LISTENING SCRIPT
Part ADad:

Hi Ryota, have you decided which summer school you would like to go to?

Ryota:

No, but I think I like these four programs.

Dad:

Well, why don’t you tell me about them?

Ryota:

The first one is a science camp in the Philippines which runs for two weeks. At the end of the camp, students
present their group science projects. It is only 250,000 yen.

Dad:Sounds interesting and you like science, but you have that university science project during the last week ofsummer, right?

Ryota:Yes.

Dad:

Why not try something different?

Ryota:

OK. Well, there is also a one-week soccer camp in Vancouver, but Mom has to join me as the camp finishes at
5:00 PM every day. So, we will have to stay in a hotel together.

Dad:

What are the dates?

Ryota:

August 7th to 12th.

Dad:

I don’t think your mom can make it for those dates as she has a work presentation that week.

Ryota:Ah, OK, what about this advanced math course in Boston? It is held at one of the top boarding schools in theUS.

Dad:

It could be expensive. How much is it?

Ryota:

I might be able to get a scholarship which means you only need to pay for the airplane and spending money.

Dad:

That program sounds like a good option. What is the last one?

Ryota:

Oxford has an English writing and reading program. They offer classes with a small number of students andgreat weekend activities.

Dad:

Interesting, and you can study British English at the same time. Are any of your classmates attending theprogram?

Ryota:

Ah, it’s a popular program, so I think several of them have applied to it.

Dad:

That could be a problem. Do you think you will actually study and speak English with all of your friends there?

Ryota:

That is a good point. It might be a good second option then.

Part B
Last year I went to my grandparents’ house in Brisbane, Australia. As usual, it took a long time to get there. First,I left my house and took the 5 AM Skyliner train from Nippori Station to Narita Airport, which took 46 minutes.
There were two flights on that day. The first was an 8 AM flight to Brisbane Airport and the second was a 9 AM
flight to Gold Coast Airport. However, the first flight was too expensive, so I had to take the second one even though it
is a little far from my grandparents’ house. Just before we landed, I was surprised when the pilot announced that we would
be arriving at 6:30 PM local time, but then I remembered that Australia is an hour ahead of Japan. So, the flight wasshorter than I first thought.
Next, after I got off the plane I had to go through security, pick up my bag, and then met my grandparents. Thelast time I flew there it took me an hour and 15 minutes to get through security and pick up my bag, but this time it took
30 minutes less time. Then, my grandparents met me at the airport arrival gate, and we drove to their house in Brisbane,
which took one hour and 20 minutes.

Part C
What is an adult and at what age is a person an adult? According to the law, this age is also called “the age ofmajority” and it is not the same for every country. Let’s start here in Japan. In 1876, the age of majority was set at 20 andis celebrated by the Coming of Age Day holiday in January. This meant that once you reached this age you could vote,rent an apartment, or sign a cell phone contract on your own. However, in 2022 this all changed, and the government ofJapan dropped this to age 18. But what about other countries?
In many other countries, like Japan today, this age is 18, but not for all countries. One example is New Zealand,
where the age is set at 20. Similarly, in Thailand, it is also 20 or if a child gets married. Another example is Argentina,
where the age of majority is 21. This is currently one of the highest ages. Finally, there are the United States and Canada,
which have the most complex systems. The age of majority depends on which state or province you live in. For example,
in most US states, the age is 18, but in Alabama and Nebraska it is 19, and in Mississippi, it is 21. Similarly, in Canada,
in provinces such as Ontario and Quebec, it is 18, but in British Columbia and New Brunswick, it is 19.
The age of majority means that you are legally seen as an adult. However, this age might not match other legal
rights that are thought to be only for adults. Some might be under this age and others over. For example, in the UnitedStates, you cannot buy alcohol until you are 21 in any state, but in some states, you can get a driver’s license at the ageof 16. On the other hand, you cannot become president until you are 35. Another example is in Canada, you cannot signa cell phone contract by yourself until you are 18, but you can legally apply for your own passport when you are only 16.
Finally, in New Zealand, you can fly a plane by yourself at the age of 16 if you have been trained. However, you cannot
adopt a child until you are 25.
What do you think the age of majority should be and what legal things should match or not match this age?