[originaltext] Most people in their first year at university will want to li

Most people in their first year at university will want to live in universitycowned halls or self-catering flats. The advantages of this are numerous, especially in your first year. Since you are living with hundreds of other students, many of them also in their first year, you will have a great opportunity to get to know others from a wide variety of subject backgrounds. Most residences offer meals—usually breakfasts and evening meals on weekdays, and all three at weekends. Meals are provided with the rent, along with all heating and electricity costs. This is a great help of course, because hall fees are usually paid at the beginning of each term, and so even if you are completely broke near the end of the term, you are guaranteed warmth and electricity and at least one nutritious meal each day.
    University flats are similar in concept to the halls, in that you have about a hundred students living together in the same building, split into small groups who share the same cooking and shower facilities, etc. The biggest difference is that meals are not provided in the same way as in halls. There are usually four cooking rings, a grill and an oven to share among four students to cook their own meals.
    Living in a house for your first year is generally something to investigate only after attempts to find a place in halls or flats have been unsuccessful. However, living in a house has distinct advantages— you have a great deal more freedom in what you can do. You’re not rudely awakened by the cleaners. But this also means that you’re likely to be surrounded by chip wrappers, and empty beer cans at the end of the term, as no one will ever clear up.
    In any case, you will be able to apply for any of these types of accommodation, well before you are due to start your courses, on the form that the university sends to you. You will then be told soon after what accommodation has been allocated to you. Don’t worry if you don’t get your first choice of place to live, they’re all equally good in one way or another.
    Questions 23 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
    23. What do we know about living in universitycowned halls?
    24. What is the major difference between living in university halls and living in university flats?
    25. What does the speaker say about living in a house?