TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
Unit 1 Skills Test Dictation
Several pop stars have created a charity to encourage young
people to become musicians. The charity will lend musical
instruments to teenagers who can’t afford them. Schools across
the country have said they will take part in the project.
Unit 1 Skills Test Listening
N: One. You hear a mother talking to her daughter about the
school holidays. What does the girl’s mother suggest?
A: I’ve been talking to your grandmother about the holidays.
B: Are you suggesting that I go and stay with her?
A: The thing is, she hasn’t been very well lately, and she would like
someone to be with her.
B: You know I love her to bits, but I always get so bored.
There’s nothing to do there except help her with the cleaning.
She hasn’t even got a TV!
A: Look, I know it’s not very exciting, but it would be lovely for her
to have you around.
B: Well, how about if one of my friends comes too? That way,
grandma won’t be alone, and I won’t get too bored.
N: Two. You hear a boy talking about an exam he has taken.
A: How was your French exam last week?
B: It’s difficult to say. I did plenty of revision so I think the
grammar and vocabulary was okay. The trouble is, I’m not very
good at speaking and I got really nervous before that part of
the exam.
A: Oh no. What happened?
B: Well, we had to take the test in pairs. My partner was really
confident and I let her do most of the talking. I didn’t even
listen properly to what she said. I just sat there and agreed with
her from time to time. It was pretty embarrassing actually.
N: Three. You hear a boy discussing a show he has been to.
A: Did you enjoy that comedy show that you went to?
B: To be honest, it was one of the worst shows I’ve ever been to!
It was okay at the beginning and the first performer was quite
entertaining really. That act lasted five minutes, though, and
the next ninety minutes were awful.
A: In what way?
B: Well, there was a guy on stage after that who was doing
impressions. You know, he tried to talk like famous people …
but it was a disaster. He didn’t sound like any of the people he
was trying to talk like. None of the audience was laughing and
most people just looked confused. And then after him, well ...
N: Four. You hear a news story about a girl who has done
something special.
… and finally tonight, local student, Marissa Hayes, will receive
an award from the prime minister for her charity work. Fifteen-
year-old Marissa has been helping out in a soup kitchen which
provides meals for the homeless. She has been working as a
volunteer for the last two years and she has served more than
forty thousand meals in that time. The organisers of the soup
kitchen say that she hasn’t missed a day since she started.
Marissa is much loved by everyone there for her hard work and
big smile. She knows all the clients by name and she even gave
them presents at Christmas. Marissa was selected from more
than one hundred and fifty teenagers from across the country.
N: Five. You hear two friends talking about a tennis match.
A: Did you see the tennis finals on the TV last night?
B: Yes, although I have to say it was one of the worst finals
I’ve ever seen.
A: That’s true, but it was certainly exciting at times, especially
when it looked like Gunter might win.
B: I don’t know. I felt quite bored most of the time. Neither of
them played like champions – they just didn’t seem to make
any effort.
 Photocopiable © Pearson Education Limited 2018
2ND EDITION B1+
A: I think that’s a bit unfair really. They’ve both played more
than fifteen matches in the last week so I’m sure they were
exhausted.
B: That’s still not an excuse for playing bad tennis!
N: Six. You hear two friends talking about buying a present
for someone.
A: It’s Nancy’s birthday next week. Have you got any ideas for a
nice present?
B: I’ve been thinking we should get her some accessories.
She’s into fashion and there’s a lovely shop in the high street.
A: I know the one you mean. It sells things like hairclips and
necklaces, doesn’t it?
B: Yes, but not only that. They’ve also got some really nice
handbags.
A: Don’t you think that might be a bit expensive?
B: I guess you’re right … so, how about getting her a purse?
That would be cheaper.
A: Good idea. She keeps her money in her jacket and she’s always
losing it.
B: Great! We’ll get that then.
N: Seven. You hear a girl talking to her father about a concert.
A: Hey Dad. Guess what? My band has been asked to give a
concert next Friday!
B: That’s great, but I was hoping you could look after your brother.
I’ve got a meeting at the football club and I can’t miss it.
A: Oh, really? We’ve been practising for ages and it’ll be our first
concert. Isn’t there someone else who can look after him?
B: I don’t know. You know how difficult it is to find someone on
a Friday evening, especially if it’s only next week.
A: How about Auntie Sandra? She’s usually free and she loves
looking after him.
B: That’s a possibility, I guess. I’ll give her a call and see what
she says.
N: Eight. You hear two friends talking about their new teacher.
A: What did you think of the Science class?
B: It was quite interesting really, although, at first, I didn’t know
what to think about Miss Charles.
A: That’s because she’s new though, isn’t it? It’s always a bit
strange when you have a change of teacher.
B: Yes, that’s true. Anyway, I wasn’t disappointed with her. She
teaches differently from Mr Hudson, but not in a bad way.
A: I know what you mean. Mr Hudson used to like explaining
things to us whereas Miss Charles encourages us to work things
out for ourselves. Personally, I prefer that way of learning.
B: Me too.
N: Nine. You hear a woman talking about losing her
wedding ring.
A: Did you ever find your wedding ring?
B: I’ve searched everywhere, but I’ve got no idea where it is.
To be honest, I’ve given up looking for it now.
A: Oh dear. You must be really upset about it.
B: I was at first because it was really special to me. When I told
my husband, I was afraid he would be really annoyed, but he
was actually really nice about it. He said that worse things
can happen.
A: That sounds like a very sensible thing to say.
B: Yes. So now we’re saving up for another one. That one was a bit
tight anyway so now I’ll get one which is more comfortable!
N: Ten. You hear a boy talking to a friend about a new jacket he
has bought.
A: Hey Karl. I like your new jacket.
B: Thanks. I’m really pleased with it actually. You know, as I’m tall,
it’s hard to find fashionable clothes which fit me.
A: Yes, it can’t be easy.
B: It’s not. I wanted something casual that I can wear when I’m
TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
out with my mates, but everything seemed a bit too smart.
You know, the type of thing you have to wear to school or work.
Then I tried on some more sporty ones. Generally, I’m not that
keen on sports clothing, but I was surprised how well this one
fitted me. I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t find one with a
hood though …
Unit 2 Skills Test Dictation
Although most people think it is important to tell the truth, many
things we say are not true themselves. In fact, we often make up
stories about ourselves to make us look better or sound more
interesting to our friends.
Unit 2 Skills Test Listening
1: When I was a kid, I had this collection of model aeroplanes.
I used to make them myself and hang them from my ceiling.
One day, I went into my room and saw that one of the planes
was on the floor and the wings had broken off. Immediately,
I called my little sister and asked her what had happened.
She went bright red and said she didn’t know anything about
it. I knew from her embarrassment that she’d done it. I got
really mad at her and told her to stop lying. Suddenly, she
started crying and I felt really bad. Eventually, she told me she’d
lied because she thought I’d stop her playing with my planes.
She was right of course!
2: A few months ago, I bought myself a new T-shirt. It was bright
pink and it had the words ‘What are you looking at?’ written on
it. I thought it was great and I couldn’t wait to show it to my
best friend. When I showed it to her, she said it was really cool
… so I was amazed when I found out from a friend that she
didn’t like my new top. When I asked her why she had lied to
me, she hesitated. Then she said she hadn’t wanted to make me
unhappy because she knew how special it was for me.
3: Our teacher, Mr Phillips, was recently giving out the results of
our Maths test in class. A lot of students were quite nervous,
but I was confident that I’d passed. I sat there quietly waiting
for my results as Mr Phillips read the list. Everyone had passed,
but when he came to mine, he suddenly looked away guiltily
and said I’d failed. I just stared at him. It didn’t make sense
because the test had been really easy. Suddenly, I realised
Mr Phillips was laughing.
When he’d stopped, he said it was just a joke and that I’d
actually got top marks. To him it was very amusing, but I didn’t
know what to think about it.
4: I was hanging out with my friend Darren and we were talking
about a new online computer game we were both playing.
I thought it was really difficult, but Darren said that he had
already completed it. I didn’t believe him at all so I started
asking him questions about it and didn’t know what he was
talking about. In fact, I think I’d completed more of the game
than him. Anyway, I suppose he wanted me to respect him or
something, but it made me doubt everything that he’d ever
told me. I need my friends to be honest with me and I don’t feel
I can trust him anymore.
5: A little while ago, my grandmother was ill and she was taken to
hospital. I didn’t know anything about it at first. The first thing I
knew about it was when the hospital called. I got to the phone
before my parents and found out the news. Luckily, they were
phoning to say my grandmother was fine and that she could
come home. The situation made me really unhappy, though,
because I felt my parents were keeping the truth from me. I
asked them about it later and they said they didn’t think I could
cope if I knew my grandmother was ill. I can see their point of
view, but I’m sixteen now and I don’t want to be treated like a
child anymore.
2ND EDITION B1+
Unit 3 Skills Test Dictation
Even though we use water on a daily basis, we need to make sure
we use it sensibly. A lot of families waste thousands of litres every
year. For that reason, the government is encouraging people to
reduce the amount of water that they consume.
Unit 3 Skills Test Listening
L = Liam
L: For my project about inspirational people, I researched a
Kenyan woman called Wangari Maathai. I didn’t know anything
about her until I came across her on the internet, but as I read
more about her, I realised what an amazing person she was. She
started up an important environmental movement which has
improved the lives of thousands of people.
To give you some background information, Wangari was born
in a part of Kenya called Nyeri. At the age of three, she moved
to an area called the Rift Valley, where her father had got a
job on a farm. In an interview, Wangari explained how she had
good memories of her time living there. She said that the area
was really green and there were lots of roaring rivers with
clean, fresh water.
She also explained how it had changed over the years and it
was quite shocking, really. Basically, the farms got bigger and
they put more pressure on the local environment. More and
more trees were cut down and new crops like wheat were
introduced. This had a huge impact because the lack of trees
meant that the land became very dry. The water couldn’t move
around properly and the streams and rivers dried up.
Of course, this happened over many years. In that time,
Wangari grew up and eventually went to study for a Biology
degree in the USA. She was one of a few hundred students
from that part of Africa chosen to participate in a special
study programme. While she was there, a project to get rid
of environmental pollution in the city caught her attention.
However, she returned to Kenya, where she continued her
studies at the University of Nairobi. In 1971, she became the
first East African woman to be awarded a Ph.D. That’s the
highest university degree you can get - and pretty impressive
if you ask me!
While Wangari was working at the university, she started to
think about how things had changed in Kenya. She had noticed
that development was actually making things worse for some
people. People were becoming poorer and they seemed to
have less control of their everyday existence. She heard Kenyan
women complaining about problems with food and resources.
They were finding it harder to get food and wood, which they
used for making fires and building houses and fences. They also
talked about how the streams were drying up so less water was
available.
Wangari thought that some of Kenya’s leaders were not taking
responsibility for these problems so she set up an organisation
called the Green Belt Movement. The group tried to show
people how to manage their natural resources by planting
more trees and looking after their water supply. The Green Belt
Movement worked closely with women’s groups and, over the
years, they have planted millions of trees throughout Kenya.
They have worked with companies, schools and even the
Kenyan army.
Although Wangari’s organisation had helped many poorer
Kenyans, she also managed to upset some people, especially
some of the politicians. For example, in the 1980s she protested
about plans to build a huge skyscraper in a public park in
Nairobi. Wangari wrote letters to the government and to
foreign businesses involved in the project. The government was
really annoyed with her and some of them said that she was
crazy. When construction workers arrived at the site, it looked
likely that the skyscraper would be built. However, Wangari
kept protesting and finally succeeded in convincing them to
stop the project.
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TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
For the next fifteen years, Wangari kept working with the Green
Belt Movement as well as many other organisations that helped
people and the environment. She also continued to bother the
government with her protests and she was arrested several
times. However, she was rewarded for her efforts. In 2004
she became the first female African to win the Nobel Peace
Prize. She received it because of her efforts over many years
to improve the environment and defend human rights. In her
speech when she got the award, Wangari said that she wanted
to inspire people to take responsibility for the environment and
also for their own lives.
Sadly, Wangari died in 2011, but the Green Belt Movement
carries on …
Unit 4 Skills Test Dictation
If you are unhappy, you should talk it over with someone you
trust. If you are too embarrassed to discuss it with your parents or
teacher, you ought to speak to a friend because they might be able
to help.
Unit 4 Skills Test Listening
N = Narrator
1: When we moved house last year, I had to go to a different
school. It was hard to make new friends so I joined a local youth
club. It’s like a social club where young people can hang around
together. The thing is all the children seemed to have their own
friends already. I felt lonely and disappointed because it seemed
so hard to break into a group of friends. But, one day, one of
the other kids said something really funny. I glanced at the boy
next to me and we just started laughing. After that we hung
around together all the time. It may sound silly, but the best
way to get someone’s attention is by making eye contact. It
tells the other person that you might be interested in starting
a conversation. You might not always become friends, but you
never know …
2: People are always telling us how important it is to have lots
of friends. There are loads of websites with articles and videos
showing you how to be the centre of attention. You have to
be the most popular person at school or have a million friends
on your social networking site. Personally, I’d rather have just a
few close friends … you know, people who have something in
common with me. I don’t want to spend my time talking about
things that are dull and boring. I don’t think you can do that
sitting at a computer, looking for people online. If you want to
meet people who you’ll really get on with, you have to go out in
the real world and find them.
3: I’ve always been quite a sociable person and I enjoy making
new friends. We need to try to get on with everyone and the
only way to do that is by talking to different people.
It’s true that you may find yourself talking to people who have
completely different interests to you, but you don’t have to be
best friends. If you want to meet new people, you need to find
places where other young people hang around. I don’t mean
school because you probably know everyone there already. I’d
suggest going to a sports event or concert because there’ll
always be lots of other teenagers there.
4: A few months ago, I was on the bus and I noticed this girl
drawing cartoon characters in a notebook. She saw me looking
at her pictures and we started talking. It turned out that she
was really enthusiastic about manga comics and she was
making her own designs. We stayed in touch and recently
she’s been teaching me how to draw. Apart from making a new
friend, I’ve also got a new hobby, so meeting her has definitely
had a positive impact on me. My advice to everyone is that
it’s worth talking to new people, even if you’re in an unusual
situation.
2ND EDITION B1+
5: I’ve always found it difficult to make new friends because I can
never think of anything interesting to say. I worry so much
about what other people will think of me that I just stay silent.
My teacher noticed that I was spending a lot of time alone so
I explained what the problem was. She thought I should try to
focus more on the other person and not worry so much about
myself. She suggested asking people about their weekends
or what plans they’ve got for the holidays. It’s really made
a difference to me because a lot of people are happy to talk
about themselves. I don’t feel so embarrassed and I’ve started
to become more sociable. I’d strongly recommend this for
anyone like me.
Unit 5 Skills Test Dictation
Some say we stop learning when we finish school. However, we
should keep looking for opportunities to learn because it gives us
a greater understanding of the world. It can also help us achieve a
better quality of life.
Unit 5 Skills Test Listening
P = Presenter; I = Ivan
P: I’m joined today by seventeen-year-old Ivan Kiszka who makes
online videos advising young people how to start up their own
businesses. Ivan, how did you start out in the business world?
I: Basically, when I was fourteen I set up my own company selling
T-shirts online. I bought a load of plain T-shirts and I tried to
make them more interesting. I would print different designs
on them, cut off the sleeves or make holes in them. My parents
thought I was crazy, but I was convinced that people would
want to buy them. For a while, I only sold one or two a week,
but then I had a bit of luck.
P: What was that bit of luck that helped you?
I: So, a Hollywood actress, I won’t say who, was spotted wearing
one of my T-shirts by a fashion magazine. They decided that my
T-shirts were the ‘must have’ fashion item and they printed an
article showing several of my designs. All of a sudden, everyone
wanted one and there was an explosion in our orders. We had
new customers from all over the world and we were selling
thousands of the T-shirts every week.
P: I believe you’ve recently sold the company. Is that right?
I: The company is doing really well, but I sold it to a high-street
fashion chain last year and nowadays I’m not involved in the
management of it. I was really proud of what I’d achieved, but I
was still at school and it was difficult to cope with all the work.
Some people couldn’t understand why I sold it, but I really
wanted to get some academic qualifications. I didn’t think I’d
pass my exams if I continued working for the company.
P: What made you start producing online videos?
I: Although I’d stopped running my own company, I found that
a lot of my friends were still interested in how you could start
off in business. Some of the kids at school had some great
ideas for making money, but they didn’t know where to begin.
Because of my success, they would come to me for advice. I
thought that it made more sense to make online videos than
to keep saying the same thing over and over again. That way,
when people asked me for tips, I could suggest watching one
of my videos.
P: Your videos are aimed at young people. So, what’s in
them exactly?
I: Most of the time, I’m giving young people advice on starting
their own business, although sometimes I focus on other
things. For example, last week I did a video about one of my
business role models. Whatever I’m talking about, though,
I try to keep the video brief because people won’t pay attention
if it’s too long. Most of my viewers are quite young and they
don’t want anything too deep. I try to make sure they’re
amusing although I try to avoid telling jokes. That’s not one
of my strengths!
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TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
P: Your videos have been extremely popular with teenagers on
the Internet. What is it that makes them so special?
I: Well, I don’t think it’s because I’m saying anything new or
unusual. To be honest, there are loads of other videos like
mine out there. The difference is that, while the majority of
them are aimed at adults, mine are for teenagers. Starting out
in business can be pretty terrifying, especially for teenagers.
They need someone who speaks their own language and can
help them get their head around everything. I think that’s the
main attraction of my videos.
P: What’s the most valuable piece of advice you can give to a
young person thinking of starting their own company?
I: I think the most important thing is for them to believe in
themselves. Adults are always making the decisions and this
can have a negative impact on teenagers’ confidence. Lots
of them are scared to make their own decisions about work
and money because they think they’ll get it wrong. As long as
you believe your idea can be a success, it doesn’t matter what
anyone else thinks. You might make some mistakes, but you
should just go for it.
P: That’s great advice Ivan. Thank you very much …
Unit 6 Skills Test Dictation
Researchers from a university in Canada are trying to establish
how birds know which way to fly. They have shown that birds get
information from things they see. They have observed certain
species which follow roads to get around.
Unit 6 Skills Test Listening
S = Sara
S: Hello, I’m going to talk about my research into shark skin for
our Year 9 project on nature and technology. Now the shark
is so good at catching other smaller fish because it can reach
speeds of up to sixty kilometres per hour. So scientists have
always been interested in the shark’s skin, because it’s seemed
strange to them that such a big fish should be able to go so
quickly through water. They’ve found that its secret lies in little
bumps on its skin called ‘denticles’ – actually if you look under
a microscope at these you’ll find that they look a bit like teeth!
These affect the flow of the water as the shark’s body moves
through it – it’s all a bit like the way the little holes on a golf ball
make it go faster through the air … you can think of it that way.
Anyway, it’s these denticles that make a real shark’s skin feel
a bit like sandpaper – the stuff you rub over a rough wooden
surface to make it smooth.
OK, now, several years ago scientists from the USA copied the
effect of the denticles and created a special extra layer on the
surface of ships. They claimed that it made ships go faster,
and the shipping industry was enthusiastic too. They believed
the material used saved energy because it made their ships
go through the water so much more efficiently. The material
was used on aircraft as well, although the aircraft industry
later stopped using it – for one thing, it made the planes hard
to wash. Manufacturers of swimwear became interested, and
started making swimming costumes with tiny bumps on to
make Olympic swimmers go faster.
As time went on, other scientists from all over the world
began to doubt the claims made about the material painted
onto ships, and their research claimed that it did not offer
any benefits to the performance of ships. They also claimed
that any effect on swimmers, such as new world records, was
just accidental and had nothing to do with the bumps on
the swimsuits ... they were not rough enough to make any
significant difference. But they did admit that the material
used on the ships stopped tiny sea creatures from attaching
themselves to the surface of ships, something that would prove
valuable later.
2ND EDITION B1+
Recently, Chinese scientists have made a more realistic shark
skin…well, when I say that, I don’t mean it literally because it’s
still artificial, but it’s a much improved design. They’re hopeful
that it will prove to have more lasting success in the transport
industry, but the really interesting application is in the world of
health and medicine - especially hospitals. When the Chinese
scientists analysed real shark skin, they looked at the earlier
research, and found that not only did it stay free from tiny sea
creatures, it also had no bacteria on it. Now of course bacteria
cause infections, so this discovery has led to something really
important, for hospitals in particular: a shark skin-inspired
surface that can stop bacteria from growing. And hospitals are
using it in the form of a plastic sheet which they hang from
walls to stop dangerous bacteria from reaching sick patients.
A similar thing is also starting to appear in people’s bathrooms
in a few countries.
I looked at the research done in hospitals on this, and what I
found is that the material doesn’t actually kill the bacteria –
some companies do have other material which will do this – but
it makes it difficult for bacteria to attach on to. Doctors seemed
a bit worried about this, claiming that the number one way for
passing on bacteria to patients is from nurses not washing their
hands enough and then touching patients or their food.
The latest shark-skin surface will soon be used for underwater
robots. These have bodies that move a bit like a fish, and it is
thought that adding the substance could make them move
more efficiently. They will not be ...
Unit 7 Skills Test Dictation
One aspect of modern life is greater choice, and some experts
would argue that this can now be seen in people’s houses. People
are attracted to the idea of being different and of experimenting
with unusual ideas.
Unit 7 Skills Test Listening
N = Narrator
1: Last year my school here in England organised an exchange
programme with a school in Spain for students studying
Spanish. The family I stayed with were lovely and really kind,
but the only thing was the mother and father wanted to
try out their English all the time, as they were both adult
learners! They had an apartment in Madrid which was just
amazing inside – everything was so neat that at first I felt I
couldn’t relax, but I soon realised it was to give me a good first
impression, so after that it began to feel more like home.
2: I went to Portugal on holiday with my family, and had a great
time. We stayed in a villa which was lovely and cool and dark
even though it was very hot outside.
It was just a beautiful building to look at … really interesting
architecture … and I took loads of photos of it from the garden.
My main contact with Portuguese people was the local shop
and I tried really hard to speak to the assistants in Portuguese.
They were really grateful for this, and gave me lots of special
offers! I’d only taught myself from a Portuguese phrase book
just for the holiday, so that was good!
3: My parents took us on a driving tour of Italy in a campervan.
They’re both fluent speakers of the language, but I’d only learnt
French at school. For some reason, I imagined that if I spoke
French, that I’d be understood, as the two languages are quite
similar. I soon realised I should let my parents do the talking!
My little sister thought living in the campervan for two weeks
was just the greatest experience of her life, but I wasn’t so
sure. It was actually surprisingly spacious. It was just that after
a couple of days I’d got used to it, so it was no longer exciting
for me.
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TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
4: My parents took me to Germany on holiday so that I could
practise the German I’d learnt at school. I knew the grammar
very well, but I was a bit worried before leaving that people
wouldn’t be able to understand me because of my English
accent. I needn’t have worried … so long as I spoke in a clear,
confident voice, it was fine. The problem was more the other
way round, actually, in me trying to listen to fast speech.
The hotel we stayed in was small, but comfortable, and my
room was just the same – I really felt at home. Space wasn’t
a problem. It was probably rather too small for my parents,
as my dad is unusually tall!
5: When I went to France, we stayed in a really wonderful old
house – it was a bit like being in a castle, as it had a circular
staircase with stone steps, which I’d never experienced before
in a house. It was really different and much better than
something futuristic as far as I’m concerned.
On the walls of the rooms there was lots of information in
French, so, using my French/English dictionary, I actually took
advantage of that. My French is now better as a result. I guess
my French lessons at school were actually very good, if I think
about it, but I was just never very keen on the subject.
Unit 8 Skills Test Dictation
It’s true that in most employment these days workers do not
have to struggle to do calculations. But maths is still important.
What companies want to see is people who have the ability to
solve problems.
Unit 8 Skills Test Listening
N = Narrator
N: One. You hear a girl talking about losing her handbag.
I was at the shopping centre with three friends, and we’d had
an afternoon out looking for new clothes to buy. I had to catch
a train home to where I live … about ten kilometres away.
We were sitting in a café waiting for the train, when suddenly I
realised I couldn’t find my handbag with my train ticket inside.
My friends told me to stay calm and think hard about where I
might have left it. I remembered that I’d tried on a new shirt in
the changing room of one shop, so we rushed back as quickly as
we could. I was just hoping that some kind person had noticed
it there and handed it in to a shop assistant. In fact it was still
lying on the chair … I was very, very lucky indeed!
N: Two. You hear a boy telling a girl about a Maths day at their
school.
A: Can you tell me what happened at the Maths day, David? I was
ill and missed it.
B: Well everyone said they learned most from this guy who came
in from the university and showed us some experiments about
numbers in space and the universe.
A: That was the afternoon session wasn’t it?
B: Yes and before that we watched a programme on twenty ways
you use maths in life without knowing it! Which was just OK.
I got more out of the groupwork we did to try and solve some
brainteasers using maths.
N: Three. You hear a girl talking about a class survey on sports.
OK, just to speak about the results of our class survey on
sports. For the first question, ‘Which sport do you prefer to
play?’, the highest percentage … twenty-eight percent ... went
to football, with basketball a close second … nearly twenty-five
percent ... a quarter of the class.
Interestingly, when asked which sport you preferred to watch,
there was a difference between male and female answers
which hadn’t been there in the previous question. The same
two sports were still first and second among the boys, but
thirty-one percent of girls preferred tennis, followed closely
by cycling. This shows a big difference between watching and
playing sports among the girls, but none between the boys.
2ND EDITION B1+
N: Four. You hear two students talking about climbing a
mountain.
A: We climbed up Scafell Pike last year on a school trip. It was a
really sunny day, and I remember being just so hot and tired I
could hardly walk another step.
B: The path isn’t very steep … that wasn’t the problem … but it’s
just such a long way. I actually found coming down was even
harder ‘cos my legs were so tired by then.
A: Yes, and although it’s not that steep, it’s difficult underfoot,
as there are lots of little rocks.
B: Oh yes, I remember that. But the views were fantastic, and I
took loads of pictures. My parents couldn’t believe we’d actually
done it in one day!
A: Oh, I’m glad I did it … but I won’t be doing it again in a hurry!
N: Five. You hear two students talking about their class visit to
a space museum.
A: When we went to the space museum I really enjoyed sitting
inside the space machine because it made me feel like I was a
pilot on an actual space mission!
B: I really wanted to try that, but I never got the chance.
There were always too many people wanting to go in, so I gave
up. But the ‘Journey through Space’ video … that kind of gave
me the same feeling as you had.
A: It worked really well, didn’t it? And I thought Fernando was
really lucky – he was chosen to wear one of the real spacesuits
worn by an astronaut on a moon mission.
B: Imagine how many people have tried it on, though! I wouldn’t
have liked to do that!
N: Six. You hear a boy talking about a presentation he had
to give.
My dad and I are in this photography club, and once we were
asked to stand up in front of everyone and talk about our
photos. Obviously I was a bit nervous beforehand as I’d never
done anything like that before. But once we got started, I
was actually quite enjoying myself, and it wasn’t as tricky as
I thought. I did make one rather silly mistake, but Dad made
a joke about it so nobody seemed to mind. But it was rather
on my mind for the rest of the presentation, which meant it
probably didn’t go as well as it might have done.
N: Seven. You hear a boy talking about selling his old
skateboard.
I was given a brand new skateboard for my birthday, so I
decided to sell my old skateboard on an online auction site. I’d
had it for a couple of years and not used it very much, so it was
still in reasonable condition.
I specified that it had originally cost fifty euros, and said that
I now wanted ten euros for it, not really knowing much about
the second-hand market for skateboards. But when people saw
the photo of it and the name of the company that made it,
they really started bidding, and there was quite a competition
to get it. In the end, I got double the price I wanted for it, so
that was a good deal!
N: Eight. You hear two students talking about a Maths website.
A: I’m really struggling with the Maths homework project – do you
understand about fractions?
B: Well I do, but only ‘cos I got some extra help from this website
my mum told me about. It’s called the mathsHelp website –
it’s full of good tips and I often use it. The speaker does example
calculations and tells you how to do them at each stage.
A: I’ll give it another try. I didn’t get on with it when I tried it for
advice on measurements and angles. He went too fast for me
and I couldn’t stop him and ask him what he meant.
B: I know what you mean about the speed, but the stuff on
fractions is great, believe me.
A: Ok, that’s good.
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TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
N: Nine. You hear a girl and a boy talking about a singing
competition.
A: Are you going to enter the singing competition?
B: I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind, but there are going to be twenty
or thirty people, so I’d have no chance of winning.
A: But it’s not all about winning! You should give it a try.
B: Yes, I don’t really mean it about winning ... it’s more that there’d
be lots of brilliant singers and I’d get embarrassed.
A: Well, you’ve got to start somewhere, otherwise you’ll never
have the confidence to perform on stage. You’ve got to decide
by Friday. Why don’t you put your name down now, see how
you feel, and then you can always cancel it?
N: Ten. You hear a girl and boy discussing security cameras.
A: Some people are really stupid! They say we shouldn’t have
security cameras on the streets because that means we don’t
have any privacy.
If the cameras stop a crime from happening, then it must be
worth it. If you want to be private, stay at home!
B: That’s a bit silly! Sometimes it is a bit worrying knowing that
you’re being watched.
A: Yes, but you know what the cameras are there for ... obviously
they’re not there for the police to control you in some mysterious
way in your life! Plus, if you don’t have cameras you have to spend
loads to pay for more police officers walking round.
Unit 9 Skills Test Dictation
I went to the opening night of a play at the Classical Theatre. It’s a
beautiful venue where the acoustics are particularly good. Thanks
to some world-class actors, it was sold out. The public was looking
forward to the performance.
Unit 9 Skills Test Listening
I = Interviewer; L = Laura
I: Now Laura, you’re leaving school soon, and going to performing
arts college. How do you see your time at the college?
L: Well ever since I was a little child, my dream has always been
to be a performer on stage … . When I was younger I loved
being the centre of attention, I guess … you know, doing little
shows in front of my parents, playing my instruments for them.
I didn’t, of course, know how to become a real performer.
So getting on the course in the college … I guess, in a way,
that’s not the dream itself, that’s the real thing, and it gives me
the chance now to try and make these dreams come true.
I: So at the college, you’ll be doing … what … drama,
singing, dance?
L: Yes, probably, and musical instruments as well, if I decide to do
that. I’m not sure yet … my piano playing is very basic, but I
am quite good on the guitar …’cos I started learning that quite
early on. And if I want to do singing as my main thing, both
of those instruments will be very useful. That does seem the
obvious way for me to go on the course, because my singing
is probably my main thing. But, yes, I will have to get my piano
playing up to standard … something for me to work on before
the course starts.
I: So tell us about your singing.
L: Yes, I’ve taken part as a young performer in a few shows, and
I’ve got my own CD which I had recorded in a studio for my
birthday! I was in my town’s summer pop concert …obviously
I wasn’t one of the big acts, but I had a little ten-minute time
in the afternoon. And I was in a singing talent show … I was
one of fifteen singers from my region who got through to the
national final. So yes, it’s really going well, thanks.
I: What about your acting?
L: I’d say I did more of that a few years ago, when I was younger.
My school put on a performance of Grease: The Musical and I
was in that, but I think I’ve always preferred singing in musicals
to traditional drama.
2ND EDITION B1+
I did study drama at school, and I had to act in things for it.
I quite enjoyed that, but I don’t think it’s my strongest thing,
if I’m honest with you. I haven’t quite got that ability to throw
myself into a character and become that person.
I: And dance …, what about that?
L: Well I really loved dance when I was younger, and I did
ballet lessons as a very little girl. I think that kind of set me
up to dance in a certain way. So I’ve got this influence, this
background in ballet, and when I dance now, whatever I dance
in, whatever style, people say you can see the ballet training
in me. But I think I’ve no longer got the right body shape for
dancing, and I’m probably a bit too tall, so maybe I’m just gonna
keep that for a hobby.
I: I believe you’ve also done some work as a film extra.
L: Yes, I’m lucky enough to live quite near a famous forest, where
lots of movies get filmed. In the long summer holiday they
came to film and they wanted local people of all ages to come
and do little parts in it. They actually came to our school and
talked to the drama classes, and asked if anybody would be
interested.
I was off that day with a cold, but a friend told me about it,
and I thought I’d like to give it a try and earn a bit of money.
I tried to find them on a website, but there wasn’t anything
about it. In the end I got a mobile number off one of my friends
and did it that way.
I: Did you enjoy that?
L: It was great. There were six of us from the school and obviously,
being young, we weren’t allowed to work more than four hours
a day. You had to get to the forest very early each day and then
they decided who would do what parts from who was available.
I thought this was a bit strange. I got to see some big names
in the industry, although we weren’t really allowed to go up to
them and start chatting.
I: So are you actually in the film?
L: Yes, it was a historical drama set in the 18th century. You can
see my face for about two seconds … about an hour into the
film! I’m in this scene where there’s a horse race between some
of the people in the village and I’m in the background cheering
them on with lots of others!
I had to wear this old costume which was incredibly hot and
uncomfortable! I remember being desperate to get home and
get into my shorts!
End of Year Test Listening Task 1
F = Francesca
F: Good afternoon everyone. I’m going to tell you about my recent
trip to Granada in Spain. I went there with my family and we
spent five amazing days there. I had already heard about the
city because it’s famous for the Alhambra, which is an ancient
palace and a World Heritage Site. However, there’s much more
to the city than I realised.
For me, the coolest part of the trip was probably our
accommodation. While most tourists tend to stay in hotels or
campsites, we had heard about some caves which had been
turned into houses. They were mostly built in the 19th century
when they were dug out of the rock. Our cave house was
actually quite roomy inside and had wonderful views of the
Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background.
The best thing, though, was that it maintained a comfortable
temperature, even when it was hot outside.
We went there in July so it was pretty hot most days, although
that didn’t surprise me. After all, we were in Southern
Spain in the middle of summer. What I did find surprising is
that Granada can get quite cold in winter. Apparently, the
temperatures are usually around six degrees in January,
although they can sometimes be as low as two degrees.
I was pleased we hadn’t gone in January because I wouldn’t
have been prepared for those temperatures!
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TESTS AUDIOSCRIPTS
As I mentioned, the most famous building in Granada is the
Alhambra. The original palace was built in the 8th century on
the site of Roman ruins. However, in the 13th century, the
rulers decided to make it more spacious. They rebuilt the palace
and added offices and bath houses. They also constructed a
canal so that water could be easily brought from the nearby
countryside into the palace. This was used for the bath
houses and the gardens of the summer palace, the Generalife,
which the Alhambra is so famous for.
Although old buildings don’t usually interest me, I was really
impressed with the Alhambra. The rooms were beautifully
decorated with some amazing designs. It also felt like a very
calm place. It was easy to imagine kings and queens sitting
in the summer palace, enjoying the cool wind from the hills.
The only negative thing was the huge queue of people waiting
to buy tickets. If you don’t want to have a long wait, you should
buy your tickets online.
Apart from the Alhambra, I also really enjoyed walking around
the narrow streets of the old town. One of the best things was
the street market, where you can find goods which are more
typical of North Africa than Spain. The market has been there
for at least 500 years, although the original one was destroyed
by a fire about 200 years ago. The modern market is much
smaller, but you can find some really original souvenirs there,
such as rugs, leather products and spices.
Another thing I loved was the food, like the tapas, or small
dishes, which are so popular in Spain. It’s great fun going from
one restaurant to another trying out the various plates of food
that were on offer. However, I also really liked the tea shops,
which are another North African tradition. My parents enjoyed
tasting the different types of tea, but my favourite things were
the small sweet cakes made with honey and nuts. They were
absolutely delicious!
Granada is a city which is full of surprises. One minute you’re
watching Spanish flamenco dancers and the next you’re eating
North African food. It’s fascinating to see the influence of
European, African and Persian cultures on the city. I would
strongly recommend visiting Granada if you’re wondering
where to go on your next holiday.
2ND EDITION B1+
3: I’ve grown up speaking different languages at home because
my parents moved to this country from abroad. My mother’s
Indian and my father’s French so I speak French, Hindi and,
of course, English. I’m also learning Spanish and German at
school. I speak English most of the time because that’s what
I use at school and with my friends. However, I tend to use
French and Hindi at home so I speak them pretty well. Being
able to speak three languages has definitely helped me learn
new languages at school. I think it’s easier for my brain to make
the connections. I know I’m lucky, though, because most of
my school friends struggle with languages. I try to help them
whenever I can!
4: I’ve been playing the guitar for about nine years and I’ve just
passed the grade eight music exam. That means that I should
be able to get a place at music college when I leave school.
It hasn’t been easy to get to that level though. I’ve had to do
a lot of practice and, to be honest, I hated it at first. I started
playing when I was young and the strings used to hurt my
fingers. My parents used to make me practise every day and
I didn’t enjoy it at all. I was always telling them how much I
hated it! My fingers don’t hurt anymore though and playing the
guitar is one of my favourite things in the world. I’m grateful
that my parents didn’t let me give up.
5: I think I’ve always had some artistic skill. I started out painting
pictures with water colours, but I got into street art a couple
of years ago. I’ve got a vivid imagination and I use lots of
bright colours, which people seem to like. I’ve done several
exhibitions and I’ve already started selling my work. The only
problem is that I’m not sure if I want to do this forever. While
I love the finished artwork, the process of making it can be
really frustrating. If I can’t find the right colours, I get quite
annoyed with myself. In my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to
do something that makes me frustrated.

End of Year Test Listening Task 2

1: My parents noticed that I was good at maths when I was quite
young. By the time I was three, I could count to 100 and I loved
adding and subtracting numbers. However, when I started
school, I found the Maths lessons too easy and I started to
get bored. That was when my parents decided to get me a
private teacher. I have two classes a week and we work on more
complicated problems, like fractions and negative numbers.
The trouble is that I find it quite stressful. My teacher is strict
and she insists on me doing homework when I’d rather be
hanging out with my friends.
2: People are often surprised when they realise that I only started
running seriously last year. I’d always been a fast runner, but I’d
never been very competitive. Then, last year, all the students
at my school had to participate in the sports day. I chose to
run the 200 metres and I won the race. I even broke the school
record! After that, I decided to join an athletics club and I’ve run
in several national competitions. Things have been going well
so far and my coach has recommended me to join the national
team. I can’t wait to find out if I have been chosen! You never
know, you might see me in the next Olympics!

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