Conversation One
M: Background music is supposed to influence your attitudes and put you in the right mood. You’re not supposed to notice it, but it’s just there, in the background.
W: I’m not sure I like that idea.
M: Well, it seems to work. Companies pay millions of dollars every year for background music. It’s supposed to give you a better feeling about yourself and the people around you. Factories use it a lot. It makes the workers happy, and they work better that way. In one factory, music increased production by 4.5 percent.
W: I should think they’d get tired of hearing music all day.
M: They don’t though. One fellow in San Francisco told me, ‘If the music stops, somebody always runs to the telephone to complain.’
W: Now that I think about it, I can’t remember when there wasn’t background music in restaurants and stores.
M: Actually, background music started during World War II when some factories had their own orchestras to keep workers happy and calm. Now, of course, the music is piped in by a machine, and different kinds of music are played at different times during the day. They play faster music at ten in the morning than at eight, for instance, because workers tend to be slower then.
W: What about restaurants? Do they play the same music for dinner and lunch?
M: I don’t know about that, but I do know that hamburger places play fast music. When they started playing faster music, they found that a customer spent only seventeen minutes eating. The time was twenty-two minutes before that.
W: So they have more people coming in and out to buy hamburgers.
M: Exactly. And that’s good for business. You can see why music has become so popular. In Los Angeles, for instance, thirty different companies are selling background music services.
W: I still think there’s something about it that I don’t quite like.
M: I know what you mean, but lots of people wouldn’t agree with you. The Xerox Corporation in Rochester, N.Y. spends more than $80,000 a year for background music. Prisons use it, and farmers use it to keep their cattle calm. It’s even supposed to have an effect on plants.
W: Well, it may calm cattle, but it’s not making me forget I’m hungry. Let’s try to get that waitress to bring us a menu.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. Where does this conversation take place?
20. What is the purpose of playing background music in a factory?
21. How much did the Xerox Corporation spend every year for background music?
22. Which of the following is true about background music according to this conversation?
Conversation Two
W: Good morning. This is Jenny speaking. What can I do for you?
M: Hi, I am calling to complain about the mobile phone I bought from you. I cannot send any short messages to my friends. Sometimes I cannot even receive incoming calls and it always gives others a busy signal. Do you know what the problem could be?
W: Could you please tell me how long this has been happening?
M: How long? Is that the point?
W: Sir, I ask that because it will likely tell me whether the problem is with your equipment or reception.
M: Ok, I get it. Just three days ago. Initially I thought it could be the mobile’s problem but then I realized it was probably caused by the signal.
W: Could you please give the serial number of your mobile phone, so I can check whether there is any problem with the mobile phone itself?
M: Sorry, where is it?
W: The number is on the warranty card and 08381 begins the sequence.
M: Just a minute. Let me see …. Aha, it is 08381823923.
W: Thank you. Please hold and I will get back to you in a minute.
W: Sorry to keep you waiting Sir. I have checked your mobile’s status and everything is fine. It is said by our engineer that it could be due to our network upgrading and your number could be affected. Our apologies for any inconvenience brought to you.
M: Then how long do I have to wait till the signal returns to normal?
W: Well, a couple more days. I tell you what, I will give your feedback to our support center and if the problem still exists after two days, please give us a call and we will help you solve it.
M: Ok, thanks for your help and I really hope I won’t need to call you again for that.
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23: Where could this conversation probably take place?
24: What is the man’s problem?
25: According to the woman, what could be the problem?
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