’s good.

Boy 2:     Yes, it’s sunny but not too hot. But I’ve got a problem with my back wheel, so I’d prefer to go by bus.

Boy 1:     Or we could walk. It’s not far.

Boy 2:     Good idea. My dad says he’ll fix my bike next weekend.

Laura:     Mum, you see the woman outside the bookshop? That’s my new English teacher.

Mum:     The woman with long dark hair? She looks like your Aunt Suzanna.

Laura:     But Aunt Suzanna’s got blonde hair! Anyway, it’s the other woman, with short dark hair and glasses.

Mum:     Oh, she looks really friendly!

Katie:      Hi, Harry, are you going to go running on Saturday to practise for the school race?

Harry:     Possibly, buy it might rain. If it does, I don’t want to be outside.

Katie:      What about playing badminton in the sports hall?

Harry:     I like badminton, but my friends don’t. We all like volleyball, and that’s good exercise, too, so I’ll think about that.

Listening Part 2

Questions 6-10.

For each question, write the correct answer in the gap. Write one word or a number or a date or a time .

You will hear a teacher talking to a class about a new music club.

6    Thursdays     7    4:20 (any convention)

8    Taylor     9    0779386521     10   library

Woman:    Now, I want to tell you about a new school music club. It’ll begin on the fifteenth of September and there will be classes once a week until December the eighteenth.

Let me check the day … Because there’s the sports club on Wednesdays, the music club will be on Thursdays.

It’ll be after school. Your last lessons finish at ten to four and you can have a break before the music club because it starts at twenty past four and ends at five o’clock.

Here’s some information about the teacher. His name’s Mr Taylor. I’ll spell that for you T-A-Y-L-O-R. You don’t know him because he’s new.

If your parents would like to phone him, he’s happy for me to give you his phone number. It’s zero-double seven-nine, three-eight-six, five-two-one.

Oh, you need to know where to go for the club. It’s going to be in the library. Use the doors next to the art room because the other doors won’t be open then.

Listening Part 3

Questions 11-15.

You will hear Luis talking to his friend Charlotte about a computer game.

11    Where did Luis first find out about the game?

        A   from a game website

        B   from a school friend

        C   from a magazine advertisement

12    Charlotte likes the game because

        A   it’s funny.

        B   it’s hard.

        C   it’s new.

13    Who does Luis want to play the game with?

        A   his brother

        B   his granddad

        C   his cousin

14    How long did Charlotte play the game for last Saturday?

        A   forty-five minutes

        B   one hour

        C   one hour and thirty minutes

15    Which part of the game does Luis like best?

        A   finding food

        B   building a hut

        C   crossing the river

11 C   12 B   13 B   14 A   15 A

Luis:    Charlotte! I’ve got the computer game called Green Space .

Charlotte:    Where did you find out about it, Luis?

Luis:    I borrowed a magazine from a schoolfriend and there was an ad for it. I asked my mum and she bought it for me from their website.

Charlotte:    I really like that game. It’s not new, but it’s my favourite game because it isn’t easy. I play it a lot, which is strange because it’s not funny at all! Who are you going to play it with?

Luis:    Well, my brother’s too busy studying, and my cousin Amy only likes board games. But my granddad has lots of time, so I want to play with him. How long do you usually play it for?

Charlotte:    When I was sick last Wednesday, I played for an hour and a half. Then, on Friday, an hour. And on Saturday, three quarters of an hour! Which part do you like best?

Luis:    Crossing the river’s really good, but the bit I enjoy most is finding something to eat. The part about building a hut’s my least favourite.

Listening Part 4

Questions 16-20.

16    You will hear two friends talking about shopping.

        What did the boy buy yesterday?

        A   something to wear

        B   something to eat

        C   something to read

17    You will hear a teacher talking to a student called Lyn.

        Why didn’t Lyn come to school yesterday?

        A   She was sick.

        B   She was in a competition.

        C   She arrived back late from holiday.

18    You will hear a boy talking about surfing.

        How did he learn to surf?

        A   by doing a course

        B   by watching videos

        C   by practising by himself

19    You will hear a girl talking about her day at school.

        Which subject did she like best?

        A   geography

        B   English

        C   biology

20    You will hear two brothers talking about last night.

        Why did they both sleep badly?

        A   Their bedroom was hot.

        B   There were noises in the street.

        C   They were excited about going on holiday.

16 A   17 C   18 B   19 C   20 A

16    You will hear two friends talking about shopping. What did the boy buy yesterday?

Female :   I’m glad I got the school book I wanted yesterday.

Boy :   Yes, my mum had already bought that and a new magazine for me. Everyone thinks the gloves I got yesterday are cool, too.

Girl :   The T-shirt I liked was really colourful!

Boy :   But nearly one hundred pounds!

Girl :   I know. Let’s buy some snacks now. We can eat them during break at school.

17    You will hear a teacher talking to a student called Lyn. Why didn’t Lyn come to school yesterday?

Lyn :   Mr Jones, could I ask you about the tennis match on Saturday?

Mr Jones :   Of course, Lyn. You missed class yesterday. Do you feel better?

Lyn :   Oh, I wasn’t ill. We were camping in Switzerland for a week and our flight was cancelled on Sunday. We flew on Monday instead.

Mr Jones : Oh, OK. So, next Saturday’s really important. If we win, we’ll win the championship!

18    You will hear a boy talking about surfing. How did he learn to surf?

Boy :   When I started surfing, I went to the beach with friends and tried and tried, but I didn’t seem to improve. Then, I saw that someone was organising lessons, but they were on Fridays when I play football. In the end, I found a website with a famous surfer showing people the best way to learn. That’s what helped me.

19    You will hear a girl talking about her day at school. Which subject did she like best?

Girl:   School was great today. First, we had a lesson about oceans and the average water temperature in each one. But the most interesting lesson was about bees – how they live together and how they develop from eggs to adults. In another lesson, we read part of a novel and, for homework, we can write either a story or an article.

20    You will hear two brothers talking about last night. Why did they both sleep badly?

Jake :   I’m tired this morning. I didn’t sleep well.

Nathan :   Neither did I. Let’s ask Dad to turn down the heating in our room.

Jake :   Yes, that was the problem. I can hear him outside. I thinking he’s packing the car so that we are ready to go camping.

Nathan :   I can hear Mum playing music downstairs. Let’s ask her about the heating.

Jake :   Yeah.

Listening Part 5

Questions 20-25.

You will hear Lucas talking to his mum about the jobs his friends want to do. What job does each friend want to do?

0              Lucas     F

21 C   22 H   23 E   24 D   25 A

Lucas:   Mum, we talked about different jobs in class today and I’m surprised about the jobs some of my friends want to do.

Mum:   What do you want to do?

Lucas:   You know I love planes, so I’d like to fly them for my job.

Mum:   Great idea. What job does Tyler want to do?

Lucas:   He wants to work at the hospital. His mum’s a receptionist there, but he wants to take care of people’s teeth!

Mum:   That’s a good job. Ava wants to be a sports coach, doesn’t she?

Lucas:   Not now, she wants to show tourists round different towns.

Mum:   Oh. And Mark?

Lucas:   He’s always helping his dad repair cars. Remember, his dad’s got a garage? And that’s what he wants to do.

Mum:   He’ll be good at that. Does Victoria know what she wants to do?

Lucas:   Yes, to write articles for a newspaper. She wrote a good story about an actor for English last week.

Mum:   Great! What about Bobby?

Lucas:   He wants to be in plays and work in theatres all over the world.

Mum:   He was good in the school play about a hospital.

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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down airport highways and bridges in major cities

The Associated Press

Protesters calling for a cease fire in Gaza shut down southbound traffic on Highway 880 in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, April 15, 2024. Brontë Wittpenn/AP hide caption

Protesters calling for a cease fire in Gaza shut down southbound traffic on Highway 880 in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, April 15, 2024.

CHICAGO — Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked roadways in Illinois, California, New York and the Pacific Northwest on Monday, temporarily shutting down travel into some of the nation's most heavily used airports, onto the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges and on a busy West Coast highway. In Chicago, protesters linked arms and blocked lanes of Interstate 190 leading into O'Hare International Airport around 7 a.m. in a demonstration they said was part of a global "economic blockade to free Palestine," according to Rifqa Falaneh, one of the organizers. Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area was snarled for hours as demonstrators shut down all vehicle, pedestrian and bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and chained themselves to 55-gallon drums filled with cement across Interstate 880 in Oakland. Protesters marching into Brooklyn blocked Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. In Eugene, Oregon, protesters blocked Interstate 5, shutting down traffic on the major highway for about 45 minutes. Protesters say they chose O'Hare in part because it is one of the largest airports. Among other things, they've called for an immediate cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Anti- war protesters have demonstrated in Chicago near daily since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people. Israeli warplanes and ground troops have since conducted a scorched-earth campaign on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 33,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. O'Hare warned travelers on the social platform X to take alternative forms of transportation with car travel "substantially delayed this morning due to protest activity." Some travelers stuck in standstill traffic left their cars and walked the final leg to the airport along the freeway, trailing their luggage behind them. Among them was Madeline Hannan from suburban Chicago. She was headed to O'Hare for a work trip to Florida when her and her husband's car ended up stalled for 20 minutes. She got out and "both ran and speed walked" more than a mile (1.6 kilometers). She said she made it to the gate on time, but barely. "This was an inconvenience," she said in a telephone interview from Florida. "But in the grand scheme of things going on overseas, it's a minor inconvenience." While individual travelers may have been affected, operations at the airport appeared near normal with delays of under 15 minutes, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Inbound traffic toward O'Hare resumed around 9 a.m. Near Seattle, the Washington State Department of Transportation said a demonstration closed the main road to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Social media posts showed people holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway, which reopened about three hours later. About 20 protesters were arrested at the Golden Gate Bridge demonstration and traffic resumed shortly after noon, according to the California Highway Patrol. The agency said officers were making arrests at two points on the interstate, including one spot where roughly 300 protesters refused orders to disperse, "Attempting to block or shut down a freeway or state highway to protest is unlawful, dangerous, and prevents motorists from safely reaching their destinations," the agency said in a statement. Oregon State Police said 52 protestors were were arrested for disorderly conduct following the Interstate 5 protest in Eugene, Oregon, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of Portland. Six vehicles were towed from the scene. New York Police made numerous arrests, saying 150 protesters were initially involved in the march around 3:15 p.m., but that number quickly grew. The bridge was fully reopened by 5 p.m. In Chicago, dozens of protesters were arrested, according to Falaneh. Chicago police said Monday that "multiple people" were taken into custody after a protest where people obstructed traffic, but they did not have a detailed count.

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