AUDIOSCRIPTS
TEST 1 animals like bears, rodents and amphibians
Task 1
Man: All right everyone, welcome to the site
you’ve all been waiting to see. That’s right, we’ve
finally arrived at our last spot on the tour of
ancient Egyptian architecture, the Great Pyramid!
This is where the tour ends, so after I’ve given
you some information about the pyramid and its
history, you’re free to stay as long as you like!
Now, let me tell you a little bit about this
impressive structure. I’m sure you’re all aware
that of all the pyramids at Giza, there is none
bigger than the Great Pyramid, but did you know
that at around 4,500 years old, it is also the oldest
one of the pyramids? It’s true. In 2550 BCE
Pharaoh Khufu ordered his engineers to build him
a tomb that would last throughout the ages so he
would always be remembered, and as you can
see, they succeeded!
Another interesting thing about the Great Pyramid
of Giza is that, after its completion, it remained the
tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly
4,000 years. In fact, the engineers who developed
the construction methods used to build the Great
Pyramid were so far ahead of their time that
neither archaeologists nor modern architects are
exactly sure how they managed it!
Finally, before all of you go off to wander around
the site on your own, I wanted to tell you one last
thing. Preservation of the Great Pyramid is
essential to maintain its excellent condition.
Archaeologists have spent lots of time carefully
excavating artefacts over the years as well as
preserving the engravings and other artwork, all of
which has been photographed and catalogued to
ensure that it is accessible in the future. Of
course, nothing beats seeing it for yourselves in
person, so go! Get some unforgettable snaps for
the photo album and enjoy yourselves! And I’ll be
here for another hour or so if you have any
questions for me. Thank you!
Task 2
Woman: Good afternoon. Today I would like to
talk to you about a remarkable discovery made
recently in the north of Spain which indicates
something interesting about early humans. So,
what is this discovery? As you know, many
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hibernate during the winter months to conserve
energy and stay warm. Well, evidence has
recently been found to support the idea that our
own ancestors may have hibernated for this same
reason.
Previously, we did not believe that humans could
ever hibernate because we did not evolve the
necessary body functions to do so. It has
traditionally been understood that rather than
evolving this way, we developed the skills needed
to provide ourselves with food throughout the
winter months. However, now that fossils of early
humans have been found with signs of bone
damage similar to that which occurs in animals
that hibernate today, there is reason to believe
hibernation amongst early humans was once
possible. The fossils that were found were of early
humans living over 400,000 years ago, and they
were discovered by a team of
paleoanthropologists – researchers who
specifically study prehistoric humans – in a cave
in Atapuerca, Spain.
The evidence supporting the hibernation theory is
that the fossils showed weakness caused by a
lack of vitamin D, which is obtained by the body
through sunlight. Therefore, it can be understood
that these early humans went through periods of
time without getting any sunlight at all, just as
hibernating creatures do. This also means that
they were probably able to slow their metabolism
down enough to stop eating for the long winter
months. Since winters were much colder across
most of the planet at that time, the
paleoanthropological community has often
wondered how early humans managed to survive.
So this discovery is an important find as it offers a
possible explanation. As they continue their work,
they hope to find more evidence to support this
conclusion.
Task 3
Man: It’s fair to say that social media dominates
much of teenage life these days. It’s also worth
noting that a number of parents of such teenagers
are concerned about the negative effects of social
media, in particular, their children’s lack of face-to-
face interaction with peers. While these parents
may have valid concerns, it turns out that
1 Matura B2
 AUDIOSCRIPTS

researchers have found a number of benefits to

social media use amongst teenagers.
For one, studies have shown that when young
people use social media, their ability to
communicate and get along with others is better
than those who do not use social media. When
people used to think of teens who spend a lot of
time online, what came to mind? A lonely
teenager who never left his or her room. But that
idea is becoming more and more outdated.
Today’s teens can have close friendships with
people who live on the other side of the planet,
and because of these friendships, they are less
likely to feel the need to give in to peer pressure.
Since social media adapts itself to the user’s
specifications, users are immersed in a world that
feels comfortable. This is particularly beneficial to
teens who suffer from low self-esteem or have
interests that are dissimilar to those of their
classmates. In other words, exploring the world of
social media encourages teens to express their
interests and opinions and gives them confidence
when they find like-minded people.
This doesn’t mean that social media only benefits
the user. Research has shown that there are
benefits to society as well. The confidence that
finding friendships online offers has been shown
to equip users of social media with the social skills
they need to be active members of society. This is
apparent in the way social media campaigns have
improved communities around the globe, whether
it’s to organise social events or promote civil
rights. People sometimes think of their online lives
as separate from the ‘real world,’ but this
crossover illustrates how much social media has
become a very real part of everyday life,
especially for young people.

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