ENGLISH FILE
Listening Scripts
FILE 1
Listening 1
Speaker 1 I’m quite easy-going actually so there’s not much
that annoys me. The thing that I really can’t stand
though, is bad manners – that lack of polite
behaviour – you know like someone interrupting
me while I’m speaking. I mean there’s just no
excuse for that really. Anything else, say being a
bit late for an appointment, is fine, but not that!
Speaker 2 Erm … I suppose people who don’t seem to
respect or care about other people’s things. And
I’m thinking mainly about my brother here when
I say this! He’s always borrowing my stuff and
then either losing it or breaking it. And if I refuse
to lend him something, he says I’m selfish of
course. I can’t win!
Speaker 3 Well, that’s easy to answer! You see I share a
bedroom with my sister, and you can’t imagine
what it’s like in there. There’s stuff everywhere!
She has loads of books and folders, and she’d
need an empty room just for her clothes and
shoes alone. The wardrobe’s about to burst. In
fact, it’s difficult just to walk through the room.
None of this is a problem for her, of course. She
just tells me to chill out and take it easy!
Speaker 4 Well, I’m not the most patient of people so lots of
things annoy me! The usual things – bad
manners, messiness, and so on. I’d say that
people who only think about themselves make
me really mad though. It’s nice just to consider
others sometimes, isn’t it? It’s not all about you!
Speaker 5 I think jealousy’s a really bad thing in a person – I
don’t like that at all. But thinking about it again,
even worse is a person who doesn’t do what they
say they’re going to … you know the type …
they’re never on time, they cancel plans at the last
minute … that kind of thing. I’ve had arguments
with people in the past because of this.
English File Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
Upper-intermediate
FILE 1
Listening 2
Interviewer I’m delighted to say that today in the studio with us
we have Graeme Rushton, who’s going to talk to us
about his experience of being interviewed and I’m sure
he’ll have some great tips to share with you. Welcome
Graeme, and thanks so much for joining us.
Graeme Hi … well, thanks for inviting me.
Interviewer Now, there were a lot of strong candidates and the
four who got a second interview all said that they found
the interview especially challenging. What was the
hardest thing about the interview for you?
Graeme I’d done a lot of preparation … you have to, really … so,
I was very confident that I knew what I was talking
about. And I had quite a few examples ready, too, of
things I’ve achieved, because I knew they’d ask for that.
Keeping my answers short and to the point was difficult
at times, because generally speaking I have a lot to say!
Interviewer Well, you got the job, and that’s all that matters!
There were five people interviewing you. Did that make
you nervous?
Graeme Yes, definitely. In the past, I’ve had interviews where
there have been two, or even three, people on the other
side of the desk, but never five! So that was a bit scary.
One thing I can say for sure is that nobody smiled very
much. But I know that they were just doing their job
really, and after all, with so many huge companies
between them, I suppose they know what they’re doing
when it comes to business!
Interviewer Now, were there any questions that you couldn’t
answer during the interview?
Graeme Erm … not really, no. As I said, I’d done my homework
and I pretty much guessed what type of things they’d
ask. There were a couple of places where I could have
done better, but overall I was pleased with the answers I
gave.
Interviewer OK. So, how did you think it had gone when it was
all over?
Graeme You know, the funny thing is that even though I believed
in myself, I knew that the other applicants were both
clever and experienced, perhaps more so than me. I
knew that I could do the job, and that I had most of the
qualifications needed, but I couldn’t help thinking that
they’d go for someone who’d had a different type of
education.
Interviewer Finally, if you could offer one piece of advice to
anyone out there going for a job interview soon, what
would it be?
Graeme Only one thing? Well, it’s obviously important to look
the part, you know, be neat and tidy. And of course,
being late is never recommended! But I’d say the main
thing to remember, though, is to be yourself on the day.
Interviewers can tell if you’re acting and that just won’t
work. And make sure you read as much as you can about
the company before you go.
Interviewer Right, well thanks for coming in today Graeme, and
I hope you’ll be very happy in your new role.
Graeme Thanks very much.
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Listening Scripts
FILE 2
Listening 1
Speaker 1 Yeah, of course I like to look fashionable. Doesn’t
everyone? And it doesn’t have to cost a lot if you’re
clever about it, but one thing that really annoys me
is that the shops on the high street usually have the
same clothes at the same time. That means
customers don’t exactly have a lot to pick from.
Speaker 2 Well not every colour works for me because of my
skin colour, so I wish that the designers would
think about that when they’re planning their
collections. What suits one person doesn’t
necessarily suit everyone! I like to wear well-made
clothes too, so I don’t mind spending a bit more on
them.
Speaker 3 I spend most of my money on clothes, and I don’t
feel guilty about it at all! I wish that the designers
would consider people like me a bit more though.
I’m really tall and it’s hard to find clothes that fit me
properly. I suppose I’m lucky in that I can wear
most colours well.
Speaker 4 I think most people my age want to look good and
wear fashionable clothes. And it’s not hard because
the shops are always full of the latest trends. I
mostly shop online and can even have something
delivered the next day. I do a lot of shopping so that
means that my bank account’s not exactly in great
shape. But, hopefully I’ll find a cheaper way of
staying fashionable.
Speaker 5 I love clothes and I always try to make sure that I’ve
got the latest fashions. I buy most of my stuff in the
local shops in town, just because that’s easier for
me. I don’t spend a fortune on clothes, but it makes
me mad when I get something and discover that it’s
poor quality.
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ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 2
Listening 2
So, you’ve decided to set up your own fashion company. My
sister Anna started her own company a few years ago, so I can
tell you what I’ve learned through watching her and hearing
about her problems. Well I won’t tell you that this is an easy job,
because it’s not.
There are several things you have to consider carefully if you
want to be successful from the very beginning. You need to think
about what kind of clothes you want to sell. Men’s or women’s?
Both? Children’s? What you decide at this stage will make a big
difference further down the line, so it’s important to make the
right decision. Most people say that it’s best to stick to selling
just one thing and really thinking about it long and hard, in the
end, my sister went for kid’s clothes.
Obviously you’ll need money to set the whole thing up and to get
going. Many people use their own savings to begin with, but they
usually find that they need much more than that. And that’s
where family comes in useful, you know – for lending money for
some time without charging interest on it. Neither of these were
an option for Anna, but she was very lucky to have a close family
friend who offered to lend her the money to get started.
The business started off very small, and it took her some time to
build up her customers. So she didn’t need a lot of space to begin
with. I mean, there was no need to rent an office or anything like
that. In the early days, though, she just used her own bedroom!
Actually, she still works from the garage at our house because
it’s not used for anything else.
She’s doing really well now, and we’re all so proud of her. It
certainly wasn’t easy for her, but we all helped out with anything
we could. We packed boxes and prepared labels, or went to the
post office for her. All of that helped of course, but I’ve no doubt
that the main reason for her success is the amount of hard work
she put in – she worked all day every day and hardly took a break.
She also had quite a few contacts from the days when she worked
for a large fashion store, and they were definitely very useful.
I was also thinking about starting up some kind of business
myself, though I’m not sure exactly what kind of thing I want to
do yet. Anna’s given me lots of advice. She said I should do a lot
of research to begin with, you know – about the product I want
to sell, and other companies selling the same thing. She also said
that the most important thing was to get a bit of business
experience. I’m doing a course at my local college at the moment,
and through that I hope I’ll be able to go and spend time with
some companies for a few weeks – like a placement. And, of
course, that’ll give me a qualification. After that, we’ll see. Who
knows? I might have my own company someday soon too.
2

Listening Scripts
FILE 3
Listening 1
Speaker 1 This is an announcement for all passengers
travelling to Manchester Central. The 10.02 will
now depart from Platform 9B, not 8B as
previously announced. Passengers should make
their way to this platform, where the train has now
arrived, using the stairs at the end of platform 8B.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 Welcome to London Euston Station. This is a
reminder that many platforms are no longer in use
due to modernization work being carried out in
the station. Please check travel boards carefully for
information about all departures.
Speaker 3 Due to severe weather in the north of the country,
Network Rail is sorry to announce that the 6.50
service from Newcastle to London Paddington
has been cancelled. Could all passengers please
listen for further announcements about later
services? Thank you.
Speaker 4 Welcome to London Kings Cross station. Due to
today’s weather, surfaces may be icy, so
passengers are advised to take care on all
platforms and while using the steps in the station.
Please allow extra time to reach your platform.
Thank you.
Speaker 5 We are sorry to announce the 7.15 to London
Paddington has been delayed by approximately 23
minutes. Could all passengers please check travel
boards on the platforms or in the waiting room for
updates, as there will be no further
announcements about this service? Thank you.
English File Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 3
Listening 2
Interviewer Welcome back everyone. Now, holidays are big
business these days, and one type of holiday that’s
becoming more popular with the 18–30 age group is the
adventure holiday. With me in the studio is Kim Dawson,
who’s just returned from this kind of holiday, and she’s
going to tell us what’s involved. Thanks for joining us, Kim.
Kim Thanks for having me!
Interviewer So, tell me first of all why you were interested in
going on an adventure holiday.
Kim Well, I was bored of going on the usual sunshine holiday,
you know, lying on a beach sunbathing for a week, and so I
wanted to try something different. I also wanted to learn
some new activities. I’m quite sporty anyway, so I thought:
why not try something different. And I knew I’d meet lots
of people who are interested in the same kind of things as I
am. There’s nothing wrong with the friends I’ve already
got, of course – I just wanted to meet some like-minded
people too.
Interviewer Sure. Where did you go on your adventure
holiday?
Kim Oh, I spent ages researching that and changed my mind
SO many times. The US is one of the most popular places
for adventure holidays, mainly because there’s so much
you can do there and I was very keen to go. But the price
put me off in the end. Canada’s great too, but it’s not cheap
either. So, I went for Ireland in the end – it’s not too far
away and we saw some beautiful scenery while we were
there. The weather wasn’t great, but we sort of expected
that!
Interviewer Yes, indeed. So what was your favourite activity
while you were there?
Kim My favourite? Hmm … To be honest, I liked everything we
did and we did SO many things. I learned how to surf – the
waves are just right for that. We had a few sailing lessons
too and they were fun – hard work but enjoyable. One
thing which was really great, though, was horse riding
along the coastal paths – just miles and miles of peace and
quiet and lovely sea views. That was very relaxing!
Interviewer Did you spend all of your time at the coast?
Kim No, the holiday started off inland. We camped in the
mountains and learned how to manage without all the
modern bits and pieces that we’re used to at home. Then
we travelled to a completely different area and explored
some caves. It was only the last four or five days that we
spent near the sea.
Interviewer Was everyone able to manage all the activities they
were asked to do?
Kim Yes, they were actually. And that’s because we were divided
into groups according to our abilities. The guides wanted
us to push ourselves and try hard, but they were realistic
about what we could and couldn’t do. We had a big age
range on the holiday too, but we all had to try everything.
Interviewer Well, it sounds like you had a great time and thanks
for sharing your experience with us here today.
Kim Thanks.
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Listening Scripts
FILE 4
Listening 1
Speaker 1 We all know the importance of
wearing seatbelts of course, but my
number one tip would be to keep an
eye on your speed when you’re
behind the wheel of your car. The
limits are there for a reason, you
know! And it’s better to leave 15
minutes early and take your time,
than to have an accident and not get
there at all.
Speaker 2 Well, because of the weather we
have in this country, one thing that’s
really important is to check that you
have the right clothes on before you
go out in the dark. And that applies
if you’re walking, jogging, or cycling.
You should always have something
on your upper body that can be
easily seen and that reflects the light
– it could save your life.
Speaker 3 Many accidents happen because
people are so distracted by chatting
on mobiles – even when they’re
using hands-free kits. I’d say just
avoid them completely. It’s best to
concentrate 100% on the road in
front of you. You never know what’s
coming up ahead.
Speaker 4 I think there’s so much more to
being a good driver than knowing
the traffic laws and speed limits. You
have to drive according to the
weather – that’s really important!
Give yourself more time if it’s
raining, for example, because that
slows traffic right down. And keep
your distance from the car in front
of you because the road surface will
be more dangerous.
Speaker 5 Apart from all the obvious things
like not driving fast and not chatting
on the phone, I’d say planning your
trip is pretty important. Especially
in winter. Make sure you have
everything you need in the boot of
your car because you never know
what might happen. I mean things
like a blanket and some food, in case
you get stuck, or even medicine.
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ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 4
Listening 2
Interviewer Hello, I’m Louisa Fielding and this is Environmental Corner.
With me today is Rick, who volunteers for an environmental agency.
Rick, welcome to the programme.
Rick Hi … thanks very much.
Interviewer Now you’ve done some voluntary work for an environmental
agency in Asia, haven’t you?
Rick That’s right. It was for a diving and marine conservation group in
Thailand.
Interviewer So, what exactly is marine conservation?
Rick It’s basically anything to do with things that live in the sea.
Interviewer How long did you spend in Thailand?
Rick Oh, it was quite a long time actually. Hmm … let’s see. I’d already
decided to take a year off before going to university, but didn’t want to
spend the full 12 months working on the project … I wanted to, er, you
know do a bit of travelling too, and I had to work to earn some money as
well. So, I spent about half my gap year there.
Interviewer What type of things did the volunteers on this project do when
they were there?
Rick Most of us were involved in diving surveys where we helped to identify
sea horses – there were so many different types. And that’s what I was
involved in. A few people worked with local fishermen – they looked at
which kinds of fish they catch and taught them about keeping certain
fish safe for the future. Others helped with cleaning up the beaches in
the area, and they got local kids to help out with that.
Interviewer How many days a week did you have to work? It sounds like you
were very busy.
Rick There was a work schedule each week so we know what was happening
and when. The schedule varies, depending on the time of year, the
weather, and the number of volunteers on the project. We normally
worked five days a week and did some diving each day. We had two days
to ourselves to relax, travel back to the mainland or get involved in some
of the other activities that there were, like diving or boat trips.
Interviewer That sounds like fun! What were the living conditions like?
Rick Well, we shared wooden bungalows with other volunteers – 4 people to
each one. The accommodation had electricity provided by a generator
for a few hours in the evenings, and each bungalow had an attached
bathroom with a bucket shower – basically that’s just where you use
buckets of water to wash yourself. The bungalows are just a few metres
from the beach, so the sea views are amazing! Everyone ate together in
the area that we all share. It had a kitchen and large dining area and had
plenty of space to study or just enjoy the view and relax. The
surrounding garden had an equipment room and in the evenings staff
and volunteers went there to play cards or watch a DVD.
Interviewer Hmm … not bad. So, do you need experience if you want to
work on one of these projects?
Rick Obviously it would be a big help if you already knew something about
marine biology, but no, volunteers don’t need any previous experience.
One of the first things everyone is taught, is how to dive to the necessary
level. There are lots of qualified instructors there. You’ll actually leave
Thailand with lots of experience under your belt – a few of the guys even
learned how to do building work and you might even have the chance to
study some tropical plants in the nearby jungle.
Interviewer It certainly sounds like a valuable way to spend your time, if you
have that kind of time to spare of course.
Rick Oh definitely … I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in
environmental issues and (… fade …)
4

Listening Scripts
FILE 5
Listening 1
Speaker 1 What would I do if I found a wallet on the street?
Well, I could ask people in the street, if there were
any around … But, I think that actually – no; I
wouldn’t touch it. I’d just walk past it and let
someone else worry about it. Life’s too short, I have
enough of my own things to worry about!
Speaker 2 Oh, I’d definitely pick it up and see what was inside.
The person who dropped it might have left an
address or phone number, or I could maybe find
them through Facebook if there was something
with their name on it. But, to be honest, I’d
probably just put it back if there was no address.
What else can you do? Maybe the person who
dropped it might come back and look for it. If you
took it away, they’d never find it again.
Speaker 3 I suppose you should take it to the police, that
would be what you’re supposed to do. I suspect,
though, that I’d probably just pick it up and spend
all the money on shopping! That’s not very honest
of me, is it?
Speaker 4 Well, I wouldn’t believe my luck for a start! But you
couldn’t possibly keep it though, could you? I’d
take it to a police station, of course, and let them
sort everything out. But I’d hope that the person
who owned the wallet would give me some money
for being so honest!
Speaker 5 I wouldn’t give it to the police. I don’t think the
person who lost it would ever think to go to the
nearest police station. I think I’d put up some
posters in the local area instead, you know like a
sign in a shop window or on a lamppost, things like
that … I’d ask them to call my mobile, and if they
could describe the wallet and tell me what was in it,
then I’d meet them and give it back. I might get a lot
of joke calls though …
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ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 5
Listening 2
Interviewer As part of International Explorer’s Week, I have a
young man in the studio today who’s going to talk about the
British explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Now Joe, I know that
Sir Ranulph’s one of your heroes, and you’ve also just
completed a study of him and his achievements for your
Geography course. Is that right?
Joe Yeah, that’s right. I really admire him and that’s why I
wanted to do my project on him. I think he’s amazing
because he’s achieved so much.
Interviewer So, tell me more about that.
Joe Well, he’s got courage and he doesn’t give up easily. He
didn’t reach the top of Everest the first time he tried
because he had a heart attack. In fact, he attempted it three
times before he made it. The second time didn’t work out
because he was just so exhausted.
Interviewer I didn’t know that. Does he have any fears at all?
Joe Oh, he’s actually afraid of all sorts of things! I know he’s not
too keen on very cold weather, which is strange if you want
to climb Everest. He also had a bit of a thing about getting
lost up there and never being found. And the thing that
worried him most, apparently, was his fear of heights – he’s
had that since he was little.
Interviewer So, an amazing achievement considering that …
Has he ever spoken about the view from the top?
Joe Yes, I remember chatting about that. He said that it was like
something from a fairytale! He felt he could practically
reach out and feel the clouds, and that there were what
looked like millions of stars in the sky. And apparently the
moon looked magical, shining just above the clouds.
Interviewer Hmmm … that does sound amazing. I wonder
how he felt when he did reach the top?
Joe You’d think that most people would be so glad to have
made it, wouldn’t you? Or they’d just feel really proud of
what they’d done. He had so many problems though, health
issues I mean, he just felt awful and couldn’t wait to get
back down!
Interviewer So, does that mean that he didn’t actually do
anything up there at the top after all that hard work?
Joe Oh no! He had to send reports back to various people
obviously, and he had the flag of the charity he works for
with him. He wanted to put that down and get photos of it,
and they were able to do that. They wanted to get photos of
lots of other things they had taken with them as well, but
the weather was against them, so that didn’t happen.
Interviewer I see. Well Joe, unfortunately we’re out of time so
we’ll have to end there. It’s been a pleasure talking to you
and thanks for joining us.
Joe Thanks.
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Listening Scripts
FILE 6
Listening 1
Speaker 1 Well, you’d probably expect someone of my age to
be really into hip-hop or pop music, and don’t get
me wrong, I really like that kind of stuff too. But
most of the time you’ll find me listening to rock. It
makes me feel like getting up and doing something,
you know, sort of gives me energy, and that’s why I
love it.
Speaker 2 I actually write songs for quite a well-known pop
group, and I suppose it’s because I’m so involved
with that end of things that I prefer listening to just
classical music in my free time. I especially like
pieces written for orchestras.
Speaker 3 I like most kinds of music, actually, well, except for
classical really. Pop’s not bad, and rock’s pretty
cool as well, but I’ve recently started listening to a
lot of songs in the traditional Scottish style and I’m
quite into that kind of thing now. I like it because of
the local instruments they use.
Speaker 4 My family’s really into music – my mum teaches
violin at a local school and my dad’s a jazz
musician, so I have to listen to him practising.
When it’s just me and my iPod though, I have the
latest chart hits on and, um, I don’t really have a
favourite artist – I listen to lots of different people,
and especially love boy bands.
Speaker 5 I’m quite fussy about what I listen to actually. I
listen to classical music quite often when I’m
driving – don’t know why – it just seems to be a
habit I’ve got. Most of the time, though, at home,
I’ll turn on some jazz because I find it very relaxing.
Rock’s not really my thing. I think it’s too loud!
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ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 6
Listening 2
Hi everyone! My presentation today is on Beyoncé – as you know
I’m her biggest fan! Anyway, I’m not going to talk about all the
usual things because most of us know those. Instead, I’m going
to tell you about some of the other things she’s involved in, and
for which she may be less well known.
Since 2002, Beyoncé has worked with the drinks company Pepsi,
and she’s appeared in several of their adverts along with other
well-known pop stars. She’s also worked with some famous
fashion designers, promoting their perfumes. She brought out
her own perfume in 2010, not long after she started to work
with one of these designers. She’s had deals with video-games
companies, for example Nintendo, since 1999.
In 2005, Beyoncé and her mother started a fashion company
called the House of Dereon. They gave it this name in honour of
Beyoncé’s grandmother who has the surname Dereon, and is
well known for making clothes. The collection includes
everything from outerwear, like coats and jackets, to shoes and
handbags, and was originally sold only in the US and Canada,
but since 2010 has also been available in Brazil.
Beyoncé also does a lot of work for various charities, and has
helped raise millions of dollars for good causes. After Hurricane
Katrina in 2005, she set up a group with her friend and ex-band
member Kelly Rowland to provide housing for all those who’d
lost their homes in the hurricane in the area around the city of
Houston, Texas, where she was born. This group then went on
to work with other charities in the city which provide food and
clothing for those who need it, and it also provided help when
Hurricane Ike struck the area three years later in 2008.
More recently, in 2013, Beyoncé announced that she would be
working on a special campaign called ‘Chime for Change’. The
aim of this is to fight for women’s and girl’s rights all over the
world – no matter where they are or how old they are – and allow
them to make their voice heard. Now, as a mother herself, this is
something she feels very strongly about. To raise money for this
cause, Beyoncé took part in a concert alongside many other
celebrities in London in June 2013.
So, that’s a little more about Beyoncé and if …
6

Listening Scripts
FILE 7
Listening 1
Speaker 1 It’s the little things he does for me that I think
make him special. For example, one day last
week he dropped off an umbrella for me at
work because he thought it might rain that
evening and he didn’t want me to get wet.
That was so sweet! And he does that kind of
considerate thing all the time. He’s very
romantic sometimes, too – you know, in the
traditional sense, giving little gifts and so on.
Speaker 2 My boyfriend has lots of great qualities. He’s
very good-looking, for a start, and he dresses
well too. I think the best thing about him is
that he’s very relaxed. Unlike me, he doesn’t
get stressed about things. No matter what
happens, he’s the same! I wish I could be like
that.
Speaker 3 What do I like about my boyfriend? Oh, lots
of things really. He gets on so well with all my
friends and family, and that makes life much
more pleasant I can tell you. He can mix with
people so easily! I’m shy to begin with, and it
takes me ages to feel comfortable with new
people. But, I just wish he could be a bit more
romantic sometimes!
Speaker 4 I like the fact that he always does what he says
he will … well, when he can, of course! That’s
important, you know, because who wants to
be with someone who constantly lets you
down? That’s the best thing about him – so,
yeah, I am very lucky, I suppose. Oh, and he’s
handsome too, which doesn’t hurt. My friend
thinks he looks like a male model!
Speaker 5 He makes me feel so special, especially when
he writes me poems telling me just how much
he loves me or sends me flowers at work. I love
all that stuff … and I text him little messages
during the day too. He’s pretty great all round,
but sometimes he loses patience with me if
I’m late … which I often am.
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ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 7
Listening 2
Interviewer Welcome back and up next is our weekly Well-being
Corner, and with me now is Chris, our resident health and
lifestyle expert, who’s going to tell us some simple tricks for
making ourselves feel better when we’re down. So, Chris, is it
really that simple to cheer ourselves up when we’re having a
bad day?
Chris Well, yes, it is actually. The first thing I’d say is that most
people have problems with internal dialogue … that little
voice in your head that says to you ‘Oh, you’ll never be able to
do that’ or ‘You’ll fail’. This is very damaging … we need to
watch out for it and not allow it to affect our decisions about
things. It’s all about being more positive.
Interviewer That makes sense I suppose. What else can we do?
Chris One of the first things we all need to think about is our sleep.
Interviewer Oh? Do you mean we’re probably not getting enough
sleep?
Chris It’s more about how we sleep than how much, actually. We
should make sure that we’re ready for sleep when the time
comes to go to bed, and that means spending time winding
down beforehand – you know just relaxing, and giving our
brain a chance to slow down. People who have trouble getting
to sleep should try sleeping in different rooms in the house, or
take a hot bath before bedtime.
Interviewer Right.
Chris Another thing that’s important is laughter. You’ve heard the
saying ‘laughter is the best medicine’ I’m sure?
Interviewer Of course …
Chris … Well, there’s a lot of truth in that saying! Laughing really
improves our mood so if you’re having a bad day, just act silly
once in a while, read some jokes, or watch something funny.
And even more importantly, learn not to take yourself too
seriously either, and see the funny side of the little things in
life. Be a child again!
Interviewer Uh-uh, yeah, I’d go along with that. All good tips. So, is
there anything else?
Chris Yes, there’s what I call getting back to basics …
Interviewer … which means?
Chris Just doing simple stuff like reconnecting with old friends,
taking the dog for a walk, visiting an art gallery, or listening to
your favourite music. Enjoy a long, relaxing bath, read a great
book, tell your child a story, or ask an older relative to tell you
one! It’s the simplest things in life that often give us the most
pleasure.
Interviewer I’m with you on that.
Chris And finally there’s just one more thing I’d like to add and that’s
about friendship. It may seem a bit obvious, but allow love into
your life. The ability to love and be loved is a most basic human
quality. As a society, I think we seem to have become
disconnected, and negative emotions like loneliness, guilt, and
anger are symptoms of this. So, if you really want to work on
making your attitude more positive, find a way to reconnect
with people and establish good relationships with them.
Interviewer And again, that seems very reasonable. Well Chris, it’s
been very interesting talking to you, but unfortunately we’ll
have to end it there. Thanks for joining us.
Chris And thank you, it’s been a real pleasure!
7

Listening Scripts
FILE 8
Listening 1
Speaker 1 The problem is finding the time to
catch up with friends because we’re all
so busy nowadays. I work long hours,
and then I’ve lots of stuff to do after
work too. I make sure that I meet up
with my closest friends for a coffee
every week or so though – I’d much
rather see them than spend ages texting
them. For me, you need to be in the
same place for a proper chat!
Speaker 2 I’ve had the same group of friends for
years and years, but we don’t have
nearly enough time to meet up for a
coffee or meals. So, what we try to do,
at least a few times a year, is just get
away from it all for a couple of days. We
take it in turns to organize these
weekends. They’re great fun and it
means we spend quality time together.
It’s much better all round!
Speaker 3 I’ve just moved to a new city and I really
miss my old friends. I try to let them
know what’s going on in my life
through Facebook, but not all of my
friends use that. We have weekly phone
calls and that means I can catch up on
ALL the gossip – we couldn’t do that
with text messages!
Speaker 4 My friends are all over the place now, so
it’s hard to keep in touch with them all.
But using Facebook or Twitter means
that I can let them know, no matter
where they are, what’s going on in my
life, and of course it works the other
way round too. Unfortunately, we don’t
have many chances to meet up
face-to-face for a coffee.
Speaker 5 Well, I send my friends texts every now
and then – they’re good for
double-checking plans and
arrangements, you know, at the last
minute when you’re out. I use email
too. I actually spend ages writing
emails but only to elderly relatives who
live on the other side of the world, so I
don’t mind doing it. I love chatting on
the phone too, but don’t do that very
often.
English File Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 8
Listening 2
Interviewer … and now moving on to this week’s Techie Troubles. I’m
delighted to welcome Alison Reynolds, who’s going to talk about
staying safe online. Alison, thanks for joining us today. It’s good to
have you with us and I’m sure you’ve got lots of good tips for us to
take on board.
Alison Thanks, er, yes – there’s plenty for everyone to think about
nowadays because we’re using the internet more and more in every
area of our lives, especially when keeping in touch with people, so
I’d like to talk about the risks involved in using social networking
sites. Now, in many ways these sites have entirely replaced the
phone or email, and they’ve become a way of life; you know –
allowing us to share information, experiences and photos, and so
on. And we can check all of this at any time – even using mobile
devices – so we’re always connected really, no matter where we go.
But, it’s the very nature of these sites – the fact that there are so
many people using them who are unknown to us – that means using
them carries a degree of risk, including becoming a target for
cyber-criminals.
Interviewer Right. Could you give us some examples of that?
Alison … yes, of course. Well, one of the first dangers that comes to mind
is that of giving away private information. And that could be
innocently done by yourself or a friend – you know, um, posting
that you’ve just had a great meal, or someone’s had a great party, or
has just flown off on the holiday of a lifetime, for example, which of
course gives advance warning to any potential burglars out there.
Interviewer That’s true. I’ve heard of that kind of thing happening. So,
what else do we need to think about?
Alison Well, another thing to be very careful about is opening attachments
or photos within messages, especially from people you don’t know.
Interviewer And that’s because …
Alison Because very often they contain very nasty viruses which can
completely destroy your computer. If in doubt, never click on it –
just get rid of it.
Interviewer So Alison, what can we do to protect ourselves on social
networking sites then? Can you give us one or two top tips?
Alison First of all, spend some time learning how to use the site properly
… take a tour if you like … and read all the help features they’ve got.
For example, use the privacy features to restrict strangers’ access to
your profile, and apart from family members and your own close
friends or perhaps colleagues, be cautious about who you let join
your network.
Interviewer That’s good advice.
Alison And secondly, and this may seem like common sense really,
remember that what goes online stays online.
Interviewer I think I see where you’re going with this one …
Alison Yes, don’t say anything or publish any photos which could
potentially be a source of embarrassment in the future. Once it’s
done, it’s done, and it could come back to bite you in the future! It’s
best to learn how to remove your name from photos you don’t want
anyone to see – just in case someone does post one.
Interviewer Er, yes, especially nowadays with more and more employers
checking social networking sites.
Alison Exactly! The worst that could happen is that you end up getting
fired.
Interviewer Well, thanks very much Alison. It’s been great talking to you.
Alison Thanks.
8

Listening Scripts
FILE 9
Listening 1
Speaker 1 My favourite ad of all time is one for a well-known
charity. It wasn’t anything fancy – it just showed
the good they do in the community, you know,
things like visiting the elderly. It made me take a
look at myself and what I do, and then I decided to
do my bit to help as well.
Speaker 2 I love the new one for that well-known chemist’s
– that one with all the girls trying to squeeze every
toiletry and cosmetic under the sun into their cases
before they go off on holiday. It’s a situation any
girl’s familiar with, isn’t it? OK, so I know it’s an
extreme version, but it’s hilarious!
Speaker 3 Well I suppose my all-time favourite is that
insurance one. It’s full of really ridiculous things
happening, like the kid lowering the garage door on
the car and smashing it up. But the point they’re
making beyond all that is something we should all
be taking on board. It could make a real difference
to somebody one day!
Speaker 4 Sometimes the best ads are the simple ones, but
having said that, the funny ones are hard to be beat
as well, like that Italian ice cream ad – the one at the
seaside with the guy chasing the girl to get her to
buy some ice cream. That stands out for me
because the whole thing is just so stupid.
Speaker 5 I like the one for a certain make of butter. Yeah,
there’s not much in the way of special effects or
anything, but that’s what’s so good about it. It’s
going right back to the basics – you know the things
we can all identify with – a slice of hot toast with
lots of butter on it. And we all know how
comforting that is. Yummy!
English File Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 9
Listening 2
Interviewer Well I’m delighted to say that for today’s Business
Block, our marketing expert Ryan has joined us here in
the studio. Thanks for coming in, Ryan.
Ryan It’s a real pleasure.
Interviewer Now, we all know that advertising is big business
these days, but just why is advertising so important for a
company?
Ryan Well, obviously it’s crucial when a company’s launching a
new product or service onto the market to inform people
about it. Then, there’s also the fact that it increases sales.
And it does that through the increased interest in the
product that it sparks. So, that helps to maximize profits,
of course.
Interviewer Right, but when you say ‘product’ do you mean
things like washing machines, cars, TVs, and so on?
Ryan Oh no, it could be a service that we’re talking about – but,
the same rules apply, really. You know: insurance,
banking, health care, education, and of course there are
also events like festivals or exhibitions. The word needs
to get out there, otherwise nobody will go for that
service.
Interviewer Interesting … so how easy or difficult is it to come
up with a really effective advert?
Ryan I’d say it’s not easy at all, actually. The way I see it,
advertising is a mixture of art, science, and a profession.
Art in that it takes real creative skills, science in that it
takes systematic and scientific planning, and profession
in that it’s done by professional agencies who follow
certain codes of business behaviour.
Interviewer OK, so there’s a lot to think about, in other words.
Ryan Exactly, but I’d say the main ingredient is the creative
thinking behind an advert. And for an advert to be a
success, there are a few basic aspects that it needs.
Interviewer And they are?
Ryan Well, the advert has to be innovative, not some kind of
copy or something that’s gone before. It has to be
imaginative of course, and it has to have an appeal to the
public. These things make an advert go viral – uh, you
know, become really popular really quickly.
Interviewer I see. Finally, as we’re nearly out of time, what can
you tell us about the importance of ‘targeting’ in
advertising?
Ryan Well, advertising is target-oriented in nature. That
simply means targeting somebody’s attention to one
specific thing at any one time. And in the context of
advertising, it means focusing on only a specific group or
class of consumers. You often see it with cars, for
example, where a luxury car maker designs and targets its
premium cars to suit the comforts, needs, expectations,
and demands of a rich elite class of customer. Advertising
is effective only if it is focused or target oriented.
Interviewer Right. Ryan, thanks so much for talking to us
here today. That was very informative indeed.
Ryan No problem. See you for the next Business Block.
9

Listening Scripts
FILE 10
Listening 1
Speaker 1 My most embarrassing moment? Hmmm … well,
there have been a few! Like the time I slipped off
the running machine at my local sports club. But
probably the worst was last year when I was having
a girls’ night out with my colleagues. We were
having a right laugh, and really going for it on the
dance floor when the heel on my shoe broke and I
fell over. I nearly died of embarrassment!
Speaker 2 No contest … it was when I was putting together a
flat pack … you know the things you assemble
yourself. Actually, it was our new garden shed
because we needed somewhere to put the kids’
bikes, and the lawnmower, and so on. Anyway,
when I finished, I turned around to tell my wife and
her mother who were looking out the kitchen
window. As soon as I called them, the whole thing
just fell apart … just like that, right in front of our
eyes! Really embarrassing!
Speaker 3 Oh, I won’t forget it in a hurry! It was when I was in
Greece actually. There I was, having a lovely time
lying by the pool and I decided to move round so I’d
get into the shade. Anyway, I don’t know what I did
with the sun lounger, but it suddenly folded itself
up and knocked me over in the process. And if that
wasn’t bad enough, when I picked myself up, I
ended up falling into the pool!
Speaker 4 Well, I know I’m not really sporty or anything, but I
never thought running to catch a bus would be a
problem. It was a few years ago now and I’d had to
go back to the house because I’d forgotten
something for work. Anyway, to cut a long story
short, I slipped on a banana skin … yes really …
and made a complete fool of myself in front of
everyone at the bus stop.
Speaker 5 Well, we had a new secretary … she’d only just
started and we’d taken her out the night before to
make her feel welcome. Anyway, she was pretty
hopeless, to say the least, and on this particular
morning I was really saying what I thought about
her and her work. Then she suddenly walked out of
the small kitchen in our office next to where I was
standing. She’d heard the whole thing!
English File Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
ENGLISH FILE
Upper-intermediate
FILE 10
Listening 2
Good afternoon everyone, and thanks for joining me today to
listen to this short talk on the life of one of our country’s most
famous scientists – Professor Stephen Hawking.
Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in
Oxford, England during the second world war. At that time, his
parents’ house was in north London, but during the war, Oxford
was considered a far safer place to have babies because of
London being bombed. When he was eight, his family moved to
St. Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. And at the
age of eleven, Stephen went to St. Albans School, and then on to
University College, Oxford; his father’s old college.
Stephen wanted to study mathematics, although his father’s
first choice would have been to see his son enter the medical
profession. Stephen’s original subject of choice was not
available at University College, so he decided to go for physics
instead. At the age of 20, after spending three years at university
and not having done very much work, he was awarded a first
class honours degree – the highest mark you can get for an
undergraduate degree.
Stephen then went on to Cambridge to do research in
Cosmology – that’s the study of the development of the
universe – there being no one working in that area in Oxford at
the time. Although this was something of great interest to
Stephen, it was a real challenge for him due to the kind of
scientific background he had. After gaining his Ph.D., he
became a Research Fellow – and later on a Professorial Fellow –
at Gonville and Caius College, and he’s been involved with
Cambridge ever since.
In terms of his health, Stephen had noticed that he was getting
increasingly clumsy during his last year at Oxford, and, when he
returned home for Christmas in 1962 at the end of his first term
at Cambridge, his mother persuaded him to see a doctor.
In early 1963 he spent two weeks having tests in hospital and
was diagnosed as having motor neurone disease – an illness
which affects the muscles and controls activity including
speaking, walking, swallowing, and general movement of the
body. His condition worsened quickly, and the doctors predicted
that he would not live long enough to complete his doctorate.
Stephen, however, did not allow this to get in his way.
Stephen suffered another blow to his health on a trip to Geneva
in 1985, where he caught pneumonia – a condition of the lung –
and was rushed to hospital. The hospital in Geneva suggested to
his wife that it was not worth keeping the life support machine
on, but fortunately she did not agree with the consultants. He
was flown back to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge,
where a surgeon called Roger Grey carried out an operation to
remove his voice box. That operation ultimately saved his life,
but meant that he had to be given a computer system to enable
him to have an electronic voice.
So, that was obviously a life-changing thing for Stephen and …
10