CBSE Assessment of Speaking and Listening (ASL)
Class IX Code IX-L-01
Time: 40 min                       Max Marks: 20
Audio scripts and Answer key

Task 1                        4 marks

You will hear an advertisement on the radio for a workshop in photography. Read the
notes below, then listen to the advertisement and complete the notes with one or two
words only. You will hear the recording twice.

Come! Enjoy the fascinating world of photography. Join us on 16th and 17th May 2015 at Click Studios International, Mumbai. Find out the important difference between ‘looking’ and ‘seeing’! Be part of ‘Introduction to Photography’, an exclusive two-day workshop by trained professionals. Get real-world advice on how to use your camera and add meaning to your photographs! Beginners and amateurs, here’s your chance to learn all that you want to know about the technical, artistic and post-processing practices of photography.

Hurry! We’re waiting to see you!

Task 2                                  5 marks

You will hear a girl and a boy discussing the advantages of newspapers versus online news. Listen to their discussion and choose five of the options A–H which are correct. Write the correct letters in the blank boxes. You will hear the recording twice. Which FIVE of the following statements are true?

Akash: Renu. I don’t believe it!Are you actually reading a newspaper?
Renu: Hi, Akash. Of course, I am. Don’t you read one yourself?
Akash: Why would I buy something which is so environment unfriendly? Newspapers are a complete waste of paper. And today, we need to save all the paper we can, you know.

Renu: But don’t you want to learn about what’s happening in the world? 

Akash: I never said I don’t keep myself informed, Renu. I use the Internet for that. It’s faster, more up-to-date and far, far more environment friendly!
Renu: I don’t think you’re aware of this, Akash. A recent survey in the UK has proved that nearly 77% of the raw material used for newspapers is from recycled paper. Another good move is in the size. Many newspapers are changing from the large broadsheet to the tabloid size, in an effort to conserve natural resources. That’s being responsible and environment sensitive, don’t you think?

Akash: Maybe so. But I think the fact that e-news is faster and more up-to-date cannot be disputed. For instance, whether it’s an earthquake in Nepal or an election in Europe, we know about it instantly on the Internet. This can never happen in a newspaper.

Renu: I’m not in a hurry! I can wait till the morning newspaper reaches me! But to add to this point, Akash, many papers are cleverly balancing print-to-digital media operations. They’re providing regular online news on a variety of topics for all kinds of readers all day. This helps people like you and me alike!

Akash: I guess you’re right. Personally, I feel online news platforms are really practical and convenient. A laptop or smartphone gives you instant access to information any time, any place. And if you want to go back to old issues, the archives are so easy to access. No headaches of going through a pile of dusty newspapers in the attic!

Renu: Perhaps. Yet, the freedom of reading a newspaper can never match an e-version, Akash. I can scan all the headlines at a glance and then return to the articles I want to read more closely. You can never do that with an e-paper. In fact, navigating between articles is itself such a challenge! Hundreds of links within links.

Akash: Ah! It’s just a matter of how comfortable you are with technology! I think that’s another debate altogether, Renu!

Renu: I suppose so! Let’s not get into that for the moment! 

Task 3 5 marks
You will hear five short extracts where people express their opinions on the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland. Read the statements below, then listen to the extracts and match each statement A–G to each speaker 1–5. There are two statements you do not need. You will hear the recordings twice.

Speaker 1: Seven days and seven nights of the Hornbill Festival were the best days of my life! I hear it’s now become a ten-day festival. The delicious cuisine and the unbeatable hospitality of the Nagas made it so memorable! I found the food contests so fascinating. Some of them were supported by the Horticulture Department. And you know what? A foreign tourist beat the Nagas in the chilli eating contest!

Speaker 2: I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the traditional huts of the various Naga tribes where one can sit with the elders of the tribe and interact with them. Since I know Nagamese, which is Naga plus Assamese, it was easy to communicate with all of them. But don’t let that stop you. All the youngsters know English and are ready to help translate for tourists.

Speaker 3: I simply fell in love with the culture and festivities at the Kisama Heritage Village. There’s never a dull moment once the show begins at 9 a.m. each morning every December 1st. I think dance forms the soul of this event. The colourful tribal shows are simply fantastic. It’s wonderful to watch performers from other north-eastern states also participate here with such passion.

Speaker 4: The Hornbill International Rock and Music Festival draws me year after year. I think it’s the longest music event ever held in the country! Over the years, there’ve been some incredible performances by bands from all over India. In fact, it’s become so prestigious that a band selected to perform at the festival considers it a major feather in their cap!

Speaker 5: I am a designer. I love this festival for the colourful costumes, jewellery and beads. Each tribe has their own unique ceremonial dress with multi-coloured spears and special Naga knives decorated with dyed goat’s hair. The finely woven bamboo headgear is really stunning. They decorate it with fresh orchid stems, boar’s teeth, hornbill’s feathers, and ivory armlets. Such a feast for the eye and the mind!

Task 4                               6 marks

You will hear a talk by an environmentalist. Read the questions below, then listen to the talk and choose A or B or C for each question. You will hear the recording twice. It’s a pleasure to talk to you about my crusade, ‘Keep Waste Out of My Beach!’This weekend, as in the last six months, we have cleaned over three kilometres of Blue Beach. And it’s all in the newspapers. We are regarded as the city’s celebrity guardians! And it all began one morning during a morning jog at the beach. I twisted my ankle and landed on a broken glass bottle. It had lain hidden in the sands. The cut on my leg required ten stitches and several days of rest. I couldn’t go jogging, but the doctor permitted a daily walk on the beach with my dogs. When I went back to the beach one morning, my eyes searched for that villainous piece of glass which had destroyed my daily routine. To my horror, I found not only old food, paper plates and cups that careless beachgoers had discarded after their picnic at the beach, but also more broken glass and metal. I began to take a large sack to the beach every morning and filled it with the refuse. A few friends I meet at the beach every day soon came looking for my sack. They had quite a few things to throw into it! I decided to get more bags to the beach. I painted the slogan ‘Keep Waste Out of My Beach!’ and gave them to my friends. Our work soon got noticed. Early morning walkers came to us and asked if they could get a bag too. I realised, here was a movement that was waiting to happen. We set up a stall at the beach with a big banner. We manage this stall on a voluntary basis. Our clean-up bags are made available for a refundable deposit. It actually works! People are willing to pay fifty rupees as a deposit, and take a garbage bag with them to the beach. They return it to us filled with their junk and we give them their money back. This isn’t an easy task. Blue Beach receives hundreds of visitors every day and the number goes up on the weekends. We need more volunteers and more bags to distribute. Complaining about the problems and blaming the authorities is not going to change anything. We can be the change we want to see, if we grow in numbers! Join our effort. Be part of this movement. It’s our precious Blue Beach after all!

Worksheet

CBSE: Assessment of Speaking and Listening Skills (ASL)
Class IX Code IX-L-01
Time: 40 min               Max Marks: 20
LISTENING TEST

Task – 1                       4 marks

You will hear an advertisement on the radio for a workshop in photography. Read the
notes below, then listen to the advertisement and complete the notes with one or two words only. You will hear the recording twice. 

Date and venue: 16 and 17 May 2015, Click Studios International, Mumbai
Title of workshop: (1) ______________________ to Photography Workshop conducted by: (2)____________________________________________
Training in: Technical, artistic and (3) ______________________ aspects Session on last day: (4) ______________________

Task – 2                           5 marks

You will hear a girl and a boy discussing the advantages of newspapers versus online news. Listen to their discussion and choose five of the options A–H which are correct. Write the correct letters in the blank boxes. You will hear the recording twice.
Which five of the following statements are true?
A The boy feels newspapers are a bane to nature.
B The girl reads several newspapers in a day.
C The boy supports online news for speed and promptness.
D A broadsheet is a useful size of newspaper that saves paper.
E The girl says newspapers are also using the Internet to increase readership.
F The boy appreciates the easy retrieval of previous online news items.
G The girl admits newspapers provide less flexibility while reading.
H The boy thinks technical skills can influence the online experience.

Task – 3                              5 marks

You will hear five short extracts where people express their opinions on the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland. Read the statements below, then listen to the extracts and match each statement A–G to each speaker 1–5. There are two statements you do not need. You will hear the recordings twice.

Task – 4                          6 marks  

You will hear a talk by an environmentalist. Read the questions below, then listen to the talk and choose A or B or C for each question. You will hear the recording twice.
1. The reference to ‘celebrity guardians’ is to those who
a. guard the city’s green cover.
b. protect the city’s shoreline.
c. manage the city’s water supplies.
2. The idea for the speaker’s campaign started after
a. a personal injury.
b. an accident to a friend.
c. a mishap with a pet.

3. The idea became a movement after the speaker
a. used a sack to gather trash.
b. distributed bags for trash to friends.
c. gave litter bags on a repayment basis to all visitors.
4. ‘It actually works!’ indicates the speaker’s surprise that people
a. are disciplined and willing to protect the environment.
b. attend weekly meetings on environmental concerns.
c. avoid outdoor picnics to prevent litter in the beach.
5. ‘This isn’t an easy task’ shows the speaker is
a. losing confidence in the people.
b. realistic about the way ahead.
c. angry about people’s indifference.
6. The purpose of the talk is to
a. raise awareness among people about the environment.
b. celebrate the media attention on the speaker’s work.
c. invite more people to join hands with the speaker’s cause.