Listening BC

Listening: A2
A morning briefing
Listen to a morning briefing to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–f) with the vocabulary (1–6).
Vocabulary Definition
1. …… a position a. a short meeting to give information and updates
2. …… a replacement b. a job
3. …… a briefing c. a person who will take the place of another one
4. …… to make improvements d. to make something better
5. …… a solution e. a way of dealing with a difficult situation or problem
6. …… to introduce something f. to start or begin something
Tasks
Task 1
Are the sentences true or false?
Answer
1. The briefing will be short this morning. True False
2. The new head of department is starting this week. True False
3. The car park will be closed for improvements. True False
4. If you arrive first thing in the morning, you should park on Brown Street. True False
5. There will be no parking after 6 p.m. True False
6. You can only pay with credit and debit cards in the canteen. True False
© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

Task 2
Write the words in the correct group.
If you arrive before 8.30 a.m.,

Firstly, there will be … I have two more quick points.
please use …
If you arrive after that you The other thing I want to tell You have to leave before 6
should go directly to … you about is … p.m.
Giving information Giving instructions
Discussion
Who do you have to give information and instructions to? What about?

Transcript
Hi, everyone. I know you’re all busy so I’ll keep this briefing quick. I have some important
information about a change in the management team. As you already know, our head of
department, James Watson, is leaving his position at the end of this week. His replacement is
starting at the end of the next month. In the meantime, we’ll continue with our projects as
usual.
I have two more quick points. Firstly, there will be some improvements made to the staff car
park next month for a few weeks. It will be closed during that time.
Don’t worry, we’ve found a solution. We can use the local church car park until our own one is
ready. If you arrive before 8.30 a.m., please use our small car park on Brown Street, and if you
arrive after that, you should go directly to the church car park. It’s only a five-minute walk
away. But they need it in the evenings, so you have to leave before 6 p.m. Sorry about that – I
know how much you all love working late!
The other thing I wanted to tell you about is that the canteen has now introduced a cashless
payment system. So, you can’t use cash for payments any more. You can pay directly with
your smartphone or you can pay using your company ID card. The total amount put on your
company ID card comes off your salary at the end of each month.
OK. That’s it? Are there any questions?

Listening: A2
An invitation to a party
Listen to some phone messages with directions to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Write the correct words below each picture.
go straight turn right go down go past take the exit turn left
(the road) (the trees)
1. …………………… 2. …………………… 3. …………………… 4. …………………… 5. …………………… 6. ……………………
……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ………………………
Tasks
Task 1
Write the sentences in the correct group.
The message was at a quarter to four. The woman says thank you for the card.
The woman describes the house. The woman gives directions.
The woman talks about a swimming pool. The woman talks about a bus.
Message 1 Message 2

Task 2
Circle the best answer.
1. She is having a party for ...

a. her family.
b. her very good friends.
c. everybody at work.
2. The party is at ...

a. the swimming pool at her house.
b. her cousin’s house.
c. work.
3. To get to the party, drive ...

a. straight on Forest Road.
b. right on Forest Road.
c. left on Forest Road.
4. The motorway exit you need is ...

a. 3A.
b. 13A.
c. 30A.
5. The house is the first big house ...

a. on the right.
b. on the left.
c. down at the end of the road.
6. If you go by public transport, take …

a. bus 18 to Brownsville.
b. bus 80 to Forest Road.
c. bus 80 to Brownsville.
7. The woman received the birthday card ...

a. this morning.
b. last night.
c. yesterday morning.

8. If you take a bus, ...
a. you can walk from the town to the house.
b. somebody will drive you from the town to the house.
c. there is a bus stop outside the house.
Discussion
Is it easy to get lost in your town? Have you ever given directions to a visitor?

Transcript
Automated message: You have two new messages. Message number one, received today at
3.45 p.m.
Hi, it’s me. How’s it going? I guess you’re at work and you don’t have your phone on, right?
First of all, thank you, THANK YOU for the birthday card and message. I received it this
morning. That’s so nice of you. I’m organising a little party for my birthday. It’s nothing very
big – only a few of my best and closest friends. That means you too! We’re going to have it at
my cousin’s house. She lives in the countryside in a nice big house with a swimming pool. I’d
love to see you there. It’s going to be this Friday. I’ll send you the instructions on how to get
there later, OK?
Anyway, have fun at work. Don’t work too hard, OK? Talk soon.
Automated message: You have two new messages. Message number two, received today at
5.15 p.m.
Aw, you’re still not answering your phone! OK, here are the instructions to get to my cousin’s
house for the party. Are you going to take your car? If you take the car, drive straight on
Forest Road until you get to the motorway. Drive past Brownsville and take exit 13A. That’s
13A. You drive down the road there and turn left. It’s the first big house on the right. OK? If
you’re taking a bus, you can get the number 80 to Brownsville. Call me when you get there
and somebody can pick you up in a car. I can’t wait. This is going to be so great!

Listening: A2
Changing a meeting time
Listen to two colleagues arranging a meeting to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–f) with the phrases (1–6).
Phrases Definitions
1. …… to cancel a meeting a. to change the time or date of a meeting
2. …… to confirm a meeting b. to have a meeting at a later time or date
3. …… to bring a meeting forward c. to have a meeting at an earlier time or date
4. …… to postpone a meeting d. to say that a meeting will happen
5. …… to move a meeting e. to say that you will go to a meeting
6. …… to accept an invitation to a f. to decide that a meeting will not take place
meeting
Tasks
Task 1
Circle the sentence that is correct.
1. The meeting time

a. The meeting was first planned for 9 a.m.
b. The meeting was first planned for 11 a.m.
c. The meeting was first planned for 1 p.m.
2. Moving the meeting

a. Lucy wants to cancel the meeting.
b. Lucy wants to bring the meeting forward.
c. Lucy wants to postpone the meeting.
3. The new meeting time

a. The new meeting time is 9 a.m.
b. The new meeting time is 11 a.m.
c. The new meeting time is 1 p.m.

4. The agenda
a. Anna has already sent the agenda.
b. Anna is sending the agenda now.
c. Anna will send the agenda later.
5. Lucy’s presentation
a. Lucy is nervous about her presentation.
b. Lucy is looking forward to her presentation.
c. Lucy isn’t ready to give her presentation.
6. Telling the other people

a. Lucy will tell the others about the time change.
b. Sven will tell the others about the time change.
c. Anna will tell the others about the time change.
Task 2
Complete the sentences with words from the box.
accept bring agenda
forward postpone invitation cancel
1. I sent an ……………………………… with the topics for the meeting.

2. Could we ……………………………… the meeting to a later date?
3. Could we ……………………………… the meeting ……………………………… to an earlier time?
4. The project has been stopped. So we need to ……………………………… the meeting.
5. I’ll send a meeting ……………………………… with the time and place.
6. I’ll ……………………………… the invitation when I get it.
Discussion
What meetings do you have to go to? How do you arrange them?

Transcript
Lucy: Hi, Anna. Do you have a minute to talk about the meeting next Tuesday?
Anna: Sure. We said 11, didn’t we?
Lucy: Yeah, we did. But I have a bit of a problem with the time. Would it be possible to move
it?
Anna: Oh, I see. We could postpone it to the afternoon, to 1 p.m., for example. Or bring it
forward to earlier in the morning. What would suit you?
Lucy: Could we make it 9 o’clock? That would really help me. I have another important
meeting in the central office at 12.
Anna: No problem. It’s important you’re there.
Lucy: Thanks a lot, Anna.
Anna: Do you need help with any preparation? Did you get the agenda I sent out?
Lucy: Yes, I did. And no, that’s all fine, thanks. My report is ready and I’m looking forward to
presenting it.
Anna: Great.
Lucy: I can tell Sven about the time change. I’ll see him later.
Anna: Don’t worry about telling Sven. I’ll send an email to everyone to confirm the time has
changed and with an updated meeting invite.
Lucy: Great. Thanks, Anna.
Anna: OK. I’m happy that works for you. We really need you there and it’s good we don’t have
to cancel it.
Lucy: See you then. Have a good weekend in the meantime.
Anna: You too.

Listening: A2
Changing plans
Listen to two people talking about changing their plans to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Write the words in the correct groups.
a ballet an artist a concert a show
a band a group a theatre a play
a musician a cinema an opera house a gallery
Entertainment events Places for entertainment People and entertainment
Tasks
Task 1
Listen and choose Francesco (the man) or Sachi (the woman) to complete the sentences.
1. ………………………… runs across the street.
a. Francesco b. Sachi
2. ………………………… is going to buy tickets for the play.

3. ………………………… can’t go to the play this Friday.
4. ………………………… is a musician.
5. ………………………… isn’t happy about the situation.
6. Two weeks ago ………………………… had tickets to the cinema.
7. ………………………… likes dance shows.
8. ………………………… suggests that they go out to dinner.
Task 2
Complete the sentences with the phrases in the box.
go next Friday next Friday the theatre on Friday
out for dinner I forgot free then
1. I can’t go to ……………………………… .
2. How about ……………………………… ?
3. Are you ……………………………… ?
4. I can definitely ……………………………… .
5. Why don’t we go ……………………………… ?
6. I’m sorry, ……………………………… .
Discussion
Do you make lots of plans for your free time?

Transcript
Francesco: Sachi? Sachi? Sachiko!
Sachi: Francesco! Is everything OK?
Francesco: Yes. Yes. Sorry, I saw you and I was across the street … I ran.
Sachi: I see. What’s up?
Francesco: Do you have the tickets … for the play?
Sachi: No, I don’t. I’m going to buy them this afternoon.
Francesco: Oh good, good. Listen, don’t buy tickets for this Friday.
Sachi: Oh? Why not?
Francesco: I can’t go to the theatre on Friday. Something’s come up. I have a concert this
Friday.
Sachi: Another concert? But you said …
Francesco: I know, I know. I’m sorry. I forgot.
Sachi: Francesco!
Francesco: How about next week? Are you free then? I can definitely go next Friday.
Sachi: Francesco. You did this two weeks ago, remember? I had cinema tickets for the new
Marvel movie and you changed the plans then too. For band practice.
Francesco: I know, and I …
Sachi: We also missed my favourite dance group. Because your band was playing at some
child’s birthday party.
Francesco: It was my nephew’s birthday …
Sachi: Ha!
Francesco: OK, why don’t we go out for dinner before my concert? Then, next Friday we can
go to the play.
Sachi: Oh …
Francesco: Come on, Sachi. Just this one more time.
Sachi: OK, but promise me next Friday. OK?
Francesco: I promise. I promise!

Listening: A2
Facts and figures
Listen to the lecturer giving some facts and figures to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
kilometres to cross canal
goods trade ship
waterway ocean commercial
Water Economy and industry Travel and transport
Tasks
Task 1
Write a number (1–4) to put the topics in order.
History of the construction of the canal
Length of the Panama Canal
How many ships cross the Panama Canal
Who controls the Panama Canal

Task 2
Complete the sentences with correct numbers.
99 1881 8 to 10 2000 2
40,000 82 25,000 1914 15,000
1. The Panama Canal connects ……………………………… oceans.

2. It is ……………………………… kilometres long.
3. It is ……………………………… kilometres to travel around South America.
4. It takes ……………………………… hours to cross the canal.
5. The canal was started in ……………………………… .
6. It was finished in ……………………………… .
7. Almost ……………………………… people died while they were building the canal.
8. The control of the canal returned to Panama in ……………………………… .
9. Every year, about ……………………………… ships come through the canal.
10. Now the canal is bigger, and ……………………………… per cent of ships can pass through it.
Discussion
Are you good with numbers?

Transcript
… and the next part of this talk is on the Panama Canal. It’s amazing how this one small section
of a small country can be so important to the world. Let’s learn a little bit about the canal itself,
before we look at how it connects to everything else.
The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway in the Central American country of Panama that
connects the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. It is only 82 kilometres long. If you go around South
America by ship then you need to travel another 15,000 kilometres. So the canal saves a lot
of travel time. It takes around 8 to 10 hours to cross the canal.
The French started building the canal in 1881, but they couldn’t finish it. The project was
started again in 1904 by the United States and the canal was finally finished in 1914. Many
people died while they were building the canal, some say up to 25,000. For the rest of the
20th century, the United States controlled the canal, but gave control back to Panama in 2000.
Every year, around 40,000 ships come through the canal. These are mostly commercial ships.
They transport goods for trade between Asia and America, or Europe. In 2016 the
government of Panama made the canal bigger, so that now 99 per cent of ships can pass
through it.
Let’s now turn to the role of the Panama Canal in the global economy …

Listening: A2
Four conversations
Listen to four conversations to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Write the words and phrases in the correct group.
Right. No way! Let’s see … Really? Umm …
And? I mean … Well … I know.
When you’re thinking of something to say When you show the other person you are
(4 expressions) listening (5 expressions)
Tasks
Task 1
Match the topics (1–4) with the conversations (a–d).
Topic Conversation
1. …… An old photo a. Conversation A
2. …… A university project b. Conversation B
3. …… A holiday c. Conversation C
4. …… A work interview d. Conversation D

Task 2
Answer
1. (Conversation A) The woman was in the interview for 15 minutes. True False
2. (Conversation A) The woman thinks she is going to get the job. True False
3. (Conversation B) The woman was trying to look at art. True False
4. (Conversation B) The woman is thinking about not taking photos on True False
holiday any more.
5. (Conversation C) The man and the woman grew up in the same family. True False
6. (Conversation C) The girl had an older boyfriend at school. True False
7. (Conversation D) The man is not in the group because the others don’t True False
like his work.
8. (Conversation D) The man needs to find another group. True False
Discussion
Have you ever had a similar conversation? What new phrases did you learn in these
conversations?

Transcript
A
Man: How did it go?
Woman: Umm, I think it went quite well. I did a lot of research and prepared a lot. I was in
there for ... I don’t know ... half an hour?
Man: And? What did they say?
Woman: Nothing much. At the end I asked them, ‘What happens now?’, and the woman said,
‘We’ll call you back with news in three or four days.’
Man: Really?
Woman: Yeah, I think I’ve got the job. There weren’t a lot of other people there. I was the only
interview that day, you know?
Man: Well, good luck with it.
B
Man: Anyway, you were saying ...
Woman: Oh, yeah, um ... let’s see. Yes, so I was in the museum and there were, I don’t know, a
hundred people waiting to get into the room. Finally, I got in, and I tried to see the Mona Lisa
but I couldn’t look at it.
Man: Why not?
Woman: Because the room was filled with people taking photographs of it!
Man: Oh, right.
Woman: Yes! And selfies.
Man: Wait a minute. You can take photos while you’re in there?
Woman: Yes, but you can’t use flash. I don’t know ... Why do we take photos of everything we
see when we travel?
Man: I know. And we never look at the photos after.
Woman: Exactly! I’m tired of always taking photos. I don’t feel I’m enjoying things.

C
Man: Who took this?
Woman: I can’t remember. Hmmm ...
Man: What am I doing?
Woman: You’re sitting on the sofa, watching TV and eating chocolates. Nothing changes!
Man: Ha! Very funny. You look very young, though.
Woman: I know. Look at my hair – it was so long!
Man: Mine too, look at me! Hey … I think I know who took this photo.
Woman: Umm … who? Was it Dad?
Man: No, it wasn’t Dad or Mum. Do you remember Barry?
Woman: No.
Man: Yes, YES! You do remember. Barry, your boyfriend at high school. You were seventeen
and he was sixteen and he was so very polite: ‘Hello, I’m Barry. It’s very nice to meet you ...’
Woman: Stop it! He was nice.
Man: Yeah, well, he took the photo.
D
Woman: Let’s see. OK. I’m glad we could talk about this. It’s not easy to say.
Man: What?
Woman: Well, you’re not in our group – for the class project.
Man: What do you mean? You know I’m always in a group with you.
Woman: I know. It’s just that this time … this time we made the group differently and because
you were late ...
Man: I see. You don’t want me in the group?
Woman: No, no. It isn’t that. It’s that we’ve already made the group, see? There’s four of us
already.
Man: So? We can’t be a group of five?
Woman: Well, the teacher said four people per group.
Man: Oh.
Woman: It’s not about you or your work or anything like that. It’s ... errrr ... well, we already
have the group.
Man: So I have to find another group.
Woman: I’m sorry.

Listening: A2
Instructions for an assignment
Listen to a university teacher giving instructions for an assignment to practise and improve
your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–h) with vocabulary (1–8).
1. …… a deadline a. a piece of writing
2. …… a quote b. the date you have to finish something
3. …… to hand in c. a piece of work for school or university
4. …… an essay d. to give to a teacher
5. …… a subheading e. the exact words another person has said
6. …… an assignment f. the order A, B, C, D …
7. …… to reference g. to show who an idea belongs to
8. …… alphabetical order h. the title for a section of a piece of writing
Tasks
Task 1
1. What day should you hand in your essay?

a. 18 October
b. 19 October
c. 28 October
2. It’s OK to …
a. give it to the teacher two days late.
b. give it to the teacher a week late.
c. give it to the teacher early.

3. How do you write the teacher’s email address?
a. j.hartsorn@lmu.ac.uk
b. j.hartshorn@nmu.ac.uk
c. j.hartshorn@lmu.ac.uk
4. What goes on the last page of the essay?

a. The alphabet
b. The books you used
c. Quotes and ideas
5. Which font should you write the essay with?

a. Arial
b. Comic Sans
c. Calibri
6. What size font should you use for the essay?

a. 12
b. 14
c. Any size is OK.
Task 2
Match the two parts of the sentences.
First part Second part

1. …… If your essay is late, a. you still have to hand the essay in on time.
2. …… If your computer breaks, b. don’t print your assignment.
3. …… If the teacher doesn’t write back c. you won’t pass the assignment.
to you, d. use font size 12, subheadings and page
4. …… If you want to be kind to trees, numbers.
5. …… If you use other people’s ideas, e. you can email him to check he got your
6. …… If you want to make your essay essay.
easy to read, f. you have to say where you get them from.
Discussion
What do you find difficult about writing essays?

Transcript
I want to explain a few things about your essay.
First of all, the deadline. The deadline for this essay is October the 18th. Not the 19th, not the
28th, not two days later because your dog was ill or your computer broke – the 18th. If it’s
late, I won’t mark it. I won’t even read it – you’ll fail the assignment! So, please hand it in on
time. You can even hand it in early, if you like!
You can email me the essays at j.hartshorn@lmu.ac.uk. That’s H-A-R-T-S-H-O-R-N. I’ll reply to
say I’ve got it. If I don’t reply within a day, it might mean I didn’t get it, so please email me
again to make sure. You can also bring a paper copy of the essay to my office, but let’s be
kind to the trees, OK? Email is better for the trees and for me.
Don’t forget that you must reference every idea or quote you use that isn’t your own idea.
And the last page of your essay should be a list of all the books you used, in alphabetical
order, not in the order you used them!
And lastly, make it easy for me to read! That means use a clear font. Arial is best, but Times
New Roman is fine too. Not Comic Sans please! Size 12 font for the essay, and size 14 for the
titles and subheadings. And use page numbers. Any questions?

Listening: A2
Leaving a message
Listen to someone leaving a message to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
I'll give her your

Would you like to message when she Here’s my email Please ask her to call
leave a message? comes back to the address. me back.
office.
Could you take a Could you give me

Thank you for calling. I’ll call back later.
message, please? your number, please?
Taking a message Leaving a message
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. Maria’s in a meeting. True False
2. Peter’s number is 07460 990128. True False
3. Peter needs to give Maria the new project figures. True False
4. Peter might be in a meeting later that afternoon. True False

5. Peter prefers Maria to email him back instead of calling back. True False
6. Peter’s email address is peter.griffin@pxo.com True False
Task 2
Write a number (1–6) to put the sentences in the correct order.
Thank you. Goodbye.
I’m sorry. She’s not here at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?
That’s fine. I’ll tell her you called. Goodbye.
It’s OK. She already has my number.
Yes, please. Could you tell her that Peter Griffin called?
Sure. Would you like to leave a number?
Discussion
How often do you make phone calls in English?

Transcript
Jane: Hello, this is the sales department. Jane Solomon speaking.
Peter: Hello, is Maria Fernandez there, please?
Jane: No, I’m sorry. She’s not in the office at the moment. She’s on her lunch break.
Peter: Oh. Could you take a message, please? Could you tell her that Peter Griffin called?
Jane: Sure. Could you give me your number?
Peter: It’s 0-7-4-6-0 double 9-0-1 double 8.
Jane: Thanks. That’s 0-7-4-6-0 2-9-0-1-2-8.
Peter: Sorry, no. It’s 0-7-4-6-0 9-9-0-1-8-8.
Jane: 9-9-0-1-8-8.
Peter: Yes. Please ask her to call me back, and tell her it’s about the PXO project. I need the
new project figures.
Jane: The PXO project. Right. I’ll give her your message when she comes back to the office.
Peter: Thank you. In case I’m in a meeting when she calls back, can I give you my email
address too?
Jane: Of course.
Peter: Great. It’s P-E-T-E-R dot G-R-I-F-F-I-N at F-R-E-S-H dot com.
Jane: Can I read that back to you?
Peter: Sure.
Jane: That’s P-E-T-E-R dot G-R-I-F-F-I-N at F-R-E-S-H dot com.
Peter: Yes, that’s it.
Jane: OK. I’ll tell her you called.
Peter: Thank you. Goodbye.
Jane: Goodbye.

Listening: A2
Missing a class
Listen to a student explain why she can’t come to class to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Complete the phrases with words from the box.
links appointment know
assignment test term
1. a doctor’s ………………………………
2. a homework ………………………………
3. to let someone ………………………………
4. to post ……………………………… online
5. a practice ………………………………
6. a mid-……………………………… exam
Tasks
Task 1
1. Diana can’t come to class because …

a. she has a different class.
b. she has a mid-term exam.
c. she has a doctor’s appointment.
2. For homework, she has to read …

a. chapters 17, 18, 19 and 20.
b. chapters 17, 19 and 20.
c. chapters 17 and 20.

3. The articles and video are available …
a. online.
b. via email.
c. in the library.
4. The deadline for the homework is …

a. Wednesday.
b. Friday.
c. Sunday.
5. The teacher can give Diana the practice test …

a. on Friday.
b. by email.
c. after the mid-term exam.
6. The office needs …

a. a note from the doctor.
b. an email from Diana.
c. the mid-term exam.
Task 2
Put the words and phrases in order to make sentences.
1. but sorry to class. I I’m can’t come
2. Can me give the homework you assignment?
3. to chapters 17 read 20. You need to
4. I should do? What
5. links the post I’ll online.
6. the practice you give I can test.
Discussion
Do you have a lot of homework? What kind of homework do you like?

Transcript
Student: Excuse me, Ms Henderson?
Teacher: Yes, Diana. How can I help you?
Student: I’m sorry, but I can’t come to class next Wednesday. I have a doctor’s appointment.
Teacher: OK. Thanks for letting me know.
Student: Is there anything to do at home?
Teacher: Let me just check my notebook. OK, first of all … you need to read chapters 17, 19
and 20 in the book. There are also some articles and a video to watch – those are online. I’ll
post the links online in the usual place.
Student: Chapters 17 to 20.
Teacher: Yes, except chapter 18. Chapters 17, 19 and 20.
Student: Ah, OK. Um ... is there a deadline?
Teacher: Yes, this Friday. But there’s something else. I was going to give you all a practice
test.
Student: A practice test?
Teacher: Yes, to help people prepare for the mid-term exam.
Student: Ah. All right.
Teacher: Don’t worry, I can send you the practice test by email on Wednesday. Can you send
it to me before Friday?
Student: Sure, no problem.
Teacher: And don’t forget to bring a certificate from the doctor to the office.
Student: Thanks, Ms Henderson! I’ll do that.
Teacher: You’re welcome, Diana. Take care.

Listening: A2
Transport announcements
Listen to some transport announcements to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the definitions (1–8) with the words in bold letters in the sentences (a–h).
Definitions Sentences
1. …… train a. Move to the front of the carriage.
2. …… a section of a train b. Approximately five minutes.
3. …… to leave c. Your plane is boarding at Gate 1.
4. …… to get on a plane, d. Your plane will depart soon.
train or boat e. Some rail services are delayed.
5. …… to end f. Mind where you walk.
6. …… to be careful about g. There is a gap between the platform and the train.
7. …… more or less h. This train terminates here.
8. …… space
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The Bristol train is at 20.12. True False
2. First class is at the back of the train. True False
3. Passengers for Oxford are delayed by 8 minutes. True False
4. The Paris flight is EV318. True False
5. People in the front of the train carriage can get out easily at Liverpool True False
Street.
6. The back doors won’t open. True False
7. Liverpool Street has lots of other underground lines. True False
8. Redbridge is the last stop. True False

Task 2
Write the numbers next to the information.
13 9 8 3
1. ……………………………… The number of stops before Bristol Temple Meads.

2. ……………………………… The number of minutes delay to the Bristol train.
3. ……………………………… The new platform for the Bristol train.
4. ……………………………… The gate for the Paris flight.
Discussion
How often do you travel by plane or train?

Transcript
A
The next train to arrive at Platform 2 is the 12.20 to Bristol Temple Meads, calling at Reading,
Oxford and Bristol Parkway. Platform 2 for the 12.20 to Bristol. First class is in the rear
carriage.
B
This is a platform announcement for passengers for the 12.20 service to Bristol Temple
Meads. This train is delayed by approximately 8 minutes. The train will now depart from
Platform 9. Passengers for the 12.20 train to Bristol, please make your way to Platform 9.
C
Passengers for Flight EB380 to Paris please make your way to Gate 13 for boarding. Gate 13
for flight EB380 to Paris. Please have your passports and boarding passes ready. Your flight is
ready to board.
D
This is a London Underground service to Liverpool Street. The next station is Liverpool Street.
Upon arrival, the first set of doors will not open. Customers in the first carriage, please move
towards the rear doors to leave the train. The next station is Liverpool Street. Change here for
Central Line, Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line and Metropolitan Line and Main Line
Suburban rail services. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. This train
terminates at Redbridge.

Listening: A2
Understanding an explanation
Listen to a professor’s explanation to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… a lecture a. a series of related numbers in a particular order
2. …… geometry b. a formal talk given to a group of people, especially at
3. …… a sequence university
4. …… common c. a period in European history, approximately between the
years 500 and 1500
5. …… the Middle Ages
d. the study of lines, angles and surfaces in mathematics
6. …… mathematician
e. a person who studies or teaches mathematics
f. found in many places
Tasks
Task 1
Circle the correct answer.
1. The professor says there …

a. are lots of questions.
b. is only one question.
c. are no questions.
2. Fibonacci was …
a. from central England.
b. the first in a sequence of scientists.
c. a mathematician.

3. What is the next number in this Fibonacci sequence: 1, 2, 3, 5, …
a. 6
b. 7
c. 8
4. What does the professor say about Fibonacci numbers?

a. They are common.
b. They are uncommon.
c. They are very difficult to understand.
5. What does the professor promise?

a. To explain better
b. To bring examples to next class
c. To include this in the exam
Task 2
Put the words in order to make sentences.
1. not about the sequence. sure I’m
2. understand. I don’t
3. get it. don’t I
4. mean? does What Fibonacci
5. explain. Let me
6. it works. how is This
7. have Does anybody question? a
8. know? do to want you What
Discussion
What was the last lecture you went to about? Did the professor explain it clearly?

Transcript
Professor: OK, before we continue, does anybody have a question? Oh, lots of questions, I
see. OK, we’ll go one at a time. Yes?
Student: Thank you. You talked about Fibonacci numbers in the lecture. Sorry, I don’t
understand. Can you explain?
Professor: Of course. What do you want to know?
Student: OK … I hope this isn’t a silly question, but what does Fibonacci actually mean?
Professor: No question is ever silly – it’s always good to ask. OK, it’s the name of a person.
Fibonacci was a European mathematician in the Middle Ages.
Student: Ah, OK. Thanks. So, we know he was a person, but what are the Fibonacci numbers? I
don’t get it.
Professor: The Fibonacci numbers are a sequence of numbers. They go 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and so
on. Do you see the sequence? Do you see how it works?
Student: I’m not sure.
Professor: OK. This is how it works. The first number is 1, then 1 again, then 2. The third
number is the first number plus the second number. The fourth number is the second number
plus the third number: 1 plus 2 is 3. The fifth number is the third number, 2, plus the fourth
number, 3. So the fifth number in a Fibonacci sequence is 5.
Student: Ah! I think I understand now. But what about their importance? You said these were
very important.
Professor: Yes, let me explain. This sequence of numbers is important because we see it in
many things. Fibonacci numbers are common in geometry, they are common in nature, for
example in plants. We see the sequence everywhere.
Student: Could you give us some more examples?
Professor: OK ... well, we don’t have time right now but I can bring more examples in for next
class, OK?

Listening: A2
Who’s who in the office
Listen to two people talking about the people in their office to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to deal with a. a person you work with
2. …… a printer b. a part of a company or organisation
3. …… a colleague c. controlling and organising something
4. …… IT systems d. a machine for printing documents, photos, etc.
5. …… a department e. information technology systems
6. …… management f. to do something about (a particular problem or situation)
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. Jani is new in the department. True False
2. Luciana has short, dark, hair. True False
3. The guy on the phone is called Ian. True False
4. Maria is responsible for the new orders. True False
5. Yuki should write everything down. True False
6. Sebastian works in communications. True False

Task 2
Match the endings (a–f) with the beginnings (1–6) of the sentences.
Beginning Ending
1. …… The first people they see a. is the marketing director.
2. …… The woman in the purple dress b. can get Yuki email access.
3. …… The man in the green shirt c. will introduce herself to Sebastian later.
4. …… Maria d. is responsible for information technology systems.
5. …… Yuki e. do order management.
6. …… Sebastian f. will be working with Yuki.
Discussion
Can you describe your colleagues? What do they look like and what do they do?

Transcript
Jani: Welcome to the department, Yuki. Let me show you around and tell you about your new
colleagues. I’ll introduce you to them all later.
Yuki: Great. Thanks. So, who are those people over there?
Jani: That’s the order management team. Luciana deals with the new orders. She’s the one
with short, dark hair.
Yuki: In the purple dress?
Jani: Yeah, that’s right. You’ll probably work closely with her while you are learning about our
ordering process.
Yuki: Got it, thanks. And who’s that over there? The guy who’s on the phone?
Jani: Oh, you mean the one by the window? In the green shirt? Ah, that’s Ian. He’s the
marketing director. And that’s Maria beside him. She’s responsible for the internal IT systems.
Yuki: OK, I’ll try to remember all of this. I should probably be taking notes!
Jani: Don’t worry about it. For now it’s just good to put some faces to names.
Yuki: OK, great – and who do I talk to about setting up my mobile phone with email access? Is
that also Maria?
Jani: No, you need to talk to Sebastian who works in communications. He can help you. That’s
him over there, next to the printer.
Yuki: Thanks. I’ll introduce myself to him later.

Listening: B1
A phone call from a customer
Listen to the phone call from a customer to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
1. …… an exception a. proof that a delivery has been made
2. …… payment terms b. the conditions of when a customer should make
3. …… an invoice payment
4. …… an extension c. when more time is allowed for something
5. …… delivery confirmation d. an official or organisational rule
6. …… cash flow e. a document which shows how much a customer has to
pay, for what and by when
7. …… a regulation
f. when something doesn’t follow the usual rule
8. …… to appreciate
g. to show someone you are grateful for something they
have done
h. the timing and amount of money coming in and going
out of a company
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The delivery hasn’t arrived yet. True False
2. Andrea is having cash flow issues and needs a payment extension. True False
3. Andrea usually asks for an extension of the payment terms. True False
4. Andrea has a new order to place, even bigger than the last one. True False
5. Junko can extend the payment terms on the last order to 60 days. True False
6. Junko will send Andrea an email confirmation. True False

Task 2
Write the sentences in the correct group.
Let me see what I can do. I promise this won’t become the norm.
I’m happy to help you. I’m not sure if I can do that.
You’ll really be helping us. I appreciate your help.
I need a favour. I think we can make an exception this time.
The customer says: The supplier says:
Discussion
Do you ever do favours or make exceptions for important clients?

Transcript
Junko: Hello, Junko Mori speaking. How can I help you?
Andrea: Hi, Junko, it’s Andrea here from Red Band. I’m calling about our latest order.
Junko: Everything arrived OK, right? We got the delivery confirmation at our end.
Andrea: Yes, everything’s fine with the order. I’m calling about the invoice and the payment
terms. I need a favour.
Junko: A favour? What do you need?
Andrea: This is a little, er ... difficult, but I need an extension on the payment terms. I know
they’re usually 30 days, but we’re having some cash flow problems. You’d really be helping us
out if you could extend it to 60 days.
Junko: I’m not sure if I can do that, Andrea. We’ve got regulations at our end, and also have to
manage our own cash flow.
Andrea: I promise this won’t become the norm, Junko. Actually, I also want to place another
new order. The same size order as last time. It’s for an important customer and they pay on
delivery.
Junko: I see. So your cash flow problem will be solved after this new order is delivered.
Andrea: Exactly.
Junko: That sounds good. Hold on, Andrea. Let me see what I can do. Yes, I think we can make
an exception this time.
Andrea: That’s great, Junko. I appreciate your help.
Junko: And we appreciate your business, Andrea. It works both ways.
Andrea: Thanks again, Junko. Can you send me a quick email confirmation of the payment
terms extension?
Junko: Sure, no problem. We’re happy to help you.
Andrea: Great. And I’ll email you the new order.
Junko: Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out for it. Talk to you soon.
Andrea: You too. Goodbye.

Listening: B1
A student discussion
Listen to two students comparing Mars and Earth to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Write the words and phrases in the correct group.
to have in common but similar whereas
both to share while
Words and phrases for talking about Words and phrases for talking about
difference things that are the same
Tasks
Task 1
Write the characteristics in the correct group.
Has more air Is closer to the Sun Is colder Has stronger gravity
Has more nitrogen

Is 50 per cent smaller and oxygen than Used to have water Has a longer day
carbon dioxide
Earth Mars

Task 2
astronomical nitrogen frozen
support Gravity same
1. Most people think Mars can ……………………………… human life.

2. We measure distances in space using ……………………………… units.
3. The two planets aren’t the ……………………………… colour.
4. Most of the water on Mars is probably ……………………………… .
5. The air on Earth is mostly made up of ……………………………… .
6. ……………………………… on Mars is just over one third as strong as on Earth.
Discussion
Do you think people will live on Mars one day?

Transcript
Teacher: So you’ve got a few minutes to discuss with your partner.
Student 1: So, as far as I know, the main similarity between Mars and Earth is that they can
both support human life.
Student 2: Yeah, but do we know that’s actually true? I mean, Mars is much colder than Earth,
isn’t it? It says here it’s about minus 55 degrees most of the time, whereas on Earth only
places like Antarctica get that cold.
Student 1: True. Well then, I suppose you could say both planets are a similar distance from
the Sun?
Student 2: No way! Mars is much further away! It says here it’s about 228 million kilometres,
while Earth is about 150 million.
Student 1: Yes, but in space that’s not that far. Jupiter is, like, almost 780 million kilometres.
That’s why we use astronomical units when we talk about distances in space. Earth is 1
astronomical unit from the Sun and Mars is 1.3. The difference doesn’t sound so big when you
look at it that way.
Student 2: I see what you mean. Jupiter is 5.2 astronomical units so I guess you’re right. What
other similarities are there between the two planets?
Student 1: Let’s see … not the colour, obviously!
Student 2: Yeah! Earth is called the blue planet and Mars is called the red planet for pretty
obvious reasons!
Student 1: Their sizes are pretty different. Mars is about half the size of Earth.
Student 2: What about this? It looks like the days on both planets are almost the same length.
Earth’s day is 24 hours but Mars’s is about half an hour longer.
Student 1: You’re right. OK, any other things they both share?
Student 2: I suppose you could say they have water in common.
Student 1: Could you? How?
Student 2: Well, Earth is 70 per cent water and Mars probably had huge oceans in the past.
It’s just that most of the water there now is probably frozen.
Student 1: Ah, I see. I don’t think we can say the air is the same, though. Most of Earth’s air is
nitrogen and oxygen, but Mars …?
Student 2: Mars doesn’t really have air, not compared with Earth. It’s got about one per
cent as much air as Earth.
Student 1: Right, and it’s mostly carbon dioxide.
Student 2: Gravity is another difference. I didn’t know this, but Mars has higher gravity than
the Moon. But it’s much less than on Earth, of course.
Student 1: Oh, yes. It says Mars has about 38 per cent of Earth’s gravity.
Teacher: OK, let’s see what you’ve found …

Listening: B1
A team meeting about diversity
Listen to a team meeting about diversity to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… a charter a. when different people, things or ideas are included
2. …… to promote b. when you feel separate from others
3. …… isolation c. a document that describes the beliefs of a group
4. …… diversity d. to help something to happen
5. …… to pay attention to e. when everyone has the same rights and advantages
6. …… equality f. when people feel part of a group
7. …… a venue g. to think carefully about
8. …… inclusion h. a place where an event happens
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The team has grown and become more diverse in the past year. True False
2. Everyone in the team respects and values everyone else. True False
3. They’re going to create a workplace charter to encourage diversity, True False
equality and inclusion.
4. They’re going to involve the whole team when creating the charter. True False
5. They have already run some successful workshops this year. True False
6. Nina has already shared some positive research. True False

Task 2
1. Stefano is going to …
a. talk to colleagues who feel isolated.
b. look for a trainer who specialises in running diversity workshops.
c. look for an unusual venue for the workshop and team-building event.
2. Brenda is going to …
a. talk to people about their different opinions.
b. look for a trainer who specialises in running diversity workshops.
c. look for an unusual venue to run the workshop and team-building event.
3. Nina is going to …
a. write the workplace charter before the workshop.
b. also look for an unusual venue for the event.
c. research other organisations and their diversity.
Discussion
How diverse is your workplace? How can diversity benefit your team?

Transcript
Nina: As you know, our team has grown a lot in the past year and we feel we need to address
the diversity in the team.
Brenda: How do you mean, ‘address the diversity’?
Nina: Well, we all know that diversity in teams is a good thing, but it can also be a challenge
for some people to respect and value people’s differences. We’ve got a really diverse team
here – people of different nationalities, backgrounds, religions, ages … and sometimes I don’t
feel we make the most of this.
Stefano: Yes, and even if it isn’t specifically challenging, many people are simply unaware of
the isolation that some team members may feel because they are different.
Brenda: So, what does this mean? What are we going to do?
Nina: Well, we need to create a workplace charter. You know, one that promotes equality,
diversity and inclusion.
Brenda: That sounds like a good idea. But will people just see it as something the
management team has created? Maybe they won’t even pay attention to it.
Nina: I know. That’s why we’re going to involve everyone in creating it.
Stefano: That’s a good idea. We could run some workshops and get ideas from the employees
about how we can create a more inclusive workplace.
Nina: Exactly. I was thinking that before that we could run some team-building sessions so
they can experience the value of diversity for themselves.
Brenda: Yes, I like that. Many people see diversity as something negative, often because
there are different opinions or ways of doing things.
Nina: Yes, I know, but if there’s no diversity, then the risk is that we all work in the same way,
think the same and see the world the same. This makes it hard to be creative and to innovate.
Stefano: I completely agree, Nina. OK. So, what do you want us to do?
Nina: Stefano, can you look for a successful trainer who specialises in running workshops and
team-building sessions on diversity and inclusion?
Stefano: Sure. I’ll be happy to.
Nina: And Brenda, can you find a fun venue? Somewhere that is quite diverse itself. Something
that’s not the usual seminar-style environment?
Brenda: Sure. That’ll be fun.
Nina: And I’m going to do some further research into how other organisations are benefiting
from their diversity. I can share this with the whole team.

Listening: B1
A weather forecast
Listen to a weather forecast and answer the questions to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… throughout a. a small area
2. …… isolated b. to disappear
3. …… a patch c. on its own, without other similar things around it
4. …… drizzle d. during all of a period of time
5. …… to clear up e. in other places
6. …… elsewhere f. to move so that there is space for something to enter
7. …… a heatwave g. very light rain
8. …… to make way for h. a period of weather that is much hotter than normal
Tasks
Task 1
thunderstorms dry showers a heatwave
wet weather drizzle bright
Rainy weather Sunny weather

Task 2
Answer
1. It will start raining at lunchtime today in the east. True False
2. The weather in the north-west will be worse than in the south. True False
3. There will be thunder in Leeds tonight. True False
4. Most of England will be hot this week. True False
5. Wet weather will move from the north to the south at the weekend. True False
6. It will stay hot when the rain comes. True False
Discussion
What kind of weather do you like best?

Transcript
Hello and good morning! Well, we’re off to a good start in the south this week, as most of
the rain from the weekend has disappeared – just a few patches of cloud and maybe some
showers here on the east coast. They’ll all clear up by lunchtime, though. Over the next day or
so, London and the area around Kent can expect a couple of isolated showers, but mostly dry
through until Thursday.
It’s not such good news for the north-west this week, I’m afraid: more wet weather, and not a
lot of sunshine. Some of today’s showers will be heavy – and even thundery in Manchester and
across the Pennines. Leeds will escape the thunderstorms, with drizzle and light rain only
throughout the rest of the day and tonight.
Elsewhere it becomes dry today, but with some foggy patches towards Wales. In England,
tomorrow morning will see a dry, bright start in most places, with high temperatures
throughout the week. We might see one or two thunderstorms appearing as the week goes
on, with temperatures everywhere at 29 to 30 degrees.
By the weekend, unfortunately, the dry weather will make way for mostly cloudy skies and
rain. The rain will move from Scotland, down towards the north and reach the south coast by
Saturday afternoon. Temperatures, at least, will stay mostly warm at around 21 degrees for
the weekend. It might feel like a nice change from the high twenties and early thirties we’ll see
in the week. That’s all from me until tomorrow. Enjoy the mini-heatwave while you can!

Listening: B1
An interview about listening skills
Listen to the English teacher talk about listening to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the vocabulary (1–8) with the definitions (a–h).
1. …… high stakes a. to admit
2. …… to break something down b. an action to achieve a result
3. …… a strategy c. to behave as if something is true
4. …… to pretend d. a situation where the result is very important
5. …… sweat e. the water that comes from your skin when you’re
6. …… to confess very hot
7. …… to summarise f. to give the main points
8. …… paperwork g. forms and documents
h. to make something into smaller parts
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The interviewer finds speaking the most difficult. True False
2. Gabriella thinks, in some situations, people can find speaking easier True False
than listening.
3. According to the interviewer, asking for someone to say the same thing True False
again is one way to solve the problem.
4. Gabriella recommends pretending to understand if a conversation is True False
too difficult.
5. Gabriella’s strategy for managing important conversations sounds True False
strange to the interviewer at first.
6. Gabriella’s idea involves asking a lot of questions. True False

Task 2
Match the expressions (1–6) with the meanings (a–f).
Expressions Meanings
1. …… I came out in a cold sweat. a. I can’t think.
2. …… I’m still lost. b. I won’t be upset.
3. …… I can take it. c. I wanted to escape.
4. …… My brain shuts down. d. I was really nervous or afraid.
5. …… I get you! e. I still don’t understand.
6. …… I wanted to get out of it. f. I understand what you’re saying!
Discussion
What do you do to help with listening?

Transcript
Presenter: So, today’s expert teacher is Gabriella, a university English teacher from Leeds.
Gabriella, hi and thanks for joining us today.
Gabriella: Thanks for having me!
Presenter: So, I have to confess today’s topic is something I am really bad at: listening. Most
people say speaking is the most stressful part of learning a new language but, for me, with my
B1 German, speaking isn’t so bad. At least I’m in control of it. But listening … woah … people
speak so fast and it’s like my brain just shuts down. Am I just really strange and bad at
listening? Tell me, honestly, I can take it.
Gabriella: No, you’re not strange. In fact, it’s really common. You know, in exams most people
do pretty well in speaking compared with listening. Of course, exams are a different situation
from real life because in an exam you can’t ask for something to be repeated or explained.
You usually have just one or maybe two opportunities to listen to the dialogue and then it’s
gone.
Presenter: Right, but in real life I feel stupid always saying, ‘Sorry, can you repeat that,
please?’, especially if I still don’t understand even when they repeat it. And people out there
listening, I hope you don’t do this – quite often the person just repeats what they said equally
as fast and I’m still lost!
Gabriella: They do, don’t they? In real life, you’ve got two strategies. One is to pretend to
understand and get out of the conversation as fast as you can.
Presenter: Yep, sounds familiar!
Gabriella: But, obviously that’s not going to help if it’s a conversation with high stakes. It
might have important consequences. I mean, if you’re just chatting with a stranger at the bus
stop, it doesn’t matter. But imagine you’re at a government office or a bank, trying to find out
what paperwork you need to get your ID or open a bank account. What can you do then?
Presenter: I hope you’ve got the answer, Gabriella, because I’m coming out in a cold sweat
just thinking about either of those situations!
Gabriella: The other strategy is to summarise what they said.
Presenter: But how can you do that if you didn’t understand what they said?
Gabriella: Ah, well, you only start the summary, so you might say, in German in your case, ‘OK,
so the first thing I have to do is …?’ and make it a question. Or, for example, ‘And which office
is that again?’ Break it down into smaller questions and the other person will naturally start
answering them. That way you’re controlling the conversation a bit more.
Presenter: I get you ...

Listening: B1
An introduction to a lecture
Listen to the introduction of a psychology lecture to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the vocabulary (1–6) with the definitions (a–f).
1. …… perception a. so interested in something that you do not notice
2. …… to lose track of anything else
3. …… a psychologist b. the way you understand or think about something
4. …… a state c. to forget about
5. …… concentration d. the process of giving all of your attention to something
6. …… absorbed e. someone who studies the human mind
f. the physical or mental condition of a person at a
specific time
Tasks
Task 1
Write a number (1–6) to put the topics in the order they are mentioned.
What makes a happy life?
Csikszentmihalyi and his work
An outline of the rest of the lecture
The difference between psychology and positive psychology
Examples of flow
One definition of a happy life

Task 2
Answer
1. Positive psychology focuses on people’s problems. True False
2. The teacher asks the students to define a happy life. True False
3. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi believes that external events are the main True False
things that make us happy or sad.
4. Csikszentmihalyi believes that a happy life means being very focused True False
on what you do.
5. Csikszentmihalyi studied depression, and from there learned about True False
happiness.
6. Flow means being completely absorbed in what you are doing. True False
7. Csikszentmihalyi was influenced by watching creative people. True False
8. The rest of the lecture will look at what other psychologists think of this True False
theory.
Discussion
Have you ever been in a ‘state of flow’ while doing an activity?

Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the first lecture of our new course in Positive
Psychology. While some people may associate psychology with looking at what’s wrong with
us, and at what problems we have, there is much more to psychology than that. Positive
psychology, for example, looks at how to help people become happier.
This lecture begins with a question: what makes a happy life?
Now, I’m going to give you one possible answer. A happy life is a life in which you are
completely absorbed in what you do. Now, how does this compare with what you and your
partner said?
This answer comes from the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and the theory of flow.
Csikszentmihalyi is a psychologist who has spent much of his professional life on the study of
what makes people happy and how we can find happiness.
Csikszentmihalyi suggests the theory that happiness is not caused by external events or
things that happen to us. Our perception of these things and how we see these events either
makes us happy or sad. In other words, if we want happiness, we have to actively look for it.
However, this does not mean that we should always look for happiness! Csikszentmihalyi
believed that our happiest moments happen when we are in a state of flow.
The theory of flow can be summarised like this: when we are totally involved in, or focused on,
what we are doing, we are in a state of flow.
Csikszentmihalyi got the inspiration for this theory when he noticed how artists worked in a
studio. They completely lost track of time, they didn’t notice they were hungry or tired, and
they could work for hours, even days, without stopping. Anyone I have spoken to who has
experienced this state of concentration has said it’s difficult to explain. The best way to
explain it is that it is like being in a river and the flow of the water carries you away.
For the rest of this lecture, I will explore this theory of flow in more detail. First we will look at
Csikszentmihalyi’s life, and how it influenced his ideas. Then we will look at the conditions that
go with a state of flow. What creates flow, exactly? Finally, we will look at activities that can
help us achieve flow in our everyday lives. Will this course make you happy for life? Well,
maybe. Maybe.
Right, let’s get started. If you look at the next slide …

Listening: B1
Arriving late to class
Listen to the conversation between two students to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to hand something in a. to hear
2. …… to get something b. to give something to a teacher or person in
3. …… to have to do with authority
4. …… to catch (what someone said) c. to understand something
5. …… to make sense d. to return something to someone who had it
before
6. …… to give something back
e. to be easy to understand
f. to be related or connected to
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The class started five minutes ago. True False
2. The teacher will hand back the tests next Thursday. True False
3. The boy shares his textbook with the girl. True False
4. The teacher is going on about search engines. True False
5. The boy thought this class was about the French Revolution. True False
6. The boy is in the wrong class. True False

Task 2
1. I missed? What have
2. Did the mid-term? he say anything about
3. catch I didn’t that.
4. meant to be we on? are What page
5. mean? SEO What does
6. with the American Revolution? this What have to do does
7. get don’t I it.
8. makes Now sense. all it
Discussion
When you don’t understand something in class, what do you do?

Transcript
Student 1: Sorry. Sorry, excuse me. I’m just … just coming to sit over here. Phew. Hey. How’s it
going? So, what have I missed?
Student 2: Nothing. He just started around five minutes ago.
Student 1: Did he say anything about the mid-term?
Student 2: What?
Student 1: About the mid-term tests. Did he say anything about when he was going to hand
them back?
Student 2: He’s almost finished marking them, he said. We get them next Tuesday.
Student 1: I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. When do we get them?
Student 2: Tuesday. Next Tuesday.
Student 1: OK. Got it. Sorry. What page are we meant to be on?
Student 2: Page 34.
Student 1: Page … 34. Oh, wait. I don’t have my textbook. Can I … share with you? Wow. This is
hard stuff.
Student 2: Mmm.
Student 1: What does SEO mean?
Student 2: What?
Student 1: SEO. This is all about SEO but he hasn’t said what it means.
Student 2: Search engine optimisation. How to appear on internet searches.
Student 1: Internet searches. Right. Right. OK.
Student 2: He said what it meant.
Student 1: What?
Student 2: He explained it before you got here.
Student 1: Oh. Right. OK.
Student 2: Can you be quiet? I’m trying to listen to the lecture.
Student 1: So am I. Sorry. Sorry, one more question. What does this have to do with the
American Revolution?
Student 2: What?
Student 1: I don’t get it. Why is he talking about search engines in a course on the American
Revolution?
Student 2: What are you talking about? This is a class on software engineering.
Student 1: You mean, it’s not Early American History?
Student 2: You’re in the wrong class.

Student 1: Oh, wow. Now it all makes sense. I’m so sorry.
Student 2: It’s fine.
Student 1: Here, I’ll just … excuse me. I’m in the wrong class. Excuse me. Thanks. Sorry.

Listening: B1
At the chemist
Listen to a conversation at a chemist’s to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
it hurts a prescription an ache lozenges a sore throat
dizzy plasters tablets a cough syrup
Describing illness Medicines and treatment
Tasks
Task 1
Circle the best option.
1. The man needs something …

a. for his throat.
b. for his head.
c. for his wife.
2. The man …
a. is coughing and has a headache.
b. is coughing but doesn’t have a headache.
c. isn’t coughing, but has a headache.

3. The lozenges are …
a. cheaper than the syrup.
b. not as cheap as the syrup.
c. more expensive than the syrup.
4. He should have the lozenge …

a. every four to six hours, after he eats a meal.
b. every four to six hours, with food.
c. every four to six hours, before he eats a meal.
5. The pharmacist can’t give him antibiotics because …

a. his prescription is only for tablets.
b. he doesn’t have enough money.
c. he doesn’t have a prescription.
6. The man has to pay …

a. £7.49.
b. £17.49.
c. £7.99.
Task 2
1. throat. need for I something sore a
2. really hurts. It
3. have Do you a too? headache
4. do take? I How many
5. take How should I often it?
6. any medicine? Are allergic to you
7. prescription for I’m need a afraid that. you
8. a should You really see doctor.
Discussion
How often do you get a cough or a cold? What do you recommend?

Transcript
Chemist: Hello, can I help?
Customer: Yes, my wife sent me here. I, erm, need something for a sore throat … and I can’t
stop coughing. It really hurts.
Chemist: Do you have a headache too?
Customer: Not really, no.
Chemist: Well, we have this syrup. And these lozenges.
Customer: Which is better?
Chemist: They’re both good. The syrup is more expensive.
Customer: Oh, well … I’ll take the lozenges, then. How many do I take?
Chemist: Just one.
Customer: Sorry, I’m sorry. Er, how often should I take it?
Chemist: Just one every four to six hours. Take it before mealtimes. Are you allergic to any
medicine?
Customer: No.
Chemist: Then you’ll be fine with this.
Customer: Can I get some antibiotics too?
Chemist: I’m afraid you need a prescription for that.
Customer: Ah.
Chemist: You know, you should really see a doctor if that cough continues.
Customer: Thanks. I know.
Chemist: Anything else?
Customer: No, thanks.
Chemist: That’ll be £7.49 then, please.

Listening: B1
Chatting about a series
Listen to two friends chatting about a television series to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the explanations (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
Vocabulary Explanations
1. …… predictable a. like a chapter in a book, but for a television series
2. …… an episode b. easy to guess what will happen
3. …… key c. things that will happen in life and you can’t change them
4. …… to reckon d. very important
5. …… special effects e. to survive
6. …… revenge f. to think; to have an opinion about
7. …… destiny g. hurting someone because they hurt you
8. …… to make it h. computer graphics or other ways of making amazing scenes
for film and television
Tasks
Task 1
Match the characters (1–5) with what the speakers say about them (a–e).
Characters What the speakers say about them

1. …… The dragon a. did something that wasn’t very surprising.
2. …… Jaime b. looked impressive.
3. …… Bronn c. is not the woman’s favourite character any more.
4. …… Tyrion d. never does anything we expect.
5. …… Cersei e. almost died.

Task 2
1. How often does the woman watch the show?

a. always
b. sometimes
c. We don’t know.
2. How has the woman’s opinion of the show changed over time?
a. It’s become more positive.
b. It’s become less positive.
c. It hasn’t changed.
3. What does the man think of the story?

a. It’s very well written.
b. Too many characters died.
c. He can’t remember much about it.
4. What is the one negative thing about the show for the man?
a. They spent too much money on the special effects.
b. The episodes were too short.
c. There weren’t enough episodes.
5. Why does the man think the writers have fewer ideas for stories now?
a. Because they’re saving their ideas to make a Hollywood film.
b. Because they aren’t copying the books.
c. Because they’re copying the books.
6. Why does the woman like Cersei?

a. The character does unpredictable things.
b. The character learns from her mistakes.
c. She’s a very intelligent character.
Discussion
What series do you think this chat is about? What’s your favourite TV show and why?

Transcript
Man: So, did you see the final episode last night?
Woman: Of course! As if I would miss that!
Man: And?
Woman: It was by far the best episode, definitely.
Man: Yeah, totally. The dragon at the end and all the special effects in that final scene were
amazing.
Woman: I loved that part! But I still don’t think this series was as good as the others.
Man: Really? But you said you wouldn’t want to miss it?
Woman: I know, but still … it’s a lot more predictable than it used to be.
Man: But that’s because the story has been told so well that all the characters are reaching
their destiny now.
Woman: I don’t know … before, anyone could die at any time so it was exciting! But, this
series, no key characters died and we all knew they wouldn’t. When Jaime fell in the water
after the dragon attacked him, we knew he would make it somehow. And … oh, surprise, Bronn
jumps in and saves him.
Man: They did kill some characters in this series, though. What was that one’s name …?
Woman: Exactly, see! You can’t even remember who died!
Man: Hmm. The only thing I didn’t like about this series was that it was shorter than the others.
Seven episodes instead of ten. Maybe they spent all their money on that dragon!
Woman: Right! I don’t understand why they did it, as all the fans would happily watch ten
episodes.
Man: I reckon that now they’re not using the story in the books any more, they don’t have as
many ideas.
Woman: That would explain why they’re not being as brave with the story too. It’s more like a
Hollywood film than a TV show now.
Man: So, is Tyrion still your favourite character?
Woman: You know … surprisingly, I think my favourite might be Cersei.
Man: What?!
Woman: She’s so interesting! All the awful things she’s done and the way she’s just aiming for
revenge, even though it won’t make her happy. She still surprises us because we’re expecting
her to have a happy ending where she sees her mistakes and becomes a good person. But
she never does, no matter what it costs her. She’s unpredictable because we just can’t believe
anyone would be like her.
Man: I guess. You don’t have to like a character for them to be your favourite!

Listening: B1
Making a decision
Listen to a meeting in which colleagues make a decision to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… agile a. a plan for when things will happen and how long they will take
2. …… a timeline b. one of the stages of a process
3. …… additional c. able to move quickly and easily
4. …… a phase d. most of the people in a group
5. …… to adapt e. something that is extra or more than planned
6. …… the majority f. to change something to make it better or more successful
Tasks
Task 1
Circle the best option to complete the sentence.
1. The objective of the meeting is to …

a. decide on the role of each team member.
b. agree when each phase of the project will happen.
c. improve team communication.
2. Emiko wants …
a. to be told what to do.
b. everyone to make a decision together.
c. to check the decision with the head office.
3. David …
a. prefers a structured approach.
b. is happy to take a flexible and agile approach.
c. agrees with the decision they make in the end.

4. Carolina doesn’t say much at first because …
a. she doesn’t have a specific opinion on the topic.
b. she is worrying about something else.
c. she is considering people’s suggestions.
5. The decision they take is based on …

a. a vote.
b. a recommendation from Jani’s boss.
c. a majority decision to follow the team leader.
6. David suggests they should …

a. allow some extra time later in the project.
b. get help from another team.
c. use an online project management tool.
Task 2
Write the expressions in the correct group.
How do you feel? That’s right.
I don’t think I agree with you. I agree with you on that point.
I’m sorry, I don’t think so. What do you think?
It would be best to … I think we should …
Asking for opinion Giving opinion Agreeing Disagreeing
Discussion
How are decisions usually made where you work?

Transcript
Jani: Thanks for coming, everyone. So, we’re here today to define the timeline for our new
project.
Emiko: Yes, Jani, that’s a great idea.
Carolina: OK. What do you need from us?
Emiko: Hold on a moment. I think we need to decide between us what to do, to make sure it
works for all departments.
Jani: Yes, exactly, don’t worry. We’re going to discuss this and make a decision together. Let’s
first think about the scheduling of each project phase. What do you think, Emiko?
David: Can I interrupt? I think we should first be clear about the process we’ll use to make the
decision. How are we going to do it?
Jani: Ah, yes. Good point. Well, I think the best way is for each of you to give your opinion and
then we can discuss and make a decision.
David: OK. That sounds good.
Emiko: Yes, that works for me too. I know we’re still planning the structure of the later phases
of the project, but I think we should begin phase one as soon as possible. We can work out the
rest later, as we go along.
David: I’m sorry, I don’t think so. How can we start phase one if we’re not fully clear on where
the rest of the project will take us? We might make a wrong decision and waste time.
Jani: I agree with you on that point, David. However, we’ll waste too much time if we wait until
everything is planned before we actually start working on the project. I think we should take
an agile approach.
David: Agile approach?
Jani: Well, it means that we start quickly and then adapt as we go along.
Emiko: That’s right.
Jani: Carolina, you’ve been very quiet.
Carolina: Um … I’m sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m listening … and thinking.
David: Do you agree we should get the plan right first, and then start with phase one?
Carolina: I’m sorry, David. I don’t think I agree with you. It’s important to have a good plan. But
plans can change, even the good ones – and business changes often. We need to be flexible,
and we also need to move quickly.
Jani: OK. So should we take a vote?
Emiko: Well, you’re the project leader. Let’s go with your decision.
Carolina: Yes, I’ll follow your lead, Jani.
David: Well, I guess that’s decided then. We’ll follow your agile approach, Jani. Start quickly
and keep planning the later stages of the project.

Jani: Yes, that’s right.
David: I still don’t think this is the right decision, but I’m happy to go with the majority. We
should add some space into the schedule later for additional work this ‘flexibility’ will need.
Jani: Don’t worry, David, we will. OK, so it’s decided then. We’ll start phase one as soon as
possible, and in the background we’ll continue planning the later phases and adapt them as
we go along.

Listening: B1
Meeting an old friend
Listen to the conversation between two old friends to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Circle the correct explanation for the words in CAPITAL letters.
1. It’s been AGES.
a. a long time b. a short time
2. It DIDN’T WORK OUT.
a. was successful b. was not successful
3. The dream job wasn’t really A DREAM.
a. perfect b. boring
4. It’s CRAZY expensive.
a. a little b. very
5. Time FLIES.
a. goes quickly b. goes slowly
6. You should COME ROUND to the house.
a. go outside b. visit
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. Patrick and Selina have never met each other before. True False
2. Selina still lives in London. True False

3. Selina didn’t like her job in London. True False
4. Selina is living with her parents. True False
5. Patrick also went to London. True False
6. Selina is surprised that Patrick is married. True False
7. Patrick has a daughter named Marigold. True False
8. Patrick invites Selina to his house. True False
Task 2
Write the correct number to fill the gaps.
1. They have not seen each other for over ……………………………… years.
2. Selina was in London for ……………………………… years.
3. Selina has been back for ……………………………… months.
4. Patrick has been married for ……………………………… years.
5. Patrick’s children are ……………………………… and ……………………………… years old.
Discussion
Do you keep in touch with old friends?

Transcript
Selina: Patrick? Is that you?
Patrick: Selina! Hello!
Selina: Well, well. Patrick Eastwood. How have you been?
Patrick: Good. Great, actually. How are you? I haven’t seen you for ... how long?
Selina: It’s been ages. At least fifteen years. Wow.
Patrick: Yeah. Wow.
Patrick and Selina: So, what are you doing here?
Selina: Sorry, you go first.
Patrick: OK. What are you doing here? I thought you’d moved to London.
Selina: I was in London for a couple of years. But it didn’t work out.
Patrick: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Are you ... OK?
Selina: I’m fine! The dream job wasn’t really a dream, you know? Um ... and London is great
but it’s so expensive. I mean, just the rent on a flat is ... uh … crazy expensive.
Patrick: I see.
Selina: So, I came back. I’ve been back now for almost five months. Living back home with
Mum and Dad. Which is err ... interesting. Um ... but anyway, what about you?
Patrick: Me? Oh, nothing new. You know me – ‘Patrick the predictable’. I never left here.
Selina: Oh. And is that ...?
Patrick: Oh, I’m very happy. I’m married now. We’ve just celebrated our tenth anniversary.
Selina: No way! You? Married? To …?
Patrick: I don’t think you know her. Her name’s Marigold. And we’ve got two kids. They’re five
and eight years old.
Selina: Married and with two kids? Wow!
Patrick: Don’t look so surprised!
Selina: No, no … I’m just amazed how time flies! I’m happy for you. I really am.
Patrick: Thanks. You should really come round to the house one day.
Selina: That would be great. Let’s swap numbers and ...

Listening: B1
Work–life balance
Listen to a radio interview about maintaining a good work–life balance to practise and
improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… work–life balance a. a successful book
2. …… overtime b. giving the right amount of time to work and to the rest of
3. …… a best-selling book your life
4. …… an advantage c. an idea
5. …… a concept d. working more than your normal work hours
6. …… to fade e. the ability to work from different places
7. …… freedom f. a positive thing about something
8. …… mobility g. to become less clear or visible
h. being free to do what you want
Tasks
Task 1
1. How popular is Chris Svensson’s book?

a. Not very popular
b. Very popular
c. It’s new. People don’t know it yet.
2. What is the work–life balance like in traditional workplaces?

a. Work lives and private lives are clearly divided.
b. People work too much overtime and so they have no private life.
c. People are free to manage the balance themselves.

3. How often do people do overtime?
a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. They don’t.
4. In traditional workplaces, do people work at weekends or when on holiday?

a. Yes, it’s normal.
b. No, never.
c. Usually, they don’t.
5. How has technology helped people work with more flexibility?

a. They can send and receive emails from their phones from home.
b. Their working hours can be easily tracked.
c. Robots can do their work for them.
6. Traditional divisions between work and life are fading. What does this mean for employees?
a. Everyone has to do overtime, all the time.
b. People have to work while they’re on holiday.
c. They can be flexible to work when and where it suits them.
Task 2
Write the ideas in the correct group.
Possible to work weekends or Hobbies and sports only in

Flexible working hours
while on holiday the evening or at weekends
Hobbies and sports can be

No working at weekends or
Fixed working hours done at other times, also
on holiday
during the day
Traditional workplaces Modern workplaces
Discussion
How do you manage your work–life balance?

Transcript
Presenter: Good morning, everyone. On today’s show, we’ve got Chris Svensson with us, the
author of No more nine to five, the new best-selling book about work–life balance in the
current working world. Good morning, Chris. Thanks for coming.
Chris: Thanks for having me, Anna.
Presenter: So, Chris, tell us about your book and how the concept of a work–life balance has
been changing?
Chris: Well, in the more traditional workplaces, people’s working lives and their private lives
are, or were, clearly divided. People often work from nine in the morning until five or six in the
evening. People sometimes stay late in the office and work in the evenings. This is called
working overtime.
Presenter: OK, and what else?
Chris: Well, in these environments it isn’t common for people to work at the weekend or while
they’re on holiday. They can clearly separate their working lives and their private lives. And
the evenings, weekends and holidays are free to focus on non-work areas of life, such as
hobbies, interests, sports, spending time with the family and friends, and so on. It’s important
and healthy not to spend all your time just working, right?
Presenter: Right! So what has changed? How are things different now?
Chris: Well, for a start, most people can now access their work emails from their mobile
phones. So they are more likely to quickly reply to an important mail in the evening or at the
weekend. The same goes for laptops. It’s easier to access your work in the evenings from
home or even from your hotel when you’re on holiday.
Presenter: That doesn’t sound like much of a work–life balance. It sounds like all work.
Chris: Exactly, but this new mobility brings a lot of advantages with it. More people are now
able to work flexibly, so if they need to leave the office early one afternoon to be with their
family, they can catch up on work that evening from home or somewhere else.
Presenter: That sounds good. So, what you’re saying is that although traditional divisions
between work and life are fading, many employees now have more freedom to do their work
from different locations and at different times.
Chris: Yes, that’s it.

Listening: B2
A business interview
Listen to the business interview to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… a remote area a. someone who starts a business
2. …… pre-approved b. many
3. …… the founder c. already officially recognised and accepted
4. …… a predicament d. far away from towns or other populated places
5. …… numerous e. a difficult or challenging situation
6. …… obvious f. easy to understand or notice
Tasks
Task 1
Choose the correct answer.
1. Anna …
a. didn’t start the company but manages it now.
b. started the company and manages it now.
c. started the company but doesn’t manage it any more.
2. The app …
a. is for parents to learn from.
b. is for students to learn from.
c. is for students who want to find a tutor.
3. Many parents …
a. don’t have the time or knowledge to help with their children’s homework.
b. think that schools should help with their children’s homework.
c. don’t want to help with their children’s homework.

4. The app …
a. has student exercises on it.
b. is only for people in remote areas.
c. offers live online support from tutors.
5. On the app, tutors who live in remote areas …

a. often charge lower rates.
b. often charge higher rates.
c. don’t like to work too much.
6. The app …
a. is new and not many people know about it.
b. is already popular.
c. is not very successful.
Task 2
Match the verbs (1–6) and nouns (a–f) from the interview.
Verbs Nouns
1. …… to solve a. funding
2. …… to come up with b. a need
3. …… to meet c. a problem
4. …… to speak for d. itself
5. …… to secure e. the range of services
6. …… to expand f. an idea
Discussion
What’s your favourite app for learning and why?

Transcript
Presenter: Welcome to today’s show. We’re very happy to have Anna Oliveira as our guest
today. Anna is the creator and founder of HomeworX – spelled with an ‘x’ we should note – an
app which helps teenagers with their homework. Thanks for coming in, Anna.
Anna: Thanks for having me.
Presenter: So, tell us about your app. How does it work?
Anna: Well, teenagers and their parents have numerous challenges when it comes to
homework these days. In many families both parents work and don’t have much available time
to help their kids with their homework. And even if they do have time to help, they may not be
able to offer support with the content. What I mean is, they may not know, or at least
remember, enough in any given subject to support.
Presenter: You mean they might not be able to remember complex maths or might have
never studied certain subjects, such as biology or economics, themselves?
Anna: Exactly. So they might want to support their children with their homework, but have
neither the time nor the knowledge to do so.
Presenter: I see. So the app helps solve this problem?
Anna: Yes, and more. The next issue is that tutors can be expensive, and there may be long
waiting lists for specialist tutors in the town or region you live in. Our HomeworX app brings
students and tutors together online. Students can search a database of pre-approved tutors
and sign up for live online support. They don’t need to be in the same town or city.
Presenter: That sounds really great.
Anna: It is. And this approach also enables us to offer the tutoring services at lower prices
because there’s no travelling time involved for the tutor to get to the student’s home. And
tutors who live in remote areas are happy to get access to more students, and be able to
work from home, even at lower rates.
Presenter: This all sounds great. So, how did you come up with the idea?
Anna: Well, as you might guess, I was one of those parents I described earlier. I really wanted
to help my son with his homework, but I was either too busy with work or I didn’t actually know
anything about the subjects he was having difficulty with. Also, we live in an area where there
aren’t many tutors and the ones that are there are either very expensive or have long waiting
lists.
Presenter: Yes. I can understand your predicament. Well, it sounds like a very useful app that
is clearly meeting a need. And its popularity obviously speaks for itself.
Anna: Thank you.
Presenter: So, do you have plans for the future?
Anna: We’ve just secured some funding and hope to expand the range of services we offer
using the app.

Presenter: We wish you the best of luck. Thanks again for coming in. That was Anna Oliveira,
founder of the tutoring app HomeworX (with an ‘x’, don’t forget!), which is available for both
Apple and Android devices. Join us again next week for another business interview. Have a
great week, everyone.

Listening: B2
A design presentation
Listen to the presentation about a new product design to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to unveil a. interesting or attractive
2. …… appealing b. a small and useful machine or tool that does something
3. …… a phase specific
4. …… target market c. to show people something or tell them about it for the
first time
5. …… a Gantt chart
d. something that is designed to look like something else
6. …… to launch
e. to bring a new product or service to the market
7. …… an imitation
f. a stage within a process or project
8. …… a gadget
g. a table which shows the different stages of a project
h. the group of consumers that a product is aimed at
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. They have redesigned an old product. True False
2. The product is aimed at men and women aged 18–40. True False
3. The new design means you don’t need two hands to use it. True False
4. There’s only one size now. Another one will follow in a few months. True False
5. They will make a Gantt chart for the project next month. True False
6. He finished the presentation with enough time to take some questions. True False

Task 2
Write the useful phrases next to the tips.
I’d like to talk you through the Finally, I’m going to talk to
Firstly, … / Next, …
following (three) points. you about …
As you can see …, / You’ll notice that … I’d now like to tell you about …
As you know, … Do you have any questions? In summary, …
1. Refer to the audience’s knowledge ………………………………………………………………………………

2. Refer to what images you are showing ………………………………………………………………………………
3. Tell them the structure of your presentation ………………………………………………………………………………
4. Use signal words to help them follow you ………………………………………………………………………………
5. Tell them when you’re moving on ………………………………………………………………………………
6. Show them when you’re near the end ………………………………………………………………………………
7. Tell them the main points one last time ………………………………………………………………………………
8. Open up the discussion ………………………………………………………………………………
Discussion
When was the last time you had to give a presentation? What was it about? How did it go?

Transcript
Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming to this short presentation on our new product design. As you
know, we’ve already redeveloped our ‘Adventure’ shampoo to make it more modern and
appealing. And we’ve renamed it ‘Adventure Tech’. Our market research established the target
market as men in the 18–40 age range who like to be outdoors and also like technical
gadgets, such as smartwatches, drones and things like that. We needed to create a bottle
which appeals to that market.
So, today, I’m happy to unveil our new bottle design. As you can see, it’s designed to look like
a black metal drinking flask, with some digital features printed on it.
I’d like to talk you through the following three points: the key features, sizing and our timeline
for production.
Firstly, you’ll notice it has an ergonomic design. That means it fits smoothly into your hand and
can be easily opened and squeezed using one hand. And, it looks like a flask you might use
when hiking outdoors. The imitation digital displays are designed to remind the user of other
tech devices they may have, such as a smartwatch or smart displays in their home.
I’d now like to tell you about the sizes. It comes in two sizes: the regular size and a small travel
size. The travel size is the same type of design – a flask, also with imitation digital displays on
the bottle. We were thinking of starting with one and following with the travel-size in a few
months, but we’ve worked hard and both are ready now.
Finally, I’m going to talk to you about our timeline for production. You’ve probably heard that
we’re launching in two months. In preparation for that, we’re starting the marketing campaign
next month. You can see the complete overview of all phases in this Gantt chart.
In summary, the bottle’s been designed for men who like adventure and technology, and it
comes in two sizes. The marketing campaign is starting next month and we’re launching the
product in two months.
OK. So, any questions? Feel free to also email me for further information in case we run out of
time.

Listening: B2
A digital detox podcast
Listen to the podcast about doing a digital detox to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
screen show an alert laptop browse websites
display smartphone access the internet buzz
interact on social
satnav monitor show a notification
media
devices things a device does to get your attention
things you do with a device parts of a device

Tasks
Task 1
1. The radio host says that a digital detox …

a. means we are in front of screens all the time.
b. is something younger people are trying more.
c. is important for our health.
2. Which sentence is not true about Amanda Vince’s job?

a. She is online a lot of the time.
b. She follows fashion on social media.
c. She uploads her own videos to social media.
3. What is the name of the book that influenced Amanda?

a. Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting
b. Log Off: How to Disconnect and Stay Disconnected
c. Log Off: Advice for the Digital Detox
4. The first step in a digital detox is to get rid of distractions, such as …

a. noises the phone makes.
b. screens in your home and workplace.
c. the bright colours on your phone.
5. Amanda removed notifications from …

a. her close family and friends.
b. everything except important people in her life.
c. everything except very important work-related things.
6. The book also suggested that …

a. we replace digital distractions with real-world ones.
b. we think about the reason we are looking at our phones so much.
c. we try to be more polite with our phones around people.

7. Amanda and her partner …
a. tried a two-day digital detox first.
b. found it impossible to completely disconnect.
c. found it very easy to do a digital detox for a weekend.
8. Amanda believes that a digital detox …

a. is not a good idea if you have a lot of work.
b. is better if it’s for a week, not just a weekend.
c. is something everyone will enjoy.
Task 2
Put the words and phrases in order to make sentences.
1. ever Have you would be wondered what like? it
2. that? by mean do What you
3. confess, I too. have to that to me happens
4. to the I’m that. first admit
5. drastic. sound doesn’t This too
6. the next to ready You’re step. take
Discussion
Would you like to do a digital detox?

Transcript
Presenter: So, we’re back in the studio. Welcome back, everyone. My name’s Rick Walker.
From our laptops to our televisions, from the displays on our smartphones to those on our
satnavs, we are in front of screens all the time. Have you ever wondered what it would be like
to disconnect completely? To choose not to have access to the internet? If you have, you may
be in need of a digital detox – a total switch-off from all things digital. The idea of people
taking a digital detox is becoming more and more popular, especially amongst young people
– and today we’re joined by someone who’s tried a number of digital detox activities and is
here to give us some advice about it. Amanda Vince, welcome to the studio.
Amanda: Thank you very much.
Presenter: So, Amanda, you work for a fashion magazine in London, right? I guess your work
means you need to be online a lot.
Amanda: Oh, yes. Apart from the hundreds of emails I get every day, I’m always browsing
fashion websites, as well as online videos. I also need to be very active online, especially on
Twitter and Instagram – sharing what we’re doing in the magazine, interacting with designers,
photographers, influencers … it never stops, literally. Then of course there’s my friends and
family to keep in touch with online too, and for me, my work grew out of my passion, so
friends and work colleagues aren’t two totally separate groups of people and it all gets a bit
messy online sometimes. I think I’m online for at least 12 hours a day.
Presenter: So, how did you get the idea for a digital detox?
Amanda: I read a book about it, called Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting.
The author’s name is Blake Snow. That book gave me some really good advice and made me
think about trying to change some of my digital habits. I started with removing distraction.
Presenter: What do you mean by that?
Amanda: That means turning off alerts, buzzes, alarms or notifications of any kind. I had
notifications set up for everything, and it meant I was always being forced to look at my
phone. Removing all of them except for important contacts helped me focus immediately. The
book also made a really good point, that we should ask ourselves ‘Why?’ every time we take
out our phone. I realised that most of the times I looked at my phone were because I was
trying to avoid or ignore something else happening right in front of me. It was an automatic
habit.
Presenter: I have to confess, that happens to me too. But what else are you going to do when
you’re standing in line at the bank or waiting for your train?
Amanda: OK, yes, I’m the first to admit that it’s great for helping time go by. But speaking
personally, I found I wasn’t just checking my phone to kill time when I was alone. I was also
doing it with friends or family around.
Presenter: Hmmm … right. Well, so far, this doesn’t sound too drastic. Turning off notifications
and becoming aware of when we use our devices. That sounds easy.
Amanda: Yes, it’s the first step. Once we begin to realise just how much of a grip our devices
have on us, then we’re ready to really take the next step. First, my partner and I did a

weekend with absolutely no screens. She found it easier than I did. For me, it was a little bit
scary at first but it turned out to be a pretty rewarding experience.
Presenter: A whole weekend, huh? I don’t know if I could ...
Amanda: I think everyone has to do this at their own pace. If a weekend feels too much,
maybe just try for an evening. Then work your way up to more. I guarantee, once you’ve tried
it, you’ll want to try it again. We’re going to try for a whole week in the summer.
Presenter: OK, let’s pause there then and see what our listeners have to say. You can call us
here directly, or send us a message on any of our social media channels ... oops, should I be
saying that? Anyway, more after the break.

Listening: B2
A lecture about an experiment
Listen to the lecture about a science experiment to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Complete the text with the correct form of the word in brackets.
Pitch is the name (1)……………………………… (give) to a black substance that can be manufactured
from petroleum, coal tar or plants. It was (2)……………………………… (original) used in road
(3)……………………………… (construct), boat- (4)……………………………… (build) and waterproofing roofs. It is
known for its viscosity (being semi-fluid), its (5)……………………………… (sticky) and its
(6)……………………………… (elastic). In fact, pitch is the world’s (7)……………………………… (thick) known fluid.
An experiment to let drops of pitch form and then fall has been going for 92 years
without (8)……………………………… (interrupt).
Tasks
Task 1
1. The pitch drop experiment is …

a. the oldest experiment in history.
b. the oldest experiment that is still running today.
c. the longest experiment in 1927.
2. The creator of the experiment wanted to …

a. have an experiment that lasted a long time.
b. show the dangers of everyday materials.
c. show that common substances have extraordinary properties.

3. Pitch is a substance …
a. that looks solid but is actually liquid.
b. that looks liquid but is actually solid.
c. that doesn’t appear to be liquid or solid.
4. The first time a drop of pitch fell was …

a. eight years after the experiment began.
b. three years after the experiment began.
c. forty years after the experiment began.
5. Which of the following sentences is not true about Professor John Mainstone?
a. He never saw the pitch drop.
b. He was responsible for the experiment for over fifty years.
c. He took over the experiment in 1927.
6. In the year 2000, …

a. an electricity failure meant the pitch drop was not filmed.
b. scientists set up a live stream of the experiment.
c. the ninth drop of pitch fell.
Task 2
Complete the sentences with one to three words.
1. When pitch is at room temperature, you can break it ……………………………… .

2. Professor Parnell put pitch into a glass funnel, let it cool, then turned it ………………………………
and cut off the top.
3. In total, only ……………………………… have fallen from the funnel.
4. The next pitch drop is expected to fall in ……………………………… .
5. In 1988, the scientist responsible for the experiment missed seeing the pitch drop
by ……………………………… .
6. The speaker notes it’s interesting how news about a slow experiment can
spread ……………………………… .
Discussion
Do you know of any other famous experiments? What are they?

Transcript
In today’s lecture we’re going to be talking about experiments, and I thought it might be
interesting for you all to learn about the world’s oldest continuously running laboratory
experiment that is still going today. In fact, it holds the Guinness World Record for being the
longest-running experiment. This experiment began in 1927 and has been going ever since.
It’s called the ‘pitch drop’ experiment and it was created by Professor Thomas Parnell at the
University of Queensland, Australia. Parnell was the university’s first physics professor, and he
wanted to show in this experiment that everyday materials, such as pitch, can have quite
surprising properties.
You see, when pitch is at room temperature, it feels solid. You can easily break it with a
hammer. However, it isn’t in fact solid. At room temperature, pitch is many billions of times
more viscous than water, but it’s actually fluid.
In 1927, Professor Parnell took a sample of pitch. He heated it and poured it into a glass
funnel. He allowed the pitch to cool and settle – for three years. He then turned the funnel
upside down and cut the top off it.
Since then, the pitch has slowly dropped out of the funnel. How slowly? Well, the first drop
took eight years to fall. It took another forty years for another five drops to fall. Today it’s
been almost 90 years since the experiment started. Only nine drops have fallen from the
funnel. The last drop fell in April 2014 and the next one is expected to fall in the 2020s.
The experiment has a tragic story associated with it. Professor Parnell died without seeing a
pitch drop. His replacement, Professor John Mainstone, became responsible for the pitch
drop experiment from 1961. He held the job for 52 years, and missed seeing the drop fall
three times – by a day in 1977, by just five minutes in 1988 and finally in 2000, when the
webcam that was recording the experiment suffered a power outage for 20 minutes, during
which time the pitch dropped.
The pitch drop experiment is something we can all participate in now. There’s a live web
stream that allows anyone to watch the glass funnel and wait for the fateful moment. A similar
experiment to the Queensland pitch drop was set up in Dublin, and the video of the moment
the pitch actually dropped went viral on the internet. It’s interesting to see how a very slow
event can spread news so quickly.

Answers
Preparation task
1. given
2. originally
3. construction
4. building
5. stickiness
6. elasticity
7. thickest
8. interruption
Task 1
1. b
2. c
3. a
4. a
5. c
6. a
Task 2
1. with a hammer / easily
2. upside down
3. nine drops / 9 drops
4. the 2020s
5. five minutes / 5 minutes
6. quickly / fast / so quickly / so fast / very quickly / very fast

Listening: B2
A talk about motivation
Listen to the talk about motivation to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… an incentive a. having many related parts; difficult to understand or solve
2. …… to motivate b. done by a machine or computer
3. …… a promotion c. something that encourages a person to do something
4. …… complex d. someone who studies how people behave in social situations
5. …… automated e. to make someone want to do something
6. …… a social f. the act of giving someone a job which is higher status than
psychologist their current job
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. We try to motivate workers in the same way that we try to motivate our True False
children.
2. In the Glucksberg experiment, the people who were offered a reward True False
finished faster than people who were not offered one.
3. The people who were offered smaller rewards in Ariely’s experiment True False
performed better than those offered bigger rewards.
4. In Ariely’s experiment, people were more creative when they were True False
concentrating on achieving a goal.
5. In the future, jobs will require workers to be more creative. True False
6. People always work better when they start the day later and work into True False
the night.

Task 2
Match the two parts of the sentences.
First part Second part

1. …… Glucksberg’s experiment shows that a. the experiment is repeated.
people solve a problem faster when b. they are not given an incentive.
2. …… Ariely’s experiment shows that c. they can make choices about their work.
people are less creative when d. they are doing a simple task.
3. …… The same results as Glucksberg’s e. they are doing the jobs of the future.
experiment have been found when
f. they are offered a bigger reward.
4. …… An incentive works for people when
5. …… Incentives will no longer work for
motivating people at work when
6. …… The example of the big tech
companies shows that people work
better when
Discussion
What motivates you in your job or studies?

Transcript
So, we think we know how to motivate people, right? Offer them a reward. Do this and you’ll
get this. Do this faster, earn more money. Do this better than everyone else, here’s a
promotion. We offer incentives when we want people to do things. We do it at work, at school,
even at home with our kids. Tidy your room and you can watch TV.
But when social psychologists test whether incentives work, they get surprising results. Sam
Glucksberg, from Princeton University, America, set people a problem to solve and told them
he was going to time them to see how long they took. Then he put them in two groups. He
offered one group a reward for finishing fast. Five dollars for anyone finishing in the top 25
per cent and 20 dollars for the person who finished the fastest of all. To the other group he
offered no incentive, but he told them he was going to use their times to calculate an average
time.
The first group, the ones with the reward, solved the problem faster, you’d think, right? Well,
no, they actually took three and a half minutes longer than the group who just thought they
were being timed. Incentive didn’t work. In fact, it made them slower. This experiment has
been repeated, with the same results, many times. But in business we still offer bonuses,
promotions and rewards to staff.
That’s fine if we want them to do something simple, like chop wood. We’ll pay you more if you
chop the wood faster. An incentive works then. But if we want someone to do something
complex, something creative, something where they have to think, rewards don’t work. They
might even have the opposite result, and make people perform worse. Another study, by Dan
Ariely, showed that the bigger the reward, the worse the subjects performed on a complex
task. The reward made them focus so hard on the result that they couldn’t think creatively any
more.
And this all matters because more and more simple jobs will become automated. We’ll be left
with creative, problem-solving jobs that computers will never do. And we need to find a way to
motivate people to do those jobs when we’ve proved the traditional incentives don’t work.
So what does work? Giving your workers freedom; freedom to work on the things they want to
work on, freedom to choose when, where and how they work. Want to work from home three
days a week, get up late and work into the night instead? Fine. Just do the job well. And
evidence shows people who choose the way they work get results. Companies that give
employees time during the week to work on things that interest them and are not part of their
regular job achieve amazing things. Some of the big tech companies are good examples of
this, with ping-pong tables and areas to relax in …

Listening: B2
Business news
Listen to the business news to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… revenue a. the number of people who go to an organised event (such
2. …… turnout as an election)
3. …… a polling station b. information about a group of people
4. …… demographics c. a place where people go to vote in an election
5. …… a profit warning d. when a company announces it will make less money than
expected
6. …… a dividend
e. money that a business receives over a period of time
7. …… a shareholder
f. the difference between what something costs and how
8. …… gross margin
much it is sold for
g. a part of a company’s profits that are divided among the
people who own it
h. a person who owns part of a company
Tasks
Task 1
Circle the correct option to complete the sentences.
1. The election …
a. wasn’t too important because it was just a local one.
b. was very important for the whole country.
c. was about development.
2. There was a voter increase of …

a. six per cent since the last election.
b. 11 per cent since the last election.
c. 54.5 per cent since the last election.

3. ONK …
a. wants to go international.
b. has almost achieved the results it forecasted.
c. is a strong successful company with offices all over the world.
4. ONK posted quarterly revenue of …

a. $14.8 billion.
b. $18.4 billion.
c. $40.8 billion.
5. People want to …
a. carry smaller items when they leave their homes.
b. carry fewer items when they leave their homes.
c. own a smartwatch.
6. More and more retailers …

a. accept cashless payments.
b. accept cash.
c. don’t accept cash.
Task 2
shareholders demographics more and more increasing trend
voter turnout growing interest profit warning revenue election
cashless payment gross margin polling stations dividends
1. There will be a number of new (a)……………………………… opened in time for next year’s
(b)……………………………… . The government is trying to increase (c)……………………………… . They
specifically want to focus on increasing the number of people from certain
(d)……………………………… , such as the 18–24 age group, or those from ethnic minorities.
2. A company’s financial report

The company (a)……………………………… is down seven per cent on this time last year as a result
of not enough of our leading products being sold and rising costs. It is for these reasons

that the (b)……………………………… has also fallen and the company has no choice but to issue a
(c)……………………………… . This means that there will be freeze on (d)……………………………… to
(e)……………………………… until further notice.
3. There is an (a)……………………………… number of people who don’t like using cash to make
payments. We have also seen that (b)……………………………… people prefer to use
(c)……………………………… options. Furthermore, there is (d)……………………………… in completely
removing cash from society. However, many small shop owners say that this
(e)……………………………… will be bad for business.
Discussion
Write a short overview of statistics, figures or trends that you are familiar with.

Transcript
The first item in the news today is the recent elections that took place across the country. This
was a crucial vote, which may see a dramatic change in how the country develops over the
coming years. Overall, a 54.5 per cent voter turnout was registered. This represents an
increase of 11 per cent over the previous election and six per cent above the average for the
past 50 years. There has also been a slight change in demographics, with an increase in youth
turnout in the 18- to 24- and 24- to 29-year-old brackets. Despite this increase, young people
are still less likely to vote than older people; 84 per cent of voters in the 70 plus age group
came to the polling stations.
Moving on, the global digital powerhouse ONK today posted quarterly results which were
above forecast. Back in March, Tim Bolling, CEO, issued a profit warning over fears that there
would be losses following the recall of their leading product, the 40d device. In fact, the
company posted quarterly revenue of US$14.8 billion which represents an increase of 11 per
cent from the same quarter a year ago. They also announced that they had sold 21 million
40d devices over the quarter. The company has provided the information that with this level
of revenue, there will be a gross margin of 34 to 35 per cent, ultimately leading to a US$1.20
per share cash dividend awarded to shareholders.
And in our final news item we ask, will we soon be saying goodbye to coins and notes forever?
The nationwide trend of using cashless payment options is increasing. There are a number of
reasons for this development. A key reason for this is a growing interest in reducing the
number of items people need to leave their homes with. As almost everyone carries a
smartphone with them, and many people also have smartwatches, the ability to pay for things
using one of these two technologies is particularly appealing. More and more retailers are
accepting cashless payments and in some cases they’ve stopped accepting cash altogether.

Listening: B2
Creating a study group
Listen to the conversation about creating a study group to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to learn a. a piece of work given to someone, normally as part of their
something by heart studies or job
2. …… annoyed b. an agreement in which people in an argument reduce or
3. …… go ahead change what they are asking for in order to agree
4. …… an assignment c. an informal expression used to give someone permission to
start doing something
5. …… a moderator
d. irritated, angry
6. …… a compromise
e. to learn something so that you can say it from memory
f. a manager of a public discussion
Tasks
Task 1
1. There are _____ who can do the first meeting of the study group.
a. four students
b. three students
c. five students
2. They don’t want to meet in their current place because …

a. they aren’t allowed to be there.
b. they don’t want to talk to other people.
c. they might disturb other people.

3. They decide to meet …
a. next to the cafeteria.
b. in the library.
c. next to the study hall.
4. They have another seminar …

a. at the same time as study group.
b. every week on a Thursday.
c. every two weeks on a Thursday.
5. How long will their study group be?

a. one hour
b. one hour and a half
c. two hours
6. Their final exam …

a. is very soon.
b. has passed.
c. isn’t for some time.
Task 2
Match the expressions with way (1–5) with their meanings (a–e).
Expression with way Meaning

1. …… find a way a. it’s impossible
2. …… way off b. make something possible
3. …… there’s no way c. leave
4. …… go away d. very much
5. …… in a big way e. a long time from now
Discussion
Have you ever created a study group? What are your tips?

Transcript
Ali: Hey, you guys, I’ve been looking for you. I’ve got an idea – a study group. What do you
think? Are you interested?
Dina: Yes! I need a study group, in a big way.
Bea: Me too.
Ali: Do you think we have enough people here for a study group? I mean, there are only four
of us …
Bea: Sorry. Three of us. Chris can’t do study group. Right, Chris?
Chris: Yeah, there’s no way I can do a study group. I have an assignment and then I’m too
busy. But I’ll stay for this first meeting.
Ali: Should we try and get another group together with us for this?
Bea: No, I don’t think so. I think three is fine. Ideal size, really.
Dina: Me too.
Ali: OK, three people then. Four people for the first meeting. What next?
Bea: What about a meeting place? We can’t meet here in the library …
Ali: It’s not too bad, especially if those other people would go away.
Bea: But we can’t exactly ask them to leave, and people might get annoyed with us talking.
Dina: Can I say something here?
Ali: Sure, go ahead.
Dina: There’s a study hall next to the cafeteria. It’s almost always empty. Could we meet
there?
Ali: A study hall?! Who knew? Well, it sounds good to me.
Bea: Yeah. I’ve never been there but …
Ali: So, we ought to decide how long for and how often.
Dina: I read somewhere that you should make the meeting at the same time each week. Like a
seminar. That way we’d take it more seriously.
Bea: We may as well make it for this time since we’re all here. Is this time OK?
Dina: Works for me.
Ali: Me too.
Chris: Hang on just a minute. I know I’m not going to be in this group, but aren’t we supposed
to have a seminar at this time every other week?
Ali: Umm, no.
Bea: Thursday, no?
Ali: No, that’s on Thursday.

Chris: Sorry. Forget I said anything.
Ali: Don’t worry about it.
Bea: So everyone agrees that this time is fine? Every week?
Ali: How long should we make it?
Bea: An hour?
Dina: Could we find a way of making it two hours?
Ali: Two hours seems a bit like … too much. To start with then?
Bea: Ninety minutes? Compromise?
Ali: Is that OK with you, Dina?
Dina: Fine by me.
Ali: OK, so I guess all we have left to decide is exactly what we’ll do when we meet. The final
exam is a way off. I guess we could review our notes, or practise learning things by heart.
Dina: I have a list of dos and don’ts actually that I got online. I could be a moderator, and we
could use the ideas as a starting point …

Listening: B2
Film reviews
Listen to the film reviews to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… a character a. the second, third, fourth, etc. of a film or book
2. …… pace b. a person in a story
3. …… a sequel c. the story
4. …… to set d. to locate a film or book in a place
5. …… a poster e. a large picture to advertise a film
6. …… special effects f. to choose actors
7. …… to cast g. the speed of the events of a story
8. …… the plot h. computer graphics or other ways of making amazing scenes
for films and television
Tasks
Task 1
Write the descriptions in the correct group.
is the second in the was better than the has unrealistic

The reviewer hated it.
story reviewer expected characters
The reviewer felt

made the reviewer was what the is a story a lot of
sympathetic towards
feel like a child again reviewer expected people already know
the characters.
the first film the second film

Task 2
Answer
1. The reviewer didn’t think she was going to enjoy the first film. True False
2. The first scene of the first film is important for the rest of the film. True False
3. The reviewer was glad the first film was set in a different country. True False
4. There is another sequel planned for the first film. True False
5. The reviewer had some doubts about the actors who were chosen for the True False
second film.
6. The second film made the reviewer think about her children. True False
Discussion
What was the last film you watched? What did you think of it?

Transcript
Obviously, this is the sequel to Fun in the City, which is a film I didn’t like so it’s fair to say my
expectations were low. So, you could say I wasn’t disappointed, as it met my expectations. It
was awful! It was so awful, I’d rather not spend any more time on it by talking about it. But, that
wouldn’t be a film review and I think I owe you all a review to save you wasting your money
going to see it.
So, it starts off with this big wedding scene. And, I won’t go into why, but the whole scene is
just there so they can make this one joke. It’s not even a funny joke ... it’s just, ah, it’s just
terrible. It’s got nothing to do with the rest of the film. Anyway, it starts there. Then, instead of
the characters and the plot staying in New York where the original film was set, one of them
wins a ticket to India and decides to take all her friends. It’s what directors do when they’ve
run out of ideas … let’s take our characters on tour!
Anyway, they gossip, cry and shop, and they repeat this until the end. No real people would
ever act like this. I didn’t have any sympathy for their problems or even care what happened
to them. Don’t go and see it, you’ll only encourage them to make another sequel. The world
doesn’t need three of these films. Please save your money and go and see the other big film
this week: Twilight Mirror.
So, if you’re a fan of the book it’s based on, you’re probably as excited as I was about this. For
everyone else, this is a film fans have been waiting ten years to see. I have to confess, I was a
bit nervous. I’d seen the posters and they didn’t look right. I didn’t love them at all. And I
wasn’t sure about the actors they cast either. So I went in not sure what to expect. But … I
loved it.
One thing I really liked about it was the pace. They went backwards and forwards between the
real world and the computer world and it worked really well. The special effects brought the
computer world to life and I totally believed in it. But, more than that, I felt emotionally
connected to the story and the characters. The whole film worked on so many levels. It
reminded me of going to the cinema as a child – how much fun that was. I can’t recommend it
enough.

Listening: B2
Getting advice
Listen to someone getting advice from a friend to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… anxiety a. to fear something happening in the future
2. …… to dread b. a sudden feeling of intense fear which may include fast
3. …… a symptom heart rate, sweating, shaking and being out of breath
4. …… a panic attack c. confident and organised
5. …… to hyperventilate d. an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry
6. …… a distraction e. a sign you have an illness or health condition
7. …… to spin f. to breathe too fast, causing too much oxygen to enter
the blood
8. …… together
g. to turn very fast
h. something that stops you from focusing on what you’re
doing
Tasks
Task 1
1. What has made Clara check on Ben?

a. He missed their class that day.
b. He’s missed a few classes.
c. He has a lot of essays to write.
2. What does Ben do at the beginning of the conversation?

a. He makes the problem sound more than it is.
b. He makes the problem sound less than it is.
c. He is honest about the problem from the start.

3. What is the main way Ben’s anxiety is affecting normal life?
a. He feels stupid.
b. He can’t remember what day it is.
c. He doesn’t want to go out.
4. What is the surprising thing about panic attacks, according to Clara?

a. How many people have them.
b. That they make you feel so bad.
c. That people keep their panic attacks private.
5. How does Clara recognise Ben’s problem is panic attacks?

a. She had the same problem in the past.
b. She has the same problem now.
c. She and Ben live together.
6. What does Clara warn Ben about the advice she will give?
a. It will be difficult to hear.
b. It won’t be easy to follow.
c. It isn’t very practical.
Task 2
Write a number (1–6) to put the pieces of advice in the order they are mentioned.
Do regular physical activity as part of your lifestyle.
Do something to make your heart beat too fast.
Do something to keep your mind busy.
Talk to a doctor.
Make yourself breathe too fast on purpose.
Put yourself in a stressful situation.
Discussion
What makes you nervous or anxious?

Transcript
Clara: Hi, how are you? I haven’t seen you in class for a while.
Ben: Good, thanks. You?
Clara: Great, as long as I don’t think too hard about all the essays I have to write this term!
Ben: Yeah …
Clara: Hey, are you OK?
Ben: I have to admit, I’m struggling a bit. Maybe even a lot. I’ve not been sleeping well at all
and then I can’t concentrate. And all these things are just going around and around in my
head.
Clara: Mmm … that doesn’t sound good. So, you’re sleeping badly and you can’t concentrate.
Is that all it is, do you think?
Ben: Well, if I’m honest, it’s more than that. I’m starting to dread going outside. I find myself
worrying about stupid things like what if I forget the way home. Or, what if I go to class
thinking it’s Monday but actually it’s Friday and I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time. It
sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud. It took me two hours to leave the house
today.
Clara: It doesn’t sound stupid at all. It actually sounds a lot like me last year.
Ben: Really? But you’re so together!
Clara: I’ve learned to be, but even I still have bad days. I used to have panic attacks and
everything. When you were trying to leave the house today, how did you feel?
Ben: Like I couldn’t breathe. And my heart was going way too fast.
Clara: Hmm … that sounds like a panic attack to me.
Ben: I thought I was going to die.
Clara: You’d be surprised how common they are. Loads of people have them, they just don’t
talk about it.
Ben: How did you get over them?
Clara: I actually talked to a doctor about it, and you should too. But I learned some practical
things as well. Though they’re easier said than done, and they’re going to sound weird, so
hear me out, OK?
Ben: OK …
Clara: So, one thing I did was to try to reduce the power of the anxiety and the panic attacks
when they came. So – and this may sound strange – at a time when you’re feeling safe and OK,
you literally do things that make your heart start racing faster and your breathing speed up.
Like spinning around on a chair until you’re dizzy or hyperventilating so you’re short of breath.
Ben: That sounds awful!
Clara: It is, but it means you get used to the symptoms, so they feel less scary.

Ben: Right.
Clara: Then you have to deliberately do the things that usually make you feel panic. So, if it’s
going to class on Monday and being scared you’ve got the wrong day, on Monday you go to
class. If you let the anxiety control you by making you stay at home, it just makes it worse the
next time you really do have to go out.
Ben: And what did you do if a panic attack came anyway?
Clara: I had a distraction plan. So, I walked everywhere instead of taking the bus because the
exercise helped, but also I did things like count trees or red cars or something. Whatever it
was didn’t matter, as long as I had something else to focus on.
Ben: I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I thought …

Listening: B2
Joining a gym
Listen to the conversation about joining a gym to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
Match the words in capital letters (a–f) with the definitions (1–6).
Definition Vocabulary
1. …… registration a. A new BUDGET airline has started flying to our city.
2. …… amount of money b. What is the daily RATE for renting a bicycle?
3. …… give c. There is a very small SIGN-UP fee.
4. …… create d. They ASSIGN each class a special room.
5. …… come to e. We can DESIGN a personalised programme for you.
6. …… cheap f. If you VISIT the shop, I can show you in person.
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. The man has only recently decided to join the gym. True False
2. The woman says the gym will make sure it has the lowest price in the city. True False
3. The woman says that other gyms charge people when they leave. True False
4. The gym used to be open for 24 hours but it was too busy. True False
5. The personal trainer will tell you what and what not to eat. True False
6. The personal trainer doesn’t cost anything at all. True False
7. The man is not convinced at the end of the conversation. True False
8. The gym offers a sample visit. True False

Task 2
got that get don’t Makes we
bit of to know straight
1. Sure, ……………………………… course.

2. You’ve ……………………………… right, yes.
3. Sorry, what was that last ……………………………… ?
4. That’s useful ……………………………… .
5. ……………………………… sense.
6. Sure ……………………………… do.
7. Let me ……………………………… this ……………………………… .
8. OK, why ……………………………… I do that.
Discussion
What do you look for in a gym?

Transcript
Receptionist: Hello, welcome to Shake it Off Fitness. How can I help you?
Customer: Yes, thanks. I’ve been meaning to come in and find some information about here
for some time. I was wondering if you could help me?
Receptionist: Sure, of course. What would you like to know?
Customer: I saw on the sign outside that you have the best budget membership in the city. Is
that right?
Receptionist: You’ve got that right, yes. If you find a better rate, then we’ll match it. Also, we
don’t have any sign-up fees or cancellation fees.
Customer: Sorry, what was that last bit?
Receptionist: Cancellation fees. Some gyms charge you money if you leave before a
minimum number of months or something like that. We don’t do that.
Customer: That’s useful to know. Ummm, what times do you have?
Receptionist: We open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight.
Customer: Not 24 hours then, I see.
Receptionist: No. Almost, though! We tried doing the 24-hour thing, but there really weren’t a
lot of people who wanted to do exercise at 2 in the morning.
Customer: Makes sense. Another question: do you have trainers? Like, will you do a
personalised evaluation of me?
Receptionist: Sure we do. As we say on our brochure, we can show you what to do, how to do
it and why you’re doing it. Have you worked with a personal trainer before?
Customer: Err, no. No, I haven’t. No.
Receptionist: So, it’s very easy. For your first visits we’ll assign you one of our expert
personal trainers. He or she will design an exercise plan that’s just right for you and show you
exactly what to do. We even include nutrition advice in the plan.
Customer: Let me get this straight. All of this is included in the price?
Receptionist: Yes, it is. If you want to continue with your trainer after the first few classes, we
can talk about that. It does cost extra though. OK?
Customer: Yeah. Sounds ... great.
Receptionist: Do you have any other questions?
Customer: Hmmm, yeah. Um, OK. Why should I choose here instead of any of the other gyms
in the city?
Receptionist: What, you mean apart from our competitive rates and personalised attention?
Customer: Yeah, I guess.
Receptionist: Listen, here’s a free day pass. Why don’t you drop by and see for yourself? That
way you can talk to other members, see the facilities and our staff.
Customer: OK, I’ll do that. Thanks very much!

Listening: B2
Office party planning
Listen to the conversation with an event planner to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to reassemble a. to find or locate something
2. …… to source b. to take something apart
3. …… to stretch c. to put something back together again
4. …… to be fixed on something d. to creatively think of new or interesting ideas
5. …… to hoist e. to raise or lift something up
6. …… to dismantle f. to allow something that would not normally be
7. …… to exceed allowed
8. …… to be inventive g. to go beyond a pre-defined limit
h. to have already decided on something, without
further flexibility
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. Ayako wants a baby grand piano for the Christmas party. True False
2. The baby grand piano will easily fit through the building doorway. True False
3. Sam suggests a solution for the problem. True False
4. Ayako has around 50 per cent flexibility with the budget. True False
5. Ayako is fixed on the idea that it must be a baby grand piano. True False
6. Ayako accepts the upright piano when Sam suggests it. True False

Task 2
1. a good That sounds like plan.
2. idea this work, then. So won’t
3. being I Sorry if wasn’t clear.
4. an option? Would be this
5. it That might sounds work. like
6. of over Could some send it? me you photos
7. it and call I’ll you me about back. Let think
8. I’ll wait call. your for
Discussion
When was the last time you had to discuss a problem on the phone?

Transcript
Ayako: Hello, sales department. This is Ayako speaking. How can I help you?
Sam: Hi, Ayako, this is Sam from Events-4-U. I’m calling about the piano you want at your
Christmas party next month.
Ayako: Oh, good. It would be a great surprise to have one there for our boss for the night. He
can play and it would be a great addition for the party. Have you been able to source one?
Sam: Well, yes, I have, but …
Ayako: But what?
Sam: Well, we’re going to either have an issue with the logistics or the budget, or possibly
both.
Ayako: Oh dear.
Sam: Well, we’ve found a baby grand piano, as you requested, and it’s available for the date
you want.
Ayako: OK, great. So what’s the issue? Is it too expensive?
Sam: No, it’s within the budget you gave me, so everything there is OK. But it’s too wide for
the entrance doorway into the building.
Ayako: Oh, I see. So what are our options? Could we dismantle it outside and reassemble it
inside?
Sam: Er, no. Unfortunately, you can’t really do that with pianos. But don’t worry, I’m sure we
can find some inventive solution.
Ayako: Do you have any ideas?
Sam: Well, we could hoist it up to the first-floor balcony. The door there would be large
enough to fit it through.
Ayako: Great. That sounds like a good plan.
Sam: That would work, though it would increase the cost considerably as we’d need a crane,
an extension on the insurance policy and probably two to three additional people to manage
getting it successfully into the building.
Ayako: Oh, I see. Well, we can definitely stretch the budget by about ten per cent, but we
shouldn’t go over that. If we exceed the budget by more than ten per cent, then other areas
of the party budget will have to be cut. And we don’t really want that.
Sam: OK, so this idea won’t work then. Sorry if I wasn’t being clear. The considerable budget
increase I was referring to would add a further fifty per cent. You know, cranes are expensive.
Ayako: Oh … um … OK. So what other options do we have?
Sam: Well, how fixed are you on the piano being a baby grand? Would an upright piano be an
option?
Ayako: Hmm. I don’t know.

Sam: It would fit through the door on the ground floor and cause fewer problems. I’ve also got
the option on a really nice white vintage upright piano, with black design work.
Ayako: OK. That sounds like it might work. Could you send me over some photos of it?
Sam: I’ll do it now, together with the rental and delivery information and costs.
Ayako: Great. Thanks, Sam. Let me think about it and I’ll call you back later today.
Sam: Sure, no problem. I’ll wait for your call.

Listening: B2
Talking about rumours
Listen to two people talking about a colleague to practise and improve your listening skills.
Before listening
Preparation task
1. …… to keep your a. to be in a position where someone is pleased with you and
mouth shut nice to you
2. …… to be in someone’s b. in a powerful position
good books c. to say nothing
3. …… to come to light d. to be excluded
4. …… to take credit for e. to be made public
5. …… to be out f. to allow people to believe that you did something that
6. …… high up deserves praise or special attention
Tasks
Task 1
Answer
1. No one really knows the truth about the situation with John. True False
2. Kiera doesn’t immediately share everything she knows about John. True False
3. Susanne wasn’t the original creator of the cars idea. True False
4. Susanne reported John to people higher up in the company. True False
5. Kiera disagrees with what Will has said about John’s aggressive True False
behaviour.
6. Kiera saw John stealing ideas from other people. True False
7. Kiera made an official complaint about John’s behaviour. True False
8. There was a culture of silence that meant John was not investigated True False
earlier.

Task 2
credit fire award investigation
contact high mouths books
1. Will has heard that they might ……………………………… John.

2. John used to take ……………………………… for other people’s ideas.
3. One project won an ……………………………… , but only John got the recognition.
4. Kiera says it’s almost impossible to report people as ……………………………… up as John was.
5. He shouted and screamed at people and they learned to keep their ……………………………… shut.
6. You could be in his good ……………………………… and then suddenly you were out.
7. Kiera was lucky that she didn’t have much ……………………………… with him.
8. They’re doing a full ……………………………… .
Discussion
What makes a good or bad boss?

Transcript
Will: Kiera, have you heard John isn’t coming back and they might even fire him?
Kiera: No! I knew he was away but I thought it was for personal reasons?
Will: I’m pretty sure that’s not the full story. Have you ever worked with him?
Kiera: A long time ago, but … well, I’ve heard stories about him for years.
Will: I’ve never worked with him directly but I know people that have and they say he was
always shouting and screaming, threatening to fire people. And Susanne told me he took
credit for one of her ideas. She had this idea for a project and she brought it up at the
monthly creative workshop and he liked it – everybody did. But she saw the notes from the
meeting and there was no mention of her name anywhere. John had agreed with her and
repeated some of the things she said and the notes made it look like they were his ideas in
the first place. He made her do all the work planning it, then when the project actually got
started – it was that cars one – Susanne was moved to something else.
Kiera: It won an award, didn’t it?
Will: Yeah, but Susanne didn’t get to share it – there was zero recognition of her contribution.
She was furious but she couldn’t do anything about it. Not if she wanted to keep her job.
Kiera: Yeah, it’s almost impossible to report people who are as high up as John is, or was.
Will: How did you find working with him, then?
Kiera: Well, you know what you said about him shouting at people? I’ve been in meetings with
him and we all learned to keep our mouths shut. It was horrible. People were genuinely afraid
of him.
Will: Did you ever see him stealing people’s ideas?
Kiera: It was never that obvious. He was a genius. He had incredible vision but, you know,
there was a whole team of people working with him. Not every single idea came from him and
after a while it’s not easy to say, ‘Oh, this idea was mine and this idea was yours.’ For me, the
bigger problem was that you could be in his good books and then suddenly, with no
explanation, you were out. And if you were out, life got very difficult.
Will: I heard women in particular had a hard time working with him.
Kiera: Yeah, well, like I said, you had to stay in his good books. So, if there was a comment
that made you feel uncomfortable, you didn’t say anything.
Will: Did that happen to you?
Kiera: Not to me, no, but we all knew … and no one said anything. And I was lucky I didn’t have
that much contact with him myself.
Will: They’re doing a full investigation so I suppose a lot of these stories are going to come to
light.
Kiera: I hope so. I really hope he’s not coming back.

Listening skills practice: Eating out – exercises
Listen to the conversation in a restaurant and do the exercises to improve your listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Draw a line to match the pictures with the words below.
cheese and
fruit salad cheeseburger vegetables ice cream pasta
biscuits
chips roast chicken sausages tomato soup omelette grilled fish
1. Check your understanding: true or false

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle True or False for these sentences.
1. The customers want two tables. True False
2. There are two customers eating together. True False
3. The two customers order the same starter. True False
4. Both customers order the Thai chicken for their main course. True False
5. The customers order cold drinks. True False
6. Both customers order a dessert. True False

2. Check your understanding: gap fill
Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with a word from the box.
would ready for
have like like
1. A table _______________ two, please.
2. Are you _______________ to order?
3. What would you _______________ for your starter?
4. I’d _______________ French onion soup, please.
5. What _______________ you like to drink?
6. I’ll _______________ a fresh orange juice.
Discussion
What food and drink from this menu would you order?
Listening skills practice: Eating out – transcript
Transcript for Eating out
Waiter: Hello
Jamie: Hi. A table for two, please.
Waiter: Of course. Over here, please. Here’s the menu.
Sally: Thank you.
(pause)
Waiter: Are you ready to order?
Sally: Yes, we are.
Waiter: What would you like for your starter?
Jamie: I’d like French onion soup, please.
Sally: And I’ll have a tomato salad, please.
Waiter: And for your main course?
Jamie: Mmm, I’m not sure. I don’t know whether to have the steak or Thai chicken.
Sally: Oh, I’d like the Thai chicken and rice, please.
Jamie: OK, me too.
Waiter: So that’s two Thai chicken and rice. What would you like to drink?
Jamie: I’ll have a fresh orange juice and ...
Sally: I’d like some mineral water, please.
Waiter: OK, thank you.
Listening skills practice: Free time - exercises
Listen to Tyrone calling his local swimming pool and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Write the words in the correct group.
badminton water polo football

table tennis diving sailing
basketball golf rugby
Water sports Indoor sports Outdoor sports

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the registration form with Tyrone’s information.
BROWNTON SWIMMING POOL

REGISTRATION FORM
Name: Tyrone
Surname:
Age:
Interested in (sport):
1. There are four different age groups that play water polo. True False
2. Tyrone wants to join the under 14s club. True False
3. The under 16s water polo team train three times a week. True False
4. The under 16s train on Monday and Thursday. True False
5. Water polo matches are played on Saturdays. True False
6. You have to pay to join the water polo classes for under 18s. True False
7. You need to bring a photo to register at the swimming pool. True False
8. Training for the water polo team starts this week. True False
Vocabulary Box Write any new words you have learnt in this lesson.
Are you a member of any sports clubs?
What sports do you play?
Do you like watching sport?

Listening skills practice: Free time - transcript
Transcript for Free time.
Receptionist: Good morning, Brownton swimming pool.

Tyrone: Hello, I’d like some information about the water polo club.
Receptionist: Yes, of course. We have an under 14s club, an under 16s club, an under 18s club and an
adults club. How old are you?
Tyrone: I’m 15.
Receptionist: OK, so you want the under 16s club.
Tyrone: Yes.
Receptionist: Just a moment ... yes, we have two places in the under 16s club.
Tyrone: When do they train?
Receptionist: Let’s see, the under 16s train two evenings a week, on Mondays, no sorry, on Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 6:30 – 8:00pm. And matches are on Saturday mornings.
Tyrone: When does the training start?
Receptionist: Training starts next week, on September 2nd.
Tyrone: OK. And how much are the classes?
Receptionist: Classes are free for under 18s.
Tyrone: Great! What do I have to do to join?
Receptionist: You have to come to the swimming pool and complete a form. You need to bring a
photograph too.
Tyrone: OK.
Receptionist: Can I take your name?
Tyrone: Yes, it’s Tyrone Williams.
Receptionist: OK, thanks, Tyrone.
Tyrone: Thanks. Bye.
Listening skills practice: Giving directions – exercises
Do the preparation exercise first. Then look at the map and listen to the directions while you do the
exercises.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Write the correct word in the boxes below the picture.
take the second

turn left roundabout next to go past
left
take the second

turn right opposite traffic lights go straight on
right
”
Do this exercise while you listen.
A. The speaker gives directions to the _______________
B. The speaker gives directions to the _______________
C. The speaker gives directions to the _______________
D. The speaker gives directions to the _______________

take past on
At second
straight
Go
1. Go _______________ on.
2. _______________ past the traffic lights.
3. It’s the building next to the library _______________ the left.
4. _______________ the roundabout turn left.
5. Then _______________ the first left on to Green Street.
6. Go _______________ the traffic lights and take the _______________ right on to King’s Road.
What do you do when you get lost in a town or city?
Listening skills practice: Giving directions – transcript
Transcript for Giving directions.
A.
Go straight on. Then take the first left on to Green Street. Walk past the library and it’s the building next to
the library on the left.
B.
Go straight on. Go past the traffic lights. You will see a shop on the right. Go past that and it’s on the right
next to the shop.
C.
Go straight on. Go past the traffic lights and go straight on until you get to the roundabout. At the
roundabout turn left. Go past the theatre. It’s the building next to the theatre, opposite the hospital.
D.
Go straight on. Go past the traffic lights and take the second right on to King’s Road. Go past the
bookshop. It’s the building next to the bookshop opposite the café.
Listening skills practice: Going to the cinema – exercises
Listen to Mario and Tamara talking about what film they want to see and do the exercises to practise and
Preparation
historical drama cartoon romantic comedy
science fiction horror action
1. Check your understanding: multiple choice

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the correct answers.
Which film are Mario and Tamara going to see?
Mr and Mrs Jones War Games Robot 2075 King Robert V
Forever Midnight Moon
What time does the film they want to see start?
12.00 p.m. 2.30 p.m. 5.20 p.m. 7.00 p.m.
7.15 p.m. 7.30 p.m.
What time are Mario and Tamara going to meet?
12.00 p.m. 2.30 p.m. 5.20 p.m. 7.00 p.m.
7.15 p.m. 7.30 p.m.

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with the correct word.
1. Tamara: Hi, Mario. Do you want to go and watch a _______________?

Mario: Hi, Tamara. Sure, what’s _______________?
2. Tamara: Well there are two action films, Mr and Mrs Jones and War Games, and they’re both in
_______________.
3. Mario: I’ve already seen Mr and Mrs Jones. I haven’t seen War _______________ but I don’t
really want to see an _______________ film. What else is _______________?
4. Tamara: There’s that science fiction film, Robot 2075, but I’ve already _______________ it.
Mario: Is it _______________?
5. Tamara: Yes, it is, but I don’t want to see it _______________. There’s a _______________
comedy called Forever.
6. Mario: Mmm, I’m not sure. Are there any _______________ films on?
Tamara: Yes, there’s Midnight Moon. It’s got _______________ in it.
7. Mario: OK, sounds good. Let’s go and watch Midnight Moon. What _______________ is it on?
Tamara: It’s on at 12 o’clock or at half past _______________.
Mario: Is it on this _______________?
Yes, at 7.30.
Mario: Perfect. Let _______________ at 7.30.
8. Tamara: OK, shall we _______________ at the cinema at 7.00?

Mario: Great! See you _______________.
Tamara: Bye.
What type of films do you like? What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
I like action / romantic / horror / science fiction films.

I saw …
Listening skills practice: Going to the cinema - transcript
Transcript for Going to the cinema.
Tamara: Hi, Mario. Do you want to go and watch a film?

Mario: Hi, Tamara. Sure, what’s on?
Tamara: Well, there are two action films, Mr and Mrs Jones and War Games, and they’re both in 3D.
Mario: I’ve already seen Mr and Mrs Jones. I haven’t seen War Games, but I don’t really want to see an
action film. What else is on?
Tamara: There’s that science fiction film, Robot 2075, but I’ve already seen it.
Mario: Is it good?
Tamara: Yes, it is, but I don’t want to see it again. There’s a romantic comedy called Forever.
Mario: Mmm, I’m not sure. Are there any horror films on?
Tamara: Yes, there’s Midnight Moon. It’s got vampires in it.
Mario: OK, sounds good. Let’s go and watch Midnight Moon. What time is it on?
Tamara: It’s on at 12 o’clock or at half past two.
Mario: Is it on this evening?
Tamara: Yes, at 7:30.
Mario: Perfect. Let’s go at 7:30.
Tamara: OK, shall we meet at the cinema at 7:00?
Mario: Great! See you later.
Tamara: Bye.
Listening skills practice: Shopping for clothes – exercises
Listen to the conversation between a customer and a shop assistant and do the exercises to improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
cash credit card receipt
checkout changing rooms T-shirt
1. Check your understanding: shop assistant or customer

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle Shop assistant or Customer for these sentences.
Shop assistant Is it OK? Customer
Shop assistant And in purple? Customer
Shop assistant Would you like to pay with credit card or with cash? Customer
Shop assistant Can I help you? Customer
Shop assistant Yes, have you got this T-shirt in other colours? Customer
Shop assistant Can I try it on? Customer
Shop assistant What size do you want? Customer

Do this exercise while you listen.
1. What size T-shirt does the customer want? _______________
2. Does the shop have a medium size purple T-shirt? _______________
3. What colour T-shirt does the customer try on? _______________
4. Does the customer buy the red T-shirt? _______________
5. How much does it cost? _______________
6. Does the customer pay by credit card or with cash? _______________
Discussion
What was the last item of clothing you bought? Where and when did you buy it?
Are you happy with it?
Listening skills practice: Shopping for clothes – transcript
Transcript for Shopping for clothes.
Shop assistant: Can I help you?

Customer: Yes, have you got this T-shirt in other colours?
Shop assistant: We’ve got it in white, black, red and purple. What size do you want?
Customer: Medium.
Shop assistant: OK, in medium we’ve got black and red.
Customer: And in purple?
Shop assistant: No, just black and red.
Customer: OK, red. Can I try it on?
Shop assistant: Yes, of course. The changing rooms are over there.
(pause)
Shop assistant: Is it OK?
Customer: Yes, I’ll take it.
Shop assistant: That’s £10.95. Would you like to pay by credit card or with cash?
Customer: Cash please. Here’s twenty.
Shop assistant: OK, thanks, that’s nine pounds, 5p change and here’s your receipt.
Customer: Thanks. Bye.
Listening skills practice: Stop wasting time – exercises
Listen to the conversation about how to study better and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
Fill the gaps with the verbs from the box.
need waste start off
end up turn off look up
1. When you need to study, you don't want to _______________ time.
2. It’s easy to _______________ working well but _______________ doing something else.
3. It's a good idea to _______________ your music.
4. You can use the internet to _______________ information.
5. Make sure you have everything you _______________ before you start.
1. Check your understanding: reordering

Write a number (1–6) to put these tips in the order that you hear them.
…………. Turn off your music.
…………. Take away the things that stop you working.
…………. Turn off your phone.
…………. Have something to eat and drink on your desk.
…………. Put your pet outside.
…………. Turn off your instant messages.

Listening skills practice: Stop wasting time – exercises

Circle True or False for these sentences.
1. Tom doesn't know how to start studying. True False
2. Tom's mum thinks that music helps people study. True False
3. Tom puts the dog outside. True False
4. Tom's mum recommends having a sandwich on the desk. True False
5. Tom doesn't want to turn off his phone at first. True False
6. Tom needs the internet to study. True False
7. Tom's going to turn off his messages. True False
8. Tom thinks his mum has helped him. True False
Discussion
What things stop you from working? What can you do to study better?
Listening skills practice: Stop wasting time – transcript
Transcript for Stop wasting time
Tom: I don't know what to do. I start off studying but I always end up doing something else.
Mum: I’ll help you but please listen to me.
Tom: Of course! Go on!
Mum: Now first, you need to take away all of the things that stop you working.
Tom: What do you mean?
Mum: First, turn off your music. Music doesn’t help you study.
Tom: OK. No music.
Mum: And put the dog outside!
Tom: What?
Mum: Well, every time the dog goes into your room, you stop studying to pat it. Spot stops you
working!
Tom: OK. Bye, Spot!
Mum: Have an apple and a glass of water on your desk before you start. Here you are.
Tom: Why?
Mum: Because then you don’t need to go to the kitchen for something to eat or drink.
Tom: OK.
Mum: Turn off your phone.
Tom: No way!
Mum: Yes. It stops you working. If you turn it off, it’s easier to concentrate. You can read your
messages later.
Tom: OK, but I can’t turn off the internet on my computer. I need it to look up information.
Mum: OK, but you can turn off your instant messages.
Tom: I know! Mum?
Mum: Yes?
Tom: Thanks.
Listening skills practice: Taking notes – exercises
Listen to the conversation about taking notes and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening
skills.
Preparation: ordering
Put these words in the correct order by writing a number in the brackets.
1. brilliant (__) You (__) are (__) history. (__) at (__)
2. notes (__) from (__) are (__) today. (__) my (__) These (__)
3. copy (__) You (__) to (__) everything. (__) have (__) don’t (__)
4. to (__) You (__) the (__) have (__) write (__) words. (__) important (__)
5. your (__) test (__) Let’s (__) memory. (__)
6. copy (__) You (__) to (__) everything. (__) have (__) don’t (__)

1. Clare is good at history. True False
2. Clare’s notes are too long. True False
3. Mark thinks you need to write everything. True False
4. Mark draws a crown and an ‘H’ instead of ‘King Henry’. True False
5. Clare doesn’t think Mark’s idea is very good. True False
6. Mark’s way of taking notes doesn’t work for Clare. True False
Listening skills practice: Taking notes – exercises
2. Check your vocabulary: gap fill

Complete the sentences with a word from the box.
draw important write exam
notes remember
1. Clare has got a history _______________ on Friday. Mark is helping her.
2. He looks at her _______________ from today.
3. He explains she doesn’t need to _______________ everything, just the _______________ words.
4. She can _______________ pictures too.
5. Pictures help you _______________ facts.
Discussion
How do you prepare for an exam?
Listening skills practice: Taking notes – transcript
Transcript for Taking notes
Mark: What’s the matter?

Clare: I’ve got a history exam on Friday and I’m worried I’ll fail it.
Mark: Why? You’re brilliant at history.
Clare: It isn’t difficult but I have to remember a lot of information. These are my notes from today.
Mark: Can I see?
Clare: Yes.
Mark: These aren’t notes! This is a full text!
Clare: What do you mean?
Mark: You don’t have to copy everything! ‘Notes’ are just a few words. You have to write the important
words. You don’t need to write the extra bits. Look. King Henry the Eighth was married six
times.
Clare: That’s important information.
Mark: But you don’t need to write all of those words. You can draw little pictures too. Pictures can help
you to remember things and then you don’t need to write so many words. Look.
Clare: That’s so good! The crown is for ‘King’ and the ‘H’ is for Henry. That’s cool. Then the heart is
‘love’ and a number six … well that is ehm … six.
Mark: Yes. So look at these notes. Let’s test your memory.
Clare: King Henry the Eighth was married six times.
Mark: Exactly! Write notes like this, Clare. Then you won’t have six pages of notes, you’ll only have
two or three!
Listening skills practice: Tour of London – exercises
Take a tour of London by listening to this tour guide and do the exercises to practise your listening skills.
Preparation
Big Ben London bus London Eye Tower of London
Oxford Street Tower Bridge Houses of Parliament Buckingham Palace
1. Check your understanding: ordering

Do this exercise while you listen. Write a number (1-8) to put these places in order that the tour bus will
visit them.
…………. Oxford Street
…………. Madame Tussauds, Museum
…………. Tower of London
…………. London Eye
…………. Houses of Parliament
…………. Buckingham Palace
…………. Big Ben
…………. Tower Bridge

Circle the best word to complete these sentences.
1. The tour takes 2 / 3 / 4 hours.
2. At Madame Tussaud’s you can see maps of London / models of famous people / famous shops .
3. Oxford Street is a famous street for drinking tea / eating / shopping .
4. The Queen lives at Buckingham Palace / the Tower of London / Tower Bridge .
5. Big Ben is a tour guide / clock / bridge .
6. You can see great views of London from Oxford Street / the Houses of Parliament / London Eye .
Have you ever been to any of these places?
Where did you go?
What did you do?
Which city would you like to take a tour in? Why?

Listening skills practice: Tour of London – transcript
Transcript for Tour of London.
Tour guide: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this fantastic tour of London by bus.
My name’s Greg and I’m your guide this afternoon on our tour of London. As you can see, we’re on an
open top bus, so you can see all the attractions from your seat and you don’t need to walk anywhere. And
please don’t worry about the rain, I’m sure it’ll stop soon. A-a-and please ask any questions at any time.
Tourist 1: I have a question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist 1: Do you have extra umbrellas? I mean if it rains a lot.
Tour guide: Err, no, we don’t have any extra umbrellas, but don’t worry, I’m sure the rain will stop soon.
Right, OK, so where are we going on our wonderful tour? Well, the tour takes 2 hours and we are going to
visit all the famous sites. First we’ll see Madame Tussauds, the museum with wax models of famous
people and celebrities, then we’ll drive along the most famous shopping street in the world, Oxford Street.
After that we’ll see the famous clock Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament. As we drive along the river
you’ll see the popular attraction, the London Eye, from which you can see the whole city on a sunny day.
Then we’ll see Tower Bridge and the famous Tower of London before arriving at Buckingham Palace, just
in time for a cup of tea with the Queen.
Tourist 2: Is that included in the tour? A cup of tea with the Queen?
Tour guide: Err, well, no not exactly, but there’s a lovely café near the palace where you can get a cup of
tea.
(Sound of a storm right overhead, loud thunder and very heavy downpour)
Tourist 1: I have another question.
Tour guide: Yes?
Tourist 1: Can we have our money back? We’re getting off the bus.
Tour guide: Err, well, you see... Quick! Run! Everyone off the bus! ...
Find this exercise at:

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/english-skills-practice/improve-your-listening/tour-london
Listening skills practice: Trains and travel – exercises
Listen to five different conversations at a train station and do the exercises to improve your listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a – d next to
the number 1 – 4.
1…….. platform a. A small piece of paper to allow you to use a train or bus.
2…….. ticket b. The place in a train station where people get on and get off trains.
3…….. single (ticket) c. A ticket to travel to a place, but not to travel back
4…….. return (ticket) d. A ticket to travel to a place and back again.
1. Check your understanding: matching

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with the correct place from the box.
Oxford Manchester London
Cambridge Exeter
Listening A
The speaker wants to go to _______________
Listening B
Listening C
Listening D
The train is going to _______________
Listening E
The passengers want to go to _______________
2. Check your understanding: question and answer
Do this exercise while you listen. Write the correct answer to these questions.
1. Which platform does the 10.15 train to Cambridge leave from? _______________
2. How much is a single ticket to Manchester? _______________
3. Which platform does the 12.30 train to Manchester leave from? _______________
4. What time does the train arrive at Exeter? _______________
5. What time is the train back to London? _______________
6. Which platform does the train back to London leave from? _______________
Discussion
Do you often use the train? Why / Why not?
What is your favourite type of public transport? Why?

Listening skills practice: Trains and travel – transcript
Transcript for Trains and travel.
A.
Passenger: Excuse me? Which platform does the train to Cambridge leave from?
Train station attendant: The 10:15 train or the 10:40?
Passenger: The 10:15.
Train station attendant: The 10:15 train leaves from platform 3.
Passenger: Thanks.
B.
Passenger: Hi. Could I have a ticket for the next train to Manchester, please?
Train ticket vendor: Single or return?
Passenger: Errr, single, please.
Train ticket vendor: The next train is at 12:30pm, leaving from platform 2.
Passenger: And how much is it?
Train ticket vendor: £13:50
C.
Ticket inspector: Tickets, please. Can I see your ticket, please?
Passenger: Yes, here you are.
Ticket inspector: This ticket is for Oxford.
Passenger: Yes, that’s right.
Ticket inspector: But this train doesn’t go to Oxford, it goes to Liverpool.
Passenger: What? Liverpool? Oh no!
D.
Train station announcement: The next train arriving at platform 1 is the 15:45 train to Exeter, stopping at
Bristol Temple Meads and arriving at Exeter St David’s at 18:30.
E.
Harry: What time is our train back to London?
Angel: It leaves at 4:30. We’ve only got 5 minutes.
Harry: What platform does it leave from?
Angel: Platform 2. Look, over there.
Harry: I can’t see our train anywhere. Let me see the ticket. Look, it says 4:20, not 4:30!
Angel: Oh no, we’ve missed it.
Harry: No, we haven’t. It’s late. Look, here it is now.
Angel: Phew, that was lucky!
Listening skills practice: Travelling abroad – exercises
Listen to the five airport announcements and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Write a number (1-6) to put these sentences in order.
…………. Wait at the boarding gate
…………. Go to the checking-in desk.
…………. Board the plane.
…………. Go through immigration.
…………. The plane takes off.
…………. Arrive at the airport.

New York Athens Amsterdam
Rome Tokyo
1. Speaker A: The plane is going to _______________.
2. Speaker B: The plane is going to _______________.
3. Speaker C: The plane is going to _______________.
4. Speaker D: The plane is going to _______________.
5. Speaker E: The plane is going to _______________.

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps.
1. The 9.25 flight to Rome is delayed by _______________ hours.
2. Passengers going to Tokyo should go to boarding gate _______________.
3. Passengers going to Athens should go to boarding gate _______________.
The flight number of the plane going to Amsterdam is _______________. It will leave from gate
4.
_______________.
5. The time in _______________ is 18.30.
6. The temperature in New York is _______________ ºF.
Tell your partner/ group about the last time you took a flight somewhere.
Where did you go?
How long was the flight?
Did you have a good journey? Why?/ Why not?
Listening skills practice: Travelling abroad – transcript
Transcript for Travelling abroad.
A.
Good morning. This is an announcement for all passengers travelling on the 9:25 flight TOM1223 to Rome.
This flight is delayed by two hours because of bad weather.
B.
Would all passengers travelling to Tokyo on flight FR3421 please have your boarding passes and
passports ready for boarding. Flight FR3421 now boarding at gate 21.
C.
This is the final boarding call for passengers Gemma and Ryan Grey flying to Athens on flight EZ9753.
Your flight is ready to leave. Please go to gate 14 immediately. The doors of the plane will close in five
minutes. Final boarding call for passengers Gemma and Ryan Grey.
D.
This is an announcement for passengers travelling to Amsterdam on flight KL1050. Will all passengers with
express boarding tickets and passengers travelling with young children please go to gate 6 for boarding.
That’s all passengers with express boarding tickets and passengers travelling with young children go to
gate 6 for boarding. Thank you.
E.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We have landed at JFK airport in New York where the local time is
18:30 and the temperature is 76º. We hope you have enjoyed your flight with American Airlines this
evening and wish you a very safe journey to your final destination.
Listening skills practice: Using colours to do homework – exercises
Listen to the presentation about using colours to organise homework and do the exercises to practise and
Preparation: matching
Match the two parts of the sentences and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.
1…….. You can use colour a. from a library.
2…….. A stationery shop b. to remember important things.
3…….. You can write on sticky notes c. days, weeks and months of a year.
4…….. We borrow books d. is red, white and blue.
5…….. The flag of Britain e. coding to organise homework.
6…….. A calendar shows the f. sells pens and paper.

1. You need to buy some stationery to organise your homework like this. True False
2. The things you need are not cheap. True False
3. The colour you choose should mean something to you. True False
4. PE is yellow because she doesn’t like yellow. True False
5. She keeps all her notes in the same folder. True False
6. She uses red for geography notes. True False
7. She uses flags to mark pages she has to read. True False
8. When she thinks of French, she thinks of her favourite animal. True False
Listening skills practice: Using colours to do homework – exercises

Match the subjects with the colours and write a–e next to the numbers 1–5.
1…….. green a. French
2…….. yellow b. geography
3…….. blue c. PE
4…….. black d. history
5…….. pink e. maths

calendar notes folders

colour pages subject
1. The speaker uses _______________ coding to organise her homework.
2. She suggests buying coloured pens, _______________ and other stationery.
3. She chooses a colour for each _______________.
4. History is blue so her folder is blue and her history _______________ are on blue sticky notes.
5. Then she uses blue flags to mark the _______________ she needs to read for history homework.
6. She uses coloured stars on a _______________ to organise each subject’s homework.
Discussion
Which colours would you choose for each school subject? Why?
Listening skills practice: Using colours to do homework – transcript
Transcript for Using colours to do homework
Girl: My presentation is about how you can use colour coding to organise your homework.
To start you need a few things from the stationery shop. This photo shows the things I use. They
aren’t expensive. They are all cheap. I’ve got coloured pens and pencils, sticky notes, page
markers, glue and folders.
First, I choose a different colour for each school subject. The colour I choose has to be easy to
remember so I make sure it means something to me. Maths is green because my ruler is green.
PE is yellow because my trainers are yellow.
Here is a photo of my folders. I use the cheapest kind and I add a coloured sticky note to the top
and to the front. I keep all my notes inside the different folders.
This is a photo of some more sticky notes. I wrote them in the library when I was studying. The
blue notes are for history. My history teacher has got a blue car! The black notes are for
geography. One day I want to visit the Black Sea.
This photo shows the pages I need to read for homework. I use two coloured page markers to
mark where it starts and ends. Those blue ones mark the pages I need to read for history.
Finally, this last photo shows my wall calendar. This green star shows I have a maths test on
Friday. This pink circle shows I’ve got French homework for Monday. It’s pink because ‘pink’ is
‘rose’ in French … and the rose is my favourite flower.
Has anyone got any questions?

Improve your listening: Weather forecast - exercises
Listen to the weather forecast and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.
Preparation
rainy windy thunderstorm
sunny dry cloudy

Do this exercise while you listen. Match the two halves of the sentence and write a – d next to the number
1 – 4.
1…….. The weather in the north is mostly a. rainy.
2…….. The weather in the east is mostly b. cloudy and sunny.
3…….. The weather in the west is mostly c. dry and cloudy.
4…….. The weather in the south is mostly d. windy.

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the word to fill the gap.
1. Welcome to the weather forecast. Now, let’s see what the weather is _______________ today.
In the north of the country it’s very windy and cold. There is a _______________ of some rain,
2.
too.
3. The temperature is around 10 _______________ centigrade.
In the east it’s rainy all day today, I’m afraid. There may be a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The
4.
_______________ is a bit higher, at around 13 degrees.
5. In the west and middle of the country the weather is dry _______________ cloudy.
The south of the country has the _______________ weather today. It’s cloudy most of the time but
6.
sunny this afternoon.
What is the weather usually like in your city or town?
It’s usually … (hot/ cold/ windy etc.)

It usually … (rains/ snows etc.)
Improve your listening: Weather forecast - transcript
Transcript for Weather forecast.
News reporter: Here is the weather.
Weather reporter: Welcome to the weather forecast. Now, let’s see what the weather is like today. In the
north of the country it’s very windy and cold. There is a chance of some rain too, so don’t leave home
without your umbrella! The temperature is around 10º centigrade. In the east it’s rainy all day today, I’m
afraid. There may be a thunderstorm in the afternoon. The temperature is a bit higher, at around 13º. In the
west and middle of the country the weather is dry, but cloudy. So no rain for you, but it is quite windy and
the temperature is just 10º. The south of the country has the best weather today. It’s cloudy most of the
time but sunny this afternoon. The temperature is around 15º.
Listening skills practice: Work - exercises
Listen to five different people talking about their jobs and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
shop assistant teacher dentist cleaner
tour guide doctor pilot nurse

pilot dentist shop assistant
tour guide nurse
1. Speaker A works as a _______________.
2. Speaker B works as a _______________.
3. Speaker C works as a _______________.
4. Speaker D works as a _______________.
5. Speaker E works as a _______________.

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best answer for these questions.
Yes.
1. Does speaker A enjoy his job? Sometimes.
No.
When he is at university.
2. When does speaker A work? Weekends.
Summer holidays.
Weekdays.
3. When does speaker B work? Weekends and holidays.
Summer holidays.
Visiting universities.
4. What does speaker B say tourists love doing? Taking a boat trip.
Swimming in the river.
Yes.
5. Does speaker C like his job? Sometimes.
No.
Travelling to many countries.

6. What does speaker D say is difficult about being a pilot? Learning many languages.
Flying planes in bad weather.
Visiting different places.

7. What does speaker D say is the best thing about his job? Meeting different people.
The different weather.
What does speaker E not like about her job? The doctors.
8. The sick people.
The uniform.
Listening skills practice: Work - transcript
Transcript for Work.
A.
I work on Saturdays and in the school holidays. Saturdays are busy because that’s when everyone goes
shopping. Our shop sells clothes and accessories for men, women and children. I work in the children’s
department. It can be crazy sometimes, but it’s fun.
B.
I work during my summer holidays when I’m not at university. Oxford has thousands of tourists in the
summer, so it’s easy to find a job as a tour guide. I take tourists to visit the university colleges and then we
go down to the river. We go along the river on a boat. The tourists love the boat trip, but last summer one
tourist fell in the river! I love meeting people from all over the world.
C.
I like my job, but lots of people don’t like coming to see me because they hate dentists. Sometimes it’s very
hard work, but it’s great to help people when they have a problem. It’s so important to look after your teeth.
D.
My job is very difficult, but I like it because I love flying. I fly planes that take people to different places on
holiday. Most of the time I fly in Europe to places like Spain, Greece and Italy. The most difficult thing
about my job is when the weather is bad. Snow and thunderstorms are the worst. The best thing is visiting
different places.
E.
I work in a hospital in the city centre. It’s a very big hospital. I help the doctors with the patients. I give them
their medicine and look after them when they feel ill. I love my job but I don’t like the uniform and
sometimes I have to work at night.
Listening skills practice: Advice for exams – exercises
Listen to the teacher giving students advice for exams and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.
1…….. advice a. nervous and worried
2…….. last but not least b. to be strongly attracted to doing something
3…….. to be tempted c. a good or full amount
4…….. anxious d. the act of doing something again
an opinion or recommendation about what someone

5…….. plenty e.
should do
6…….. repetition f. a short walk around your local area
7…….. a stroll around the block g. to put something over something so that you can’t see it
an expression used before the last thing in a list, to say

8…….. to cover something up h.
that it is equally as important

Circle the best option to complete these sentences.
1. The teacher wants the students to …

a. take notes after she has finished speaking.
b. take notes while she is speaking.
c. forget about taking notes.
2. The teacher suggests eating …

a. sugary snacks.
b. only apples.
c. fruit and cereals.
3. The teacher suggests finding a study place with a lot of …

a. light.
b. space.
c. books.
4. If students feel stressed they should …

a. go to bed.
b. go out for a walk.
c. drink some water.
5. Students are advised to …

a. select the important things to learn.
b. read through everything once.
c. make notes about every topic.
6. The teacher understands that repeating things can be …

a. difficult.
b. uninteresting.
c. tiring.
7. Students can do past exam papers …

a. in the library only.
b. at home if they take photocopies.
c. in the after-school study group.
8. The teacher recommends a break of five minutes every …

a. hour.
b. two hours.
c. thirty minutes.
9. It’s important to …
a. eat regularly.
b. sleep when you feel tired.
c. keep hydrated.
10. The teacher is sure that the students will …

a. pass their exams.
b. fail their exams.
c. do their best.
2. Check your understanding: grouping

Write the advice in the correct group.
b. Read your notes c. Try to learn d. Eat sugary food while

a. Get very comfortable.
again and again. everything. you are studying.
g. Start by choosing the

h. Photocopy past exam
e. Focus on the details. f. Take regular breaks. important things to
papers.
study.
Do Don’t
Discussion
Does any of this advice surprise you?
Have you got any good advice to share about studying for exams?
Vocabulary Box Write any new words you have learned in this lesson.
Listening skills practice: Advice for exams – transcript
Transcript for Advice for exams
Morning, everyone. Quiet, please. Right, OK. So, today I’m going to give you some advice to help you
prepare for the exams next week. So, make some notes as I’m talking, please. Everybody ready?
Now, while you’re studying, eat food that gives you energy. Don’t be tempted to eat sweets or drink cola.
Sugar won’t help you study but fruit and cereals will. Apples, actually, are especially good.
Find a comfortable place with plenty of light when you study. But not ‘too’ comfortable or you’ll fall asleep!
Try and keep a positive mind. It is easier to study when you are positive and relaxed. Now, if you start
feeling anxious, have a little break. Go out for a stroll around the block.
Don’t try to learn everything. There isn’t time. Just choose the ‘important’ things, the things that’ll get you
the most points in an exam. And if you aren’t sure about this, ask me.
First, learn the main ideas and don’t worry too much about the details. If you have time, you can come
back later and read the details.
Make notes of these key points and read them, then cover them up and try to remember all the points.
Now, it might be boring, but repetition helps you to remember.
Use past exam papers to study. They will help you understand what kind of questions come up. There are
plenty of past exam papers in the library. You can photocopy them and take them home.
Take regular breaks while you’re studying. A five-minute break every half hour is usually enough. Get
some fresh air and stretch your arms and legs. Drink a glass of water too. It’s important to keep hydrated.
And, last but not least, good luck! I’m sure you’ll all do your best.
Listening skills practice: Amazing facts – exercises
Listen to the conversation about the human body and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then do the other exercises to check your understanding.
Preparation
Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–d next to the numbers 1–4.
1…….. cells a. Very tiny creatures that live on plants or animals.
2…….. bacteria b. The smallest part of a chemical element.
The simplest and smallest forms of life. They live in air, water,
3…….. mites c. soil, as well as in humans and animals (dead or alive). They are
often the cause of disease.
The smallest part of an animal or plant that can work

4…….. atom d.
independently. All plants and animals are made of these.

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best option to complete these sentences.
1. Only about one tenth of the cells in your body are ...
a. alive. b. really you. c. bacteria.
2. Bacteria are mostly ...
a. really helpful. b. bad for humans. c. neither good or bad.
3. Animals need bacteria to ...
a. fight diseases. b. provide energy. c. digest food.
4. You have ... cells in your body.
a. 7 million b. 7 trillion c. 7 octillion
5. Most of the atoms are ...
a. tiny cubes. b. not used. c. empty space.
6. You probably have mites in your ...
a. hair. b. ears. c. eyelashes.

Listening skills practice: Amazing facts – exercises
7. Mites are very small creatures that are about ...
b. a third of a millimetre
a. 3 millimetres long. c. 0.03 millimetres long.
long.
8. Mites eat ...
a. dead skin. b. your eyelashes. c. tiny insects.
2. Check your understanding: gap fill typing

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the sentences with a word or words.
1. Only one tenth of the cells in your body are really you. The rest are _______________.
An experiment found that animals that did not have bacteria _______________ or had to have a
2.
special diet.
3. There are _______________ octillion cells in the human body.
4. Most of the atoms in the human body are just empty _______________.
Without the empty space, you could fit your body inside a box measuring _______________ of a
5.
centimetre either side.
6. You would be much too small to _______________.
7. Mites are really small creatures, like _______________.
8. They live in eyelashes and _______________.
9. Only about _______________ per cent of people have mites.
10. Mites eat dead _______________.
Discussion
Do you know any amazing facts about the human body?

Listening skills practice: Amazing facts – transcript
Transcript for Amazing facts
A: Hey, I’m reading this really interesting article about the human body.
B: Yeah? Well, we know all about that from biology lessons.
A: No, we didn’t learn much at all at school! They’re discovering loads more things all the time.
Really amazing things! Did you know that only about one tenth of the cells in your body are really
you? The rest are bacteria.
B: What? I’m not really me?
A: No, of course you are you, but you also have millions, or trillions, of bacteria in you.
B: Eeeeuuugh!
A: No, they’re mostly really helpful. Someone did an experiment to see if animals can live without
bacteria, and he found that a lot of them died or had to have a special diet. Animals need bacteria
to digest food, you see. So we’re better off with bacteria.
B: Unless the bacteria are bad.
A: Unless they are bad, but they’re nearly all good. Oh yeah, and going back to cells, do you know
how many cells you have in your body?
B: Quite a lot, I’d say. A good few.
A: Yeah, but how many?
B: I don’t know. I’m not mathematical.
A: 7 octillion! That’s 7 plus 27 noughts.
B: I knew it was a lot.
A: OK, that’s an amazingly huge number, almost impossible to imagine. But the really weird thing is
that most of the atoms are empty space, just air or nothingness. And if you took out the empty
space, you could fit your body inside a tiny cube which measures one 500th of a centimetre on
either side. That’s a box measuring 0.002 of a centimetre on each side. You’d be much too small
to see.
B: Mmm, I can imagine that. It sounds like something that would happen in a really bad Hollywood
movie. You know, a mad scientist goes: (funny voice) ‘I’m going to extract all the air from your
body’. OK, enough facts for one day.
A: Don’t go! One last thing, did you know …
B: No.
A: Did you know that you probably have mites in your eyelashes?
B: Mites in my eyelashes? What are mites exactly anyway?
A: Yeah, they’re very small creatures, like insects, only not insects. They’re about a third of a
millimetre long, so you can’t really see them. These particular mites live in eyelashes and
eyebrows.
Listening skills practice: Amazing facts – transcript
B: But in mine?
A: Well, maybe not. Only about 50% of people have them, and more older people. So you might not
have any. Anyway, they’re completely harmless, they just eat dead skin.
B: Yeah, right, harmless. I really would have preferred not to know that.
A: Sorry.
B: I mean, really!
Listening skills practice: Celebrations – exercises
Listen to the speakers and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Match the events with the definitions and write a – e next to the
numbers 1 – 5.
a party to celebrate the anniversary of

1…….. a. golden wedding anniversary
someone’s birth
the marriage of a king, queen, prince or

2…….. b. Notting Hill Carnival
princess
a West Indian carnival held in London

3…….. c. end of term party at school
every August
4…….. a celebration of 50 years of marriage d. birthday party
a party normally organised by students to

5…….. celebrate finishing the school year and e. Royal wedding
completing their exams

Do this exercise while you listen. Match the speaker with the celebration and write a – e next to the
numbers 1 – 5.
1…….. Speaker A a. golden wedding anniversary
2…….. Speaker B b. Notting Hill Carnival
3…….. Speaker C c. end of term party at school
4…….. Speaker D d. Royal wedding
5…….. Speaker E e. surprise birthday party

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with the speaker.
A (x2) B (x2) C (x 2)
D (x2) E (x2)
1. Speaker _______________ will see people dressed in amazing costumes.
Speaker _______________ is going to decorate the venue with Chinese lanterns and projections
2.
on the wall.
3. Speaker _______________ is worried about someone on Facebook spoiling the surprise.
4. Speaker _______________ is going to be careful of people stealing things.
Speaker _______________ is going to listen to old-fashioned music played on an old-fashioned

5.
machine.
6. Speaker _______________ is in one of the bands that are playing.
7. Speaker _______________ is going to taste food from all over the world.
8. Speaker _______________ is going to celebrate with the whole family.
9. Speaker _______________ is organising a party for her two best friends.
10. Speaker _______________ is going to make sure there is no traffic on her street,
Do you have any celebrations planned?
What are you celebrating?
What are you going to do?
Listening skills practice: Celebrations – transcript
Transcript for Celebrations
A
It was Nicky’s idea, but we all think it’s going to be brilliant. As soon as the last exams have finished, we’re
going to decorate the main hall at school with paper streamers and Chinese lanterns and things. Steve had
this idea of projecting photos of everyone onto a wall, like a slide show. And we’ve got Jo’s brother, who’s
a professional DJ, coming along. Then there are three different bands lined up to play. Ours is the best,
because we’ve been together longest and we’ve got a great bass player, (coughs) although I say so
myself, so we’re on last. It’s going to be cool.
B
Every year there’s a carnival in August in London. You’ve probably heard of it, the Notting Hill Carnival? So
this year, me and my friends are going again. We went last year and we had such a fantastic time. It’s all
Afro-Caribbean, with people in amazing costumes and these brilliant steel bands. We don’t go in costume,
but we do dance a lot. It does get quite crowded, so you have to make sure you stick together. And you
have to watch out for pickpockets when there are so many people in the same place. But it’s really good
fun; it’s like London becomes a different country. Even the police dance sometimes.
C
We’re going to hire a boat for the day and take it up the river. It’s my grandparents’ golden wedding
anniversary, so the whole family is getting together. I’m really looking forward to seeing my cousins again. I
haven’t seen them for ages. We’ve got this huge picnic planned, with loads of different types of
sandwiches and salads and an enormous cake. My dad has borrowed an ancient gramophone player, you
know, what they had before CD players, and some old records. So as we go up the river we’re going to
listen to music from the time my grandparents got married – the swinging sixties!
D
Two of my best friends have their birthday in the same week, so some of us have decided to have a
surprise party for both of them. One of my friends, Sandra, has a big house, and her parents say we can
use it. They’re going away, luckily. It’s at the end of October, so we’re going to decorate the house with
Halloween things, you know, spiders' webs and spooky things. We're going to make up an excuse to get
the birthday girls to come round to the house – say we’re going to help Sandra move some stuff, or
something. Then, as soon as Sandra lets them in, we’re going to turn the lights out and jump out at them!
We just have to make sure nobody mentions anything on Facebook and gives away the surprise.
E
There’s a Royal wedding in June – one of our princes is getting married – so it’s a public holiday. Lots of
people are having parties in squares and parks and places, and the people in our street decided to have
one too. Well, it’s a good excuse to have a party, isn’t it? We’re all going to take out tables and chairs and
put them together in the middle of the road. We’re going to stop cars coming through, obviously. We’re all
going to bring different dishes and share them round. There are quite a lot of different nationalities living on
our street – people from India, China and different African countries – so the food should be really
interesting. It’ll be good to get to know more of the neighbours too.
Listening skills practice: Difficult situations – exercises
Listen to the people discussing different problems and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
1. Preparation
Match the two parts of the sentence to describe difficult situations. Write a – f next to the numbers 1 – 6.
1…….. Your bus breaks a. dies.
2…….. You fail b. up with her.
3…….. Your dog c. an exam.
Your friend’s boyfriend

4…….. d. your phone.
breaks
5…….. You leave your e. down and you are late for school.
6…….. Someone steals f. keys inside the house.

Complete the gaps with a word or phrase from the box.
friend he failed his exam mum
dad her dog got hit by a car the mobile phone he borrowed got stolen
1. The boy is telling his _______________ that ______________________________.
2. The girl is telling her _______________ that ______________________________.
3. The boy is telling his _______________ that ______________________________.

1. A - The boy revised all week for his Economics exam. True False
2. A - It wasn't an important exam. True False
3. A - His mum is worried about the cost of retaking the course. True False
4. B - The girl and the dog were playing in the park. True False
5. B - She took Bonzo to the vet's straight away. True False
6. B - She had only had Bonzo for a short time. True False
7. C - The boy was using the phone when someone stole it. True False
8. C - The boy thinks he would recognise the thief. True False
9. C - The dad will see if the phone is insured. True False
Have you been in any difficult situations?
What happened?
Listening skills practice: Difficult situations – transcript
Transcript for Difficult situations.
A
Boy: Mum?
Mother: Yes?
Boy: You know that Economics exam I had last week?
Mother: The one you didn’t revise for?
Boy: I did revise for it. I was working on it all weekend. Don’t you remember?
Mother: Oh, yes, I remember. Apart from going out until four in the morning, you mean?
Boy: Well, I have to relax a little, even if I’m revising. Anyway, I didn’t pass it.
Mother: You failed it! But wasn’t that an important one?
Boy: Yeah, I’m really sorry.
Mother: I’m really sorry too. What does that mean?
Boy: Well, I’ll probably have to retake the whole course.
Mother: Oh, Ryan! It’s a really expensive course. I’m not sure we can afford for you to take it again. Things
are difficult enough as it is.
Boy: I know, Mum. I’m sorry. I’ll talk to the teacher again and see if I can retake it.
B
Girl 1: Hi, Megan. How are you?
Girl 2: Not feeling too good, actually.
Girl 1: Oh? Why’s that?
Girl 2: Well, something terrible happened this morning … (voice trembling)
Girl 1: What? Sorry, take your time, and tell me when you’re ready.
Girl 2: Well, I was playing with Bonzo in the garden with a ball, and the ball went over the hedge into the
road, and …
Girl 1: Yes?
Girl 2: And Bonzo jumped over the hedge after it and he got hit by a car.
Girl 1: Oh, no! And is he … ?
Girl 2: Yes. We took him to the vet’s immediately, but there was nothing she could do.
Girl 1: Oh, poor Bonzo. And poor you. I know how much he meant to you.
Girl 2: We’d had him since he was a tiny puppy. He was like one of the family.
Girl 1: I’m really sorry. At least he had a happy life.
Girl 2: His life was too short!
Girl 1: Well, yes, OK. I’m sorry, that was a really insensitive thing to say. I’ll come round and see you later,
OK?
C
Boy: Hi, Dad.
Father: Hi, how’s it going?
Boy: Did you have a good day at work?
Father: Same as usual, really. What about you? Good day at school?
Boy: Yeah, pretty good. Except for one little thing …
Father: Why do I have a sinking feeling in my stomach?
Boy: Do you remember you lent me your phone?
Father: Yes?
Boy: Well, I was standing just outside school, texting Jack, and somebody ran past and grabbed it.
Father: You let someone steal my phone?
Boy: I didn’t let them.
Father: No, I suppose not. But did you know that that might happen? Is that a dangerous spot?
Boy: Well, I had heard of that happening, but I’d forgotten. Anyway, I didn’t think it would happen to me.
Father: No, OK. Did you see who it was?
Boy: No. It was someone in a blue tracksuit, and there are loads of people who wear those. But there’s a
CCTV camera on the entrance. It might have got a shot of the thief’s face.
Father: You reported it then?
Boy: Well, not yet, but I will tomorrow.
Father: All right. Don’t forget to report it tomorrow. I’ll have a look at the insurance and see if it’s covered.
Listening skills practice: My favourite things – exercises
Listen to the speakers describing their favourite things and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
1. Preparation: matching
Do this exercise before you listen. Match the verb with the correct noun and write a – g next to the
numbers 1 – 7.
1…….. take a. a designer
2…….. listen to b. your scooter
3…….. watch c. a business
stroke (= move your hand

4…….. d. films
gently over something)
5…….. park e. photos
make it as (= be
6…….. f. the cat
successful as)
7…….. set up (= start) g. music

Match the speakers with their favourite things. Write a – e next to the numbers 1 – 5.
1…….. Speaker A a. a tablet
2…….. Speaker B b. a sewing machine
3…….. Speaker C c. a scooter
4…….. Speaker D d. a set of knives
5…….. Speaker E e. a cat

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the word to fill the gaps.
1. My favourite thing has to be my new tablet. It’s really light and quite _____________, so I take it with me
everywhere. I’m always writing to friends and it’s big enough to do college work on it too. It takes really
good _____________, and I play games and listen to _____________ on it as well, of course. I often
download _____________ onto it, and watch them in _____________. My mum says I’m _____________,
because I’m always on it. I even read things on it at breakfast time. I’m not allowed to at _____________
time, though. I have to be _____________ and talk to people then. “Welcome back to real life,” my mum
says.
2. My favourite thing? Does my _____________ count as a thing? She’s not really a thing, but anyway.
She’s a really _____________ little cat. I’ve had her since she was _____________ months old. You know
how some cats are really _____________ and hardly talk to you? I know cats don’t really talk, but you
know what I mean. Well, she’s not like that at all. She’s really _____________ and comes up to me as
soon as I get home, purring away like mad. She makes a lot of _____________ for a tiny thing. She loves
being stroked and comes and curls up next to me when I’m on the _____________. She’s great
_____________.
3. My new scooter! It’s quite small, but _____________, and just what I needed for getting around the
_____________. I used to have quite a long walk to the _____________, then a longish walk at the other
end to get to _____________. But now I can just whiz there on my _____________. And there’s no
problem parking, there’s always _____________ for it. You have to be _____________ with the cars and
_____________ – they don’t always see you – and when it rains the surface of the road is
_____________, it gets really slippery. But in general it’s perfect for me, and I can fit a _____________ on
the back too – I’ve got an extra _____________ for a friend. It’s great. Riding along makes me feel so free.
4. This might sound a bit old-fashioned, but my sewing _____________ is my favourite thing. I’m studying
_____________ and love making things, as well as designing them. I also love _____________ myself
and often buy second-hand clothes – everyone loves the “vintage” _____________ at the moment – and
then I adapt them to my _____________. It’s much easier using a machine to do that than doing it by
_____________. I do alterations for my mum and my sister too. If I don’t make it as a _____________, I
suppose I can always set up my own alterations and customising _____________. Customising clothes, by
taking things off and adding things on, is actually very _____________, so I wouldn’t mind that.
5. My set of Japanese knives. That sounds a bit sinister, doesn’t it, but I’m not a _____________ or
anything. They’re chef’s knives and the best ones come from _____________. Cooking is my new hobby. I
got into it when I started watching Masterchef on TV. Then I went to an evening _____________ for
beginners, and I haven’t looked back since. I try and have a _____________ for between four and eight
_____________ every two or three _____________. That gives me something to work towards and I
always do new _____________ so they can try them out and give me feedback. It’s quite an
_____________ hobby if you use good _____________, but now my friends help towards the
_____________. They still get a good _____________ for a very low price.
What’s your favourite thing?
Why is it important to you?
Listening skills practice: My favourite things – transcript
Transcript for My favourite things
A (boy)
My favourite thing has to be my new tablet. It’s really light and quite small, so I take it with me everywhere.
I’m always writing messages to friends and it’s big enough to do college work on it too. It takes really good
photos, and I play games and listen to music on it as well, of course. I often download films onto it and
watch them in bed. My mum says I’m addicted, because I’m always on it. I even read things on it at
breakfast time. I’m not allowed to at dinner time, though. I have to be polite and talk to people
then.“Welcome back to real life," my mum says.
B (girl)
My favourite thing? Does my cat count as a thing? She’s not really a thing, but anyway. She’s a really
beautiful little cat. I’ve had her since she was four months old. You know how some cats are really
independent and hardly talk to you? I know cats don’t really talk, but you know what I mean. Well, she’s not
like that at all. She’s really affectionate and comes up to me as soon as I get home, purring away like mad.
She makes a lot of noise for a tiny thing. She loves being stroked and comes and curls up next to me when
I’m on the sofa. She’s great company.
C (boy)
My new scooter! It’s quite small, but fun, and just what I needed for getting around the city. I used to have
quite a long walk to the metro, then a longish walk at the other end to get to college. But now I can just
whiz there on my scooter. And there’s no problem parking, there’s always space for it. You have to be
careful with the cars and lorries – they don’t always see you – and when it rains the surface of the road is
terrible, it gets really slippery. But in general it’s perfect for me, and I can fit a friend on the back too – I’ve
got an extra helmet for a friend. It’s great. Riding along makes me feel so free.
D (girl)
This might sound a bit old-fashioned, but my sewing machine is my favourite thing. I’m studying fashion
and love making things, as well as designing them. I also love clothes myself and often buy second-hand
clothes – everyone loves the “vintage” look at the moment – and then I adapt them to my size. It’s much
easier using a machine to do that than doing it by hand. I do alterations for my mum and my sister too. If I
don’t make it as a designer, I suppose I can always set up my own alterations and customising business.
Customising clothes, by taking things off and adding things on, is actually very creative, so I wouldn’t mind
that.
E (boy)
My set of Japanese knives. That sounds a bit sinister, doesn’t it, but I’m not a murderer or anything.
They’re chef’s knives and the best ones come from Japan. Cooking is my new hobby. I got into it when I
started watching Masterchef on TV. Then I went to an evening class for beginners, and I haven’t looked
back since. I try and have a dinner for between four and eight friends every two or three weeks. That gives
me something to work towards and I always do new dishes so they can try them out and give me
feedback. It’s quite an expensive hobby if you use good ingredients, but now my friends help towards the
cost. They still get a good meal for a very low price.
Listening skills practice: Important people – exercises
Listen to the speakers talking about important people in their lives and do the exercises to practise and

Do this exercise before you listen. Match the phrases with the correct definition and write a – f next to the
numbers 1 – 6.
1…….. She looked after me. a. We have a good, friendly relationship.
2…….. We hang out a lot. b. She took care of me.
3…….. We get on well. c. He likes the same things as me.
4…….. We fell out. d. We have many similarities.
We stopped being friends. (Especially after an

5…….. We have a lot in common. e.
argument.)
6…….. He’s into the same things. f. We spend a lot of time together.

Complete the gaps with a word from the box.
childhood friend brother best friend
next-door neighbour boyfriend
1. Speaker A is talking about her _______________ .
2. Speaker B is talking about his _______________ .
3. Speaker C is talking about her _______________ .
4. Speaker D is talking about his _______________ .
5. Speaker E is talking about her _______________ .

1. A – Her next-door neighbour also worked with her mum. True False
2. A – Her next-door neighbour has a healthier lifestyle now. True False
3. B – He didn’t see his brother after he went to university. True False
4. B – He supports the same football team as his brother. True False
5. C – She and her friend argued about a boy. True False
6. C – She is going to go to the same university as her friend. True False
7. D – He didn’t have much in common with his friend when they were young. True False
8. E – She didn’t like the look of her boyfriend at first. True False
Which people have been important in your life?
Who are you closest to in your family?
Who are your closest friends?
Which other people have been important in your life?
Listening skills practice: Important people – transcript
Transcript for Important people
A (Girl)
She lives next door and she’s always been really important in my life. When we were little and my mum
was working she used to look after us. She’d tell us stories about her childhood. It was like listening to fairy
stories, life was so different when she was a child. In her kitchen she used to keep a special dish with
sweets for us, and she was always baking cakes and pies. Now she doesn’t bake so much. She’s started
eating more healthily in her old age, salads and vegetables and things. It’s funny how she’s changed. She
also goes to this special gym class for old people, it’s amazing. I don’t see her so often now, but she’s
always the same person however much her lifestyle changes.
B (Boy)
He’s four years older than me and that seemed like a huge amount when we were children. When we were
at the same school we’d never talk to each other during school hours. But now we’re older it’s a lot better,
although I’ll always be the little one, and that’s annoying sometimes. He’s taken me to rock concerts that I
wouldn’t have gone to otherwise and when he was at uni I went to stay with him sometimes. That was
really cool. It was great to see what real student life was like when I was still at school. Now that he’s
working he’s really busy, but we still hang out sometimes. We go to football matches together because we
both support our home team. It’s always good to see him.
C (Girl)
We’ve known each other since we were five and we’ve always got on really well. Well, apart from that time
when we fell out because we both liked the same boy. But he went off with Heather Jenkins, so we made
friends again quite quickly! We both like the same kind of music and going dancing at the weekend, and
when we were younger we went out on our bikes together. At school we’re good at different things. I’m
good at languages and Laura’s good at maths. That’s good though – it means that we can help each other
with our homework. Next year I’m probably going to study in London and she’s going to Manchester, but
I’m sure our relationship won’t change.
D (Boy)
His family moved in just a few houses down from us when I was about ten, and I still remember how
excited I felt when I found out there was another boy on the street. I’d been the only boy, you see. The
others were all girls. We were good friends from the beginning because we were into the same things:
computers and football, mostly. But we had quite a few of the same hobbies for a while. I remember
making lots of models of aeroplanes one year. Another year we took up fishing. We had all the equipment
and everything and we’d spend ages down by the river. I never go fishing now. His family moved away a
couple of years ago. We’re still friends on Facebook but we don’t really have much contact.
E (Girl)
I can remember all the details of when we met. I was wearing a red dress and I’d just had my hair cut. I can
even remember what music was playing the first time I saw him. I knew he was special from the beginning,
and I was right. We’ve been together ever since. Well, it’s only been eighteen months, and some people
say that isn’t very long, but it seems like ages to me. We’ve got such similar personalities and so much in
common. I’m sure we’ll stay together forever.
Listening skills practice: Llamas – exercises
Listen to the zoo guide talking about the llamas and do the exercise to practice and improve your listening
skills.
Do this exercise before you listen. Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a – e next to
the numbers 1 – 5.
1…….. to spit a. to make a continuous sound with the lips closed
to shear (past participle

2…….. b. soft thick hair that grows on the bodies of animals like sheep
= shorn)
3…….. wool c. to cut the wool off a sheep or similar animal
4…….. to lick d. to force out liquid from the mouth
5…….. to hum e. to pass the tongue over a surface

1. Llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos are all related to camels. True False
2. Llamas are the smallest of the four. True False
3. Llamas only spit at humans if you treat them badly. True False
4. Alpacas look as if they are sad. True False
5. Alpaca wool is good for clothes. True False
6. Vicuña wool is very expensive. True False
7. Vicuñas eat cacti. True False
8. Llamas and alpacas can’t live in the UK. True False

dogs wild stressed relaxed
warmer gentle three softer
herds curious foxes 4,000 metres
Llamas and alpacas are both domesticated animals and vicuñas and guanacos are
1.
_______________.
2. Llamas are very sociable animals and live together in groups, in _______________.
They respond well to being trained and they are usually _______________ and
3.
_______________.
The alpaca is famous for its wool, which is _______________ and _______________ than sheep’s
4.
wool.
5. Vicuñas can only be shorn of their wool every _______________ years.
6. Guanacos are capable of surviving at over _______________ in the Andes.
7. Llamas hum when they are _______________, or the opposite, feeling _______________.
Sometimes farmers use llama to protect sheep and hens from animals that might attack them, like
8.
_______________ or _______________.
What’s your favourite wild animal? Why?
Listening skills practice: Llamas – transcript
Transcript for Llamas
Zoo guide: OK, are we all together? Right, next we’re going to look at the llamas, but actually here we
have four different animals which are all from South America and all related to camels. Llamas, which you
have probably heard of, over here. And over there alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos.
Llamas and alpacas are both domesticated animals and vicuñas and guanacos are wild. Llamas are the
biggest animal – they can grow up to 1.8 metres tall and in the past they were used to carry things. Llamas
are very sociable animals and live together in groups, in herds.
Teenager 1: Don’t they spit at people, though?
Guide: Well, yes, they can. All members of the camelid family sometimes spit. You don’t want to mistreat a
llama; it might even spit some of the contents of its stomach at you.
Group of teenagers: Uuuugggh!
Guide: But if you treat them properly they are not likely to. They respond well to being trained and they are
usually gentle and curious.
OK, over here we have the alpacas. As you can see, they are smaller than the llamas. They’ve got smaller
faces and they always look as though they are smiling. Look at this one’s face.
Group of teenagers: Aaaah!
Guide: The alpaca is famous for its wool, which is softer and warmer than sheep’s wool. There’s a big
demand for alpaca wool from the fashion industry.
Right, next to the alpacas we have the vicuñas. As I said before, these animals are wild and they are
thought to be the ancestors of the alpacas. Vicuñas are very elegant and graceful creatures. Look at this
one. She’s beautiful.
Group of teenagers: Mmmm. She’s lovely. (etc.)
Guide: Have you heard of the Incas? The ancient rulers of Latin America who lived in the Andes? Well,
they wore clothes made from vicuña wool – only the royal family were allowed to wear the wool. It is even
softer than alpaca wool but vicuñas can only be shorn of their wool every three years. For that reason the
wool’s very expensive.
And, lastly, we have the guanacos. They are similar to the vicuñas, but larger and stronger. They are
capable of surviving at over 4,000 metres in the Andes. When they are in the desert they survive by licking
the water off the cacti and other desert plants. Right, any questions?
Teenager 2: I think I can hear this llama making a noise.
Guide: Ah, yes. That could be the llama humming. They don’t open their mouths, they just make this
strange noise. They hum when they are stressed, or the opposite, feeling relaxed.
Teenager 1: Can llamas live in the UK?
Guide: Yes, there are quite a lot of llamas and alpaca in the UK. They adapt very well to our climate. They
make good pets and sometimes they’re used for trekking. You go on a picnic and use a llama to carry your
food.
Teenager 3: Cool! I want to do that!
Guide: And sometimes farmers use them as guard dogs, I mean guard llama. The adult males will protect
sheep and hens from animals that might attack them, like dogs or foxes. They’re really useful animals.
Listening skills practice: My favourite film – exercises
Listen to the speakers talking about their favourite films and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Preparation
Do this exercise before you listen. Write the correct words in the boxes below the picture.
historical drama action science fiction
cartoon romantic comedy horror

Do this exercise while you listen. Match the speaker to the genre of film. Write a–e next to the numbers 1–
5.
1…….. Speaker 1 a. A science fiction film
2…….. Speaker 2 b. A modern vampire film
3…….. Speaker 3 c. An action film
4…….. Speaker 4 d. A romance
5…….. Speaker 5 e. A romance based on a book

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with the correct speaker.
A (x2) B C D (x2) E (x3)
1. Speaker _______________ thinks the film shows you not to judge people too quickly.
2. Speaker _______________ says the film is not too sentimental, thanks to the actor.
3. Speaker _______________ likes a film in which everything we think is real is fiction.
4. Speaker _______________ has seen their favourite film more than once.
5. Speaker _______________ prefers the first version of the film.
6. Speaker _______________ likes a film with murder, violence and blood-drinking.
7. Speaker _______________ likes a film which tells a love story over several years.
8. Speaker _______________ likes a film which shows bullying at school.
9. Speaker _______________ likes the scenes filmed in different countries.
Discussion
Have you seen any good films recently?

I saw ...
It’s got … (actor’s name) in it.
It’s about …
The thing I liked about it was …
Listening skills practice: My favourite film – transcript
Transcript for My favourite film
A (girl): I really like The Notebook; it’s a romantic classic. The story is about a poor boy, called Noah,
who meets a rich girl, called Allie, and they fall in love over one summer. But of course there are
problems. Allie’s parents don’t approve of Noah because he’s poor and they get separated, then
a lot of time passes before they can get together again. She goes away to college and he writes
to her every day, but she doesn’t get the letters. Then after quite a long time, Noah buys an old
house which he promised to restore for Allie. He does it up and she sees a newspaper article
about it and goes to find him again. You can probably guess the rest, but it’s a bit complicated
because she is engaged to another man. Noah is played by Ryan Gosling, who’s my favourite
actor, and he stops the film being too soppy – but you still cry a lot at the end. Rachel McAdams
is really good too, as Allie.
B (boy): I think my favourite film is Skyfall, the last James Bond movie. It stars Daniel Craig again and
Javier Bardem is this really evil baddie. They’re both great, and so is Judi Dench as M, Bond’s
boss. It’s a bit different to other Bond films. The story is more important, although there is still a
lot of action. It’s really well filmed, especially in the scenes which are shot in Shanghai and
Scotland, and it’s really exciting, of course. Bond is also a bit different – although he does
amazing things, he seems older and that makes him more human and the story more realistic.
Oh, the song by Adele is great, too. You know it won an Oscar?
C (girl): It’s not a very recent film, but I love Pride and Prejudice – the version with Keira Knightley as
Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Darcy. The story is really clever and
interesting, besides being romantic. It’s all about how we tend to jump to conclusions about
people and we’re often completely wrong. Elizabeth thinks Mr Darcy is stuck up and snobbish at
the beginning of the film, but at the end she realises she has been completely wrong and he isn’t
like that at all. She also realises he has an enormous house and that maybe helps her fall in love
with him too! After I saw the film I read the book by Jane Austen and I really recommend that
too. Although it was published 200 years ago, it’s still a great read and really funny in parts.
D (boy): My favourite film has to be The Matrix. Even though it was made back in 1999, it still feels really
modern. It’s about this ordinary man, Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, who works with computers
during the day and is a hacker at night. One day he is contacted by a woman who introduces
him to a very strange man: Morpheus. Morpheus explains to Neo that what he thinks of as real is
actually fiction and the world is run by evil machines who have imprisoned and tricked the
human race. Laurence Fishburne is terrific as Morpheus, and Keanu Reeves is excellent, but the
best thing about the film is the special effects. I can watch it again and again.
E (girl): Let the Right One In is my favourite film. There are two versions, the first is Swedish and the
second American – I prefer the original, Swedish version. It’s a modern vampire film and also a
kind of love story, but it’s really unsentimental and a bit scary in places. Oskar is a young boy
with a lot of problems. He is being bullied at school and wants revenge on the bullies. Then
some new neighbours move in next door and he becomes friends with Eli, a beautiful but
strange girl. I won’t tell you any more, because it will spoil the story, but expect a serial killer, a
lot of violence and blood-drinking. If you like that kind of thing, you’ll love this.
Listening skills practice: Organising your time – exercises
Listen to the radio interview about the Pomodoro Technique and do the exercises to practise and improve
Preparation
Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.
a device that makes a sound or shows you when a certain

1…….. to go off a.
amount of time has passed
2…….. a timer b. a student who gets the best marks at school
3…….. productivity c. having good judgement or common sense
4…….. ‘to-do’ list d. how much is being done or achieved
5…….. sensible e. a list of things you need to do
6…….. an A-grade student f. to start making a noise (as an alarm or signal)
7…….. to waste time g. to earn or merit something because of what you have done
8…….. to deserve h. to spend time doing something useless

1. The Pomodoro Technique was invented in the 1980s. True False
2. Students and workers can use the technique. True False
3. The technique is a bit complicated to use. True False
4. You need to break down your tasks into smaller sections. True False
5. Each break is called a ‘pomodoro’. True False
6. Peter uses an app on his mobile to time himself. True False
7. After four or five short breaks you can have a longer break. True False
8. Peter takes less time to do his homework these days. True False
Listening skills practice: Organising your time – exercises

list breaks productivity five
item timer task time
The Pomodoro Technique is designed to help people work effectively and avoid wasting
1.
_______________. It helps you to get the maximum 2._______________ in the time you have. First you
have to break down each 3._______________ into steps. Then you use a 4._______________ to organise
your time into intensive work and 5._______________. You write a list of the things you need to do, set the
timer to twenty-five minutes and start working on the first 6._______________ on your list. When the timer
goes off you stop work for 7._______________ minutes. Then you repeat these steps four or five times,
ticking off items on your 8.______________ as you finish them. After a few short breaks you can take a
longer break.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets.
1. It is important to find the most _______________ way of working. (effect)
2. We can be more _______________ if we work together as a team. (product)
3. Do you think that is a _______________ idea? (sense)
4. I keep all my notes in _______________ folders. (separation)
5. You can use a _______________ to help you cook the perfect boiled egg. (time)
6. You will feel really _______________ when you finish. (satisfaction)
7. It isn’t a very _______________ time to wait. (length)
8. The Pomodoro Technique is a system to help you _______________ your time. (management)
Discussion
Do you think the Pomodoro Technique sounds like a good idea?

Listening skills practice: Organising your time – transcript
Transcript for Organising your time
Host: On ‘Star Students’ today we are speaking to Peter, who is going to tell us about the Pomodoro
Technique, a system to help manage your time. It was invented by an Italian man called
Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. Now, he called it the Pomodoro Technique after a tomato-shaped
timer that his mother used to use when she was cooking. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. And
this tomato has helped Peter become an A-grade student. So, Peter, welcome to the studio.
Peter: Thanks.
Host: Tell us about the Pomodoro Technique. What’s it about?
Peter: It’s about getting maximum productivity from your available time. I use it for studying, but
professionals use it at work.
Host: Is it difficult to follow?
Peter: No. It’s actually very simple. It’s about breaking down your work into separate jobs and then
using a timer to separate your time into periods of intensive work and short breaks.
Host: OK, well, that sounds sensible. So, how do you start?
Peter: First of all, you should think about the task you need to complete. For example, writing an essay
for homework. You need to think about all the stages of the task and write a clear to-do list on a
piece of paper. When you are ready to start you set the timer to 25 minutes and you start
working on the first item on the list.
Host: OK … but what happens when the timer goes off?
Peter: When the timer goes off you must take a short break of between 3 to 5 minutes. One 25-minute
session is one ‘pomodoro’ so when you have completed this, you deserve a short break. You
should try to move about a bit during the break.
Then, set the timer for another 25 minutes and keep working. At the end of the next ‘pomodoro’
you have another short break. As you complete the items on the to-do list you should tick them
off, to give you a feeling of satisfaction that you’re getting the job done.
Host: OK … I get it. Can you use any timer? Most people have timers on their phones these days.
Could you use that?
Peter: You could, but the danger is that then you can check messages on your phone or you start
looking at apps. I use my dad’s kitchen timer and I make sure I switch off my phone when I’m
studying. I get so much more done. In the breaks I sometimes check my phone but only if I’ve
completed some of the items on my to-do list.
Host: Three to five minutes isn’t long for a break. Is that enough time?
Peter: Well, when you’ve had four or five short breaks you can take a longer break, and then you start
again.
Host: And it works?

Listening skills practice: Organising your time – transcript
Peter: Yes, it works for me! It stops me wasting time. My work is much more effective when I use the
timer. It’s like short, intense periods of work. I actually get my homework done a lot quicker now,
which leaves me more free time, so for me it works really well.
Host: Oh, I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks so much for coming in, Peter.
Peter: You’re welcome. Thanks for inviting me.

Listening skills practice: Sports centres – exercises
Listen to the people introducing two different sports centres and do the exercises to practise and improve

lifeguard dance teacher weight machines sauna

jazz dancing secretary swimming pool changing rooms
water aerobics Pilates Zumba personal trainer
Gym staff Gym facilities Gym classes
2. Check your understanding: Which gym?

Do this exercise while you listen. Circle Gym A or Gym B for these sentences. Which gym has …
1. a good air-conditioning system? Gym A Gym B
2. dance classes? Gym A Gym B
3. a shop? Gym A Gym B
4. a café? Gym A Gym B
5. a bigger gym with more machines? Gym A Gym B
6. a swimming pool? Gym A Gym B
7. a sauna? Gym A Gym B
8. martial arts classes? Gym A Gym B

Gym A has lots of activities in the evenings / a few different activities at different times / lots of
1.
activities at different times of day .
2. Gym A moved into a new building / built a sauna / opened ten years ago.
In gym A, you can have a massage at a reasonable price / free if you are a member / if you book
3.
in advance .
4. You can borrow towels and yoga mats / towels / yoga mats from the gym.
Gym B can give you advice about training, lifestyle and diet / sports injuries and diet / how to
5.
become a professional athlete .
6. In the main gym, you must use a towel / wear trainers / take a bottle of water .
The lifeguard can also give you some tips to improve your swimming / demonstrate the best way
7.
to swim / give you swimming lessons .
8. The timetable for the classes is available online / in a brochure / on the noticeboard .
Which gym would you like to join? Why?
Which activities would you most like to do?

Which sports or forms of exercise do you like?
Listening skills practice: Sports centres – transcript
Transcript for Sports centres
A
Hi, come in. I’m Maya. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Grange Park Sports Centre. I’ll just show you
round the centre and explain what we offer here, and then you can ask me questions. Well, as you can
see, this is quite a small centre but we offer a lot of different activities at different times of the day. If you’d
just like to come through here, you can see the main rooms. These are nice and light and airy and we have
a very good air-conditioning system so they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Here we have
classes of yoga, tai chi, Pilates and Zumba at different levels. We also have different types of dance class:
jazz dancing, Indian dancing and Latin dancing. Oh, and we’ve just started offering flamenco. All our
teachers are fully qualified and experienced. We have beginners’ classes up to advanced. Some of our
students have been coming since we opened, ten years ago.
So, if you could follow me through here – mind the steps here – we’ve got the sauna and massage rooms.
We have very reasonable prices for massages. And over here we have the gym with exercise machines.
It’s quite a small gym, but usually there’s plenty of room for people to move around without any problems.
OK, that’s about it. Over there we have the changing rooms with showers. You do need to bring your own
towel if you want a shower, but you don’t need to bring a mat for the yoga and Pilates classes. Oh, and I
must mention the café. It’s just off the main entrance. That’s very popular with our clients; we have a great
selection of teas, fresh juices, sandwiches and cakes.
Right, the prices. You can join for three months, six months or a year and that gives you the right to use
the gym and go to two classes a week. If you want to go to more classes or use the sauna, there’s a small
extra charge. For three months the fee is …
B
OK, let me show you the gym. My name’s Bill and I’m the main sports trainer here, but we have a team of
four specialists who are always around to help you with exercise programmes and give advice about
lifestyle and diet. We strongly recommend that you talk to one of us as soon as you sign up and set up
your personalised training programme. So, through here we have the main gym. As you can see, it’s
enormous and we have lots of brand-new machines. You can do everything here: running, cycling, rowing,
weights … you name it. Although we have a lot of clients, it’s very unusual to have to wait for a machine.
Over there is the area for weight-training. If you want a closer look at the machines, you can come back
later. Oh, by the way, you can only come in here with trainers on. No outdoor shoes, please.
OK, through here we have the swimming pool. It’s great, isn’t it? We’re very proud of it. You can use it
most of the time without booking, but there are certain times of day when we have swimming classes and
water aerobics. There is always a lifeguard in attendance who will also offer informal swimming tips. OK,
just over there you have the changing rooms and lockers, and on the right are the bathrooms and showers.
We have our own shop, here, where you can buy our own brand of sportswear and sports drinks and
supplements. Right, I can see you’re impressed, and, as I said, we’re very proud of our centre. However, I
should warn you that we are slightly more expensive than other gyms in the area – but then we offer a
much higher level of services and a very wide range of activities. Here’s a brochure with the timetables of
the extra classes that we offer, such as boxing, taekwondo and capoeira and quite a few others, besides
swimming activities: swimming classes, diving classes, water aerobics and water polo. OK, so have a look
at the brochure, then you can speak to one of the secretaries in reception about the best combination of
activities for you.
Listening skills practice: The weekend – exercises
Listen to the conversation about plans for the weekend and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
1. Preparation: picture matching

canyoning zip-wiring dirtboarding snowboarding white water rafting
2. Check your understanding: multiple selection

Do this exercise while you listen. Which six activities do the speakers say they are going to do? Tick (✓) all
the correct answers.
…………. snowboarding
…………. dirtboarding
…………. canyoning
…………. bungee jumping
…………. go up the Eiffel Tower
…………. visit Notre Dame cathedral
…………. visit the old parts of the city
…………. go round the Louvre
…………. go to the Musée D’Orsay
…………. visit Montmartre and look at the views

A dirtboard is a board with wheels that you stand on / a board with no wheels that you stand on /
1.
a board that you sit on .
To go canyoning you need ropes and a helmet / a guide and special equipment / ropes and
2.
special equipment .
3. Zip-wiring is scary and difficult / easy and exciting / scary but exciting .
4. Paris looks so beautiful at night / on television / in the photos .
5. The impressionist paintings are in the Louvre / the Musée D’Orsay / the Rodin Museum .
6. The famous Rodin statue is called The Worker / The Thinker / The Philosopher .
7. The girl is going to Paris for the weekend / four days / five days .
8. She’s going with her friend / her boyfriend / her family .
Whose weekend would you prefer? The boy’s or the girl’s? Why?
I’d prefer the ………..’s weekend because …
What do you like doing at the weekend?
What are your plans for next weekend?
Listening skills practice: The weekend – transcript
Transcript for The weekend
Girl: So, have you got any plans for the weekend?
Boy: Yeah, me and my mates are going to this activity centre in the mountains.
Girl: Oh, yeah?
Boy: You can do all kinds of things. It’s a new centre; it sounds great. We’re going to go dirtboarding …
Girl: What’s that?
Boy: It’s like skateboarding or snowboarding. You have a board, or deck, to stand on and wheels. They’re
pretty strong because you go down rough mountain tracks on them. Steep, rough mountain tracks.
Girl: Sounds a bit risky. Have you done it before?
Boy: No, but I’ve done similar things. Anyway, we’re also going to go canyoning. Before you ask, that’s
when you jump and swim down a river canyon. You have to use ropes and special equipment. And maybe
we’ll go white water rafting too.
Girl: Phew. It sounds far too difficult to me.
Boy: They have lots of things that you could do too. Like zip-wiring, you know when you go along a wire
through the trees or down a mountain.
Girl: Go down a mountain on a wire!
Boy: It’s really easy, and exciting too. You just have to hold on and enjoy the ride. Or there’s bungee
jumping.
Girl: Jump off a bridge on a long elastic band! Me? You’ve got to be joking! Anyway, I’m going away this
weekend too, thank you for asking.
Boy: I was going to ask. So where are you going?
Girl: Paris! I’m so excited!
Boy: Paris, wow!
Girl: Yeah, it’ll be brilliant! We’re going to do all the sights, like go up the Eiffel Tower and take a boat
along the River Seine and see the old parts of the city. It looks so beautiful in the photos. And then there
are all the art galleries. You know how much I like art. I can’t wait to go round the Louvre and see all those
famous paintings.
Boy: I think the famous Impressionist paintings are somewhere else.
Girl: Yeah, I know, they’re in the Musée d’Orsay. We’re going there too. And then I want to go to the Rodin
Museum and see that famous statue, you know, The Thinker. And of course, if we’re in Paris, we’ll have to
go shopping. Or look at the shops, at least. And then there’s the restaurants. Just think, French food!
Boy: You’ve got a lot planned for one weekend.
Girl: Oh, we’re going for four days, actually.
Boy: Oh, four days, very nice. And who are you going with?
Girl: Oh, just a friend.
Listening skills practice: Theme parks – exercises
Listen to the radio interview about theme parks and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening
skills.
1. Preparation: picture matching

marine animals rollercoaster Ferris wheel theme park rides

1. Andy Wells has written a guide to theme parks around the world. True False
2. Andy says his job doesn’t feel like hard work. True False
3. Cedar Point in Ohio has life-sized moving dinosaurs. True False
4. On a wingcoaster the track is next to you, not under you. True False
5. At the Islands of Adventure in Florida you can meet Harry Potter. True False
6. Ocean Park in Hong Kong has sea animals but no rides. True False
7. A dark ride is a ride inside a building. True False
8. The “place to watch” for theme parks is Japan. True False

Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida has the largest area / the most rides / the biggest
1.
number of visitors .
2. Cedar Point in Ohio is introducing a new rollercoaster / more frightening / animatronic dinosaurs .
Andy thinks a wingcoaster is more relaxing / more frightening / more exciting than a normal
3.
rollercoaster.
Andy thinks the tour of Hogwarts School is better for young children / really well done / just a way
4.
of selling magic sweets .
Lotte World, a huge park in South Korea, has the world’s biggest indoor theme park / the most
5.
water rides in the world / has a New York street section .
China will soon have the world’s biggest dinosaur tour / the world’s biggest zoo / the world’s
6.
tallest Ferris wheel .
Do you like theme parks?
Why? / Why not?
Which ones have you been to?
What kind of rides do you like?
Listening skills practice: Theme parks – transcript
Transcript for Theme parks
Interviewer: Good morning. Today we’re going to talk about theme parks and we’re going to hear from
Andy Wells who has written a guide to theme parks around the world. Welcome to the programme, Andy.
Andy: Hi, it’s good to be here.
Interviewer: You really have a dream job, don’t you, Andy? Flying round the world all the time, visiting
adventure parks ...
Andy: Well, yes, it’s pretty exciting. But it’s really hard work too, you know.
Interviewer: I bet. So, what’s the number one theme park in the world?
Andy: That all depends what you’re looking for. In terms of numbers, it has to be Magic Kingdom at Disney
World in Florida, the most famous theme park. But the most popular park for people who like adventure
rides is Cedar Point in Ohio, USA. It has the biggest number of rollercoasters in one park, 17, and three
water rides. There are lots of other attractions too. Last year they introduced 50 animatronic dinosaurs.
You know, life-size models that move and look real.
Interviewer: Cool! Have they got anything lined up for this year?
Andy: Yeah, there’s a new rollercoaster called the Gatekeeper. Well, actually it’s not a rollercoaster, it’s a
wingcoaster. It’ll be the biggest in the world.
Interviewer: What’s a wingcoaster?
Andy: With a normal rollercoaster you are sitting on a seat with the track under you. With a wingcoaster
the seats kind of stick out at the side so the passengers have nothing below or above them. You feel as if
you’re flying.
Interviewer: So it’s more frightening?
Andy: More exciting! Way more exciting.
Interviewer: What other attractions have you seen recently?
Andy: I’ve just been to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Islands of Adventure in Orlando,
Florida. It’s great! You know those shops that sell magic sweets and things in the Harry Potter books?
Well, they have those, just like you’ve imagined. There’s a fantastic tour of Hogwarts School where you
meet characters from the books. It’s so well done.
Interviewer: Right, sounds interesting. In your book you have a lot of theme parks in Asia too. Can you tell
us about them?
Andy: Sure. Tokyo has had a Disneyland for quite a long time, which attracts a lot of people. Ocean Park
in Hong Kong has also been going for a long time – that has a lot of marine animals as well as rides. Lotte
World, a huge park in South Korea, has the world’s biggest indoor theme park. And then there’s Universal
Studios in Singapore. That’s expanding with additions to its New York street section. There’s going to be a
Sesame Street dark ride. A dark ride’s a ride inside a building.
Interviewer: I see. New York in Singapore?
Andy: Yeah, it’s weird, but it works. But the place to watch at the moment is China – they’re really
expanding. Lots more parks will open in China in the next few years, including another one with dinosaurs
in the north, and Ocean Kingdom in the south. That will have the world’s longest roller coaster and tallest
Ferris wheel, as well as boat rides and a night-time zoo.
Interviewer: Wow, so that’s opening soon?
Andy: Yes, this year. I’ll be there!
Interviewer: Have a ride for me, then.
Listening skills practice: Boy bands – exercises
Listen to the radio interview about boy bands and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening
skills.

Do this exercise before you listen. Complete the gaps with a word from the box.
reality music ‘look’
feel-good record good-looking
How to create a boy band
1. Find four or five _______________ boys.
2. Check they have at least some _______________ ability.
3. Decide on a _______________ for the band.
4. Write them some songs with safe, _______________ lyrics.
5. Ideally, get them on a _______________ TV show.
6. Make as much money as possible from _______________ sales, concerts and merchandising.

1. Many boy bands are not successful. True False
In the past, boy band members dressed differently but had similar
2. True False
personalities.
Having different types of boy in the group is supposed to appeal to

3. True False
different girls.
4. One Direction first became famous on YouTube. True False
5. One Direction lyrics are written for girls who like rebellious boys. True False
6. One Direction's stylists try to give each band member an individual look. True False
7. One Direction became famous in the US by clever use of social media. True False
8. One Direction have not tried to make money from merchandising. True False
Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best phrase to complete these sentences.
The most important thing for boy bands in the past was that they had some musical ability / they
1.
could dance well / they had different personalities .
Things have changed because people wanted something different / the media and new
2.
technology influence things differently / both of the above .
Starting on a reality show like X Factor is great for a band because appearing on TV is the
3. quickest way to get famous / the many viewers who vote every week become loyal fans / people
feel a personal connection with bands they see on TV .
The words to One Direction songs are designed to make teenage girls feel good about
4. themselves / appeal to mums by being a bit cheeky / communicate universal messages about love
.
One Direction's clothes are very individual and they each have a strong look / create a clean-cut,
5.
safe and non-threatening image / are casual and fashionable with a touch of rebelliousness .
Lots of people said One Direction wouldn't be regarded as serious musicians / get famous in the
6.
US as well as the UK / have a number one record .
One Direction were the first British band to have their first album go to number one in the US / sell
7. so many copies of their first album in just one week / break into the US market by using social
media .
The boys have also made money from selling One Direction products like dolls and phones /
8.
performing as many sell-out concerts as possible / giving talks about their success .
Listening skills practice: Boy bands – answers
Transcript for Boy bands
Presenter: The internet is full of articles about what makes a good boy band. But many bands appear and
disappear without a trace. Alana, it can’t be as easy as following a formula, can it?
Alana: No, I don’t think so. The traditional formula is that you have four or five good-looking young guys
with some musical ability and the ability to dance – the choreographed dancing was very important to boy
bands in the past. They tended to wear the same, or very similar, clothes when they performed, so you had
to decide on a ‘look’ for the group. The most important element, however, was said to be that the band
members had different and very distinct personalities.
Presenter: Right, the cute one, the rebel, the joker, the shy one, mysterious one ...
Alana: Yeah, although sometimes they all just seem to like the cute one! The idea is that different boys
appeal to different girls, so you can have a bigger fan base. There’s someone in the band for everyone.
Presenter: So, do you think this all still holds true? Or have things changed in the 21st century?
Alana: Yeah, I guess things have changed for several reasons – partly just because we needed a change,
but mainly because of changes in the media and with new technology. Take One Direction …
Presenter: Ah, I’ve been counting the seconds before you mentioned One Direction!
Alana: Well, we have to talk about them because they’re the biggest thing at the moment, although who
knows how long they will last.
Presenter: Oh, ages and ages ...
Alana: We’ll see. Anyway, One Direction, as you know, came to fame through the X Factor, a reality show,
and that was a great way to start. You had loads of people watching them every week and wanting them to
win. They felt as if they had a personal stake in their story as they voted for them every week.
Presenter: What age group does One Direction appeal to exactly?
Alana: That’s another clever thing. They seem very unthreatening, so they appeal to very young girls, they
are cute so teenage girls really like them, but they also have a laddish, slightly naughty side to appeal to
the mums! The teenage girls and the mums are the ones who will spend money. The lyrics to the songs
are calculated to appeal to girls who feel a bit insecure about themselves, like most teenage girls. "You
don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful", that kind of thing. Lots of girls want to feel
wanted, but not scared, and that’s traditionally what boy bands do. They present this image of a clean-cut,
reliable boyfriend. Actually, One Direction’s clothes also help here: chinos and clean casual shirts and
canvas shoes. You’ll have noticed that they don’t wear the same clothes. Their stylists have been
instructed to keep them looking individual, but despite that they all have this attractive but unthreatening
look. No tattoos, or piercings, or black leather, or make-up or anything.
Presenter: You make them seem very cold and calculating. Remember that they’ve been nominated for
loads of music awards and they’ve won dozens, so they’re regarded as serious musicians.
Alana: OK, if you don’t want to believe they’re calculating you can blame their management. They’re nice
boys who are fantastic musicians.
Presenter: They are! And they keep proving their critics wrong. A lot of people said they wouldn’t make the
leap from the UK to the US market, but they did very quickly.
Alana: Yes, and that’s all down to their clever use of social media, or rather their management’s clever use
of social media. One Direction are all over Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. That’s how they made
it in the States so quickly. In the past it was a lot more difficult and took a lot longer. Bands had to try and
get air-time on local radio stations and that was really hard. But they’ve by-passed all that. Social media
has become the new radio, as their manager said.
Presenter: Their first record, Up All Night, went to number one in the US, didn’t it?
Alana: Sure did! They achieved a world record as the first British band in history to reach number one in
America with a debut album. It sold 176,000 copies in the US in a single week.
Presenter: Amazing. And the boys are all rich from the merchandising too.
Alana: Yes, well, the boys and their management company. There are One Direction phones, toys and
games. Dolls, even. I think that’s another 21st-century thing – companies are cashing in on success in all
possible ways as quickly as possible.
Presenter: May they all enjoy it while it lasts.
Listening skills practice: High-achieving teenagers – exercises
Listen to the radio interview about high-achieving teenagers and do the exercises to practise and improve
1. Preparation: grouping
listeners photographers editors readers

talent scouts fans top designers followers
People working in arts and media The audience for arts and media

Many famous and successful teenagers have used new technology / worked from an early age
1.
/ been inspired by YouTube videos .
Justin Bieber started off singing with R&B star Usher / sending videos to talent scouts / posting
2.
videos on YouTube .
Some people say Justin Bieber is the most influential person in the world because he has had
3. so many number one songs / he has so many followers on Twitter / he is friends with Barack
Obama .
A negative consequence of fame for Justin Bieber is he has very little privacy / people get
4.
bored of hearing about him / people criticise his appearance .
Tavi Gevinson started a fashion blog when she was 11 years old / when she was in 11th grade
5.
in high school / in 2011 .
6. “Rookie” means a beginner / a fan / someone who is bad at something .
Style Rookie allowed readers to post pictures of themselves / soon had a lot of readers / was
7.
noticed by Karl Lagerfeld .
When some people didn't believe her age, Tavi was sad and angry at first / decided to attack
8.
them in return / completely ignored them and continued working .
Tavi employs only teenagers / writers and photographers of all ages / a very small group of
9.
people .
Louise thinks it’s difficult for Tavi to have a normal life / there’s more pressure when you are a
10.
writer / there’s more pressure when you are a performer .

Do this exercise while you listen. Write the numbers to complete the gaps.
1. Justin Bieber started off posting videos on YouTube at the age of _______________ .
2. Justin Bieber has over _______________ followers on Twitter.
3. Tavi Gevinson started Style Rookie when she was only _______________ years old.
4. Tavi’s blog soon built up a huge following of up to _______________ reader per day.
One magazine upset Tavi by printing an article saying the writer didn’t believe Tavi was only
5.
_______________ .
6. Tavi started Rookie Magazine in _______________ .
7. Less than a week after it started Rookie Magazine had _______________ followers.
8. Tavi employs about _______________ writers and photographers.
Do you think Justin Bieber and Tavi Gevinson deserve their success, or are they just lucky?
I think … deserves his/ her success because …

I don’t think … deserves his/ her success because …
Listening skills practice: High-achieving teenagers – transcript
Transcript for High-achieving teenagers
Presenter: Next on the programme we have an interview with someone who has been writing a book about
high-achieving teenagers. Welcome, Louise Hardy.
Louise: Hi, it’s lovely to be here.
Presenter: Louise, many of these teenagers who have achieved success and fame early on have done so
through using new technology, haven’t they? Through blogging or using YouTube or Twitter?
Louise: Absolutely, and the greatest example of this is Justin Bieber. As I think everyone on the planet
knows, he started off by posting videos on YouTube at the age of 14 and was spotted by a talent
scout who worked with the R&B singer Usher. After that he very rapidly became a worldwide
sensation.
Presenter: I heard that last year he was said to be more influential than Obama!
Louise: (laughs) Yes, that was because he is number one on Twitter. He has over 35 million followers.
There’s a new one every two seconds. A company that analyses social media called Klout said
that he is the most influential person in the world because of that. But whether he’s really more
influential than Obama, well …
Presenter: Mmmm. All this exposure has negative consequences for young people too, doesn’t it?
Louise: Yes. Although millions adore Justin, a lot of people don’t. One of his videos was the most disliked
ever. And he has a big problem with privacy. He’s followed everywhere by the paparazzi, and
that’s bad for anyone, never mind a teenager.
Presenter: OK, let’s turn to a very different teenager. Tavi Gevinson was even younger when she began,
wasn’t she?
Louise: Yes, she was only eleven years old when she started a fashion blog called Style Rookie. By the
way, for British listeners, ‘Rookie’ is an American word used for a person who is new to
something.
Presenter: Thanks.
Louise: On her blog she posted photos of herself wearing unusual combinations of clothes and wrote
about them.
Presenter: Some of them were quite weird.
Louise: Well, yes, I suppose a lot of high fashion is weird. Anyway, she quickly built up a huge following,
up to 300,000 readers per day, and many of them were adults. Serious fashion magazines
interviewed her and sent her to fashion shows in Europe and to meet top designers, like Karl
Lagerfeld.
Presenter: Some people didn’t believe she was as young as she was, did they?
Louise: No. One magazine printed an article saying the writer didn’t believe Tavi was only 12, and that
upset her. But she bounced back and continued blogging. Then, as she grew older, Tavi became
interested in other things besides fashion. In 2011, when she was 15, she started Rookie
Magazine, an online magazine for teenagers. In less than a week it had one million readers.
Presenter: I’ve seen it. It’s very impressive, isn’t it? All teenage girls listening, check out Rookie Magazine.
Louise: Yes, I think it’s fantastic and Lady Gaga called Tavi ‘the future of journalism’! She employs about
50 writers and photographers – both adults and teenagers – on Rookie, but she is the editor with
overall control.
Presenter: And all this time she’s continued to lead a normal life, hasn’t she?
Louise: Oh yes. She lives a very normal life in a small town and goes to school and so on. She’s not even
twenty yet. But I think writing and editing are very different from being a performing artist. There’s
a lot less pressure from fans and the press. Although some actors, like Emma Watson, seem to
manage a private life and getting a normal education.
Presenter: Yes, Emma Watson is now in her twenties, of course, but …
Listening skills practice: How to improve your memory – exercises
Listen to the radio interview about improving your memory and do the exercises to practise and improve
Match the words with the definitions and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.
1…….. to tune in a. to be coming quickly, to seem very close
2…….. to visualise b. to listen to a live radio programme
3…….. familiar c. a small change
4…….. an adjustment d. necessary, of extreme importance
5…….. a knock-on effect e. the last exams in a university course
6…….. vital f. well known or easily recognised
7…….. to be looming g. to form a mental picture of something
8…….. finals h. something that happens as a result of something else happening
1. Check your understanding: multiple selection

Which sentences are true about memorisation? Tick (✓) four correct answers.
…………. We all use memory in the same way.
…………. We learn to use our memory as soon as we are born.
…………. There are two different forms of memorisation.
…………. We are taught how to improve our memory in history lessons.
…………. Writing shopping lists can improve your memory.
…………. Teaching helps us to memorise.
…………. We can train our brains to be more effective.
…………. We can only use one image at a time as an aid to memorisation.

Listening skills practice: How to improve your memory – exercises

Write the correct form of the word in brackets.
1. The speaker explains how to make our _______________ (memorise) function better.
2. We can make _______________ (improve) in our ability to memorise.
3. We use a _______________ (combine) of long-term and short-term memory.
4. There are several things we can do to recall _______________ (inform).
5. We can use word _______________ (associate) to remember a concept.
6. The term _______________ (visualise) means imagining a picture.
7. You can use different _______________ (formulate) to remember historical facts.
8. Following the tips will improve your _______________ (be able to) to remember.
Discussion
Have you got a good memory?
What do you do to help you remember things when you’re studying?
Listening skills practice: How to improve your memory – transcript
Transcript for How to improve your memory
Mary: I’d like to welcome Charles Long to the studio today. Charles has just published an article in
New Science journal about memorisation. It’s all about how to make our memory function
better.
Charles, exam time is looming and there’ll be lots of teenagers tuning in today. Can you give
us some advice about improving our ability to memorise?
Charles: Hello! Yes, of course. I’d like to start by talking about the process of memorisation. It’s vital
that we understand the process if we want to make adjustments to the way we function. We all
use memory in the same way. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student revising for your
finals or an adult standing in the aisle of a supermarket, trying to recall a particular item from a
grocery list.
Mary: Ha ha! That’s me. I always forget to take my list.
Charles: You and thousands of other people too, Mary. We learn to use our memory when we are still
at nursery school. Young children are naturally very good at working out how to remember
things. The tips I’m going to share today are based on the things we used to do to help us
remember when we were children. The process of memorisation occurs in two distinct forms.
Do you know what they are?
Mary: Are they ‘long-term memory’ and ‘short-term memory’?
Charles: That’s right! But these aren’t completely separate concepts. We use a combination of both
types of memory when we want to formulate our thoughts and recall information, whether
we’re trying to remember something from a decade ago or just an hour earlier.
Mary: So what tips have you got for improving the quality of our memory?
Charles: Right. Let’s start with ‘association’.
Mary: Association?
Charles: Yes. We can use word association to remember an idea or a concept. This means choosing a
word or phrase you associate with what you are trying to remember. The word needs to be
something familiar, that you come into contact with on a daily basis. So, for example, you can
use the name of your pet dog to remember a scientific equation. Try it! Read the equation a
few times and then say your dog’s name again and again. Later, in your science exam, just
recall the name and the whole equation should come back to you.
Mary: It sounds too good to be true! What else, Charles?
Charles: Visualisation is another trick we can use. So you have to visualise an image that is connected
to the thing you need to remember. For example, if you want to remember the date that the
Berlin Wall came down, you might visualise a picture of a wall with the date written on it in
graffiti. The image of the wall becomes an important part of what you will remember. You can
use several images in a row to remember things like information in a text or a list of
ingredients for a recipe.
Mary: Yes, that makes sense.
Charles: Singing can help with memorisation too.
Mary: Singing?
Listening skills practice: How to improve your memory – transcript
Charles: Yeah. So instead of reading a text aloud, you sing it. Singing is one of most effective and
earliest memory tricks that are used for learning new concepts. I used to ‘sing’ lists of historical
facts and dates. It works.
Mary: And did you have to sing aloud in your history exams?
Charles: Not aloud! But I did used to sing in my head. And I always got good marks for history.
Mary: Any more tips, Charles?
Charles: Yes! I’ve saved the best one till last. It’s particularly relevant for any students who have tuned
in. ‘Teach it’.
Mary: Teach it? Teach ‘what’?
Charles: Teach whatever it is that you want to remember. So, if you’re studying for an English exam,
teach the concepts to someone else. It can be a real person – a friend in a study group is ideal
– or it can be a ‘pretend’ person. You can just imagine someone is listening to you as you
teach. Better still, record yourself ‘teaching’ and then play back the video to revise the material
further.
Mary: That sounds like a great tip … or ‘trick’.
Charles: Yes, it really works because in order to teach something you need to understand it. Teaching
reinforces the understanding. And although these sound like ‘tricks’, they aren’t really.
Mary: No?
Charles: No. They are just simple ways that we can train our brains to be more effective. By getting into
the habit of using word association, visualisation, singing and teaching, our brains develop
and work better for us. And of course that has a knock-on effect on our memory and our
abilities to recall all kinds of data.
Mary: Thank you, Charles. Now, I think we’ve got time for a couple of questions from our listeners.
Listening skills practice: How to study – exercises
Listen to the school assembly about how to study and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Do this exercise before you listen. Put the study ideas in the correct group.
a. Just read your notes, but don’t b. Think long term c. Make a study timetable
highlight them or write anything
extra
e. Answer email, text messages

f. Work where there are
d. Take regular breaks and Facebook messages
distracting noises
immediately
Good study habits Bad study habits

1. The students will be taking exams soon. True False
2. A revision timetable could be from one to six weeks. True False
3. No one can really concentrate properly with music on. True False
You should try to forget about the internet, text messages, Twitter,
4. True False
Facebook, etc. while you're studying.
5. You should try not to have a break until you really need one. True False
6. Underlining or highlighting your notes is better than writing more notes. True False
7. Mind maps are good because they mirror the way the brain works. True False
The most important thing is to remember the information. You don't have
8. True False
to understand it.
Complete the gaps with a word or phrase.
1. Some of you are probably fantastic at studying, really organised and _______________.
2. It’s a good idea to have some kind of _______________ or _______________.
3. If you’re studying for an important exam, it’s important to think _______________.
Make sure the place where you’re going to study is _______________, with no distracting
4.
_______________.
If you have to work near a TV, you might have to use _______________ to drown out the sound of
5.
the TV.
6. While you’re studying, you should _______________ the internet, text message, Facebook, etc.
7. You should plan your studying and take regular _______________.
8. It is better to write notes, so your mind is _______________ the information more.
9. Mind maps seem to work in the same way the _______________ works.
10. Which study method you choose all depends on your personal _______________.
Are you good at studying?
What distracts you?

What do you do to help you concentrate?
Listening skills practice: How to study – transcript
Transcript for How to study
Good morning. Today I’m going to talk about how to study. Now, you probably think you know all about
that, right? You’ve been studying for years. And I expect some of you are fantastic at studying, really
organised and good at concentrating. But there’s always room for improvement, and your exams aren’t far
away, so these tips are for all of you.
Right, so, what’s the best way to study? Well, first of all, it’s a good idea to have some kind of plan or
timetable. This could be for the week or a longer revision timetable for an exam, from one month to six
months. Yes, if you’re studying for an important exam it’s important to think long term. Draw up a timetable,
but revise it often. If it’s not going to plan, you may have to rethink it.
Next, think about your environment. Make sure the place where you are going to study is comfortable with
enough light, air, etc. Not too hot, not too cold. Make sure there are no distracting noises around, such as
television. If you think you concentrate better listening to music, experiment and see if it’s really true. Some
people really do seem to work better with music in the background, especially classical music, but for many
people it spoils their concentration. However, if you have to work near a TV, you might have to use
headphones to play music to drown out the sound of the TV. In this case, find out what kind of music works
best for you, maybe something without words. By the way, you might think you work fine with the TV on,
but, again, experiment. You might be surprised at how much better you work away from a TV. Oh, and the
other thing is the internet, text messages, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Forget about all of that while you’re
studying. No, really, you can ignore it for an hour or so; it won’t be the end of the world if you don’t reply to
a message immediately.
Right, planning breaks. Plan your study periods in chunks with regular breaks. Many people recommend
half an hour of concentrated study, then a ten-minute break. But you can adjust this to suit you. If you
study for too long at a stretch your mind will work less effectively, so be careful. In your short break, you
can give yourself a treat, such as a cup of green tea. I wouldn’t advise a chocolate bar as a treat – a sugar
rush is not great for concentration.
OK, so next let’s think about what you do when you’re studying. Some people just read through their notes
or textbooks and underline in pencil or highlight important bits. If this works for you, fine, but I’d suggest
that it’s better to write notes of some kind, so your mind is processing the information more. This way you
are also producing material which will be useful for last-minute revision. I don’t recommend very last-
minute revision, by the way, but we’ll come back to that later.
Have a look at these examples of student notes. Which do you think are best? The first person has written
important phrases at random, the next has a table with clear headings and boxes with notes, the next has
summaries, and the last one has mind maps: you’ve got the main topic in the circle, then lines coming off
the circle attached to subcategories, then more lines to further details. Mind maps are great for showing
the connections between different bits of information. They seem to work in the same way the brain works.
So what do you think? To me, the first one wouldn’t be very useful to come back to and use in the future.
But the others are all fine – it depends on your personal preference. Mine is for mind maps. I would
suggest using colours, though, and even little drawings. They can make things much more memorable.
Obviously, when you are studying, the first thing to think about is whether you understand the information,
and the second thing is how you are going to remember it. Let’s look at some more ways of making
information more memorable …
Listening skills practice: My hero - exercises
Listen to the speakers talking about their heroes and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Match the two halves of these phrases and write a–g next to the numbers 1–7.
1…….. to make a. someone ( for …)
2…….. to risk b. of the danger
3…….. to campaign c. a discovery
4…….. to spend d. your life
5…….. to become aware e. all day working
6…….. to be interested f. against slavery
7…….. to admire g. in ecology

Circle which speaker (A, B, C or D) talks about ...
1. someone who was dedicated to world peace. A / B / C / D
2. someone who has been the victim of violence as a result of their campaigning. A / B / C / D
3. someone who left a more conventional job to help young people in their country. A / B / C / D
4. someone who was excluded from the professional community of the time. A / B / C / D
5. someone who she wishes she could meet. A / B / C / D
6. someone who wrote a book about the effect humans could have on nature. A / B / C / D
7. someone who made an important scientific discovery while still a child. A / B / C / D
8. someone who faced strong criticism from big business. A / B / C / D


Circle the best answer to complete the sentences.
1. Mary Anning's discovery was important because it showed that _________________.
a. fossils could teach us b. an animal could become c. the shape of the coast
about the past extinct was constantly changing
2. Mary Anning's dog died because _________________.
b. a large amount of earth c. it got stuck down a hole

a. it fell off a cliff
and rocks fell on it while looking for fossils
3. Mary Anning didn't write a famous book because _________________.
a. she was too busy b. she did not have access c. she believed only men
exploring the cliffs to a formal education could be scientists
4. Kailash Satyarthi first saw the problems of child slavery when he was _________________.
a. 6 years old b. 11 years old c. 26 years old
5. Kailash Satyarthi has saved over _________________ children from enforced labour.
a. 18,000 b. 80,000 c. 800,000
6. Because of their work, two of Kailash Satyarthi's _________________.
c. co-workers were
a. friends were injured b. children were attacked
murdered
7. Rachel Carson first specialised in _________________.
a. human biology b. the study of insects c. marine biology
8. Rachel Carson's book made people realise that _________________.
a. using pesticides was b. birdsong is essential to c. humans cannot control

damaging the ecosystem humans nature
9. These days, more and more people are buying _________________.
a. powerful pesticides b. organic food c. Rachel Carson’s book
10. The speaker is apologetic because _________________.
a. she doesn’t know very b. she gets upset when she c. John Lennon is an
much about John Lennon thinks about John Lennon obvious choice of hero
11. The speaker likes _________________.
a. all the Beatles’ songs and b. all of the Beatles’ music, c. only the Beatles songs
Lennon’s solo music but not Lennon’s solo music that Lennon wrote
12. It's amazing that Imagine _________________.
b. really changed the way c. contained so many

a. is still so well loved today
things were important themes
Which of the heroes described in the listening were you most interested in?
Why?
Do you have a hero of your own?
Tell us about them!
Listening skills practice: My hero - transcript
Transcript for My hero
A (Girl 1): My hero isn’t very famous, but she ought to be. She’s Mary Anning, who was only 12
years old and from a poor family when she made an amazing discovery. She found the
first dinosaur skeleton, that of an ichthyosaur, on the cliffs of Lyme Regis in the south of
England. That was in 1811, and until then people had thought that it was impossible for an
animal to become extinct. Because she was a woman and didn’t have enough money for
a proper education, she wasn’t able to take part properly in the scientific community of the
time. But she read as much scientific literature as she could and continued to search for
fossils, often risking her own life to get them by climbing dangerous cliffs. She once nearly
died in a landslide which killed her dog. Although she didn’t write famous books about
fossils, her contribution to paleontology, the study of fossils, is said to be enormous. I
admire her because she kept on trying to make new discoveries at a time when usually
only men, and men with money, were allowed to be scientists. After her death the writer
Charles Dickens said that ‘the carpenter’s daughter has won a name for herself, and has
deserved to win it’.
B (Boy 1): My hero is Kailash Satyarthi, who has been campaigning against child slavery for years.
He is from India and first became aware of the problem of children working when he was 6
and noticed that a boy younger than himself had to spend all day polishing shoes and was
unable to go to school. When he was 11, he began to collect money to help buy textbooks
for other children, and when he was 26 he gave up his job as an electrical engineer to
fight child slavery in India, by doing things like raiding factories where children were forced
to work, making rugs or glass bottles. He introduced a programme first called RugMark,
now known as Goodweave, which puts tags on child-labour-free rugs made in factories.
He has saved many thousands of children, over 80,000, from a terrible life of enforced
labour in South Asia and helped them to get an education. He has often been physically
attacked for helping children, for example for trying to free Nepalese children forced to
work in a circus. He regularly risks his life to fight injustice; two of his colleagues have
been murdered. I believe that the best thing he has done is to change how people think
about child slavery and to make it an international issue.
C (Boy 2): I’m really interested in ecology and my hero, or heroine, is Rachel Carson because she
first got people thinking about the way we humans are causing permanent damage to the
Earth’s ecosystems. She began as a biologist, specialising in writing about the sea, but
she gradually became aware of the danger of using pesticides like DDT and the way they
can harm the whole of the food chain, from the worm to humans! She wrote her classic
book Silent Spring in 1962 to explain this to the general public, to explain how humans
and nature are interdependent. The title of Silent Spring refers to the fact that one day all
the birds might be dead so they won’t be able to sing in the springtime. The agricultural
and chemical industries reacted very badly to the book and said she was unprofessional.
But further research by other scientists proved that she was right about the dangers of
chemicals used to kill insects. Nowadays there is a growing movement for organic food
production, but unfortunately things in general are still getting worse, rather than better.
We still need to read Rachel Carson’s book and think about its message.
Listening skills practice: My hero - transcript
D (Girl 2): My choice of hero isn’t very original, I’m afraid, but he’s the person I would most like to
have met: John Lennon. He died a long time before I was born, and his most famous
songs were written long before that, but when I listen to his music I really feel as if he’s
speaking to me personally. I love the whole range of the Beatles’ music, from the early
pop songs to the very experimental music at the end of their time as a group. John
Lennon was the most innovative writer in the Beatles and he continued to create exciting
music when he left and went solo. But although I love his music, what I admire about him
is his dedication to universal peace. It’s amazing that the song Imagine, written in 1971, is
still incredibly popular after all this time. It’s about a world where everyone can be equal, a
world with no wars, no divisions between countries, no greed, no hunger, no material
possessions ... I’d like to meet him because he was a lifelong rebel, and although he
could be a difficult person, he was original, clever and funny. It was awful that he was
killed in 1980 when he was only 40. I wonder what he would be doing if he was alive now.
Listening skills practice: New inventions – exercises
Listen to the radio programme and do the exercise to practise and improve your listening skills.
Do this exercise before you listen. Write the inventions in the correct group. If you don’t know, have a
guess!
Indoor cloud-maker Sign language Wing-suits (that enable

Time travel machine
machine translation gloves you to fly)
Bio-fabric clothes (that Digital running shoes

Air-maker (for use on
change colour according Solar water distiller (that give you
other planets)
to the wearer’s mood) performance statistics)
Real inventions Fictional inventions

1. Wing-suits allow people to fly or glide. True False
2. Wing-suits are getting cheaper. True False
3. Gabriele Diamanti's water distiller is powered by the sun. True False
The "enable talk gloves" help people to use sign language in really cold
4. True False
conditions.
5. James Cameron invented a new underwater camera. True False
6. MIT students have invented a new type of ketchup. True False
7. The last invention is a way of producing clouds indoors. True False
8. The science correspondent thinks the clouds are ugly. True False
Do this exercise while you listen. Write the word to fill the gaps.
1. Wing-suits are not very _______________, but the modern ones are better than ever.
2. Last October was the first ever wing-suit world _______________ in China.
3. You can buy a wing-suit for 600 to _______________ dollars.
4. The water distiller is for places where it’s hard to get clean _______________ water.
5. To produce the water distiller properly, they still need help with _______________.
6. The “enable talk gloves” were invented by some Ukrainian _______________.
The gloves use sensors to turn sign language into _______________ and then into spoken
7.
_______________.
James Cameron was part of a team which designed a submarine capable of descending to
8.
_______________ kilometres down.
9. James Cameron was the first person to do a solo _______________ so deep under the sea.
10. MIT students have invented a product that helps people get the contents out of _______________.
11. A Dutch _______________ has found a way of creating clouds indoors.
12. You can’t make clouds for yourself at _______________ yet.

Listening skills practice: New inventions – transcript
Transcript for New inventions
Presenter: Welcome to ‘Tech-Today!’ This week it’s National Science & Engineering Week, so to
celebrate we asked Jed our science correspondent to give us a round-up of new inventions.
Jed: Hi, yes, I’ve got some very interesting things to tell you about today, starting with a fun one. Wing-
suits, those suits that look like bats and allow people to fly, or glide, at least. They’re the ultimate in cool.
Presenter: But, they’re not very new, are they?
Jed: Well, no, but the modern ones are better than ever and last October was the first ever world
championship in China. The price is coming down, too. Now you can buy one for 600 to 2,000 dollars. It’s
still too expensive for me, but I suppose it’ll keep coming down.
Presenter: OK, what about useful new inventions?
Jed: There are lots of those. There’s a new solar water distiller created by Gabriele Diamanti aimed at
parts of the world where it’s hard to get clean drinking water. You pour in salty water and let the sun do the
work for a few hours. Then, hey presto! You have clean water! It’s a very simple device and fairly cheap to
produce.
Presenter: Can I hear some doubt in your voice?
Jed: Well, they still need help with investment to start producing the distiller properly. So if anyone out
there has money to invest in a great product …?
Presenter: Absolutely. Get in touch with the designers.
Jed: Another useful invention which it would be good to see in production are “enable talk gloves”. These
were invented by some Ukrainian students to allow people with speech and hearing impairments to
communicate with people who don’t understand sign language. The gloves use sensors to translate sign
language into text, then into spoken language using a smartphone. A brilliant invention!
Presenter: Yes, that could benefit thousands of people.
Jed: Another useful invention comes from a surprising source, James Cameron, the film director.
Presenter: The 'Titanic' director?
Jed: The very same. Cameron was part of a team, headed by engineer Ron Allum, which designed the
Deepsea Challenger Submarine, capable of descending to the lowest parts of the sea, 10km down. Last
year Cameron went down to the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the sea in the world. He
was the first person to do a solo dive there, and he stayed for three hours, the longest time so far.
Presenter: That sounds impressive!
Jed: Yes. We know so little about what’s at the bottom of the ocean, and it’s important to find out more.
OK, so now for something useful in a different way. You know that feeling when you’re trying to get tomato
ketchup out of a bottle and it won’t come out, but you’re sure there’s lots more in there?
Presenter: Yeah, of course. It’s really annoying.
Jed: Well, a team of students at MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have come up with a new
product that you use to coat a glass or plastic bottle, and then what’s inside, hair gel or mustard, or
whatever, comes out really easily.
Presenter: So, it saves hours of frustration trying to get stuff out of bottles?
Jed: Exactly. Right, now for my favourite invention. This is really silly, but I love it. It’s a way of producing
clouds indoors.
Presenter: Clouds?
Jed: Yes. A Dutch artist has come up with a way of forming perfect, small, white clouds inside. They’re just
beautiful. I don’t think you can do it yourself at home yet, though.
Presenter: I don’t think I’d want to.
Jed: Oh, you would if you’d seen the photos. They’re amazing.
Presenter: OK, Jed, thanks for that. We’ll leave you with your head in the clouds and see you again next
week!
Listening skills practice: Sports interviews – exercises
Listen to the radio interview and do the exercises to practise and improve your listening skills.
1. Preparation: word 2 word

Do this exercise before you listen. Put these questions in the correct order by writing a number in the
brackets.
1. it (__) popular (__) sport? (__) Is (__) a (__)
2. do (__) it? (__) you (__) How (__) play (__)
3. it? (__) does (__) Who (__)
4. all (__) female? (__) sport (__) Is (__) the (__)
5. do (__) How (__) you (__) go? (__) fast (__)
6. Wales, (__) isn’t (__) That’s (__) it? (__) in (__)
7. sport? (__) you (__) about (__) Can (__) tell (__) your (__) us (__)
8. what (__) explain (__) is? (__) Can (__) you (__) that (__)

Do this exercise while you listen. Which sport? Put these sentences in the correct groups.
b. It’s becoming c. This sport d. There are more e. There are more
a. The sport began
really popular in involves doing guys than girls girls than guys
in the 1930s.
the UK. tricks in the air. doing it. doing it.
g. When you h. There are strong j. The clothes

i. A big event for
f. It started in compete, you influences from people wear for
this sport is held in
California. score points for other, similar this sport have
Wales.
your team. sports. changed.
Wakeboarding Roller derby

People are talking about these sports because they are becoming more and more popular / they
1.
might be included in the 2020 Olympics / a lot of people are getting injured doing them .
2. In wakeboarding the rider is attached to the board / another rider / a speedboat .
3. In wakeboarding 1260 degree spins are impossible / difficult / surprisingly easy .
Wakestock festival in Wales has a similar feel to California / is a good place to see the best riders
4.
/ is really cool but not many people know about it .
Wakeboarding tricks are unique to the sport / have different names to skateboarding and surfing
5.
moves / are often the same as skateboarding and surfing ones .
Roller derby has had a revival in popularity in the last fifteen years / has always had a small group
6.
of dedicated fans / has continually grown in popularity since it started .
In roller derby you score points by going past other players / arriving at a goal / making people fall
7.
over .
Roller derby teams are currently mostly non-professional / mostly professional / about half
8.
professional and half amateur .
Which of these sports would you be most interested in trying?
I’d like to try … because …

I wouldn’t like to try … because …
Listening skills practice: Sports interviews – transcript
Transcript for Sports interviews
Presenter: Now, the 2020 Olympics might seem a long way away to you, but people are already talking
about what new sports might be included. Today I’m going to talk to two people who are hoping their sport
might be included. The first is Jonny Mills whose sport is wakeboarding. Jonny, can you tell us what
wakeboarding is? Is it like surfboarding?
Jonny: Well, a bit. It started in California because people wanted to surf but didn’t have waves ... It’s also
a bit like waterskiing in that the rider is towed behind a specially built speedboat.
Presenter: How fast does the boat go?
Jonny: Usually at about 25mph, or a bit less. The rider uses the wake the board produces in the water to
launch into the air.
Presenter: And then you do a lot of complicated things in the air?
Jonny: That’s right, spins of up to 1260 degrees, things like that.
Presenter: 1260 degrees, that’s impossible, isn’t it?
Jonny: Oh no, but it’s pretty crazy. You spin round three and a half times in the air.
Presenter: And then you have to land again without falling over.
Jonny: You’ll have to come and watch some wakeboarding if you haven’t seen any. Come to Wakestock
in July if you can.
Presenter: That’s in Wales, isn’t it?
Jonny: Yep, Abersoch in North Wales. It’s a really popular wakeboarding and music festival. It’s right by
the beach. It’s not quite the same as California, but it’s cool. It attracts a lot of great riders.
Presenter: Who does wakeboarding?
Jonny: They reckon about 3 million people all over the world. More guys do it, but there are increasing
numbers of girls too. The people who compete are usually in their teens or twenties, but anyone can do it.
There’s a lot of crossover with other board sports like surfing and skateboarding. The tricks people pull are
similar and the names for things are often the same.
Presenter: And looking at you, I’d say the fashion was similar too.
Jonny: Yeah, the clothes and the lifestyle are similar.
Presenter: Right, now I’d like to ask Jules Russell about her sport. She’s a skater in a roller derby team.
Tell us about that, Jules. Is it a popular sport?
Jules: Yes, it’s becoming really popular in the UK. There are about 60 leagues in England and 1,200
throughout the world. In the US and Canada, of course, and places like Scandinavia and Australia, but lots
of other countries too.
Presenter: The sport began in the States, didn’t it?
Jules: Yes, in the 1930s, but it was more for entertainment than sport and it died out by the 1970s. Then
there was a revival in Texas in 2001 and from then on it’s just been growing and growing.
Presenter: So how do you play it?
Jules: Well, you have two teams of five people on roller skates, of course, and they go round an oval track
in the same direction. Each team has a "jammer" who scores points by passing members of the opposing
team. They do whatever they can to stop her, within reason. The team with the most points at the end of
the match wins.
Presenter: It sounds a bit rough!
Jules: Well, it’s a contact sport, so there’s bound to be a lot of pushing and falling over. It’s all good fun,
though; people don’t often get hurt. If you try and trip someone up you get penalised. You do try and
frighten the other team a bit though.
Presenter: That’s right. You have frightening clothes and special names.
Jules: People used to have incredible costumes a couple of years ago. Now the sport is changing and
becoming more professional. Lots of the teams train three or four times a week, and spend a lot of time in
the gym. You have to be really dedicated and fit. We still have nicknames, though. I’m “The Julifier”.
Presenter: And is the sport all female?
Jules: There are a few men who do it, but it’s mostly female and amateur at the moment. Things are
changing fast though, so who knows what the future will bring. It would be fantastic to be an Olympic sport.
Presenter: What do you think about roller derby, Jonny?
Jonny: It’s wild! Those ladies scare me to death! Good luck to them with the Olympics thing though. And
good luck to us too.
Presenter: Good luck to you both.
Listening skills practice: The best job in the world – exercises
Listen to the information about the “best job in the world” competition and do the exercises to practise and
1. Preparation: multiple selection

Do this exercise before you listen. Which five activities can you do in Australia? Tick (✓) all the correct
answers.
…………. get to know aboriginal culture
…………. look at dinosaur fossils
…………. learn how to cook traditional, local curries
…………. go skiing
…………. visit ancient Inuit monuments
…………. enjoy a firework display at New Year
…………. see lions and tigers in the wild
…………. go surfing

Do this exercise while you listen. Complete the gaps with the correct word.
1. The organisation Tourism Australia is offering six jobs, for six _______________.
2. If you want one of these jobs, you have to make a short _______________.
3. The job of outback adventurer is for someone with a passion for _______________ life.
4. Job number two is a park _______________ in Queensland.
5. The wildlife caretaker job on Kangaroo Island is for someone who loves _______________.
If you’re not an outdoor person, the next job is for someone whose talents are in
6.
_______________.
7. The taste master will need to _______________ about food as well as enjoy eating it.
8. The final job is based in ______________.

Do this exercise while you listen. Put the job requirements with the correct job.
b. help preserve and

a. write, take
promote plants, c. work with some d. work with the
photographs and make
animals, fossils and dangerous animals organisers of festivals
films
indigenous culture
g. work in a state with h. use social media to

e. find the best places f. learn how to make
the world’s biggest tell people about cool
for “wining and dining” alcoholic drinks
sand island events
i. find adventures and

j. travel in a hot air k. use different types of
employment for young l. report on cafés,
balloon and be transport and leave only
people on working concerts and days out
prepared to eat insects! footprints
holidays
outback adventurer park ranger wildlife caretaker
lifestyle journalist taste master chief funster
Which of these jobs would suit you? Why?
I’d like to … because …

I’m good at … (-ing)
I enjoy … (-ing)
I’m interested in …
Listening skills practice: The best job in the world – transcript
Transcript for The best job in the world
Once again the organisation which promotes Australia, Tourism Australia, is advertising the best job in the
world. But this year, they have six jobs going, all for six months, with a great salary and extra spending
money. If you think one of these is your dream job, you have to make a 30-second video explaining why
you are the best person for the role. But – be warned. Thousands of people will be competing for each
post.
The job of “outback adventurer” is for someone with a passion for outdoor life, and in the Northern Territory
there are plenty of wide-open spaces. The job is for someone to find out the best adventures and jobs for
young people on working holidays. You’d be getting close to wildlife, sleeping under the stars in a bush
camp and flying over stunningly beautiful landscape in a hot air balloon. Your duties will include getting to
know about aboriginal culture and eating traditional bushfoods, maybe including the famous witchetty
grubs – insect larvae.
Like the idea of 200 days of sunshine every year? Job number two is a park ranger in tropical Queensland.
It’s a wonderful state with ancient rainforests, the world’s largest sand island and the awesome Great
Barrier Reef. Here your duties would include protecting and promoting native plants and animals,
spectacular waterfalls, dinosaur fossils, untouched beaches and indigenous culture. You’d get paid to
patrol the beaches of Lizard Island and live a life most people can only dream about.
Another island job is as 'wildlife caretaker' on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. If you love all kinds of
animals, this is the job for you. The advert says you’ll be able to talk to wallabies (a kind of small
kangaroo), play with dolphins, cuddle koalas and sunbathe with seals on the unspoilt beach at Seal Bay.
You would get about the island on foot, by bicycle, kayak or boat, taking photos and leaving only footprints.
There is one potential drawback, though. You’d need to be pretty brave since you might come face to face
with great white sharks.
Maybe you are not quite so keen on the great outdoors and your talents are more journalistic. If you fancy
feature writing, photography and making videos, you can apply for the position of lifestyle photojournalist
for Time Out in Melbourne. You would be required to photograph and write about the city's coolest cafés
and musical events. But you’d also cover tourist activities in the whole state of Victoria, including surfing on
the Great Ocean Road, skiing at Mount Hotham or watching the little penguins at Phillip Island.
Are you a foodie? Do you know about food, as well as love eating it? If the answer’s yes, you can apply for
the role of ‘taste master’ in Western Australia. Your job would be to promote the best restaurants, pubs,
wineries and breweries. You’d also catch fresh seafood off the beautiful coast and learn all about making
wine and beer.
Finally, a fantastic job in Sydney. We’ve all seen those amazing firework displays in Sydney Harbour. Well,
you could be one of the people making that happen next year. New South Wales is looking for a ‘chief
funster’, who would be based in Sydney while travelling around the state and tweeting about the coolest
things going on. This job would appeal to someone interested in everything: sports, the arts, entertainment,
food. You’d also be involved in making the Sydney Festival, Mardi Gras and Vivid Festival as spectacular,
and as fun, as possible.
Listening: The Filter Bubble – part one – exercises
Listen to the speaker talking about a book called The Filter Bubble and do the exercises to practise and
Preparation
support interact log on click on
download keep track appears monitor
1. You need to _______________ to connect to a specific computer system.
2. You can _______________ some programs onto your computer for free.
3. Cookies _______________ of how you use websites.
4. On social media you can easily see updates about the political party you _______________.
5. The police can _______________ a criminal’s activity on the internet.
6. Personalised information _______________ in your newsfeed.
7. If you _______________ the link you get taken to another website.
8. I don’t _______________ with many people on the site.

1. Everybody sees the same adverts when they are online. True False
2. Websites and apps sometimes monitor the way we use them. True False
3. A cookie can track your habits on a website. True False
4. The speaker wrote a book called The Filter Bubble. True False
5. The speaker tells us which political party she supports. True False
6. The speaker clicks more frequently on friends with the same ideas. True False
7. Some of the speaker’s friends had left the social media site. True False
8. A website can decide which information you want to see. True False
Listening: The Filter Bubble – part one – exercises

Match the two sentence halves and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.
1…….. The adverts you see a. can work out what we like.
2…….. Internet browsers b. move around a website.
3…….. Cookies keep track of how you c. are not random.
4…….. The filter bubble d. were hidden from her.
5…….. The speaker e. is like an ecosystem.
6…….. Some of the writer’s friends’ posts f. noticed strange things on her newsfeed.
Discussion
Have you noticed what kinds of adverts and information appear when you’re online?
Are you happy with this?
Vocabulary Box Write any new words you have learned in this lesson.
Listening: The Filter Bubble – part one – transcript
Transcript for The Filter Bubble – part one
Good morning, everybody. Good morning. Hello. Now, have you ever noticed that when you log on to the
internet, you nearly always see adverts for things that you're interested in? Yes? OK. So, let's say you
were looking for a new pair of trainers last week. Well, suddenly you'll see adverts for trainers all over the
place. Well, believe it or not, this isn't random. The internet browsers, websites and apps that we use know
a lot about us because they monitor how we use their site or app. This way they can work out what we like
and don't like. Clever! So, you've probably heard of cookies. Am I right? Yes? OK. When you visit some
sites for the first time, a cookie is downloaded onto your computer that keeps a track on how you travel
around the site and exactly what you do. So, the next time you use the site again, your computer will check
the cookies and adapt, depending on the information it stored from your last visit. With me? OK. So,
without even thinking about it, we give out a lot of information that can then be used to personalise our
online experience.
Now, I saw a great presentation last week by the internet activist Eli Pariser and I want to tell you a little bit
about it. He wrote a book a few years ago called The Filter Bubble and I think it's something that we should
all know about. Here's the book. We actually have it in the school library if you want to borrow it. In this talk
I'm just going to give you a little taster. Now, he likens the 'filter bubble' to an ecosystem and he claims it is
something that we should all be worried about. Now, after reading his book and watching his talk, I've got
to say I agree with him. I think it's something you should all know about too.
So, let me try to explain using a simple example. Imagine I support a political party … so, to keep this
really simple let's call it the Yellow Party. OK, so let's say I have lots of friends who also support the
Yellows but some of my friends support the Reds. Now, on my favourite social media site I want to see the
posts from all my friends but I tend to click more on the links that are posted by my friends who support the
Yellows, like me, obviously. Even so, I do still want to see what the Reds are posting about. With me? OK.
Now, a few months ago, just before the big elections I noticed something quite weird happening on my
newsfeed. I noticed that my friends who support the Red Party had almost completely disappeared from
the site, and I was only being shown posts from my Yellow friends. Weird. Now, I wondered if all my Red
friends had left this social media space and moved somewhere else, but when I clicked on their profiles to
check, I could see that they had been busy posting links and talking to people, but their posts were being
hidden from me. And it's only now I understand why. I know it's because I hardly ever clicked on their posts
and I didn't interact so much with them. So, the social media site itself had decided for me that I wasn't
interested in their posts, so they decided not to show them to me. Now, this is an example of what Eli
Pariser means by the filter bubble – it's when the websites and apps choose what information we can and
can't see. Does that make sense?
Listening: The Filter Bubble – part two – exercises
Listen to the speaker continue talking about a book called The Filter Bubble and do the exercises to
practise and improve your listening skills.
Preparation
Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.
a computer program that searches the internet and gives you a

1…….. to keep up to date a.
list of results (e.g. Google, Baidu or Yahoo)
2…….. to keep your eyes open b. people who share your opinions and interests
3…….. like-minded people c. to not get the opportunity to do something good
4…….. a search engine d. to know about, to be conscious of
5…….. to miss out on something e. to be watchful and alert
6…….. to be aware of f. to maintain your knowledge of the most recent information

Circle the best answer to these questions.
1. Social media sites can often decide to …

a. stop us from seeing things.
b. show us information from only one website.
c. show us false information.
2. The results of the same internet search by two people …

a. will always be the same.
b. can be completely different.
c. can come in a different order.
3. In Eli’s example about two friends typing ‘Egypt’, one friend got …
a. information about buying a property in Egypt.
b. information about travelling to Egypt.
c. information about Egyptian food.
4. Some search engines record information about …

a. what we look at.
b. how much time we spend online.
c. other search engines we use.
Listening: The Filter Bubble – part two – exercises
5. The speaker thinks that sometimes it can be helpful to have …
a. online shopping.
b. more than one search engine.
c. personalised information.
6. The speaker thinks it is important for everyone …

a. to understand how the filter bubble works.
b. to know the filter bubble exists.
c. to stop using certain search engines.
7. The speaker suggests …

a. using different search engines that don’t filter information.
b. using software that prevents filtering.
c. using the search engines for short periods of time.
8. The speaker finishes by advising us …

a. to learn more about different kinds of search engines.
b. to learn more about how the internet functions.
c. to find out what changes are taking place next.

Write the word to fill the gaps.
1. Two people can type the same word into a search _______________ and get different results.
Personalised information makes online shopping easier and it helps us to connect with like-
2.
minded _______________.
But let’s stop and think. Aren’t we going to _______________ out on a lot of really interesting
3.
and fresh information?
Whatever you think about the filter bubble, I think we all need to be _______________ that this
4.
is happening.
For now, just try to make sure that you keep your eyes and ears _______________ and learn
5.
as much as you can about how the internet works.
Things change very quickly, but we should all try and keep up to _______________ and learn
6.
more about how the wonderful worldwide web actually works!
Discussion
Is it important to know about the filter bubble?

Listening: The Filter Bubble – part two – transcript
Transcript for The Filter Bubble – part two
OK. So, moving on, if the social media sites can personalise the user experience, to block out things they
think we don't want to see, well, begs the question, what else is being hidden from us? Well, in his talk Eli
Pariser gives another example. Did you know that if two people type the same word into some of the most
popular search engines, the results might be totally different?
I know. Crazy, huh? Well, maybe you can try it one time with a friend. The example that Eli gave in his talk
was two of his friends who have very different interests. They both typed the word 'Egypt' into a search
engine. One got results from news websites about recent events in Egypt and the other got mainly travel
guides. The results were totally different and this is because some search engines record information
about what we usually look at, what we like and what our interests are.
Some sites are now starting to personalise what an individual user sees. Now, sometimes, of course, it can
be really helpful to have information personalised for us. It can save us time searching and often actually
we do want to see the information that we're more interested in. It can make online shopping easier and it
helps us to connect with like-minded people. But let's stop for a second and think. Do we really want the
internet to offer us only what the internet thinks we want to see? Aren't we going to miss out on a lot of
really interesting and fresh information?
Well, whatever you think about the filter bubble, I think we all need to be aware that this is happening. By
controlling the flow of information each individual receives, these algorithms mean we don't have access to
all the information that is out there. So, aren't we missing out on a lot of really useful stuff?
The question is, what can we do? Well, I have to say, I agree with Eli Pariser. I think we need to try and
step outside of our filter bubbles from time to time to try and get our information from other sources, as well
as the internet. And actually you can look for alternative search engines that don't filter the content in the
same way. They exist too. There are also ways to depersonalise searches, but I will tell you more about
that another day. For now, just try to make sure that you keep your eyes and ears open and learn as much
as you can about how the internet actually works. Things change very quickly, but we should all try and
keep up to date and learn more about how the wonderful worldwide web works. Thank you very much.
Listening skills practice: The Maasai and the lions - exercises
Listen to the speaker talking about the Maasai and the lions and do the exercises to practise and improve
Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–e next to the numbers 1–5.
1…….. 20 a. How much does the average male lion weigh? (kilograms)
2…….. between 2 and 4 b. How many years does a lion in the wild live?
3…….. 180 c. How many cubs can a female lion have in one litter?
4…….. 12 d. What is the fastest speed a lion can run? (kilometres per hour)
5…….. 81 e. How many hours a day do lions spend resting?

1. How did the Maasai people feel about lions in the past?
a. They strongly disliked b. They were not sure how

c. They loved them.
them. they felt.
2. What is the aim of the Lion Guardians scheme?
a. To move the lions to a b. To protect the lions and c. To train local people to
different, safer area. allow experts to do research. protect the lions.
3. Why do the Lion Guardians tell local farmers where lions are?
b. So they can take their c. So they can protect their

a. So they can kill the lions.
cows to a different area. families.
4. How do other local people feel about the Lion Guardians?
b. They don’t understand c. They are annoyed by

a. They respect them.
them. them.
5. Why did Olubi Lairumbe change his mind about killing lions?
c. He learnt more about

a. He saw how dangerous b. He killed a pregnant lion
lions and realised he was
hunting lions could be. and felt very bad about it.
wrong.
6. How does Mingati Makarot know where the lions are?

a. He uses special tracking b. He uses his knowledge of c. He uses information
equipment. the area and hunting skills. provided by his team.
7. How do Maasai warriors get a lion name, traditionally?
b. By having the c. By doing something

a. By killing a lion.
characteristics of a lion. brave.
8. How has the naming tradition changed?
c. Young men are given

a. Young men have to kill b. Young men can use their
special names without killing
more lions to a get a name. father’s name.
lions.
9. What do the Lion Guardians do to help people see lions as part of the community?
a. Give people photos of the b. Tell people stories about c. Give the lions Maasai
lions. the lions. names.
10. What is the key factor in the scheme's success?
a. The Maasai have b. The Maasai can influence

c. The Maasai have always
changed their culture but people from neighbouring
wanted to protect lions.
kept their identity. areas.

Do this exercise while you listen. Write a word or words to fill the gaps.
The Maasai people and the lions were enemies because the lions wanted to kill the tribe’s
1.
_______________.
2. Now, there is a new scheme to _______________ lions.
The aim is for local people to manage and protect lions, without any involvement from
3.
_______________.
The Lion Guardians learn a range of skills including how to manage _______________ between
4.
humans and lions.
5. In the past, lost livestock was often _______________ by carnivores.
If someone is going to carry out a lion _______________, the Lion Guardians try to persuade them
6.
not to.
7. Olubi Lairumbe has killed _______________ lions in his lifetime.
8. Olubi appeared on the Africa documentary _______________.
9. Mingati’s lion name means one who is _______________ and doesn’t lag behind.
10. Traditionally, after killing a lion, the warrior brings the lion’s mane and _______________ back
home as a trophy.
After the naming tradition changed, boys who wanted to prove their bravery were given
11.
_______________ tasks.
Since the programme began in 2007, no lions have been killed in the area, compared to
12.
_______________ in the neighbouring area.
Discussion
What’s your opinion of the Lion Guardians scheme?

Is there ever any conflict between animals and humans where you live?
I think that …
Listening skills practice: The Maasai and the lions - transcript
Transcript for The Maasai and the lions.
For thousands of years the Maasai people in Kenya had no doubts about their relationship with the lions
who shared the land with them. They were enemies. The lions wanted to kill the tribe’s livestock and the
Maasai had to protect the animals. It was even part of the coming-of-age ritual of young warriors to kill a
lion.
But now things have changed and the Maasai are part of a new East African scheme to protect lions,
called the Lion Guardians. The aim is for local people to be trained to manage and protect the lions
without involvement from outsiders after the period of initial training. The Lion Guardians are taught basic
literacy, how to manage data, how to deal with conflict between humans and lions, GPS and telemetry
tracking of radio-collared lions. Some of them also learn how to speak in public and how to blog.
The Lion Guardians monitor the lions and other carnivores and inform cattle herders when to avoid the
areas where there are lions. They also help improve the livestock enclosures and educate people about
wildlife. Helping find lost livestock is another important job. In the past these would often have been killed
by carnivores.
If anyone is about to carry out a lion hunt, the Lion Guardians try and persuade them not to. Since many
of the Guardians have killed lions in the past and are very experienced, they are highly respected in the
community and are listened to by their age-mates, or peers, and often by their elders. They explain the
importance of the lions to culture and tourism and how they can now be arrested for killing protected
animals.
One such Lion Guardian is Olubi Lairumbe. He has killed seven lions in his lifetime. The last one was a
lioness who was pregnant with five cubs. He regretted killing her very much, had a massive change of
heart and volunteered to become a Lion Guardian. Olubi’s father used to hate lions and encouraged his
sons to hunt them, but since Olubi became a Guardian, he has been advising them not to kill carnivores.
Olubi was recently interviewed by Sir David Attenborough and appeared on the Africa documentary
series.
Another Guardian, Mingati Makarot, is very good at tracking lions using his traditional skills and has a
great knowledge of the area that acts as a refuge to many wildlife species. Mingati is a past lion killer but
has completely converted to being one of its ardent protectors. His name, Mingati, is a ‘lion name’ given
to him meaning one who is fast and doesn’t lag behind.
In the past, a moran (a Maasai warrior) received a lion name after spearing a lion. In Maasai culture the
name represents the characteristics of both the warrior and the lion he has killed. A warrior with a lion
name feels that he has achieved something great. When the successful warrior brings the lion’s mane
and tail back to his manyatta (his home in the community) to be put on display, he is treated as a hero.
Listening skills practice: The Maasai and the lions - transcript
Other young men who don’t yet have their lion names are called by the general name of ‘moran’. They
long to have recognition and dream about the day that it will be their turn to bring home the lion trophy.
Now, this naming tradition is changing. The Lion Guardians experimented by giving lion names to boys
who had not killed lions and it worked. Other young people called them by the lion names, then the older
people did so too. There were still some boys who wanted to do something to prove their bravery, and
they were assigned conservation tasks to do. Now young men can earn respect by protecting lions, rather
than killing them.
Another change is that the lions are now given Maasai names and each has a card explaining who the
lion is related to and which lions they keep company with. Personalising the lions helps them to be seen
as individuals by the community.
Since the programme began in 2007, no lions have been killed in the area patrolled by Lion Guardians.
Compare that to a similar neighbouring area without Guardians, where 63 have been killed, and you can
see just how successful the scheme is. The Maasai have managed to successfully adapt their culture to
changing times without giving up their identity.
Listening skills practice: Unusual British festivals – exercises
Listen to the presentation about unusual British festivals and do the exercises to practise and improve your
listening skills.
Do this exercise before you listen. Match the two parts of the phrase to make common festival activities.
Write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.
1…….. follow a. a firework display
2…….. cook and eat b. as a special character
3…….. watch c. your house or street
4…….. take part in a d. ancient traditions
5…….. decorate e. competition
6…….. dress up f. special food

1. Many of these festivals are actually races or competitions. True False
2. The Burning of the Clavie brings good luck for the new year. True False
3. On Shrove Tuesday in Scarborough people dance with ropes. True False
4. Cheese rolling involves running away from a big, round cheese. True False
5. Snail racing started in the UK. True False
6. The competition to pull the ugliest face is an old tradition. True False
7. The Burning of the Clocks festival marks the summer solstice. True False
8. The Burning of the Clocks festival ends with people throwing water. True False
Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best phrase to complete these sentences.
1. The Clavie is a whisky container / a wooden cross / a bonfire made of things people don’t need .
2. In the Up Helly Aa festival, they burn a wooden man / a Viking boat / a line in the grass .
During a pancake race, you have to eat as many pancakes as possible / run as fast as possible
3.
while tossing a pancake in a pan / run and jump over the ropes without dropping the pancake .
Nowadays, the people who win the cheese rolling competition are usually top athletes / people
4.
from the village / visitors from all over the world .
The fastest snail in the Snail Racing is cooked with garlic and butter / rescued from the barbecue /
5.
given a prize of extra lettuce .
Black pudding throwing is similar to pancake tossing / Olympic sports like javelin and shotput /
6.
bowling .
To win the best gurner competition, one man had all his teeth removed / grew a really long beard
7.
/ had a lot of facial piercings .
8. The Burning of the Clocks festival is 2 years old / 20 years old / 200 years old .
Which of these traditions would you like to take part in?

Do they remind you of any other festivals that you know about?
I’d like to … because …

There’s a festival in …, where they …
Listening skills practice: Unusual British festivals – transcript
Transcript for Unusual British festivals
Hello. I’m going to talk about British festivals. I’m sure you’ve heard about the Notting Hill Carnival in
London and the Edinburgh Festival, but today we’re going to look at a lot more that you might not know
about. Actually, a lot of these are not exactly festivals, but strange races or competitions. Some of them
are ancient and some are modern.
So, let’s start in January in the north of Scotland with the Burning of the Clavie. This is a whisky barrel
which is set alight then carried through the streets as a bonfire. It’s an ancient tradition which always takes
place on 11th of January, the first day of the year, according to an older form of the calendar. The bonfire
brings good luck for the coming year and people used to keep bits of burnt wood as protection against evil
spirits. At the end of January, even further north, in the Shetland Islands, there’s another fire festival, the
Up Helly Aa. This seems like an ancient festival, but has actually only been going for about 130 years –
well, it is fairly old, I suppose. People carry fire-lit torches and a Viking boat through the streets, then set
fire to the boat. There’s lots of dancing; it’s good fun.
Now to the north of England. On Shrove Tuesday in February, otherwise known as Pancake Day, a special
Pancake Bell is rung in Scarborough. Everyone goes down to the road next to the beach where they skip –
yep, they jump over long ropes, up to fifteen people to one rope. And they have pancake races. This is
quite common in the UK – running with a frying pan and tossing a pancake at the same time.
Another kind of race takes place in spring – cheese rolling. In Gloucestershire, in the south-west of
England, round cheeses in round boxes are sent rolling down a hill and people run after them and try and
catch them. The hill is very steep, so people often fall over – if you take part in this you need to be very fit
and wear your oldest jeans. Nowadays this strange custom attracts visitors from all over the world, but the
people from the local village are usually the ones who catch the cheese.
From people-racing, to animals, very tiny animals. World Championship Snail Racing takes place in a
village in Norfolk. The snails have to race from an inner circle to an outer circle and the winner gets a lot of
lettuce. There’s a party and barbecue for the snail owners and observers. This custom began in the 1960s
after a local man saw something similar in France. In the UK we don’t eat snails, by the way.
More fun, in my opinion, are the onion-eating contest, also in Gloucestershire – a race to finish eating a
raw onion – and the Black Pudding Throwing Championship, in Lancashire. Black puddings are like big
sausages made mainly from dried blood. Contestants bowl three black puddings each at 21 Yorkshire
puddings set on a six-metre platform; the winner is the one who knocks down the most. Another fun
contest takes place in September at the Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria in the north of England. The World
Gurning Championship is a competition to pull the ugliest face. It sounds ridiculous but this is an ancient
British tradition and the Crab Fair itself dates back to 1267. The man who won the title of best gurner the
most in recent years had all his teeth taken out so he could make terrible faces more easily.
Finally, let’s go back to the south of England. In Brighton there’s a Burning the Clocks Festival to celebrate
the winter solstice on December 21st. This custom started twenty years ago and is very popular. People
make clock lanterns and time-themed figures of paper and wood, then walk through the town to the beach
where the sculptures are set on fire and there’s a massive firework display.
So, that’s just a taste of a few of our old and more modern traditions. Would you like to take part in any of
them?
Listening skills practice: What kind of student are you? – transcript
Transcript for What kind of student are you?
Teacher:
Are you all sitting comfortably? We’re going to do a short quiz called ‘What kind of student are you?’ I
want you to listen carefully and think about your responses. Then I want you to write your answers in your
notebook. Please be sincere! Nobody is going to look at your answers. When we complete the quiz I’ll
read out the results and you can think about them carefully for a few minutes in private. You need a pen
and a blank page in your notebook. OK, pay attention, please.
One. When do you usually get to school?

a) Early, you like to have extra time ‘just in case’ something crops up.
b) You always turn up just in time, as the bell rings.
c) You often get to school late, out of breath from rushing.
Two. When do you usually do your homework?

a) As soon as you get it. The same evening.
b) A day or two before you have to hand it in.
c) The same day you hand it in. Sometimes it’s late.
Three. What is your average mark in tests?

a) You usually do well and get seventy-five per cent or higher.
b) You usually pass tests but your marks are near to fifty or sixty per cent.
c) Your marks are often below fifty per cent.
Four. What kind of a relationship do you have with the staff at school?
a) Great! You get on well with most of the academic staff.
b) Not bad. You have a good relationship with some members of staff.
c) Dreadful. In general you don’t get on with teachers.
Five. Where do you usually sit in class?

a) Usually at the front so you can see the board easily.
b) Somewhere in the middle so you can daydream unnoticed.
c) Near the back so you can turn on your mobile without being seen.
Six. What do you want to do when you finish school?

a) Carry on studying at university or college.
b) You don’t know yet. It depends on your exam results.
c) Look for a job and start earning your own money. You’ll be fed up with studying by then.
OK. Now look at your answers and count the number of As, Bs and Cs. Then I’ll read out the results. Are
you ready?
If you have mostly As, you are an exceptional student. You are mature and you have a superb attitude
towards your studies. You definitely grasp the importance of a good education.
If you have mostly Bs, you are an average student, but you are capable of much more and it isn’t too late
to improve and become an excellent student. You just need to make a few changes to your habits.
If you have mostly Cs, you really need to adjust your outlook. You waste your time and you are at risk of
finishing school without any qualifications. Think about your behaviour and consider making some
changes before it’s too late.
Listening skills practice: What kind of student are you? – exercises
Listen to the teacher giving students a quiz about their study skills and do the exercises to practise and
Match the two parts of the question and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.
1…….. When do you usually get a. to do when you finish school?
2…….. When do you usually do b. with the staff at school?
3…….. What is your average mark c. an exam?
4…….. How do you feel before doing d. to school?
5…….. What kind of relationship do you have e. your homework?
6…….. Where do you usually sit f. studying before an exam?
7…….. How much time do you spend g. in tests?
8…….. What do you want h. in class?

1. At the beginning the teacher asks the students to think carefully about …
a. the questions.
b. their answers.
c. where they sit.
2. The answers the students choose will be seen by …

a. the other students.
b. the teacher.
c. nobody.
3. The first question is about the time …

a. students arrive at school.
b. students spend at school.
c. students leave.
4. The teacher asks about …

a. where students do their homework.
b. how much time students spend doing their homework.
c. when the students do their homework.
5. In question three, students who normally get half marks should answer …
a. A.
b. B.
c. C.
6. Question four is about the students’ relationship with …

a. people in their lives outside school.
b. people working at the school.
c. people studying at the school.
7. The teacher thinks some students prefer to sit in the middle of the class so that …
a. they can hear the teacher without being right at the front.
b. they can have pleasant thoughts without following the lesson.
c. no one will notice them using their phones.
8. Question six is about students’ …

a. exam results.
b. future career.
c. plans for the future.
9. Students with mostly As have a good …

a. attitude towards studying.
b. idea about what they want to do in the future.
c. network of support at school.
10. Students with mostly Bs need to …

a. become excellent students.
b. increase the time they spend studying.
c. change some of their habits.
11. Students with mostly Cs are probably …

a. wasting a lot of their time.
b. unable to do any better.
c. going to be unemployed in the future.
12. Students with mostly Cs should …

a. join the homework club.
b. try to change as soon as possible.
c. leave school at the first opportunity.

Write the word to fill the gaps.
1. The quiz is designed to find out what kind of _______________ you are.
2. The teacher tells the students to pay _______________ to what she is saying.
3. One question asks about the students’ average _______________ in tests.
4. Another question asks about students’ relationship with the _______________ at the school.
5. For some people, what they do after school _______________ on their exam results.
6. Students with mostly A answers have a good _______________ towards studying.
7. Students with mostly B answers can improve and _______________ excellent students.
8. If ‘C’ students don’t change, they might leave school without any _______________.
Discussion
What kind of student are you?
Listening skills practice: What’s in a name? – exercises
Listen to the extract from a radio programme about names and do the exercises to practise and improve
Preparation
Daisy Hannah James Alice
Harry Muhammad Jacob Ava
Daniel Jasmine Jake Amy
/ei/ train /æ/ ham

1. The US starts trends in names that Britain sometimes follows. True False
2. Using nouns as names is a completely new fashion. True False
3. Names that seem to come from nature could come from surnames. True False
4. 'Ridge' is a name that is inspired by nature. True False
5. 'Lyric' is a relatively popular name. True False
6. All the different months are popular as names. True False
7. 'Blue' is a popular name for boys. True False
8. 'Apple' is probably becoming popular because of the company of that name. True False
9. People soon accept names that seem strange at first. True False
Listening skills practice: What’s in a name? – exercises
10. The Beckhams’ daughter was named after a famous writer. True False
11. 'Rowling' is a popular name because of the Harry Potter writer. True False
There is a Dutch family with six children whose names all use the same
12. True False
letters.

places anagrams abstract qualities food names
safety and warmth jobs inspired by nature fictional characters
1. Examples of names that are _______________ are 'Honor' and 'Passion'.
2. Examples of names that suggest _______________ are 'Shelter', 'Bay' and 'Harbor'.
3. Examples of names that could be _______________ are 'Frost', 'Wolf', 'Fox' and 'Bear'.
4. Examples of _______________ are 'Olive' and 'Clementine'.
5. Examples of names that are _______________ are 'Chelsea' and 'Brooklyn'.
6. Examples of names that are _______________ are 'Taylor', 'Mason' and 'Cooper'.
7. Examples of names taken from _______________ are 'Bella', 'Edward' and 'Hermione'.
8. Examples of names that are _______________ of each other are 'Alex', 'Lexa', 'Xela' and 'Xeal'.
Discussion
Do you have a common or an unusual name? Do you like your name?

Listening skills practice: What’s in a name? – transcript
Transcript for What’s in a name?
Presenter 1: Today we are going to talk about names, particularly fashions in names, you know, the
kind of names famous people use for their children. You’ve been looking into this
recently, haven’t you, Finn?
Presenter 2: I have indeed and it’s a fascinating topic. The US leads here with new names and we in
Britain follow sometimes, but we tend to go for the more traditional names. So, the big
trend is using nouns as names.
Presenter 1: Nouns, what sort of nouns?
Presenter 2: Well they can be abstract qualities like Honor or Passion. There’s a long tradition of this
kind of name, like Faith or Charity, which used to be common names. A new name is
Haven, that’s growing in popularity. And similar names like Shelter, Harbor and Bay also
convey feelings of safety and warmth.
Presenter 1: Mmm. I suppose Passion is used to mean ‘extreme enthusiasm’ nowadays, and people
use the word a lot, so maybe it’s a good choice for a modern name. Haven has a nice,
safe feel to it.
Presenter 2: OK, then there are names which come from nature or animals, although with some of
these it’s hard to know whether they come from nature or a surname – that’s another
trend. Here we have Frost, Wolf, Fox, Bear, for boys, of course. And a new name:
Ridge.
Presenter 1: Ridge, like a mountain ridge? The top of a mountain range?
Presenter 2: Yes, weird, huh? It’s seen as a tough, outdoorsy name for a boy. OK, then there are
musical names. Harmony and Melody have been around for ages, but Lyric is a new
one.
Presenter 1: Lyric, wow!
Presenter 2: Yes, it came in at number 325 in the US a couple of years ago. That doesn’t sound very
popular, but there are so many different names being used at the moment that it means
it isn’t so unusual. Other noun categories are months – May, June and April are
common, but January is uncommon and November very unusual. And then you have
colours. Beyoncé and Jay-Z called their daughter Blue Ivy – a very distinctive name, a
colour plus the name of a plant. Blue is very popular for girls right now, and Red or Grey
for boys.
Presenter 1: I’ve just thought of another category. Food names, like Olive or Clementine.
Presenter 2: Yes, that’s another one. Flower names are pretty common, but food names are unusual.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their daughter Apple, of course.
Presenter 1: Yes, poor child.
Presenter 2: Actually, Apple is becoming more and more popular, although people think that’s
because of the technology connection, not the fruit. New names always seem strange at
first, but you quickly get used to them, like all the names from places or jobs. Chelsea
and Brooklyn seem like normal names now; they were strange when they were first
Listening skills practice: What’s in a name? – transcript
used. Taylor, Mason, Cooper are all first names from jobs.
Presenter 1: And they are also surnames, I think that’s how they started.
Presenter 2: You’re probably right there.
Presenter 1: What about the Beckhams’ daughter, Harper?
Presenter 2: She was named after Harper Lee, the American novelist who wrote To Kill a
Mockingbird. That’s another trend, naming children after famous writers, musicians – the
British band One Direction have had an effect on names – or fictional characters, like
Bella or Edward from the Twilight series, or Hermione from Harry Potter
Presenter 1: Sorry, can I just interrupt there. I’ve just has a message passed on by the producer. A
listener has just phoned in with a very strange story about a family in Holland with six
children. Their names are all anagrams of the letters: A, E, L and X.
Presenter 2: Ah yes, I’ve heard about this. This family are famous in the world of bloggers on names.
Let me see if I remember the names … Alex and Axel … and Lexa – they’re the easy
ones – Xela (‘Zela’) and Xael (‘Zay-el’) and the last one is Xeal (‘Zeal’) – I’m guessing
about the pronunciations, by the way.
Presenter 1: You mean there are names X-E-L-A and X-A-E-L?
Presenter 2: Yes, but they are very unusual. I think the Dutch family are stopping at six children, but
there are about eighteen more possible anagrams they could use.
Presenter 1: Nooo, you’re kidding!
Presenter 2: All seem horrible to me, but all are possible names. This is similar to another trend of
giving children names all starting with the same letter, like the Kardashian family, all
beginning with K, Kim, Kourtney and so on.
Presenter 1: The Kardashians have had enough publicity, let’s not talk about them. What about your
name? Finn, that sounds like a good Irish name …

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Listening: A2

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

If you arrive before 8.30 a.m.,

Giving information Giving instructions

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

1. …………………… 2. …………………… 3. …………………… 4. …………………… 5. …………………… 6. ……………………

……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ……………………… ………………………

The woman describes the house. The woman gives directions.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

1. She is having a party for ...

2. The party is at ...

3. To get to the party, drive ...

4. The motorway exit you need is ...

5. The house is the first big house ...

6. If you go by public transport, take …

7. The woman received the birthday card ...

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

1. The meeting time

2. Moving the meeting

3. The new meeting time

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6. Telling the other people

accept bring agenda

forward postpone invitation cancel

1. I sent an ……………………………… with the topics for the meeting.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

a ballet an artist a concert a show

a band a group a theatre a play

a musician a cinema an opera house a gallery

Entertainment events Places for entertainment People and entertainment

1. ………………………… runs across the street.

2. ………………………… is going to buy tickets for the play.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

5. ………………………… isn’t happy about the situation.

6. Two weeks ago ………………………… had tickets to the cinema.

7. ………………………… likes dance shows.

8. ………………………… suggests that they go out to dinner.

go next Friday next Friday the theatre on Friday

out for dinner I forgot free then

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

kilometres to cross canal

goods trade ship

waterway ocean commercial

Water Economy and industry Travel and transport

History of the construction of the canal

Length of the Panama Canal

How many ships cross the Panama Canal

Who controls the Panama Canal

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40,000 82 25,000 1914 15,000

1. The Panama Canal connects ……………………………… oceans.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

Right. No way! Let’s see … Really? Umm …

And? I mean … Well … I know.

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

© 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish