5 ‘Show-jumping is as much a social activity as a sport, you know, and in this part of the country lots of people have horses. in fact, most of my friends are interested in thinas ike show-jumping or pony clubs. We meet almost every. weekend, except in the middle of winter. That's how | started, although there's an awful lot of hard work involved if you get more serious about competing at higher levels. But its still loads of fun! Eo >> PART 4 You will hear a radio interview with a mountain climber. For questions 24-30 choose the best answer, A, B or C. Interviewer: This is Bob Green with another edition of ‘Wild Ones’, the programme about extreme sports, My guest on today’s programme is Ann Hall, a mountain climber. Ann, thonks for being with us today. Now, Id like to start by asking you how you became interested in such a dangerous sport. ‘Ann Hall: Weil, first I'd lke to point out that climbing isn’t a dangerous si ou take it serioush ‘981100 excited. Almost all the people who have accidents are badly prepared, you see, and this gives the sport a bad name, which isn’t really air. Interviewer: Is the excitement part of the reason why you are so keen on climbing? ‘Ann Hall: Only a small part of the reason, if | try to analyse it. The sense of achievernent is more important, | suppose. ‘But the main thing is the sensation of being so close to nature, though pethaps that’s not the right way to put it. Interviewer: | suppose you get a view of mountains that nobody else really sees? ‘Ann Hall: Yes, that’s very true. But at the same time, if someone dropped me on the top of a mountain with a helicopter, it wouldn't be the samo. Less tiring, maybe, but not the same! It's knowing that you've covered the distance to the top yourself, fighting every inch of the way, That's what makes you feel so pleased with yourself when you ‘Get to the summit Interviewer: Have you always been keen on climbing? ‘Ann Hall: Ever since | was about twelve, when my parents took me on a holiday to the Lake District, and we went walking almost every day. Suddenly, it hit me that Lwas completely myself when | the hills an ins, ‘and _Lknew for certain that's what | wanted to do. | think Perhaps everyone has a moment like that in childhood, ‘though whether you can do anything about it later in lite is a different matier Interviewer: How dil your parents feel when it became, clear that you were hooked on the sport? Ann Hall: Oh! Very anxious that | should get the proper, training and experience, but they've never tied to put me ff. They were able to support me financially, which was Useful. I'm not sure that is exactly what they would have chosen for my occupation in life, but they've never said. anything, Interviewer: I'd like to ask you about your last climb, in Peru. It was quite an adventure, wasn't it? ‘Ann Hall: Definitely. You see, there's a mountain there called Siula Grande, and nobody had ever climbed the west face. So there | was, with an old friend called Karen Gold, We'd done lots of climbs before, so | suppose we felt fairly sure of ourselves. Which, as any experienced climber will tell you. is. naturally when it.can get dangerous: you make ‘mistakes when you fee! confident that you can do it Interviewer: And what exactly happened to you? ‘Ann Hall: We got lost in a storm and had to spend fourteen hours longer than we had planned on the mountain. Actually, we were fortunate: it could have been a great deal worse, We were told lator that storms in that region can last for as much as a week at this time of the year. But while we were huddled together in }o temperature wondering if anyone would ever find us. that's not hos felt! Interviewer: Well, 'm sure we're all delighted that your adventure turned out happily in the end. Thanks for joining us, and carry on climbing! ‘Ann Hall: Thank you -I will! >> PART 1 You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, A, B or C, | always think it’s nice to have some early-flowering seeds planted as soon as winter's properly over, maybe March ot even April if there's a chance of late frost, so they come up in June, and you have a lovely splash of colaur in the flower beds. You may find they're a little later, depending 2 ‘A: George! It's so lovely to see you again! It must be ages since we last met. B: Oh, | suppose it is. But weren't you at Michael's twenty first party last August? A: No, | wasn't. | got the flu at the last minute, | think the last time | saw you was three years ago at Christmas, when we all had dinner together in that indian, restaurant B: No, surely we've met since then ... Wait a minute .. it .was-at Peter's pl jon he and Jenn) ried. ‘A: Yes, of course it was! Wasn't it a fantastic reception? 3 | suppose the books | like best are somehow ramantic, Whether it's the lonely individual against the world ~ like ‘my absolute favourite, The Big Sleep, where Philip less in the end and brings them iu Fa more traditional kind of romance, in the fairy tale world of happy endings and everlasting love 4 ‘A: haven't played for such a long time, I'm sure you'll boat me easily. We can just practise for a while first, if you'd prefer. FCE Tests Tapeseripts 195,